Vince Olenik holed out from 120 yards here in 2003.
A medium/short par four playing away
from the clubhouse gives the players a feel for the back nine right away. A mini
‘chute’ to play the tee shot from precursors the tougher drives on 12, 13, 16,
and 18. Accuracy is at a premium on this hole for most players to set up a clear second
shot. While left is not OB, the driving range is not a good angle to approach the putting
surface, nor is right, where the apple trees await and a couple straggling pines are well
placed to block errant tee shots. Longer hitters can take some of the guesswork out and
fly most of the trouble, but with this comes OB long and left past the driving range.
Your approach should be a short iron to a green surrounded by
the mounds that typify most holes on the back nine. You’ve heard it before, but do
not play from behind this hole, up and down is a daunting proposition.
The green itself is subtly raised in the center which will
test the lag putting of most players, a ball struck a touch too firm will gather pace past
the hole and leave a 6 foot come-backer. Birdies are definitely a possibility here, and
the players giving strokes to the opposition see the 10th as the last hole to
make a statement as three of the next four holes are low handicaps under the
commissioners’ revised ratings.