My favourite hole: Brian Kerley
‘THE 12th is a 370-yard par-4, index five, and from the tee you see a narrow fairway, with out of bounds on the left and water running down the right.
‘You have two fairway bunkers and so you have a choice - hit an iron off the tee short of the bunkers or bring out the driver and try to land the ball in the narrow gap beyond them.
‘If I was going out in a fourball and giving the lads a few shots then I’d hit a driver, and I was in the water a few times, but I’ve managed to avoid the out-ofbounds so far!
‘But in a competition the best way is to play the iron and that leaves you with a 7 or 8-iron into the green.
‘It’s a two-tier green about 35 yards long, with a front level and back level, so depending on where the pin is it could be an extra three or four clubs. Back right is the most difficult pin position because you have a bunker there back right, eating into the green.
‘It’s my favourite hole because it tests every aspect of your game. You have to think off the tee because of the out-of-bounds and and water on the fairway, and if the pin is on the front then the water comes into play on the right.
‘People like to see the reeds left there in the water because they think it’s more natural, but I prefer them taken out so that I can see the danger more easily!
‘It was a strange last few weeks [not playing], but I’ve two young kids and you don’t normally get too much time at home.
‘I’m disappointed that the GUI are allowing competitions up the north and down south we’re not allowed to have them. We can start them from July 1st, but there’s people chomping at the bit now and it’s a loss of revenue to the club, especially from societies.
‘I would love to play a few tournaments myself, but the PGA isn’t on at the moment, although I did go out last week, went round in four-under and took a few pounds off the lads.’