Old Mac · Hole 16
Blue
453
White
378
Gold
313
Red
213
A long par 4 that demands a powerful tee shot to reach the green approach zone. The penultimate approach shot on this stretch of the back nine requires a long iron to a well-bunkered green with no easy miss. This hole is where the round's score often takes its final decisive turn.
Shot-by-Shot Strategy
Tee Shot
Driver aimed at the center of the fairway. The fairway is wider here than on the most demanding holes but fescue rough both sides is equally penal. Reaching 265 yards puts you in position for a long iron approach. Protect left — the right rough here has the most difficult recovery stances on the hole.
Approach
Long iron to a green that is well-bunkered left and right. The left bunker is particularly deep and the face is steep — avoiding it is the primary objective. Aim at the center or center-right of the putting surface and accept whatever pin the ball ends up near. This is not a pin-hunting approach.
Putting
The back nine closing run begins here with one of the faster greens on the course. The back-to-front slope is consistent. From the right portion, putts break left-to-right with the slope; from the left portion, they are more neutral. Commit to pace — this is a green where overconfident short putts slide by.
⚠Gotchas — What Kills Your Score
- •The right rough on the tee shot creates the most difficult approach stances on the hole — a steep lie with no clean angle to the green. Protect left on the tee shot.
- •The deep left bunker on approach is the most common disastrous outcome — a double bogey here effectively ends any scoring ambitions for the round. Aim right of it.
- •Pace on the back-to-front slope is the primary putting challenge — above the hole, the ball travels farther than the roll suggests.
Wind Intelligence
Hole 16 runs into the prevailing southwest headwind at 453 yards — a grueling combination. In a stiff headwind, this hole can play 510+ yards effectively. Club selection on the approach must account for the wind aggressively. In a rare tailwind, this hole becomes significantly more manageable and a birdie opportunity emerges.
Hazard Map
- ▲Deep left bunker on approach — steep face with limited recovery options
- ▲Bunker right of green
- ▲Fescue rough right of fairway with difficult recovery stances