Not many holes provide as much risk/reward as this one — it can give you a double-eagle and a chance at a huge round or it can be a blow-up hole, killing your round. First step is to size up the conditions.
I’ve had success over the top with a high 6W but usually only with a side wind. A head wind means you won’t get there, and a tail wind means you’re going long in the water. Here’s an ace with the high-teed 6-wood. Here’s another great one to a left pin. Here’s a third to a back-right pin. It clears most any point over the arch but it helps if you don’t necessarily have to go over the highest point. So the high 6W seems to be the best choice if you have the distance and especially with side winds.
With a head wind and a back tee box I’ve made a high 5W over the top work as well…you’re back far enough for that extra elevation and the extra club gives you the distance you need, while the wind will help it stop short of the water. From really far back, a high-teed 4W makes it over the sides of the arch too, but you won’t often need that much club.
But what about tailwinds? From the far back, a medium-teed 5W will clear the sides of the arches but not the high center, and then you can use backspin and hopefully hold the green. In the Fore! version, you could play a driver under the arch and get a certain kick up the rocks onto the green. However, it doesn’t seem to play the same in the LIVE version. We may see people get lucky with this shot but it seems difficult to pull off. It’s something about playing to the back angle side of the high point on the large rock in front of green that will pop your ball up on the green, but you have to have precise distance and elevation to hit this point.
If you’re frustrated yourself too many times by getting wet long or going OB short and being put back on the tee, then lay up for eagle — eagle is a fine score here. There’s the traditional layup spot out left that allows for something like a 7-hybrid or 7/8-iron over the top into the green. If you find yourself in trouble you can try to cut around the left, but it’s risky…check out this amazing hole-out!
But there is also a layup spot up top and left along the ridge, among the bushes and cactii that “usually” works out okay. Pop your tee shot up there and you should have a clean shot into the green, unless you happen to catch one of the obstacles. Still, this is usually worth the risk as it’s an easy tee shot once you get the hang of it and then a fairly easy approach. Don’t lay up to the ridge short and right — that one’s OB! Remember, eagle is a great score here!
