08/22/08

HERON GLEN BACK NINE REVIEW  

Par 5/568 Yards

The course changes feel on this tee. The grip it and rip it stops here as there are bunkers on the left, the driving farther left if you really pull it. The right side slice is in the corn field. and no sorry you will not see ghosts of Hogan and Snead running around there. Carefully placed three wood, followed by another three wood leaves you inside 100. The green is big so take a peek at where the flag is, if its back take another club.

Par 4/331 Yards

This hole has a tendency to back up because some try to hit the green off the tee. if you are not a BIG hitter get moving and hit it unless you have 40 knots at your back. The interesting thing about this hole is your choice of club on the Tee. you can blast a drive down as close as possible but you have to hit a shot over a front bunker to a sliver of green, not so easy if you leave yourself a tweener. Laying up to 100 and hitting a high sand wedge in that will bite is certainly and option. If the flag is playing far left take a bomb at it, you never know Eagles have been seen soaring around eleven. 

  Par 3/161 Yards

Take another club, just do it, if the pin is far back take two extra and thank me, your A one goal is carrying the waste area and then Goal tow is getting over the bunker. Fail to do either of these assignments and you can risk triple bogie.

Par 5/537 Yards

The epitome of Risk Reward. Your Tee shot goes through a shoot that wants to push you in the right Fairway bunker, ignore the tee on the left and hit a draw that will ride the slope left.  Now here's your choice, over the hill, yes take a ride up and look at it, is a waste area that is a tough carry is you haven't smoked the Tee Ball, laying up will leave you 155-170. First time here its a good idea to lay up, there are a lot of balls in that gully. The green is guarded left by a tough bunker and you don't want to be that direction anyway because it slopes severely toward the Out of bounds stakes. Once you've played it once you will want to go back and give it another go.

After 13 years of dedicated service my Big Bertha finally succumbed to the powerful swing of this scoundrel. .

Par 4/432 Yards

Up UP and Away. This is a huge fairway. If you want to see the green for your second you have to pepper it off the Tee. Bunkers line the right side on the approach. A slight bail out left is not the worst thing in the world.

Par 3/238 Yards

Big Green. Wide Open in Front. Take Dead Aim. You should make a pretty easy 3 here.

Par 5/503 Yards

Oh Yeah, this is a great hole. Uphill off the Tee box to lord knows where. If you go right off the tee you can pretty much lay up on a very weird angle and the trap over there comes into play. You ideal ball is one that starts out over the bunkers on the left and fades slightly. The second shot makes or breaks the hole.

Here's you view from a great tee shot and its still hairy. You will most likely have a downhill lie with an uphill carry which many of you know is tough to do with a fairway wood. You an go for this green in two if you can knock that 3 wood 220 through the gap in the trees on the right, but its not high percentage. a six iron from here at that bunker dead ahead is prudent and leaves on between 100-120 to an uphill green heavily bunkered right. You can do anything with your approach,  hit it high to stick, run it up the left side with a bump and run, be creative depending on pin position.

  Par 3/206 Yards

Yes it really is that far. Yes take one extra club. yes bail out left. If you are short right in the first bunker don't be surprised when you are in the next one closer to the green. a back right pin is a sucker as the small landing area is very hard to get to.

Par 4/480 Yards

Some courses let you finish with a smile, not this one. 18 is a bear. You can hit your tee shot in the water left and you can also put your approach in it. If you spin one right, good luck getting there in two, this baby plays long, is bitten by the wind and is visually intimidating. You will probably be forced to hit driver three wood.

  With fountains of water to the left the obvious bail out to the green is right, but if you go two far that way and have to hit an 80 yarder back in over the bunker you can end up back in the water or in the greenside bunker left. If you par this hole you should buy the first round. Overall this is a great day of golf at a reasonable price.