Interesting start to our mini-series here on the GTB, as many of you shared your thoughts on our #5 toughest hole, Monument Valley 17. While many conveyed strong arguments on whether it belongs in the discussion compared to others, 70% of you agreed that this was without question one of the top 5 toughest holes in 2010. Only 30% said that I needed to “Play Better,” which is very true but also good news for my first selection.

We continue onward, however, with our #4 Toughest of Ten hole – Tahiti Cove 17.

Tahiti Cove 17 is a par-3 that can vary dramatically in distance and may require any club from a driver to a 5-iron. On the surface, TC 17 doesn’t really appear to be all that hard but as is the case with many holes in Golden Tee, looks can be deceiving.

WIND. It’s without question the biggest factor on this hole and will become a trend as we move forward. There’s a good chance that you’ll be given a setup with a wind greater than 10 mph each time through. You’ll also see A LOT of brutal looks that have crosswinds of 13 mph plus. When you get these looks, usually there is some significant cursing involved and for good reason. The strong winds really, really “blow.”

The green is shaped very similar to our previous hole, Monument Valley 17, and takes on a sort of “dog bone” shape. This means that you will see a variety of pin placements tucked in each of the four corners that can make for an almost impossible birdie. Any shot that heads remotely right will undoubtedly kick that way and find the water.

Even when you manage to stick the green, you may be forced to putt around the cutout of the green and tap in for par – something I’ve unfortunately done on a fair share of occasions.

The safe play on this hole would be to aim for the left-center portion of the green and hope for a reasonable look. If the pin is placed in the center of the green, this hole can be surprisingly manageable – and this strategy can play perfectly. Once again, I cannot stress the “if” enough.

I have averaged around par through 15 rounds on Tahiti Cove. This includes a dunk-ace that would have led to at least a bogey have it not hit the cup on a fly, so the results are skewed thanks to a very lucky shot.

With this in mind, I once again look for your help in assembling our top five hardest holes in GT 2010. Remember, at the end of it all, you’ll be able to cast your vote for Toughest Hole in ’10. For now, let’s see if I am right on, or I missed the mark here.

 Loading ...

Posted in Golden Tee 2010, Posts by Adam Kramer | 4 Comments »

Last year it was Savannah 17 – without question the toughest hole in the game and perhaps the toughest hole of all-time. While Heather Pointe fans may have a bone to pick with that, there’s plenty of holes in GT history that have become famous with the challenges they present.

Flash back once again to ’09, which sounds odd but you know what I’m getting at. It seemed like no matter what I tried, including a 4-hybrid chip and all sorts of horrendous cut shots, I got wet on Savannah 17. Usually my next shot would go in the hazard as well, and suddenly that potential –23 turned into a –16. Just like that.

Tilt. Say it with me, fellas… TILT.

While these challenging looks can be frustrating, they are also what make the game great. They forever go down in GT lore as the true round busters, but when you play them perfectly it makes it all worthwhile. They also force us to be creative. Who would imagine using a 4-iron on a 75-yard shot? I mean really?

A perfect example of this is Monument Valley 17, which leads off this mini-series as my fifth hardest hole in 2010. It gives players an amazing look, but it can be a black eye on the ol’ scorecard if the ball doesn’t roll your way.

17 is a par-3 that has tee boxes surrounding the hole on pretty much all sides. The distance can range anywhere from 95 to 160 yards.

The green, which might be one of, if not the toughest in the game, has a ten slope that can vary in direction depending on which tee box you are placed. There is a bunker surrounding the back, front, or side of the green, (once again depending on placement).

This hole provides a true challenge because the green is really tough to stick at all angles. And even when you do stick it, there’s the possibility that you’ll still have a very missable putt for birdie. The potential to really blowup is there as well. End up in the water and you’ll have a drop that is far from easy. Well, maybe not for you pros out there, but certainly for us donks.

If you have a good club with a nice out or cross wind then the birdie opportunity is very possible – but this easy opportunity won’t be there often. I highlighted 12 games I played on the hole and I got exactly 36 strokes, for an average of 3 strokes per time played. Not bad, especially with a few doubles in there.

Everyone out there has probably played and seen all the new courses and holes in 2010, so I put the question to you. Is Monument Valley 17 one of the top five hardest holes in the game?

Comments as always are welcome and appreciated. What do you think?

 Loading ...

Posted in Golden Tee 2010, Posts by Adam Kramer | 6 Comments »

AK: We’re on our final course, and once again thanks for offering up an inside look at your latest creations, Jim. Last but certainly not least is Southern Oaks – give us some background on the course.

JZ: Southern Oaks is a more championship style golf course. Many will find this course the closest thing to real golf in almost any of the GT courses we’ve created. As a whole, the course is relatively flat with thick woods surrounding every single hole. There’s a lot of water and a decent amount of sand that will come into play.

AK: How would you rate Southern Oaks in terms of difficulty?

JZ: I would say it’s certainly above average in terms of difficulty, and might be the toughest course in the latest update. On face value, a course without shortcuts and little to no elevation would seem easy, but that’s not really the case. There’s a tons of trees, a lot of water that can be found by shots that aren’t on the mark, and the greens are guarded extremely well by bunkers and mounds.

AK: A lot was made about Southern Oaks because as you said, it has no shortcuts. Can you elaborate more on that?

JZ: The term shortcut can be misconstrued in some of these instances, but Southern Oaks does have a much different feel than any other course in GT history. There are still drivable par-4s, and par-5s will still require an outstanding second shot to reach the green in two. These shots, however, will not have some of the gimmicks or tricks that there have been in the past. Players will have to use a variety of shots to shoot well, and they won’t be able to simply get by off of course memory.

AK: Another item that will resonate unique with players that have played plenty of your courses is the fact that the 18^th hole is a par-4 that is not reachable in one. What led to this unique ending?

JZ: We’re trying to avoid the sort of cookie-cutter mentality, which is why we decided to switch it up. Players have grown to expect a drivable par-4 for hole 18, but we thought that Southern Oaks would be the ideal spot to go with a different approach. The final stretch will still provide plenty of fireworks, and there will be potential to gain and lose strokes. Hole 16 is one of the tougher par-3s in the entire game and Hole 17 is a drivable par-4 that will really test a player’s skills. Hole 18 will provide a very different challenge, and is going to be a tough birdie to come by especially with a tough setup.

AK: Which would you say is your favorite hole on the course?

JZ: On Southern Oaks my favorite hole is the 11^th, and by now you’ve probably noticed a pattern in the holes I like the best. They usually involve strategic options at the tee, and rewards for well placed shots after that. This hole is a good example. It’s a par-4 and the fairway has sort of a “Y” shape. The landing area for the tee shot spans 250 yards from left to right. You can choose to hit your tee anywhere along this span. The water on the left side won’t allow deep drives so any shot hit to the left will have a longer second shot to the green. The right side has trees to contend with. If the tee shot is too far and deep, the second shot requires a fade shot around the trees and over the bunker.

What I like about this hole is that there is no “right” way to play it. I think we’re going to see players choosing different strategies based on different equipment and different conditions.

This hole represents what I think is most fun about Golden Tee. It gives the player many choices and opportunities to make good or bad decisions. That’s the real fun. Make the right decision, then execute. A well-executed shot reaffirms your strategy. There’s a lot of satisfaction when you’re successful.

AK: Jim, thanks so much for joining us. We appreciate all your help on breaking down your masterpieces!

Posted in Golden Tee 2010, Posts by Adam Kramer | 3 Comments »