Another always drivable par 4 from all tee boxes. Sometimes you’ll be set up for a straight 5-wood to driver, but mostly you’ll be hitting a B1 around the left of the trees with a 5-wood to driver. If you can land the green, don’t use backspin – just let the hill stop your ball. […]

This is a challenging par 5 early in the round, and your results depend on your tee shot.  Always check to see if you’ve got a chance to hit an A1 over to the second fairway, because this sets up an easy look! If that’s shut down for you, see if you think you can […]

The standard approach is probably to rotate left once of the green and play an A1-type shot around the corner, with something like a 3-wood. Another approach is to take aim at the flag and play a B1-type shot, like this. Or you can rotate left an extra time and play more of an A2-type […]

The Air-O balls may rarely provide you with a chance to drive this green.  Or, if you get a great setup in the front left, you can curve it around — this one got there! Great aim here — I wish the audio were a bit better!  However, be careful of throwing it out too […]

In most cases, you can just play the ball down the fairway to the left, close to the water, and still have a wood into the green in two.  Be careful to use as much loft as you can, though, because a driver may not get high enough!  Some lower-lofted woods are fine, and here’s a […]

The ideal situation is to get a left box with a wind blowing right, which is very conducive to driving this green.  Here’s a hole-out from the left side.  Here’s another great shot where only a small amount of cut was required!  Here’s a great deflection with a 5-wood. You’ll often be relying on a […]

These types of holes become really difficult if the wind and slope are going the same way, so make sure to cut into the slope — it’s the only way to hold the green! Here’s an example hole-out with a favorable back-left pin. Here’s a great shot using the big bounce! Check out this nice […]

Handicap: 16th hardest hole Category: Easy Average Score: -0.87 / -1.00 Eagle+ 2% Birdie 83% Par 15% Bogey Double+ Every now and then, this green sets up drivable, especially with the Air-Os! Here’s a high-teed A1 shot that nearly went in. If you can carry the second part of the fairway, then go for it […]

Handicap: 15th hardest hole Category: Easy Average Score: -1.70 / -2.00 Eagle+ 74% Birdie 22% Par 5% Bogey Double+ Cut as much corner as you can here, because it may be too long to reach in two if you’re careless with your drive! A high tee comes in very handy here and can help you […]

Handicap: 11th hardest hole Category: Moderate Average Score: -1.10 / -2.00 Eagle+ 41% Birdie 42% Par 11% Bogey 3% Double+ 4% A narrow, awkward green will make this a tough eagle and really test your accuracy. With a favorable pin, you can go right at it. This hole has already seen many amazing deflections. Here’s […]

Handicap: 1st hardest hole Category: Difficult Average Score: +0.18 / -1.00 Eagle+ 1% Birdie 42% Par 31% Bogey 12% Double+ 20% Here’s one of the toughest holes in 2011 (the 2nd hardest statistically). Average score here is over par, and this is the only hole where double bogey or worse is more common than bogey! […]

Handicap: 4th hardest hole Category: Professional Average Score: -0.66 / -2.00 Eagle+ 10% Birdie 55% Par 26% Bogey 8% Double+ 1% This fun finishing hole offers many different potential approaches, so your game plan will usually depend on your tee box. Keep in mind that this is the toughest hole to eagle in GT2011, so […]

Handicap: 18th hardest hole Category: Easy Average Score: -1.00 / -1.00 Eagle+ Birdie 100% Par Bogey Double+  

Handicap: 5th hardest hole Category: Risk/Reward Average Score: -1.01 / -2.00 Eagle+ 26% Birdie 55% Par 14% Bogey 6% Double+ This one is fun! You will either be shooting through the hole in the building or going around the left side with a 5-wood (or 7-wood if you have one). Let’s talk about the shot […]

Handicap: 9th hardest hole Category: Moderate Average Score: -1.14 / -2.00 Eagle+ 35% Birdie 47% Par 14% Bogey 4% Double+ Most places off the tee are fine here — check out some of these examples to see some spots that work out. A 5-wood will clear the buildings and trees from most all spots assuming […]

Handicap: 8th hardest hole Category: Risk/Reward Average Score: -1.16 / -2.00 Eagle+ 40% Birdie 37% Par 24% Bogey Double+ Your position in the tee box is really what controls the type of shot you use here. If you’re off to the left, you could have a pretty straight shot right at the green. If you’re […]

Handicap: 15th hardest hole Category: Easy Average Score: -0.83 / -1.00 Eagle+ 2% Birdie 80% Par 17% Bogey 1% Double+ You don’t necessarily have to carry the second fairway to get there in two, but you’ll be able to without much hassle most of the time. Tee it high and get there if you can […]

Handicap: 11th hardest hole Category: Moderate Average Score: -0.67 / -1.00 Eagle+ 1% Birdie 76% Par 12% Bogey 10% Double+ 1% This hole provides you with an opportunity to lay up wherever you like, so give yourself an approach shot with a comfortable club. The hole is quirky and can cause some problems if you […]

Handicap: 1st hardest hole Category: Difficult Average Score: -0.46 / -1.00 Eagle+ 18% Birdie 35% Par 25% Bogey 19% Double+ 3% You’ll be using a wider array of shots on this hole than on any other! You also have a bigger shot at bogey here than on any other potential eagle hole, making this a […]

Handicap: 4th hardest hole Category: Professional Average Score: -0.53 / -2.00 Eagle+ 28% Birdie 27% Par 26% Bogey 9% Double+ 9% Many different clubs will be called upon to stick the green here, so do your best to stay dry. Check out the example hole-outs below. Also, if you end up with a putt being […]

As long and as far left in the fairway as you can be — that should always be your mentality off the tee.  This usually leaves something like a 3-wood cut into the green. There’s also a mini-shortcut through the trees after a pretty standard long drive.  After pounding your drive out there as best […]

You can have all kinds of approach shots depending on your club set and the tee box.  From the back right box, hit a 9-wood if you have it.  A 7-wood works from the back of the box, like this, but you can clip the house from the front of the box, so use a […]

I asked our next participant for his information because his enthusiasm and love of the game really rivals mine!  “Cowboy” Miller Montz, who was raised in North Idaho in the mountains, never had running water or power until he was 12 years old!  He plays mostly in the Boise area but has teed off a […]

As you would expect, Golden Tee has added a ton of new features to Golden Tee 2009…not just new courses! It may be more difficult for players to find shortcuts in Golden Tee 2009 — and, you’ll notice that a lot of the greens are shaped to make it much more challenging to put it […]

Some guys are driving this hole with a tailwind using a low-loft driver and the red D2 distance balls!

This is a really tough par 3 that most of us aren’t going to be able to birdie on a regular basis.  You have to have a low-lofted club, and you usually have to cut into the slope of the green, or else you’re going to be wet.  In fact, if it weren’t for this […]

If you’re playing with the red distance balls, then this hole becomes much easier, but you certainly don’t need them.  Usually, even a 3-wood has enough loft to clear the center and left parts of the tree in your way.  If you control the distance, you’ll be on the green for an eagle putt!  Here’s […]

Believe it or not, this hole is driveable from almost any setup.  Read on! If you’re on the far right box, a 5-wood can get over the corner of the house to the green with a minor C3-type shot — here’s an example. Better yet, if you’re towards the back of this box, the 5-wood […]

You’ll have a choice here too depending on the wind and tee.  The best option is to clear the lake to the fairway on the other side, which gives you an open approach with your second shot.  If you get the generous front tee (only available in casual play), you can easily clear the lake […]

Here is a 5-wood from the farthest right box that the tree cuts down just a tiny bit to make it a perfect shot!  You can try this shot with a 4-wood too if you have it.  I’ve also found that a 7-wood can cut over the corner of the tree with an A2-type shot.  […]