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All the golfers out there can finally breathe a sigh of relief. The monster par three sixth at Falcon Ridge is no more. Now, standing in its place is a toned down version. Although still difficult, the new and improved sixth hole is at least manageable.

“One, it’s playable for everyone,” mentioned Patrick Smith, golf pro at Falcon Ridge. “We’ve opened it up behind the green, but also put in some visual intimidation with the new bunker up front. We put in a new tee box, we re-contoured the green so you can see the water a little bit, and of course we scaled down the green. We just made it playable.”

Scaling down the green is what golfers will notice most, and for that matter, be the most happiest with. The old 141-yard par three featured a green that sloped five and a half feet from back to front. Now, the green is more level, making a par or even a birdie possible.

“I just felt that the course wasn’t playing the same throughout the same facility with that one hole being so drastic,” explained Smith. “That’s why I really felt it needed to be changed.”

Smith began feeling that way three years ago, however, construction on the hole began last September before opening up last Sunday. Overall, the hole has cost more than $50,000.

“We just wanted to make the hole playable for everybody, not easy, but it’s playable right now,” remarked Smith, in his sixth season at Falcon Ridge. “I’ve had some good fortune throughout college and my previous working experience working back in Michigan with Aurthur Hills, who is one of the top designers in the world. Then, also having a strong liking for Donald Ross designs. Taking that education and making it what I could, I tried to develop a hole that was going to match the entire facility.”

So far, so good. Players on Sunday had nothing but positive things so say about whole six- for a change.

“It used to be 17 holes and then that one swearing hole,” smiled Smith. “I think this is going to make a lot of players happy.”

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