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Hole 1
The first hole bends slightly to the left, with fairway bunkers guarding both the inside and outside corners of the turn. The approach shot is to an elevated green, with bunkers front left and right. Be careful of a front pin on this slippery green, and a par is a good start to your round.
Hole 2
The second hole is the longest hole on the course at nearly 600 yards. Off the tee, a mountain creek meanders down the right side of the fairway, forcing players to seek safety on the left side. A good drive down this left side will find players using the slope to roll the ball into a perfect position for the second shot.
The mountain creek swings across the fairway and divides this par 5, requiring players to hit a good second shot to carry the narrow hazard.
Approaching the green, trees begin to encroach the fairway, and surely catch any wayward shots. The severely sloped green (from back to front) is well guarded by three large bunkers. A well-played iron shot into this green should be left below the hole.
Hole 3
This medium length par 3 third hole is a visually stimulating hole. From the left side teeing area, players are forced to carry a pond that reaches to the front edge of the green. From the right side, players hit out of a chute and into this green from a very awkward angle. If players decide to hit long to avoid the water, a sloped bunker behind the green can make par a difficult score. In addition, this green has two tiers, requiring a good first putt if you happen to be on the wrong level.
Hole 4
The fourth hole is ranked as the hardest hole from the men's tees and features a severe dogleg left. Bunkers on the left side of the fairway prevent players from cutting the corner. The approach into the green is all uphill and adds significant length to this hole. The green is well guarded by bunkers on both the right and left.
Hole 5
The fifth hole bends slightly to the right around a lateral hazard. If you leave your tee shot to the right, this hazard will surely capture your ball and force a penalty stroke. A large tree and two fairway bunkers guard the left side if you try to play safe. Two bunkers in front and one behind guard this pear-shaped green. Landing short of the green and bouncing up between the front bunkers is a common approach to a front or middle flag.
Hole 6
This par five plays directly back toward the mountain and usually into the prevailing winds. Off the tee, the fairway slopes deceptively to the right and forces many players to play their second shot from the thick rough just off the fairway. The second shot on this par five requires a precision lay-up to put the player in position to shoot for the pin on the third shot.
Players attempting to reach this green in two will have to keep their shots to the left side, as most shots that land short of the green and in the fairway will run to the right into a deep greenside bunker. In addition to the bunker on the right, two more bunkers guard the left side of this enormous green.
To add to the dynamics of this sixth hole, the green slopes severely from front to back and has enough hidden humps to make par a challenging score.
Hole 7
The Par 3 seventh is a beautiful hole, but plays as a devilish short hole. Several of the available tee boxes are elevated and the approach into the green is a forced carry over a pond. This water hazard reaches up to the front of the green. While the right side is wide-open, the thick rough and elevated green make getting up and down a difficult task.
Hole 8
This is the longest par 4 on the course at 472 yards. Although straight, this fairway rises slightly off the tee, then drops into a valley, only to rise again to an elevated green. Two bunkers around this tiered and sloped green place a priority on the players approach shots. For the ladies, this long hole plays as a par 5.
Hole 9
This is a beautiful finish to the front nine. Although a relatively short hole, this par 4 has plenty of characteristics that require the player to continue to hit good shots. Off the tee, the fairway turns to the left, but is guarded by several large trees and two bunkers.
Golfers who try to play safely to the right will often find the fairway slopes away and will quickly send balls into the thick rough on the right side of the fairway.
The ninth green is elevated, with a large hump on the left side. Two bunkers on the left will penalize the players trying to avoid the water on the right side of the green.
Hole 10
The back nine begins with this dogleg right. A tee shot over a creek has to avoid the pond, willow tree, and a handful of bunkers on the right. Players hitting the shot well left to avoid these hazards only find themselves further from the green. This long green wraps its way between two bunkers on either side of the green.
Hole 11
This par 3 usually plays directly into the wind, adding a club or two to the distance. Four bunkers surround this green and a pond hides behind it. Once safely on the green, players face a slope on the back half of the green and many subtleties on the front half.
Hole 12
The second longest par four on the course is a severe dogleg left with a lateral hazard running down the entire left side. This beautiful hole requires two well-played shots to reach the green. The entire fairway appears framed by trees, and in some areas, the overhanging trees make the fairways even narrower. The only hole on the course with no bunkers still has many tricks up it’s sleeves. Most of the rough around this green is extremely thick, penalizing the errant approach.
Hole 13
The thirteenth hole is a straight par 4 that rises slightly off the tee and falls to an inviting green sloped from back to front. Three wide, but deep bunkers down the right side are affectionately referred to as “The Coffins”, since it is virtually impossible to reach the green if you should find yourself in them. The green has a hidden bunker in front, nearly the width of the green, and a bunker to the left. While this is no easy hole, a well-placed tee shot can provide the player with the opportunity to chase birdie.
Hole 14
This is the shortest par 4 on the course by approximately 40 yards. Although the length is decreased, the difficulty is not. This hole bends slightly to the right around a tall grove of trees and forces the player to make a conservative shot to the left side of the fairway.
Players finding themselves wrapped up in these trees will often find their only escape is a punch shot back out to the fairway.
A bunker sits to the left of the fairway and medium sized pine trees shadow the left side of the hole. A decent tee shot normally leaves the player with a short iron or wedge into this kidney shaped green. A valley runs through the spine of this green, while errant shots into this green may find one of the two bunkers on either side of this green.
Hole 15
A long straight par 5, this hole is often played directly into the wind. Players hit tee shots out of a chute of trees that naturally line you up down the right side of the fairway, directly at a fairway bunker. If you get excited about this hole and slide the ball to the right, out of bounds can come into play quickly. After the tee shot, the player just needs to play the second shot into position to hit a short iron or wedge into the green. The multi tiered green is protected by a bunker front right, and a stand of pines back left. Humps, mounds, and grain make this a good hole to make par and move on.
Hole 16
The longest par 3 on the course always presents a challenge to the players. Bunkers guard the back sides of this green, so playing a shot just short of the green is often a good idea. Unfortunately, a false front to this green prevents many balls from meandering onto the green and often provides just enough challenge to make par a very good score.
Hole 17
A sharp dogleg left, this hole is one of the prettiest holes on the course. From the hole, the fairway landing area is wrapped by a thick collection of pine trees. A large hardwood tree and a series of smaller trees guard the left side of this hole. Again, a tee shot played safely to the right only makes the approach into the green longer. Once the player turns the corner, the green is set against the backdrop of Bull Run Mountain. Bunkers on either side of the green force a good shot with a long iron or fairway wood.
Hole 18
This is one of the finest finishing holes in the area. This par 5 has the potential to swing a match considerably. There is nothing routine about this hole. A tee shot must be carefully placed right of the big hardwood tree overhanging the left side, and left of the pines to the right of the fairway.
The gambling begins with the second shot. You can either play a safe second shot by hitting short of the first pond and leave yourself a third shot of 160+ yards, or a more risky shot is to play over the first pond and short of the second pond. For the long hitters and gamblers, they can try to reach this well-guarded green in two shots.
The green is among the largest on the course, and can play one to two clubs longer/shorter depending upon the hole location for the day. This green is guarded by water along the entire left side, along with two small bunkers on the left and one large bunker on the right. This is a truly rewarding hole.
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