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7th Hole
Par 4 356319287257242
yards
Baxter Spann,
Golf Course Architect: "The long player here may be tempted
to reach the green off the elevated tee in a southerly wind. There is
little margin for error in this play, as the fairway tilts sharply from
left to right in the landing area, and a carry over a bunker and a native
ridge is necessary to avoid bunkers along the right side. Too far left,
though, and a ball lost in the native grass is likely. An alternate play
is an iron off the tee short and right of the left cross bunker, leaving
a short to mid iron into the green. It is critical to place the second
shot in the correct part of the multi tiered green, as there is nearly
seven feet of elevation drop from the back left edge to the front right
edge. The seventh offers the player a chance at a very low number, but
a very high number here is possible at any point until the ball is holed."
Additional photo at the top of the page.
Tom’s Tips
The seventh hole is a very good short par 4 that offers the player a chance of making 2 or 12.
Playing just over 300 yards from the middle tees, this is a very reachable par 4. Driving the ball
over the small hill in the middle of the fairway, the player must fit the tee shot over the middle
left third of the hill in order to hit the fairway. The landing area is divided by an unseen ridge
that will kick the tee shot left if the tee shot is offline and into a severe arroyo rough.
Chances of a good lie here are less than winning the lottery. If the ball lands to the right of
the ridge it will funnel into the bunker complex which is easier to play from than the rough.
Some players will elect to lay up from the tee with a shot that must land to the left of the
150 marker in order to run back to the middle. A bunker on the hillside makes this lay up more
difficult. The green is elevated and slopes from left to right with three distinct areas which
step down like stairs. Small pot bunkers behind this green make recoveries from over the green
equal to miracles on 34th street. The green’s elevation drop is dramatic and makes putting
here from left to right tricky. When the pin is in front, the slope will help with second shots
allowing you to aim past the pin and the ball will work back towards it. Otherwise, the player
must keep the second or third below the pin in order to have any chance. Long putts from lower
levels of this green to the upper parts will remind the players of practice putts on our lower
putting green nicknamed the Serpentine Green. I suggest taking a few of these before playing in
order to gauge the distances and breaks. You are never out of the match at any point because so
much can happen so fast on this hole.