“Patience” Should Dictate Strategy & Tactics At Ledgeview
By Jeff Sutherland - At 6,131 yards, Ledgeview may appear like easy pickings for B.C.’s top amateurs… GM Brad Clapp explains why not so much.
GM Brad Clapp sums it up it this way, “Despite its length, Ledgeview surprises with its challenges. It's not about overpowering this course but understanding it.”
“There's a lot of players that will come in and look at Ledgeview for the first time or have played it a few times, and see it as just barely stretching past 6200 yards, and almost dismiss it as an easy golf course, but it catches you really quickly. People will be really surprised the scores in the first round. Patience is key here. Patient players and ones that are more experienced will be able to adapt and understand rather than get frustrated and push the envelope and try and make a ton of birdies.”
Breaking the holes down into the pars can be a good way to get a sense of what Brad means.
THE "UPHILL" PAR FIVES…
There are three par fives - holes usually eyed by all good players as scoring holes - but in this case all three play substantially uphill.
So 476 yards on the par-five 5th actually plays closer to 525 yards. A long drive up the right side gives a chance to get home in two, but any minor slip up usually means a bogey or worse.
The ninth, while even shorter at 459 yards, plays even longer at close to 530 yards. Play it as a three-shot hole, and things should be relatively easy. But the competitors this week will likely roll the dice on some risk-reward, challenging the dogleg. Poor execution will be problematic.
Things get even tougher on the final par-five, the 18th. At 521 yards on the card, only the longest of hitters will have a chance to get home here in two.
THE “DRIVABLE” PAR-FOURS
There are arguably three or four par-fours where long-hitters will be able to think about going for the green in one. Even the first hole at 344 yards is reachable but aggressive players risk a difficult chip if they find themselves on the wrong side of the hole.
Overall, fairways here are generally narrow to begin with and tend to get even more narrow as you approach the green.
THE "TOUGH" PAR FOURS
Brad Clapp adds that they have lengthened two of the toughest par-fours, “We've got a few drivable par fours, but on the other side of that, we've added length to two of our tougher holes, number six and number 12 have been lengthened, and obviously always the greens are our biggest defence.”
Clapp also mentions that they have added a few wrinkles to some of the par-fours, “We're actually growing up our rough in some key areas, calling it ‘enhanced rough.’ We haven't cut that in two days (as of July 4th), and we plan not to, just to give it a little extra teeth for some of the long hitters.”
Par will be like birdie on these holes.
THE "MANAGEABLE" PAR THREES
The five par-threes here are where players should be able to convert solid tee shots into reasonable birdie opportunities. Their average length is just under 180 yards, so not overly long.
On the front nine, the fourth is a 173 yard, downhill hole with a relatively flat green (by Ledgeview's standards) while the 8th is 216 yards where the wind can be a factor.
On the back there are three par-threes, the 11th, 14th and 17th. The first two are over 180 yards in length so will be mid-irons where greens in regulation will be the goal.
The 17th at 131 yards will be wedge in hand but get on the wrong side above the hole and the putt will be so fast that, according to their website, “… you'll be tapping your putt so lightly that you'd prefer to just blow on it.”
THE LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
Course conditions will be very good. Superintendent Chad Burns and his crew have been working overtime to get all greens in play after the renovations last year. Players should be aware that the new greens will be creeping bentgrass as opposed to poa annua. Bentgrass greens are usually smoother, faster and hold their line due to the finer blades of grass. Poa Annua greens are normally a little more bumpy and require the most patience. To increase the consistency, all eighteen greens have been overseeded with creeping bentgrass four times since last fall according to Burns’ most recent course report which can be read HERE.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Clapp summarizes what players should expect this way, “Some holes will be uphill and some will be down but all will have tight fairways. Our greens are the real test. Controlling your irons and staying below the hole will be crucial... understanding that you're not going to come out and bully this golf course.”
See Ledgeview’s course guide HERE.