Waynesboro Photo Tour Part 4

Hole 4: 510 yards

The drive on the fourth.  Those trees love swallowing golf balls.

We go from the shortest hole on the course to the longest one.  It may not sound all that long, but this
hole plays every bit of those 510 yards, if not more.  The tee shot is the first one of the round where there are really hazards in play (Well, for most people, I can find a way to make even the most out of the way location a hazard), and it's the first drive where the fairway feels a bit tight.  Not that tight, there's about a hundred yards to work with.  But it's enough.  There's out of bounds running all down the left side, and I have launched dozens and dozens of golf balls into the neighboring farm.  Actually, I believe that I have actually visited all 5 of the neighboring holes while playing this hole.  I think that's pretty impressive. 

If you can get your drive here, you are set.

Anyway, the fairway goes up a hill at about 250-260 yards, which absolutely kills drives.  There was
a time when I could hit 300 yards consistently, but I have never had less than 200 yards into green, and I can count the number of times I've hit this green with one hand.  I prefer going down the left side of the fairway, it shortens up the hole a bit, and there's a patch of grass on that side that basically guarantees a great lie.  This isn't a very well-maintained course. 

There are no bunkers on this hole, but when hitting your second, you have to contend with an even more fearsome hazard.  A grass bunker about 50 yards short of the green.  The rough in there is U.S Open caliber, and there isn't a flat stance to be found.  If you end up on the upslope of the ditch, it takes a miracle to get the next shot on the green.  So, I would recommend that if you can't reach the green in two, make sure you lay up well back of the ditch.

I won't mince words about this green.  It's barely even a green, there are so many holes and dead spots.  The water got turned off here a couple summers ago during a particularly harsh week, and this green got the worst of it.  It never recovered, and it's just getting worse as time goes on.  My brothers and I established a rule for it.  If you have to putt over much of the bad portions, if you miss your first putt, then it's an automatic two-putt.  We don't like it, but it save us a headache.  When the green actually has grass on it, it's surprising difficult to hold, considering it slopes from back to front.  Downhill putts can be pretty fast.  It looks flat, but it plays harder than it looks.

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