The Thursday coverage of the LPGA said 17 was playing as the hardest hole of the day, Tees back, pin back. That hole used to rock my world until I figured out how to play it for my game and I've not taken more than par on it in 20+ rounds since. Cut 3 wood up the left hand side, LW to green, 2 putts. Driving the green is an option as well when you feel brave.
OK Emile, but from the back tees the carry over the creek to the left side is about 250-255 from the back tee. That's a helluva 3-wood. Playing from the blues, I usually try to drive over the creek, but sometimes lay up if the pin is in the front. If the pin is back, I always try to carry the creek, but don't use lob wedge from 50-75 yards. I always take a less lofted club and try to land it on the front tier and run it to the back. I believe that is the safe way to play for the back tier. When the green is firm like it is for the LPGA tournament, you have to hit a crisp spinning shot to land it and keep it on the back tier.
I'm a medium length hitter, maybe carry my driver 235 on good days. You must be stronger than me.
I don't think the LPGA does a very good job of setting up the hole for the tournament. The first two days they played it all the way back, 330 and the pin in the back. The women all play it the same way, laying up and then trying to fly it to the back, and it just killed them. They averaged about 4.6 with that setup.
The last day they move the tee up to the 224 box and set the pin up front. Everybody tries to fade a long iron, and almost everybody ends up short to pin high, and left. Many players then have a short, slightly downhill pitch that has to be played short of the green to get close the hole. It's a two tier green, with a nice slope between tiers that could be used to redirect the ball down to the hole, but virtually no one (except for Ryu) used it. Everybody played the tricky second shot directly at the hole.
If I were allowed to set the course up, I would have had the players play from the blue tee (301) the first day or two, which allows the player to drive over the creek if desired and play the bump and run to the back pin, though the player's lack of creativity was noteworthy last weekend. They probably would still all lay up with 4- and 5- irons. The last day, the tees should be set at a true driving distance. The white box is about 275; maybe you play from the front of that box, 265 - 7 = 258. Make them fade a driver or 3-wood to get close.
I was disappointed with the setup and the lack of player creativity as I watched this hole for several hours. The players had trouble reading the various rough lies presented, and also made strange decisions when they had to take a penalty drop. Few players (10-20% ?) who went long got up and down.
It's a very good golf hole for member play, but somehow it doesn't fit LPGA play well.