San Roque New Course – playing tips from a Pro
These playing tips are kindly provided by Garry Corkish, resident APGA teaching professional at San Roque Club, and are based on you playing from the yellow plates.
Data permitting, why don’t you have this page open on your smartphone and refer to it as you play your way around the New Course.
A traffic light system is used to help to simplify the tips:
AMBER – ‘Caution’ – play a defensive shot
GREEN – ‘Attack’ – go for the pin or a big drive
Front 9
Hole 1
A good drive at the right side of the left fairway bunker is important here as a missed fairway right is dead. Also, the ground kicks the ball to the right, a good drive should leave you about 120 yards to the green.
If flag is left, it’s a definite attack but if tucked behind the bunker on the right unless you have a wedge in your hand you should always run the ball onto green on left and take a two putt for par.
If you make an error on the distance on this approach always make it short as over the back of this green is dead and you will never see your ball again!!
Hole 2
Another drive down the left keeps the long bunker out of play.
Hole 3
The green is very long front to back but also very narrow so accuracy is key for second shot. I normally go with two clubs too much and hit a gentle 9 o’clock shot to ensure accuracy.
Hole 4
Downhill and when wind is up, a par is a good score any day!
Bunkers left and right but steep banks make them very tricky so high soft bunker shot with spin is only way to avoid a bogey.
This hole can ruin your score if not played with extreme caution.
Hole 5
Then attack with second shot but green runs away from you so unless a clean strike is achieved the ball tends to run through.
Hole 6
A fairway wood or driving iron/hybrid is a good choice from the tee which should leave you a mid to high iron into another green that slopes away from you.
Hole 7
Your second shot from the fairway needs to favour the right side of a generous fairway sloping from right to left which kicks ball back towards the water.
This should set you up with a scoring iron for your third to set up a good birdie chance.
Hole 8
A large green which invites an aggressive shot to set up, hopefully a second birdie in a row! Nice bail out area to the right but from here the chip is very tricky.
Hole 9
A good drive favouring the left side gives you a better chance of hitting the green with a mid to long iron into a green protected both sides with pot bunkers and water!
Back 9
Hole 10
A good shot down the left rewards the accurate golfer with a short iron into a sloping green back to front.
Secret here is to attack with second shot to set up a good birdie chance.
Hole 11
A high aggressive drive is needed if you want to have a short scoring iron into the green.
Also, you rarely get a flat lie on this hole so adjustments are needed to secure accuracy.
Hole 12
If wind behind only a 3 wood to avoid pot bunker in centre of fairway plus if you get too close to the green with tee shot it’s harder to stop the ball on a tricky green that slopes away from you.
Hole 13
No wind? It’s a positive green-attacking shot off the tee with a mid to long iron or hybrid.
Wind strong off right or left or in face? It’s play as par 4 and be happy!
One of the largest bunkers on this course!
Hole 14
This hole separates the men from the boys as to secure par you either need a great chip from left of green or a brave shot just left of the water with a long iron. Wind is normally into your face for this hole so a 5 can be a good score.
Hole 15
Too far left with iron shot brings a tall tree into play; and 5 yards to the right the ball rolls down into a grassy area where a tricky up and down is needed to save par.
The perfect iron into this green is a high fade over the tree to get a soft landing as green is also sloping away from you.
Hole 16
A good high drive favouring the left side will reward the player with a good chance of getting to green with a fairway wood on 2nd shot.
Small pot bunker in front of green needs to be avoided to set up your eagle chance.
If not, only a short pitch is required to set up your birdie chance.
Hole 17
Club selection is the key on this tricky hole.
Avoiding bunkers left and right is crucial on this hole as accuracy is the key.
Hole 18
A long drive down the left gets you at the right angle to attack the green as its very close to water on the right and a nasty bail out area on the left leaves you a tight lie into an elevated green with no chance of putting or chipping!
If you are protecting a good score, then an iron short and straight should get you a 5 possible 4 with a good chip. If you are having a bad day you may as well have a go and try to make birdie or par and accept a wet ball!!
Want to improve your game? For details of a 9-hole playing lesson on the New Course with Garry Corkish or a fastrack tuition week please take a look here