From the Gauntlet, to the Bear Trap, to the Green Mile, some of the most daunting closing holes in the game of golf have earned nicknames foretelling the challenge that lie on the course’s final stretch.
This week, the Evian Puzzle awaits players at the Evian Resort Golf Club in Evian-les-Bains, France. Players will need to successfully navigate the nicknamed stretch of holes made up of the par 5 15th, par 3 16th, par 4 17th and par 4 18th holes. Since the course underwent a total renovation in 2013, the last two winners of the Evian Championship played these final four holes in a cumulative 1-under par in their final rounds, evidence to the difficulty these holes present.
A new tee has been added this year to the 442 yard, 18th hole says LPGA Director of Rules and Competition Marty Robinson. Additionally, the par 3, 14th hole has been lengthened to 221 yards and the green at the par 4, 12th has been extended as well. The changes are just the latest in a series of ongoing updates and renovations that have been made to the course since it’s founding in the early 1900’s. One of the oldest courses in France, the Evian Resort Golf Club sits above Lake Geneva, amid the Alps, presenting incredible breathtaking views for golfers and spectators.
The course has played host to this event since its inception in 1994 and held annually in September. This year’s championship will play to 6,471 yards with a par 71 that includes three par 3’s on the front nine, including the signature fifth hole with an island green, which will play the longest of the course’s five par 3’s. Robinson tells LPGA.com the rough will be approximately three inches in height this week with a mix of fescue and bluegrass and greens running at approximately 11.7 on the stimpmeter.
Overall, Robinson says course conditions are good considering very hot and dry weather conditions recently, including water restrictions in the area.