Hole 1
– PAR 4
– 287 Mens
– 277 Ladies
The first hole is best played as a two shot Par 4.
Aggression from the tee with driver will take the water out of play, but a difficult chip shot to an elevated small green will be more than testing for many players, with no real advantage.
The smart play sees the player hitting a long iron to around the 80m – 100m mark, which will reward the player hitting a short second shot back into the green with an easy chance for a birdie……. Remember to keep the ball below the hole.
Hole 2
PAR 3
– 170 Mens
– 161 Ladies
A mid length Par 3 with a medium sized bunker protecting the left side of the green and out of bounds on right. For the experienced golfer, moving the ball left to right takes the bunker out of play, and allows for the golf shot to land softly on the green, or if the green is missed a nice grassed bail out area compliments the next chip shot for a chance of Par.
Hole 3
PAR 4
– 381 Mens
– 292 Ladies
A strong driving hole for the experienced golfer is need here, with the preferred ball flight left to right for premium position. A grassed area lies at the 270 – 290 metre mark which can see your second shot blind for you approach to the green. An accurate pitch shot around 120 – 130m is best at the centre of the green for best percentage to secure that birdie.
Hole 4
PAR 4
– 354 Mens
– 343 Ladies
Hole 4 is considered one of the toughest driving holes on the course.
Reward is given, when the a drive is hit with a high right to left shot which will see the low marker hitting anything from 100 – 150m into a green with 3 different shots depending on the pin position on the day.
The green is also protected with a medium level bunkering on the left hand side.
Hole 5
PAR 3
– 163 Mens
– 114 Ladies
The second Par 3 on the course will test any level of golfer. For the men a 163m shot needs to be accurate, and the preferred shot for an experienced golfer would be a left to right shot to avoid missing the green left. The left hand side of the green has long grass mound making the chip shot near impossible to stop the ball close to the pin. Prevailing winds also makes club selection tricky when hitting up to the slightly elevated green.
Hole 6
PAR 4
– 340 Mens
– 323 Ladies
A tight tree lined driving hole for both Men and Ladies is just the start of this beautiful hole. The preferred shot for the low handicapper would be a shot shape of left to right to leave a 130m – 100m pitch to a generous sized green. Two types of pitch shots would be used by an experienced golfer depending on pin position on the day.
Hole 7
PAR 4
– 318 Mens
– 306 Ladies
For the high handicapper the short 7th hole opens to a wide lay up area on the right hand side of the fairway, which leaves an opening for the player to run the ball up to the green from a manageable distance. For the longer hitter, low marker, the temptation of hitting driver can come undone with out of bounds down right side through fairway. Large pine trees obstruct the 2nd shot to the green if the drive is hit too straight and long. The correct shot would have the experienced golfer hit 3wood or hybrid to around 100m for an easy pitch shot to the green.
Hole 8
PAR 5
– 434 Mens
– 384 Ladies
For many golfers who have play the par 5, 8th hole getting the ball on the fairway is not the hardest shot, it would be the second and third shots to the deceptive green.
Driving the ball for a low marker on the fairway would see the player hitting anywhere from 3 wood, to 7 iron for their 2nd shot, depending on wind conditions. Undulating mounds covering the left hand side of the fairway require a more accurate drive. The experienced golfer will be challenged by trying to fly the mounds for an aggressive position for there 2nd shot or play safe leaving over 220m to the green.
Getting to the green will see the player faced with a slightly sectioned green with small undulations and break, which will test any level of golfer.
Hole 9
PAR 5
– 473 Mens
– 402 Ladies
The 9th hole tests your length off the tee again for the experienced golfer and plays as a true par 5 for mid to high marker.
Experienced golfers will be tested with the preferred flight to be a slight fade to around 260m – 300m in length to where the fairway narrows. The successful drive will leave the low marker with 220m – 170m into a small green with a narrow entrance due to bunkering either side.
Hole 10
PAR 4
– 327 Mens
– 316 Ladies
For the experienced golfer, the 10th hole remains one of the toughest placement tee shots on the course.
Hitting driver too straight will have the golfer playing their second shot from the rough and from an unfavourable position to hit the green.
A hooked drive will dance with the out of bound markers on the left.
Generally hitting long iron or rescue from the tee will leave perfect yardage/meterage for the second shot around 115m – 120m.
The second shot is not easy to judge with cross winds effecting distance control to the green. A large bunker protects the right side of green which makes the second shot into the 10th ever so more difficult
Hole 11
PAR 5
– 447 Mens
– 393 Ladies
The 11th hole is one of the most picturesque hole on the course. This par 5, for the longer hitters will play as a strong par 4 in length (a good chance to grab a shot back from the course).
Driving the ball around 250m+ will allow a long to mid iron for the second shot. The green is long from back to from with a bunker covering the left hand side, and a grass runaway on the left.
Hole 12
PAR 3
– 151 Mens
– 117 Ladies
This section of the course in my mind is perfectly represented as the well known “Amen Corner” of Augusta National Golf Club.
The par 3 12th hole is the first of a stretch of holes that will test any level of golfer in shot making and course management at levels.
The 12th for the many playing this hole will endure wind gusts, test ball striking, and distance control all from 150m.
A slightly down hill par 3, the ball must travel over a bunker which is guarding 80% of the green and needs to stop before running out of green either into the rear bunker, or a grassy run off.
Putting on this green players will be a test whether putting up hill, or having a downhill slider.
Hole 13
PAR 4
– 370 Mens
– 334 Ladies
This dog leg par 4, again tests all level of golfers.
Driving the ball on the fairway is the key to playing this hole.
Hitting the fairway ensures the player of seeing the green in its entirety. Any ball strayed from the tee left or right makes it near impossible to hit the green for your second.
From the fairway the green protects itself with what appears to be false front which means calculating the distance very tricky to judge.
The green also protects itself with a bunker in the back left for those strayed long shots.
Putting is difficult with a 3 sectioned swale to contend with…..A strong hole!!
Hole 14
PAR 4
– 387 Mens
– 302 Ladies
Walking from the 13th to 14th hole thinking that the 13th was tough, the 14th hole tests all golfers. The 14th is a test of your drive, second shot and putting abilities. Driving the ball to the top of the fairway crest leaves the player with a second shot to a green that is lower than where you should hit your second. Multiple elevation changes from 200m away makes any level of golfer unsure of their length for second shot.
Leaving the ball above the hole will see you with a putt which is fast and tricky due to the undulaton in the green…….All I can say is good luck..
Hole 15
PAR 5
– 513 Mens
– 458 Ladies
A true par5 and a true test of shot making will have any level of golfer that writes the score of 5 on their card very happy.
At 513m the 15th hole sees any level of golfer looking for the longest drive in their bag, preferably on the right hand side.
If you don’t have a shot at the green which is around 95% of the time, the smart play is to layup with a long iron to around 100m, where the hole protects itself with 2 huge bunkers either side of the green.
Putting on this green is tricky to say the least.
This hole is a true Par 5 which is a 3 shot from tee to the green hole.
Hole 16
PAR 4
– 349 Mens
– 280 Ladies
For the better golfer, the 16th hole is a precise driving hole, where the preferred shot shape is right to left draw, this shape will utilize the right to left slope and gain an extra 10 to 20 metre from the tee.
A precise second shot is needed with 2 bunkers covering the right side and a green that slops from the front bunkers to the back.
Hole 17
PAR 3
– 159 Mens
– 142 Ladies
The 17th hole par 3 can play 3 -4 clubs different on any given day. Hitting to an elevated green and with a large bunker on the right hand side, attacking the right hand pin position will have all golfers thinking twice.
With the preferred flight left to right to stop the ball on the green this hole is one of the harder holes on the course.
Hole 18
PAR 4
– 353 Mens
– 278 Ladies
For the longer hitters, the 18th hole can undo a good round very easily with out of bounds on the left and the fairway running out quite suddenly for the longer hitter.
The ideal play for the better golfer is to hit 3 wood from the tee, then a short iron for the second shot.
Approaching the 18th hole can be quite tricky with the prevailing wind from the left hand side effecting ball flight with many coming up short for their second shot.
A large long green can mean 3 different distances for your second shot.