It is getting late and I was going to skip the tour tonight, but looks like Brent is getting anxious to talk about this hole, so let's do just this hole tonight.
Flyover:
http://www.bestapproachflyovers.com/GMB_gamblesands/flyovers/hole05.mp4 There are holes that you play. Then there are holes that lift your soul and recharge your chi. This is one of those holes.
I knew the hole was going to be good since Leary wouldn't shut up about it during our entire 3 1/2 hour trip to Gamble Sands (he had played it just a few days prior - you know the course is pretty good when Sean "I don't own a piece golf merchandise unless it is from a top 100, a WORLD TOP 100, course" Leary is willing to endure such a long drive to play it).
Frankly, I don't think my pictures do justice to this hole, so I will try my best to describe its drop dead sex appeal.
With its epic rolling fairways, and majestic bunkers, this hole would not be out of place at Sand Hills, Dismal Red, or Ballyneal. It would be one of the best holes at any one of those courses.
It all begins with the tee shot. As you stand, gazing across the sagebrush valley below you, you feel like you are about to ride the biggest North Shore (Hawaii) wave ever. The fairway swoops from left to right in a giant, elegant slope to a low point that seems very, very far away, before rising up and peaking at the green like a breaking wave. Hitting a great drive here is almost pre-ordained.
Even though the yardage book indicates 500+ yards, this hole plays much shorter due to its rolling fairway with huge speed slots. For big hitters, the aim is to hit just right of the far fairway bunker. If you can carry the ideal line, you will be rewarded with 50 yards + of roll which will take your ball all the way down to the low spot on the fairway no more than a short iron away from the green.
If you lay back, you will have a very long distance to an impossibly tiny looking green.
You can better see the ripples across the fairways that act as speed slots here.
If you are lucky enough to take advantage of the speed slot, you are now faced with a tough second shot, all carry over a gorgeous sand bunker, to a blind green. This ain't easy...
... as any indifferent shot will be swallowed by the breaking wave and end up with a bunker shot over a lip way over your head.
However, the approach shot is friendlier than it looks as the fairway gently slopes towards the green, assisting long approaches that land well short of the green.
The green is divided by a spline that runs across the middle, making the back pin quite difficult to get close.
As you walk away from the green towards the next tee, you can't help but feel like you just caught a great ride down a fantastic surf.
This hole is a thrilling ride.