Playing Hole 16 at Granite Pointe

The short but majestic par-4 16th hole at Granite Pointe is a risk/reward situation for most golfers. From the back tees it sits at 301 yards, overlooking Kootenay Lake and Kokanee Glacier. For the longer hitters, going for this green can leave you a two-putt birdie. But trouble is lurking, with lateral hazards down both the right- and left-hand-side of this tightly treed hole.

For those opting to lay up, my advice is simple: put some thought into it! Far too often I see amateurs taking a random iron out of their bag to lay up, not knowing exactly how far they will have on their approach shot. Instead, do like the tour pros and figure out what your favorite shot to hit is and lay up to that specific yardage. For example, if you hit a pitching wedge 100 yards and this is the shot you prefer over every other, then your tee shot should be a 200-yard club for your layup on this specific par 4.

Paying attention to every single shot you hit and how far you hit it will not only lower your scores when you’re playing well, but will help you even more when you are not playing your best. You will turn double bogeys into bogeys or even pars.