Grey Rock Strategy Guide: Playing Austin's Wind-and-Elevation Course

Grey Rock is the most underrated test in Austin. Open holes mean wind has nowhere to hide; elevation changes mean book yardage is a guideline, not a number. The players who score here club up and aim wide.

The two course-specific rules

• Add a club for wind — Austin wind looks like 5 mph and plays like 15. If you "feel it" at Grey Rock, it's a two-club wind.
• Downhill is longer than you think — a 150-yard shot from an elevated tee can carry like 165. Most amateurs over-club uphill and under-club downhill — backwards.

Where the round is won

The par 5s on the front are reachable in two for big hitters and birdie-able for everyone with a smart layup to 100 yards. Aggressive layups inside 80 are a trap — leave yourself a full wedge.