Prize Dogleg Par 4 – Gold 418 Blue 398 White 370 Copper 346 Green 277

The template holes originated with Macdonald who long envisioned creating the “ideal” links course that utilized the best strategies and features found on Scotland’s best holes. The Prize Dogleg template originated with Raynor and was intended to be the most difficult par 4 on the course; in Raynor’s words, “a par 4, bogey 6”. At the Valley, the tee shot is played uphill with two angled bunkers on the inside of the dogleg, tee shots carrying the right bunker have a narrower landing area as a blind fairway bunker lies in wait through the fairway on the outside corner. There is a generous landing area straight away, but each yard of safety magnifies the challenge of the approach shot, which must navigate the classic Prize Dogleg bunker 35 yards short of the green.

The fish hook shaped green is guarded by a deep closely mown swale on the front left, and a bunker front right. The putting surface slopes steeply back to front in the first two-thirds, and the shelf in the back is bisected by a spine, which is the right edge for the small bowl in the back left. Playing Raynor Corner (#11- #13) even or under par, warrants an AMEN on the walk to the next tee!