The Bridges Cup starts at Haesley Nine Bridges in South Korea. These are the three holes that can move the entire event.
Joshua Goedker
The 2024 Bridges Cup will begin in South Korea, with the elite intermediate amateur players doing it at Haesley Nine Bridges.
While the American team has won the first two installments Ryder Cup style tournamentcan the internationals swing things in their favor this year? We will have to see which players step up in the most shocking moments.
Because the pressure often peaks on the most challenging holes, we caught up with Haesley Nine Bridges expert Simon Holmes to explain the three most important holes in this year’s competition.
These course management tips can help you play any golf course, but if you ever find yourself playing Haesley Nine Bridges, they’ll definitely come in handy.
“I just think (Haesley) is a great place for this kind of elite match,” Holmes says. “If you have the stroke, you can accommodate it because you can play the layup. But in match play, if your opponent hits a good shot, then you have to stand up and deal with it. So if you’re not fit or ready to go, we’ll see that straight away and you’ll lose a point.”
The 3 most important holes in the 2024 Bridge Cup
“What’s interesting about these types of matches is that it’s basically golf’s version of 100 meters,” Holmes says, likening it to a sprint. “The first six holes are the most important, with the statistics from the Ryder Cup showing that. If you’re awake after six holes, you win almost 67 percent of the time.”
Which three holes will be the most critical in this year’s Bridge Cup? Holmes lists his picks below.
No. 6 – Par-3, 205 yards
Courtesy Haesley Nine Bridges
“It probably doesn’t get super liquid until the 6th hole,” Holmes says. “It’s kind of a weird shaped green, so if the pin hits you and you miss, you’re definitely going to make a 4. So if you’re the first tee shot and you hit a good shot, man, you put your opponents up under great pressure.”
No. 15 – Par-4, 355 yards
Courtesy Haesley Nine Bridges
“No. 15 is, man, it’s just hard,” Holmes says. “It’s played over a hill. I suppose you could get greedy and try to get up there (from the tee), but a lot of guys will go about 140 yards further (rather than risk the driver). But the guy who goes for it will have an advantage, no doubt.”
No. 18 – Par-4, 451 yards
Courtesy Haesley Nine Bridges
“On the 18, there are a lot of ways to get into trouble because you can get really claustrophobic. There’s water all the way down the left side and up from the hole to the green — and the whole left side of the green is only a foot from the water,” Holmes said. “I just think, as the players get nervous, we’ll see the emotions that really come out because of the way the course is designed, because there’s no way to hide the fear. If something doesn’t work, we’ll see it on this hole.”
