Tiger Woods 99 PGA Tour Golf/The Vegas Courses

The Vegas Courses, released in late 1998, is an add-on pack for PGA Tour Pro and Tiger Woods 99 PGA Tour Golf that adds three courses located in Las Vegas: the Las Vegas Country Club, Badlands Golf Club, and the TPC at The Canyons. In Tiger Woods 99, the announcer often comments on the hole being played. This article documents the announcer's hole-specific comments. Las Vegas Country Club thumb|right Hole 1 When players hug the right side of the first fairway, they're rewarded with an open approach to the green. Unfortunately, there's a bunker positioned on that side to gather in drives that cut it too close. With the fairway curving to the right here at the first hole, players will often set up to hit a power fade on the first tee shot of the day. It's a smart play, since fades are easier to control and the approach is much easier from the right side. The approach to the large green here at the first isn't that tough. Only terrible shots find the water that's short and right, and the three shallow-faced bunkers aren't much of a threat, either. Some slope from back to front on the huge green at the first hole. It's 45 yards deep, but the water on the right is barely in play. There are three bunkers around the putting surface, but the trees cause more problems than the sand on an errant approach. Hole 2 Right over the left edge of the last bunker on the right is an excellent line, but the shot has to be hit hard to get the carry. This hole's about as straight as they come, and that means players who have a tendency the move the ball in one particular direction can have some problems. Most players can blow it by the bunkers on the right, but they have to keep in mind the hidden sand on the left. Thread one between the two bunkers and shots will hold on this green. It slopes from back to front, with some gentle rises creating three distinct tiers. There's enough elevation at the second green to affect club selection on this approach. It plays about ten yards further than the yardage, and to a putting surface with three tiers. Hole 3 While the 3rd green is gently contoured, a ridge that's just about in line with the left edge of the back bunker can create some swinging putts if players end up on the wrong side of it. It's obviously important to avoid the four bunkers at the first par 3 of the day, but this shot isn't quite is frightening as it looks. There's 24 yards of fairway between the water and the green. Hole 4 The 4th sets up nicely for a draw that starts down the right side, but the fairway narrows starting at the bunker. Since this is such a short hole, many players grab an iron and play it to the widest section of fairway, staying short of the sand. We'll see all kind of shots played from the 4th tee. Some players opt to stay short of the fairway bunker and leave themselves a shot of about 150 yards to the green. That's where the fairway is widest. Others pump one past the sand and are rewarded with a little flip wedge to the putting surface. This is the smallest target we've seen today, but that makes sense on such a short hole. Recovery is tough from behind the green, or from the three bunkers that stand guard duty in front. The worst of the trouble is found short of the 4th green, with three bunkers cut into the hillside. This green is a little shallower than most at the Las Vegas Country Club, with a general slope from back to front and a slight tilt to the left. Hole 5 The fairway tightens up between the last two fairway bunkers, but players can't afford to hold much back on this long par 4. This hole's a real tester, especially from the back tee box. Length is a real advantage on this tee shot at the 5th, the longest par 4 on the golf course. The difficulty on this drive is keeping the ball out of the three bunkers that are perfectly positioned on both sides of the fairway. The design of this green is in keeping with most designers' philosophy on shot values. The first shot is a tough one, so they ease up a bit on the approach and provide an ample target with a back-to-front slope. I like this hole! A sizeable target for the approach the 5th, but it's in keeping with the long irons and fairway woods that are most often hit to this green. Sand will catch a few of the shots hit short, but this green will hold almost anything hit into it. Hole 6 It takes an outstanding drive to a sliver of fairway to go for this green in two. Players who want to try will have to jump on one and fly the bunker on the right. We're on the tee at the 6th hole, the first par 5 of the round. Only a few players can reach this in two, and they have to crush a drive over the corner of the bunker on the right and find the narrow fairway. There's not a lot to worry about when laying up on this par 5. It's wide open all the way to the green. Not a bunker or water hazard in sight. The fairway starts to widen a bit at about the 100-yard mark, so that's a pretty good spot for a lay-up on this hole. There isn't any trouble to contend with, unless somebody really flubs one and ends up behind a tree! This green is highest to the back-right and pretty small. Unless players can hit a high fade, shots will often run off the back and into some chainsaw lies in the trees. The approach to this hole is uphill, just enough that the front bunkers get a lot of traffic. It takes some luck to run a shot between them. Since the green is relatively shallow, we'll see a lot of players stymied by the trees when shots release off the back. Hole 7 Unlike the last par 3, there isn't any room to leave one short from the tee at the 7th hole. Divided into two tiers by a steep three-foot slope, putts from the back to the front are almost impossible to make. It's possible to cut one around the lake here at the 7th, but that's really only a good shot for pin positions on the right side of the putting surface. There are strokes to be lost when players don't hit it to the correct tier from this tee. Hole 8 This is about as straightforward as it gets from the tee. The fairway is generous on this par 4, and the bunkers aren't much of a concern as long as players make a good pass at it. Players can just let the conditions dictate whether they want to play a fade, a draw, or a straight shot from the tee at the 8th. On this hole, it's just a matter of hitting it in the fairway, somewhere inside 175 yards. It's an uphill approach, but players can't get too pumped up and hit it over this green. The hedge is O.B., chip shots from the rough are downhill, and there are a few trees back there, too. The course superintendent can sure get their attention with some of the pin placements on this hole. A right-side pin requires a shot over one bunker and short of another. A back-left pin means they have to get it up to the proper level. Front pins are the easiest to reach here. Hole 9 Knock it past the bunkers and into the fairway and it's just an iron to this green, hopefully a short iron. We should see some eagles made on this par 5, and some double bogeys, too. You won't find many shorter par 5s on a golf course, and the only reason they can get away with this length at the 9th is the extreme difficulty of the approach. There's water everywhere! The lay-up here is simple. Keep it short of the wet stuff. An easy lay-up at the 9th, unless players get a little frisky and flirt with that water. With a back-to-front-sloping green and some mounding to frame the back of the hole, the only worry on this approach is the agua on three sides. There's no room to the left, right, or in front of the 9th green, but this approach isn't as tough as it looks. The green slopes to the front, and there's some mounding in the rear. Over the mounding, though, is O.B. Hole 10 An easy drive for those playing this as a three-shot par 5 and a difficult tee shot for anyone trying to bust one past the bunkers and into the narrow fairway. Some more risk-and-reward options here at the 10th. When players are planning this as a three-shot hole, it's relatively simple to hit this drive. Just play short of the bunker to the widest section of fairway. Try to launch a drive from this tee, though, and the fairway narrows to just 27 yards. That's not much room to play with. Some excellent views of this green from about 85 yards out, and some level lies, too. That puts the scoring club in your hand, as long as you don't miss it left and end up as bass bait! It's best not to flirt with the area just outside the 100-yard mark, because there's a rise in the fairway that yields some uneven lies. Either stay back in 150 range for the lay-up, or make sure it's inside 100. And stay away from the water on the left! With bunkers protecting the front-left and -right side of the green, this hole sets up nicely for a shot that's turned over. While most of the green slopes back-to-front, the back-right portion actually falls away. Water comes into play only on poor shots pulled to the left, but a draw can be played right between the bunkers to the pin. The back-right side of the putting surface slopes away, and can funnel balls toward the trees behind the green. Hole 11 Dead straight and down the middle is the line from the tee at the 11th. It will steer clear of the hidden pond on the right and the bunker on the left. Working the ball away from the hidden pond on the right side of the fairway is often the smart play from this tee. This hole's pretty long and gently works its way uphill, so length can make the difference between par and birdie. If a hole ever set up perfectly for an approach that moves left to right, this is it! Highest on the left side, the green will divert incoming shots a little to the right, and a fade can be worked around the bunkers on the right side. Like most of the greens at the Las Vegas Country Club, this one is slightly elevated, and shots hit a little short usually won't bounce onto the putting surface. Players will usually aim to the left of most pin placements and let the slope feed the ball to the hole. Hole 12 With all the room on the left side of the fairway, it's kind of silly to aim anywhere else, unless they're really trying to rip one. If that's the case, then it's possible to knock it through the fairway. There's no advantage to cutting it close and trying to hit this tee shot anywhere near the fairway bunker, although some of the long-hitting amateurs might from the forward tee boxes. There's a lot of room to the left of the sand, and it's as good an approach from there as anywhere else on the hole. These players should be used to shots like this one. Hitting this to a well-protected green, although not quite as deep as some on the course: only 25 yards from front to back. This one looks similar to a few others we've seen today. The green's just slightly elevated, with most of the slope running from back to front. Bunkers cover everything but the back-right side of the green. That's the place to miss, unless the pin's back there, too. Hole 13 This fairway will send shots to the right, so players can't play it too far away from the fairway bunkers on the left and keep it in the short grass. On this tee shot, if they let one drift a little too far to the right trying to avoid the bunkers, balls can run right into the rough. A little contour to this fairway. No severe undulations on this green, but the easiest putts are going to come from below and slightly right of most hole locations. The toughest recovery shots around this green are from behind the putting surface. Whether from the sand, rough, or trees, chip shots from back there will roll downhill. Hole 14 There's little room to play with between the water and the sand, but shots that land there aren't going to get close to many pin positions! When pins are on the left side, they have to avoid the short-side bunker at all costs. Hitting into an interesting green at the 14th hole. The largest portion of the green, the right side, has a little fall from back to front. The left side is divided into two sections, with the front pretty level, then rising to another tier in the back. Hole 15 It doesn't matter where the pin's located on this hole. The approach will always be easier from the left side of the fairway. There's no doubt that players will try to hit it left of centre from the 15th tee. It not only avoids the fairway bunker on the right, but also opens up the approach to the green. The ridge that separates this green into two levels, with the highest tier on the right side, is what creates the difficulty on this approach. The two levels on this green require some precise shot-making with the approach. The toughest pin positions are on the upper tier on the right side, and best reached with a fade. Hole 16 While the left side of the short grass leaves the ideal approach, the bunker on that side is perfectly positioned if players yank one from this tee. The landing area on this stout par 4 is generous, but it does narrow just a bit to the right of the last fairway bunker. Players would like to leave themselves an approach from the left side, but par's easier to make from the right than from the sand. The only straight, uphill putts to be found on this green are from below the hole. They'll discover some quick putts and greasy chips when approach shots are hit a little long to this green. Hole 17 thumb|right With all the sand and water surrounding the green, there just isn't much margin for error on this par 3. Players can get lucky missing it short and left, but... that's about the only bail-out area on the hole. I think we'll see players shape this tee shot based on the pin position. Most front and middle flags are accessible with a fade, while a draw is the best way to get at holes cut on the tier to the back-left side of this green. Hole 18 Played as a three-shot hole, this par 5 will yield a lot of birdies, but eagle's a possibility for players who can get this tee shot past the bunkers and into the fairway. Here's a hole that can swing a match! This par 5 is reachable if players can rip it down the tree line on the right and clear the fairway bunkers, but the second shot is all carry over water, and miscues are always costly. There are really only two factors to consider on a lay-up at the 18th: the water, and the small bunker at the end of the fairway. Just left of that last tree on the right is about the safest place to hit a lay-up. It's far enough back that even missed shots won't end up wet, but still leaves a short iron to the green. This green's only about 20 yards deep, and playing to it with a long iron or fairway wood requires the ability to hit a rainmaker. If shots come in a little low, they won't stay on the putting surface. A very difficult green to hold from long distance. This one's the shallowest on the golf course, with bunkers and rough as a backdrop. Unless players can bring it in awfully high, and with enough spin to land like a butterfly with sore feet, that's where most shots will end up. Badlands Hole 1 Hole 2 Hole 3 Hole 4 Hole 5 Hole 6 Hole 7 Hole 8 Hole 9 Hole 10 Hole 11 Hole 12 Hole 13 Hole 14 Hole 15 Hole 16 Hole 17 Hole 18 TPC at The Canyons Hole 1 Hole 2 Hole 3 Hole 4 Hole 5 Hole 6 Hole 7 Hole 8 Hole 9 Hole 10 Hole 11 Hole 12 Hole 13 Hole 14 Hole 15 Hole 16 Hole 17 Hole 18 Category:1998 video games Category:Golf video games