Sandhill Woods — Hole #5: Par 4

By • Category: Sandhill Woods

This is perhaps the toughest eagle in GT 2019 and one where I’m often satisfied with just birdie.  If the distance is right, a high-teed 6W straight at it can clear the valley of trees and make it all the way over to the green.  It’s possible but a high 5W too but riskier – if you clip the top branches, you’ll fall into the water.

From the front box, this high 6W didn’t quite make it over the trees, but a tailwind helped push it forward onto the green and into the hole!  So keep the wind in mind if you try that high-teed shot over the top…it could make the difference between water and green if you clip the trees.

From the back box, this was a perfect setup and a great shot…high 5W over the ideal gap in the trees to a front pin.

Another traditional option is to click one right and curve around a high 3/4/5W from right to left.  This is also challenging with anything but a left-blowing wind because the trees can still catch your drive on its way into the green and knock it down – it takes a fairly precise angle to land the green this way.  The sand on the right is not a bad miss for an eagle chip!

What I see many players trying (me included) is to take straight aim at the green over the lowest point in the valley of the trees.  Use a high 3W or 10.5 driver and this allows you to clear the first set of trees.  You’ll hit the second set of trees, but there’s a chance you’ll have enough velocity to carry through onto the green.  Unfortunately, there are also a lot of thick branches in those trees that can still knock you backwards or into the water; it’s hard to know where a safe line is.  But if you really want that eagle and want to take a chance, this certainly works out at times.

The new tee box here is in the back, in the center of the three original boxes.  It offers a high 5/6W over the top with some setups and a high 3W hoping to poke through the trees with other setups.  Another option is to rotate right and try to curve something like a 3W into the green.  Finally, you can club up even more to a driver and hope to poke through the trees to the green.  Here’s another from a different angle.

is a Golden Tee addict from Chicago, IL, thirsty for tips and tricks!
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One Response »

  1. High 5 wood is most used to drive this green.
    Beware the close trees and far trees look similar, so utilize that flyby button.

    Also a high teed 290 driver can go through the tops of the trees and still make the green.

    Sometimes a c3 will make the green and miss all the trees.

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