The Barracuda Championship is the PGA Tour’s only Stableford format. A birdie is worth two points, an eagle is worth five, a bogey is a one point loss, and a double bogey (or worse) is a loss of three. It’s all about the points, not necessarily the cumulative score. A successful tournament strategy might trade birdies for bogeys for four days. A winning performance adds eagles. When Akshay Bhatia won his first PGA Tour event at the ‘Cuda last season, he made eight bogeys and a double, but offset that with an eagle and 22 birdies.
The 11th hole presents an interesting strategy challenge; a true risk-reward proposition. With the Stableford format of the ‘Cuda, you have to be willing to stare bogey in the face if it means having a chance at an eagle. When you’re aiming directly at the flag on the 11th tee, you feel that choice in your tingling nerves.
The front of the 11th green is only 315 yards from the tee, and with Old Greenwood at 5700 feet above sea level, the ball flies 10-15% farther. When adjusted for elevation, the front of the green is about a 285 yard shot at sea level. The more aggressive the tee shot, the further the carry distance becomes. A ball headed towards the right edge of the green has to carry 330 yards – or about 300 at sea level – and anything short of that is drowning. The green is positioned at the perfect risk-reward distance for tour players: a full driver is likely too much and anything short of a perfect 3-wood is too dangerous.
