Volcanic Island courses

Basalt rocks

Volcanic days can place blocky basalt rocks on the fairway. They behave like the highland boulders: a rolling ball that hits one is stopped on impact, then launched strongly forward. There are usually more of them than there are boulders on a highland day, and they sit right in the landing zones.

You can fly over them, steer around them, or play the rebound. On a volcanic day the rocks are part of the fairway, so plan the tee shot around where the ball will roll rather than only where it lands.

Lava pools

Molten lava pools can cut into a landing area. They follow exactly the same rule as water: finding one adds a penalty stroke and drops the ball back on playable ground. They glow on the course, so there is no mistaking them, and they are the main reason to be careful with the driver on a volcanic day.

The crab

On recent courses a local animal keeps a patch of a landing zone on one or two longer holes. On the fire coast it is a crab. Stop your ball in its patch and it is carried off to the crab's spot in the rough, a little back down the hole. No penalty, but a worse lie and lost distance. It is always in plain sight.

Scoring on a volcanic day

Volcanic days punish carelessness and reward planning. Note where the lava sits on each hole before choosing a club, and remember that a rock can either save a short drive or send a long one into trouble. A steady round of fairways and greens goes a long way here.