Hole 1
The fairway bunkers are definitely in play off the tee. If you can clear the fairway bunkers with your tee shot, big hitters may want to try to reach the green in two, but this brings the greenside bunkers in to play. A safer route might be a fairway wood off the tee to avoid the bunkers, followed by a mid iron lay up to the middle of the fairway and a short iron to the green.
Hole 2
A deceiving par 3. In addition to the pond in front of the green, there is a creek behind, in front of and to the right of the green. Club selection is therefore crucial. The only bailout area is immediately in front of the green or to the left of the green.
Hole 3
Big hitters, even if they keep it straight, can go right through the fairway and rough into the water off the tee, and therefore a fairway wood or long iron may be in order. Trying to cut the corner off the tee leads to nothing but trouble with the fairway bunker and out of bounds on the left.
Hole 4
Be careful with the out of bounds down the entire left side. An extremely deep green on this hole can mean a 2 or 3 club difference hitting into the green, so pay attention to the pin placement.
Hole 5
This is a 3 shot par 5. Don’t get greedy with either your tee shot or your second shot. Water on both sides comes into play on the second and third shots. Most people are happy if they can walk off the green with the same ball they started the hole with.
Hole 6
Play to the left of the fairway bunker, and the hole then turns gently to the right. Big hitters may want to try to fly the fairway bunker with their tee shot, which would set up a wedge to the green. The green is two-tiered and large, so pay attention to pin placement.
Hole 7
A true risk / reward hole. The smart play is an iron off the tee aimed straight at the fairway bunker. A tee shot placed in the middle of the fairway just short of the fairway bunker leaves a short iron to the green. Hitting a wood off the tee and trying to cut the corner of the pond is an extremely risky tee shot. This is another huge green. A pin on the right side of the green is a considerably longer approach shot than to a pin on the left side of the green.
Hole 8
A daunting par 3 all over water. Hitting to the back of the green, even if the pin is in the front, is the safer play here to avoid bringing the water and bunker into play, even though this will leave a difficult downhill putt if the pin is in the front.
Hole 9
Even though this hole usually plays downwind, the water on the right is definitely in play off the tee. The green is very narrow in the front with the two greenside bunkers, so again the safer approach shot might be to the back of the green.
Hole 10
A tee shot aimed to the right of the fairway bunkers will set up a short to mid iron to the green. This hole usually plays downwind, so be careful with your approach shot since over the green is out of bounds. The three tiered green is one of the toughest on the course.
Hole 11
A reachable par 5, especially with the prevailing wind. The key to this hole is to find the fairway with your tee shot. The right rough slopes down to the creek, where most sliced drives find a watery grave. A tee shot too far left blocks out the best angle for playing your second shot.
Hole 12
Check the wind direction on this tough par 3. Club selection to the angled green is critical, with water in front and bunkers behind the green.
Hole 13
You are now going back into the prevailing wind. The tee shot must avoid the out of bounds on the left, and many sliced tee shots bounce and roll into the woods on the right, especially when the course is playing hard and dry. Make sure to take enough club for the approach shot, which is uphill into the prevailing wind.
Hole 14
A slight dogleg left around the fairway bunker. A good straight drive can set up a birdie chance on this fairly short hole. But make sure your drive is straight. Hooked tee shots can easily find the out of bounds and sliced tee shots usually find the creek.
Hole 15
A beast of a par 3. It usually plays longer than it looks, so be sure to take enough club. Don’t go directly for the pin if it is behind the bunkers or you will probably be trying to get up and down out of the sand for par.
Hole 16
Stay right of the bunker off the tee and you might have a short iron into a small green. Only the big hitters should try to cut the corner over the edge of the fairway bunker. Don’t be long on your approach shot.
Hole 17
A short par 4 where position off the tee is crucial. The water on the left is reachable from the tee for long hitters. If you can just find the fairway with your driver or fairway wood, you will have a short approach shot to the green. Over the green can be trouble since it slopes down to a creek on the right.
Hole 18
This is another 3 shot par 5. Just hit a fairway wood or long iron off the tee, which will put you over the first creek to the middle of the fairway. A mid iron second shot over the second creek can put you in the middle of the second part of the fairway short of the pond, leaving a short or mid iron over the pond to a receptive green. Any other course of play for this hole carries many risks.
