A hole-by-hole look at Royal Montreal's Blue Course, where the Presidents Cup will be played from Thursday to Sunday:
1st Hole, 444 yards, Par 4
A tough but indicative welcome to the Blue Course. The landing area on this uphill dogleg left is protected by bunkers on the left. The green narrows at the front and is also protected by sand, while a devilish slope at the back offers a range of difficult pin positions.
2nd Hole, 385 yards, Par 4
A welcome birdie opportunity early in the round. Though the green is hidden from the tee-box, the pros can shave off part of the sharp right dogleg and be left with a short approach shot or even a putt for eagle.
3rd Hole, 437 yards, par 4
With little danger off the tee, the focus here will be on a good second shot. The front of the green is ringed by deep bunkers, while a steep slope off the back could produce some bogeys.
4th Hole, 501 yard, Par 4
A typical Royal par 4 _ nasty, brutish and long. Often playing into the wind, this hole features a tight and well-bunkered landing area. There is more sand to the left and right of the green, which slopes sharply towards the front. A par could very well win this hole.
5th Hole, 203 yard, Par 3
A fairly straightforward par 3. Deep bunkers left and right punish anything wayward, while a series of mounds through the middle of the green can make attacking the hole difficult.
6th Hole, 570 yards, Par 5
As one of only two par 5s on the course, the longer hitters will be eager to take advantage of their length here. There is a driver-friendly landing area, but the angled green can cause headaches. Not only guarded by intimidating bunkers front and back, the green itself has a series of subtle curves that can make putting difficult.
7th Hole, 153 yards, Par 3
A short par 3 that can cause problems if a player misses his approach shot. The green is guarded by deep bunkers on both sides. The putting surface slopes towards the front, which makes for challenging chip shots.
8th Hole, 394 yards, Par 4
One of the few holes on the Blue Course where players can take an aggressive run at birdie. The dogleg left usually plays downwind to an open landing area. The green does have an array of difficult pin positions, but most players should be attacking the hole with a short iron.
9th Hole, 437 yards, Par 4
Fairway bunkers menace off the tee, but the real premium will be on the approach shot. With Royal's sprawling clubhouse as a backdrop, players have to cope with a green that has three distinct areas. Don't be surprised to see three-putts result from seemingly decent second shots.
10th Hole, 460 yards, Par 4
The pros encounter water for the first time on this hole, and will see it again and again on the back nine. A large pond that borders the left side of fairway really only comes into play off the tee, while a maze of trees down the right-hand side offers few angles to a green that is smaller than most on the Blue.
11th Hole, 476 yards, Par 4
A solid drive is essential here thanks to an uphill landing area protected by a big bunker on the left and a prevailing wind that is often in the player's face. The green features a prominent ridge down the middle that reinforces the need for a very precise second shot for a chance at birdie.
12th Hole, 570 yards, Par 5
A brand new addition to the Blue Course, this par 5 is more eagle-friendly than the first. Players can cut the corner of the dogleg left and be left with a mid-iron for their second shot. A large bail-out area to the right of the green and a series of tricky breaks on the putting surface will favour the player with the better short game.
13th Hole, 224 yards, Par 3
This downhill par 3 will play considerably shorter than its 224 yards. The more difficult pin positions are at the front of the green, where wayward shots are punished by bunkers right and left.
14th Hole, 369 yards, Par 4
The home stretch on the Blue Course is bound to give fans a thrill with a series of holes that force the players to make challenging decisions. The fun begins here with a tee-box that will tempt many to gun for the green. The catch? An intimidating pond that protects the green, which itself has enough ups and downs to make you nauseous.
15th Hole, 448 yards, Par 4
With many matches at a make-or-break point by this hole, players will again have to think hard about what to hit off the tee. Water guards the left side of the fairway and isolates the green.
16th Hole, 456 yards, Par 4
This is perhaps the signature hole on the Blue Course. Water all the way down the left side of the fairway emphasizes the need for a well-placed tee shot, which is required for a good angle into the elevated green. Bad approach shots will be punished either by the enormous front-right bunker or a damning collection area to the left.
17th Hole, 160 yards, Par 3
This penultimate hole can spell trouble, or glory. If the late September winds begin to swirl, the pond off the steep slope right of the green could see its water level rise. The more challenging pin positions are in the middle and at back.
18 Hole, 466 yards, Par 4
For those matches that go to 18, this finishing hole has all the trimmings for a classic match-play showdown. A pond at the dogleg left helps narrow the landing area considerably and will snare an errant drive. The green on this hole is perhaps the most difficult on the course, with a steep slope at front, an undulating middle and a flat back.
