The Sierra Vista Open

Pueblo del Sol Country Club
Jeff Simms
Head Golf Professional
520-378-6444

http://www.pdscountryclub.com

Played at the 7074 yard Pueblo Del Sol Country Club, the Sierra Vista Open brings high level professional golf to Cochise County.

 

Front Nine-3453 Yards Out

Hole #1 - Par 4, 381 yards - This is a slight dogleg to the right with a fairway bunker on the left side and out of bounds to the right. Most players will take a driver or 3 wood at the right edge of the bunker and play a slight fade leaving a wedge into this shallow, sloping green. Beware of the back left hole location, there is very little room for error.
Hole #2 - Par 4, 399 yards - The yardage here is deceptive as the hole plays downhill and typically downwind with water on the right and trees on the left. Players will hit driver inside the 100 yard marker leaving a lofted wedge into a receptive green. Players who keep their approach below the hole will have a good chance for birdie.
Hole #3 - Par 3, 207 yards - The first par 3 on the course plays to a large green with bunkers left and right and a drop-off on the right as well. The safe play would seem to be left of the green but this leaves the player with a delicate chip to a green that slopes away. The subtle breaks in this green will leave many players questioning their eyesight.
Hole #4 - Par 4, 418 yards - The dogleg right fourth presents the player with a landing area that is generous but a green that is demanding. The players will face a small, elevated green with bunkers left and right. The slope on the front of the green will also pull a ball back down into the fairway.
Hole #5 - Par 5, 482 yards - The first of back-to-back par 5’s offers the player a chance to recover from a slow start or continue a hot streak. Players will take a driver over the two fairway bunkers and inside the 200 yard marker leaving a mid-iron to the green. Eagle is a definite possibility here.
Hole #6 - Par 5, 573 yards -  The yardage is deceptive due to the severe dogleg right. Players must decide how much of the corner to cut as a line too far left will put the player through the fairway and into the desert while too far right will bring the trees into play. A typical left to right wind complicates matters further. From the fairway the player face a bunkered green complex with out-of-bounds left and right. Watch for the back right hole location which will truly test the players nerves.
Hole #7 - Par 4, 412 yards - This par 4 forces the player to decide between playing to the wide part of the fairway leaving a short iron into the green or taking a driver past the lake into a narrow landing area but leaving a lofted wedge and a good shot at birdie. Players will have to watch the back hole locations as the green drops off severely just off the collar.
 
Hole #8 - Par 3, 186 yards- The second par 3 on the front nine plays slightly downhill to a wide, shallow green with gentle breaks. Club selection is critical especially if the wind is in the player’s face.
Hole #9 - Par 4, 395 yards - Accuracy is key on this hole as there is a fairway bunker on the right side that will direct the player’s eyes toward the stand of pines guarding the left side of the fairway. The green here is large and sloping toward the front, any hole location in the front third of the green needs to be treated with caution.
 

Back Nine-3621 Yards In

Hole #10 - Par 4, 462 yards - The back nine starts showing its teeth early. The tee shot is played to a narrow fairway that is guarded by trees on the left and a lake on the right, from there the players will be looking at a small, elevated green with bunkers left and right. The normal wind direction is into the player’s face as well, take a par and move on.
Hole #11 - Par 4, 436 yards - Another tough driving hole, the eleventh gently slides to the right with a stand of pines guarding the left side of the fairway and out-of-bounds to the right. Once in the fairway, the player will be looking at a long narrow green with bunkers on both sides. Normally played with a crosswind from right to left, getting an approach close here is an accomplishment.
Hole #12 - Par 4, 390 yards - Most players will choose a fairway wood or hybrid off the tee as the fairway narrows and turns left around the 130 yard mark. Approach shots need to be accurate as three bunkers surround a shallow green angling from the front left to the back right. Once on the green the player will face a myriad of different breaks depending the location of the hole.
Hole #13 - Par 4, 409 yards - The thirteenth once again plays into the prevailing wind. Trees and desert on the left and a lake on the right that is not visible from the tee protect the fairway. If the hole location is cut on the right side of the green the player will want to stay well left of the flag, the green slopes severely from right to left on this side and any shot right of the green is in deep trouble.
Hole #14 - Par 4, 365 yards - This short par 4 offers the player a chance to make up some ground after a tough opening stretch on the back nine. Most players will choose a fairway wood off the tee to set up a solid wedge distance into this small green. Once on the green the player will have a good look at birdie with just subtle breaks to navigate.
Hole #15 - Par 4, 443 yards - It’s decision time again, the player can either lay-up short of the ravine or try to carry the tee shot over the right side of the bridge. While the lay-up is safer it does leave a longer approach to a tough green. Carrying the ravine leaves a shorter approach but the penalty for missing the fairway is severe. This green is deceptive as it is flatter than it looks. The last four holes on Sunday will provide some great drama.
Hole #16 - Par 4, 355 yards - Once the player has survived the fifteenth he will turn around and face the shortest par 4 on the course and possibly the meanest. The tee shot must be accurate as there is a fairway bunker to carry, trees left as well as desert and a water hazard on the right. Once the player navigates all of this he then faces a green that slopes severely from back left to front right and can be downright treacherous if the wind is blowing.
Hole # 17 - Par 3, 233 yards - The only par 3 on the back nine requires the player to hit a long iron high so that it will hold on this small green, this will be complicated by the normal right to left wind. Another deceptive green, it appears to slope back to front but is actually quite flat which can lead to a good chance at birdie once the player has hit this green. Par here is a good score unless you are trailing on Sunday.
Hole #18 - Par 5, 528 yards - The common play here is a fade around the far end of the lake although some players will carry the ball over the lake leaving a short approach to this par 5. Once in the fairway the players will face an elevated green with a bunker on the left and one guarding the front right. Eagle is a possibility and birdie is expected. Anything can happen here on Sunday.

 

Good Luck to All Players!