Don’t be fooled by the distance — this short hole demands full attention. With mature trees guarding the left and a railway line tight to the right, finding the fairway is essential. The bold will take the tiger line, hugging the right edge for the best angle into a narrow, well-defended green. It’s classic risk-and-reward: hesitation is punished, precision is rewarded.
The deception lies in a large yet narrow green that slopes steeply from back to front and right to left. A timid shot landing short will often roll off the front and down the slope into a fiddly recovery. The smart play is middle-of-green — especially to a front pin — and let the slope feed the ball forward. Too firm or pulled left and you’ll trickle off to the low side, leaving a tough up-and-down.
For many, Carnalea’s opener is a rite of passage. Winds off Belfast Lough can swirl around the green, adding a layer of subtlety that the card doesn’t show. First-timers quickly learn that bold, committed golf is rewarded; anything less tends to find trouble.