Course Tour

A common design feature of Walter Travis is a long, difficult Par 3.  This 237-yard epitomizes that style.  The green gently falls from right to left, but is relatively flat.  The length and 2 bunkers protect the green from errant shots.  The typical shot is missed to the right which leaves the golfer a pitch shot over a very tall trench-style bunker face to a green that gently slopes away.

The tee shot is one of the most picturesque on the golf course.  It is a short Par 4 that plays uphill and the tee shot is key on this hole.  The golfer must miss the penal bunker on the right or they may not be able to reach the green on the approach.  If the golfer misses the fairway, it is best they miss on the left side. The orientation of the greenside bunkers allow for a recovery much easier than a miss on the right.  The green is elevated from the approach making it difficult to get the ball to the hole.  The green is sloped from back to front with many interesting undulations, which provides some difficult pin positions.

This hole was renovated when the new holes were built and shortened from a Par 5 to a medium length Par 4.  The tee shot is tough as it is narrow and slightly uphill.  If you carry the high point of the fairway, your shot will receive considerably more roll, making the approach shot much easier.  If the tee shot is near the fairway bunker, the approach is more difficult.  The green was designed as a fairly flat Par 5 green so it does not receive a long iron quite as well.  The high faced bunker short right of the green, must be negotiated. The common miss is in the chipping area left of the green.  This allows for an easier chip shot into the slope of the green, which slopes from right to left.

This is the third hole that was not part of the original layout.  It is a target golf hole.  While the landing area is generous, the tee shot needs to be in the left center of the fairway, or the approach shot will be blocked by 3 trees on the right.  The ideal landing area will be 110-140 yards from the green.  The approach shot can be visually intimidating with the large pond to the right, 2 bunkers to carry, and a left to right sloped narrow approach.  The hole usually is played straight into the prevailing wind.  The green is angled from left to right, is very shallow, and falls off left and right.

A short Par 4 that is a very interesting hole.  The hole has a slight dogleg right and a green angled from right to left.  On the tee, you must make a decision between laying up with an iron 125-150 yards to a generous landing area with a flat lie, or hitting driver to get as close to the green as possible.  The green is a narrow redan style green sloping from front to back and right to left.  The longer the approach shot, the harder it is to get close to the pin. But, an errant shot with the driver will leave few options.  The green sloping away, and the 3 bunkers protecting the front of the green, make a recovery pitch very difficult. 

A short Par 5 that has an almost 90-degree dogleg right after the tee shot.  The longest hitters may be able to carry the large trees on the right and be left with a short 2^nd shot to the green.  However, a missed tee shot will make a second shot recovery very difficult.  From the intended landing area at the corner, the golfer must negotiate an approach bunker 30-40 yards from the green.  Either layup short or carry the bunker.  Although the bunker is fairly flat, it is an awkward bunker shot from that distance.  The green is protected by bunkers left and right.

This is a very short, slightly downhill Par 3, with only a 3000 sq ft green.  The backdrop of the clubhouse and pool, combined with the prevailing wind into the golfer, makes this delicate tee shot very difficult.  The green is angled from right to left and protected in the front by bunkers left and right. It is protected in the back right, by another bunker.  The back bunker is very difficult to recover from as the green slopes away from you in all directions.

A Par 5 with a slightly uphill tee shot that requires the golfer to be on the right side, or hit a very long tee shot to navigate the dogleg and go for the green on the second shot.  An errant tee shot leaves the golfer with a layup to 150 yards.  If the golfer chooses to attempt to get closer, the dogleg becomes very narrow.  The narrow dogleg leads to a swale and an approach bunker that is below the green and very penal.  The green is fairly flat with a chipping area to the right and a false front on the right. 

A downhill tee shot to a very large swale in the landing zone.  From this landing area it is about 150 yards, but the golfer will most likely not have a flat lie or good view of the green.  The ideal tee shot will carry the swale and leave the golfer with a slightly uphill or flat lie and a good view of the green.  It is only the second hole without a bunker, but the green is the defense.  Shaped like an upside-down bowl, slightly offline approach shots run off in all directions.  Once on the green or in the chipping area, the golfer is faced with many subtle and not so subtle slopes.