COURSE CADDIES :: Highland Links :: Hole 6 :: PAR 4


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.

 

Highland Links Hole No. 6


Finally, a par-4 that is always drivable.

It doesn’t matter the setup—and there will be some long shots into tough winds—this green can always be reached. Oh, it sounds so easy when you put it that way, doesn’t it?

Hole 6 on Highland offers up a straightforward challenge with a twist: that twist is the large body of water sitting right of the green, which can derail a good round if you aren’t careful.

Adding to this potential difficulty is the elevation change. The tee box is well above the green on this hole, and the difficult Highland winds can make this approach a bit testy.

You can’t get wet here. I repeat, avoid the water at all costs.

If that means you miss in the rough right, so be it. Finding the hazard will almost certainly mean a par, and that’s not something you want on your scorecard early on.

Staying dry is only part of the equation. Finding a shot that fits the appropriate pin is another. With a pin tucked near the front of the green, Backspin—or Bite—is the route you’ll want to take. Keep in mind the elevation, however, and what that can do to your ball when it lands.

(Spoiler: it’s going to spin like crazy.)

If you can match up distance with this spin, however, things might just go your way.

The other way to tackle this design is through no spin at all, although this will require pristine distance control.

Although your tee shot will carry further, your ball will actually land quite soft. Because of this, using a fairway wood—or even a driver—without anything at all should be considered an option.

 

If you’re going to go this route, however, ensure that you don’t miss long. Long, much like right, is not where you want to be here.

Staying dry is the name if the game, and ending up with a putt of any kind will put you—at the very worst—in a position for a birdie. That’s a solid worst case.

How do you play here?