This year’s breakdowns now include video of each hole being played, although your feedback is most appreciated on these designs. How do you play? Share your strategy or Golden Tee Great Shots in the comments below.

All holes will then be available for reference on the Course Caddies page—a bookmark must for the entire encyclopedia! Enjoy, and stay tuned for plenty more.

Sparkling Waters No. 9

Before you make the turn and load up on beer, there is still work to be done: Hole 9 on Sparkling Waters is a fascinating par-5, on that can be attacked in a variety of different ways.

There is no one way to play this hole; let’s get that out of the way now. My typical method might not be yours, which is absolutely fine. Please feel free to share your strategy below, just like always. That is what makes the game better than any other on the planet.

The name of the game here—as it is on all par-5s—is to set yourself up with a manageable approach. No matter how you go about it, nothing else matters.

With trees guarding the tee box, getting off the blocks can be a challenge. And with trees guarding the green, you have to both get out of the box and find a quality spot for shot No. 2. These two are very much connected, and your tee shot should be done with both in mind.

Regardless of where the pin is located, you have the option to take a high tee and a fairway wood and go up and over the trees in front of the tee box. It’s a more deliberate path, but it certainly works. From here you’ll be left with an A-1-type shot around three trees, which won’t be easy.

The most encouraging aspect of this second shot, however, is that it comes with very little risk. Your worst case scenario is over-cutting the ball and hitting the trees, leaving you with an approach and a shot at birdie. It would require a monumental miss—which happens on occasion—to find the hazard.

For such a risky hole, this method feels somewhat safe.

The other paths as alluded to earlier involve going right off the tee box rather than straight over. This will vary greatly depending on the pin, although the option is there.

The water, however, suddenly comes into play, which is something to consider before you decide on this route.

There are so many paths to take, many of which will depend on your overall comfort and the conditions from round to round. If your method works, it isn’t wrong. There is no right way to do this; an eagle is an eagle, no matter how you get it.

How do you play?