A little prayer is needed at Amen Corner

Andrew Landeros

Nearly every golf course in the world has a stretch of tough holes

that makes a player work to earn pars. The Scholl Canyon Golf Course is

no different.

As Augusta National Golf Course in Augusta, Ga. -- site of the Masters

professional golf tournament -- has its Amen Corner, so does Scholl

Canyon. And though the members might be distinctly insulted with being

compared to Glendale’s treasure in the shadow of Flint Mountain, there

are some similarities.

Besides the slick greens and the pressure of the major title, players

at Augusta have to negotiate the No. 11 through 13 holes.

Set around towering pine trees and azaleas, the holes are beautiful to

walk through but those same trees cause winds to swirl and though a

player may feel the wind going one direction on the tee box, the flag on

the green may indicate different.

The 455-yard, par-four No. 11 hole has a narrow opening through the

trees to the fairway with a green guarded by a pond in the front and a

bunker and Rae’s Creek behind.

The par-three, No. 12 is only 155 yards long but with a steep slope

from the front of the green to Rae’s Creek directly below, shots have to

be accurate.

The hole as has a bunker in front and two behind it framed by more

azaleas. This hole challenges the player’s ability to choose the proper

club and take a confident swing.

Rounding out Amen Corner is the 485-yard, par-five No. 13 hole.

Everything on this hole seems to slant towards Rae 3/8s Creek that

borders the left side of the fairway up until it reaches the green where,

it cuts across the fairway to guard the green. The creek gives longer

hitters a second thought before trying to reach the green in two shots.

Though most players that come out to Scholl Canyon will never have to

worry about contending for a major golf championship, they will need some

of the same skills and nerves that the professionals exhibit on a weekly

basis when they get to holes No. 13 through 15.

After playing a straight forward set of holes on the front nine, the

No. 13 is the first hole that makes player hit across a barranca. The

hole measures 289 yards, but two very well placed shots are called for.

Players usually leave the driver in the bag on this hole as the

fairway -- bordered by brush and hillside on the right and a cart path

and slope on the left is narrow.

The shot to the green is no easy task either, as player have to hit an

uphill-shot and carry a barranca to a small green. Wind can also play a

major role on this hole, as it is the highest point on the course.

The No. 14 hole at Scholl Canyon may not have towering trees and be

surrounded by azaleas, but it requires an accurate confident shot.

Measuring 108 yards, this par-three poses many visual problem.

From the tee, the green seem to be just on the other side of a few

bushes, but players have to make sure they carry their shot to the green

or their ball will take a 50-foot fall to the floor of the Scholl Canyon

Landfill.

In fact, hole plays more like an island green and any errant shot over

or to the right side will be unplayable.

Completing Scholl Canyon’s Amen Corner is the downhill 252-yard,

par-four, No. 15 hole.

Players can reach this green in one shot but as Rae’s Creek put doubts

in the abilities of the professionals in the Masters, a steep, brush

covered hillside on the right side of the fairway can give players a

second thought.

Now sure the great Bobby Jones never said that Scholl Canyon would be

revered by generations to come but you better say your prayers and be

confident with your ball striking abilities before playing Glendale’s own

version of Amen Corner.

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Andrew Landeros is the News-Press sports editor. His golf column

appears Mondays. He can be reached at 637-3226.