A hole lot more fun

An 8-inch hole makes a big difference to your golf game.

Redwoods Golf Course in Langley, B.C., has taken a bold step forward in the attempt to make golf more user friendly. Every Tuesday the greens have two holes: the standard 4.25 inch hole and a new 8-inch hole with a Canadian flag. 

Redwoods owner and managing director Doug Hawley wants to draw golfers back to the game.

"Younger folks, who just don’t think golf is cool,” Hawley said. "If you can take some of the frustration out of the game, the more golfers will enjoy it and they’ll want to come back."

Hawley's approach makes a great deal of sense, since putts makes up half a golfer’s score and most golfers struggle with the flat stick. His concept is not unique, as 15-inch holes are being used on some American courses. But it seems Redwoods is the only upscale golf course in British Columbia with the courage to try something new. Hawley said he is surprised by all the attention the 8-inch hole has attracted, but is more than pleased with the increased green fees on Tuesday.

Did the 8-inch hole make a difference?

The 8-inch hole has not changed the nature of the game. It is still necessary to drive the ball straight, find the green and sink a putt. 

My first observation was that I played with a great deal of confidence, especially after making an 18-foot putt on the first hole. There was little pressure on the short putts or frustration over missing an easy putt. Making that dreaded four-foot putt became routine. 

The greens still have to be read and putting is still a combination of line and ball speed, but the larger cup is more forgiving. Golfers need to be aggressive and never leave a putt short. The 8-inch hole should almost eradicate the three putt green and speed up the pace of play.

With putts of 20 feet or more, the 8-inch hole became less of a factor. I still missed!

Chipping was also more fun because the hole is a much bigger target. As for my score, it dropped four strokes, which seems to be the norm. If one of the objectives of the 8-inch hole is to have more fun, Redwoods hit the sweet spot.

Keep in mind that the flag should be left in when putting. The candleholder that holds up the flag can cause the ball to bounce out.  In addition, military tradition states that if the flag is a national flag, such as the flag of Canada, it should never touch the ground.

Golf purists may not like the 8-inch hole, but I believe we should embrace this change instead of trying to duplicate what pros do on the PGA tour.