Here is an awesome 3-wood ace from the left-center box.  This high-teed 5-wood found the cup from there as well. This 3-wood came around the left side with a great B1 shot and found the hole.  This one came around with more angle for the dunk!  And this low-teed driver skip was a great play […]

This shot is easiest from the left-center box — normally a high tee right at the green, even though a high tee wouldn’t always be needed.  Here’s a high-teed 5-wood ace from there. The same shot works from the right-center box where a high tee is most often needed.  Or you can work a shot around […]

This hole plays uphill, so you’ll usually need to play a little extra distance to stay pin-high.  But above all else here, keep your ball on the same tier as the pin!  It can be tempting to be aggressive, but you’ll likely cost yourself a stroke if you have to putt up or down a […]

Three different fairway approaches to the hole create variety on this short par 4, which is all about distance control.  You need to clear the hill in front while trying not to fall off the slope on the back. Here’s an ace coming down the right fairway, where the angled green makes the shot slightly […]

The best setups allow you to blast a straight high-teed driver over the cacti to the right edge of the second fairway.  If the wind is more challenging, you can rotate left and play a big A1 drive through the gap into that second fairway instead.  Here’s a nice backspin one-hop hole-out with the 7-wood. […]

Here you’ll almost always play a driver straight ahead to just behind the back-left fairway trap.  This is the safe play, and the farther left you can stay, the straighter approach you’ll have — this one played the wind nicely.  Here’s a nice 7-wood curved around from well behind the fairway sand.    Even if you […]

This par 5 is difficult to get close in two because of the narrow fairway and the pesky trees hanging over the green.  However, I’ve found a strategy that works pretty well most of the time. With any type of wind except a strong tailwind, you can lay back in the fairway for a driver […]

There are many ways to play this shot, and often still more than one option given a particular tee box and wind.  The left-center box gives you the best look, because you can take aim straight at the green and play just a small curve around the left of the trees.  You can also rotate […]

This year’s Design-A-Hole has a lot going on.  There are a lot of options, so you’ll need to size them up depending on your tee box.  From the front boxes, this hole can be drivable, and you’ll always want to go for it.  Even with a wind blowing hard right, you can still curve a […]

A low-teed 4-wood often works well here — it stays under the first obstacle and goes through the second obstacle instead of over it.  This lets you hit it hard but still have correct distance.  Check out an example of that shot here.  Just be careful using backspin and/or hitting it super hard, both of […]

The only legitimate chance of eagle here is to look to the right towards the green, and locate the shortcut patch.  Depending on the wind, you’ll play a couple different types of shots.  With a headwind, you’ll want a high tee, loft and an accurate line through the middle of the structures to nail the […]

This is one of the toughest eagles in 2013, followed immediately by perhaps THE toughest eagle in the game.  In most cases, it doesn’t hurt to go for it, because the sand and the rough below the hole will catch most errant shots.  Let’s start there, because this is very entertaining. From the front box, […]

With a tailwind, blast a long drive down the fairway, where you should have enough to get there in two.  Hit it straight or curve it and try to get past the bridge a ways.  The overhanging bridge can be in play if you hit it too hard, so you’ll want the ball on the […]

Here’s a nice 4-wood with backspin from the far right box.  In contrast, here’s a great 7-wood from there as well. This 5-wood rolled in nicely from the center box. Check out this ferocious 3-wood dunk from the back box! VIDEO DEMO

Here’s a nice 3-wood ace from the left-center box followed by one floated in from the right-center box. The hole gets long from the back boxes.  You can work a driver through the gap in the middle like this nice shot from the back right box. Or, you can high tee something like a 3-wood and go […]

From the back left box, this one can be really tough.  The trees reach out and it almost looks undrivable, but it can be done — you’ll just need the right angle of pullback, and take it all the way out to 3 or past.  Here’s an excellent 3-wood ace from the back-left box.  You […]

Here’s a nice 7-wood from the front-left box followed by a 5-wood ace from the back-right box. VIDEO DEMO

If you’re towards the back middle of the box, a high-teed 3-wood can take aim directly at a center pin and clear the mountain!  Keep this in mind as you line up your shot, because you may not have to curve it around. Otherwise, you’ll need to be accurate enough to curve your ball around […]

Just lay back short of the sand for your approach shot — here’s an example hole-out.  Even if you do carry into the sand, you should still be able to loft a shot into the green.  And here’s a hole-out after a long drive out to the second part of the fairway. VIDEO DEMO

Use your loft and carry over the ice to the green.  With a back-right pin, the icy mound can serve as a nice backstop!  You can also use the ice to help bounce forward if you end up short, although this one got lucky! Don’t have a high-lofted club?  Just run it into the mountain […]

The safest play, and only play in my opinion, is to take your shot straight over the mountains ahead to get to the second part of the fairway — use a high tee if it will help you carry far enough. You can still lay back left for a longer approach shot — here’s a […]

It appears as if you’ll have to try to thread the gap between the two mountains if you want a shot at this green (3/4-wood with backspin is ideal) — and this is the best case with a left pin. But, in most cases, you can go over it — the problem may lie in getting the […]

Oh, what a hole!  A chance to drive the green, but the penalty of being teed right back on the box if you miss.  The ideal setup for this seems to be a spot on the middle or right of the tee box, with a tailwind or even blowing left.  One option is a high-teed […]

Here is a description of this new course for Golden Tee 2012: “Golden Tee at the top of the world. Literally. Mt Everest, Nepal is the home of the frigid gem that is Tundra Peak. Though mostly devoid of vegetation, the rocky cliffs, mountains, snow banks, and glaciers create a true golfing expedition new to […]

Here is a description of this new course for Golden Tee 2012: “Set deep in the Green Mountains of Granville, Vermont, the peaceful setting of Auburn Glen can lull the unwary golfer. Although traditional on the surface, this American treasure is built around significant ponds, lakes and streams, which will make you think twice about […]

Here is a description of this new course for Golden Tee 2012: “The warm sun and leeward island breeze greet you at Royal Cove; 18-holes of golf positioned in Half Moon Bay, Antigua, a little known paradise to most. Although the baby blue water steals the show, the sandy beaches and perfectly placed mountains create […]

Here is a description of this new course for Golden Tee 2012: “Take a golfing journey from the top of the north rim all the way down to the bottom of the great chasm. While water is sparse through much of this 18-hole excursion, the streams and waterfalls you encounter will certainly impact your round. […]

Here is a description of this new course for Golden Tee 2012: “Built along Route 66, Dusty Bend Golf Course seems like a step back in time. You’ll never know what roadside attractions you’ll encounter as you golf along “the mother road” in Sayre, Oklahoma. Trees are scarce, but the farm buildings and tourist traps […]

Golden Tee 2012 is here!  Check out the 2012 Courses category for more on each course, but this article will focus on what’s new in the upcoming release! First, we know that we now have a third option for ball spin.  We know how to use backspin and roll, but now we’ve been given a […]

The island straight ahead is the common shortcut shot for an eagle chance but can be very tough to stick at times because it’s not completely flat, and backspin isn’t as effective in the frozen tundra.  It’s elevated too, so consider a high tee and/or hit it a bit more firmly. Here’s a solid tip […]