US Open ChangesAs if this hole was not long enough at around 520 yards, USGA decided to add another tee box to lengthen this hole out to 546 yards.
Have fun storming the castle!
Speed SlotIf you are reasonably proficient with your driver, there is no better cheap thrill on a golf course than to watch your 250-ish drive turn into a 300 yard plus monster as the ball lands on a downhill slope and catapult towards the green with violence.
A true speed slot is a relatively rare feature on golf courses (requires a fair amount of elevation change that is relatively abrupt in a middle of the landing zone), and even when they do exist, they may be cruelly just out of reach for many golfers who do not possess the necessary length. But if/when you do hit it, there is no feeling like it and is something to be talked about over and over again long after the round is done. One should not confuse speed slot fairways with pedestrian everyday downhill holes. As the nickname for the speed slot at Ballyneal’s 16th hole (aka “Bowl of Achievement”) indicates, a speed slot is a reward for displaying a skill, not just something handed out to everyone.
Some may say the speed slots are unfair as they only reward those who already have advantage of length and punish short hitters. And they are correct, speed slots are unfair. But then again, golf, like life, is not fair.
Tee Shot
This hole is aptly named “Cape Fear”. This is a classic cape hole with nothing but a sea of sand between you and the fairway that seems about a mile away. You must pick a fairly risky line with plenty of carry if you want to be rewarded with the extra roll.
The speed slot at Chambers Bay’s 14th hole is doubly epic as there are not one, but TWO separate speed slots greeting the tee shot. The more accessible speed slot (D) is located just short of the fairway bunker (E) that will gently guide the drive towards the flat fairway (G) just short of the left bunkers. The second speed slot is located behind (F) the bunker and more difficult to access, but if your drive does find it, your ball will enjoy a 50 yard roller coaster ride down the hill to a fairway spot (H) with an ideal angle to the green.
The price of such rollicking roller coaster ride is just a measly 350 yard drive.
If you do not possess such length, or miss-hit your drive, you will be stuck in the high fairway and left with a 220+ yard approach as your second shot (at least it is downhill!).
And that is if you are lucky! The short hitters are really screwed as the landing area for 300 yard drives are about as half as wide as the speed slot landing zones (if you are REALLY short, you need to aim for the ladies tees!) There is also a very good chance that your drive will run through the fairway and end up in the rough on the other side of the fairway (B).
If you are over aggressive with your line, or hit a hook, you better get as much distance as possible as the sand area near the fairways are level and playable. But as you go further away from the fairway, the lies in the sand will be less even and you will be surrounded by islands of rough that will severely hamper your ability to hit your shot towards the green.
The fairway bunker is much harder to hit than it looks from the tee box, but if you do hit it, it will not be pleasant.
Interestingly, if there is any wind from any direction, you will most likely be hitting your tee shot into the wind. The hole is situated in the north east corner of the property where walls of dirt are surrounding you like a bowl. This bowl redirects winds from all direction toward the tee box. It is not unusual to face head wind on both 13th and 14th which point in the opposite directions.
This tee shot is about as exhilarating as they come, and is quite enjoyable (if you can ignore the overwhelming pressures of US Open coming down upon your shoulders).
Approach Shot
If you are in the right rough (B), your options are severely limited. Based on the lie, you will be lucky to advance the ball enough to take advantage of the speed slot on the right (H). You do not want to be greedy here as it is very easy to end up in the bunker on the left 70 yards short of the green or worse, heavy rough on the right (I) with the green running away from you.
If your short drive leaves you with a shot from the high plateau, you need to forget about the pin position and try to leave your second shot somewhere in the middle of the green. Unless you can hit an extremely high shot with your long irons, this means landing your approach about 20 yards short of the green (J), just past the bunker guarding the entrance. The ball should bounce hard on to the green and stop just short of the ridge that bisects the green.
From the left bunkers (C), you actually have a pretty good angle to the green as long as you have a good, level lie. A hide fade from here should bounce towards the sideboard on the right of the green and roll back to the middle of the green.
If you were lucky enough to enjoy the ride on the speed slots, you should have a wedge into the green. If the pin is located in the front half of the green, you have the green light to go pin-hunting. If the pin is located in the back half, you have to be more careful as the green slopes away from you and the bounce will kick hard towards the back of the green.
The green is wide enough that sideboard should be avoided. There is nothing good that can come from hitting the right sideboard on the fly.
Around the Green
If you ended up in the rough right of the green, you need to forget about going at the pin unless you can hit a very high shot. Green is running away from you (especially in the back half) and if you are not careful, the ball will run through the green into the green side bunker (L). It may make sense to aim for the middle of the front half of the green, taking advantage of the ample fairway leading to the green (J).
A chip shot from the fairway short of the green (J) is very straightforward as the green is above you and lie should be excellent. Putting is definitely an option here.
A greenside bunker (K, L) shot is relatively simple as the right sideboard will help you keep your shot on the green. You do need to be aware that green does run away from the bunkers for the first third of the green.
The back collection area will be a very popular area for those who land their approach shot past the ridge. If the pin is in the back, even the tight lie should not cause too much problems. If the pin is in the front, distance control will be extremely tough as soon as you go past the ridge, your ball will accelerate past the pin.
Putting
The dominating feature on the green is the ridge that bisects the green back and front. You need to be on the correct side for you to have a reasonable chance at a birdie. The front half is easier to putt as the tilt of the green (back to front) is more consistent and the roll is more predictable.
The slope coming down from the side slope is severe and obvious, but do not forget about the slope coming back from the left bunkers. These are much more subtle but they affect uphill putts significantly more than they look (around #4).
Anything past the ridge gets significantly trickier. A pin in #1 position will be very difficult as the area will reject most approach shots and you will be hitting a putt back towards the pin from the back of the green where you have to deal with very heavy contours coming down from the sideboard. This is a significantly uphill putt and will be slow (much slower than it looks).
The pins in back left (#2) has a slight plateau that you will have to navigate around. Any pin near the back edge will be scary as the green is running away from you and you can easily putt your ball off the green.
Even with all the movements, this is one of the easiest green to hit and putt. Birdies should be had, especially if you are able to hit the speed slot and are left with a very short wedge approach. This will be a crucial hole late on Sunday as risks will be rewarded.