After watching a week’s worth of U.S. Open coverage, all I can say is that if the time spent analyzing hole locations had been given over to the BP oil spill, the Gulf of Mexico would be spotless by now.

It boggles my mind how much fuss can be made over placing a 4-1/4-inch hole in the ground 8 to 10 inches deep. And how many people are needed to do so.

From my days as an assistant superintendent through 23 years helping position holes for major golf events, I thought I’d seen every possible method of picking locations. Once upon a time, the legendary PJ Boatwright of the USGA would throw his pocketknife in the air, watch it stick in the green, and ask me, “How does that look?” The galleries were almost as stunned as I was.

Choosing hole locations does involve smart decision-making and analysis. But the ongoing blather-both from the multitudes standing on the green to the TV voices adding their two cents-has become too much for me to handle.

The committees picking the spots receive too much credit and too much blame. It’s pretty obvious on most golf holes where the good and bad locations are. A few inches one way or another can make a difference, but rarely does; and if it does, that spot is probably not a good one anyway. Furthermore, if a few inches are that critical to determining a course’s difficulty (as at Pebble Beach during last week’s U.S. Open Championship), there are bigger problems than the greens.

Most of you won’t ever set hole positions for a U.S. Open. However, as a golfer or member of a maintenance crew, it can be very helpful to understand what’s important when choosing fair locations.

First, the Rules of Golf define “a hole” as being 4-1/4-inches (108mm) in diameter and at least 4 inches deep into the ground. If the hole has a liner, it must be sunk at least 1 inch below the surface.

Nowhere in the Rules is there anything about where the hole should be positioned. Anywhere on the putting surface is allowed. However, common sense (and job security!) dictate some intelligent decisions:
–Do not set a hole on a mound, steep pitch, or in a swale or hollow.
–If rain is expected, place the hole on higher ground.
–A hole should be at least 5 paces from the perimeter of the green
–Do not set a hole too close to a slope so even a well-stuck putt could roll off the green. (Case in point, 14 at Pebble Beach at the Open last week.)
–Always consider pace of play and who is playing that day.
–Use a digital level if your greens are old-school and the percent slope is more than 5% back to front or left to right.
–Given how low greens can be cut today, be sure the old hole plug is set level to the surface.

Assistant golf course superintendents and members of Green Committees should consider the following:
–Study the design of your course and how the architect intended each hole to be played.
–Consider how hole placement is affected by the elements, specifically wind, sun (drying), types of soil, and condition of fairway turf (which affects spin; too much turf between ball and club at impact means less spin).
–Make sure there’s enough space between the edge of the green and the hole.
–Consider recovery options, which affect pace of play.
–Make sure there is a four-foot circle of flat surface around each hole. I call it “the agronomic circle of friendship,” as it ensures that the hole placement is both flat and fair.
— If the hole is positioned on a slope, do not set the hole and line parallel to the slope but make sure they are flat. Otherwise, golfers might be there all day trying to hole their putts.
–Try to balance hole locations over the entire course, striving for a near-equal selection of fronts, backs, lefts, and rights. Note: The most difficult hole location is front center.

When setting locations for a club event:
–In case of a playoff, have an extra spot in mind for each hole or those used for playoffs.
–Choose positions well in advance of the event and protect them from play as best you can for at least a few days leading up to the event.
–If the event is an invitational, choose a practice-day location that is easy and fun.
–Watch the weather. If greens start drying out during play, even good shots can bounce into bad finishing locations. (see hole #7 and #17 at Pebble Beach)
–Again, remember pace of play.

Finally, it is not necessary to have 14 people pick hole locations. If 2 or 3 people can’t work them out, you have the wrong 2 or 3 people.