Hole #6 - The Camargo Club, Indian Hill, OH - 368 yards Par 4

The two holes that are most often mentioned as the "best" 6th hole in the world are either the 6th at Carnoustie or the 6th at Seminole.  I have played Carnoustie and can say that the 6th is a great golf hole, enhanced with some Ben Hogan lore, but it is not the best 6th hole I've played.  I have not played Seminole, so perhaps that is the hole that rightfully belongs here, but until I am invited to play at Seminole, the 6th at The Camargo Club will likely hold this spot, in spite of the fact that I have never read or heard anyone refer to this hole as great. Given the exclusivity and relative anonymity of The Camargo Club, as well as the fact that the par threes garner most of the attention, that is not entirely surprising-- nevertheless, this is easily the least heralded hole on this list.

I mentioned during my review of the 5th hole at Crystal Downs that short par 4s are my favorite type of golf hole, so it is no coincidence that when "searching" for a worthy entry into this slot, the 6th at Pacific Dunes came to mind.  However, when push came to shove, I had to go with another short par four, the 6th at The Camargo Club. This hole wins out over the 6th at Pacific Dunes because the tee shot is slightly more interesting (and more subtle) and its green is far more interesting.

The tee shot is hit into a semi-blind fairway with the landing area of the fairway offset to the right of the part of the fairway that is visible from the tee. There is a fairway bunker to the "right" of the fairway, in spite of the fact that the preferred angle into the green requires you to carry the left side of that bunker. In addition to the uncertainty of the proper line to play, the player is also faced with a decision with regard to distance as the fairway slopes severely downhill about 260 yards from the tee. As such, in order to have a level lie and a level approach into the green, a 3 wood or less needs to be hit off the tee, leaving a gap wedge to 9 iron into the green. However, the approach shot is extremely intimidating, even with a wedge in your hand, as the green slopes severely downhill in front of the green. As such,  any ball coming up short will likely roll 20-30 yards back down the fairway, and deep bunkers flank the right and rear of the green below steep slopes. On the left side, a 15 foot bunker guards the front left of the green with a near-vertical grass slope between the bunker and the green, and the pushed up green slopes sharply off the back as well. In spite of the green being fairly large, it looks like a sliver of a target from the fairway. Hitting driver will leave little more than a lob wedge into the green, but the shot will be blind and from a downslope to a green that is about 20 feet above the ball. Like most of the greens at The Camargo Club, the green is well contoured and interesting, making this a great short Par 4.

Next best: Pacific Dunes, Carnoustie, National Golf Links of America, Bandon Dunes, Riviera, Royal Portrush, Royal County Down, Pine Valley, Shinnecock Hills, Shoreacres, Crystal Downs

Most likely to take its place, but have not played: Seminole