golf guide
Fore! By JERRY SLASKE
The Bull at Pinehurst Farms, #16, 422 yards - An uphill, dogleg left that requires you cut off as much of the dogleg as possible so that your second (or possibly your third or fourth or fifth) shot to the green is as short as possible. Oh yeah, and did I say that the landing area is narrow? Go through the fairway and you won't have a clear shot to the green. Be short and you'll probably have to reload. But the fun doesn't stop there. From the landing area, the fairway narrows to a smallish, undulating green that has bunkers on the left and a creek that runs in front and on the right. This hole definitely could ruin a nice round, but it also will bring you back if you screw up. (1-800-584-3285, www.golfthebull.com) Nagawaukee, #10, 412 yards - Tee off uphill to the top of a ridge with anything from a long iron to a driver. Aim just to the left of the bunker on the ridge. Go too far left and you'll be blocked out from going for the green or, worse, you'll lose your ball in the trees. Starting at the top of the ridge the fairway is crowned (falling off to both sides) all the way to the green and is lined on both sides by dense trees. The huge green slopes dramatically from back to front and is guarded on the right - the only bail out for the second shot Ð by a large bunker. Go over the green and you'll probably be one ball lighter. (262-367-2153) Washington County, #9, 450 yards - Slightly uphill dogleg right in which the inside joint of the dogleg is lined with bunkers. You must clear the bunkers to get on top of the fairway and have a reasonable shot at the two-level green which has a narrow approach and is protected on the right front by a gaping bunker. A shorter-route option is to stay below the fairway and right of the bunkers. The rough isn't too bad in this area provided you don't stray too far right. (262-670-6616, www.golfwcgc.com) Mee-Kwon, #9, 421 yards - Your tee shot must be long and on the left side of the fairway. Go right and you'll have no chance to get to the green because you'll be blocked by trees. Go left and you'll have a side hill stance in deeper rough that's dotted with trees and bushes. Second shot is over a valley to an elevated green that's just plain tough to hit and hold. (262-242-1310, www.co.ozaukee.wi.us/golf) Brown Deer, #1, 461 yards - A tough hole even when you're warmed up, but when you're just starting the round, it's brutal. Your tee shot on this dogleg right must be long and in the fairway. Left side of the fairway is optimum to open up the green for your second shot. Anywhere left or right (particularly right) of the fairway and you'd better hope for a one putt because of the trees and deep rough. While relatively flat, the boomerang-shaped green is guarded on the right and left sides by bunkers. (414-352-8080) Broadlands, #14, 447 yards - This hole is slightly - but only slightly - downhill, the only good thing about this hole. A long drive is required to give yourself a reasonable chance of getting to the green in two. Go left and you could be reloading; go right and you may end up in a bunker or long prairie grass. Second shot must be kept left of a huge, sprawling, and splendid oak tree that stands sentinel on the right front of a relatively flat green. (262-392-6320, www.broadlandsgolfclub.com) Kettle Moraine, #11, 418 yards - A dogleg right in which you drive from an elevated tee to a fairway lined on the left with trees. You can bail to the right or try to cut off some distance by going right, but you could then have a difficult shot reaching the green because of a stand of tall trees along the right side of the fairway leading to the green. Go too far right with your tee shot and you'll find some spongy rough or worse, a pond. After the dogleg, the fairway inclines rather sharply to pedestal green that is relatively flat, but has some subtle breaks. (262-965-6200, www.kettlemorainegolf.com) Hartford, #18, 416 yards - A wonderful finishing hole on a parklike course that is fun to play, but is sort of uninspiring. The hole looks innocent enough - relatively straight and flat - but during the summer it always seems to play into the wind. So you have to be long and straight off the tee. Stray slightly to the left with your tee shot and your second shot could be influenced by a stand of huge trees that line the fairway leading up to the green. Or, your drive could end up under several evergreens on the left. Go a bit right and you also could have a tree and a rough problem, plus it makes the hole seem even longer. The large green slopes from back to front and is guarded on the right by two craterlike bunkers. (262-673-2710) Fire Ridge, #5, 397 yards -Ð Tee shot accuracy is key on this hole. A large pond lines the right side of the fairway and a bunker with a large lip is on the left side of the fairway in the vicinity of your landing area. Thread your tee shot between the two. The fairway then rises to a shallow, undulating green that has a deep bunker in front. Go long and you'll probably have to feel good about a double bogey. (262-375-2252, www.fireridgegc.com) Erin Hills, #15, 360 yards - A dogleg left from an elevated tee to an elevated green that, like all greens at Erin Hills, has some scary breaks and undulations. The big hitters can try to hit the green. All they have to do is carry a big oak tree and an ominous bunker on left front side of the green. Rational thinking golfers will lay up short of the fairway bunkers and then take a short iron to the green. Missing the green right or long will leave an awfully difficult bunker shot. (1-866-724-8822, www.erinhills.com) Scenic Hills, #11, 395 yards - Trouble doesn't lurk until your second shot on this hole. Nevertheless, you can't be too lackadaisical with your tee shot. It should be center or left. Too far left or long, however, and it could find a pond. The second shot is to an undulating green that sits just across a stream that runs along the right and back sides of the green as well. There's also a bunker front right. A large willow tree sits left of the green. In other words, hit the green on your second shot or hope it's playable. (262-644-5661, www.scenicviewcc.com) Dretzka, #9, 433 yards - This is a slightly downhill dogleg right (almost a double dogleg - right then subtly left) that requires a drive down the right side cutting off some of the dogleg to open up a decent shot to the green. Go left or straight off the tee and you'll have tree trouble if you can even find it. Go too far right and the same thing applies. (414-354-7300) Ironwood, #3 (The Meath), 278 yards - A downhill hole that's definitely drivable for the long hitters or for those who like to take chances. The problem is that the green isn't terribly large and it's surrounded by water and bunkers, except for a narrow entryway to the left. So if you're going to go for it, it's just about all carry. If you decide, however, to lay up you can go left or right because there's a double fairway. Left is best because of the narrow opening to the green, but then your tee shot must be longer. If you go right, the shorter route, your second shot must cross the water and bunkers. On the card, this is an easy par 4; on the course, this hole could leave you talking to yourself more than you normally do during golf. (262-538-9900, www.ironwoodgolfcourse.com) Morningstar, #9, 383 yards - While not long, this very slight dogleg right is visually intimidating. There is unforgivable rough and scruff to the left and water from the tee all the way to green along the right side. You tee off over the water and you have to find the fairway. Once you've accomplished that you've still got the water in the back of your mind during the second shot. A bunker guards the green's front right. (262-662-1600, www.golfthestar.com) Edgewood, #4 (Oaks), 343 yards - This hole could prove to be a swing-altering experience. It's a slight dogleg right that has water along both the left and right sides of the fairway. Miss the fairway and you're probably looking at bogey or worse. There's even more water if you go over the smallish, slightly raised green. Enough said. (262-662-3110, www.edgewoodgolf.com) Muskego Lakes, #10, 445 yards - Even though the tee shot is downhill, a creek crosses the fairway about 250 yards out. If you can carry it, you're still not home free. If you can't carry it, this hole becomes a short par 5. After the creek, the fairway goes uphill to a shallow green protected on the left by four deep pot bunkers and on the right by trees. The relatively flat green has a narrow opening on the right. (414-425-6500, www.muskegolakes.com) The Bog, #7, 318 yards - While short, this slight dogleg right definitely is not one on which to let your guard down. You want to position your tee shot so that you'll be able to take a full swing on your second shot with a club with which you're comfortable. The ideal tee shot should be over the bunkers on the right side of the fairway. From there you'll have an extremely difficult shot to a shallow green just over a creek. Long is deadly also. (1-800-484-3264, www.golfthebog.com) Bristlecone Pines, #9, 448 yards - Trouble lurks everywhere on this hole. The tee shot needs to be long and threaded between traps on both sides of the fairway. A long second shot is to a relatively flat green with water behind and on both sides - more on the right. In addition, there is a large bunker on the right leading up to the green. When the wind is out of the south, this hole is a bear. (262-367-7880, www.golfbristlecone.com) Brighton Dale, #18 (Blue Spruce), 355 yards - A sharp dogleg left with the turn about 240 yards out. Water from the tee all along the left side and to the green prevents cutting the dogleg, although long hitters might consider challenging the pond and going for the green. The only reward, however, probably will be telling your friends you made it across the pond. Go right off the tee and you could have some tree problems. A rather large undulating green is protected on the front, right, and left by bunkers. (262-878-1440, www.co.kenosha.wi.us/publicworks/golf/) Brighton Dale, #17 (White Birch), 406 yards - A blind, uphill tee shot means you must aim at two small trees in the middle of the fairway. You want to get as far over the ridge as possible without going through the fairway. Your second shot is slightly downhill to a wide, shallow green that is fronted by water and a huge bunker the green's entire width. Bunkers also guard both sides. Make sure you have your distance correct on the second shot. (262-878-1440, www.co.kenosha.wi.us/publicworks/golf/) Did I say 18 of the toughest and most interesting par 4s in the region? I really meant 21 holes. There are just too many good par 4s holes to restrict it to 18. Golf Article Archives: |
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THIS MONTH let's look at 18 of the toughest and most interesting par 4s in Southeastern Wisconsin, as challenging a group as you will find anywhere. They are in no particular order and distances are all from the back tees.
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