Hole 7
Slufter
The Slufter is a deep trench in Texel’s line of dunes, which originated in the nineteenth century when the North Sea broke through the dyke. Attempts to seal the trench failed.
The unique nature reserve north of De Koog has characteristic salt marsh flora and in summer is purple with lamb’s ear. At high tide the sea flows in freely, and in storms the water splashes high against the dune.
As the Slufter controls the human hand imperturbably, like a mini-Slufter the Hanenplas, swollen by rainwater, doggedly takes bites from the fairway halfway towards hole 7.
Tip: Left is safe (insidiously, the exit faces the water). Long-hitters, take the fairway right from the middle and go in two for the green!
Drive
Albatross: a driver from the tee at 240 metres and on the right side of the fairway, then 230 metres with a metalwood 3 to the green, let it land ahead of the bulge of the green towards the hole and into the hole! And that’s called an albatross! It could well be your first, and possibly even your last. The seventh seems difficult from the tee but in fact for players of every level it’s one of the easiest holes to score on the course, especially with stroke index 3 when playing for Stableford points. From the tee: most players will quickly wonder, will I make the dune hump or not? This hole can feel like a par 4 if the drive is on the right side of the fairway. This is the hole where you can score, if you place the drive. Beware of the direction of the tee-box, because it points to the water on the right, so start looking at the line from behind the ball before addressing it. Don’t tee the ball too low, because you’ll need height to bridge the dune hump.
Approach
Stay on the course with your second shot because the deep rough of the course is on the left and right sides of the fairway and that takes at least one stroke! If you play with the third stroke from the dog-leg, pay attention to your line of play because unconsciously you use the direction of run-up to your ball as the direction to the flag. So take your time to address it again! Look carefully at where the pin is; the green runs from left-high to right-low.
Green
Around the green: No bunkers and a flat, beautifully-cut front green, so the club choice for a chip and run will quickly be an iron 7 or 8. The most difficult position is to the left of the green for the high hump. A bogey can easily be achieved from this rough position. The club choice from this location is the sand wedge!
Pinpositie
