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.

Desert Valley No. 2

The glorious Las Vegas fountains look so lovely from a comfortable distance. Go ahead, take a photo. But whatever you do, don’t get too close. Hole 2 on Desert Valley—a hazard-packed reachable par-4—demands that you stay dry, and dry we shall stay.

Now, let’s talk about the obvious. There is a lot of water to deal with, and you can find it rather easily if you aren’t careful.

While the dusty desert dirt surrounding the green can keep your ball from rolling into the hazard if you’re off, there isn’t a lot of room to work with. If you miss the green—especially short—you’re likely getting wet.

So, how about we try to avoid that, eh?

To do that, we’ll attack this hole in two different ways. The first is, without question, the most difficult setup to deal with.

When the pin is in the back left portion of the green, the hole becomes far more challenging. Your landing area is smaller, and you have far less room to maneuver your tee shot. Your goal in this instance should be an eagle putt—nothing more.

Manage your distance, apply the appropriate spin—likely backspin, although a strong wind against could cause for bite—and stick your shot. Tap in your eagle and move on.

If the pin is in the alleyway portion of the green, you have far more options. You’ll still likely approach it with spin the majority of the time (especially with pins near the front) but you also have leeway to allow your ball to release if you so desire.

This part of the green is actually quite massive; take advantage of the situation when you can and go right after the hole.

If you do attempt this method, DO NOT risk going long or missing the green out of sheer aggression. You can’t turn a favorable setup into an unfavorable chip. Keep that in mind before you blast off.

You will have looks on this hole that will test your game, but you shouldn’t have too many issues if your distance is in order. Play smart, play safe and play for a putt. If that’s the case, eagle will be yours more times than not.

How do you play?