The Charlie Woods effect: PNC Championship's Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes thrust into spotlight

It’s not often that an 11-year-old can put anything on the map.

Enter Charlie Woods.

While the Travel Caddie has attended the PNC Championship for years — a great chance to get a bit closer to the likes of Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Lee Trevino — the last two years have become a must-see television event.

And the Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes in Orlando is a major beneficiary.

Just look at the swag on this kid in 2020, when he teamed up with Pops (aka, Tiger Woods) for the first time:

His smack-talk with Uncle Justin Thomas, his snarls at his dad when he hit a bad shot, and the club twirls are just a sight to behold.

And the kid has serious game, as 2021 brought about a serious run for the PNC title. Check out his highlights here:

While this is quickly becoming the course that Charlie built, the Ritz-Carlton has been a staple of Central Florida golf for years, and here’s a hole-by-hole tour to get you prepped for the PNC:

No. 1, Par 4

The first hole is a straight-forward par-4 that features an open fairway with trees up and down each side of the hole.  Driver isn’t necessarily required off the tee here, and golfers will be left with an approach to a large green that is heavily protected by bunkers short and right.  This should make for a par or birdie start for most teams.

No. 2, Par 4 

The second hole gives golfers a false sense of security off of the tee as this massive fairway on a relatively short par-4 lures golfers into thinking this hole will be a breeze, but no so fast my friends!  The approach shot here is where things get tricky as a long and narrow green features a bunker all the way up the right side of the hole and water off of the left.  It would be difficult enough just the way it is, but the left 1/3 of this green tends to kick balls down towards the water so an accurate approach here is vital for scoring.  

No. 3, Par 5

Expect to see some birdies and eagles on this hole!  The gettable par-5 third hole features a fairway bunker on the right side of the hole that has been known to collect tee shots, but even from there birdie is still in play.  The only issue golfers need to make sure they avoid off of the tee is hitting it left as they will likely need to re-tee due to a lost ball in the thick brush.  From the fairway, many players will be able to attack this par-5 in two as this wide green is quite surrounded short, left, and right by bunkers that aren’t too bad to end up in on a second-shot approach.  For those who lay up, a short iron or wedge to a large green still yields plenty of scoring opportunities. 

No. 4, Par 3

This par-3 will feature players hitting a mid to short iron depending on the tee played, and the difficulty of this hole all depends on where the flag is placed.  The green is massively wide with bunkers short right and an L-shaped bunker along the left side of the green, but for as wide as this green is it is not very deep and any tee shots that are hit long can be trouble.  Beware of any back right pins as most players will need to play it left and take their medicine for an easy 3. 

No. 5, Par 5 

The tee shot on the par-5 fifth hole seems unassuming as there is a large fairway with ample landing area, but it can sneakily get players as there is water down the left and a group of trees just in off the water on that side that are just enough of a nuisance to make you think off the tee.  A good tee shot can leave players with the ability to get home in two here, and the approach requires a forced carry over the water where a bail out to the right shortens the carry quite a bit.  Whether players go for it or lay-up, the approach shot features another large green with various undulations throughout so a 2-putt is far from guaranteed on the short grass here.

No. 6, Par 4 

Accuracy is key off the tee here as you tee off through a shoot of trees and players will need to avoid a large bunker on the left side of the fairway to find the short grass.  This is another one of those tee shots that gives you a false sense of security as it looks like there is ample room left of that bunker should you pull it, but most of the time any tee shot left of the bunker caroms down to the trees wreaking havoc on golfers.  A mid to short iron approach is all that’s left to a deep but narrow green that has plenty of bail out room right and a steep drop-off left, but on either side getting up and down is more than doable. 

No. 7, Par 4 

The seventh hole is another one of those holes that seems quite docile, but double bogey or birdie are just as likely of an outcome here.  Bombers can be tempted to cut the corner and go for this green off the tee (see team Daly here), but most teams will hit a fairway wood or long iron off the tee of this sharp dogleg right par-4 to leave a short iron or wedge to another long and narrow green that features a ridge through the middle of it especially in the first half of the green.  Course management is often rewarded here for a good chance at birdie. 

No. 8, Par 3 

The eighth hole requires a mid to long iron off the tee for most players and features a forced carry over a brush area that stops well short of the green and doesn’t come into play for most tee shots.  The green here is massive, and picking the right club is hey here for a makeable birdie putt.  A par here is usually what all teams will be looking for, and the rare birdie should help players make a move up the leaderboard. 

No. 9, Par 4 

The ninth hole is the hardest hole on the front side.  This long par 4 features a slight dogleg left tee shot from the back tees (the further up you play, the more straight away the hole plays) and with thick trees and brush left, including one thick tree that is in the field of play that can block out even a good tee shot), and a swampy marsh and tree-lined area to the right along with a  fairway bunker, this is the time to make sure your driver is working.  The green here is also quite large with bunkers short on each side, but a good tee shot can lead to birdie for teams who stiff it here. 

No. 10, Par 4 

This hole is all about your approach shot.  This short par 4 features a fairway bunker all the way down the left side of the hole until you are about 50 yards out from the green, and a fairway wood or long iron off of the tee still leaves players with a short iron or wedge approach into this green.  Accuracy is a must on your approach here as this tabletop narrow green features a deep bunker short and run offs for any approach that is slightly off. 

No. 11, Par 4 

This extremely wide fairway features a set of trees on the center-left side of the fairway that players will need to work around, and even with this obstacle most players can easily play around it and will be left with a short iron or wedge into a wide green.  Expect to see some birdies here. 

No. 12, Par 3

This daunting par-3 features water all the way up the right side of the hole and a forced carry on a tee shot where wind tends to be a factor.  Any back right pin positions in particular make the water a larger factor, and players will often bail out left in order to avoid any big numbers that can come from a tee shot that slides right.  A par here tends to get the job done.

No. 13, Par 4 

A dogleg left par-4, No. 13  may tempt some of the longer players to go for this green with their tee ball much like Justin Thomas tried to during last year’s tournament.  The only true trouble with that would be a pull for a right-handed golfer as there is some area to bail out right.  For most players, a placement tee shot may only require a long iron or fairway wood in order to avoid a patch of fairway bunkers up the right and the trees that tend to swallow up balls along the left.  A short iron approach to a narrow green features multiple bunkers short and a steep drop off for any long shots leaving a very difficult up and down. 

No. 14, Par 5 

This challenging par-5 features water all the way down the left side of the hole and multiple fairway bunkers throughout that can make this long par 5 play even longer.  A bombed tee shot needs to avoid the two fairway bunkers that weave into the center of the fairway leaving a long and difficult approach for the few groups who can go for this green in two with the water coming into play left and a massive bunker short and right of the green.  Most teams will lay up here leaving a short iron approach to a large green where a birdie will be well earned here. 

No. 15, Par 4 

Thought to be one of, if not the, hardest holes on the course, the par-4 14th hole is a long par-4 that has a fairway bunker that runs up most of the right side of the hole and a smaller one on the left.  Players will want to avoid these, and a long second is left to an elevated green that features bunkers left, short right, and a steep run off for any balls that are just a little right that avoid the bunker that can run all the way down to the water.  This hole tends to play a pivotal role in who ends up winning on Sunday. 

No. 16, Par 4

A medium length par 4, this tee shot features water all the way up the right and longer players will need to be aware that the water comes into the fairway the further you drive it here.  With fairway bunkers along the left as well as some incredibly thick St Augustine grass that has been known to swallow a ball or two as golfers tend to overcorrect in order to avoid a watery grave right.  A difficult approach awaits as any approach missing slightly right will almost certainly find its way into the water making many players miss long or left here.  The tricky green here features all sorts of twists and turns, and a birdie here will definitely gain strokes on the field.

No. 17, Par 3 

This daunting par-3 features water all the way down the left side of the hole of this challenging tee shot that features bunkers short and right of this large green.  Center of the green tends to be the preferred destination for most golfers but taking dead aim can be rewarded here much like in the 2021 event where Charlie Woods stepped up and flagged it to a front left pin position with the water looming left like a boss.  Looks like the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree here. 

No. 18, Par 5 

The 18th hole is a perfect way to end the round as this reachable par-5 has been known to ruin more than one round around this course.  It’s all about the tee shot here as the water runs all the way down the hole from the tee to the green, and even tee shots that find the left side of this fairway have been known to trickle all the way down to the water so players will want to favor the center right side off the tee here all while avoiding a fairway bunker that sits perfectly in that landing zone.  Teams will then be left with the decision to go for it here, and many will roll the dice and do so as left is the only can’t miss spot here as the bunkers short left and short right aren’t too bad of a resting spot.  Once again, pin placement is key here as there are some tricky pins available but an eagle is possible making for an exciting finish all the way to the end at the PNC Championship.