Blind Hole
A blind hole is a hole where you cannot see the target — green or flag — from the position of your ball.
A blind hole is created by topography or vegetation: hill crests, hollows, groups of trees or heavily banked fairways block the view. The classic is the tee shot over a crest behind which the fairway continues without you being able to see where the ball lands. Approach shots can also be blind, for example when the green lies behind a rise and only the top of the flag is visible. Older courses were deliberately built with such hills, which is considered part of the character of many traditional facilities. Some courses help with target boards, bells or peep holes in bushes.
On the course a blind hole demands preparation instead of eyeballing. An example: par 4, tee shot over a crest, you can see only the sky above the hill. You call on the course guide or the distance markings for help: the 150-metre marker lies behind the crest, slightly to the left. Your target becomes the distinctive tree to the left of the crest, not the flag you cannot see. You play to that line and trust the plan. The same principle applies to the blind approach shot: know the distance, choose the club, fix the line.
A typical mistake is guessing without a reference. If you blindly hit "somewhere towards the green" you will often find the ball in the rough or worse. Use distinctive points on the horizon — a tree, a mast, a house — as your target line. With doglegs the same principle applies: the curve is only seemingly blind if you have read the course guide. Many modern facilities show blind holes in their hole descriptions, worth a look before your first round.
FAQ
How do I aim when I cannot see the flag from my ball position?
Pick a distinctive point on the horizon as your target line: a tree, a mast or a house behind the crest. Combine that with the distance from the course guide or a rangefinder, and choose the club according to plan instead of feel. If you blindly hit "somewhere towards the green" you will often be searching for the ball in the rough afterwards.
How do I know before the round whether blind holes await me?
Many facilities describe their holes on the website or in the course guide, and blind tees and hidden greens are usually mentioned there. The flag itself can also be a clue: if from the tee or fairway you can see only its top, you are playing to a raised or hidden green. On unfamiliar courses a quick chat with members or the club office also helps.
Is a dogleg automatically a blind hole?
No, the two terms mean different things. A dogleg is a hole with a bend in its course that you can often see very well. A hole only becomes blind when topography or vegetation takes away your view of the target — that can happen on straight holes just as much as on doglegs.