As part of our Course of the Month series, we give you insight into the signature hole – this month, we play the 12th at Wedgewood Golf and Country Estate with Matthew Thompson.
Hole No 12, par three, 151m
It’s a rarity in modern golf, but none of the short holes at Wedgewood use length as a defence. Rather, they rely on the strength of their large, undulating greens as well as elevation changes to protect against low scoring.
The 12th hole at Wedgewood remains a talking point and stands out above the rest. Golf director Matthew Thompson gives his insight as to how best to manoeuvre the challenge of this scenic hole.
‘The Golf Data design team did a magnificent job on the short holes during their reconstruction of the course but this one is arguably the pinnacle,’ he says.
The course’s signature hole has a four-tiered tee box which allows the hole to play from 115m off of the front and at 170m for the championship set-up.
‘The hole plays significantly downhill over a large dam and then up to a raised green. It is well guarded by smart bunkering which sees its fair share of action with shots left short or left of the green.
‘A steep slope behind the green acts as a backstop and feeds back to the centre of the green. Navigating the wind with your club selection is key because you cannot score well if you are short. Instead, the tip is to take a little extra club and use the back bank to stop your ball and then guide it back towards the hole.
‘The prevailing wind comes off the left, so the ideal shape is a small fade that starts at the bunker on the left and gently floats towards the centre of the putting surface. Good luck if you find yourself left of the bunker … par is always a good score here.’
