THE WEST COURSE HOLE BY HOLE STRATEGY DESCRIPTION PAR: 72 METRES : 6372

The West Course at TPC Kuala Lumpur was first constructed in 1991 but underwent a complete redesign from 2007 to 2008. Subsequently in 2018, the West Course was upgraded where “TifEagle” Bermuda grass was used for all the greens and “Celebration” Bermuda on all tee boxes and fairways. Located in Bukit Kiara, it is a true tournament course that features strategically positioned bunkers and water hazards, while undulating greens pose great putting challenges to golfers.

HOLE 1, 367M, PAR 4 The optimum tee shot is to fade a drive uphill, short of the left fairway bunkers, to the flat area of fairway and avoiding the right fairway bunker. This leaves a short iron to a gently undulating green which will reward accurate approach shots with relatively simple putts. Bunkers in front of and behind the green demand good club selection and closely mown run-offs guard the front hole locations both left and right of the front bunkers.

HOLE 2, 406M, PAR 4 The relatively wide fairway is split by a steep slope extending from a central fairway bunker, dividing the left and right sections of the fairway. Long hitters will likely opt for a 3W if playing to the lower left section of the fairway, to avoid running into the water on the left. If attacking is an option, a driver to the upper right section of fairway must not veer left or the slope will kick the ball left to the lake. The long, narrow green will require careful club selection, or a difficult long putt or recovery shot will be faced. The back-left hole location is best attacked with a short as possible iron.

HOLE 3, 460M, PAR 5 A powerful drive to the right of the fairway to avoid the bunkers in the centre of the fairway gives long hitters the chance of reaching this green in two. However, if tee shots find a bunker, a good blast out and a difficult mid-iron approach are required to get on. The green side is well bunkered and back left and right hole locations will test the players on this steeply pitched, undulating green.

HOLE 4, 128M, PAR 3 The layout’s shortest hole nevertheless requires careful club selection and precise shot-making as the green is shallow from front to back, and a tier divides the left and right portions of the green. Short and below the hole is advisable in most every instance, though two deep bunkers and steep run-offs guard the front of the green.

HOLE 5, 474M, PAR 5 This hole will yield potential eagles and birdies if players can produce long and accurate drives to find the “go zone”, between or past the fairway bunkers, to attack the green in two. The long three- tiered green is well protected by a pond that guards the front and right, while a long bunker to the left will require delicate recovery shots with the lake beyond. Approach shots should land below the hole and on the correct tier if a realistic birdie attempt is to be made. Long putts will be difficult on this large green that slopes severely from back to front, especially downhill to hole locations placed just over the water.

HOLE 6, 384M, PAR 4 Playing a tee shot to the left of the bunker that narrows the fairway and as long as you dare is the optimum position when approaching this elevated green. The green has a bunker and steep run- off at the front making front hole locations challenging. The bunker left of the green and undulations present an array of challenging hole locations where long putts will be challenging.

HOLE 7, 353M, PAR 4 Only the power hitters will attempt to carry the left bunkers, with the reward for a long accurate drive being a shorter, relatively easy pitch shot to the now easily visible green. However, a bunker right and a slope to the left narrow the fairway significantly. Playing to the fairway right of the first bunker will leave a shorter approach shot but the pond to the right awaits wayward shots. The conservative play is to lay up short of the fairway bunkers, from where a mid to short iron is left to the green. A large deep front bunker is not always visible from the fairway so trusting your yardage is critical. Difficult hole locations are at the back left and right, where missing the green will leave difficult recovery shots.

HOLE 8, 186M, PAR 3 A mid to long iron shot is required here, preferably below the hole, allowing for aggression with birdie putts. The left half of the green is well protected by a large front bunker, a pot bunker at the back and a steep run-off to the left. The right half of the putting surface offers easier access, though the back right section slopes away from the tee, meaning a well struck shot with some spin is required to avoid the long run-off at the back.

HOLE 9, 369M, PAR 4 A tee shot from elevated tees of approximately 240m offers a wide landing area, just short of the left fairway bunker, leaving an approach with a mid to short- iron. Going with driver for most players requires great accuracy as the fairway narrows between the pond on the right and the fairway bunker and Pulai trees strategically positioned to the left. The perfect long drive will be rewarded with a relatively simple pitch shot remaining. The green is gently undulating and will reward accurate approach shots. The front hole location is well guarded with deep bunkers left and right and the false front could carry the ball far back down the slope. Any balls veering right of the green down the steep slope will face a difficult recovery from far below the green.

HOLE 10, 493M, PAR 5 Longer hitters must be accurate with the drive as the fairway narrows significantly between the lake on the right and bunkers on the left. Bailout drives played away from the water finding the left rough are difficult to negotiate thanks to thick grass and the ball below one’s feet with overhanging tree limbs. Cross bunkers 40m short of the green should be avoided and suggest a lay-up for the second shot is the safe play. Deep front-left bunkers and a false-front guard the front section of the green, while the back-left section is difficult to reach with run-offs to the left.

*HOLE 11, 207M, PAR 3 A demanding long par 3 over water all the way to the green although there is a bail-out fairway to the left of the green. The very undulating green makes long putts and recovery shots difficult. Front hole locations have the water to contend with while bunkers to the right and at the back await shots going overly long or right. The right half of the green has three tiers with the upper back hole location being extremely tough to get to.

*HOLE 12, 438M, PAR 4 A long downhill hole for amateurs who cannot carry the bunkers that narrow the fairway. The conservative play is to lay-up short of the bunkers where an elevated view of the green and a long iron or hybrid is required to reach the green. Shorter hitters or those missing the fairway are advised to lay-up again short of the pond or to the narrow fairway to the right. The green is elevated with closely mown slopes to the pond and back to the fairway surrounding the front hole location meaning approach shots are best not left short. The right hole location is between bunkers short and back and the back section is guarded by a bunker to the right.

*HOLE 13, 420M, PAR 4 A long uphill hole where length and accuracy are required with the uphill tee shot before a solid mid to long iron is needed to reach the elevated green. The right side of the fairway is preferred as deep bunkers guard the left of the green, angled so that approaches from the left must carry them. The green has three tiers making approach club selection very important, as long putts, especially downhill, will be challenging.

HOLE 14, 327M, PAR 4 This short par 4 has a lake guarding the fairway on the left and also in front of the entire putting surface. Strategically positioned bunkers are situated along the right side of the fairway making golfers choose their strategy off the tee. The conservative drive is a long iron or hybrid to the fairway between the first three bunkers, which will leave around 110 metres to the green. A small “valley of sin” will catch shots coming up too far right and make recovery shots difficult to an undulating green with multiple tiers and levels. Front hole locations over the water are to be treated with respect but bunkers behind the green will catch the overly conservative shots away from the lake.

HOLE 15, 182M, PAR 3 A long par 3 over water to a wide green with a ridge that separates left and right halves. The bail- out area to the front-right of the green is a popular spot but recovery putts or chips from here to left hole locations up and over the ridge are very challenging. The left side of the green is well guarded by bunkers and a steep run-off to the front and deep bunkers to the left.

HOLE 16, 291M, PAR 4 A risk versus reward decision will make or break a player’s score on this driveable par 4. Most players are expected to opt for a “smart” tee shot to land between the first lakeside bunker and the first bunker on the right of the fairway. This leaves a firm wedge shot to a gently undulating green where short putts are relatively simple. Attempts to drive the green will need to carry the water all the way to the green or to a receptive fairway approach that tempts a running shot into the green entrance. Attacking shots that have bailed out to the right, away from the water, will have difficult recovery shots over a small greenside bunker to a green that slopes towards the pond beyond. All hole locations along the right edge adjacent to the lake should be approached with caution and the back-left hole location which slopes away from the fairway to a run-off collection area requires perfect distance control.

HOLE 17, 307M, PAR 4 The fairway of this short par 4 is split by a meandering stream and provides two avenues of play. If the hole location is back right, the left fairway is the preferred line of attack but a long and accurate drive is necessary to carry the stream and to avoid the left bunkers. The conservative play is a long iron or fairway metal up the narrow right fairway, though shots too far right avoiding the stream will be blocked by the palm trees. Right hole locations are located above a closely mown slope down to the stream, so distance control on the approach shot is critical. Several tiers within this large green will make long putts demanding.

*HOLE 18, 580M, PAR 5 For all but the longest of hitters this is a three-shot par 5. A long and accurate drive left or right of the staggered bunkers is essential if your mind is set on attack. If the green is not reachable, careful course management is needed to lay-up, avoiding the four strategically positioned bunkers, and leave your preferred length of approach shot. A false front and bunkers left and right guard the front hole locations of this large and gently undulating green. The back of the green is separated by a ridge line making cross putts difficult, and the far back-right Sunday hole location is also guarded by a small bunker in-front and right.

*SIGNATURE HOLE