[Mark Saltzman]

Hole 10: Par 4, 408 Yards.

There are not many visual clues off the tee.  Those that have played the golf course before know that there is much more room on the right than appears from the tee and that is the correct line of the tee.  The slope down to the lower part of the fairway and a tee shot that finds any part of the ridge will get all the way down to the bottom.  Not challenging the right side is an option for the conservative player, but it will leave ~200 yards into the green.



Approach from top of ridge



Approach from bottom of ridge




Hole 11: Par 3, 173 Yards.

A stunning little par 3.  One of those holes that makes you go "wow" when you see it.  But this is no gimme.  Despite all the room around the green, the fairly severe slopes surrounding the green make this target feel much smaller than it actually is.  I can imagine many players tensing up on this tee.

The slope of the green allows a player several ways to get hit ball close a pin tucked over the bunker. 

[Mark Saltzman]

Hole 12: Par 5, 539 Yards.

Despite its yardage, this one is reachable in two.  This is one of the most undulating fairways you will ever see.  It gave me the feel of golfing on a roller coaster. 

The rocks in the center of the fairway are a bit of a visual deception.  A tee shot anywhere right of the rocks will use the fairway undulations to kick forward and toward the center of the fairway.  However, a tee shot over the fairway to the left of the rock will find trouble, even though this appears to be the preferred/aggressive line on this hole that gently moves left. 

For most, this will be a three shot hole and the lay-up and third are fairly straightforward.

The bunker short-right of the green has a kind of floating feeling.  I'm not sure it really comes into play or impacts strategy.  It feels like, as Yannick put it, "eye-candy."



Anything left of the rick will find more rock, thick rough and severe slopes right to left (making the lay-up, with water left, more difficult).








Hole 13: Par 4, 370 Yards.

Dog-leg left where the corner is only carry-able for the longest hitters.  The large slope to the left will certainly block out any tee shot that is either not hit well, or not hit far enough to the right.  What I don't get, is what is the purpose of those bunkers on the left on the hill?  They're not really in play, are they?  And who are they there to penalize, someone who hits a sky, pull or a snipe hook?  They felt like eye-candy again.  Are they there to tempt the player into taking too an aggressive a line?  At first glance, it certainly seems like the aggressive play is to take it over the bunkers, but only a very small percentage of golfers could get anywhere near carrying the whole hill on that line.



Approach from left of 150



Approach from right of 150

[Peter Pallotta]

Mark - Just my experience, but here it is: I'm an average golfer at best, but in the dozen or so times I've played, for example, Copper Creek, Angus Glen North and South, and Osprey Hoot and Toot, I invariably score better than I do when I play, for example, a 1960s course laid out by the farmer who owned the land (Westview) or a municipal course (Brae Ben) or a Rene Muylart course (St. Andrews Valley). And on those DC courses, I often find myself experiencing some of what you're describing on this thread (though MB does look tougher than most): "Despite its yardage, this one is reachable in two"; and "Carrick designed a wide enough green that anything (line-wise) close to a good shot should find the putting surface."; and, by SB re the first hole: "The next tees up are significantly shorter and the hole plays as a fairly soft opener" and by SB in general "There is certainly plenty of room off the tee and on most approaches so it is rare (exceptions are probably 8 and 9) that the rocks really come into play"; and "...what is the purpose of those bunkers on the left on the hill?  They're not really in play, are they?  And who are they there to penalize, someone who hits a sky, pull or a snipe hook?". Again, Mark, just my experience, and not meant to be a harsh criticism, as I like DC's courses and wouldn't want to be too critical. But much of what you're describing here is what I have found on the courses I mentioned, i.e. they play easier than they look.

Peter

[Mark Saltzman]

Mark - Just my experience, but here it is: I'm an average golfer at best, but in the dozen or so times I've played, for example, Copper Creek, Angus Glen North and South, and Osprey Hoot and Toot, I invariably score better than I do when I play, for example, a 1960s course laid out by the farmer who owned the land (Westview) or a municipal course (Brae Ben) or a Rene Muylart course (St. Andrews Valley). And on those DC courses, I often find myself experiencing some of what you're describing on this thread (though MB does look tougher than most): "Despite its yardage, this one is reachable in two"; and "Carrick designed a wide enough green that anything (line-wise) close to a good shot should find the putting surface."; and, by SB re the first hole: "The next tees up are significantly shorter and the hole plays as a fairly soft opener" and by SB in general "There is certainly plenty of room off the tee and on most approaches so it is rare (exceptions are probably 8 and 9) that the rocks really come into play"; and "...what is the purpose of those bunkers on the left on the hill?  They're not really in play, are they?  And who are they there to penalize, someone who hits a sky, pull or a snipe hook?". Again, Mark, just my experience, and not meant to be a harsh criticism, as I like DC's courses and wouldn't want to be too critical. But much of what you're describing here is what I have found on the courses I mentioned, i.e. they play easier than they look.

Peter

Peter, great post. 

I think this is where the attorney in the courtroom drama says, "the prosecution withdraws all charges."

[Mark Saltzman]

Hole 14: Par 5, 560 Yards.

Another very dramatic tee shot.  The rocks are certainly in play on this one.  The aggressive line over the rocks requires a carry of about 230 yards, though it does not yield a significantly easier second as just about everyone will be laying up.



The second shot provides few visual clues, but fortunately the layup is relatively straightforward.  A blind shot with no trickery.




The approach into the green can lull the player into a false sense of security. Even from as close as 100 yards out, a deep valley just short left of the green is completely hidden from view.  The front right of the green is protected by a rather severe false front.








Hole 15: Par 4, 445 Yards.

A long par 4 largely defined by the tee shot.  Any approach from the right side of the fairway will likely be bloced out by a large tree.  The player is forced to challenge the left side of the fairway, but a severe left to right cant makes it difficult to have a ball remain on the left.  The slope can be used as a bit of a 'speed slot' to gain extra yardage off the tee.








Hole 16: Par 4, 440 Yards.

A very tough uphill, dogleg left par 4.  The more one bails out off the tee, the more difficult the angle of approach into a green that is well above the player.  In fact, the ideal angle into the green is from the left rough (which I was fortunate enough to find out by accident).  From the fairway, the green looks almost unhittable but it is deep and receptive.  The only place one can't miss is short right in the bunker.  This was one of my favorite bunkers on the golf course. 

[George Freeman]

...The bunkers aren’t what I wished they would be both visually and in some cases the placement doesn’t fit my own ideals either.

I would have ...done something completely different with the bunkering.

Thanks Ian for the comments.  Very interesting stuff!

Can you expound a little on what style of bunkering you would have preferred and some of the differences on bunker placement (in general)?

THanks!

[Mark Saltzman]

Hole 17: Par 3, 214 Yards. (Waterloo)

The difficult stretch of holes coming home continues with 17.  A do-or-die playing over 200 yards, and often into the wind.  From the the tee, the green looks almost unhittable.  Nevertheless, a good tee shot is rewarded as the green has back-to-front slope near the back of the green that will receive a shot from a long-iron/hybrid and possibly even collect back toward the center of the green.  I have never played a back right pin, but I imagine it would be very intimidating from the tee.  Again, the slope of the green will allow a shot the lands in the center to feed to the back right. 










Hole 18: Par 4, 429 Yards.

A tough, uphill finisher.  The tee shot is defined by a lone bunker that one must either avoid by playing to the right, or attempt to carry.  The approach was one of my favorites on the course as it allowed a shot with a longer club to be run onto the green.  A kicker at the front right portion of the green allows a cleverly played shot to land front-right and feed all the way to the back-left.

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