Experience Championship Golf
in Delray Beach

The large bunker on the right is to be avoided to set up a generously open approach into the tilted green. No reason to get greedy on this opening hole – just straightaway and mind the shoulders.

Bunkers are staggered on both sides for definition. A wide approach area awaits those who lay up while longer hitters must challenge two deep bunkers fronting the green on the left. Bail out to the right to recover around this elongated green.

The green is edged by a stone wall along the pond, so best to miss short or right where there’s plenty of short but somewhat treacherous short grass options.. and don’t get hung up in that beautiful, lone, loblolly pine!

Be mindful: the closer you can stay to that bunker (without going in) the better the angle will be to the green. The left fairway is hard to miss, but the green is completely sealed off by bunkers and limited depth from the angled green on that side.

Don’t be fooled, the bunker on the right side is there to guide… challenge it or stay near it and the large, undulating green will open up. The approach is slightly obscured, but the green has plenty of depth and the wild rolls on the right oppose the bunker and water on the left and can encourage shots to safely carry onto the green.

The left side, by comparison, seems inviting but is flanked by water for the entirety of the hole. Challenge the large second bunker on the right side to open up the best angle into the narrow, angled green. Be careful not to chase the back, left pin – that requires a perfect shot. There’s plenty of room to miss on the right and long of the green.

While the fairway may appear to be inviting, its width is deceiving. So, the preferred angle is from the left half of the fairway, closer to the bunkers. A medium-sized, subtly contoured green awaits the second shot, guarded by two bunkers on the right side. There is plenty of fairway to the left side of the green for errant recoveries, but be careful of the hinged edge along that side of the green.

Its stature should only continue to grow! The large green will play more like three tiny greens, with distinctive contours defining the pin areas.  A stone wall fortifies the raised green from water on three sides while a large bunker offsets the left front and another, hidden from view, will capture long misses.

The tee shot is well framed by offsetting bunkers, giving players the sense that there is little space in the angled fairway. That will deception will give way to plenty of space, especially beyond the right bunker. The difficult approach awaits an elevated green guarded by a single deep bunker on the left. Going long here is not a good option!

The work here is all around the approach and green. Try to stay out of the left approach bunker, as it defines the widened fairway area beyond – and that is an excellent location from which to pitch into the green; avoiding the right green-side bunker.  This green surface has some tricky contours.

Favor the right side of the fairway to gain the most favorable angle into the green and avoid the deep bunker on the left. There is ample space from which to recover on the right of the green as well – the same cannot be said about the steep slope on the left side!

The cleverly contoured green surface is centered between five surrounding bunkers, most of which are hidden behind the green to save long misses. The front is open for a well-struck run-up or a high right-to-left shot, just stay clear of the deep bunker on the left.

Provided that the bunkers are avoided, the approach shot will be a short one to an elevated green. The front is open from the right center with deep bunkers guarding on either side. Long and left misses will pose the most difficult recoveries.

Varied tee angles afford players an option to negotiate the fear-inducing water. The long, angled green rests hard against the stone faced pond. The two bunkers are mostly visual, so a short miss on the right is a safe bailout. When you pick a club here, make sure to hit it solid and favor the right side!

In fact, the fairway adjoins with #16, but be aware that the ground there is very uneven, and shots from here must also clear the water en route to the green. The approach’s best position is from the right center of the fairway, which affords an ideal angle into the deep, angled green. 

Remember that this is not a long hole, but the approach shot may be one of the most difficult on the course due to the raised elevation of the receptive green. Really deep bunkers guard the right and back sides and will require an exceptional shot for recovery. The slope in front of the green is long and gradual; a difficult run-up challenge. Once on the green, the contours are appropriately simple.

The second shot is a bit more testing, as there are two very well-positioned fairway bunkers on the right side of the long approach – they are lurking in the area where the best shots should be positioned. The green here is narrow, slightly angled, and has 3-club depth… so knowing where the pin is positioned is vital. Bunkers guard the angled left edge while the right and back shoulders are safe misses.