how does a loop golf course work

by Lincoln Hamill 10 min read

The concept of The Loop works for a couple of reasons. The first is that the course plays in only one direction on any given day. As with every other golf course, the Loop is played from hole one, to two, and so on. After finishing on the first green players walk a dozen yards or so to play from the next teeing ground.

Doak and the team at Renaissance Golf Design have laid out a “reversible" golf course called The Loop. Golfers playing The Loop head out on the course's Black routing in a clockwise rotation one day. The next, everyone turns around and plays the Red routing in a counter- clockwise manner.

Full Answer

What is a loop in golf?

In golf, a loop is a round of golf: Play 18 holes, you just played a loop. But where does that usage come from? In earlier days of golf — going back to the 19th century in Scotland and England — many golf courses were traditional links courses. Traditional links typically follow an "out and back" pattern of arranging the holes.

Why are caddies called looper and looping?

"Looper" and "looping" referring to caddies and caddying, respectively, derives from the earlier origins of the golf term "loop." In golf, a loop is a round of golf: Play 18 holes, you just played a loop. But where does that usage come from?

Which way do you play the Black routing at the loop?

The Black routing plays clockwise around The Loop, starting to the left of the 18th green and playing away to the white flag on the horizon. You’ll play to white flags for the front nine, and red flags for the back, just like The Old Course at St. Andrews. If you’re ever unsure of which way to go, keep left!

What is the routing around the loop at Augusta National?

The Red routing plays counter-clockwise around The Loop, starting to the right of the 18th green and playing toward the red flag in the distance. There are red flags on the front nine and white flags on the back, but if you’re ever unsure of which way to go, keep right except to pass!

What is a golf loop?

Loop is caddie-lingo for a round of golf. This can mean 9 or 18 holes of walking – which can be equivalent to about two to five miles. It generally takes between 2 and 5 hours to complete a loop, depending on the course, the players and the number of holes they play.

How does a reversible golf course work?

0:3810:54This Reversible Golf Course Blew Our Minds | Adventures In Golf Season 4YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipHere's how it works on even days the course play runs on the black routing. Which is clockwise. AndMoreHere's how it works on even days the course play runs on the black routing. Which is clockwise. And on odd days course play runs on the red routing which is the reverse or counterclockwise.

When was Arcadia Bluffs built?

Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club, designed by Warren Henderson and Rick Smith, was founded in 1999 in Arcadia, Michigan. The course is built on the bluffs above the shore of Lake Michigan on approximately 245 acres (99 ha).

How does Forest Dunes the loop work?

Golfers playing The Loop head out on the course's Black routing in a clockwise rotation one day. The next, everyone turns around and plays the Red routing in a counter- clockwise manner.

What is a reversible par 3?

The Reversible Par 3 is a unique 9-hole, par 27 course and has 18 tees that alternate daily. Designed to accommodate all abilities of golfers, it is ideal for novice golfers and families with children, or you can work on your short game.

What is Arcadia Bluffs ranked?

Arcadia Bluffs is honored to be featured in America's 100 Greatest Public Courses by Golf Digest! The Bluffs Course is ranked 14th and The South Course is 52nd.

How many courses are at Arcadia Bluffs?

Two Unique Golfing Experiences The Bluffs Course resembles a seaside links course with views of Lake Michigan. The South Course is a tribute to a bygone era in golf course design that few have experienced.

Who designed the South Course at Arcadia Bluffs?

Dana FryGolf course architects Dana Fry and Jason Straka, having worked together for over 20 years, continue to bring their collective design experience, talent, and renowned client dedication to their venture.

Where is the reversible loop golf course?

Erik Matuszewski. The reversible Loop at Forest Dunes in Michigan is one of the most unique golf courses in the country, with a routing that plays in opposite directions day-to-day.

What does the flagpole on the first tee flies?

But if you lose track of the days in the remote wilderness of Roscommon, the flagpole near the first tee flies either a red or black flag, signifying the course you’ll tackle that day.

Is the Forest Dunes loop reversible?

Erik Matuszewski. The Loop is truly a one-of-a-kind experience in the U.S. Yes, there are a few other courses billed as reversible, but only The Loop has 18 shared greens and two completely different routings that run in opposing directions.

Why are tees so efficient?

It’s still efficient, because the tees only need to be half as big for each direction -- the sizes are based on the amount of traffic they have to handle. ”. Doak explained more details in an email while on a recent design trip to Australia.

Where is Forest Dunes Golf Club?

It is the new sister course at Forest Dunes Golf Club, just outside Roscommon. The home of golf, The Old Course at St. Andrews, was built to allow a reversible path, but has only been played that way on rare occasion since 1914.

What are the best holes to play at the PGA?

Some of designer Tom Doak’s favorite holes include: 1 The long par-4 3rd, with its green sitting out on the edge of a ridge 2 The short par-4 4th, where a drive to the left opens up a view of the green through a narrow slot between mounds 3 The short 8th, where there are bunkers right up at the front of the green, but plenty of fairway behind it 4 The par-4 12th, sweeping downhill through a beautiful little valley, with bunkers pinching the landing area just short of where you need to be to get a good look at the green around the corner 5 The long 14th, playing up into the back of the Redan green, where the short grass to the left of the green presents as difficult a third shot as being in the bunker you were trying to avoid

How many short holes are there in Black Course?

The Black Course is a less traditional setup, with a tough start and an easier finish. Par for the front side is only 34, with three short holes at the 2nd, 5th and 8th, and just one par-5.

What is the red flag on the golf loop?

The Loop — RED. The Red routing plays counter-clockwise around The Loop, starting to the right of the 18th green and playing toward the red flag in the distance. There are red flags on the front nine and white flags on the back, but if you’re ever unsure of which way to go, keep right except to pass! The Red is a more traditional design, in the ...

What is the short 6th hole on the Red Course?

The short 6th, playing over a natural bowl of native grasses. The long par-3 11th, with a bank at the back left of the green to help you try to play the shot to the green’s upper tier … actually, all five short holes on the Red course are very good ones.

What happens at halfway back in golf?

At the halfway-back point in the backswing, golfers are doomed to an over-the-top, out-to-in downswing, which causes the ball to curve to the right (slice) for a right-handed golfer. The club face is now way too open, and the golfer has created a steeper angle of attack. It’s no wonder most golfers have never hit a real draw in their life.

How does a golf swing feel?

Your golf swing will feel as if you are swinging way up and outside, but this is what you need to feel and create to change your ball flight. You can even feel an early hinge in your backswing, making your takeaway and backswing steeper and having the shaft shallow on the downswing.

Why do golfers have open club faces?

Having an open club face at the top of the swing leads to many swing faults, including hitting behind the ball, too much weight on the trail foot at impact, and casting the club, which adds way to much loft to the club face.

How to help a golfer improve?

Watching ball flight and listening to impact is the best way to help a golfer improve, and my diagnosis of a golfer always starts with the ball flight. Then I go to the club face, then to the shaft, and then what the body is doing in the motion to create the golf shot. Golfers do not need to change their entire golf swings to improve their ball ...

What is insanity in golf?

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. As a golfer, you must change something in your golf swing to change your ball flight. Grip, stance, alignment, and posture are extremely important in the setup, but I consider them variables, not fundamentals. You see phenomenal golfers with all type of setups, grips, alignments, and postures.

Why does a golfer whip the club?

In an effort to create power, the golfer whips the club too far inside and usually opens the face way too early in the backswing. Compensations abound from creating this type of position with the club face and shaft.

How long should I slow down my golf swing?

Make sure you do this slowly at first before you build speed. I always recommend 10-15 minutes per day of slow motion swings that are 10 percent speed of your normal golf swing. Begin practicing with a ball on a small tee and gradually move the tee down until you’re ready to start hitting shots off of the turf.

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