Florian Praegant talks us through his home course, GC Klagenfurt-Seltenheim, ahead of this week’s Kärnten Golf Open presented by Mazda.
Hole 1, par 4, 349 yards
“This is a short par four where I would hit a rescue or maybe a three wood from the tee but there’s water on the right side which you can reach with a long three wood. If the wind is helping, some of the guys can reach the green but for me it’s just a rescue and wedge or gap wedge.”
Hole 2, par 5, 625 yards
“A Really long par five. All along the right side is out of bounds. A good drive here will leave you with a three iron lay-up and you’ll still have a wedge or gap wedge into the green. On the left side is water. It’s almost 600 metres so I don’t know if one or two of the guys will reach it in two if the wind is helping and if it’s dry. It’s a risky second shot with the water too though."
Hole 3, par 4, 438 yards
“This is a good par four. The left side is all water and on the right there’s out of bounds and it’s a little dogleg left. You can shorten it with a drive over the water, then it would be a drive and wedge or nine iron but I tend to play a driver and seven iron. It’s a good hole. If you drive too far right it’ll be very long and there’s some bad rough there before the OB.”
Hole 4, par 3, 232 yards
“This is quite a long par three. It’s not an easy green so if you play from the back tee it’s a four or three iron or even a rescue. If the pin is at the back and into the wind it could be a three wood so a par here is a good score.”
Hole 5, par 4, 332 yards
“A good birdie chance here. You can reach the green with driver but still, on the right side of the green and short there’s water so if you miss it a little right you’ll go straight in. It’s usually a two iron or rescue from the tee and a little pitch in. If you hit the fairway it should be relatively easy.”
Hole 6, par 4, 470 yards
“This is another nice par four, a dogleg left with water on the left side. Again you can shorten the hole if you clear the water. On the right there is rough and some fairway bunkers and if you’re not great from the tee you have a long iron from the fairway. There’s a green bunker in front so if you get a good drive away it’s an eight or a seven iron in.”
Hole 7, par 5, 547 yards
“A nice par five which is reachable so I think a few guys - the really long hitters - hit an eight iron second shot if the wind is helping. I usually hit driver, three wood or driver, rescue. It’s straight and there are some fairway bunkers on the right and the green is protected on the right by water. On the left short and middle short there’s also a green bunker. Just don’t hit short right and you’ll be OK.”
Hole 8, par 3, 165 yards
“This is quite a nice par three, maybe a nine to seven iron. It’s a very slopey green, it looks like three elephants! There are three big bumps and depends where the pin is, but you can have some interesting putts in there and it’s an island green so it’s beautiful."
Hole 9, par 4, 439 yards
“All along the left side from the fairway to the green there is water and there’s nothing on the right. Depending on how the rough is, if you hit it right it’s tough to get there because it can be thick. It’s a three wood or driver from the tee and an eight or seven iron in.”
Hole 10, par 4, 397 yards
“A short par four and a birdie chance. It’s a dogleg left but not much. There’s out of bounds on the right and if you keep it just right edge of the fairway with a fade it’s perfect, then you’ll have a wedge or gap wedge in.”
Hole 11, par 3, 184 yards
“Another par three and you should be making it onto the big green, although there is a bunker short right. If the flag is right it’s a little fade in and you’ll get off the green with two putts.”
Hole 12, par 4, 456 yards
“This is a long par four and on the left side here is out of bounds. It’s quite straight, maybe a little dogleg left but not much. If you miss the drive you could have a long iron in. It’s a good hole, on the right there are some little hills and for me it’s a driver and a six or five iron and with a good drive a little less. You have to watch out though, out of bounds is quite close to the fairway.”
Hole 13, par 4, 375 yards
“This is a short par four again. Out of bounds is on the right but on the left there’s nothing. There can be some nice pin positions here where it’s hard to get close from the rough but if the flag is at the front it’s a driver, sand wedge.”
Hole 14, par 5, 533 yards
“Along the left is out of bounds on this dogleg right. From the tee along the right there’s water. If you hit it right edge of the fairway it’s perfect, maybe if you can get a little closer to the water and get over, then you’ll have a four iron in but if you hit it straight with a fade it might be a three wood or rescue into the green. A good birdie chance here.”
Hole 15, par 3, 184 yards
“A nice par three with a big green. It’s probably a seven or six iron in and this shouldn’t cause any big problems.”
Hole 16, par 4, 298 yards
“A short par four where you can hit it with a three wood onto the green, maybe a driver. There’s water on the right side all the way to the green so a little miss short right and you’re in. There’s a lot of room on the right side but I’d prefer to go for the green with a three wood or driver and if you go a little left you have quite an easy little pitch in. Again, this is a good birdie chance, maybe even eagle."
Hole 17, par 5, 597 yards
“They built a new tee box here so for me there’s no chance of hitting it in two unless the wind is with me. It’s more or less three shots. If you hit just left of the fairway bunker right you’ll be ok. There are no problems there and then you can lay-up. If you get a good drive away you might have a three wood or rescue into the green but don’t hit it short left. There’s room on the right side.”
Hole 18, par 4, 432 yards
“This is a good fun hole where all along the right is water and you can’t miss it right because it’s only five metres of semi-rough and then it’s water. Left side, if you pull it there’s also water. The rough can be really bad too but if you get a good drive away it’s a wedge or nine iron or maybe less. It’s all about the tee shot. It’s a great final hole if you’re under pressure. Some might go for an iron off the tee but then you have a six iron in and the water is up to the green so it’s a nice finish.”
