Pines 9

9
Par 5, 442 yards, dogleg left

For some reason I've always played this hole well--and not just because its layout is ideal for my slice. I do wonder what slicing righties do here. The fairway bends sharply left at less than 200 yards.

My 3-wood is clean and the slice places it well. Another 3-wood leaves me just short and left, but I pitch on and two-putt from 8 feet for my second straight par, 5.

After a shaky -- and shanky -- start I'm starting to play faster and get in a rhythm. I'm out in 44.