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Course Caddy: Highland Links No. 8
Navigating the Pot Bunker Minefield on The Front’s Second 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.

 

Highland Links Hole No. 8


The sound you hear in the distance is the DANGER alarm beginning to ring. It’s not going wild—not yet at least—but it’s warming up on Highland’s eighth hole.

Pot bunkers, elevation, water and rough (that dang rough) are all present on the final par-5 on the front. And while these elements can all come into play, there’s no reason they have to. This baby is more bark than bite—although I wouldn’t stick your hand near its mouth, just in case.

In some instances, the wind and tee box will setup where you can use a high tee and blast over the bunkers and into the third fairway. It’s amazing how far the ball will carry with an out wind. Take advantage of this setup when you can; it will certainly make your second shot much more manageable.

Most times, however, you won’t have the option to bomb your tee shot over everything. And instead of attempting to navigate the pot bunker minefield in the second fairway, there’s a perfectly good (and safe) way to play.

The small area of fairway between the long slabs—we’ll call it fairway No. 2—has a small landing area before the two pot bunkers on the right side. That’s where you want to be.

Obviously avoiding the rough will be crucial when it comes to reaching the green in two, and you’ll also want to be far enough back so you’re not tucked against the raised fairway.

From here, however, you have options. If the pin is up, Backspin and Bite are your likely selections to spin the ball back near—or in—the pin.

If the pin is in the back of the green, approaching this without any spin at all should be a strategy worth considering. Because the green is so large, you should feel comfortable allowing your ball to release toward the hole.

 

The first shot on this hole is everything. The approach is one you’ve hit before. Two quality fairway woods—and a putt—will get it done here. Now it’s just a matter of doing it.

How do you play it?

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