The Bull #16

ode

The tee-

From the fwy-

From about 80 yds-

From the front right of green-

Looking back-

It's about 350ish off the tee, over a ravine, uphill tee shot, that curves around to the left, a good line is just right if the bunker/just to the right side or even middlish of the pines. Approach over another ravine to tiered green. Pin was right today, the left edge of the pines did not let me go right at the pin, but I held off a GW from about 115 and landed it into the ridge and had about a 12 footer down the hill which missed right. 3 wood off the tee, perfect line. Just a really demanding tee shot that does not suit my eye. No let up on this hole, a real beauty! I parred all the signature, par 4's today, #5, 9, 16, and 18! Great day....enjoying a Deschutes Fresh Squeezed IPA...right now. Cheers.

rsvman

Beautiful! Thanks for showing the pics. Made me a little jealous, but living vicariously is better than not living at all!

ode

This course is gorgeous.....about a mile or two from Blackwolf Run and maybe 15-20 mins from Whistling Straights....often gets overlooked, but will challenge you....imo harder than all 4 of the Kohler courses!

SVonhof

That would fit my shot shape perfectly! Hit a nice curving 4 iron around the corner and leave a 120 yard approach!

ode

SVonhof can I borrow that shot?/😋

PA-PLAYA

Nice. You've got some really nice courses there judging by your posts as of late, Ode.

I'd probably either hit a "feathered" driver at about 75 percent to within 130 yards, or perhaps a full 3-wood, then try to muscle a 9-iron to that front hole location.

I like these type holes that force me to think about strategy, versus the run-of-the-mill "hit driver as hard as you can" variety.

Also looks like the course is still in great shape for this time of year especially. 🙂

ode

PA-PLAYA I was amazed at the condition, best I've seen this course....although it's always in good shape, today was stellar!

And although only 350 from the tee (I played greens at 6400+), it's a tough hole....don't need 400+ to make a hard hole....and this hole really is critical that you play the correct tee, as the same shot.from the whites and I'm likely in the pines and down the ravine on that side, one tee back and it's a struggle/likely not clearing that bunker/ravine to get to the fwy.

SVonhof

ode can I borrow that shot?/😋

Sure, just make sure you give it back to me!

puttnfool

Looks like a tough hole. Where's this located?

ode

http://www.golfthebull.com

Sheboygan Falls, WI

The Bull is a signature Nicklaus design.

The area is well known for the Kohler courses owned by Herb Kohler and designed by Pete Dye.

kelco9

ode So considering Nicklaus designed it and it plays tough, can we say "Bear's Bull, without bull, is a bear."

letthebigdogshunt

That is my kind of course. I hate the style of many of the courses today.

ode

kelco9 imo, Jack is more cranky than Pete design wise....but the sample size is 1 for Jack and 4 for Pete.

PA-PLAYA

Just played the Golden Bear club down in FL, which is where my buddy relocated to earlier this spring.

One of the more enjoyable Nicklaus layouts I've played in years. Played 3-4 rounds there. Retief Goosen, Ken Griffey Jr, and a handful of other sports celebrities play there frequently.

Loved the greens.... not overly big, but very challenging to hit with Nicklaus's MO of placing bunkers around the greens to challenge mishits from even the shorter clubs.

But... the one thing I did like about it is that most every hole offered a run-up option.

ode

PA-PLAYA thats interesting, as the bull offers very few true run up options, maybe 5 holes and only getting a peak at one side of the green to run up. It's not crazy demanding off the tee, but is on approaches, I would consider it a 2nd/approach shot kind of course....the most demanding driving holes are all shortish, so you can and likely should use something other than driver.

puttnfool

ode yeah, I was looking at the course layout online and on my GolfPad app and it looks like it would be a hell of a course to play. Looks to be a strategic course vs smashing driver all day and then deciding what to hit on your next shot.

ode

puttnfool that's accurate.....the holes where it's wide enough to let it rip are 1, 4 (if you can cover the left bunkers), 9, and 17 (reaching eof and hazard possible)....and another 4 or so holes that if the shot shape suits your eye, you also could let it rip.

kchacker

ode True, but Jack's designs are "this hole isn't hard enough....let's redesign and change the way the player will play it." Dye's solution is "put a f******g mound there in the middle...that'll fix it."

ode

kchacker sort of, Dye will not hold back on moving as much dirt as possible to get the course to suit his eye, at Whistling Straights that's how he made that course, moved ungodly amounts of dirt to scult it...it's almost insane to think it was flat/ish before he broke ground.....with no trees he had to use "mounds", etc.ti shape holes, get doglegs, curve, elevation change, etc. If I had a flat piece of land or a blank canvas that needed to be made into a course, Dye would be my hire, it there was a natural piece of land where you could shape holes through the natural terrain, and use what was there, then I'd choose Jack!

livegolf

Looks good!

I'm going with 2 hybrid and trying to draw it off the cell phone tower. That isn't my shot so it will be a push fade or a snap hook. Either way I'm dropping somewhere off the tee 😬