How To Play Golden Tee Live 2007
Golden Tee Tips and Cheats for Golden Tee
Live 2007
RUSTIC BRIDGE
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INDIGO MOUND
│ GLACIER RANCH
│ PALM SPRINGS
│ MOOSE LANDING
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The ancient Mayan ruins of the Yucatan Peninsula set the scene and the challenge for this unique and stunning design |
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| Click on Images for a Video Fly-by of Each Hole! | |
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HOLE #1 | PAR 4 SOBE Indigo Mound begins with a par 4 that doglegs gently to the left. #1 can be driven with a C-2½ (type) of shot when the wind is at your back and it’s usually worth a try since it leaves you with a chip-shot at worst. Like all starter holes in Golden Tee, take the fairway for a sure birdie. The green is flat and large with a unique square shape and bunkers all around. A pyramid lies off to the right of the fairway. Yes, you read that correctly - pyramids, square greens and unique bunker shapes make Indigo Mound a non-traditional gem from the mind of Jim Zielinski. DUFFER Speaking of Zielinski’s mind, I think he’s lost it! This course is NUTS! In fact, Sobe, you’ve lost your mind too if you think I’m ever going to try and drive #1. Whenever I try to reach the green I can never tell which bruise is worse, the one on my palm or my ego! In Mesoamerica, bird, bird, bird, is the word… |
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HOLE #2 | PAR 4
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HOLE #3 | PAR 3 SOBE Here’s a short par 3 that plays uphill to an elevated green that sits atop a pyramid base. Another square green, #3’s putting surface is shallow and banks down on all sides to 2 levels of sand. Come up just short and you’re in the upper level of sand, come up extremely short and you’re in the lower level. You get the idea. Just don’t miss the green and you won’t have to worry about getting sand in your shoes from any level of the beach. DUFFER #3 is simple in my mind. Play for the green, not for the pin, and you shouldn’t wind up in trouble. If for some reason you fall down the sides into the multi-leveled bunker, I hope you have a lob wedge in your bag cause you’re going to need it. Trust me… |
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HOLE #4 | PAR 5 SOBE The first par 5 at Indigo Mound doglegs sharply to the left, then curls back right towards the medium-sized green. A large tree and two square shaped bunkers guard the left side of the dogleg and a batch of bushes sit behind them. Trees line the right side of the dogleg and will block the green if you can’t get out far enough to get around the corner. Your tee shot is key for an eagle here. I recommend a C-3 (type) shot curl your ball around the dogleg. From there, you have a relatively easy shot to the green, but be careful of the water. DUFFER #4 is a hole where the astute duffers of the world can really impress their dumb duffer friends by making an eagle look easy. Like Sobe says, the key to this bearish hole is the tree-covered dogleg that separates the two fairways. Make it cleanly around the corner with your first shot and an eagle has never been easier! My advice, don’t turn your golfer in the tee box, select enough club to keep yourself short of the trees, apply backspin and hit a smooth C-3 shot. An impressive ball flight and a couple of bounces later you’ll be sittin’ pretty in the middle of the second fairway while your drunken buddy is using his pitching wedge as a machete inside the dense Yucatan forest. |
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HOLE #5 | PAR 4 SOBE #5 is a par 4 that can be driven quite easily. While you can choose to play the fairway for a birdie you’ll likely be giving up a stroke. Turn right a few times and you’ll see a shot that goes between two pyramids, over water to the green. Thick bushes in front of the tee box look like they will stop any attempt to the green but a mid-iron will clear them just fine. The pyramid directly to the right of the green has a steep bank that feeds down to the putting surface so don’t be afraid to use it! Two large ponds guard both the front and backside of the green and the sides are all clear. #5’s bark is worse than it’s bite. DUFFER Alright, so let me get this straight – through two pyramids, over water onto the green equals “driven quite easily” in your mind?! You’re warped, man! Here’s the deal, I’m not going to tell anybody to take the fairway because I know that nobody will. So when you’re taking a par or worse trying to drive this baby, swear at your old pal Sobe and not the Duffer! That’s the best advice that I can give! |
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HOLE #6 | PAR 5 SOBE #6 is a par 5 that requires some thought before you tee off. A classic risk vs. reward hole with a fairway that doglegs to the right and curls back left towards a square, flat green. Just beyond the dogleg and straight ahead from the tee, a tall pyramid resides with a moderate sized hole near the top leaving you with 2 options. Option 1: Evaluate the wind to determine if you can get around the dogleg with an A-3 (type) shot off of the tee. Keep it in mind that the trees lining the left side of the fairway and around the dogleg make this a difficult tee shot. Execute it perfectly and even then you’re still not guaranteed a clean look to the green. Option 2: Lay back in the fairway for a 3 or 5-wood shot through the hole in the pyramid. Do some math and figure out which club off the tee will leave you with the right distance to hit a wood through the hole and remember that the height of a shot is affected by the power and speed applied. Practice will make perfect. But if you miss the hole, you could wind up in big trouble by bouncing backwards off of the structure. From there, the trees will make every conceivable shot a nightmare. Pick your poison carefully. DUFFER There’s no question that Indigo’s #6 is one of the hardest front-nine holes in the game! It’s rare that GT duffers can properly execute your first option, Sobe, so I’m going to give you my take on the second. It’s doable, but I’ve never been a big fan of math and I have no intention of bringing a calculator with me. So for you Cliff’s Notes using, cheat-sheet loving dopes out there, here’s the scoop: the tee box is anywhere between 500-600 yards from the pin. To use a 3-wood on your approach you’ll want to be between 250-280 yards away, 230-250 yards for a 5-wood. Hit either of these clubs too hard from their respective distances and you’ll run the risk of pelting the pyramid, same for too soft. Nice, smooth and straight and you’ll get right through and onto the dance floor. Make sure you use backspin! |
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HOLE #7 | PAR 3 SOBE Here is a slightly uphill par 3 that is as straightforward as it gets. The square-shaped green slopes downward 6?, so plan on using backspin. Trouble lies on the sides and back of the green so play it safe. Don’t get too cute here, just stick the green and move on to #8. DUFFER Just like kicking a field goal, baby! Accept make sure you use backspin |
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HOLE #8 | PAR 4 SOBE #8 is a par 4 that is always drivable. The hole doglegs to the left with a very visible gap through the trees that line the fairway. Two ponds reside left and short of the square green and bunker that guard the left side of the green. Either attempt to split the gap with a wood or hit straight over the trees that near the tee box by hitting a hard 5-wood. As always, assess the wind before making your decision. DUFFER The gap is definitely visible, but all I’m seeing is a bogey! This is a tough shot for anybody that is lacking experience in shot shaping because a perfect line is required to make it through trees and perfect speed to hold the green! Your best bet is to turn one click left and use the overhead map to envision a line going through the gap. Depending on your tee box, you should see a B-3 (type) of line to the pin. Going this route is far less risky than cutting a hard C-2 shot through the trees. I hate to say it, but practice makes perfect! |
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HOLE #9 | PAR 5 SOBE The front nine winds down with a nice, but challenging, par 5. The fairway doglegs right and curls back, separated by a gigantic spiral bunker with a grass center. An oddly shaped bunker guards the front of this large, square green. You have 3 options on #9, 1: Aim for the center of the gigantic bunker and approach the green cleanly from there 2: Hit an A-1 (type) shot that gets around the dogleg without landing in the bunker or hitting the pyramid. Landing in the rough is fine. 3: Lay up just short of the bunker and leave a long approach shot of 350+ yards to the green. Don’t even think about option 3 with a wind in your face! The good new is, you’ll be walking away with a birdie at worst here. DUFFER #9 is an unassuming hole that can cause a stroke difference between the good and mediocre. With that said, Sobe’s second option is the most duffer-friendly of the three since it requires more force and less precision. But take note: if you end up in the rough next to the trap, it will be tougher to stop your ball on the green. Be careful! And before you try it for yourself I’ll just tell you, it’s impossible to drive the green from the crazy sand trap. Don’t even try it, Hercules. |
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HOLE #10 | PAR 4 SOBE The back nine at Indigo Mound starts off with a non-drivable par that doglegs sharply to the right. The fairway is severely elevated and has a rocky edge. Hit a hard driver for maximum elevation or a 3-wood depending on the wind. Either way, simply make sure you clear the face of the rocks. Anything that comes up short will find the trees and force you to take an unwanted lay up shot. The green is elevated but reachable from anywhere, so no need to do anything stupid to reach it. DUFFER The biggest quirk to take note of on #10 is the change in elevation from tee-to-green. And this hole is just the beginning, as the back nine of Indigo is full of wild elevation changes. Duffers, make sure you account for this when selecting your shot. If you’re playing downhill, think about using less club and more club uphill. And that’s about all of the wisdom you’re going to get out of me! |
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HOLE #11 | PAR 4 SOBE #11 - “The Snake Hole” - is a non-drivable par 4 with a narrow fairway that is severely banked. It doglegs to the left immediately off of the tee box and curls back to the right towards the green. A huge snake-shaped bunker winds along the entire right side of the hole and cuts across the fairway just short the green. Ideally, try a C-3 (type) shot off of the tee to avoid the tree and stay on top of this steeply banked fairway. An errant tee shot will likely end up at the base of the bank, leaving a risky “skip” shot off of the hill for any chance to reach the green in two. The green is square and large with bushes, trees and statues scattered around the back and sides. Come up short and you’ll find yourself in the head of the snake bunker – never a good place to be. The tee shot is critical here if you want to make birdie. DUFFER Wow. Sobe, I’m going to let you have this one. This hole is absolutely insane! There are so many ways to screw up on #11 that they aren’t even worth listing. The key to success here lies in your tee-shot. Play something that travels from right-to-left, with enough speed to make it to the top of the hill. Make sure you throw in a prayer to the Mayan Gods while you’re at it. Anything to help on this nasty setup. |
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HOLE #12 | PAR 3 SOBE #12 is a par 3 that plays downhill to a small, square green that banks down to one of the strangest bunkers in the history of Golden Tee. My advice is just hit the green and work on your sand saves later. You may need backspin to stick this one. DUFFER Play for the green here and pretend the wild bunker doesn’t exist. Again, the tee box is extremely elevated so consider going down in club if you can. How do you write “birdie” in hieroglyphics? |
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HOLE #13 | PAR 4 SOBE #13 is a challenging, non-drivable par 4 that is reminiscent of the old days. The straight-ahead fairway starts with a massive elevation drop and then climbs steeply uphill to the level of the tee box at around 290 (ish) yards. The big green will have a nasty right 10? slope that feeds down to water. Trees and bushes guard the back and left side. You’ll either get to the top of the fairway or wind up at the base of the hill. Both areas are manageable but preferably, shoot for the top level since it’s a lot easier to approach the green. Play a hook shot that works from right-to-left to help hold this nasty green. DUFFER Put some muscle into this one off the tee and aim for the Coke machine. From there you’ll have a wide open shot to a nasty right 10? green. Do whatever it takes (i.e. swerve with backspin) to hold this green. The last thing you want to do is roll down into the water on your third shot. Again, trust me… |
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HOLE #14 | PAR 5 SOBE #14 is a tough par 5 that doesn’t leave much room for error. The fairway starts straight and doglegs sharply to the left at around 275 yards. A square bunker separates the fairway into two sections. The biggest obstacle to consider on #14 is the shallow, elevated green. Not only is it hard to hold, but it has a gaping water hole in front and tons of bushes that line the back. With a big out wind on your approach shot won’t help your effort much since you have to get around the corner with a big C-3 shot. Make sure that you don’t get stuck with a low iron into this green. Most often, I place my drive to the right of the bunker to set myself up with a 5-wood on my approach. Remember, it’s uphill, so it’s a touchy one. If anything, miss long. DUFFER Sobe’s right on the money here. The crazy elevation change makes all the difference when it comes to making an eagle. You definitely want to leave yourself a 5-wood coming into this green but here’s some more advice that is guaranteed to help – just when you know how hard to hit your approach shot, hit it a hair harder. This elevation is huge so you’re going to need all the muscle you’ve got. |
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HOLE #15 | PAR 4 SOBE This clever, drivable par 4 is unlike anything ever seen in Golden Tee. #15 has you hitting to one of 3 slightly elevated greens placed atop a Mayan pyramid – wild! The greens on the left and right side of the pyramid have water in front and behind, with the pyramid itself protecting the greens’ sides. The middle green has water on both sides and the pyramid guarding the front and back. There is nothing special to do here, just aim for the green with a pin on it! You will need backspin. DUFFER Is it disturbing to anyone else that we’re golfing on an ancient sacrificial temple? This hole is cursed I tell ya! Anyway, there will come a day when you miss one of these small, square greens and when that day comes remember that a sand wedge will make it onto the green from the base of the tower. |
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HOLE #16 | PAR 4 SOBE This is definitely not your typical Golden Tee hole. #16 is an unusual par 5 that will make you pay for mistakes. This hole doglegs to the right and the fairway severely slopes down to a valley and then climbs back up towards a huge green atop a pyramid. Another pyramid is located straight out from the tee box with a small grass landing area on the top of it and sides that slope down to bunkers. You guessed it, play #16 from pyramid to pyramid to have the best shot at an eagle. Both pyramids are the same height. Picture as if the empty air between them is nothing more than a level fairway! I stress that you DO NOT miss the first pyramid left or long. Do so and it will take at least 3 more shots to get to the green. If you wind up at the bottom of the valley, the green can still be reached with a difficult bounce shot off the fairway. Practice makes perfect on this wild one. DUFFER This hole reminds me of that old Q*Bert video game, only a little bit more demented. #16 is a textbook risk vs. reward shot that forces you to make a decision based on confidence. As long as you hit the first pyramid, the rest of the hole isn’t so bad. Make sure to take an extra second and think about the distance of your first shot. This is where knowing the difference between your thumb, hammer, smooth swing speed will come in handy. If you don’t know the difference yet, I suggest learning on the practice range and not here. It’s much less frustrating. |
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HOLE #17 | PAR 3 SOBE #17 is a par 3 that plays drastically uphill to medium-sized green sandwiched between two huge round mounds of mother earth. The front of the green has some grass that’s sharply banked towards a huge pond. Ditto for the backside. Bouncing up is possible with a low iron. The green has a massive up 10? slope but it doesn’t cause your ball to rip back when backspin is applied due to its elevation. Use more club than you think here. DUFFER Hmmm. This hole reminds me of a certain country singer but I just can’t quite put my finger on it… |
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HOLE #18 | PAR 4 SOBE The finishing hole at Indigo Mound is a drivable par 4 that has a gnarly right 10? green. Its edges bank down to water on all sides except for the left, which has a pyramid wall that comes into play instead. A shot coming in from right-to-left is the most effective to hold this nasty slope. Backspin is optional. Have confidence and you can stick this. DUFFER Seriously, who thinks of something like this?! Jim Z. really has lost his mind! But as the Duffer, it is my duty to tell amateurs to play it safe left of the green with a hard cut shot. The pyramid is sure to stop anything that is coming in too hard, leaving you with a decent chip shot to the pin. Even then, go easy on the chip and stay out of the water. Finish up with a birdie or better and get yourself a congratulatory beer for making it through one of the toughest courses on Golden Tee LIVE 2007! |
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