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, […]

From one of the front boxes, this hole can potentially be drivable!  From the closest box, you’ll have the distance, but the trees will pose an issue.  Your best bet is from the second-closest box — with a nice wind at the green, you can play anywhere from a fairly straight shot to a C3-type […]

The play is almost always straight down the fairway to the right — you should have plenty of club to get there in two.  A driver can work nice to minimize the effect of wind and slope — this one was played nicely and found the hole. Use either backspin, bite, or nothing with the […]

Before teeing off, size up the wind and pin position.  If you can thumb a shot straight ahead, short of the water, and still have a straight shot into the green, then that should be your option.  Check out how this approach kicked off the tree to find the hole! If you have a nice […]

This hole usually isn’t too bad — often an iron with bite to settle on the green.  Here’s an example ace to a right pin.  This 9-wood caught a nice little hop back off the hill to a back pin. The tree to the right shouldn’t be in play either if the pin is on […]

If you get the front box, this hole should be drivable most of the time.  Here’s an ace to start off the round. From the second box, you also have a decent chance at driving it, or at least giving yourself  a pretty short chip shot.  It’s usually worth the risk of dropping off the […]

This is perhaps the toughest eagle in 2013, and I’m not even convinced that sticking the green is possible under certain conditions.  Many of the aces I’ve seen here were “luckily” intercepted by the hole.  If you miss, then left and slightly long is the place to be!  That being said, there are ways to […]

The left box here gives you the straightest shot at the green, usually requiring only a small cut around the trees.  Here’s a nice driver to a back pin. From the front box, you can either take aim at the pin and play a B1-type shot into the green, or rotate left and curve it […]

This tough par 3 usually forces you to carry the green to retain your backspin.  You’ll often be in between clubs, and the wind will be tough.  Here is where you can practice your curve shots into the wind to counteract it, especially if you need to cut into a tough pin placement.  Be creative […]

There are tee boxes from the side and from the corner here, and the shot can get tricky when the pin is tucked up against the wall with a wind countering it.  From the side, here’s a nice 9-wood ace to a front-right pin.  There is also a ledge you may have to deal with […]

You’ll always want to play over the top of the structure, with any setup.  From the front two boxes, you don’t even necessarily need a high tee to get over the top, although that’s the most common option and may be more comfortable.  Here’s a high-teed 3-wood from the middle box floated over and in. […]

The only trouble here would be self-inflicted — you should be able to put this one close.  Just don’t get too aggressive to a tough pin and leave yourself without a putt.  Here’s an ace from the right box, followed by an example ace from the center box.  Here’s another one from the back box […]

The following grid breaks down the best and worst you should be able to shoot on Coconut Beach relative to the possible setups you could get on each hole: Hole Par GT Par Total Min Max Min Max 1  4  2  3  -2  -1 2  4  3  3  -3  -2 3  5  3  3  -5 […]

Here is a description of this new course for Golden Tee 2013: “Don’t let the majestic blue water confuse you. This isn’t your average tropical getaway. Despite the beauty of Coconut Beach, this Punta Gorda, Belize masterpiece has more bite than bark. Constructed throughout a rugged Caribbean jungle, nature will likely force you to use […]