MICKLEM COURSE

A medium length Par 4 that should provide a comfortable start if played sensibly. A good tee shot favours the left-hand side of the fairway, staying away from a water hazard and an out-of-bounds line that runs the entire right side of the hole. A well struck tee shot will leave a medium to short iron to a relatively unprotected green. Two large bunkers (left and right) define the approach to this green, however they are 20 yards short of the putting surface. Undulations in the green create three main areas - upper left front, lower right front and lower back right.

The approach shot is always longer than it looks.

A long and straight Par 5 with out-of-bounds all the way down the right hand side. Teeing up near the boundary line, a good tee shot should be aimed up the centre of the fairway. The second shot is no simple lay-up, with a mound and two pot bunkers on the left hand side of the fairway that edge the 3rd green and deep rough up the right. With the second shot carefully navigated, this generally leaves a short iron to a two tiered green, where a miss slightly right or short is always better than any miss long or left. When going for this green with a longer club, an array of bunkers at 30 yards short of the green need to be cleared or else a lay-up and pitch on is often a better option.

Allow for the fairway slope left to right on your tee shot.

A medium length but challenging Par 3 surrounded by eight pot bunkers. Anything to the right or the left of the green will tend to feed off into the surrounding bunkers, however good a tee shot in the centre of the green will always leave a good chance for birdie. They key being not to be drawn in to tight flag positions where perilous bunkers await..

Ignore the flag and go for the middle of the green.

By no means the longest Par 4 at Seaton Carew, but definitely one of the most testing. A good drive favours the left side of the fairway, which then opens up a clear shot to a well protected green. A large steep faced bunker on the left-hand side of the fairway is always poised ready to catch any tee shot pulled over to the left. Two bunkers on the left of the green, grassy hills on the right, and a cruel pot bunker front right protect the green from any loose iron shots. The green has two tiers, where a good shot to the correct tier often gives the best chance for birdie.

Favour the left side of the fairway off the tee but avoid the fairway bunker.

The original championship tee on this hole is located alongside the raised Par 3 3rd Tee, with the alternative teeing area over near the boundary of the course which plays over the pond which gives the hole its name. Both tee shots require a good strike down the centre of the fairway, leaving a medium to short iron to the green. For long hitters a large cross bunker in the fairway can come into play when playing downwind. Accuracy is at a must on this approach as three of the deepest bunkers on the course protect the green. This green also has two tiers, with the front tier being heavily sloped from back to front. Any shot to a front flag should ideally be played short of the flag leaving an uphill putt, whereas a flag on the top tier generally requires a shot to be flown all the way to the upper level.

Favour the right side of the fairway off the tee.

Medium length Par 3 that plays a little shorter than its yardage as the tee is some 20 feet above the putting surface. Deep rough and undulating hills lie to the left, with two bunkers to the right. Generally speaking a good shot has enough yardage to carry to the centre of the green taking the front right bunker out of play and effectively widening the green. However there is quite a large landing area short of the green that can be used to help bounce an accurate ball up onto the green to a front located flag.

Don't miss the green on the left.

A slight dogleg left Par 4 that favours a good drive up the left half of the fairway, away from severe rough and hills on the right hand side. A recently re-structured surround to this green presents two pot bunkers at the front edge of the green, with a larger pot bunker at left centre. The new design has brought the right hand side bunker more in front of the green, creating a much narrower approach and protecting a front right flag position. The green has two tiers and an embankment that runs along the entire right hand edge. An 'educated ball' can often use this slope to bring a shot back in and around close to the flag.

Beware of the two-tier green.

Medium length dog leg right Par 4. The tee shot aims you over to the right towards the green, however taking this line brings into play two strategically placed fairway bunkers. A good tee shot is aimed at the centre of the fairway which can be seen in front of you. The green is well bunkered and slopes quite heavily from back to front, so it is generally best to play short of the flag and leave an uphill putt.

It's a long carry to cut the corner.

A straight Par 4 with two fairway bunkers in play off the tee. A good drive favours the left half of the fairway, leaving a medium to short iron to another well protected green. Two deep pot bunkers guard the front edge of the green, demanding an accurate second shot between the two bunkers or for the shot to be flown all the way to a relatively flat putting surface. Unseen from the fairway, the general terrain runs off to the left on the left hand side of this green, so any shot drifting a little too far left, can be found to have run some 5 to 10 paces away from the main putting surface.

Hit the left side of the green and the ball will probably roll off.

Traditionally the hardest hole at Seaton Carew. A straight Par 4 with no bunkers off the tee, however accuracy is at a premium as this hole demands two good shots to reach and hold one of the smallest greens on the course. The hole plays longer than its yardage of just under 400 yards as the tee shot is uphill and the ball often lands in the face of one of many undulations in the fairway. The plateau green is raised from its immediate surroundings by about 3 feet, creating an embankment around the front of the green that catches anything a little short and takes it back and away from the putting surface. A large pot bunker front left and one back right add further protection to this green, where Par is always a good score.

The smallest green on the course therefore club selection is vital.

A testing Par 4 from start to finish. A large lateral water hazard (lagoon) runs along the length of the hole to the right, with two well located bunkers in the right half of the fairway. A good tee shot must be sure of clearing these bunkers, or be played up the left hand side. The second shot would ideally be flown all the way to the putting surface, avoiding a deep swale and two pot bunkers at the front and front right of the green respectively. Once on the green a relatively flat putt awaits. It is always better here to be on the green and a little long, rather than being short and having to putt or chip up the steep bank in front of the green.

Trust the yardage to the green as it looks shorter.

The 12th is the first of the three unique holes on this layout. A long and straight Par 4, a superb driving hole that gives a player two main options off the tee. The first is to play short greatly widening the fairway but leaving a much longer approach. The second option is to take on the narrower piece of fairway to the right. A much more accurate drive is required on this line to avoid the rough and severe undulations on the right. The tiered green is slightly elevated from the fairway and protected by a front left bunker and a large false bunker on the right. Anything short tends to role back down away from the green and into a swale front right. Centre of the green on the correct tier is a good play.

Careful off the tee as the ball will bear left on landing.

One of the most exciting holes at Seaton Carew. A sharp dogleg right Par 5 that challenges a player to decide whether they want to play straight down the immediate fairway, or to aim out right and hit over the dunes effectively cutting the corner of the hole. When playing the hole as a three shot Par 5, the hole pulls you into trying to get as close to the green as possible in two, however the fairway significantly narrows towards the green and a large fairway bunker lies in wait around 50 yards short. A long and aggressive tee shot can leave an approach with a medium iron, presenting a real opportunity for a rare eagle three. The green itself is protected by a mound tight right and a deep pot bunker front left. The lie of the land in front of this green tends to take the ball around to left, however this only encourages short balls to be gathered into the aforementioned greenside bunker.

The wind will decide how much of the corner to cut off.

Arguably the most difficult of the three newer holes. From an elevated tee, a good drive needs to be threaded down a tight fairway with dunes right and undulating hills and rough on the left. There is slightly more room to the right than can be seen off the tee, but it does then cut back in sharply at around 240 yards. A player therefore needs to decide whether to attack with the driver or play sensibly into the widest part of the fairway. The green is raised from its surroundings and plays a little like an upturned saucer, with anything slightly wide or drifting off-line being quickly taken away into one of three surrounding pot bunkers. This green also has the added hazard of a steep runoff area over the back that can take an aggressive ball easily off into the dunes. Definitely not a hole to be played carelessly.

Trust the yardage on approach to the green.

The start of what must be 4 of the toughest finishing holes in the UK. The 15th is a 200 yard par 3 that often plays straight into the wind. A good tee shot should ideally be flown all the way to the putting surface with enough distance to carry two greenside bunkers front left and front right. If unable to fly the ball all the way to the putting surface, two fairway bunkers at 30 yards short of the green must be navigated over or around in order to get a low ball releasing up onto the putting surface. Once on the green a relatively flat putting surface awaits but getting there is fraught with danger.

Any indecision - take a longer club.

The longest Par 4 at Seaton Carew. A tough driving hole with four well placed fairway bunkers off the tee that must be avoided to ensure the best chance of getting to the green in two. Longer hitters may need to shape the ball a little right to left, or take the ball over the corner of the dogleg to prevent the ball from running out into the dunes up the right hand side. A long but accurate second shot is required to get the ball up onto the large flat putting surface. A number of greenside bunkers await an errant approach, notably a large pot bunker front left. A par here often feels like birdie and is always a job well done.

A big green, so plenty of club on approach.

One of the toughest holes on the golf course. A long, slight dogleg right Par 4, to a fiercely protected and elevated green. A good tee shot would be a slight fade down the centre of the fairway, generally leaving a medium or long iron to the green. With good card in hand, or in inclement weather, a player must decide whether to go for the green in two, or lay up 30 yards short right of the green, leaving an almost certain pitch and two putt for bogey or chance for par. The green is pear shaped, narrow at the front and wide at the back with at least a 3-foot change in elevation between the two sections. Playing aggressively towards a front flag leaves a margin of error no wider than 3 yards left or right. There is a greater margin of error for flags located on the wider back section of the green, however players must remember to take extra club to get the ball up to this elevated surface.

Always think where you would like to play your 3rd shot from.

The simplest of the final four holes is by no means a trouble-free stroll to the clubhouse. With bushes and out of bounds all the way down the right hand side, a good tee shot once again should favour the left half of the fairway. A clear view of the green is often then obscured by one of the large mounds in the fairway, with the green itself being protected by a wide tabletop mound on the front edge. Players need to be cautious of far right flag positions here as a loose shot can easily bring the car park and out of bounds into play. Centre of the green at this final hole almost always provides the best chance for par, setting up a pleasant journey back to the clubhouse for a relaxing drink and a bite to eat.

Aim down the left-hand side of the fairway off the tee.