Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2001

thumb|right Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2001 is a golf video game published by Electronic Arts under their EA Sports label and released for Microsoft Windows and PlayStation in 2000, as well as for the PlayStation 2 in 2001. It is the third game in the PGA Tour Golf series to be branded with the likeness of Tiger Woods. The Windows version shipped with eight courses, with five returning from Tiger Woods 99 PGA Tour Golf and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2000 — the TPC at Sawgrass, Summerlin, Scottsdale, Piper Glen, and Heron Bay — alongside three new courses: the TPC at River Highlands, the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, and the TPC at Sugarloaf. However, all courses from Tiger Woods 99 and 2000 are fully compatible with Tiger Woods 2001. In the Windows version, the announcer, voiced by Roger L. Jackson, frequently comments on the player's situation; some of his commentary is specific to the hole being played. As all courses from Tiger Woods 99 and 2000 are fully compatible, all of their hole-specific comments return. This article documents the announcer's hole-specific comments on the three new courses. TPC at River Highlands Hole 1 From the first tee at the TPC at River Highlands, most players will target the right side and let the ball feed toward the centre of the sloping fairway. There aren't any surprises to be found over the hill with this drive, or any level lies. The par 4 first doesn't hide anything from the players on the tee. It's a straightaway hole and a fair start to a round that will get progressively harder. Favouring the right side opens the approach to the first green, but the only lies on this fairway are downhill and sidehill. It's easy to yank shots to the left when the ball is above your feet, so the favoured target will be to the right of the hole location on the first green. That's a very steep drop-off on the left side. It seems like everything on this hole will send shots to the left. Many of the lies promote a pull or draw, and most of the green slopes to that side. Approaches will most likely be aimed to the right, so that pot bunker will see some action! Hole 2 You can see the bunkers on the left side of the fairway from the second tee, but the two on the right are hidden from view. What's most critical on this hole is getting the ball over the top of the hill and in the fairway. With the fairway almost 40 feet higher than the tee box, drives at the second hole will come up significantly shorter than normal. There's plenty of room over the top of the hill for a well-hit drive, but one missed to the right could bounce into the sand. This green is small, and it should be on such a short hole, but the real difficulty on an approach is in the distance control. The front-to-rear slope on the back of this green will surprise some players. With the front half of the second green sloping from back to front and the rear portion moving the opposite way, it can be hard to figure out the action once the ball hits the green. Some will bite and spin back, while shots to the back portion might release. Hole 3 The fairway on the 3rd hole is wide until shots reach the 150 marker, when it quickly narrows. The predominant slope is in the same direction as the dogleg: to the left. Players can get some extra distance on the 3rd hole by aiming at the 150-yard marker on the right side and playing a little draw that takes advantage of the slope of the fairway. It's always nice to hit a club less into the hole. There isn't any trouble around the 3rd green, so players can take a few more chances on the approach, figuring they can still get it up and down for a par if they miss the shot. The approach at the 2nd is one of the easier shots at River Highlands. The circular green slopes from back to front, so it will hold incoming shots. The major danger is in becoming too aggressive when the pin's cut left or right and short-siding yourself. Hole 4 On this dogleg right, the longer players might chance a drive down the right side. Flying the bunkers isn't easy, but it sets up a much shorter iron for the approach. The bunker on the outside of this dogleg to the right makes a good target for this tee shot. Slight misses on either side will still find the fairway, and a straight shot ends up in great position. The second shot at the 4th is to a narrow green that slopes gently from left to right. Short-side chips from the collection area on the right of the green aren't too difficult, unless the hole is located on the same side. There's a ribbon of fairway cut all on three sides of this green, and it's possible to hit a variety of shots from the good lies found there. Most of the area to the left is either sand or tall grass, and recovery is much more challenging from there. Hole 5 There's lots of undulation on the 5th green, and the back-left falls away and to the left. This long par 3 is well-bunkered front-left and -right, but low-running shots can split the sand and run to the hole. Par 3s of this length are never pushovers, and this one's made even more difficult by the various slopes on the putting surface. The front falls rapidly back toward the fairway, while the back-left drops in the opposite direction. Hitting this green isn't easy, and the putting isn't, either. Hole 6 The 6th hole is a long par 5 that doglegs to the right. The bunker that's visible from the tee box shouldn't be in play, since most golfers will be aiming well to the right and trying to cut the angle on this hole. Just to the left of the tallest tree on the inside of the dogleg is a great line on this par 5. It cuts a little of the dogleg, but still provides a margin for error on this tee shot. This is a long hole, and it will take two real pokes to reach the green. With nine bunkers to negotiate on the way to this green, laying up will be the most frequently played second shot on this par 5. Those that go for the green will have to fight the prevailing breezes. The 6th green is an awfully small target with a fairway wood or long iron, but many players will feel like they can hit a second shot close enough to the putting surface to leave themselves an eagle chip. The downside is that there are a lot of long bunker shots remaining for those who don't. Hole 7 There aren't a whole lot of decisions to be made on the tee at this straight par 4. The three fairway bunkers on the right are almost impossible to carry, so players will focus on the left side of the hole. The players who normally play a draw could pick a target on the right side, but the whole field will be looking left for the approach to this green. This rough is thick, but the fairway bunkers are a whole lot harder to play from on a second shot. This 7th hole provides some options for the approach. It's open on the front side, allowing players the option to chase a low-running shot onto the putting surface, but it's also a green that will hold high-flying iron shots. The 7th green has enough back-to-front slope to hold incoming shots on the putting surface, even from long distance. The bunkers are well-placed for front hole locations, but they aren't much of a factor when the pin is to the rear. Hole 8 This hole was rebuilt by Bobby Weed in 1990 and lengthened considerably. Players have to clear the elongated pond, then try to keep this shot on a green that slopes away to the front-right. It's a clear line to most of the pin positions on the long par 3 8th hole. The carry over water is daunting when the hole is cut to the front side, and there are steep slopes around the putting surface. Saving par is tougher from the downhill lies on the hillsides than from the sand. Hole 9 We'll see some fairway woods hit from the last tee on the front side. Players can reach the 150 marker and still remain short of all the sand, while the driver brings most of the trouble into play. Why bother? The two bunkers on the inside and outside of the dogleg on the 9th hole are perfectly placed to catch a drive. It's not worth the effort to challenge the sand on the right, so this tee shot will be most likely targeted to the other side. There's more room over there. A slight dip in the fairway in front of the 9th green, and that will keep shots that are a little weak from releasing onto the putting surface. They'll have to fly it there and play the slope that leads balls to the left. A large green, and that huge bunker on the left is just a tease. It's about 35 yards short of the putting surface. This one has a pretty fair slope toward the front-left, so they'll bring approach shots in a little right of the hole to get close. Hole 10 The fairway at the straightaway 10th hole widens at the 200-yard marker, but it's downright skinny by the time you reach the 150 stake. This is a long hole, though, and the ball has to take a long ride before you run out of room. There's a slight advantage to coming into the 10th green from the right side, so we'll see quite a few players aim driver at the middle of the first fairway bunker. Unless they uncork one, they'll end up short of the sand and in great position. The 10th green is a small target for such a long hole. It's only 11 yards wide at the front and 34 deep. It will test the short game of a lot of players today. There are some good kicks to be found from the spectator hillside to the right of the 10th green, but the left side is a Pandora's box of trouble. O.B., a steep slope, and thick grass are the main culprits on that side. Hole 11 That's the Connecticut River in the background on this picturesque par 3. It's straight downhill to the undulating green, making club selection a real adventure in breezy conditions. Two putts can be hard to find from quite a few locations on this rollercoaster green, and grabbing the wrong club or picking the wrong shot gives the front and rear bunkers a lot of action. Hole 12 Five bunkers line the 12th fairway, with out-of-bounds on the left. The hillside to the right looks like it will help an errant shot... but it won't! Unless the ball hits a sprinkler head, it will stay in the tall grass. Some players hit it so far on this hole, they don't even think about the sand, but for those who are worried, the bunkers on the right are deeper than the ones on the other side of the fairway. Most players aim a little left, just in case. The first bunker is a long way from the green, but there are three more waiting. The one on the left is shallow, but it leaves a downhill shot to the green, especially trying if the hole is on that side. A lot of slope from back to front on the rear portion of the 12th, and this is another narrow target from the fairway. The green is raised from the surrounding terrain, which makes it look even smaller. Hole 13 There's a definite reward when shots end up on the right side of this fairway, but players don't often pick a target that's near that line. From that side, this green is much more accessible in two shots. A really well-designed par 5, the 13th hole scares you with the water on the right, then penalises you with four bunkers on the left side. This isn't a hard hole from the fairway, but it can be tough to stand over the ball without some bad thoughts creeping in. The right is the only place to bail out, and the right-to-left slope will kick shots toward the green. Even shots that come up short when hit to that side usually find excellent fairway lies and leave a chance for an easy birdie. I think the worst place for a dry approach shot to end up on this hole is in the second bunker to the right-rear of the green. It leaves a long sand shot, which is always a thrill, but it's also hit toward the water. That will keep your head down! Hole 14 With the 14th fairway sloping to the left and the hole in that direction, too, a line just to the right of centre leads to good things. It helps to keep it away from those bunkers, though. I'm not sure why they bothered with those bunkers on the left side. It only takes a 140-yard shot to clear them from the back tee. Maybe they thought players needed something to line up with for this tee shot. ...Okay, right edge of that bunker is a great line. The 14th green runs away from players on the front side, then heads back up a gentle slope to the rear. The target is narrow and feeds to the right, with a steep hill falling off behind the hole. I think these downhill approach shots are the prettiest in the game, and some of the toughest. The tendency, for some reason, is to hit shots left when the green is below you, so a few players will be tested by the bunker on that side. Hole 15 thumb|right It's hard to see from the tee, but the water comes up right beside the green at the 15th, so players block it a little right and end up in those three bunkers quite often. That's a shot that will make your palms sweat. Wanna see a crowd? Just come out here on a Sunday afternoon at the Canon Greater Hartford Open. The hillsides are packed, just waiting to watch players try and drive this green and putt for eagle. It's hard to resist the temptation to go for this hole. It's a slender target, but it should be from close range. They'd have to fall down to keep from reaching the 100-yard mark on the tee shot. There isn't much slope on the 15th green, so we'll see scads of birdies, even from players who don't reach the hole with their drive. The easiest putting hole on the golf course. Hole 16 From the angle at the rear tees, the 16th green looks like a bigger target than it really is. It's about 25 yards from front to back, but the severe slope at the front side cuts down on the landing area. The 16th green climbs two feet in the first five yards, and it can be tough to keep shots on the front edge, but most players err on the long side when playing over the water, so we'll see plenty of putts and chips from the back of this hole. Hole 17 thumb|right Players who take a 3-wood and just play to a position near the 150-yard marker are hitting to the widest part of the 17th fairway. With a driver, this fairway gets narrower the farther the ball flies. The downhill tee shot at the 17th is intimidating. Water right and sand to the left means they want to aim this away from the water, but the longer hitters can blow it right through the fairway on this hole, and it's not fun playing to the shallow green out of the rough. With a slight miscue on an approach, players face a lot of putts and chips that have to travel up a slope and then back down to reach the hole. It can be hard to find the correct position on the green when hitting shots over water. A slight ridge runs from right to left on this green that slopes predominantly to the front side. The ridge creates some putts that will break hard when they put this approach in an unfavourable position. Below the hole is key here. Hole 18 This tee shot is uphill to a fairway that runs hard from the three bunkers on the right toward the lone hazard on the left side. This is a great hole for a power fade that starts just inside the single bunker and fades to the centre of the fairway. There's so much slope in this fairway that it's hard to hit a draw from this tee, but that shot will run the farthest, and length is a real advantage. I'd rather hit a mid-to-short iron from a hanging lie than a long one. Tough finish at River Highlands. This green sits at an angle that favours a shot that flies in from left to right. Unfortunately, it's difficult to play that shot when the ball is above your feet. Misses to the left have a chance to kick toward the green. These hillsides are packed with 35,000 screaming fans at the Canon Greater Hartford Open. The green slopes to the front and right, so players who play away from the large bunker often face putts that race down the hill. Robert Trent Jones Hole 1 We're on the first tee at the Robert Trent Jones golf course, site of the 1994, 1996, and 2000 Presidents Cups. For this opening drive, players can hit driver hugging the left edge of the bunkers or play a safer shot to the left with a fairway wood. With a driver, players will run out of room on this dogleg-right if they target the left side of the fairway and play away from the bunkers. The long hitters have the advantage of being able to rip it over the sand to the widest point in the fairway. The second green is 35 yards deep, but the severe slope on the front side significantly reduces the landing area for approach shots to most hole locations. It drops off quickly around the edges of the first green, so we'll see a lot of golfers aim at the centre of this green, regardless of the pin position. It's always important to start the round with a solid par, and that's the best way to ensure one on this hole. Hole 2 With the hillside on the left side of the hole feeding shots toward the centre, we'll see most shots aimed in that direction. This hole plays longer than the yardage, and I think we'll see most of the golfers pull the head cover off their driver. We'll climb the hill on the par 4 second hole, with players hitting to a fairway that falls toward the bunker on the right side. Most will aim left, but golfers who are confident in playing a draw could take a different line and play the shot into the slope. Narrow at the throat, the second green expands in both directions to the back side. It's an unusually shaped putting surface, with extremely difficult hole locations on the back-left and -right. The predominant slope on the second green is from back to front, but it's the uphill nature of the approach that creates the real challenge. Players have trouble with club selection, and are guarding against leaving themselves runaway putts from the back side of the putting surface. Hole 3 When conditions are right, there are a few players that might challenge the fairway bunkers, but I'm not sure the risk is worth the reward. On this long hole, players have to think that par is the target score. Birdies are just a bonus. Tee shots that stay well to the left of the three yawning fairway bunkers will have the best line to almost every hole location on the 3rd green, but that's a narrow strip of fairway, and it's not always easy to find with the big dog in your hand. The angle of this green rewards players who are confident in their ability to fade the ball. It provides the greatest margin for error on a hole that doesn't have much. Players won't find much room to work with on the 3rd green unless they're chipping from the left side. The front side of this green is faced by a huge bunker, and from almost every fairway angle, shots are flying into a shallow landing area. Hole 4 Here's some great bunkering on a par 3. The narrow front is covered by the bunker behind the green on that side, while any other hole location brings the front and left-rear sand into play. The easiest pin position on this hole? Probably back-right. The preferred shot shape on the tee shot at this long par 3 is a result of the hole location. With the pin on the small left finger, a slight draw has to be the choice to hit it close. Straight or faded shots are best to get it near the hole in other positions. Hole 5 Most of the players can hit it past the bunker on this par 5 if they keep it a little left, but that doesn't mean they have enough game to get it home on the uphill second shot. It's almost impossible to reach the green in two without challenging the bunker, but the safe route will often lead to the same score. When playing this par 5 as a three-shot hole, I pull out a club that won't reach that sand on the right. When laying up on the first par 5 in the round, the play is to keep it well behind the fairway bunkers. If players pick a club that can get within ten yards of the sand, they've made a huge mistake. It's a strategy that will eventually cost them. It'll take a rifle shot to get it home on this hole. The green is more than 30 feet above the players in the fairway, and it'll take a sniper's marksmanship to find the sliver of fairway between the greenside bunkers. Flying it to the hole is out of the question. Hole 6 Here's a configuration we've seen earlier in today's round and will see again. On this hole, though, there isn't much advantage to playing the shot near the bunkers on the inside of the dogleg. This dogleg isn't severe enough for players to gain much distance by flirting with the bunkers on the right, and the risk is just too great. All three bunkers have steep faces, and hitting a tee shot in there almost guarantees a bogey. There's about 18 inches of drop from the back of this green to the narrow neck on the front. Jones provided an opening to the centre of this green, but the rest of the putting surface is well-protected, and slight miscues can be costly. There are four easily identified hole locations on the 6th green, and only the one in the middle of the green yields many birdies. The pin positions in the front or back-left and -right require precise placement to small targets. It's a deceptive view from the fairway. Hole 7 With the right side of the 7th fairway almost four feet higher than the left, shots will funnel toward the bunker on the inside of this dogleg par 4. A draw will slingshot off the slope, while a faded drive will land softly and might stay on the right side. You can cut the length of this dogleg-left with a tee shot near the bunker, but the line on an approach is more attractive from the right side. This fairway is on a steep slope, and shots will kick to the left, so most players will aim for the highest point and let it rip. Players are usually hitting an approach with the ball above their feet on this hole, and that means shots will have a tendency to move left, either pulled or hooking. This green is wide, but there's very little room on the left side. The shape of this green makes right-side pin positions easier to attack than those on the left. The putting surface is almost 30 yards deep on the right, but the left is only 15 yards from front to back. With two bunkers, it gets dicey over there. Hole 8 The fairway at the par 5 8th hole will kick shots to the right. This wouldn't be a difficult driving hole in normal conditions, but when players start reaching for added length, the fairway seems to narrow. It's a long way up the hill at the 8th, a par 5 featuring a pair of bunkers that cross the fairway at the 100-yard marker. There aren't any hazards to worry about on this tee shot, but the fairway is only about 25 yards wide at the landing area. The green is small, and the throat between the two front bunkers is only nine yards wide. That's not a recipe for success in trying to reach this hole in two shots. It's hard to keep a low, boring shot anywhere on the putting surface on this par 5. The green is shallow, and it runs away and to the right. The best shot at a birdie is found with a spinning wedge from a fairway lie. Hole 9 thumb|right We don't see many par 3s to finish up a front nine these days. This is a great hole, though, with a steep drop-off to the water to the left and rear. I think players whose normal ball flight is from right to left will like the way this hole sets up. With the green more than 25 feet lower than the tee at the 9th hole, players will have to take a little off to keep it on the putting surface, and there isn't much room for error from left to right on an incoming shot. This green is narrow, with a nasty little pot bunker to the right. Hole 10 Once shots carry over the ridge at the 120-yard mark, this fairway runs hard to the left and leaves difficult sidehill approaches into the green. I don't think driver's the correct play. It just brings more trouble into play. The 10th fairway is only 21 yards wide to the right of the fairway bunker, and it's severely sloped. Shots will deflect hard to the left. With all that working against you, a long iron or fairway wood can make this hole play a lot easier. There aren't any good lies to be found behind or to the left of the 10th green, and to top it off, some of them are wet! The middle of the green is always a decent target on this hole. Hitting this green in regulation is no guarantee of a par. The putting surface rises slowly until you reach the centre, then jumps up almost 18 inches to a tabletop in the left-rear. Hit the wrong level, and three putts are pretty common. Hole 11 There isn't anywhere to miss it on this hole and still expect to make par. The green is treacherous, and I think most players will simply try to keep it on the same side of the green as the pin. This isn't the place to attack. The right side of the 11th green is significantly lower than the rest of the putting surface, and a lot shallower, too. The entire green slopes quickly from back to front, and we'll see a lot of putts travelling that route as players make sure they clear the water. Hole 12 The best opportunity for a birdie on the whole golf course, but it takes a straight drive to a narrow fairway to set it up. This short par 5 is reachable for most players, so par isn't the target score. With water the whole way down the left and a pond that's hidden on the right, players will be pleased with a drive that stays in the short grass. Those who find the fairway on the left side, though, will discover the best lies for a long approach. It's hard not to go for this green in two shots, but it's only an option with a fairway lie. Otherwise, the lay-up area right behind the 100-yard marker is the widest point on this entire hole. There's a ridge that runs across this green from left to right at about the midway point. Once shots from long range pass it, they'll release downhill and usually run off the putting surface. Hole 13 The players with left-to-right ball flight probably have an advantage on the 13th. They don't have to aim anywhere near the fairway bunker, and they'll be able to control the run once it hits the sloping fairway. It's pure luck, and perhaps even impossible, to find a level lie on the 13th fairway. Everything that finds the short grass is going to run to the left, so golfers are forced to either tangle with that bunker or play a fade into the slope. The tree line is a pretty good target. I think most players ignore the pin at the 13th hole and just aim for the centre of whichever level the hole is on. That's the only reasonable play when the targets are so small. This hole is relentless. The ridges in the 13th green divide it into thirds. The easiest holes to reach are in the front or left, while right hole locations are most difficult to approach. There are a lot of double-breaking putts remaining for players who miss the right level. Hole 14 If players can get a tee shot to a point adjacent to those two fairway bunkers, they'll have a chance to reach this green. Whether they risk it once they see the difficulty is another story. This par 5 is long and uphill, so they'll have to bang one off the tee to give it a good go on the second shot. The further left they can keep this shot, the better the odds, but it's a blind shot over the trees, and that's never easy. The second into the 14th green, with water to the left and bunkers on the right, almost requires a rope hook to have any chance of chasing the shot onto the putting surface. There's just too much risk involved in going for this green in two. There's water left, thick rough and bunkers to the right. I like the lay-up here — picking a club that can't reach either hazard — but some players can't resist the temptation. Hole 15 Unless you have the distance to just fly it over the bunkers — and this hole does run straight downhill — the play from this tee is right of centre. This hole is too long to be hitting shots out of fairway bunkers. This is a game we've played all day with the designer. He entices you with dogleg holes that have bunkers on the inside turn. That way, you might be tempted to try and get a little extra distance by cutting the corner. The two-tiered 15th green narrows toward the rear, so hole locations there are particularly tricky, even without any sand nearby. The larger front side is protected by the bunker, but a draw can be shaped to avoid the sand. The 15th green is almost 35 yards deep, but the targets are half that size. This green is divided into front and back tiers, with the rear two feet higher than the front edge. That makes putting from one tier to the other a good test of your touch. Hole 16 Without a doubt, this putting green causes more three-putts than any other in competition at this golf course. Players that can avoid the valley that fronts this green still have their work cut out for them. During practice rounds, players spend a lot of time hitting balls to this green. There are at least five levels to negotiate, and it's hard to hit it close. Two shots that land a foot apart can end up 20 feet away from one another, depending upon which side of the ridge they hit. Hole 17 Almost a straight hole, the 17th is a wonderful uphill par 4. Players can get to short-iron range, so this hole will yield some birdies, and when the match is tight, that's what we wanna see. If they keep drives short the 150 mark on this hole, they're playing to the widest portion of the fairway. Any longer, and it narrows considerably. I'd have to be hitting the ball awfully straight to risk it. The uphill approach at 17 takes an extra club or two. Shots will feed toward the cup when it's cut on the right side, where there's a small bowl. It takes excellent distance control and some spin to keep it there, though. The 17th green is wide, with large bunkers guarding the left and right. The back side looks like it's unprotected, but it's hard to chip it close from downhill lies in that rough. This is where Fred Couples sunk a 40-foot putt to seal the victory in the 1996 Presidents Cup. Hole 18 There aren't any bad locations in the fairway, but the left side does shorten the approach a little, and sets up a shot into the green that's visually less intimidating. They wouldn't have to stretch the 18th out much to make it a par 5, but it plays downhill, and that takes some of the sting out of this difficult tee shot. It's important to get this one to the right of the bunkers and in the fairway. With water left and long, the downhill approach to the narrow 18th green can be daunting. There's plenty of sand and tall rough on the right to penalise players who bail out on this shot. These players try to stay positive, but there's lots that can go wrong at the 18th hole. The water that's visible to the left also swings around behind the green. The bunkers that frame this green are huge! It's a tough spot to make a smooth swing. TPC at Sugarloaf Hole 1 We're on the first tee at the TPC at Sugarloaf, where players face an uphill opening shot that lengthens this par 4. The left edge of the unmaintained rough is a great target. That lone tree on the left side of this par 4 is a good reference point for the opening tee shot at Sugarloaf, but a poor target unless playing a fade. Drives have to stay right of it to find the fairway. The green on the first hole falls away from the tabletop on the left, with plenty of drop from back to front, too. The bunkering on this hole and the false front will force many players to fly shots a little long. The steep slope behind this green makes golfers think they can carry shots a little long and have the ball trickle back onto the green. That's not often the case, however, since most will hang up on the hillside and leave a ticklish recovery from a downhill lie. Hole 2 This green isn't nearly as large as it appears from the tee box, although it has some depth when balls are flying in from left to right. In fact, most shots that carry the bunker on the left side will miss the putting surface. Shots that find that cavernous bunker on the right side of this par 3 rarely leave a view of the bottom of the flagstick. Left or long are the places to miss on this short hole, but many players will attack with a short iron in their hands. Hole 3 The tee shot on this short par 4 is downhill, so it's not hard to power it straight through this fairway and into the rough, especially on the right side. There's a little more leeway for players who take a line down the left. It's a 200-yard carry over a creek to reach the fairway from the back tees on the 3rd hole at Sugarloaf. This par 4 takes a hard left at the last fairway bunker, and players have to hit that far to reach the top of the hill and find a level lie. There are clean lies on the closely mown chipping areas to the right of this green, but following a good tee shot, most golfers are hitting short irons right at the flagstick and working on distance control. The creek meanders from behind this green all the way across the front, so there are some especially devious pin positions to the left side, and they won't have much room to work with on the approach. It's only 15 yards deep. Hole 4 This isn't a long par 5, and a lot of golfers have the length to reach this green in two shots, but the second shot is so tough that players will often play this as a three-shotter and rely on their wedge play for the birdie. A wide landing area on the first par 5 at the TPC at Sugarloaf, but it narrows quickly after shots pass the lone tree in the middle of this fairway. With the creek framing this hole on the left, most players will opt for a target down the right side. With the water encroaching on this hole from the left side up near the green, players have to aim down the right and hope for a good kick to reach this hole in two shots. This is one of the toughest second shots on a par 5 that I've ever seen. There's not much room for error on a lay-up or an aggressive shot toward the green. The fairway, which isn't very wide, slopes toward the water on the left. Hole 5 All the bunkers are in play on this par 4, although some players can rip it over the one on the left. I like a line just inside the sand on that side with a slight fade. It's an easier shot to control than the draw. This tee shot is all about playing a shot you're comfortable with. The fairway tightens past the sand, and it takes a crushed drive from the back tees to reach the small bunker on the right side of this dogleg left. That's not a bad target, especially with a 3-wood. It looks like double trouble on this approach. With bunkers to the left-rear and water on the front, players might aim away from some pin positions to give themselves more room to work with on the right side. This putting surface is about 20 yards deep with a tape measure, but players don't have that much room on this approach. The front edge of this green drops off quickly toward the water, reducing the landing area by a couple of yards. Hole 6 With players spending a lot of a time in the fitness trailer and hitting the ball so far, most 569-yard par 5s can be reached in two shots, but this one is uphill from the tee, and they'll really have to lean on a drive to give themselves a chance at going for it. The par 5 6th hole swings to the right, and tee shots that hug that side are blocked by tall trees on the approach. A crushed drive that finds the left side is the only one that leaves a relatively straight line to the 6th green. There aren't too many second shots that have a chance of finding this elevated green on the 6th hole. Most players will opt to lay up and keep this shot short of the 100-yard marker. Players could hit a bucket of balls on the second shot to this green and be lucky to keep two on the putting surface. The bunkers are like of pair of hungry guard dogs waiting to sink their teeth into some balata. Hole 7 It's more than 300 yards to the right bunker from the tournament tees, so that's a pretty fair line for a tee shot. This fairway starts pinching in at the 200-yard mark and continues to shrink for another hundred. Another elevation change on the tee shot at the 7th hole, so these tee shots will fly a little farther than normal. This fairway narrows, but there's plenty of room between the bunkers, and shots seem to funnel toward the centre. The 7th green is pretty deep from the left side of the fairway, but it sits on an angle, and approaches from the right don't have as much room for error. Approach shots have to favour the left side of this kidney-shaped green. The putting surface slopes to the right, and misses to that side will usually roll into closely mown collection area. There aren't many guaranteed recoveries from over there. Hole 8 These 250-yard par 3s will definitely get your attention, especially when they're played to narrow greens with bunkers left and right. Luckily, shots that come up a little short leave benign chips to most hole locations. A gargantuan par 3 on the 8th hole at the TPC at Sugarloaf that's slightly tempered by one of the more level putting surfaces on the golf course. This hole isn't rated that difficult, but I'll take bets that we see more bogeys than birdies. Hole 9 They don't come much harder than the tee shot on the dogleg 9th hole. With water running down the right side, players can't try to cut the corner to shorten this long hole. From some of the forward tees, golfers can take a chance with the final tee shot on the outward nine. From the tournament tees, though, the left side is the only way to manage this hole and reduce the risk of a penalty shot. Players will find almost two feet of slope from the left side of the 9th green to the right edge. That means they'll have to dance with the greenside bunker if they want to get the approach close to the hole. The slope on the right side of the 9th green sends shots careening toward the creek, and a penalty stroke is the last thing players want to find on this hole. Most caddies will be telling their players to aim for the edge of the bunker and keep this shot under the hole. Hole 10 600 yards and 12 bunkers ought to be enough of a challenge. We're starting the inward nine with a beast of a par 5, and avoiding the sand is the first order of the day. The second is taking this drive deep and into the short grass. Golfers would have to hiccup in their backswings to hit it bad enough to end up in the first two bunkers on this hole, but the third one will catch solid shots that hook. I like a line down the right side to set up this hole. The final turn in the fairway is the spot for a lay-up, and that's the smartest way to play this hole. Players who go for this green in two shots are relying on something other than skill to make birdie. The 10th green is a large target, but it sits on a small rise with bunkers standing sentinel: two on the left and one on the right. If players miss long and right, they'll discover a chipping area with grass cut to fairway length. That's not a bad spot to miss this green. Hole 11 We'll see a lot of putts from the rear portion of this green, and some bunker shots played from back there, too. This is all carry, and the only bad shot is one that comes up short. It isn't too hard to spot the trouble at the par 3 11th; it's all blue and it's all wet. This tee shot depends on picking the right club, committing to the shot, and catching the ball on the sweet spot. Hole 12 Some risk and reward on the tee shot at the par 4 12th hole. Tee shots that hug the left side, flirting with the water and trees, leave the best approach to the narrow green. It's hard to aim this tee shot down the left side, but that's the best position for players who are thinking about birdies. The right side is obviously safer, and pars aren't difficult from that side, as long as players keep it short of the rough. The bunker to the right side of the green will catch some shots that would otherwise end up wet, but most approaches will be aimed well left to avoid the water and take advantage of the left-to-right slope of the green. With the creek crossing the fairway and framing the right side of the 12th green, players will have a tendency to take advantage of the hillside to the left. That's a good play, but balls can hang up in the thick grass on that slope. Hole 13 The 13th is a short, well-bunkered par 4. While a right-side position is preferable, some players are comfortable enough with their wedge play to hit this tee shot down the left side and take the bunkers out of the equation. There are a lot of ways to play the 13th. An iron from the tee is the safe shot and leaves an uphill approach with a short iron, but players can chip to this green or hit soft pitches from level lies if they pull out the driver and avoid the sand. The 13th green is very deep from the right side of the fairway, and players are usually hitting short irons, but distance control isn't easy on this uphill approach to a plateaued green. Players can't see the bottom of the flagstick from the fairway. These players are so good with the wedges and short irons that they can usually just dial in a distance if they have the right yardage. It's a little harder on this shot, though. This green is pushed up, and a lot of the balls will end up short of the hole. Hole 14 The 14th hole, a long, uphill par 4, is rated the toughest on the back nine. Players don't face any bunkers from the tee, but the fairway is narrow, and drives typically fly into the slope and don't get much roll. This is the number 2 handicap hole at the TPC at Sugarloaf, and the tee shot is critical. Most players will have a long iron approach into this green, and it's never easy to hit those with precision, even from the fairway. This is a narrow green, but it's deep enough to hold shots that come in low off a long iron or fairway wood. The green is well above players in the fairway, and requires a longer shot than the yardage indicates. With the slope falling away from the green on the left and bunkers lurking to the right, the approach to the 14th is far from easy. The putting surface slopes from back-left to front-right, and that will help shots hold this green, but they have to be on the right line. We'll see a lot of players scrambling to make par on this hole. Hole 15 The fairway is wide, and players can see it all from the elevated tee box, but only shots that stay to the left side are in good position. Shots that stray right will have to negotiate some tall trees to find the green. The tee shot at the par 4 15th hole can lull you to sleep. It looks like a generous landing area, and it is if your only goal is to find the fairway, but this hole requires a tee shot that stays left of centre to set up a decent approach. It's straight uphill on the approach at the 15th, with most shots from about 30 feet below the putting surface. That means at least four extra clubs to get there, and that's if you hit the ball perfectly. The difficulty level on the approach at the 15th is at the upper end of the scale. It's almost straight up to the green! There are bunkers to the left and some interesting lies in the undulating chipping areas to the right and behind the green. Hole 16 We're heading back down the hill on the par 3 16th, so shots will carry a little farther than normal. That makes club selection tough in normal conditions, but absolutely devilish when playing to a green that's only 20 yards deep. I've visited beaches with less sand than the bunker that fronts the green on this par 3. It's just huge! This green is shallow — only 15 yards deep in places — so players might have a tough time with the club selection on this hole. Hole 17 Some players can lash drives over the bunker on the right, and that's not a bad way to play this hole from the tee. It positions you for the best approach, and shots that fly the sand reach the widest section of this fairway. There's more than one way to get the job done at the 17th. A faded drive that starts at the left bunker will fall into perfect position, and a straight miss could still stay short of the sand. If you're trying to make up ground on this hole, though, the right side is the aggressive move. We've seen a few of these narrow greens that jut out of the hillsides here at the TPC at Sugarloaf. They provide some beautiful seating for spectators, and some ugly lies for the golfers who miss the putting surface. A couple of distinctive bowls to the rear of this green. We could see some unusual lies back there. Otherwise, the line for the approach is pretty clear. The hole falls off quickly on the left side, while there's some slope to work with on the right to back-right. Most lies in this fairway, though, are above the player's feet, and that makes it easier to draw the ball. Hole 18 The strategy on this hole often hangs on the status of the match. If it's tight, players are often forced to go for the green, and to have that option, this tee shot has to end up in the fairway, with the right side shortening the hole slightly. This is a finishing hole that can turn a tournament around with one swing. It isn't scary from the tee, but the second shot can be a real knee-knocker. The drive is blind, but most players line up on the top of the tree with the bright green leaves. Imagine the thoughts that run through your head when you face this shot with a title on the line. I've seen a lot of different tactics used from here, and most involve trying to keep this shot flying over land and bouncing onto the green. Well, the approach at the 18th will pop out a few beads of sweat. This shot is downright scary, but most players will give themselves a little cushion by aiming just left of the front bunker. If they miss on that side, it's still possible to get it up and down for birdie. Category:2000 video games Category:Golf video games