I had the good fortune of playing Fort Wayne Country Club (Indiana) on Friday with superintendent Brian Chalifoux and two of his assistants. The club was established in 1908 with the original nine laid out by David McIntosh and later finished by William Langford. It was quite an enjoyable day and a very good golf course. Compliments to Brian and his staff for maintaining such a wonderful facility.
#1 - Short Par 5 slight dogleg left and uphill. The best position off the tee is on the right hand side of the fairway which allows for a great chance of getting home in two.
#2 - Par 4 going back down the hill. This hole uses the rolling terrain very well. You do not need to hit driver off the box, but a shorter tee shot leaves you with a downhill approach where you can just see the top of the flagstick. Anything right or long of this green will leave you with a very difficult up and down.
#3 - mid-range par three up the hill
#4 - Another great par 5 on the front that fits in very well with the land. This dogleg right has a fairway bunker guarding the inside of the dogleg with a fairway that slopes from right to left. A tee shot staying on the right side of the fairway has a chance of going for it in two but usually needs to hit a fade from a hook lie around a tree guarding the right side of this hole.
#5 - Tough par 3 with water left and bunkers right. Played about 180 from the white tees. Tough hole this day as the wind was blowing strong from right to left.
#6 - Long par 4 playing a bit uphill and usually into the wind. One of my favorite holes on the course! It looks a bit bland off the tee with just a fairway bunker on the right side, but the fantastic green makes this approach one of the most difficult on the course. Long left goes straight down hill and the green has a severe back to front slope. There are some scary (fun) pins on the left side of this green.
view from behind
#7 - Par four with an uphill blind tee shot and downhill approach. Yet another very good hole, especially where the pin was on Friday. With the right side pin placement, you have to bee extremely accurate if going pin-seeking, otherwise you're wet or in the back bunker facing a downhill lie with a green sloping away from you towards water.
#8 - uphill par 3 with a two-tiered green. (no pics)
#9 - Par 4 playing back to the clubhouse. A front pin on #9 makes this hole very intimidating. Knowing that we were playing a match in the afternoon, the assistant put the pins in some of the most difficult spots...said assistant put his approach on the very back of this green and then four-putted to lose two ways on the front nine.
#10 - Short downhill par 4. My favorite hole on the course as it presents the most options. Playing 315 downhill and downwind, you can either lay-up with a mid-iron or have a go for the glory. There is enough room to the right of the water to bail out with a driver...unfortunately, I didn't miss right as usual.
#11 - Par 4 moving right to left. One of only two holes on the course that go left.
#12 - Straight forward par 4 playing uphill to a punchbowl green.
#13 - Par 5 downhill off the tee and back up to the green. OB guards the right side the entire length of the hole. Nice cross bunker about 130 yards from the green and a putting surface that is very deceptive.
#14 - Downhill par 3. The wind can play some tricks on you being tucked in amongst the trees.
#15 - Very good par 4 dogleg right. Need to either cut the corner with a driver or lay-up with a long iron or fairway wood. The fairway here again slopes right to left, so it's very easy to hit a drive through the fairway.
#16 - Short par 4 with another punchbowl style green. Some great fairway bunkers making the tee shot interesting. (kicking myself for not getting any pics of this hole as it is very good)
#17 - Shortest par 3 on the course to the smallest green on the course surrounded by five bunkers. Good opportunity to get a shot back before the finishing hole.
(Pick from the left side of the green)
#18 - The 18th is a good par five once again hitting downhill off the tee and back uphill to the green. The second shot is tested here with water pinching the fairway about 120 yards from the green. Any shots missed right here will find the water or roll downhill leaving a difficult pitch shot.