LONDON, ONTARIO - London Hunt and Country Club, the host of the 2014 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open, is in about as spectacular of shape as a golf course could be in. This classic Robert Trent Jones 1959 design measuring 6,667 yards has wide fairways with large greens. However, the course hasn’t played particularly easy in two previous times hosting this championship with Cristie Kerr winning here in 2006 with a 12-under-par effort and Brandie Burton taking the title in 1993 at 11-under. Here’s a play by play of one of the prettiest courses on the schedule.
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| Par-3 8th |
1 – The opening tee ball works slightly downhill before an upslope starts. Longer hitters will try to hit it up the upslope, but the majority of the field won’t make it and will be left with a long to mid iron in to a big green protected by a massive deep bunker up front.
2 – This 158-yard gem is one of the more picturesque shots on the course with beautiful stone work lining a pond protecting the front of the green. Three bunkers – two on the right, one on the left – also protect this large green complex that slopes back to front.
3 – A dogleg right par-4 – one of three on the front nine – has two large fairway bunkers sitting on the edge of the dogleg as the hole works uphill. At only 384 yards, much of the field should have a short to mid iron into an elevated approach with three bunkers protecting.
4 – This 482-yard par-5 should be hit in two by much of the field. The tee shot works downhill through a narrow chute between two bunkers, but the long bombers in the field will hit it all the way to the bottom of the slope. The green is narrow but really wide with water protecting the left side of the green.
5 – Another dogleg right and the longest par-4 on the course at 434 yards. A fairway bunker sits right at the crux of the dogleg and is difficult to bomb it over, setting up a lengthy second shot into an elevated green. Par’s a great score here.
6 – Throughout the early portion of the front nine all of the holes seem to work their way down on the tee shot and then back up the hill and this one’s no different. This 400-yard par-4’s fairway slopes from left to right and a fade’s the preferred shot off the tee here, setting up a mid iron into a green that slopes from back to front.
7 – At 550 yards, it’ll be a surprise if anyone in the field hits this green in two. The tee shot is downhill to a wide fairway, though, so bombers will be able to give an extra go at it. Deep bunkers dot the front of the green on both sides to keep approaches from running up and a hazard looms to behind the green and to the left and right of it. This is a layup hole.
8 – A beautiful par-3 hanging on a cliff overlooking to the Thames River hundreds of feet below. At only 139 yards, this is a forced carry over a deep gorge. This green is severely sloped from back to front with a separate shelf on the back that could make for a very tricky pin position for player to attempt to challenge in the back left.
9 – This 384-yard dogleg right works its way back up a hill with a deep fairway bunker protecting the dogleg. Bunkers protect on the right and left a downhill second shot with a great view of the river below to the right of the green.
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| Par-5 10th |
10 – My favorite hole on the course – a 529-yard gem running down the river to the right with a pond hugging the left side of the fairway. This is the narrowest tee shot on the course. With a pond in the front of the green, protecting a narrow green that slopes from right to left, no one in the field will challenge this green in two.
11 – The Thames River again runs down the right side of this dogleg left with a massive bunker jutting out into the meat of the dogleg, creating a narrow drive for players that challenge that bunker. Players will have a short iron or wedge into an elevated green at the top of the ridge. A very deep bunker protects on the right a green that slopes severely back to front with a ridge jutting through the middle to separate the green into shelves.
12 – Straightaway par four with no bunkers protecting the fairway. Players should have a short to mid iron into a shallow, flat green protected by bunkers.
13 – A 171-yard par-3 to a green with a crown running through the center with three deep bunkers surrounding. The back right hole location is tough here as the green slopes away from the player in the back.
14 – Players will try to challenge the left fairway bunker here to avoid the three large pines on the right that can block out seconds from the right of the fairway. This green is very undulating, sloping from back to front.
15 – The shortest par-4 on the course is a hole players can score on. A bunker stretches the entire length of the landing area of the tee shots but players who hit the fairway will have a wedge or short iron in hand. The green is severe from back to front and misses short are particularly penal with the deepest bunker on the course front right.
16 – Dogleg right par-5 measuring 513 yards. A large fairway bunker sits short of the fairway and a long bunker runs the lengths of the fairway for players who go too long through the fairway with their tee shot. A massive ridge runs through the center of this green.
17 – A 183-yard downhill hole that will have players firing into it with a long iron or mid iron as the wind is typically into players faces. This green is deep and goes from narrow to wide in the back.
18 – Fairway bunkers litter the landing area here. Players will have an uphill second into a tiered green with bunkers front and back. Short is dead here as it’ll roll all the way back down the slope. Not a particularly difficult finishing hole.
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