How to Play the JCB Golf Course

Tackling the JCB Golf &, Country Club is one of the most thrilling and demanding challenges in modern golf. This is not a course you can overpower with brute strength, it requires thought, precision, and a solid game plan from the first tee to the final putt. I'm here to give you that plan. We’ll walk through a clear strategy, from managing the dramatic opening holes to conquering the iconic island green on 17, so you can arrive prepared and ready to play your best.

General Course Strategy: Thinking Your Way Around JCB

Before you even step on the first tee, it’s vital to understand the character of the JCB course. Think of it as a modern inland-links masterpiece. It’s dramatic, visually stunning, and will punish shots that are even slightly off-line. Brute force will rarely be rewarded here, this course is a chess match, and every move (or shot) needs to be planned.

Here are the core principles for a successful round:

• Position Over Power: The fairways might look generous on some holes, but designer Robin Hiseman has strategically placed immense bunkers and water hazards precisely where stray drives end up. From the tee, your primary goal should almost always be to find the correct side of the fairway to open up the best angle for your approach shot. Don't be tempted by the high-risk hero shot when a fairway wood or long iron leaves you in a perfect position.
• Respect the Wind: As an open, links-style design, wind is a massive factor at JCB. It can swirl, change direction, and make a 150-yard shot feel like 170. Check the forecast before you play and pay attention to how the wind affects your ball flight on the range. The golden rule here is: "When it's breezy, swing easy." A smooth, controlled 80% swing will give you a much more piercing ball flight than trying to smash it.
• Club Up More Than You Think: Many of the greens at JCB are elevated and well-defended. All a player ever sees is the trouble short of the green, making it easy to subconsciously take less club to avoid it. This is a mistake. More often than not, the smartest play is to take one extra club. Being at the back of the green putting back towards the flag is a far better outcome than being short-sided in a deep bunker or a water hazard.
• Master Lag Putting: The greens are enormous and feature dramatic undulations. They are some of the purest surfaces you'll ever putt on, but that also means they are fast. Your goal on long putts should not be to make them, but to leave yourself with a simple, three-foot tap-in. Spend some time on the practice green before your round rolling 40- and 50-foot putts to get a feel for the speed. This will save you countless strokes.

The Front Nine: An Unforgiving Welcome

The course grabs your attention immediately. There is no gentle handshake here, you are thrown straight into the fire. Surviving the opening stretch with your scorecard intact is a huge win and sets you up for the rest of the round.

Holes 1-3: Navigating the Opening Gauntlet

The first three holes are a perfect microcosm of the JCB experience: a long par 4, a reachable par 5, and a treacherous par 3. Stay patient and play conservatively.

• Hole 1 (Par 4): Standing on the first tee, the scale of JCB hits you. The fairway is wide, but trouble lurks on both sides. The key is the second shot to a green defended by bunkers. My advice is to favor the left-center of the fairway with your tee shot. This gives you the best angle to attack a pin on either side of the green. Play your approach to the heart of the green, ignore the flag, and walk away with a par.
• Hole 2 (Par 5): Here's your first major strategic decision. This hole is reachable in two for long hitters, but it requires threading the needle between various hazards. For most golfers, playing this as a three-shot hole is the significantly smarter option. Your layup shot is the most important one. Pick a yardage you love - your go-to 100-yard wedge, for example - and play to that exact number. This converts a dangerous risk-reward hole into a simple full wedge and a great chance at birdie.
• Hole 3 (Par 3): Your first introduction to JCB's demanding par-3s. Framed by classic pot bunkers, this hole feels like it belongs on a Scottish coast. Club selection is everything. Check the wind and remember the principle of taking one extra club. A shot that finishes on the back fringe is a success. Missing the green here will lead to a very difficult up-and-down.

Holes 4-9: Finding Your Rhythm

Once you’re through the opening holes, this middle stretch of the front nine is where you can find a rhythm and potentially score. The challenges are still there, but smart golf is rewarded.

Hole 5 is a tough par 4 that demands a precise tee shot. The fairway bunkers on the right are to be avoided at all costs. An ideal tee shot hugs the left side, opening up the green. As you round out the nine, you'll face Hole 9, a brilliant par 4 that brings you back to the clubhouse. The approach shot is often played over Sedge Brook to a well-protected green. You are being primed for the drama of the back nine, so make sure your approach finds the putting surface.

The Back Nine: Where Legends (and Scores) are Made

If the front nine was an examination, the back nine is the final thesis. It's more dramatic, features more elevation changes, and presents some of the most memorable holes in English golf. The amentity loop from 11-13 is a real highlight.

Holes 10-16: The Strategic Gauntlet

This stretch requires your full attention. My favorite hole is the 11th, a jaw-dropping par 3 that plays entirely downhill over a lake to a green carved into the old quarry. It's beautiful but deadly. Note that a downhill shot plays shorter than the yardage, but wind can easily knock the ball down. Trust the number, pick your club, and make a committed swing - this isn't the place for doubt. Hole 13 is another great par 4, where a tee shot positioned on the right half of the fairway leaves you a much more straightforward approach. The holes keep testing your resolve and decision-making right up until you reach the grand finale.

The Grand Finale: Mastering Holes 17 and 18

You’ve navigated thirteen acres of sand, acres of water, and countless challenging shots to get here. The day finishes with two of the most spectacular holes you will ever play. This is where your round will be remembered.

Hole 17: Conquering the Island Green (Par 3)

The 17th at JCB is the star of the show. It's an homage to the famous 17th at TPC Sawgrass, but built on the grand JCB scale. Standing on the tee, all you see is a small target and a lot of water. It’s a shot designed to make your pulse race.

As your coach, here is how you play it:

1. Forget the Pin Location: I don't care if the flag is tucked in the back right or cut close to the front edge. Your target is one place and one place only: the dead center of the green.
2. Club Up and Be Confident: It might only be a short iron, but the wise play is to take one more club than you think you need. The green is 25 yards deep. Playing from the back fringe or even the rear bunker is infinitely better than watching your ball sink to the bottom of the lake. Trust me on this.
3. Commit 100%: Pick your target, pick your club, take one last deep breath to calm the nerves, and make your most confident, balanced swing of the day. Indecision is what causes shots to go short and right into the water. Commit to it. Seeing your ball land safely on that green is one of the best feelings in golf.

Hole 18: The Epic Finishing Hole (Par 5)

Your work isn't done. The 18th is a fantastic and challenging finishing par 5 that doglegs around a huge lake on the right. A great score can be cemented here, or a good round can unravel.

Your three-shot strategy should be:

1. The Tee Shot: Aim down the left side. Don't even flirt with the water on the right. Taking it out of play gives you a clear fairway to work with and removes the biggest potential for disaster.
2. The Layup: This is the shot that defines the hole. You need to lay up to a comfortable full wedge distance for your approach. Be precise. Trying to get every last yard is foolish, it only brings the extensive bunkering into play. Lay up to a number you’re comfortable with, and you'll have a green light for your third.
3. The Approach: You'll be hitting into a multi-tiered green. Before you hit, know exactly which level the pin is on. Landing on the correct tier is crucial for giving yourself a good look at a closing birdie or a stress-free par. An aggressive, thoughtless approach is how you walk off with a double bogey.

Finish with a balanced swing, watch it fly, and enjoy the walk up to the green with the stunning clubhouse in the background. You’ve earned it.

Final Thoughts

Tackling the JCB Golf &, Country Club is a test of both skill and strategy. By planning your shots, respecting the trouble, and executing with commitment - especially on statement holes like 17 and 18 - you give yourself the best possible chance to navigate this modern masterpiece successfully and have a truly memorable day.

On a course rewarding this level of strategy, having a clear game plan is the difference-maker. When we created Caddie AI, we did it for challenges just like this. Instead of trying to figure out a complex course on the fly, you can get a simple, smart strategy for any hole before you play it. If you find yourself in a tricky situation, like a tough lie in those deep bunkers, you can even snap a photo of your ball to get instant, expert advice on the best way to play the shot. Our whole goal is to take the guesswork out of course management, allowing you to play with more confidence and clarity.