TIP FROM THE PRO

Hole 10

A nice hole but with more problems than you think. As someone who can drive the green in the right conditions I have a rule on this hole - I never go for it unless the wind is behind and off the right. Sounds obvious enough but why? Well the real trouble is all down the right. The miss left has to be big to reach trouble but not on the right so I want things in my favour. I can carry the right hand tree but only just the left so with the wind slightly off the right it means I can fire down the right half with reasonable impunity - there's lots of room down there. But at all other times I lay up and here is where the tips start. Remember, I can carry the right hand tree easily - because it's closer!
So how many of you hit the ball too close to the right hand tree for an easy shot to the green? Particularly in summer we need to at least try to be left half here. This is also important as the green slopes left so a shot from behind the right hand tree often runs across the green and sometimes into the bunker. From the left half you have more chance of holding the green. So remember the key here, winter or summer, is to try to be down the left half of the fairway even if you are quite short. That way you will also find the bunker less often.