Let’s take a look at playing the par 3 15th hole here at  Rivers Edge Golf Club.  Although this is not the first or even second par 3 golfers might think about when thinking about the great holes at Rivers Edge, but we guarantee it is the most overlooked when talking about how good a golf hole it is.  Tiny tee boxes angled towards a large green that is set behind the edge of a lake and marshlands.  As big as that green may look from the teeing area, it will get smallish looking quickly as golfers prepare to hit their shot.   So we are here to help golfers determine just how to attack this “tougher than it looks on paper” par 3.

For years the condition of the tees on No.15 was “OK” at best due to high traffic and small size not allowing for many teeing options.  So last October the management made a decision to install a synthetic surface by TurfHound Tee Products. The product provides the customer with a level lie, consistent conditions and even the ability to utilize a regular golf tee.  This has completely changed how this hole can be played.  Golfers can be confidently aggressive when approaching the tee shot.

Reaching 200 yards at the back tees, most of it over water, this tee shot is a knee-knocker for the average golfer.  The introduction of artificial grass mats allows the golfer the confidence to go after the ball and make sure they hit it well enough to carry the hazard.  It is easy to hit a long iron fat when trying to make sure that it gets the desired distance.  But it is hard to hit a fat shot off an artificial surface.  So now we can go pin seeking, right?  Wrong.

The putting surface is very large and mostly flat,  It slopes slightly from back to front.  This being said the best play is to aim for the dead center of the green.  Players that get greedy and try to get close to a front pin or a right side pin can still find the hazard fairly easily with a wayward shot.  The center of the green, however, leaves much more room for error on the approach.  With the fairly flat green, it should be easy to two-putt from the middle of the surface.

Thanks to the ingenuity and courage of our management team to make the call on these tee boxes, golfers can enjoy this tough par 3 a little easier now.