Hell's Half Acre

Features are a 607-yard par five, the 12th, which is known as Hell's Half Acre and a mighty closing hole, a 496-yard par four with out of bounds on the left, a row of trees if you play too safe to the right and a well-guarded green on which two putts can be an achievement.

17, dubbed "Hell's Half Acre," a troublesome hole not because of length (just 173 yards) but because of the more than two acres of bunkers surrounding its ample, three-tiered green.

It was founded around 1820 and is popularly thought that the original name was Hell's Half Acre, although this has not been documented.

"Our patients called the hospital Hell's half acre," said Doyle.

I described the authors of these novels--the majority male--as all over hell's half acre. I thought that was the end of it.