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Aerial view of a green next to a water hazard at the SentryWorld golf course
Aerial view of a green next to a water hazard at the SentryWorld golf course

SentryWorld golf course tour: Hole by hole with TV golf commentator Mark Rolfing

Throughout SentryWorld’s 18 holes, you’ll experience everything the modern parkland course has to offer, combined with the creativity and boldness co-designers Robert Trent Jones Jr., Bruce Charlton, and Jay Blasi are known for. Every hole features the characteristics that have made SentryWorld renowned in the golf world—playability, versatility, and stunning beauty.

Our good friend Mark Rolfing is no stranger to SentryWorld, having visited when we first opened in the '80s, and more recently as an analyst at the 2023 U.S. Senior Open. Now, he’s sharing his detailed insights on how to approach each hole. Follow along as Mark previews what makes SentryWorld unique and offers advice on tackling its distinctive challenges. Then, click on each hole below for his expert tips, from tee to green.

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Hole 1 | Par 4

459 Championship / 459 Black / 423 Blue / 385 White / 343 Gold / 311 Green

On the opening hole at SentryWorld, the center bunker is a great target. Longer hitters may be able to carry the left bunker to gain a shorter approach onto the green, but anything left of the bunker will lead to a difficult second shot.

Hole 2 | Par 4

533 Championship / 496 Black / 475 Blue / 441 White / 409 Gold / 397 Green

The second hole illustrates SentryWorld’s dynamic course design, requiring a series of straight shots—with trees to the left and water to the right—toward a green set upon a gentle rise with wooded surroundings. The various tee boxes provide options for your first shot, but no matter where you begin, your strength and precision will be rewarded here.

Hole 3 | Par 3

190 Championship / 185 Black / 149 Blue / 130 White / 112 Gold / 95 Green

After two big opening holes, the short par 3 third is a breath of fresh air. The green is well-guarded though, with a bunker short, water long, and a steep fallout to the right of the green. Tee shots landing on the right edge of this green will roll down the slope and end up 5–10 yards off the putting surface, so a good shot to the middle of the green is ideal.

Hole 4 | Par 4

372 Championship / 348 Black / 328 Blue / 299 White / 269 Gold / 236 Green

This short par 4 has one of the narrowest fairways on the golf course, placing a premium on accuracy off the tee. Long hitters may be able to reach the water in front of the green with a driver and possibly consider a shorter club for their tee shot. The green depth is one of the shallowest on the course, making it challenging to hold the green with any approach shot coming out of the rough.

Hole 5 | Par 5

519 Championship / 492 Black / 467 Blue / 425 White / 388 Gold / 362 Green

The par 5 fifth hole is a beautiful cape hole, where golfers can look across the water to see the green left of the island. It’s a classic risk-reward decision on the tee as the further left you aim, the shorter your second shot can be. A great drive offers the opportunity to reach the green in two. If laying up, make sure to hit your ball past the large tree that guards the green from approach shots.

Hole 6 | Par 4

508 Championship / 484 Black / 406 Blue / 376 White / 344 Gold / 306 Green

A stout test from the back tees, this played as the most difficult hole at the 2023 U.S. Senior Open. Golfers who can avoid the two fairway bunkers will still have a challenging approach shot to an elevated green. The right side of the green is a good target for approach shots as it will generally feed the ball from right to left after it lands.

Hole 7 | Par 3

239 Championship / 221 Black / 206 Blue / 168 White / 153 Gold / 116 Green

The longest par 3 on the course features a large green. The right-side bunker here loves to attract errant tee shots, so aiming left of the flag is almost always preferred. A shot over the left front bunker has ample room to land and feed right toward the green.

Hole 8 | Par 4

392 Championship / 385 Black / 339 Blue / 326 White / 294 Gold / 233 Green

This shorter par 4 calls for accuracy over distance on both the tee shot and the approach shot. A good tee just short or right of the left fairway bunker will leave a short iron approach shot onto a well-guarded green. Beware of the fallout to the right of the green. Shots landing along the right edge of the green will roll 10-plus yards away from the elevated green.

Hole 9 | Par 5

501 Championship / 474 Black / 456 Blue / 424 White / 294 Gold / 343 Green

Hole 9 is relatively short by par 5 standards, but has many ways to jump up and bite you if you aren’t careful. Tee shots that find the left fairway over the creek will have an opportunity to consider going for the green in two. If playing this as a 3-shot hole, the left fairway bunker is a good aiming point for layup shots. The green is very shallow from front to back, requiring precise distance control to set up a good birdie or eagle putt.

Hole 10 | Par 5

611 Championship / 611 Black / 566 Blue / 524 White / 482 Gold / 385 Green

The long par 5 10th hole is best played with a tee shot up the left side of the fairway. Even the left rough isn’t a bad place to be, but the right side of this hole is jail. A good second shot is generally somewhere around the left fairway bunker, leaving a short iron approach shot onto a green with a front tier and back tier, surrounded by bunkers.