A brief tour of the course from architect Gil Hanse.
#1 Three Creek Par 5, 519 yards The merits of starting a golf course with a par 5 have been widely debated. I have always been of the belief that if the landscape accommodates a long hole a par 5 is a great way to begin a round. The rolling fairway will provide the main challenge to the tee shot as the slopes will either kill a shot or provide a helpful kick. A good kick may put the player in the “go zone”.
#2 Mt. Rushmore Par 4, 415 yards The terrain on this hole is amongst my favorite on the golf course. Playing through an undulating valley, this uphill par 4 also wanders through several rock outcroppings, a unique feature of this section of the golf course.
#3 Redan Par 4, 435 yards This is another hole that benefits from the rolling ground. There is an aggressive route for the tee shot, over a large fairway bunker, or a more conservative avenue to the right. Golfers who can carry the left side fairway bunker will be rewarded with a very helpful kick toward the namesake redan ridge and a short iron to the green.
#4 Wizard’s Cap Par 4, 426 yards The fourth hole is actually on a large island of land surrounded by wetland although you would never guess it due to the perfectly rolling terrain and the wide corridor of play. It features a striking 200 year old stone wall near the green.
#5 Shipwreck Par 4, 317 yards This short par 4 offers a multitude of options off the tee, as the golf course transitions from woodland into a stretch of scrub pine and oak. This is without question a hole that will inspire much spirited debate. The small green is the namesake for this hole.
#6 Wild Turkey Par 3, 159 yards Next is a downhill par 3, played over a sandy waste area to a wide green that is one club deep. Although the hole will typically play only 140 yards, varying conditions will present a different challenge every round. This may be the most picturesque hole I have ever built.
#7 Penniman Hill Par 4, 456 yards This plateau was originally Penniman Hill. The top of the hill was sheared off by a mining operation some 80 years ago. The wide and level fairway will prove receptive to the tee shot, with length a key consideration on one of the longest par 4’s on the front side. The second shot plays to an elevated green that is set on a peninsula of land with trouble short, right, and long.
#8 Bent Pine Par 3, 221 yards This is the longest par 3 on the course which also traverses the relatively level remains of Penniman Hill. The key features on this hole are a diagonal row of chocolate drop mounds in front of the green, and the large white pine to the rear of the green. The mounds are remnants of the mining operation and serve primarily as a visual hazard off of the tee.
#9 Geronimo Par 4, 466 yards After leaving the most level section of the property the largest elevation change on the course appears on the 9th tee. Tee shots will appear to soar as they carry over a fairway that descends nearly 70 feet. The green is fairly large with some of the more dramatic undulations and pin locations on the course.
#10 Mae’s Par 4, 414 yards This hole will require some thought off the tee as to distance control—most of the fairway ends about 290 yards from the back tee. A small sliver of fairway to the left will allow golfers to try and thread the needle if they choose to go for broke with the driver.
#11 Petrified Par 3, 188 yards A beautifully framed picturesque golf hole with a forced carry over a spectacular wetland. The green sits in a natural bowl with the surrounding land sloping in from the back and left sides. Although the carry is only 130 yards, many players will be intimidated by the consequences of a poor shot.
#12 Gate Par 4, 433 yards Players using the back tee will hit a blind shot through the “gate” in the stone wall. The gently rolling fairway leads up to the green, which is guarded primarily by a “valley of sin” in front of the green which will gather any shots played below the green.
#13 Knuckle Bucket Par 4, 473 yards Another natural hole, that looks big and plays big. The hole doglegs to the right with the corner being guarded by two bunkers and some large white pines. The subtle guard to this hole is that the ground from the center of the fairway falls to the left. A unique bunker behind the green captures shots played too aggressively.
#14 Big Sky Par 4, 436 yards This downhill tee shot offers a view of four of the back nine holes. The setup of the green will reward play from the right side of the hole. The dogleg features an amalgamation of pits and trenches to challenge the player cutting the corner.
#15 Coyote Trail Par 5, 589 yards A dramatic hole requiring a well-
thought-out strategy for play. Some of the best bunkering on the course gives this hole its fantastic visual presence and inspiration for the name of
the transition area over which players hit their second shot— “Hell’s Third of an Acre”.
#16 Principal’s Nose Par 4, 348 yards The center of the fairway bunker “principal’s nose”, was inspired by the famous 16th hole at The Old Course. This bunker will be the key element of this short par 4 hole, protecting the green from aggressive tee shots. The green is small with a deep bunker in front.
#17 American Chestnut Par 5, 580 yards A reachable par 5 that can add some drama to your round. The tee shot is straight forward. If you have any hope of getting home in two you must clear the ridge to a blind landing area guarded by bunkers. On the left side of the fairway, we have taken care to preserve one of nature’s finest and rarest trees, an American Chestnut tree.
#18 Stonewall Par 3, 187 yards Our last hole eliminates any question as to the validity of finishing with a par 3. This strong uphill layout is as dramatic to look at as it is to play. The green has plenty of undulations, and pin locations that will dramatically alter the shot to be played.