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An impressive collection of more than 170 submissions has been narrowed down to one. The winner of this year’s Design-a-Hole Contest has been found.
This winner will watch their design go from idea to playable hole in Golden Tee 2018. They will win their own game. They will create their own Freaky Friday for the Daily Contest. Their Golden Tee life is about to change, so let’s not delay the suspense any further.
Thank you, thank you, thank you all for submitting, for commenting, for joining the conversation and also your passion. Picking one design is never easy—especially with a crop this good. But this is the design the Golden Tee team, led by course designer Jim Zielinski, has selected.
And the winner is...
The Old Mill (Par-4) by Dave Rhoades
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Here is the hole's description:
Welcome to The Old Mill, a short Par 4 located along the Pine Creek in Wildcat Den State Park. A very scenic hole with a small bridge crossing, a gazebo overlooking the creek and the star of the show, The Old Mill. This drivable Par 4 will test your shotmaking ability if you go for the green off the tee. A direct shot from the white tees is only 250yds but standing between you and the green is The Old Mill.
A 3 story lumber mill that is powered by Pine Creek. It will be the biggest challenge because it will take a high lofted club and a lot of spin to keep the ball on the green. There's no shame in playing down the fairway and setting up a short shot back across the creek. Just don't drive the ball too far or you'll end up on a stone walkway that sits at the end of the fairway. Shots that don't go as planned could wind up on the beach across from the green, in the green side bunker, or most likely, in the water. The green slopes away from The Old Mill and is also guarded by a rocky hillside along the right.
Our second-place finisher was Booker’s Bump by Jamie Boehm followed by Rock Garden by Brian Hill. Congratulations to both on brilliant designs and deep runs in the contest.
As for The Old Mill, the design from the start caught Zielinski’s eye. Not just the way it was beautifully put together, but also a simple yet challenging concept.
“This is a scenic hole,” Zielinski said. “I also loved that height and club distance was a focal point, which is unique from Design-a-Hole stops in the past. It will be a challenge for those who wish to hit the green, especially under difficult conditions, and yet Dave also outlined a clear and defined area for players to take if they wish to play for birdie.”
Zielinski will now take Rhoades design and recreate it on one of the 2018 courses. “We think you’re going to love where it fits in,” he added. Where will that be? Tune into our live video stream of the Golden Tee World Championship on May 19-May 21. That Saturday, May 20, will include an hour (or so) dedicated to Golden Tee 2018.
As for what’s next, Jim Z needs to get to work. The Old Mill will begin its transformation into the game. Rhoades, of course, will be celebrated as such with a sign on his design along with his very own game.
Congratulations to him and all of our finalists. Be sure to stay glued to Goldentee.com for much more on the status of the winning design.