Breaking Down Ballyhack Hole #9

[Junkyard]

I love this hole visually. However there's some scar tissue, but that's on me and not Ballyhack. With the leftover off-season rust it's a four shot hole for me; I know during the season I could get home in 3.

Let's just say I took the not-so-scenic route by pulling my drive high on the hill to the right. As a lefty I have zero business being on this hill - all I have to do is make a horrible swing to hit a big slice that finds the fairway or the bank on the left. Noooooooo, not so fast junkyard. Unplayable from the cabbage, drop and hit a poor advance. It didn't get better from there, since my next shot split the wood directional sign in half.

It's honestly not that difficult a hole, even for the shorter hitters you have plenty of room to work with. But, like some of the other holes here the visual plays tricks with you and you try to shape a shot that you don't actually need to. Lean on the forecaddie for advice - I'm sure that he'll tell you there is more room than you think.

 

[hackitup]

I think I got lucky and chipped in for par during the practice round and made my partner carry me during the competition. It’s a simple hole but there’s so much there visually. If I remember right, that front pin can add some strokes if you find the upper tier on the back of the green. I think I’d walk away with a par playing it as a 3 shot hole and trying to leave some room. The raised green can cause trouble that I don’t wanna deal with.

 

[echico]

You had an awesome recovery tho!!

I don't like to brag.....or at least I am waiting for hole 11 for that.

 

[adwillingham]

The caddies will tell you appropriately to stay up the left side of this hole the whole way as its tucked in an hill side where things run left to right, and the right rough can quickly leave you a shot with the ball below your feet (maybe a good bit below).

Particularly off the drive, it feels much safer to me to be the shorter hitter where I can try to go up the left of the fairway and not worry about the bunker that pinches the fairway in from the right. Playing with a couple of longer hitters, this seemed to be an awkward landing area that left them in more trouble than deserved.

If you can put in in the fairway, then a second shot layup, still up the right is pretty basic as the fairway widens back up and doesn't run as hard left to right. This green again sets up above the fairway and forces you to carry it all the way up there. Bunkers left and right of the green guarding the front, and as often is the case here, they are decently deep below the green surface.

Execution of three good shots up the left side would be how I would try to play it if I ever get the chance again. I didn't par it either day, but I didn't make too much of a mess with it.

We played the Black tees here at 530 yards on the card.