“Sometimes a bunker is your friend.”

0-5 HANDICAP

This is where a lot of low-handicappers are looking. Driving down the left side means flirting with the water. But the hole bends to the left, so this leaves the shortest approach to the green. Also, this fairway runs a touch faster down this side, rewarding moxie even more. If you’re confident with your driver and feel like you need a birdie, have at it. Downwind, be cognizant of the fact a big drive can run through the fairway and get wet.

6-15 HANDICAP

Not all middle-handicappers have the same skill set, but generally this is where most should aim. It’s the widest section of fairway, plus favoring the rightcenter limits exposure to the water. Better for a loose drive to find the sand than get wet. Sure, shifting your target here sets up a longer approach, but there’s a nice bailout area right of the green if you’re coming in with a hybrid or long iron.

16+ HANDICAP

Look at the scorecard. This happens to be rated as the sixth-toughest hole on the course. If I’m a higherhandicapper, that tells me I’m not supposed to make par. Time to figure out how to come away with no worse than 5, maybe see a putt for 4. Aiming well right makes the hole so long it likely resigns you to reaching the green in three shots, but it should keep your ball dry. And don’t be scared of the bunkers; they’re here to save a slice from scooting out-ofbounds on the right. Even if you find the sand, reaching the green in three is still quite manageable.