Kew Golf Club

The temptation is to take driver and try to knock it down to the green, but you will make bogey more times than birdie as your target area is small. Because the green slopes away from you on the approach, the smart play is to take 3 wood or an iron from the tee, play for position, then attack the green with a longer pitch shot, giving you more spin and control.

The tee shot is the key to this hole. Left of centre is the best line to set up your approach shot. Beware of the hazards on both left and right. The approach should be aimed at the right half of the green. Putting is easier from here and if you miss the green to the right, your chip shot is straightforward.

The tee shot is again the key. Depending on the position of the tee blocks, generally left of centre is preferred, opening up this dogleg right hole. The green is narrow, flanked by bunkers left and right. It takes two good shots to find the green, and par is well earned.

This picturesque par 3 features a water carry and is always a challenge with bunkers left, right and front. In selecting your club, be aware that the green is slightly elevated. Try to determine whether the pin is in the front or back half and pay attention to the direction of the wind as club selection can vary greatly.

Drive left of centre to take best advantage of this hole which shapes right to left. Accuracy, not length, is the priority for the second shot, setting you up for a short to medium iron for your approach. Aim to position the ball left of centre on the green, because a miss to the right means you are faced with a difficult recovery

A tight driving hole, one of many at Kew. A drive straight down the middle is ideal. On approach it is better to be short than long as the recovery is quite difficult. Be wary of the slope short of the green which feeds balls into the left green side bunker.

The fairway bunker 30 meters in front of the green determines strategy from the tee. After a strong tee shot into the ?go-zone? the bigger hitters may choose to fly this bunker and reach the green with their second shots. However the popular strategy is to lay up in front of this bunker and dare to steal a birdie with a precise wedge and one put

Dogleg right. There is a certain risk and reward with the tee shot. A reserved tee shot to the left half will open up the green for an approach with a long iron. A bolder line down the middle/right will shorten the hole substantially leaving a short iron in but too far right or short will leave you well and truly blocked out. The green is large with big slopes to manage. The grassy depression in the front of the green poses a special challenge for your short game.

This hole requires some strategy to manage. The fairway is narrow at driving distance, but if you negotiate the tee shot successfully you will have a good lie and wedge in. Otherwise place your lay-up into the middle right of the fairway to open the green for a mid-iron approach. This is a long hole for the women who will be playing long irons and fairway woods into the green. The putting surface is steeply sloped from back to front and will call upon your control of speed for those final strokes.

The challenge is clear from the tee: a long drive up to and over the saddle in the middle of the fairway. Left rough and trees is a ?no-no? and difficult to recover from. With the tee shot successfully negotiated there is a short iron to a sloping green. Distance control with the approach is called for, especially when the flag is placed on the left hand side. This is a par 5 for the women and is an opportunity for birdie

A two-tiered green gives this par 3 a dual personality. With the flag at the front the tee shot will be a short iron. The slope in the middle of the green will assist to keep the ball close for the birdie opportunity. With the flag at the back the challenge is significantly greater. Longer clubs will be required and the flat surface is small in area. The slope in the middle of the green will limit access to the top tier. There is a helpful slope in front of the green for those who wish to run the ball around the bunker and up onto the green.

Par 5. This beautiful golf hole is bordered by billabongs left and right off the tee. The view of the green is framed by red river gums either side of the fairway at about 100m out. These trees influence decisions for players in the ?go-zone?. A daring second shot to the green will probably need some right to left shape to be successful. Bigger hitters might consider going ?over the top?. Otherwise the option of lay-up to the trees is a choice well made with birdie opportunity created with the wedge for your third. The green is divided into two with an elephant buried in the middle. Be sure the approach finds the appropriate half.

Straight-away par four. A wide fairway should provide a good lie and a clean approach shot after your drive, leaving a mid to short iron in. There is a large gully on the RHS that will catch short or miss-hit drives.. The green is framed by white-barked gums that give this hole one of KGCs most memorable vistas. There is a significant slope on the green from back to front. Keeping your approach shot under the hole will give you the best opportunity to score. This hole is a short par 4 for the women with red tees well up, and is an opportunity for birdie.

The task is straight-forward enough. There are no surprises here. This is the simplest and most honest challenge on the course. Hit the green and a flat put awaits. Our longest par three.

Dogleg right. This is definitely a sleeper. One of your two shots to the green will need to be excellent. You have a choice: a lay-up tee shot followed by a precise approach, or a big ball on a daring line to cut the corner followed by a short pitch. The big hitters can run out of fairway easily if the line is too straight

A short par five with lots of character. A safe teeshot sets up the birdie opportunity. The bigger hitters will then consider a high ball over the gums on the left to hit the green in two. Alternatively, a layup to the front of the green will offer an up-and-down birdie.

A glorious long hole, rated #1 on the card for the men. The teeshot must be long and straight to reach a space where the fairway opens to the green. Big hitters might consider a left to right shape. Mid to long iron will be required for the approach. The front of the green is open and a popular strategy is to run the ball up using the undulating contours of the fairway. There is a significant slope diagonally from back left to front right that makes every put a challenge

The club house beckons but there is one more challenge to be met. The tee shot at 18 is the most demanding of the par 3s at Kew. A mid iron is required but the target is somewhat elusive. There is space on the right half of the green to pitch and stop a well struck tee shot. There is also room to run the ball onto the green on the right hand side. The hole is tougher with the pin located on the left with deep bunkers protecting the front and the putting surface narrowing. The green has several interesting breaks. Par here is a welcome result.