Our first picture (left) is from tee shot view looking back to the tee of the 598 yard par five finishing hole of the TPC at Sugarloaf.



A good tee shot will get the player over the first ridge and into a bit of a downhill lie flatter area in the mid bottom of this picture.  It's a about 295 off the tee where the fairway slopes and drops another 10 yards or so.



The tee shot needs to be played down the left center (right in pix) because the cantering sloping of the fairway will kick the ball to the right off the tee.



The lie needs to be good and with plenty of club in your hand to get it home in two.

This view (pix right) is from the second shot area down the hill and at the lake guarding the green front and left there. 


The 'average' professional's second shot into this par five hole from this area will be about 225 to the front right of the green over the full carry of the lake there.


'Decision time' to go for it or not in two depends on the situation at the time, and how good the lie is, the wind direction and so forth.


One factor that must be taken into account is that there is a yellow (vs. red) line surrounding the green, which means any ball hit into the water must be played from the ball drop about 85 to 100 yards into the green or from back across the point of entry (keeping that point and the hole in line).


So it is a 'penal' mistake should you miss it there.

This view (picture left) is of the third shot playing area should you choose to not go for the green in two shots and instead 'lay up' your second to here (pix left)

You can see how the bunkering guards the green and the green slopes off into the water here.


The average third shot from the lay-up area here is about 110 to 120 into the middle of this green.  It's still not a real easy shot though with the green sloping back to front and left towards and into the water for a shot that should spin back or left.


And you can see the yellow line which separates the ducks who won't hit the correct shots this week vs. the eagles who do!

           


Here's the look (picture right) from above and behind the 18th green looking back down the fairway to the second shot landing area and tee box around the lake in the distance.


The green is usually 'as hard as a rock' this time of year and sloping from front to back away from the back bunkers there and towards the water, making a bunker shot here more difficult than 'standard'.


The green is only 15 yards deep on the right side to 35 yards deep in the back left there.

Should you spin any third shot too much here or spin it left you're down and off the 'shaved' bank and into the drink with that 'yellow line' penalty to boot!

Click Here -to see the Yardage Book Views of this hole!

Click Here to read the 2004 Bellsouth Zach Johnson 'Winning Caddy Interview'!