Hole Overview

Architects Notes by Gil Hanse

Most great short par 4’s are all about seduction.  Can the golfer be enticed into making an aggressive play, are the rewards worth the risk?  This hole now embodies all of those characteristics with multiple options off the tee which allow the golfer to choose their preferred angle and distance into this severely sloping green.  Because only a precise shot will yield a chance at birdie the options are all that more enticing.

History

The origin of the name ‘Nobbly’ is unknown. (The Century Dictionary, copyright 1914, defines the word ‘nobble’ as ‘to frustrate’, and the word ‘nobbler’ as ‘a finishing stroke.’ Either definition seems appropriate for #3.)

1964 USGA Senior Amateur Championship… Higgins did a better job of licking his jitters than did Waverley’s soft-spoken Murphy. The Bay Area swinger Higgins was one-down to his underdog rival Murphy when he came to the 353-yard 3rd and appeared on his way to more trouble when Murphy hit his approach to within eight feet of the cup. Higgins quickly turned the tide of the battle by chipping in from 20 feet for a birdie. He then watched as Murphy missed a slick downhill eight-foot try for a halve. Many of the players felt Waverley’s spacious greens had been built cursed with diabolical slopes, bends, dips and ridges.

1970 USGA Men’s Amateur Championship… Lanny Wadkins, continuing his championship final round, was one stroke down to Tom Kite. The number three par four became the equalizer for this hard fought match. After Wadkin’s birdie on the third hole, Kite smiled at his rival and said: “Timeout”. From the third-hole forward the two young competitors were never more than one-stroke apart.