Following the excitement of the 2019 Masters Tournament, Hawkins International is yelling fore! We’re bringing you tips and tricks from golf professionals across the globe (who represent and manage world-renowned courses) to help enhance your game ahead of the summer season. Our team may be masters of media relations, but our backswings could definitely use some work!
While we might not have access to Tiger Woods’ secrets to success, these professionals definitely have an idea of what it takes to play the age-old sport in coveted destinations around the world. From Texas’ Hill Country to the lush landscape of Kildare, Ireland, there’s a patch of green out there for everyone.
Consider Your Bite
“Signature Hole 12, one of the most scenic holes at Tapatio Springs, also happens to be one of our most challenging. For the 292 yard par 4 from the back tees, you can decide just how much you want to bite off with your tee shot, but forewarning, don’t try and bite off too much, or you might just end up in the bunkers short of the green and face a difficult bunker shot up to an elevated green. You don’t want to miss the ball right and you don’t want to miss the ball long on this hole. Choose a club from your teeing ground that you can place in the fairway to give yourself a full short iron to the green.” David Murrah, Director of Golf Operations, Boerne, Texas’ Tapatio Springs Hill Country Resort.
Players of all skill levels are sure to enjoy the historically gorgeous and memorable Resort Course at Tapatio Springs. Still fresh from more than $2 million improvements designed by golf architect Tripp Davis & Associates in 2015, the course is not to be missed. Debuting in September 2019 is the property’s brand-new Clubhouse, designed to be the ultimate gathering space for travelers and locals, will feature an expansive first-class Golf Pro Shop, new men’s and women’s locker rooms, a members-only fitness center, an expanded signature restaurant La Cascada, and more.
Irons Must Be Dialed In
“Before teeing it up on the Gold and Blue courses, spend a little extra time on the range hitting your mid and short irons. Know exactly how far you hit each iron,” Leo Simonetta, Director of Golf Operations, Phoenix, Arizona’s The Wigwam. The resort’s Red Course offers its own challenges, and Simonetta recommends not to be afraid to, “hit a long iron or fairway wood off the tree, as often hitting driver brings trouble into play.”
Golfers can discover why The Wigwam’s 18-hole championship courses are considered the jewel of the desert. The historic property situated in Phoenix’s West Valley is celebrating 90 years of welcoming guests in 2019 and boasts three world-class courses, The Gold, Blue, and Red, that provide a diversity that cannot be matched by any other Arizona resort.
Every 15 Feet of Elevation Changes Equate to One Club Difference
“During 18 holes at Tryall, players will experience some dramatic changes in elevation. The journey around our course will take guests from ocean-front holes on the front 9, to holes 300 feet above sea level on the back 9. This certainly makes for some stunning vistas, but can often make club selection more challenging,” Ewan Peebles, Montego Bay, Jamaica’s The Tryall Club.
The 18-hole, 6,836-yard golf course at Jamaica’s Tryall Club opened in 1961 and was designed using Mother Nature’s typography. At Tryall, course architect Ralph Plummer incorporated the steep evaluation changes and natural obstacles to create a challenging, but picturesque landscape. The front nine run along the coastline, adding a sea breeze to contend with, before the back nine take golfers through the rolling hills, rising 180 feet for breathtaking views of the property and surrounding Caribbean Sea.
When In Doubt, Club Up
“My suggestion would be to club up as you have an intimidating bulkhead that runs from the front of the green and wraps all around the right and rear of the green,” Darren Panks, PGA Director of Golf, Delray Beach, Florida’s The Seagate Country Club
Darren advises golfers to have an accurate tee shot, noting how this skill can be perfected at Seagate’s course. Guests staying at The Seagate Hotel & Spa can receive exclusive access to the hotel’s course including the 17th Signature Hole, which is a par three and approximately 150 yards from the Seagate Black tees.
Use The Course Guide, Throughout
“Take note of the distances to bunkers off the tee. Too many players have spent their day hitting multiple shots to get out of our bunkers.” Jason Totos, Director of Golf, Kildare, Ireland’s Carton House Golf Courses
Enjoy Ireland’s premier golf facilities on the Kildare countryside at Carton House, one of the country’s most historic resorts offering a wide range of on-site golf activities. The property offers two 18-hole championship golf courses, one links-style and one class parkland experience, that hosted the Irish Open in 2005, 2006 and 2013, and boast sweeping fairways, breathtaking views and impeccable greens.