SPECIAL SECTION / RYDER CUP : Join The Club

Jim Furyk is making his second appearance on the U.S. Ryder Cup team, having gone 1-2 in his three matches in 1997. Here’s how Furyk views each of the 18 holes at the Country Club in Brookline, Mass.:

No. 1, par four, 452 yards

This is a long, tough starting hole. A dogleg left where most players will hit a driver off the tee and a mid- to long iron to the green.

No. 2, par three, 190 yards

This is an uphill par three with a small, well-bunkered green. Because of the elevation and the shallow nature of the green, players can see only a small portion of it. This makes for a very difficult shot.

No. 3, par four, 451 yards

A well-played tee shot is imperative on this hole. It must be played on the left side of the fairway in order to get a view of the green. Most players will hit a driver or three-wood off the tee and a mid- to long iron into this green, which slopes severely to the left.

No. 4, par four, 335 yards

A very short hole where most players will hit an iron off the tee and a wedge to the green. But beware, the green slopes from back to front and is the smallest green I have ever seen.

No. 5, par four, 432 yards

This hole is blind off the tee. Players will hit a driver or three-wood over a large mound, leaving a mid-iron to the green, which slopes severely right to left.

No. 6, par four, 310 yards

This is a great match-play hole that leaves the players many options off the tee. An iron leaves the player a sand wedge to the green, but the hole is short enough to tempt some of the longer players to go for the green off the tee. This should be one of the most exciting holes for fans.

No. 7, par three, 197 yards

This requires a mid- to long iron to a green that slopes away from the tee. If the player misses the green, it will be very difficult for him to get up and down. To the left is a steep slope that drops almost 20 feet below the green’s surface. A shot missed right leaves a difficult pitch from mounds and thick rough.

No. 8, par four, 378 yards

Most players will hit a fairway wood off the tee; bunkers line the right side of the fairway. The green is elevated and guarded by tall overhanging trees short and left. Although players will have a short iron to the green, they may have to play a knockdown shot to avoid overhanging tree limbs.

No. 9, par five, 513 yards

This hole is reachable in two provided the drive is placed well. The fairway is squeezed between woods to the left and a huge rock to cliff to the right. The approach can be difficult because the green is elevated, small and slopes from left to right.

No. 10, par four, 447 yards

This hole begins a stretch of very tough par fours. A fairly long hole where players will hit the driver off the tee and mid-irons to a severely sloping green. This is the most severe green on the course and approach shots must be kept below the hole.

No. 11, par four, 450 yards

This is a long dogleg left where players must shape the ball from right to left in order to find the fairway. Players will hit mid-irons to a green guarded by bunkers and a pond in front.

No. 12, par four, 486 yards

No doubt, this is the toughest hole on the course. A driver off the tee leaves a player a long iron or fairway wood to the green. The second shot must be turned right to left in order to avoid trees short and left of this long, narrow green.

No. 13, par four, 436 yards

This is a downhill hole where most players will try to hit their drive about 265 yards to a plateau in the fairway. Because the drive is downhill, most players will hit one-irons or three-woods off the tee and have a mid-iron to the green.

No. 14, par five, 534 yards

Usually this hole is reachable only for long hitters, but under the right conditions, most could reach it in two. The drive is hit to a fairway that slopes right to left and from there, strategy determines whether to go for the green or lay up.

No. 15, par four, 432 yards

The long hitters may need to lay up short of a road that crosses the fairway because of rough edges that border the road. Players will be left with mid- to short irons to the green. Because of the shape of the green and well-placed bunkers, there are many tough pin locations.

No. 16, par three, 186 yards

This is a long, demanding par three with a severely sloping green left to right. A ball missing long or left will be difficult to get up and down.

No. 17, par four, 370 yards

A short dogleg left where most players will hit a driver or three-wood off the tee. From there, a wedge will be needed to a narrow, sloping, double-tiered green.

No. 18, par four, 436 yards

This is a great finishing hole. Most players will hit a driver off the tee to this dogleg left and have a mid-iron approach. The green is guarded by huge, steep-faced bunkers in front and has a giant slope from back to front in the rear of the green.