Hole 14 at Mammoth Dunes

Hole 14 at Mammoth Dunes rewards a well-thought-out tee shot over a purely aggressive one. Off the tee, favor a club that keeps you in play rather than chasing extra distance—a 3-wood or hybrid is often the smarter choice here, positioning you in the fairway with a clean look at the green rather than forcing a driver into trouble. Accuracy trumps raw length on this hole, so pick a target line and commit to it.

Your approach shot should be played with respect for the medium-sized green, which doesn't offer a lot of margin for error on shots that are struck a touch heavy or thin. Take one more club than you think if you're between distances, ensuring you're not coming up short into any greenside trouble, and aim for the center of the green rather than firing directly at tucked pin positions.

Around the green, be ready to get creative—a bump-and-run with a 7- or 8-iron is often more reliable than a high, soft flop shot, especially if the surrounds are firm. Trust the ground game when the lie allows it.

What to avoid: don't let the tee shot tempt you into over-swinging for extra yardage, and steer clear of short-siding yourself on the approach—leaving a longer, more straightforward chip is far better than a tricky recovery from a bad angle. Patience and precision are the keys to scoring well on Hole 14.