AnonymousDeac
Well-known member
I just remember the first time I played Tobacco Road I had a pretty good bet going with a buddy. There was some par 5 that had a couple doglegs then went straight up a hill to some crazy green. He hit what looked like a perfect approach, I hit mine 30 yards over the green.
We get up there and my ball rolled down a rocky mountain-style hill to 3 feet. His caught some ridge 5 feet from the cup and rolled off the green and down a hill.
On most courses hitting a great shot is like having pocket aces... At Tobacco Road it's more like having pocket 8's. Still good, but you also have this nagging feeling it's probably not going to end well anyway.
Tobacco Road is also MUCH better the second time playing when you know where to take risks.
You're talking about hole 13 where the actual play is to hit it to the right, over the trees. You then take a ~550yd par 5 and approach the protected green from about 170 lying 2.
And if you're ever in Richmond area, I highly recommend playing Royal New Kent, another Strantz course. Nowhere near as 'gimmicky' as Tobacco Road but has a lot of similar risk-reward style holes. And after 2pm (or noon some parts of the year), only $35 to play with cart.