I’ve played Brynwood several times with a good friend who is a member. Until 2010, when it was sold to a new owner, and management taken over by Troon, it was known as The Canyon Club. It is a funky layout (more than quirky), built on the side of a hill so that almost every hole has been constructed taking the slope into account. Some with steep uphill or downhill corridors and others sculpted as plateau landing areas across the slope so that if you miss the fairway the ball rolls down toward the hole below it on the slope. I don’t have a scorecard handy and didn’t see one of the club website so I’ll do my best to remember my way around the course. Some decent, tricky greens, most of which are influenced by the overall slope of the property. I have been told that they are planning to make significant changes to the course and that ownership has spoken with Reese Jones. The new owner has upgraded the clubhouse and pool area and it looks like they have gotten a lot of new young family members. Here’s a link to photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/golfcoursepix/sets/72157631826677981/1 – par 4 , tight fairway. Slice or push and you roll down toward the 18th fairway
2 – Par 4 a right curving steeply downhill tee shot, OB left. A big fade here can roll to a valley leaving wedge to the green
Canyon #2 by
tewiespix, on Flickr
3 – par 5 – One of the better holes because it is one of the few not significantly influenced by the hill
4 – Par 4 – very tight. Miss right has the roll down to #5
5 – Par 4 – a crescent moon shaped hole. steep downhill tee shot that curves to the right and at the bottom curves fairly steeply back up to an elevated plateau green that breaks toward the bottom of the hole more than you will see. A fade or a draw can work if you know where to start the shot. It is a very difficult hole but sort of fun in a perverse way.
Canyon #5 from tee by
tewiespix, on Flickr
Canyon #5 approach by
tewiespix, on Flickr
Canyon #5 grass bunker by
tewiespix, on Flickr
6 – Par 3. Around 185 from the tips if I recall. Tight with trees on both sides, a decent green with.
Canyon #6 behind green by
tewiespix, on Flickr
7 – Par 4 – They need to blow this hole up. The tee shot is to a steep uphill/sidehill landing area that slopes extremely to the right. It’s like a false fronted fairway. Most tee shots hit the hill and either roll backward or roll significantly to the right and off the fairway. The approach to the green is blind and almost impossible to reach in two (at least for me.)
Canyon #7 from tee by
tewiespix, on Flickr
8 – Par 3 – long and steeply uphill. Many mid and high handicappers play 3 wood or driver from the middle tees
Canyon #8 Long Par 3 uphill by
tewiespix, on Flickr
9 – Not sure if it’s a par 4 or 5 It runs parallel to #18 and both holes have a similar feel with fairways sloping right to left. They keep the rough pretty high on the right so you can get caught on the high side of the fairway.
10 - par 3 around 175. One of the few level holes
11 – par 4 - Another hole significantly affected by the slope of the land. It has a split fairway that was separated by a large tree, which I think was removed in 2012. The upper “fairway” is basically a small landing plateau carved into the hillside. It is like a large runway tee box, very tight. A tee shot of 180 from the middle tees leaves you at the end of the landing area and a 100 yard uphill shot to the green. If you elect to hit your tee shot to the main fairway on the right, you need to hit a draw downhill and perhaps hope for a few yeard of roll as the fairway turns back up hill to the left. It is a difficult hole for a high handicapper who can’t hit the small landing area on the left or hit a draw. A fade to the main fairway ineveitably rolls down to the rough or woods toward the next hole lower on the hill.
Canyon #11 from tee by
tewiespix, on Flickr
Canyon behind #11 green by
tewiespix, on Flickr
12 - par 3 about 165 angled up the hill.
13 - par 4 with a split fairway, as with #11, the upper fairway is a plateau carved into the side of the hill, albeit significantly more receptive in size. The right (lower) fairway has the same issue of balls rolling down into the rough or trees. The approach is uphill to a green with lots of break.
Canyon #13 approach from left fairway by
tewiespix, on Flickr
14 -16 are the better holes on the course as they are the least affected by the hilly terrain
14 – The fairway has some width and a small tree that splits the fairway, but is really just a mental hazard as it is easy to carry and rarely comes into play . The sidehill slope is minimal on this hole and, as it is in a part of the course that is frequently wet, tee shots tend to stay on the fairway.
Canyon #14 from tee by
tewiespix, on Flickr
15 – Par 4 or par 5,
16 – Par 3 – approx. 165 from the middle tee, allows several good pin placements to a fairly interesting green.
Canyon #16 by
tewiespix, on Flickr
17 – par 5 has one of the wider and flatter fairways. Water right. Second shot is usually a lay up to your preferred wedge or 9 iron distance as the green, which is tucked to the right of the fairway, surrounded by bunkers and slopes toward the water if you are long or right, requires a high soft approach. I flew a wedge into the hole for eagle the first time I played here, but have bogeyed it every time since. I can’t hit an approach that stays within two putt distance of wherever the hole is.
Canyon #17 green fro9m 9th tee by
tewiespix, on Flickr
18 – see 9 above.