Alps – Punchbowl Par 4 – Gold 448 Blue 406 White 367 Copper 326 Green 274
The Valley’s edition of the often difficult Alps template hole is a slight dogleg right providing a strategic choice off the tee. The ideal line is down the right where two staggered bunkers angle out into the fairway and cover the inside of the dogleg.
These bunkers force a decision; attempt a heroic carry or lay up short to obtain the preferred angle into the green. Safety is provided down the left where the landing area is generous yet slopes right to left funneling balls toward the deep bunker alongside the fairway. The approach shot is slightly uphill and partially blind to a huge punchbowl green defended on the front left half by an Alps style bunker.
The spectacular punchbowl green complex funnels moderately offline shots onto the green, and has a back right plateau whose borders introduce significant putting challenges, as the spine does on Raynor’s Magnum Opus punchbowl green and Alps hole at Fishers Island.