Sand Moor GC 2023

“Play slightly left of the marker post off the tee, as this will give the best view for the second shot. The approach is guarded by a fairway and two greenside bunkers, requiring a decision to either go for the green, or lay up short and pitch or chip on. The long green generally slopes from back to front”.

Big hitters can reach the green in 2 but it requires a drive down the left-hand side to avoid being blocked out by the trees. The fairway bunker is well positioned to catch a careless second shot and the long green makes judging the distance on your approach tricky.

“A risk reward hole. Longer hitters may decide to take on the green. Alternatively, an accurate tee shot to the right of the fairway bunker will leave a pitch or chip to a small two-tier green, sitting close to the boundary fence”.

The green is drivable for some but requires a draw and with out of bounds down the left and a small well protected green it is a risky shot. The prudent option is to lay up short of the fairway bunker to leave a short iron in. Try to keep your tee shot up the left-hand side to give a better angle for the second shot.

“Off the tee play to the left of the two fairway bunkers. This will leave an approach to the green sitting at the bottom of the slope, which can be run on, or carried all the way to the putting surface, depending on the club being used. Be mindful of the out of bounds beyond”.

Off the tee the ball will tend to get pulled into the 2 fairway bunkers down the right, so playing left or short of them is the play. The second shot is steeply downhill, so take at least a club less than the yardage plays.

“Play slightly right of the marker post off the tee, as this will give the best line for the second shot. The approach is guarded by a fairway and greenside bunker. The long green widens out towards the rear”.

Big hitters may need to think about the fairway narrowing and the fairway bunker in dry conditions. An uphill second shot means you need to add some yardage on to avoid coming up short and the angle of the left greenside bunker can catch you out playing to a left side pin position.

“Playing slightly uphill, the second shot may be hit from a sloping lie to a green guarded by bunkers short and right and a run-off slope to the left. The long, narrow, green slopes steeply from back to front. Accuracy and club selection are critical”.

The second shot is generally played off an upslope so remember to add some yardage on for that, but also try to keep the ball below the hole as green slopes steeply back to front and can leave some very fast putts.

“Favour the left side off the tee whilst avoiding the two fairway bunkers. This will give opportunity to play to the left of the 3 bunkers guarding the front and right side of the green and use the natural slope to run the ball onto the putting surface”.

An accurate tee shot is required to hold the fairway, as anything to the right of centre will bounce to the right and block out some or all of the green. The approach shot gathers into the green from the left, so you can play up the left and take the bunkers out of play, rather than shooting over the 3 bunkers protecting the right-hand side.

“Play to the right side of the fairway to avoid the possibility of running into the left-hand side bunker. The green is defined by bunkers short and to both sides, and a steep run off to the left. Hit sufficient club to the green and again favour the right side”.

Be careful off the tee, as the ball will gather into the left fairway bunker. An uphill second shot from an upslope means you will need to add some yardage on to avoid coming up short.

“An inviting tee shot to a long, but narrow, green heavily guarded by bunkers and a steep slope to the left. There can be as much as two clubs’ difference between a front and back pin position. Favour the right-hand side”.

A great par 3 that simply requires a good shot. The green is very well defended, so there is nowhere good to miss it, but right is better than left.

“Enjoy the view of Eccup reservoir and the panorama over the holes yet to be played. An accurate tee shot is required skirting the field boundary, as the fairway slopes to the left and balls will run away into the rough in dry conditions. The long green is principally guarded by a bunker and steep slope to the left side, requiring an accurate approach”.

A tricky tee shot with out of bounds on the right and a fairway that slopes off to the left means that a driver is not necessarily the best play. The green slopes right to left and running shots can be fed in from the right-hand side.

“A stop at the half-way house will give opportunity to consider the hole to come. Hit enough club to carry onto the green, which is surrounded by bunkers and has a treacherous slope to the left. Any miss and the outcome is uncertain”.

Another great Par 3 requiring a good tee shot. The wind tends to swirl around in this corner of the course, so working out the strength and direction is important to get the right club, with danger all around the green.

“An inviting tee shot played from an elevated tee. Favour the left side to avoid the fairway bunkers. For the approach there can be up to two clubs’ difference between a front and back pin position. Favour the left side of the green as there is a slope to the boundary fence for any miss to the right”.

Long hitters can take on the fairway bunkers but for most people the best option is to stay well left of them, even though it makes the second shot longer. The second shot really needs to carry onto the green, as anything short will hit into the upslope and kick to the right.

“A drive over the marker post should run down the steeply sloping fairway onto a flatter area. An accurate second shot is required, avoiding the heather, but favouring the left side as ground to the right slopes to the boundary, which is close to the playing area towards the green. For the approach there can be up to two clubs’ difference between a front and back pin position, on a green with a pronounced slope from back to front”.

An intimidating tee shot over heather and running alongside of the reservoir, but there is more room than you think to the left and the ball does run to the right. The second shot is generally played with the ball below your feet and with out of bounds to the right it requires a brave, confident swing.

“Really long hitters may wish to take on the green by driving directly over the second fairway bunker. However, the target is a small one, the green entrance is narrow between 2 bunkers and there are slopes to both sides and at the rear down to the boundary fence. A tee shot down the left side and short of the mound will give a view of the flag and a relatively short shot into the green”.

Another hole where a driver may not be required. A narrow entrance to the green requires the ball to carry all the way onto the putting surface if possible, but anything over the green may kick out of bounds off the slope at the back of the green.

“Favour the left side of the fairway off the tee. This will give the best view of the green and flag. An accurate approach shot is needed to hit the long, narrow green, which is protected by bunkers on both sides”.

A long par 4 that may be out of range in 2 for some. The second shot will feed into the green from the left if running.

“An accurate tee shot is needed to carry onto the long, narrow, green steeply sloping from back to front. Favour the right side as any ball missing left will leave a difficult recovery to find the putting surface”.

Another of our great Par 3’s. Judging the distance is tricky as the wind swirls around in the trees, missing left leaves a very difficult chip shot.

“A long tee shot favouring the left side would be ideal and there is no real trouble to consider. Those aiming to hit their second shots onto the flat area short of the 2 fairway bunkers should be wary of ditches that cut in on either side of the fairway that may catch anything offline. The approach shot is played to an elevated green with run-offs on all sides”.

Big hitters will need to aim a long way left to avoid running into the gorse. Care is required on the second shot to avoid running or bouncing into the ditch that pinches in and guards the fairway. The approach shot is steeply uphill so judging distance is tough.

“An accurate tee shot is needed to carry onto the long, narrow, sloping green. Favour the right side as any ball missing left will run into a deep depression and leave a difficult recovery to find the putting surface”.

The final Par 3 is arguably the most straight forward, but is still protected on all sides by hazards. As with the other Par 3's left is the worst place to miss the green. The green is long and slopes steeply right to left.

“Favour the right side of the fairway, whilst avoiding being blocked out by the oak tree at the hilltop. For most, the approach shot to the green will be blind, relying on the marker post at the rear of the green for orientation. Favour the right side as the left is guarded by 3 bunkers, in addition to steep run-offs to the left and rear. Again, there can be at least a club difference between a front and rear pin position.

A generous fairway that leaves most golfers facing a blind second shot into the final hole. The marker post at the back of the green, or just to the right of it, is a good line in from the fairway, as the ball feeds in from that side and deep bunkers and OOB lurk to the left.