Santa Maria Hole 18

I treat it as a full par 5 since I have a hard time carrying the water on my second hit. I aim for the left side bunker and sometimes I even end up on #16. From there it depends on the tree situation. Sometimes I punch something under a tree and sometimes I’m able to get over or past the trees with not problem. For my third shot I want to be anything less than 150 yards from the left side of the fairway. Most of the time I’m inside 100 yards for my third.

That hole can eat you alive sometimes. Great finishing hole with a lot of options.

Also, if you ever find yourself in the backside greenside bunker, you can easily putt out of it onto the green.

If you have the distance to carry the bunker and reach the downslope, you'll be left with a short iron in.

If you don't have that carry in you, I would play a shot short of the bunker. If you're far enough right in the fairway to not be blocked out by the trees, you have a shot to go for the green. If you are on the left side, just play it as a 3 shot hole.

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That hole can eat you alive sometimes. Great finishing hole with a lot of options.

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I've watched someone shoot 1 over through 17, only to quad 18. I'd never be mad at a 77, but he sure was.

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Also, if you ever find yourself in the backside greenside bunker, you can easily putt out of it onto the green.

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Definitely done this once or twice - especially after it has rained and compacted that sand. Beats hitting bunker shot back towards the water that already has too many of my balls.

I kind of do this...
usually take a 4 iron off the tee and aim it right. have 190ish into the green.
then it's a coin flip from there. sometimes i hit the green, sometimes I hit a couple in the drink and just go home, lol.

Driver to 16 fairway, 6 iron.

This hole needs fixing. Period.

The fairway bottlenecks and there is no tee shot landing area. Then if you get it down in the short stuff theres a giant oak keeping you from going for the green. And the roots extend out into the "fairway"

They need to do one of two things to fix this hole.

1. Move the left hand fairway bunker back toward the tee 30-40 yards
2. Cut the tree down and extend the fairway via bulkhead out into the lake 15-20 yards.

and I'll add a third. When the pin is back left, there is zero margin for error. end up left and miss the putt and it's going off the green. Hammer it too hard from the bottom of the slope back up the hill and it's in the rough. I'd like to see them extend that tier more to the middle of the green.