In August Bowling Green Golf Club shared a blog post with the ins and outs of playing the front nine of the Bowling Green golf course which you can read here. This month, we are sharing local knowledge tips on how to play holes 10, 11, 12, and 13.
These intricacies of a golf course are usually only revealed when a golfer plays the course on a regular basis. Since this Local Knowledge may not be obvious to the first time visitor we are sharing some tips to make your first round at Bowling Green an enjoyable one. With these tips you’ll be able to play the course with the members’ advantage.
HOLE 10
The opening hole of the back nine at Bowling Green is a fairly tough Par 4 that can trip you up. Here’s a piece of advice that will help to shave some strokes from your round. As you approach the green, pay attention to the pin location. If the pin location is in the front portion of the green, hit your approach shot below the hole. Even if you lay up short of the green, an uphill pitch will get you where you want to be.
- If you end up pin high right, a three putt is likely.
- If you end up pin high left, a three putt is also likely.
- If you end up beyond pin high, you’ll be praying for a three putt!
The 11th hole is the first Par 3 on the back nine and it’s also the shortest Par 3 on the course, playing 160 yards from the white tees. Based on the scorecard, it may appear to be one of the less intimidating holes on the course but watch out for the large bunker and mound that looks as though it is short and right of the green.
The bunker is not short of the green; it actually goes rather deep into the green. In fact, the area just beyond that bunker is the middle of the green. If the pin location is back right, don’t make that sucker shot. Aim to the center of the green. A slight miss hit will leave a putt instead of a buried lie in the face of the bunker.
HOLE 12
Hole 12 is the most challenging Par 4 on the back nine at Bowling Green, playing 374 yards from the white tees. You will find water hazards right, left and center of your tee shot and right, left and over the green on your second shot. If your drive isn’t long, straight, and favoring the right side of the fairway you can end up racking up a considerable number of strokes on this hole.
What we suggest while playing the 12th hole is to lay up (or use a driver as the case may be) to the 100 yard marker. This will take the water out of play. Now a solid approach shot will give you a chance at par. A bogey may just win this hole anyway!
HOLE 13
On the 13th hole you’ll want to hit your tee shot left center of the fairway, leaving yourself approximately 110 yards to the green on this shorter Par 4, which plays 303 yards from the white tees. Longer hitters may have to lay up. Your second shot will be a straight shot into the green leaving you with your first real birdie chance of the back nine. The pin location is left center and you have an uphill putt that looks straight or right edge, what appears to be a green light situation.
Hold on and take a second look at the green. The left side mound located just off the green influences the break on the left side of the green. This means that a straight or right edge putt will actually move more right than anticipated.
We’d love to hear some tips from our members and frequent golfers so please feel free to share some Local Knowledge tips with your fellow golfers in the comments!
