Hole #1 – The Fort (191 yard par three)
The raised green is built on a Iron Age ring fort. Add an extra club for the rise in fairway height from tee to green. There are no bunkers on this hole – it doesn’t need them. This is a hole where you are definitely better short than long on this hole because of the out of bounds immediately beyond the green.
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Hole #2 – Squire’s Gap (453 yard par four)
This is a long, very difficult, uphill par four. Most golfers will be very happy with scoring a 5. From the tee – whilst there is a drain and trees on the right – you must avoid going left because left is out of bounds. Your approach to the green must also be accurate because if you go through the back of the green you are in deep, deep jungle. The hole also has a tricky, sloped green with a false front, so try to leave yourself with an approach yardage that you are comfortable with to ensure an uphill putt. Accuracy and distance control are essential to score well at this hole.
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Hole #3 – Loughview (359 yard par four)
Looks benign from the tee box. There are drains and trees on both sides of the fairway, with a cheeky pot bunker in your landing area. You need to hit a straight, accurate drive even if this means not hitting your driver. A second shot from the fairway opens up a birdie opportunity to a green which is guarded by big bunkers on both sides and a gravel path just beyond the green. Accuracy is rewarded on this hole and missed shots can be very costly.
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Hole #4 – The Pitch (164 yard par three)
Everything is visible from the tee. Protected by trees, a drain and bunkers this is a very tricky par 3. The wind tends to swirl around if there is any breeze at all. Better long than short at this hole.
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Hole #5 – The River (371 yard par four)
A classic risk reward hole. Out of bounds up the left and mature trees to the right means you must be accurate off the tee. With a river flowing some 20 feet in front of the green and out of bounds 30 feet beyond the green many handicap players choose to lay up to ensure a bogey. Lower handicap players may feel they are forced to take the approach shot on where distance control and accuracy can offer rewards.
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Hole #6 – Sunningdale (386 yard par four)
With a hidden dip in this dog leg right hole, and trees lining the right hand side and out of bounds running up the entire left this is a formidable driving hole. Finding the fairway can offer birdie opportunities but this fast, tricky green which is unusually higher at the front than the back makes distance control essential, particularly if the flag is at the front. Get it wrong and you are staring at a bogey; or worse. Leave yourself a good approach yardage to score at this hole.
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Hole #7 – Plateau (362 yard par four)
From the tee the drive looks easy with a broad fairway ahead of you. But there is out of bounds all the way up the left hand side, trees on the right and once again the river flows just in front of this green. Get your approach shot wrong and you could be in the river or in one of the three bunkers protecting the green. Being long will leave you a very difficult downhill chip to a green that runs away from you towards the river. Leave your putt below the flag to give yourself a birdie chance.
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Hole #8 – Waterworks (498 yard par five)
With trees left and right players must hit their drive through a chute to find the fairway which has bunkers on both the left and right hand side. The green is also guarded by bunkers on both sides and by an open drain 20 yards in front of it. Take on the green in two and an eagle is possible but many prefer to take a three shot approach to this par 5 to at least open up the possibility of a birdie.
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Hole #9 – The Spires (369 yard par four)
With out of bounds left aim your drive to the right at the spires or Cliftonville football club’s floodlights. This short par 4 is all about the approach shot. With a good drive an aggressive flag challenging shot is possible. The player will need to take into account the bunkers on each side of the green and the pond rear left. Go big and you could go out of bounds on the Westland Road! This green needs respect as it has many subtle breaks to confound the unsuspecting golfer.
