Golfing Old Head Part 6

Hole 13
Oyster Catcher
Par 3

149 | 141 | 126 | 102 | 102 yards

After playing the 12th, you turn back the way you just played 12 and walk along a short path back towards the 13th tee.

Both the 12th and 13th occupy the small neck of land that connects the headlands with the mainland.  Since these 2 holes are in opposite directions, if you had the wind at your back on 12 it will now be directly into your face.

With the narrow neck of land both the 12th and 13th feature dramatic cliffs framing the left sides of the hole.  In face a large percent of the seaside holes offer the water down the left side.

This hole used to be over 250 yards, but has been shortened, thankfully.  In its current form, this par 3 requires a precise tee shot, as the hole hugs the clifftop to the left.  The cliffs actually extend across the entire hole making the area in front of the tee ground unplayable.

A path to the right connects the tees to the green.  Missing right here is not an option as you have heavy impenetrable gorse lining this side.  To the right of the green is also a stone face that will ricochet any balls from there to a watery demise.

There is the smallest of margins to miss short, however, this area contains a large bunker on the left half.  To the right of the sand, a slope repels shots down away from the green.

Behind the hole you can see in the distance the lighthouse ruins.   This is just one more of the spectacular but nerve racking holes  that seem to never end at Old Head.  All of the par 3s, save for 11, are all very much rifts on this same theme of dramatic cliff top scenery, and greens that require landing on or face the loss of your ball.

Hey look its me!

Here you can see the very small landing area just short of the green.  You can also see how there is no room to miss anywhere else on this hole.

From just short it is a simple chip, provided the pin is in the front.  If it was in the back it would be very difficult.  A trough runs across the center of the green and funnels off to the left.  This feature makes hitting the green not the only task, but also requires hitting to the right half.

And another view from the walking path between the tees and the green.

After playing this hole it is a short walk back up the path and across the road to the 14th.  The course now turns back onto the peninsula for another stretch of amazing holes.  Before heading to the 14th, take a look around at the flowering bushes and the amazing ocean views.

Hole 14
Ravens Run
Par 4

452 | 428 | 411 | 383 | 370 yards

When your course offers so many amazing holes coming onto the 14th hole is a bit underwhelming.  Off the tee no jaw dropping views await.  Instead a semi blind tee shot over the crest of the hill is your task.

A line of three bunkers cross the fairway at around 220-240 yards out.  You must fly these or thread your ball between them.  After that you will have a longer iron in.

Each tee has its own walking path converging to the fairway on this hole.

Once you crest the hill in the fairway, the ocean view finally becomes apparent.  The hole falls slightly as you approach this green.  Two bunkers flank the edges of the fairway short of the green.

The green is a triangular shape that runs from right to left.  A right pin placement would be the most difficult here.

Hole 15
Haulie's Leap
Par 4

342 | 328 | 284 | 264 | 264 yards

After finishing the plain 14th it is time to experience what has to be one of the most dramatic set of closing holes of golf on the planet.  The 15-17th holes all offer the tremendous ocean views that make this course so special.

The 15th is a really cool par 4 that plays dramatically downhill from the tees.  This is the shortest par 4 and with the elevation change this is a definite driveable hole.

With gorgeous ocean views to the right of the tee box, and the lighthouse looming above the green straight ahead, it is easy to get distracted from the task at hand.

From the tees, the fairway is a forced carry that begins only about 140 yards from the hole.  The fairway winds down the hill towards the green.  The fairway really does not need to be in play.  I hit a 5-iron with the wind behind us and managed to roll up onto the green to around 15 feet!

As you descend down the hill you can see how the fairway offers a landing zone about 140-70 yards from the green.  After that the hole falls off again as it descends to the final lowest elevation of the green.

Can a golf hole get any more picturesque than this?  The 5th and 4th holes I think were my 2 favorite vistas on the course.  Both involved the lighthouse and stunning ocean views as backdrops for you.

As we walked to the green we got to witness the kind of recovery required for an errant shot on the par 3 11th.  Yikes!  This guy actually hit a remarkable shot from there.  I am pretty sure you landed a nice soft shot right up onto the green.  Very impressive.  After he hit it, he turned to me and proceeded to say "I hate this game."  Ha ha.

Here is my tee ball and where it came to rest. A nice up hill putt 15 feet for eagle.... That I three jacked.  Oh well, it was a sweet tee shot!

Old Head Part 1
Old Head Part 2
Old Head Part 3
Old Head Part 4
Old Head Part 5
Old Head Part 6
Old Head Part 7