Craig Smith is known as "The Giant" among fellow professionals. Not so much because of his haul of Tour titles as he awaits his maiden victory, but because of his towering 6ft 8in frame which gives him a big advantage in the long-hitting stakes. The Welshman, 29, turned in a respectable one-under par score of 71 from The Championship tees. Here he gives his verdict of the National Course:
1st hole The cart path is an ideal marker from the back tee. I creamed a drive 320 yards to leave just 87 yards but I was a little bit too cute with the approach to the flag on the front edge, leaving a much more difficult chip and putt for par than it should have been. Par 4 2nd hole This is a long hole but definitely reachable in two and 30 per cent of the field will go for it. But it is a comparatively small green and difficult to hit from 200 yards. The key is to clear the 275-yard bunker and land on the fairway. Birdie 4 3rd hole There will be a lot of hybrids used off the tee here because there is not much point in taking on the bunker that is 315 yards away. Anywhere on the fairway leaves a fairly easy approach shot and another good birdie chance. Par 4 4th hole This is either a six or a seven iron for me depending on the breeze and accurate club selection sets up a comfortable par. Par 3 5thhole This one and the 14th tend to produce the highest stroke averages in tournament play. My standard driving distance is just short of 300 yards. There is a bunker at that length but you tend not to threaten it against the prevailing wind. To hit a 180-yard six iron to six feet was an achievement. Pity I missed the putt. Par 4 6th hole The water at 323 yards is near enough to take the driver out of the equation for the big hitters so a three wood is the safer option which would leave about 200 yards to the pin. I missed green on the right and could only get it to 10 feet to drop a shot. Bogey 5 7th hole This one generally plays into the wind so could involve as much as a three iron to carry the water and land on to a wide but not very deep green. When the hole is cut on the front right, the bail out area on the left leaves a monstrous putt. Par 3 8th hole A genuine par five even for a big hitter like me. I roasted a drive and three wood but still finished 50 yards short. It might be more profitable to lay up here and have a full wedge into the green. Par 5 9th hole This hole emphasised that you can never stop concentrating on this course. A sloppy tee shot found water on the right. I managed to hit the green with a long four iron second and two putts meant I dropped only the one shot. Bogey 5 10th hole Stay away from the bunker on the right and avoid being blocked off by the trees over there. Attempt to carry the bunker some 290 yards away. Driving into the rough contributed to a bunkered five wood approach. Splashed out to 20 feet but missed the birdie putt. Par 5 11th hole The bunker 290 yards away on the left is a good target if you can leak the ball away from it as it is landing to follow the dog leg. This worked well and left a full wedge in from 131 yards to set up an eight foot birdie putt. Birdie 3 12th hole A five iron to an undulating green which gives several options for pin placements finished 10 feet away. There was still a lot of work to do on this hard-to-read green to convert the birdie chance. Aim for the middle of the green and you should be guaranteed at least par. Birdie 2 13th hole Pros should aim for the falcon's head on the clubhouse. It is better to take a bit off your drive here for a wider landing area. I left myself 117 yards, which was an easy wedge to 20 feet and a safe par. Par 4 14th hole You would gladly settle for par here before hitting a ball. The bunker on the right is 310 yards away and an obvious danger so it is probably best to try to carry the one on the left 285 yards away. It is important to avoid the rough here. I hit a decent drive but still faced a 187-yard six iron which just failed to get there, leaving a delicate chip to save par. Par 4 15th hole I thought a six iron would be spot on here but overran the green, leaving a difficult chip back to make par. It is a fairly straightforward hole if you land on the putting surface and a strong birdie opportunity. Par 3 16th hole The fairway bunkers are dangerously placed at 300 yards and 320 yards so you have to trust yourself to hit between them along the line of the lone palm tree. My drive left a testing seven iron from 172 yards to set up what is always a satisfactory par. Par 4 17th hole A carry of 250 yards over the lake is required here which is OK for most professionals but might just catch out a couple if the wind gets up. Having safely found dry land I punched a seven iron to seven feet but could not make the putt. Par 4 18th hole Aim for the bunker 320 yards away safe in the knowledge that you should not reach it if there is any amount of wind in your face. I just pulled my drive into the rough which took away the option of going for the green in two. If that happens you need to pick a club (five iron is a good choice) that will give you a proper wedge shot into the pin. Par 5
