Hole 12

HOLE 1    HOLE 2     HOLE 3     HOLE 4     HOLE 5     HOLE 6     HOLE 7     HOLE 8     HOLE 9     

HOLE 10     HOLE 11     HOLE 12     HOLE 13     HOLE 14     HOLE 15     HOLE 16     HOLE 17     HOLE 18  

PAR 4 | 230 – 457 YARDS
About this hole

One routing challenge with this site is working golf holes around existing ponds, the existing clubhouse location and the large hill in the middle of the property. Safety is a bit of a consideration, particularly with 12 and 18 playing parallel to each other in the same south-to-north direction from the landing areas into the greens. Both holes are dogleg-rights, which adds the predominant slice possibility as an additional safety challenge yet routing each hole.

Hole 12 exhibits a very non-intuitive approach to golf course design. The accepted rationale in the past leaves most every golfer who plays the game accepting that the center of the hole is always the route to take off the tee.

That is not the case for No. 12 at Braemar. In fact, the farther left one plays off the tees, the better the view and angle into the green becomes. So cutting the corner or even playing to the middle of the hole will leave the golfer with an absolute blind approach running against the slope of the fairway. The smart play is the longer route to the far left following a shallow valley with a full view of the putting surface. The strategic challenge of both holes results in golfers aiming to opposite sides on parallel holes (12 to the left and 18 to the right).

 

Yardages
Tee Length
Championship 457
E 389
D 379
I 360
N 315
A 230
Playing tip

The 12th hole is the one hole on the course that truly demands length off the tee with carries over two ponds from the back two tees yet only one carry over water from the other tees. As long as this hole may play straightaway, the only way to see the green from the fairway is to play further away from the more direct route. If one chooses the straight route, a ridge that separates the hole from the 18th hole to its right will block almost any view of the putting surface. The saving grace for those who do choose to take the riskier, less-visible route is the opportunity to kick an approach off another ridge that rolls directly into the green, avoiding a lone bunker protecting the left side.