Hole 7: Par 4, 352 YardsLots of players are tempted to drive it up in front of this green, but it’s easy to leave yourself with an awkward distance and a bad angle. A safe tee shot to the right lets you use the bank at the left side of the green to contain your second shot and bank it back close to the hole. The bank can also come in handy on recovery shots from anywhere to the right of the green The famous "E" green is found at Ballyneal's seventh. As you stroll down the 4th fairway, the clever player will have the foresight to take a peak over at the green on 7 to locate the day's pin location. Pin location has a major impact on the decision from the tee.
Even though the hole is 350 yards on the card, it will be reachable by many. Playing downwind, shots that carry the left bunkers (about 235 yards) will bound and funnel all the way down to the front portion of the green (though in no way does this guarantee a 3!).
Players not wanting to try to carry the bunkers have the choice of either laying up short of them (I can't believe anyone would ever do this on purpose) or playing right of them, leaving one of the most fun wedge shots one will ever play.
From front-left portion of tee box:
From back-right portion of tee box:
From short of the fairway bunkers the pin is in view, though the significant contouring is not. Hopefully the golfer who finds himself here knows his way around the golf course and is not a BN virgin!
Just right of the bunker:
There are so many options on the approach. Low and running or high and spinning? Right at it or off a sideboard (or backboard)? Make a decision and stick with it because this is not the green on which one would ever want to be out of position. The bunker left, in particular, is a really bad spot to a front or middle pin.
The green is really in three sections, with the middle section forming something of a bowl. While the internal contouring of each section is fairly flat and approaches close to the hole leave simple putts, getting from one section to another is one heckuva ride! Front to middle or middle to front, throw the ball up on the slope left and watch it run. From to back section, I dunno, good luck I guess!
Kyle's picture of the area just short-left of the green shows a small flat area that will leave a very difficult up and down. If you're going to go for the green, be sure to get it there as the approach from this angle is severely downhill and very difficult to get close.
From just short-right of the green to a middle pin, you can (1) putt it and watch it come off the slope left, (2) hit a little bump with a 5-iron skirting the bunker, or (3) flop it up over the bunker and have it come back off the backboard.
The view from behind (from the 4th fairway)