# Island greens in golf
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/island-greens-in-golf/933921
**Category:** The Game Room
**Tags:** golf
**Created:** [February 27, 2021, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/island-greens-in-golf/933921 "2021-02-27T23:32:15Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2021, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/island-greens-in-golf/933921/21 "2021-03-02T17:13:05Z")
> [@Omniscient](#):
>
> they sure as heck call it an island hole even if the water only surrounds 300 degrees of arc around the green.
I was just typing up a response to your previous post to say that 300 degrees of water around the green would qualify as an island green to me.
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### Author:  [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2021, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/island-greens-in-golf/933921/22 "2021-03-02T17:17:33Z")
If I had to fly a ball 150+ yards and stop it on a green within 40 feet, I’d NEVER be able to do it. When approaching a shot to a green across water, I have to lay up so that my approach is \<100 yards and I can hit an 8 or 9 iron, or even a wedge. Not only will it stop better, I’m more reliable in direction with those clubs and at that distance.
Sometimes this is not possible (there is nothing but shrubbery between tee box and the water) and I just pick up my ball and walk it over to the green.
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### Author:  [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2021, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/island-greens-in-golf/933921/23 "2021-03-02T20:36:13Z")
> [@running\_coach](#):
>
> This one is.
I would expect that to slow down play quite a lot, with everyone having to take a boat out to the island and back. And how do they get a mower out there to cut the grass?
For those quibbling over whether a green is an island or a peninsula, would it count as an island if it was only reachable by a bridge? How 'bout a drawbridge?
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### Author:  [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2021, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/island-greens-in-golf/933921/24 "2021-03-02T22:35:04Z")
The quibblers are most likely nongolfers. I expect them to weigh in on “irons” and “woods” shortly.
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### Author:  [@PackerMan2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PackerMan2)
#### Post date: [March 4, 2021, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/island-greens-in-golf/933921/25 "2021-03-04T22:11:17Z")
There is one at a public course that is in my neck of the woods that I’ve played a handful of times. There is a fairly generous landing area and some space around the green. It’s about 130-140 yards, depending on the tee. The thing that makes it more difficult is that it is the first hole and this course doesn’t have a driving range. So you have to make your first cold swing and make decent contact. Chunk it and it’s wet. Thin it and it is over and wet. Slice it and likely you are wet unless you catch the bunker. I’d say 50% of the time I start my round with a 6.
[ ](https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/p/AF1QipMzth4QeDRBZij5bKRSO2wES3_f8Ix4Dr_3YyXE=w284-h160-k-no)
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### Author:  [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)
#### Post date: [March 6, 2021, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/island-greens-in-golf/933921/26 "2021-03-06T17:15:28Z")
I played [Apple Tree Golf Course](http://www.appletreeresort.com/) in Yakima, Washington. The 17th hole has an island shaped like an apple. Put my tee shot about 3 feet from the hole then took 3 putts to get it in. 2 of the other 3 I played with put their tee shots in the water, the third put his tee shot into the sand trap then found the water on his second shot. One of the players in the group behind us just missed a hole in one, his tee shot stopped about 6 inches from the hole.
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### Author:  [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2021, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/island-greens-in-golf/933921/27 "2021-06-17T23:34:47Z")
> [@thdudescar](#):
>
> I’ve played Tour 18 in Dallas that has a copy of Sawgrass 17. BTW, 3 to get on. -
Zombie bump.
What did you think of Tour 18?
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [June 18, 2021, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/island-greens-in-golf/933921/28 "2021-06-18T12:48:35Z")
The game originated in Scotland, right? Isn’t every green in Scotland on an island?
😉
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### Author:  [@thdudescar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thdudescar)
#### Post date: [June 18, 2021, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/island-greens-in-golf/933921/29 "2021-06-18T16:56:21Z")
It was fun, but I can’t remember each hole. Best memory was one of our friend showing up (the only sober one and the worse player) talking big and duffs two right off number 1.
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