"Heartbreak Annie" shows no mercy

Attending a college graduation ceremony last weekend has inspired Oldgolfdawg to finish something he started back in January, his version of the toughest 18 holes in central Ohio, aka The Elegant Eighteen.

The final addition to the group is the 16th hole at The Players Club at Foxfire, which was referred to as "Heartbreak Annie" in an earlier post. It's the final test in a difficult three-hole stretch I call "The Gantlet," Nos. 14-16 at The Players. As a season pass member for two years at Foxfire Golf Club, I have to admit "The Gantlet" wore me down to the point that I grew tired of the test. And as one might expect from any gantlet worth its salt, the most difficult hole of the stretch was the last, a 426-yard par 4.

Numerous times Oldgolfdawg was on track to break 80 at The Players Club when the wheels would fall off on No. 16. The scenic hole starts from a tee box cut into the woods like a cove or inlet. A babbling brook that cuts across it about 50 yards from the tee box adds to its beauty and difficulty. Once a drive escapes the tighter confines of the tee box and clears the brook, the fairway widens but still remains dangerously tight on the left side. There is more room on the right side, but if one strays too far the second shot from deep rough becomes very difficult.

If you hit a good drive, say 250 yards in the fairway, then you are left with an uphill second shot of about 175 yards to a green you can't see because of the elevation change. But the shot to a narrow and deep green plays more like 185 or 190 yards. The front of the green is protected by three bunkers with just a small little alley available to shoot through between the traps.

Oldgolfdawg would take aim at the flag and just hope to hit the ball solidly enough to carry the three traps in front. Anything on the green was considered a good shot because of how narrow it was. But being on in regulation was no guarantee of success. The green, which is some 35 yards deep, is basically sloped from back to front but has enough undulations to make 80 percent of the first putts very difficult and often scary.

The Players Club, which measures 7,077 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 132 and a 74.2 USGA rating, is well represented in the Elegant Eighteen with three holes earning the distinction. From the white tees, where Oldgolfdawg hangs out, The Players Club still measures 6,705 yards and has a slope rating of 128 and a 72.4 USGA rating.

http://www.foxfiregolfclub.com/

Here's a rundown of the Elegant Eighteen, which is always open to revision when a need is identified:

No. 1: The second hole at Royal American Links, a 324-yard par 4 with a demanding second shot.
No. 2: The seventh hole at Chapel Hill Golf Course, a 411-yard par 4 that can easily become a trail of tears.
No. 3: No. 13 at Champions, a 394-yard par 4 with an intimidating tee shot.
No 4: No. 14 at The Players Club at Foxfire, a tight 547-yard par 5 requiring three well-placed shots to reach a well-protected green.
No. 5: The seventh hole at Deer Ridge Golf Club, a 156-yard par 3 requiring an accurate uphill tee shot and a steely putting stroke.
No. 6: No. 10 at Eagle Sticks Golf Club, a 193-yard par 3 with a demanding tee shot from an elevated tee box.
No. 7: No. 12 at Darby Creek, a 411-yard par 4 that includes a touch of Augusta.
No. 8: No. 12 at New Albany Links, a 406-yard par 4 best seen in one's rearview mirror.
No. 9: The fifth hole at Bent Tree Golf Club, a 412-yard par 4 that asks the question: "Am I feeling lucky."
No. 10: No. 18 at Cooks Creek, a 474-yard par 4 that makes finishing strong a tall order.
No. 11: No. 17 at Turnberry Golf Course, a 384-yard par 4 with a flashing yellow traffic light.
No. 12: No. 11 at The Players Club at Foxfire, a 165-yard par 3 that always delivers an anxious moment.
No. 13: No. 12 at Cumberland Trail, a 529-yard par 5 requiring a well-placed tee shot.
No. 14: The third hole at Blackhawk Golf Club, a 431-yard par 4 requiring a well-struck shot from a downhill lie.
No. 15: No. 11 at Chapel Hill, a 399-yard par 4 that makes one want to muscle the second shot even when they know it's a bad idea.
No. 16: The fourth hole at Indian Springs Golf Club, a 432-yard par 4 that doesn't need any tricks to trip you up.
No. 17: The fifth hole at East Golf Club, a 155-yard par 3 protected by water and a devilish green.
No. 18: No. 16 at The Players Club at Foxfire, a 426-yard uphill par 4 with a blind second shot to a narrow and dangerous green.

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WOODS UPDATE: Tiger Woods posted on his website yesterday that he has added the British Open to his summer schedule. He has a chance to become the first player in the 150-year history of the British Open to win three times at St. Andrews, where golf's oldest championship will be held July 15-18. His two previous titles on the Old Course came in 2000 and 2005.

Woods, who withdrew from the final round of The Players Championship on May 9 with a neck injury, also has the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach and the AT&T National at Aronimink on his schedule. He has not yet entered Jack Nicklaus' Memorial tournament, where he is the defending champion.

Information from the Associated Press contributed to this post.