Stop Being Greedy: The Curtis Cup Strategy That Will Lower Your Score This Weekend
Top 50 Coach Katie Dawkins delves into what’s in store for the Curtis Cup players and guides us mere mortals round 3 holes of the exclusive Bel-Air Country Club
This week, the best amateurs from the USA and GB&I head to California as the iconic Bel-Air Country Club hosts the Curtis Cup. The Americans are hungry to win back the trophy after the GB&I team’s spectacular victory at Sunningdale in 2024, so we are in for a thrilling contest.
Bel-Air is an historic venue carved out of the canyons of the Santa Monica Mountains. At 6,284 yards, it isn't a course where sheer length will win the day. Instead, it’s a masterclass in strategy. For these world-class amateurs, and any mere golfing mortals, success here comes down to top-tier course management, cast-iron discipline, and refusing to get greedy.
When GB&I Captain Catriona Matthew took the team over to LA for some early prep, she noted that the real test will be the greens and distance control. Success here is all about being on the right side of the fairways to attack the pins, keeping your ball below the hole on the lightning-fast greens, and having a sharp wedge game from 120 to 130 yards out.
There is plenty of trouble waiting for anyone who loses focus. Now, given how exclusive Bel-Air is, most of us will likely never get to tee it up there ourselves. However, looking at how the Curtis Cup players should strategise these three key holes can teach us a lot. If your home course has a similar layout, you might just learn a thing or two to help you master your own strategies.
1st Hole – Par-5
Gold/Back: 495 yards, White: 460 yards, Red: 435 yards
Boasting sensational views of the Los Angeles skyline, this hole sweeps down from an elevated tee box. It looks incredibly inviting, and it’s easy to get greedy. Longer hitters will view this as a gettable green in two and a prime birdie opportunity. However, the undulations add a tricky dimension, and as the opening hole, pressure can easily get to players.
Because you are hitting from an elevated tee, choose a club you love, whether that's a driver or not. If you have a higher handicap, utilise your extra shots and break the hole into manageable sections. It’s a par-5, but you don’t have to replicate the Curtis Cup players who will be trying to reach the green in two during Friday's opening matches. An easy hybrid off the tee might be just the ticket, but don’t force it.
Routine is key on any first tee. Utilising the skyline during your pre-shot routine is imperative to stay focused during what can easily turn into an anxious ‘grip it and rip it’ moment. Looking beyond the hole reminds you to keep the swing smooth and finish it completely. Pick a building in line with your intended landing spot, slowly exhale as you walk into the shot, and let gravity do the work.
When you reach your ball, look for a safe place to send your next shot. Think ahead and plan your ideal third shot distance. If you love a full wedge, club down to leave yourself a longer shot into the green. If you have shots to play with, there's no pressure.
Aim to lay up just short and right of the fairway bunkers, leaving yourself approximately 100 yards into the green. With no greenside bunkers guarding the front, you can opt for a running approach. A handy trick here is to aim at the tree on the left of the green, as the natural slope will feed your ball right back towards the flag. It’s lightning-fast from the back, though, so whatever you do, don't go long!
As you walk up, read the slopes from afar. You'll notice everything leans toward the middle of the green. There is potential for a solid start here - just don’t get greedy.
10th Hole – Par-3
Gold/Back: 205 yards , White: 205 yards, Red: 95 yards
Bel-Air's signature par-3 is pure cinematic drama. You arrive at the tee in style via an elevator embedded deep inside the mountain beneath the clubhouse, looking like something straight out of a James Bond or Thunderbirds film!
From the forward tees you are relatively safe, playing a short 95-yard pitch from the kind side of the canyon. The Curtis Cup players, however, face a treacherous shot over the chasm.
Its essential that you only focus on where you DO want your ball to go. Don’t be tempted to stare into the abyss and imagine how you can rack up a high score. Focus on a target at the back of the green and keep your chin up.
Rehearse a positive swing that nips the turf and complete to a photo finish. Then repeat with the ball in the way. Commit to the finish and don’t falter, otherwise that deep hazard will gobble up your golf ball along with your confidence.
The swirling winds can really catch you out here, so it is crucial to club up and aim for the right side of the green. Once past the middle of the putting surface, the contours will naturally feed the ball toward the hole. Lose your tee shot to the left, and you’ll either catch deep greenside bunkers or tumble into serious trouble.
If you leave your tee shot short, expect it to roll all the way back down off the front, leaving a tough pitch back up. Just like so many holes out here, the smart play is to hit plenty of club, especially since the hole features a natural backboard. A friendly slope at the rear will catch a long shot and feed it safely back down towards the green.
17th Hole – Par-4
Gold/Back: 475 yards, White: 455 yards, Red: 425 yards
This is a blind dog-leg with a generous, 50-yard-wide fairway that slopes heavily toward a ravine. Aiming left off the tee is the safe option, but it leaves a long, uphill approach over a ridge. The tiger line is to lace your drive as close to the canyon edge as you dare - if you have enough distance, you can even nip the corner off completely.
Focusing on the middle bunker (which sits over 300 yards away on the left-hand side) will put you in prime position for a clean line into the green. Again, if you have handicap strokes to play with, use them to your advantage. If your woods aren't your most accurate clubs, a well-struck 7-iron off the tee to the middle of the fairway, another toward the middle bunker, and a wedge onto the green will safely seal a solid five.
Landing and staying on the putting surface isn’t as straightforward as it looks. You need enough club to clear the false front, as the green doesn't start immediately after the bunker. But hit too much club, and you'll lose it over the back into the hedges lining the cart path.
The green slopes off to the right side, and with the left heavily guarded, it’s a tricky target. The green itself is crowned, long, and narrow, resembling an upturned dish with lightning-fast pace. If you miss the surface, the left-middle is the best bailout area. In fact, putting from off the green is often the safest play, as keeping a chip shot on this surface is an immense challenge.
Always having a clear plan of action on each hole takes the pressure off. Relying on clubs you trust will always result in a better score. Know your strengths, and crucially, make sure you know your exact carry yardages. On a masterpiece like Bel-Air, or on a similar layout you might play regularly, those carry distances are everything.
The spectacular Bel-Air course set-up is something else. While it presents a ferocious challenge for the world's best amateurs, the strategic lessons it teaches apply to all of us. We can’t wait to see how the teams tackle the course, especially these three holes, when the matches get underway.
