Looks like this is week 26 of the season – so the first tournament of the second half of the year. It's been a fun one, this is my first so looking back on the past few months, I realize I've had a great time.
So Vandelay Enterprises is so fancy now it has a golf tournament sponsorship? I remember when that company first started on Seinfeld. LOL
I’ll leave some notes since Catcherman was very kind to mention me, but architect Eric Perego left great hole-by-hole descriptions on his thread for the course. I’ll defer to what he says anyway but just for fun, I wrote up notes that I hope he doesn’t mind. It’s a beautiful course and provides a lot of strategy from its various elements - stuff Catcherman already cited as well as the small greens and lots of trees that can drop our GIR %. I do think the drives can be the toughest the majority of the time, but some approaches need pinpoint accuracy too.
Architect Eric Perego preview:
tgctours.proboards.com/thread/27014/pinedale-trails
PINEDALE TRAILS
Par 72, 7112 yards. Handicap 76.2
This week I have my pine tree car freshener with me for added realism and my Art Vandelay Enterprises Venetian blinds to shut out the world in case I get bummed at my poor play on this tough course. The handicap is 76.3 – I think that’s the highest we’ve had – I think Ayrshire Gales, the second week this season was the toughest at 76.2 but I may be forgetting something.
1-5-543. This first hole being a downhill dogleg left par-5 is a good way to get adjusted to the tight tree-lined atmosphere. The drive will dictate the result and like Catcherman said, I think I will consider a wood or hybrid a lot off the tee if necessary. The green is severely sloped to the front-right.
2-4-410. For me, I think the pond that starts at 275 from the tee will cause me to go with 3-wood off the tee. With a short iron, it may still be tough to hit the small green that slopes to the front right, since it sits between the river and pond. Once on the green, get out the fly swatter cause there are flies here – if you didn’t pack one, call over an official – they are equipped with them for this week.
3-4-424. An easier drive heads down 50 feet to a much wider fairway with a center-line bunker, this 3rd hole puts emphasis on the approach to another tiny green. We can use the green’s left-to-right slope for right pin locations placed behind the greenside bunker.
4-3-193. A southern wind is just right for a this par-3 that requests a draw around 2 greenside bunkers. The green slopes towards the bunkers so this can be treated like a Redan.
5-4-479. There’s a house behind the tee if you need to use the bathroom, ask the residents nicely. There’s also a ball washer and garbage can so I can throw out my Vandelay candy bar wrappers that I’ve been carrying around. Now we can focus better since this is maybe the toughest hole on the front 9-architect Eric said it was originally a par-5. Downhill but long, the 5th with a southern wind blowing against us will produce 200-yard approaches to a narrow green surrounded by 3 bunkers.
6-5-515. A nice fat n’ plump fairway, don’t let that southern wind bring your ball too far left behind the trees or we could be blocked off. Once deep in the valley’s dip, the green sits 60 feet over our heads so club up. Luckily the shallow green has a deep backboard in case we go long on the second shot.
7-3-211. #2 handicap. What a gorgeous par-3. I wonder how much it costs to live in that house with the pool behind the green. As peaceful as the scene is with its rock-lined pond, flowers and the most beautiful walk to a bathroom area I’ve yet, this hole is frightening. I think the pleasantries are here so I don’t get pissed when I land my ball in the greenside water. Back down the 60 foot hill, this is the biggest decision off the tee. I’ll probably miss everything and find my ball in the pool in the front yard. Take an extra second to consider club selection.
8-4-444. 3-wood is the better play since the deep fairway bunker cuts off most of the fairway’s width. A mid-iron in with a fade preferred.
9-4-373. Back to the clubhouse which sits next to a green 100 feet below tee box level-it’s a drivable par-4 as a result. Do not miss to the right like I did – the trees are too difficult to recover from when going for the green off the tee. ‘Grip it and rip it’ like Eric says. Worth the risk imo.
10-5-550. A twin of the first hole and a second straight birdie chance. Just make sure to stay in fairway’s center since trees could block off approaches.
11-3-139. #1 handicap The back nine par-3’s are way shorter but any slow tempo will be wet here at a deceptively tough hole. Eric says that going left or being on the wrong part of the green will leave a challenging recovery.
12-4-428. Another valley hole, it’s a tough choice off the tee with this tight wavy fairway. The small two-tiered green could be tough to hit from the rough and stay below the hole.
13-4-450. Another where a driver tee ball may be questionable since it must contest a center-line bunker and water to the right. The green has sand security guards and tough undulation heading to the front-right. Best to stay below the hole.
14-4-316. #9 is worth driving the green but this drivable par-4 probably isn’t with water sitting to the left of the small, heavily sloped green. Normally I’d execute a draw off the tee but the trees block off that option.
15-5-570. In a southern wind, this could play as a 3-shot hole. Driver, wood and an accurate pitch should be sufficient for birdie but I won't feel bad about par here.
16-4-455 #3 handicap. I washed my ball at one of the 3 ballwashers but I hope I don’t wash it in the huge pond. Depending on club selection off the tee, either the drive or approach will be our challenge cause both will be affected by the pond to the right. A well-placed fairway bunker makes us think twice about the driver. Missing the fairway will have us aiming over the water from the rough – I was wet in one of the practice rounds I did cause I couldn’t reach the green using my hybrid from the tall grass. Nasty green too.
17-3-152. A short but tough hole that requested a fade off the tee, I can go cry in the bathroom to the left after I land my ball in the water to the right of the hole. The green is baby sized so premium accuracy is required. Scenic but deadly.
18-4-459. After crying in the bathroom, I have to deal with another toughie. Shoot the ball through the trees with driver or wood or draw it over the trees to the right – there’s enough room for a draw or fade. The green gives us a fair chance at birdie to close out the round.
This is a tougher course at least to me anyway since the trees are a continual threat and the greens are tough to land on and putt with success consistently. Good luck!