Nearly every challenge imaginable awaits on Pines No. 3, including a blind uphill tee shot to a slight dogleg, a hidden fairway bunker right, mature trees and OB stakes left and a heavily-guarded approach of water and sand. It’s not for the faint of heart.
“This hole gets me every year,” says head pro Isaac Nelson. “It’s a tricky one. It’s either a birdie or a double—you never know.”
Nelson plays a driver off the tee for a shorter approach but warns that big hitters carrying the bunker (with a south wind) could catch the down-sloping fairway and reach the greenside pond. He suggests a club you’re confident will find the fairway. A receptive, fairway-facing green softens the difficult approach.
“My goal is to land short of the pin,” Nelson says. “If I can leave an uphill chance at birdie or walk away with par, I’m a happy guy.”
