Course Tour

A low key hole to get your round started, the downhill tee shot can kick to the center from both the left and right. A short to mid iron approach to an elevated green will leave you in good position to start off on the right note.

The fun is over. A long iron or utility wood to a small green makes for a difficult approach shot. The green is well protected so missing it can make for a hard up and down. Three here is a good score.

With a creek that runs down the left side of the hole and out of bounds to the right a good tee shot will put a premium on this hole. Some will hit a fairway wood for position leaving them a mid to long iron approach to a large green with subtle fall offs to both the left and right side.

The longest par four on the front plays even longer due to a dramatic uphill approach shot into this green. A great drive still leaves you with a fairway wood or long iron into a well protected green.

Again, the premium is on the drive as you hit over a hill to a blind landing area. A creek guards the left side of the fairway with a large hill on the right can cause some pretty awkward lies. A good short to mid iron will leave you with a chance for birdie but, if you miss the green bogie is a real possibility.

A long uphill par three requires a strong and accurate tee shot to hit this green in regulation. Four bunkers protect the green as well as out of bounds on both sides. Once you reach the green your troubles are just beginning as this green has a false front and a lot of slope. Just like the second hole, par is a good score here.

This short par four can play more difficult than its yardage. A good drive can carry the hill, get you to the flat and leave you just a wedge into the green. However if you chose to hit a fairway wood off the tee it can leave you an awkward side hill lie into an elevated green, protected by a long bunker on the left.

The only par five on the front side is also your best chance for birdie. A drive to the right of the fairway bunkers will provide you with a long or mid iron to the bottom of the hill and well short of the greenside bunkers.This will leave you a wedge to approach the elevated green and a putt for birdie.

This longish par 4 begins with a challenging tee shot to a fairway that slopes from right to left. With out of bounds very much in play on both sides of this hole accuracy is your key to success. The green is protected by a deep bunker to the right. Finishing the front with a par should give you some momentum for the back side.

The original starting hole at Hope Valley begins with a downhill drive leaving a short to mid iron to the green. There are four bunkers on this hole, none of them greenside, leading to an approach shot that must be accurate as there are sizable fall offs on both sides of this green.

Selected by Ben Hogan as one of his favorite holes, number eleven is a long uphill par four. The drive is the key to this hole as you need a long and accurate one to avoid the creek that runs down the left side and the out of bounds on the right. Your approach with a fairway wood or long iron is uphill all the way so be sure you take enough club. This is another hole where par is a great score.

There is no rest as you face another long uphill par four. Your drive must avoid the five fairway bunkers (three on the right and two on the left) leaving you another long uphill shot to a very narrow kidney shaped green. When you reach the green there is a large bunker on the right and quite a few subtle breaks to this putting surface.

A short par four with a downhill tee shot. A fairway wood will leave you short of the fairway bunker on the left and in the flattest part of the fairway for your short iron approach to the green. A good approach should leave you with a chance for birdie.

Don’t let the yardage deceive you. The shortest of the four par threes does not play the easiest. The wind generally in your face will mean a mid to long iron shot to a green protected by deep bunkers in front and to the right. A lot of undulation in this green will make putting tricky.

The only par five on the backside is your best chance for birdie all day. The long hitters can get home in two with a fairway wood or long iron. If you don't get home in two it's just a wedge to a small green sloped back that is protected by bunkers on the left and right.

Don’t be fooled by the fact there are no bunkers on this hole. This is the #1 handicap hole, the longest par four all day. A sharp dog leg left requires a long drive to get around the corner. The fairway slopes left to right leaving you an awkward side hill lie for your approach. Par here is a great score.

The second dogleg left in a row is a bit easier. A good drive over the creek will leave you a short to mid iron approach to this elevated green. Be sure you take enough club to get up the hill as the big bunker in front will catch anything short.

With the clubhouse as the backdrop this long uphill par three is a great finishing hole. A short approach will hit this false front and roll back into the fairway. It will take a solid approach shot to have an opportunity for birdie; if you miss the green par is a tough score. A lot can happen on the final hole.