Ever stand on the tee of a monstrously long par 3, look down the fairway, and see a green that seems to be split in half by a deep trench or valley? If so, you've likely encountered one of golf’s most interesting and demanding architectural features: the Biarritz. This article will show you exactly what a Biarritz hole is, explain its famous swale, and give you a simple, repeatable strategy for playing it, no matter where the flag is located.
A "Biarritz" is a specific type of par-3 hole design famous in classic golf course architecture. Its most recognizable feature is a large green bisected by a deep, pronounced depression, typically called a swale or gully. This creates two distinct tiers on the putting surface: a front section and a back section.
These holes are almost always long, often playing over 200 yards, which immediately asks a challenging question off the tee. The name comes from a hole at the Biarritz Golf Club in France, a template that architect Charles Blair (C.B.) Macdonald famously brought to the United States and used in his legendary designs at courses like The National Golf Links of America and Yale Golf Course. His students, like Seth Raynor and Charles Banks, would go on to duplicate this template at many other classic courses.
The Biarritz is designed to test your long-iron accuracy and your strategic thinking. It presents a puzzle from the tee box: where is the pin, and what is the best way to get there? Answering that question correctly is the difference between a birdie opportunity and a potential double bogey.
The heart and soul of any Biarritz hole is its swale. This isn't just a gentle undulation, it's a significant depression that can be anywhere from three to six feet deep and many yards wide. It effectively splits one gigantic green into two smaller, more manageable targets.
The swale's purpose is to punish a poorly-thought-out or poorly-executed shot. Find yourself in the middle of it, and you're left with one of the most difficult up-and-downs in golf. Why is it so tough?
Simply put, your primary goal on a Biarritz is to avoid being in the swale. How you do that depends entirely on where the daily pin position is located.
When you step onto the tee of a Biarritz, your strategy isn't to just "aim for the flag." It's to aim for a specific section of the green based on the pin location. Here’s a clear, step-by-step game plan you can use every time.
Before you even pull a club, you need to diagnose the situation. Don't rush. Walk to the side of the tee box that gives you the best view and assess these three things:
When the pin is on the front portion of the green, the play is quite direct. Your target is that front tier. You are playing the Biarritz like a traditional, slightly elevated par 3.
Ah, the back pin. This is where the Biarritz hole shows its true architectural genius. Many inexperienced players will immediately try to fly the ball all the way to the back pin. This is rarely the best play. The back section of a Biarritz green is often narrow front-to-back, making it very difficult to hold with a long-iron or hybrid, even for elite players. A shot that lands perfectly might roll right off the back.
The classic, intended "ground game" route is often the better and more reliable choice. Here's how you do it:
Even with the best game plan, you're eventually going to find your ball sitting in the bottom of that swale. Don't panic. The goal from here is not to be a hero, it is to get down in two more strokes and salvage your par (or, more commonly, your bogey).
Putting from the middle of the gully feels like trying to putt a marble up a ski slope. Your main concern is speed. A putt struck too softly won't even make it to the top of the next tier and may even roll all the way back to your feet. Take several practice strokes looking at the hole, not the ball. Get a feel for the massive stroke required just to get the ball up the hill. Focus everything on pace. If you leave yourself with a 4-foot putt for your next shot, consider it a victory.
If the lie is rough or you don't feel comfortable putting, a chip is the play. Use your most lofted wedge (or even a sand wedge). The key is to make a simple, stable chipping motion. Keep your lower body quiet and make a short backswing, then accelerate through the ball to pop it up onto the proper level. Because there's so little green to work with on the top shelf, think "land it softly on the fringe" and let it trickle out. Take your bogey and get to the next tee without compounding the mistake.
The Biarritz is more than just a tough par 3, it's a history lesson in classic golf design that forces you to think before you swing. By understanding its key feature, the swale, and adjusting your strategy based on the day’s pin position, you can turn an intimidating hole into a fun and rewarding challenge.
Navigating a complex hole like a Biarritz demands a smart game plan, from picking the right club to choosing the correct landing zone. It’s exactly for situations like this that we designed Caddie AI. Stuck on the tee wondering if you should lay up or go for it? Just ask, and get an on-demand strategy for the hole. If you find yourself in a terrible lie in the swale, you can even snap a photo of the ball, and our AI caddie will analyze the situation and give you a simple recommendation for the best recovery shot, giving you the confidence to play smarter golf.
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