Which Tour courses does Woods like most? Here's five

	Tiger Woods has won Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill Invitational four times. Andy Lyons/Getty Images
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It's always nice to start the year with some early Tour success. Tiger Woods has won his season opener three times, and this week he begins his 2006 trying to win a fourth Buick Invitational title at Torrey Pines.

We've all heard the saying that there are courses for horses (or, if you prefer, horses for courses). Tiger plans his schedule around this very fact. Besides the majors, you can count on seeing him in many of the same events year after year, giving him the best opportunity for success.

Courses that favor Tiger for the most part are, of course, long. Many of them are traditional in layout and have undulating quick greens, allowing Tiger to use one of his best assets: creativity. Another important factor is the number of par-5s, four being preferred as opposed to two as in a U.S. Open setup.

With that in mind, here are the top five courses that have been good to Tiger during his first nine years on Tour. The fact that Torrey Pines didn't make the cut shows just how many courses Tiger has dominated in his career.

1. Bay Hill Club & Lodge

Tiger had a four-year run of wins (2000-2003) in Arnold Palmer's invitational in Orlando. The course plays moderately long; most of the past winners have been able to drive the ball a fair distance. This course has four par-5s (the longest being 580 yards) and all well within reach of a second shot to the green to set up eagle and birdie opportunities. Another small factor in Tiger's favor: He gets to sleep in his own bed.

2. Augusta National

As a professional, Tiger has won four times in nine Masters starts. I've talked about this before, but Augusta officials aren't really Tiger-proofing the course with the additional yardage; they've only given him a better opportunity to win.

Augusta has length and wide fairways with literally no rough. All the par-5s are reachable and the greens are always perfect and lightning quick. Putting and short game always come into play in the first major of each year, another advantage for the world's best. Jack Nicklaus said Tiger would win 10 green jackets; Woods could be halfway there after this year.

3. Muirfield Village Golf Club

Jack's course plays at 7,300 yards. It is basically a traditional layout with the thought of Augusta National in mind when it was designed and constructed. This is another course with four par-5s, the longest being the 567-yard 11th. Additionally, The Memorial has all the components that favor Woods, who won the tournament three consecutive times from 1999-2001. Tiger is always a good bet here.

4. Medinah Country Club

Tiger has played here only once as a professional, in 1999, winning his first PGA Championship. But a lack of multiple starts doesn't mean Tiger can't own this course. In 2002, Rees Jones was called in to do some renovations on this traditional layout in the Chicago area. The course now plays 7,508 yards, has four par-5s and should bode well for Woods with his past success in this major. Good feelings from former events at major venues always help, and I'm sure Tiger will be looking forward to this week in August.

5. Firestone Country Club

This course is traditionally a bomber's paradise and has all the components that fit Tiger's needs, even though it has just two par-5s. The course plays well over 7,000 yards and requires all the mettle and imagination of the best player on the planet. Length and short game are the major factors at Firestone. Tiger has won four times here.

Former pro golfer Bob Casper, the son of Hall of Fame golfer Billy Casper, is the co-host of the syndicated weekly radio show,Real Golf Radio.