COURSE CADDIES :: Greek Hills :: Hole 17 :: PAR 3


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.

 

Greek Hills Hole No. 17


It is perhaps the most recognizable hole in Golden Tee 2014, and yet, you could throw the ball to the green if such actions were allowed. It is not (unfortunately). We checked the Golden Tee rulebook.

Hole 17 on Greek Hills is that late par-3 you love to hate. Sometimes it can be remarkably easy; other times it can have you saying things that would send your mother into an instant faint.

All of this will depend on the wind. If it’s with you, you’re in great shape. If it’s in your face, the strategy on this hole changes entirely. If the wind is with you, you have options. Depending on where the pin is located, you can let your ball release up the slope—for back pin locations—or use Bite to spin your ball back to the hole when the hole is up front.

Can you use Backspin? You can, but it’s not recommended. The worst thing you can possibly do is stick the green and spin off out of greed. Bite can give you just enough spin down the slope, the kind of controlled spin you need.

Allowing your ball to release is also a wonderful way to attack if the situation calls for it.

With a cross wind or out wind, it feels like the best way to go at it. Land the green; that should be the way you approach this. And if you can do one better, well, it might just be one of those rounds.

With a wind in your face, you’ll have to get creative.

We’ve seen players chip with fairway woods, club up two, three, even four clubs, and try anything they can to stick the green. Here, for example, is a fairway wood in action.

 

The reality of this shot—despite how much fun it is to watch—is that the success rate is very low. Whatever you try and a difficult wind, do not come up short in the water. If you’re going to miss, miss deep. Club up, avoid spin and master a new shot.

Par here isn’t the worst score, especially on the worst of looks. Play safe, play smart and you’ll end up with birdie more times than not.