COURSE CADDIES :: Shady Acres :: Hole 16 :: PAR 5


Welcome to the Course Caddy, a look at each and every hole in Golden Tee 2014. Over the next few months, we will spend each day looking at a different design, starting with Hole 1 on the first course and ending with the final hole on the final design.

We want—no, NEED—your help in this process!

How do you play a particular design? Share your thoughts on strategy and YouTube uploads in the comment section. Your feedback is integral in the complete understanding of the design.

All holes will then be available for reference on the Course Caddy page—a bookmark must for the entire encyclopedia! Enjoy.

 

Shady Acres Hole No. 16


Hole 16 on Shady gives you options. Each option will come with a fair amount of risk—dependent on the setup for a given round—but there are choices. With these choices, however, should be a realistic approach that laying up, under certain conditions, isn’t the worst thing. The hole can do a number if you're off the mark.

Following the fairway is certainly a possibility, although giving yourself a realistic look at the hole by taking this route will be challenging. Instead, cashing your tee shot straight ahead—into (and hopefully through) the grouping of trees just beyond the water—is an ideal place to land.

Perhaps you’ll land in the fairway, left with a short wedge to the pin. It doesn't always work out this smoothly, but it certainly can.

Or, maybe you’ll be left with a shot out of the straw or the rough. Although your spin will be impacted on this shot, it’s not the worst place to be. Even from here, you’ll have a chance at the hole.

The important thing when taking this strategy is to be aware of what you’re up against. More specifically, do NOT come up short of the green and go in the water. Birdie should always be the play unless eagle becomes an option.

There’s another way to tackle this hole, too. One not quite as obvious.

Right of the fairway and the water off the tee is an open area of sorts just before the out of bounds. This is an area that you can indeed hit from, although it will make for a much longer second shot into the green.

Is it worth trying for? It depends on the conditions and your comfort with particular shots. It certainly works, although giving yourself the best look at your second shot will take a fair amount of practice.

This shot can work, however, although the obstacles—mainly the risk of the dreaded penalty stroke—remain the same.

 

Try various attempts out and see what works for you. What feels comfortable? What worked? What didn’t? Don’t be afraid to layup if the comfort isn’t there, either. There’s no shame in that. The alternative could be much worse.

What works for you?