The K Club: Hole-by-Hole
Associated Press
Web Posted: Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2006; 3:55 p.m. ET
No. 1
418 yards, par 4The opening hole is not difficult, but given the pressure, it might be hard to find the fairway. Most players will use a fairway metal or long iron and aim toward the bunker down the left side, with water beyond it. Anything to the right will be in the trees and make it tough to reach the green. The approach is to an elevated green with a bunker to the right.
No. 2
413 yards, par 4Another easy birdie hole, as long as the tee shot can avoid small fairway bunker on the left and trees on the right. The green is guarded by a large bunker front and to the left, but it shouldn't be more than a wedge for the second shot. Par might mean losing the hole.
No. 3
170 yards, par 3A deep bunker that drops from the front of the green straight into a pond is only one part of the equation. The green is no more than 12 paces deep, and divided by a ridge that effectively makes this two putting surfaces. If the grass is shaved at the front of the green, it might be possible for a tee shot to spin off the green and into trouble. Anything long might find a bunker behind the green, which will make for a tough par.
No. 4
568 yards, par 5Big hitters will have an advantage on the first par 5, and the ideal line is to take the tee shot over a cluster of bunkers down the left side, leaving a long iron to the green. Any tee shot too far to the right will require a fade around another group of trees. There are seven bunkers around or near the green, and the pin position will dictate the best place to miss if going for it in two.
No. 5
440 yards, par 4The prevailing wind is left to right and into the player, so a draw would be ideal off the tee. The green is slightly elevated and slopes away on the approach shot, and there are steep collection areas to the right and behind the green. The front slopes to the left, and the right of the green feeds to the collection area, so the approach must be precise.
No. 6
478 yards, par 4Depending on how thick the rough is during the matches, the tee shot is critical. The River Liffey starts about 90 yards short of the green, then turns up the left side toward the green. Anything in the rough likely will make it tough to get the second shot over the water. There are no bunkers around the green.
No. 7
430 yards, par 4This should be one of the most entertaining holes. Trees to the left and a creek to the right, although neither come into play except for really bad misses. The fun begins from the fairway, with a shallow green protected by a large pond in the front, and another section of water to the back right. A small bunker is between the water and the green, which has a slope in the middle. This hole might be lost more with bogey than won with birdie.
No. 8
173 yards, par 4The River Liffey runs down the right side of this par 3 and doesn't come into play except when the pin is tucked to the right. An elongated bunker approaches the green on the left and is the true strength of this hole. A ridge in the middle of the green makes position key, with the toughest hole location in a tiny corner to the back left.
No. 9
461 yards, par 4The hole bends to the left, and how it's played is dictated by the tee shot because of a large tree in the middle of the fairway. Squeezing a draw left of the tree shortens the hole. Players can't see much of the green, and it slopes away. Two bunkers are short and right of the green, and another one is to the left.
No. 10
584 yards, par 5A slight dogleg to the right, but otherwise a straightforward par 5 that can be reached in two by the big hitters. The entrance to the green is narrow, with long bunkers guarding each side. The green slopes to the left, and the ball can run off into a collection area. Par won't be enough to win the hole, but birdie is no guarantee.
No. 11
450 yards, par 4This is all about position off the tee on a sharp dogleg to the right, with trees lining the preferred left side of the fairway. Anything too far to the right, assuming it's not in more trees, could be tough because of a large tree that could knock down an approach to the green. A pond is to the left of the green.
No. 12
182 yards, par 3Players will need only about a 7-iron, and the pin position determines how the hole looks from the tee because of water in front of the green. The putting surface has two tiers and slopes from the right to the left. A new bunker back left of the green will catch any shot too long; anything left of that bunker will be in the water.
No. 13
428 yards, par 4A dogleg to the left with a bunker that frames the tee shot. Any drive should go about 270 yards to get a good look at the green, which is guarded by the River Liffey to the right and a deep bunker to the left. The green slopes to the right with a collection area back right, although it doesn't run as quickly to the back of the green as it appears.
No. 14
213 yards, par 3A strong par 3 with no gimmicks. The prevailing wind is into the player's face, two bunkers guard the right side of the green and the putting surface has a spine running through it. Anything too far left will kick off the green toward a small stream, although the miss will have to be really bad to catch the water.
No. 15
446 yards, par 4Water is down the right side and while it doesn't hug the fairway, it is pesky because the fairway slopes to the right and the prevailing wind is from left to right. The only bunker is 30 yards short of the green. The front hole locations will be the most difficult, because the green slopes to the back. It doesn't look like much from the tee, but birdies might be rare.
No. 16
555 yards, par 5This will be the signature hole of the Ryder Cup, especially if they don't use the back left tee and allow everyone a chance to get home in two. The best drive has to fly a cluster of fairway bunkers. The River Liffey separates the fairway from the green, coming into play over the final 250 yards. The green is some 40 yards long, allowing for plenty of hole locations.
No. 17
424 yards, par 4Perhaps no other tee shot will jangle the nerves as much. The River Liffey hugs the left side of the hole, and players must decide how much to take on. Too much dumps the ball in the water. Bailing out to the right will send tee shots into a thin patch of trees, making it tough to reach the green. Thomas Bjorn took 11 on this hole in the European Open last year.
No. 18
537 yards, par 5The shortest of the par 5s, but it might be the toughest because of the pressure, the prevailing wind into players' faces and the water. The best angle off the tee is down the right side, but that requires a 300-yard carry over bunkers. The easier route is left, but that brings more of the water into play when going for the green. The green slopes left toward the water, meaning any pin position on the left side will only add to the tension.
