We consulted Roger King, PGA head golf professional at Sugarbush and 2018 Vermont PGA Player of the Year, to share his thoughts on holes twelve to fourteen—the trickiest stretch the resort’s course has to offer. Here’s what he said . . .
HOLE 12: “The most important shot that can derail your great round would be the approach to the twelfth hole. A ball dunked into the water is the fastest way to add strokes and ruin your momentum. Play to your comfort level. If you reach the green easily, then aim away from the water toward the green’s center; if you are uncomfortable with this shot, choose a club that will stay short of the water, and then hit your next—much shorter—shot onto the green. From there, two-putt and move on.”
HOLE 13: “The most benign hole of the three-hole stretch—but still, play with caution. Off the tee, choose a club that will be hit straight at the 150-yard stake. From there, the uphill shot should be hit toward the center of the green and with a club that will not go long. A chip from above this pin is next to impossible to stop. Take your par and run to the fourteenth tee.”
HOLE 14: “If you are brave, take the aggressive line down the left tree line with a slight draw. The ball will catch the slope and leave you a short iron into the green for a chance at eagle. But don’t pull it, or hit it straight, because the ball will end up in Sugarbush’s famous woods. If your game plan is conservative, then aim a 180- yard club into the middle of the fairway, lay up with your second shot, and let your wedges do the talking. This is the ultimate risk-and-reward golf hole.”