Hole 1
SOFT LANDING
PAR 4
A gentle dogleg left with a nice fairway to get your day started right. Your medium to short iron approach is to a mellow green that generally slopes from back to front.
A gentle dogleg left with a nice fairway to get your day started right. Your medium to short iron approach is to a mellow green that generally slopes from back to front.
Favor the left side of the fairway to set up the ideal second shot into this diagonal green. Beware of the subtle breaks.
This modern redan (a green that slopes from high front to low back) has no bunkers, but it will be one of the most fun and challenging holes you will ever play. Play about 10 to 15 yards right of pin with one or two less clubs than the yardage suggests, but don’t be short. You’ll face a tricky downhill putt. My prediction even tho’ this is Babcock National’s longest par 3 – we will have most of our hole-in-ones here. It will also be the easiest green to read – everything breaks to the back right.
Time for Babcock to show its teeth. We’ve let you ease into your round, but you need 3 good shots to get home here. Relief is at the green. It’s slightly pitched with readable undulations and divided in half by a ridge. The front pitches to the right, and the back of the putting surface rolls to the left.
A monster of a par 4 that heads Northwest, right into the winter wind. Just remember: a light grip and smooth swing will reward you with your longest, straightest drive. Keep your long approach shot a little short and right of the flag for your best shot at par. Bogeys will win a lot of money on #6. The green has several undulations and generally slopes from back to front.
This short par 5 is a nice respite after the monsters, 5 and 6. The closer you can come to the bunkers, the easier each succeeding shot will be. Why do architects do that? We want to challenge golfers trying to cut the corners, and we reward those who take the chance and avoid the hazards. The well bunkered, subtle-breaking, triangular shaped green will make the birdie putts tricky.
Even tho’ this shortie seems easy, it’s got some bite. The bunkers, the lake, and the tricky green will challenge even the pros. The green surface has two distinct outfalls.
Favor just off the left bunker to set up the best approach. A little short of the pin and left will work best for your makeable birdie putt. Nice big wide and deep green. It has a slight false front, the back left falls off, and the back right will be the tough tournament pin setting.
You can bite off as much as you want here. That little speck of color at the end of Lake Babcock? yep, that’s the pin. The smart play is just off the bunkers and work your way down the fairway. The unique 3 tier green means you need to get close to the pin to avoid those dreaded double-breaking putts.
This wide fairway will allow you to unleash your inner power. Favor the left middle to set up your second shot of a middle iron to utility club. The putting surface has some subtle breaks, but any leave a little short and left of the pin will afford you a relatively easy birdie. Short and left of the green is best bail-out. It will set a nice chip shot. The back of the green is treacherous. Back left has a false side, and back right is a sucker pin – don’t go for it.
It’s a tough, long par 4. The ample landing area will encourage a long, relaxed drive. Play smart on your second shot. Setting up a nice chip just short and right of the green will win you many a bet. It has two little false or fall-offs. One is in the front and the other on the right front. Gentle undulations are featured with a back pin protected by a ridge.
The keys here are keep your eye on the ball, use enough club, and clip that tee. Piece of cake. You’re not in the hole yet, unless you had a hole-in-one, this green is tricky with lots of subtle breaks. It has a great, formidable backboard so you can be aggressive. There is a false front to the left. On tournament Sunday don’t be surprised to find the flagstick in the back of green. Your best bailout is middle of the green left. There is a nice chipping area there.
A straight drive will pay big dividends on #14. Center cut is fine, but a little left of center is best. Your short to middle iron should favor left of flagstick, but this is green light special. The green is subtle, but sneaky. A 20 footer will have 2 breaks, while putts over 40 feet could have 3 or 4 little changes in direction.
Fire away, there’s plenty of room up there, but favor right center. The key to this hole is the second shot. Your medium iron to utility club requires pin point accuracy. If you’re a little wild today, a layup short and right of green may be just the ticket for your par. This is a real subtle Biarritz style green with a gentle swale through the middle, slanting from high left to low right. The toughest pin will be in the back past the Biarritz feature.
After your relaxing, scenic preserve drive, play your drive to a specific distance. You want to set up a nice full shot from the middle or right side of the landing zone. The narrow putting surface is subtle and tricky, but negotiate correctly and you will head to 17 with a birdie or par.
This shorty is tough. Avoid the rock walls left and the preserve and deep, yawning bunker right. Oh, and if you think you might just play your shot off the big mound left, there are grass catches to prevent you from trickling down to the flag. The green is so narrow you need to walk on it single file. And yet, it’s deep. It is so deep, it can be a 6 or 7 club difference, and maybe even a wood against a South wind to a lob wedge with a strong Northerner. If that tickles your fancy, wait til you putt. Hopefully, you picked the right club ‘cause a putt over 20 feet will have at least 2 breaks.
Just a great finish to a fun, exhilarating round of golf. The last of the 18 is not the least. You need to skirt the bunkers and avoid the lake. It doesn’t end when you reach the green. It will test your mettle and should settle all the bets.
