Quail Hollow plays as a par 71 at 7,583 yards — three par-5s, four par-3s, eleven par-4s. Eight of those par-4s play 450 yards or longer. Five top 480. Two top 500. The course offers genuine birdie opportunities on the par-5s and the two gettable par-4s before tightening relentlessly through the back nine. The Green Mile does not care what your score is when you reach it. It will take whatever you have left.
HOLE 1 · PAR 4 · 458 YDS
Long opener, no easy start
Long opening par-4 that eliminates any false confidence immediately. The fairway corridor tightens through trees. Right-to-left shape opens the ideal approach angle. Players who convert birdie here — a legitimate but hard-earned result — carry momentum through the difficult early stretch. Players who make bogey on the opening hole at Quail Hollow spend the rest of the day chasing.
HOLE 2 · PAR 5 · 533 YDS
First par-5 scoring chance
First par-5 scoring opportunity. Reachable in two for most of the field under calm conditions. Fairway bunker right demands a controlled tee shot. Players who take on the green in two must carry the front bunkers cleanly. Lay-up and wedge is the percentage play for shorter hitters. Birdie here is the weekly baseline — par is a quiet miss.
HOLE 3 · PAR 4 · 442 YDS
Dogleg demands shape
Mid-length dogleg par-4. Trees compress the landing area on the aggressive line. Players who commit to the correct shape off the tee have a comfortable approach; those who miss right find awkward angles and recovery positions. The hole rewards decisiveness over caution.
HOLE 4 · PAR 3 · 196 YDS
Wind-exposed par-3
First one-shotter. Water and bunkers protect the front and right sides of the green. Wind is the primary variable — club selection under gusting conditions has historically separated the field here. Par is a quality result. Bogey here costs less than a bogey at 16 — but every dropped shot at Quail Hollow compounds.
HOLE 5 · PAR 4 · 430 YDS
Front-9 birdie window
One of the more accessible par-4s on the front nine. Fairway opens up off the tee. Shorter approach into a receptive green. Birdie is the expected output for contenders — missing birdie here against the field is a slow way to fall off the pace through the front nine.
HOLE 6 · PAR 4 · 457 YDS
Trees compress both sides
Long par-4 where trees compress both sides of the landing area. Left misses bring trees into play immediately. Approach must carry the front bunkers cleanly. Bogey rate climbs among players who sacrifice tee-shot position for power here.
HOLE 7 · PAR 3 · 175 YDS
Short par-3, water in play
Shortest par-3 on the course but with a water hazard in play. Green is shallow front-to-back — long misses bounce away into difficult recovery positions. Par is fine. Birdie is a bonus. Bogey here is a quiet drain on a tight back-nine scorecard.
HOLE 8 · PAR 4 · 399 YDS
Best birdie chance on the course
The best birdie opportunity on the course — the only par-4 under 400 yards. Aggressive tee shots that cut the dogleg leave wedge approaches. Players who convert here in round four, with the tournament on the line, separate from the field. Missing birdie on 8 when contending is the statistical equivalent of a penalty shot.
HOLE 9 · PAR 4 · 467 YDS
Front-9 closer, elevated green
Long closing par-4 on the front nine. Approach plays into an elevated green that falls away at the back. Clearing the front bunkers is the primary execution objective. Birdie here heading to the turn is a momentum-building result — the back nine starts with a par-5, and players who arrive at 10 under or at even par have wildly different outlooks.
HOLE 10 · PAR 5 · 571 YDS
Back-9 scoring engine
The back nine opens with one of the three par-5 scoring opportunities. Reachable in two for the longer hitters who place the tee shot correctly. Players who birdie 10 after a difficult front nine feel the tournament reset — this hole has produced multiple Quail Hollow turning points in prior editions.
HOLE 11 · PAR 4 · 431 YDS
Placement off the tee
Mid-length par-4 with a tee shot that requires precise placement. Trees frame both sides of the landing area. Right misses create awkward approach angles. Par and move on is the objective here — forced birdie attempts on 11 frequently result in double bogeys that end tournaments.
HOLE 12 · PAR 4 · 411 YDS
Patient player's birdie
A par-4 that plays shorter than most on this course but with no straightforward approach angle. Players who try to be aggressive off the tee often find the rough. Laying back to a controlled position produces the highest percentage of clean approaches. A birdie opportunity for the patient player.
HOLE 13 · PAR 3 · 210 YDS
Long par-3 over a valley
Long one-shotter over a valley, exposed to wind. Can play dramatically different from morning to afternoon wave. Green falls away left. Under sustained wind this hole becomes one of the hardest par-3s on the course. Players who escape with par when the wind is up gain a real edge against the afternoon field.
HOLE 14 · PAR 4 · 472 YDS
Hardest non-Green Mile hole
One of the longest par-4s on the course and consistently the hardest non-Green Mile hole. Trees left, rough right, elevated green with front bunkers. Players hitting long irons into a tight target with the tournament tightening. Bogey rate at 14 is among the highest on the course. Par here in round four is a meaningful accomplishment.
HOLE 15 · PAR 5 · 619 YDS
Last par-5 before the Green Mile
Final par-5 before the Green Mile and one of the most important holes on the back nine. Birdie here arriving at 15 creates a cushion for the brutal three-hole finish. Players who par 15 and then play the Green Mile under par have done something exceptional. This hole decides how composed players arrive at 16.
HOLE 16 · PAR 4 · 500 YDS
Green Mile begins
The Green Mile begins. One of the longest par-4s in professional golf. Water right. Bunkers frame a green complex with no simple entry angle. In round four with wind, players routinely need 3-wood or hybrid into this green. Bogey is the most common outcome among players not named Rory McIlroy. Double bogey ends most tournaments.
HOLE 17 · PAR 4 · 460 YDS
Green Mile — water on both shots
Second hole of the Green Mile. Water hazard in play on both the tee shot and approach. Elevated green with significant runoff. Players who survived 16 must execute again here with tournament positions on the line. The 16-17 combination is the most demanding back-to-back par-4 sequence on the PGA Tour.
HOLE 18 · PAR 4 · 499 YDS
The Green Mile finale
The Green Mile finale. Pond runs the full left side from tee to green. The safe line right leaves a brutally long approach. The aggressive line flirts with water. Rory McIlroy birdieid this hole in the final round in 2010, 2015, 2021, and 2024. Four championships. Four clutch birdies on 18. That is the Quail Hollow standard. Every serious contender this week will be measured against it.
Must-make birdie holes
#2, #5, #8 (two accessible par-4s and the first par-5), #10 (back-nine par-5), and #15 (final par-5 before the Green Mile). Players who go 5-under or better on these five holes for the week consistently appear on the Quail Hollow leaderboard.
Bogey avoidance — where weeks end
#16 (500-yard par-4, water right), #17 (460 yards, water on both shots), #18 (499 yards, pond left from tee to green) — The Green Mile — and #14 (back nine's hardest par-4). Any double bogey on the closing stretch in round four is a tournament-ending result. History at Quail Hollow is unambiguous on this point.