Senior Classic at Mesa Verde : How To Play Mesa Verde

The Mesa Verde Country Club, a traditional, tree-lined layout that opened in 1959, has played host to both PGA and LPGA events, the last one the Uniden LPGA Invitational in 1986. This will be the first Senior tour event on the course. A hole-by-hole round (par 70, 6,307 yards):

No. 1 (Front nine)

* Par 4

** 424 yards

Long straight drive over water leaves long iron to heavily contoured green. Drive right can end up in water almost hidden from elevated tee. Approach from left.

No. 2 (Front nine)

* Par 5

** 552 yards

Starts with easy drive, but second shot must top hill to offer a reasonable birdie chance. Bunker at left visited frequently because of water on green’s right.

No. 3 (Front nine)

* Par 3

** 134 yards

Should be easiest par 3, with largest green. Pin placement critical, offering difficult two-putt to those who play it safe. Poor shot can end up in lake or huge bunker in front of green.

No. 4 (Front nine)

* Par 5

** 550 yards

Could be toughest par 5. Elevated tee points to right rough and palm trees. Long accurate drive requires long accurate second shot. Lake guards left side of fairway near large green. With wind, can be difficult green to reach.

No. 5 (Front nine)

* Par 4

** 419 yards

Cut too close to left side of fairway on slight dogleg, find a lake. Go right, and there’s a bunker. Long, well-placed drive leaves six or seven iron to green, which slopes away from fairway and is masked by large bunker.

No. 6 (Front nine)

* Par 4

** 367 yards

Players often must play green from a side-hill lie, because fairway is in small valley. Green-side bunker makes elevated green appear closer than it is, so approach shots can be misjudged.

No. 7 (Front nine)

* Par 3

** 176 yards

Hole requires middle to long iron shot to narrowest green on course. Might be most difficult par 3. Green protected by left and right traps, out-of-bounds in back.

No. 8 (Front nine)

* Par 4

** 405 yards

Dogleg right hindered by prevailing crosswinds over player’s left shoulder, out-of-bounds to right. Club selection critical, since shot over green means pitch back over a giant slope.

Signature Hole: No. 9 (Front nine)

* Par 3

** 175 yards

Because of changing winds, difference of three clubs not uncommon from morning to afternoon on club’s signature hole. Water stretches across front of hole and paralleling green on right side.

No. 10 (Back nine)

* Par 5

*** 468 yards

Play drive as near as possible to left fairway bunker so trees at right corner of dogleg do not cut off approach to green. Left side of green better for approach; right side screened by huge bunker.

No. 11 (Back nine)

* Par 4

*** 372 yards

Green elevated and not receptive to long, low iron approachs. Shots must be hit from right side of fairway. Not putting from correct tier makes three-putt good possibility.

No. 12 (Back nine)

* Par 3

*** 169 yards

Prevailing winds can cause trouble. Use enough club to compensate but still avoid bunkers in front, alongside and in back of small green with subtle breaks; it’s difficult to one-putt.

No. 13 (Back nine)

* Par 5

*** 505 yards

Birdie good possibility. You’ll be rewarded with good drive coupled with a long, straight second shot. The catch: tee shot landing off narrow, tree-lined fairway will cause any player problems.

No. 14 (Back nine)

* Par 4

*** 453 yards

Every shot must be controlled, played precisely to avoid bogey. Most desirable route: down left side of fairway bordered by rough, trees and out-of-bounds. Small green tests bunker skills, putting.

No. 15 (Back nine)

* Par 3

*** 171 yards

An unknown: temporary hole will play as par 4 in future. Might play tougher as par 3; pin placement could force shot over bunker to small landing area on two-level green. Miss spot and three-putt is good possibility.

No. 16 (Back nine)

* Par 3

*** 203 yards

Prevailing winds, generally over player’s left shoulder, cause even well-hit ball to drift to right. Trees guard right side of large green, which is also bunkered on left.

No. 17 (Back nine)

* Par 4

*** 406 yards

Bogey-producer has seemingly wide, inviting fairway, but it’s hard to hit. Strategically placed trees and small fairway bunker catch errant shots. Green, guarded by three huge bunkers, slopes left and right from center.

No. 18 (Back nine)

* Par 4

*** 390 yards

Drive between trees must avoid water on left and trees and heavy rough on right. Approach must carry to green to avoid lake in front. Three- and four-putts not uncommon on extremely fast, sloping green.

*: Par: 35

**: Total Yards (Front nine): 3,202

***: Total Yards (Back nine): 3,105

Toshiba Senior Classic of Orange County

Host Club: Mesa Verde, 3000 Club House Road, Costa Mesa

Schedule: Tournament Pro-Am: Today

Three rounds: Friday-Sunday

Total purse: $800,000

Format: 54 holes

Tickets: Today, $10; Friday, Saturday or Sunday, $15. To charge tickets, call (714) 254-3060

Information: (714) 254-3050

Description provided by Mesa Verde professional Art Schilling.