The definition of what constitutes a cape hole has changed over time since the first one was named in 1911at the National Golf Links of America
A cape hole has two main features. The first is that a hazard runs along the length of its fairway. This fairway is typically arced around this hazard, thus the player is given a risk-reward choice off the tee, a decision to make of how much of the hazard to take on.
The second part of the qualification relates to the green. ‘Cape’ means a piece of land jutting out into a body of water. So for a true cape hole the green has to jut out into the hazard.
The cape hole design is credited to Charles Blair Macdonald. Macdonald was also the architect who promoted the redan hole design.
Macdonald’s original cape hole was the 14th at National Golf Links of America on Long Island. This course opened in 1911 with the 14th green surrounded by water on three sides as per Macdonald’s design. But this particular hole has been changed over time, with the hole lengthened and the green moved.
But Macdonald believed it had to, writing that: “The 14th hole at the National Golf Links is called the Cape Hole, because the green extends out into the sea with which it is surrounded upon by three sides.”
