Cross Country Golf
I don’t run. And if you see me run, you should start running too. Because something is probably chasing me
- Anonymous
Cross Country Golf in simplest terms is we will tee off here and go for the hole over there. Its still golf … get the little ball in the little hole in the fewest shots possible. Yet this form of golf can either be praised by a Golf Sicko like myself or hated by the Golf Purest. Even-though this form of the game is most certainly the Origin of golf.
Often times you end up traversing the course in ways you have never seen. Hitting tee shots backwards over trees that the architect didn’t intend you carry and approaching the green from an angle that is different than you would normally.
Many clubs in the Midwest or Northeast of the US will have their last event of the year be a 9 hole Cross Country Golf event where they end up playing holes crisscrossing the course and playing holes over 800 yards. There is a reason you don’t see many par 6s in Golf … they take up a lot of unnecessary amount of land and are not that fun to play!
Yet there is still a way to make Cross Country golf fun and compelling for the recreational player. The way to do this is by having Reverse, Alternate, and Secret Holes at your course.
Reverse Routing can turn any 18 hole property into a 36 hole masterpiece with just some tree removal and maybe a temporary green or two. There are even courses that have embraced the concept of reserve routing by adding into their design concept such as the Loop, Bobby Jones Park, and The Old Course.
The 2022 United States Open was played at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts. It is considered the original country club in the US and its home to 27 holes of golf; the Clyde, the Squirrel, and the Primrose nines. For all the USGA Championship Events they play a composite routing that have holes from all 3 nines … this routing includes a cross country hole.
Its combination of the first & second holes of the Primrose Course. The first hole is a medium length par 4 and you can see still see the first green in play while playing the US Open routing. The second is medium length par 3 over water. The combination of these creates a medium length par 4 that tested the best players in the world. Also now the members have a great little IYKYK moment when playing the Primrose Course.
At Sand Valley Golf Resort, we have many opportunities to play cross country golf. The 6 Hole Loop is available to all Sand Valley Resort Guest after 3pm … which includes an Alternate 6th hole back towards Craig’s Porch. As well, in my time at the Resort I have routed a composite routing of Sand Valley and Mammoth Dunes that includes 8 traditional holes on Sand Valley, 7 traditional holes and 3 creative cross country holes on Mammoth Dunes. I have played this routing a few times and looking for a new adventure which would be to play Mammoth in reverse.
Though this task may be difficult to achieve in the near future.
to be continue …
