Golfing Carolina Colours’ 3rd Hole

Upon leaving hole #2, the player first crosses a wooded, wetland tributary of Brice Creek. Briefly, as one drives or walks across a winding bridge over water and through the woods, there is no sign of civilization. Emerging from this pretty transit, the land rises to the 3rd hole tee complex, the first “big” hole on the course, and a challenging hole it is.

From the tee, the fairway rises away from the wetland just crossed, until it reaches its highest point, the desired landing area. Framed by bunkers right and left, the tee ball needs to be long and straight to avoid a certain lay-up on the second shot, because the wetland just left behind meanders back across the fairway between the landing area and the green. From the landing area, there is a clear view of both the wetland and the green, which is tucked over beside the trees on the right edge of one’s vision, with the center of the fairway taking a short, right turn about 90 yards past the wetland.

A tee ball short of the landing area will leave a blind layup to a down slope into the wetlands, a delicate shot, which will still leave some 175 yards to the green on the third shot. A good tee ball that reaches the landing area and avoids the bunkers will still leave a long second shot of between 150 and 180 yards to carry the wetland, leaving a short iron or wedge into the green–birdie suddently becomes possible. For the very long hitters tempted to go for the green in two, by cutting off the corner of the dogleg, the risk is high. There is a bunker guarding the right side of the fairway over the wetland, and there are trees in a low swale short and to the right of the green. The safe play is surely to hit for the middle of the fairway, over the wetland, short of the bunkers on the back left of the second shot landing area that provide a great visual frame for the long, second shot.

If the second shot has been a layup, one will do well to get close to the green with a long third shot. But if the wetland has been navigated in two, the player has a great look down at a good sized green, the back third of it rather flat, but elevated, and the balance gently sloping forward. Unless the pin is on the back, the green should hold the short approach shot well. This short third shot only need avoid the bunkers on the left to maximize the potential for a good score.

Hopefully, leaving hole number 2, the player is confident and scoring well. Starting with hole number 3, the course shows its teeth. Most players will be happy to leave with a par, but one missed shot, and the first high number of the day may well appear on the card.

Black: 565 Blue: 545 White: 526 Gold: 497 Red: 422

Kenneth M. Kirkman, Carolina Colours Developer