7th Hole - 283 Yards Par 4Sand Hills proves that you can not only have two great short par fours on one course but also that you can have two world-class short par fours in a row.
The 7th is likely on a short list of the greatest drivable par fours in the world. Only 283 from the back tees and 231 from the 'Circle' tees, it's likely reachable for the majority of players under the right conditions. But is taking driver here the smart play?
The hole features a very inviting fairway, with some fairway bunkers right off the tee that are pretty deep. But the real hazard here is the terrifyingly deep bunker complex in the front left. Hitting out of here onto the green is akin to hitting a ball onto the hood of a Cadillac and trying to make it stop. The green is elevated from fairway grade, is very small and it's pitched severely from left to right. There is also a false front to navigate and balls that fall off the green to the right will fall about 15-20 feet down the slope onto a lower chipping area.
The green looks so close from the tee and really tantalizes the player into giving it a go but I found that the smart play was to get it out short and right of the green, allowing for either a full wedge or a pitch into the green at an angle where the green slopes against the shot. Therefore, downwind, I'd hit a long iron or hybrid club while feeling comfortable hitting driver when the wind was in our face.
I also found that you could use the slope on the green to your advantage on the second shot if you were far enough to the right - you could play your pitch slightly long through the green into the fringe and the ball would come back off the slope toward the middle of the green.
If you do want to try to drive the green, you will have to flirt with that left greenside bunker or you have absolutely no shot of holding the green.
Putting is no bargain here - even though there aren't major contours, the pitch of the green means any putts played from the back left will be almost unbearably fast.
A world-class hole in every respect and easily one of my favourites on the golf course.
Tee Shot
Approach Shot from 90 Yards
Approach Shot from Right Fairway Bunker
Looking back at Left Greenside Bunker
Closeup from Behind Green Looking Back to Tee
Long View from Behind Green Looking Back to Tee