The Preserve · Hole 1
Back
195
Forward
175
The opening statement. You step onto the clifftop and the Pacific Ocean fills your right eye — and then you realize you have to hit a golf shot. At 195 yards this is a substantial opener, playing off an elevated tee to a green that sits exposed on the cliff edge. The ocean is not just scenery here; it funnels and amplifies every gust. Find a number, add wind, and commit.
Shot-by-Shot Strategy
Tee Shot
Take two to three clubs more than the raw yardage suggests. At 195 yards with a right-to-left crosswind, a 5-iron is not unusual even for longer hitters. Aim at the center of the green and let the wind carry — do not fight it. The left side of the green is the safe miss; the right is the cliff.
Putting
The green slopes subtly from back-left to front-right toward the ocean. Leave every putt below the hole — putts from above the hole on a clifftop green with wind moving the ball are the stuff of nightmares. Aim to finish within the front half of the hole.
⚠Gotchas — What Kills Your Score
- •The ocean to the right is an immediate mental hazard — it pulls your eye and your swing path right. Commit fully to an inland target line.
- •Wind at tee level and wind at green level can differ significantly on exposed clifftop holes. Watch what the flagstick is doing before pulling a club.
- •First-tee adrenaline is real. Take your time, breathe, and do not try to overpower this shot.
Wind Intelligence
The prevailing southwest wind typically comes in off the ocean from the right. In a full southwest gale, this hole can play 40–50 yards longer than the yardage marker suggests. A 5- or 6-iron for a 195-yard hole is entirely reasonable. Early mornings tend to be calmer — afternoon rounds here can be a full-on battle.
Hazard Map
- ▲Pacific Ocean cliff edge right
- ▲Fescue rough surrounds green