Difference between Best and Favorite

#2 is an incredibly strategic and also very difficult golf course. I was torn between 5.5 and 6 but went with a 5.5 as it is not something that I would want to play over and over nor retire to. It is a top 100 course in the world so you could make a case for the 6. I have and will continue to play it every time that I am in the area. However, it is a brute/grind which makes it a course that I would not want to play every day. More than anything, #2 is a test of patience. I discovered, the first time that I was there, that if I land just short of the green, then I can count on putting/chipping to "Score". I am a 10 handicap and shot in the 30s on the back nine using this strategy as well as the front nine on my second trip. I lost patience and didn't enjoy grinding over and over so I went with trying to hit the greens which resulted in me getting beat up significantly. The problem with this is that I don't enjoy a course that forces me to play defense the whole time. The difficulty comes into play if you miss left or right of the green-getting up and down from there, especially short siding your self, is no easy proposition. That, for me, summarizes #2-unless you are a serious stick, you will not be playing aggressive approach shots.

The routing is fantastic. Ross spent decades changing some things about this course, but not the routing. You are constantly changing direction so wind effect is at a premium. There is variety in the length of the holes. Not sure if there is a drivable one here, but definitely some in the drive/pitch category. Of course, there are some holes of serious distance. Considering the lack of elevation change, it is amazing that Ross took advantage of what little there is. He also showed that width/angles can make a course very interesting.

The strategy, beside playing it extremely safe on approach shots, comes in the form of driving to the correct side of the fairway. Greens open up from one side and are much easier to get the ball on than on the other side. An example is the par 5 5th. You want to be on the right side of the fairway for your approach as the green opens up that way. If on the left side, you have a bunker to negotiate, the hill will repel approaches and upon landing, the ball will slope away from many hole locations. It is like this on every par 4 and par 5. A strategic masterpiece but recovery is most difficult. There are also places to miss and not miss on the par 3s.

The greens-yes they repel nothing less than a very good to great shot. Yes, there are a lot of them and I guess that for some people it is too much of the same type of green. They are not only turtleback, but there are ridges in the greens themselves which reduce the target areas even more for your landing. One of the exceptions to this is the two tier par 3 9th-for this reason it is probably my favorite par 3 on the course. Still difficult but appreciated the different green type. Off the greens, you can putt, bump/run or try aerial-love the variety from the these green sites. It reminded me of heathland golf and with the sand based soils in the area, there are many common shots/strategies, etc. as a heathland/sandbelt course.