#Gauntlet2015 Course Preview: Cog Hill #2 - Ravines

Back from my trip and ready to go!

Hole 6 is a par 4 that will play 370 from the blues and 360 from the whites. The wind here will usually be from the left which works out nicely as the hole dog legs slightly to the right. There are fairway bunkers that take 230 to carry if you want to play the aggressive line. The fairway itself is pretty narrow, but you can bail out to the left, or play a tee shot that starts on the left edge of the fairway and fades back. Missing right of the fairway puts you in jail as there are trees that protect the green on that side. there's also the matter of landing in the bunker, which again will bring the trees into play. The trees will force you to play to the front of this large green. The pin is usually set on the right, which enhances the importance of being on the left side of the fairway for your approach.

The green itself is large and relatively flat. There's a bunker to the front right of the green that will almost always leave you with a short sided shot. Best way to play this hole is to stay left and shoot for the middle of the green on your approach. Par is a very good score here and bogey isn't bad either.

This will be better than last year. The course should be lush and fast.

I downloaded the course overview last night to see the hole layout. I love how this is set up with my current state of the game I think this could be a real treat. I love a good challenge and this seems like the track to put me through my paces.


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Perfect spot for The Gauntlet, looks great.

Finally done moving out of my house. I can finally finish this!!

#7 on Ravines is a longish par 3 that plays in the 190's from the blues and 180's from the whites. Bunkers protect the right front of the green and will generally leave you with some sort of short sided shot if you end up there. There's also the wasps that tend to hang out there... The green complex has a couple of ridges in it, but nothing that would be considered extraordinary. Missing short left, or even left isn't a bad play here. However, you don't want to end up on the hill on the left side of the green.....it will usually require you to get creative on your chip shot. The hole plays one of the easier holes even though it's a longer par 3. Ideal play here is to shot for the middle of the green and get away with a par. Laying up is also a good option if you don't have the length to get it to and hold the green.

Adam, it looks like a Redan from the photo, could a person it a cut into the back left and have that mound feed the ball down to a front right pin?

LordByron said:

Adam, it looks like a Redan from the photo, could a person it a cut into the back left and have that mound feed the ball down to a front right pin?

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Most definitely. I've done that on accident more than once


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adamw238 said:

Most definitely. I've done that on accident more than once


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Very cool! You can do the same on #4 at HOE (they hardly ever put the pin back right though), which I did completely by accident to about 1.5 feet a couple of years ago. The guys I was playing with were very impressed with the local knowledge. hahaha

Adam, this is a great idea and a neat service to everyone looking forward to this great event at a great public facility! I am really looking forward to the rest of preview, should you actually finish it before the Gauntlet starts.

Great posts for the review so far, Adam. Really good stuff! Keep it up.

I am enjoying these previews. Thanks for doing this.

LordByron said:

Adam, this is a great idea and a neat service to everyone looking forward to this great event at a great public facility! I am really looking forward to the rest of preview, should you actually finish it before the Gauntlet starts.

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LOL! Moving and this project go-live have my priorities all mixed up

On to Hole 8!

Hole 8 is a target hole for sure. Measuring in the 420's from the blues and the 400's from the whites, tee shot placement is critical on this hole. With the pin almost always on the left side of the green, you want to be on the left side of the fairway off the tee because of the trees on the right that protect the green and hole. If you do find yourself on the right side of the fairway you will basically limit yourself to targeting the middle of green and playing for par. That is unless you're able to work the ball really well with a short/mid iron. Even then, you're going to have to get the ball to come in very steep, otherwise it's going to run off the green and leave you with a very short sided chip.

The fairway bunker is 230 - 200 yards away depending on where you're playing from and very much in play. Landing in the bunker will almost always take a GIR out of the picture due to the bunker's depth and distance from the hole.

The green slopes towards the front left and makes for very quick downhill putts. Trying to keep the ball pin high or below the hole is a MUST if you're looking to make par or better here.

Smart play on this hole is to hit the middle of the fairway, hit the middle of the green and two putt for par. Many times I've put my tee shot to the right in the trees and have to fight my way out just to get bogey.

Hope the move went well Adam. Thanks for resuming the course preview.

DufferToo said:

Hope the move went well Adam. Thanks for resuming the course preview.

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The move isn't quite over yet. We sold our house a lot quicker than we thought and had to move in with my parents until our house is finished (about 6 weeks). So, in mid-July we get to move all over again

Hole 9 is up next. 9, 10 and 11 are 3 of the 5 hardest holes on the course, and my friends and I call this the "Ravines Amen Corner". And believe me, it lives up to the billing. Good rounds get destroyed on these holes.

9 is a lengthy par 5 (530 from the blues and 510 from the whites) with a drive over a ravine, dogleg right, an approach over water and a multi-level green that has about 18" of elevation change from front to back....that starts right in the middle of the green.

The tee shot is very intimidating. The tee box is framed by trees and the ravine in front of you screams, "FEED ME!" The the fairway opens up a bit after the last tree on the right (about 150 yards). Missing left is the miss you want to have here. If you end up going right you will have an "iffy" lie and have to navigate your next shot through the trees. Bigger hitters can take it right over the top of that tree and find themselves right in the middle of the fairway. You also have the option of playing a shot directly at the bunker on the left side of the fairway. Whether you fade it, or hit it straight and end up in the bunker you'll be in a much better shape than if you were to go right into the trees.

Tee




Your second shot is more than likely going to be a layup to whatever yardage you feel comfortable with. For me on this hole it's about 125-150 yards. Anymore than that and you're going to be aiming for an area the size of a tea cup in the elbow of the hole. I will usually drive the ball out to 260 and take a wedge to get me to my comfort zone. Then, depending on the wind I'll have anywhere from an 8-P into the green. Also, the shot from 110-150 gives you an easy look into the green with forced carry of 110 yards over the water. If you play for the approach area left of the image below you have the water on the right, and for me it's not a shot I like looking at.

As I said earlier, the green has two levels with an 18" ridge running right in the middle of the green. I've seen to pin in the front right, and I've seen it about 3 paces off of the ridge. If the hole is on the top tier, and above the hole you are going to have a really really really really really tricky put. The entire green complex slopes towards the water and a putt from above the hole is going to be extremely quick. If you do run it by the hole, it's going to catch the ridge and run out to about 45 feet. If you leave the put below the hole you'll have a pretty simple, but lengthy up hill putt that only moves about a foot right to left. However, if you don't hit it the ball isn't going to get up to the second level.

When the hole is on the lower level it's a pretty easy putt.

I've had par on this hole.....and I've had triple bogey. And this is just the start.....

Approach from 150

Hole 10 at Ravines might be the hardest hole on the course, contrary to what the scorecard says :act-up:.

It's a long par 4 (440 from blues, 420 from whites) that plays less than driver off the tee for me. The fairway isn't extremely wide and there's trouble to the left and right. The fairway runs uphill for about 230 yards, then slopes down to a landing area that's about 10y x 10y. If you miss left, your ball is lost in the trees and you'll be dropping. Miss right, and your ball is in the trees and you're dropping from a position where bogey is probably the best you can do.

Like I said earlier, I usually take less than driver not because of the tight fairway, but because the fairway runs out at about 260. If you think missing left and right were bad....going long will give you a shot that not even Phil would smile about. The fairway ends at a ravine that slopes sharply down to a very very icky area. If you drive it long and right you're again presented with the most awful shot on the entire course. The ideal tee shot is something that will settle at around 225 to 235 and on the left/center of the fairway. This will give you the best chance to shoot for the center of the green. Anything right of center requires you to hit a left to right shot to get around the trees.




Your approach shot will be into a downhill green where missing short will put you 20ft below the green and thick thick rough. Missing long will put you in the bunker that only seems to allow for downhill lies. There is a small bailout area to the left front of the green for those who want to take the ultra-conservative approach. The green is shaped almost like a saddle and will feed everything that lands in the center down towards the ravine. It's not severe enough where it's going to run off, but something to keep in mind. Most days the pin is situated in the middle front, but I have seen it tucked in the back right corner. If you go long and right, there's some room to play with, but it's still a spot you don't want to be.

This hole has been my Achilles heel for as long as I've played it. When I am in the fairway I usually muck-up my approach and walk away with bogey or worse. I've probably played this course 20 times in the last 2 years, and there's always one or two of us getting to the green in 4 because of penalties. My advice here, play conservative and don't be disappointed with a bogey.


Approach from 150

Here's what it looks like when you miss right on #8. I'm 9 paces off the fairway



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Tee shot at 10 with then trees grown in. Much more daunting looking.




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Hole 10- Approach from 168 with pin tucked in back right.



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I'm enjoying this thread! Much thanks Adam!

adamw238 said:

Hole 10- Approach from 168 with pin tucked in back right.

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My play from here would be to bounce one off the wire mesh covering the cart path. Intentionally, of course, lol.

Hole 11 is par 5 that always plays longer than the listed because of the wind (always seems to be in your face on the approach) and once you leave the tee it's all up hill. The first thing you'll notice is that huge bunker that is about 240 yards from the blues (230 from the whites). While going into the bunker off the tee won't kill you, it doesn't help you much, as the bunker sports a high lip. There are two very common misses that occur on this tee shot, and neither of them involve the bunker. I see a lot of people end up pull hooking left of the bunker and finding their ball on the side of the hill left of the fairway, or they push one into the trees on the right. If you end up in the trees, chances are you're going to end up in the little creek (everything feeds into it on that side). If you go left, you'll have a longer second shot to set up a decent approach, but you're not really "in jail".

If you do find the fairway, you're second shot will give you a few options. Option one is to take a mid-iron can lay up short of the creek that separates the fairway from the green approach and leave yourself about 140 yards into an uphill green that's always playing into the wind (I have no idea why to be honest with you). Option two is to hit a long iron or hybrid over the creek and leave yourself a < 100 yard shot into the same up hill green. Option 3......Go big with a 3 wood and attack the green. If you miss left or right on your approach into the green this is what you deal with: Left (a swamp); Right (the side of a hill and some trees).

The green complex itself is extremely long and slopes front to back. I'd estimate that the difference in elevation from the top of the green to the bottom is somewhere in the area of 6-7ft. The upper portion of the green is flat, but at the halfway point it slopes back towards the fairway at a very steep grade. I've only ever seen the pin on the upper level, and those who find themselves at the bottom of the green are almost guaranteed a 3 putt unless you like to hit pitch shots off of putting surfaces.

I'm sure I'll be out on Course 2 again in the next couple of weeks and will snap a pic. Not sure why I didn't grab one on this day.

We're finally out of Hell's Kitchen and can get back to playing normal golf again...well....sorta...

12 is a shortish par 4 that plays longer because of the hole's layout. The tee shot requires less than driver unless you want to hit your second from the bottom of a crevasse. From the white tees, the fairway runs out at about 220. From the blues, it's about 235. It's a slightly downhill tee shot that will usually play into the September wind. There is trouble left and right on this hole. However, if you have to miss, missing right will give you the best chance to still hit the green in reg. But, too far right and you're going to be searching through the brush looking for your ball. It's a red staked hazard and you can drop if your ball is lost or unplayable. Missing left puts you in a really tough bind. You'll be hitting a blind approach shot over trees from some thick rough. Most people who miss left on this hole either put their second shot into the trees or end up way right of the hole.

The ideal play off the tee for me has been a hybrid or 3w to the right side of the fairway. This usually gives the best angle into the green.






The approach into 12 can play some tricks on the mind. It's downhill and usually into the wind. I've played it with a 2 club wind and gone long, and I've also played it with almost no wind and ended up short. If you're going to miss the green you really want to miss left. Missing to the right will give you a shot with an awkward stance and lie. Short is almost just as bad because you're going to have to hit some sort of high pitch or flop onto the green. The pin placement here varies quite a bit. The last time I played it, the pin was about 2 paces off the front.

The green itself has some contour to it, but nothing drastic. Most shots hit with mid and short irons will hold the green without any issue. Green speeds in September are moderate to fast, and staying below the hole is key.

Once you're finished with 12, things get easier with 13 and 14. And believe me, you'll be happy to be done with the previous 4 holes. The next 2 holes are definitely scoring holes.

Approach on 12 from 150

Good use of crevasse, well played, well played indeed.

On to one of my favorite holes on the course....

Number 13 is a short par 4 that gives you a nice opportunity to stop the bleeding from the previous 4 holes. It's a shortish par 4 that is uphill the entire way and plays a little longer than it's listed 325 (blue) or 315 (white). Driver can get you close, but also brings the bunker to the right into play, as well as snapping one into the rough on the left. Ending up in the bunker on the right isn't the end of the world, though. You'll have about 100 yards to the center of the green from a pretty flat lie. The last birdie I made on this hole (the day this picture was taken) I ended up in the bunker and put my approach to 3 feet. The right side of the fairway does give you the best look into the green.

The pin is all over the place here. If it's on the left side of the green, you're going to have to contend with bunkers if you're short, and a short sided chip if you're long. Best bet is to aim for the middle of the green (if pin is left) and you'll have about 15-20 feet for birdie. Many times I've seen the pin on the left....and many times I've seen people spoil a perfect drive by going for the pin and ending up in the "stuff"

Tee shot


From the bunker back to the tee. You can see how much the elevation actually changes from tee to fairway.

Final push to get this done today now that things are pretty much set for the event. I just wanted to let everyone know that the flyovers for Ravines on the Cog Website aren't very accurate.

On to 14!!!

14 is an interesting par 3. Tee to center of green is about 150, but with the wind and the elevation, it's easy to pick the wrong club and end up short or long. I've hit anything from a 9i to a 6i on this hole.

As you can see from the picture below, the green slopes from the top right to the left. Depending on the pin placement, the hole can be very easy or ridiculously hard. most of the misses that I see here come from people not taking enough club and ending up in the ravine down below. There is a drop area to the lower left of the green, but you will have a difficult chip to the hole based on the slope of the green.

I birdied this hole the last time I played it by hitting 8i to pin high 25 feet left of the hole. The putt broke about a foot and had it not gone in the hole, it would have run back down the green. It's critical to leave the ball below the hole here. Otherwise, 3 putt is very very very possible.



Now for Hole 15.

The 15th is a par that presents a couple of options off the tee. The conservative play is to hit a shot straight, splitting the two trees on the fairway. Doing so will put you in the fairway, but also give you an approach shot in the area of 200 - 215 into a green that is guarded by trees.

The aggressive play is to hit driver over the tree on the left edge of the opening and and give yourself 160 in. However, with this play, if you miss left, you are punching out on your next shot. And it's not a straightforward punch. The trees are thick here and the lies you get over there are very sketchy.


15 Approach can be as easy or as hard as you want it to be depending on your location for your second shot. The pin is usually on the right side of the green, and if you're on the right side of the fairway you are going to be shooting for the center of the green as the pin will not be accessible. The ideal place here is the left/ left-center of the fairway. This will give you a clear look into the green.

The green does have a back to front slope and again, you want to be below the hole. Missing left is better here that missing right as you can see the trees will make any sort of chip difficult.

Ideal play on this hole is driver over the tree and then 160-170 in with the shot landing below the hole.