Hole #8 on the MacKenzie course is a tricky par 4 that highlights Alister MacKenzie’s deceptive course design. Alister MacKenzie is one of the most famous golf course designers in history. Serving as a surgeon in World War I, he learned how create optical illusions in a landscape through trench warfare. He later used this… Continue reading →
This classic hole is a tricky par 3 that needs to be tackled with precision. Some of the hardest holes in golf are unassuming par 3s and #14 on the MacKenzie Course is no exception. Luckily, Haggin Oaks PGA Director of Golf Mike Woods recently shared his strategy when playing #14 on YouTube. As with… Continue reading →
Most golfers struggle with bunker shots when the pin is close to the bunker. Recovering from landing in a bunker is already a tough situation to be in. When the pin is cut close to the bunker, it can be even harder. But if you follow the right steps in this situation, you can get… Continue reading →
Mike Woods, Tom Morton, and Dick McShane from the Haggin Oaks Golf Complex invite you to join them at Secrets Vallarta Bay Adults Only Resort January 28 – February 4, 2025, featuring a nonstop charter from Sacramento to Puerta Vallarta! You’re invited to join us this winter at ILT’s Secrets Vallarta Bay. You’ll be treated… Continue reading →
A flop shot travels high but not far and lands without rolling too far When you need to hit your ball high but not far, your best course of action is to take a flop shot. Primarily used when you’re close to the green, a flop shot is also a great way to clear a… Continue reading →
A knockdown shot keeps your ball low and out of any high winds When it gets windy, you want to keep your ball low and out of the strong winds. The perfect way to do that is with a knockdown shot! Don’t know how? Mike Woods is here to teach you how. A knockdown shot… Continue reading →
Taking relief from a red penalty area is similar to a yellow penalty area, with an extra option. No golfer is perfect. Every now and then we double-bogey an easy putt, hit a hard slice off the tee, fail to get our ball out of a bunker, or make some other simple mistake. It happens;… Continue reading →
Taking free relief in golf is simple, but most golfers misunderstand when they can take it. All golfers know that every stroke matters. One swing can be all the difference between winning and losing, and nothing feels worse than that one swing being from a penalty. There are however some instances where you can get… Continue reading →
Haggin Oaks Director of Golf Mike Woods shares how to get backspin on your iron shots. We all want to play like the pros we see on the PGA Tour. Hit one those masterful approach shots onto the edge of the green and have it roll back to the hole. For most golfers, it can… Continue reading →
Haggin Oaks Director of Golf Mike Woods shares how to hit when your ball is on a steep, uphill lie. Landing in a bunker is already a difficult situation to be in. But what do you do when your ball rests on an uphill lie, like the edge of a bunker? You can’t just hit… Continue reading →