Thank you to everyone for your kind words and congratulations regarding this years' Lido Prize award. To say I am humbled and honored to have been chosen - especially exactly 100 years after Dr. Alister MacKenzie had won - would be an understatement. Many people have asked to see the complete entry so I have decided to post a with a few images of the design, the final entry, and the short write up that accompanied it. Enjoy and thank you again!

- Riley

The Lost Hole:

While searching for lost golf balls along the coast of the famed Cypress Point Club, a few intrepid members stumbled upon what appeared to be the remains of an old abandoned putting green. Letting curiosity take over, the group began to investigate their findings into more depth and started sifting through the Club's old archived Alister MacKenzie notes, minutes, sketches, and plans. To their amazement, they quickly realized they had discovered a little known forgotten par 3 that was originally going to be used as Cypress Point's 19th 'tie-breaking' hole -- similar the one Dr. MacKenzie designed at Augusta National!

Under the guidance of MacKenzie experts and the Cypress Point Club, a full-fledged effort began to resurrect the lost par 3. Using sophisticated archeological precision and delicate construction techniques, the lost hole has been fully restored back to its original glory, and for the first time revealed to the public......

"Situated alongside the dramatic coastal cliffs of the Monterrey Peninsula, this exciting short par 3 is full of natural artistry and strategic character. But don't let the short distance fool you, this tricky one-shotter is alive with swirling winds, intimidating cliffs, and nasty bunkers -- perfect for settling a tie-score at the end of a round!

Heavily guarding the front portion of the green are two massive blow-out scab bunkers and two smaller pot bunkers that are sure to rattle some nerves. But don't panic, the hole looks far more daunting than it actually is! This large 8,000sqft. green looks deceptively small in comparison to the scale and size of the dominant bunkers. Riddled with subtle undulations but bold contouring, the putting surface is no walk in the park either. Perched seamlessly in its surroundings and the ocean horizon backdrop, the playful green surface boasts three distinct and totally different putting zones. Landing ones ball on the correct zone is crucial if a birdie is to be achieved. Or, if you are feeling lucky, you might even get a favorable kick off one of the many slopes and hillocks flanking the green site!

With five different tee boxes to choose from -- each with varying distances, angles, and elevations -- this one shot hole can be played numerous ways. Depending on the days pin placement, some tee shots even require a blind/semi-blind approach to a punchbowl feature on the green concealed by a huge flared bunker face. It is fair to say that each tee box, paired with a certain pin placement, offers a unique challenge to negotiate for all skill levels whether that be wind, illusion, deception, risk, or intimidation.

Full of natural beauty, strategic charm, and unexpected subtleties, the 'Lost Hole' at Cypress Point fits right in with the existing holes on the course. This short yet tricky one-shotter will test all types of players and abilities and will surely remain an interesting and memorable golf hole for many years to come."

Original sketches.....

The Lido Prize