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.
Pearl Lagoon No. 10
Compared to some of the previous obstacles you’ve had to deal with, Hole 10 on Pearl Lagoon is a welcomed two-shot par-4. It’s a palate cleanser. It’s a good time to check your phone and text back your buddy who you really don’t like but tolerate because he always brings the best beer.
Point being, this is a place where you can let your guard down some. I’m not telling you to wing it—please don’t exercise this freedom to the fullest extent—but rather, enjoy having a hole you should manage with three decent shots. That's all it demands.
The first shot is the least important: the drive.
The only thing you really have to worry about is the body of water that cuts the fairway. There are certain setups where beefy drives can find it, so be wary of the hazard. There’s no need to cuddle up even close to the water, either. Distance on your approach shot won’t be an issue whatsoever.
As for that approach, once again, you have options. Depending on what kind of lofted club you’re operating with, your strategy should change. It will also change based on where the pin is situated.
Because the green slopes down, all pins near the top portion will likely demand backspin or at least bite. Even landing just short of the green and having your ball bounce forward onto the putting surface works, although there’s no need to play it this tight. Just a shot into the middle of the green with spin will result in the safe birdie putt you’re seeking.
When the pin is near the middle or the bottom of the green, you have options galore. You can still over club and use backspin. You can also approach this hole with no spin at all… but this shot comes with a fair amount of risk of going long and missing the green entirely.
Or, you can approach it with bite—the perfect amount of spin on shots like these. This kind of controlled release is exactly what you’re looking for.
Regardless of how you attack it, the name of the game is rather simple: play for the green in two and give yourself a manageable birdie putt. There’s no reason to approach this any differently.
Although you’ll want to be aggressive here, this is not the place to push hard for the holeout. With some of the holes coming up, you’ll need every shot you can get.
How do you play?