The PGA Tour FedEx Cup Playoffs have arrived, and the three-week postseason kicks off with the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee.
TPC Southwind is an intimidating golf course with a myriad of daunting shots.
There are an abundance of water hazards, and the fairways are very narrow with trees often encroaching on the landing areas. Let's take a look at the five best holes at this penalizing golf course.
5. 9th Hole - Par 4, 457 yards
The ninth is a very difficult par-4 that doglegs hard to the right. The fairway is narrow, and long hitters must be careful of driving the ball through the fairway and into the water.
This pond creeps all the way up to the very front of the green, which is shallow and features two small bunkers behind. Accuracy is needed from tee to green on this hole, as is the theme throughout TPC Southwind.
4. 10th Hole - Par 4, 465 yards
The 10th presents another extremely tight tee shot with trees framing both sides of the fairway and a bunker on the right. Less than driver is likely necessary to stay short of the creek that cuts across the fairway.
This leaves a fairly long approach shot to an awkwardly-shaped green with small sections that stick out on the left and at the back. The putting surface is guarded by a large bunker at the front left and a smaller one middle-right.
3. 12th Hole - Par 4, 406 yards
The 12th is not long but is full of stress. The tee shot is played over a lake that guards the entire right side of the hole, so players must decide how aggressive of a line to take over the water.
Playing to the left is safer but will leave a longer approach with no relief as the water continues to hug the right side of the green. There are a couple of bunkers on the left side of the green to catch shots that bail out to the left.
2. 11th Hole - Par 3, 168 yards
The 11th at TPC Southwind is a beautiful and intimidating par-3 that imitates the world-famous 17th at TPC Sawgrass. Here at Southwind, the 11th features an island green, but it is not quite as severe and has a bit more room around the fringe than the Island Green at Sawgrass. Still, it is a scary shot with any miss having a high probability of finding the water.
There is a pot bunker short and right of the green just like at the aforementioned Stadium Course, but unlike that iconic one-shot hole, an additional bunker lies over the back-left side of the green.
1. 18th Hole - Par 4, 453 yards
The best hole at TPC Southwind is the 18th, and it creates anxiety from start to finish. The tee shot is one of the most demanding on the PGA Tour, as the hole doglegs sharply to the left around a pond.
Players must decide how aggressive to be in trying to carry the water, and many will use less than driver. The fairway is extremely narrow, and a bailout long or right is also no good, as three penalizing bunkers and thick Bermuda rough await.
The water hugs the left side of the hole all the way to the green; hole locations on the right must deal with a bunker short and a difficult tightly-mown runoff area, while holes on the left bring the water dangerously close. This hole provides a serious test of nerve to finish the round.