Ian Poulter will be hoping for some home field advantage this week at the British Masters. Our tournament host has been a member at Woburn Golf Club for 12 years and finished runner-up to Justin Rose the last time the event was here in 2002. Ahead of the return of the British Masters, the 12-time European Tour winner talked us through the five keys holes on the course.
2nd hole - 482 yard par four
"The second plays as a par five for members but has been turned into a testing par four for the tournament. the ideal drive is a draw around the right-to-left dogleg. The ground slopes right to left too, so the ball should run on landing. The bunker in the hollow short and left of the green will see a lot of play when the flag is on the left of the green.”
7th hole - 538 yard par five
“The split fairway gives players the option of taking the safe route up the left and a fairly straightforward par. Otherwise, players can gamble on the right hand fairway and try to reach the green in two. However this leaves a long shot to the tricky raised green protected by bunkers left and right.”
9th hole - 473 yard par four
“Long hitters need to beware of running through this fairway and into the gully beyond. Any tee shot hit down the left can leave players needing to try and hit over or around a huge tree about 60 yards short of the green. The second is played downhill over the gully to a green that angles from left to right. The two greenside bunkers to the right and below the green are to be avoided at all costs.”
12th hole - 303 yard par four
“This par three won’t play its full length since the green lies well below the tee. It’s a two-level green and a fairly straightforward par when the flag is on the right. It’s not as simple when the flag is in the back
18th hole - 459 yard par four
“The drive needs to be played up the right of this strong finishing hole to offer the best approach into the green. Tee shots that miss the fairway left bring trees into play and a bunker about 310 yards away. This is the longest green on the course at nearly 40 yards, and it can be a three/four club difference depending on where the flag is. A spine runs through the middle of the green, and the back portion slopes away to the right. Birdies will be hard to make when the flag is at the back of the green."
