PIt stop.. quick sandwich and provisions to go.. hold off on that first bite and take a good swig of beer instead.. #10 awaits .. it may be best birdie opportunity for several holes..
#10.. Most par threes stress accuracy, I've always felt that #10 requires simple aggression and accuracy. With one of the greatest elevation drops on the course, and lake edge green, its easy to just munch your eats and watch others take it on.. One used to have to fire to the left of almost any pin placement to keep the ball on the green, bringing those left green edge traps into play, unless you like to draw the ball over water or hit a high-straight-soft landing shot :ƒº this green has gotten very bumpy and fallen on hard times over the recent years and we¡¦ve played it recently as an auto-2-putt.. plenty of balls are to be found in the lake!
#11.. This relatively short par 4 with downhill left curving fairway entices and draws you into its tree line hazards, one must draw the ball and follow the right center path else get ensnarled into the open left rough and cut off from a clear approach by trees that lurk left towards the green.. Slicers typically power into the right rough¡Vtree-scrub area with poor chance to get on in two. This left-right two tier green is very shallow, and the approach from a good downhill fairway lie requires steady confidence to place your shot onto the very small half-green¡¨ landing areas.
#12.. Reportedly the last of the C&C shaped holes, this par 4 is toughest behind #4 & #9, one must blast up the hill, knowing that center-right is best, center-left may be screwed.. short forces a layup over the hill with almost always a downhill lie resulting.. short does give you some opportunity, if you like 220 yard+ , uphill lie, blind shots to test your nerves or lighten your bag.. If you get to the top of the hill, its mentally not unlike the 10th, no time to be shy, left is generally good, especially if you can bounce it off the hillside to get at back pin or if just above the green, at least better than taking a bath in the lake right.. many a tin cup moment seen at this hole!
#13.. As stated previously, this longish uphill par 3 hole used to be extremely difficult to hold shots due to the green draped over the sloping away hill, redan style. I¡¦ve seen shots faded onto it hit, appear to be ok and roll off, low shots up the hill to right green edge make a left turn onto the green. Or roll-out into long grass. left used to be a two section very deep bunker, seems shallower now, but still very un-inviting.. familiarity helps, but no guarantees here from any side of the green. If green speeds come back, look out!
#14.. Par 4 with a ¡§little¡¨ carry over an angled water hazard, no problem with a power fade or blast straight or controlled draw starting down right fairway edge.. For those that draw-hook or pull left, if you choose line too central, one can quickly run out of fairway landing-runout room to left tree-scrub line.. Slicers can have difficulty with water carry and/or trees to right. Don¡¦t go right at green, 4-5 yards off kicks you downhill into piney woods.. else fairly easy hole, best birdie opportunity on back 9.
#15.. Par 4 dogleg left.. Take one 3W, sling it up the hill, gentle right-left draw, center cut and all¡¦s well on this slight uphill-downhill hole. Those pulling drivers typically end up going through tree line right into junk.. snap hooks and other cooks left get cut off.. green runs away from you.. used to land approaches 5-10 yards in front of green and still prayed for a putt .
#16.. You¡¦ve seen the pics of this par 5.. tee shot looks uphill, slight dogleg right fairway sloping left to right ..Seen many a draw end up in trees to left, many a fade on right cart path or worse.. second shot over the hill is all about your lie, ball flight and placement to your best approach yardage, not too far, not too short.. either way, add a club to normal yardage for blind uphill shot to green which slopes to front right. Many birdies or ¡§others¡¨ seem to happen here, the wooden dam turns many off, but if there was an open approach uphill slope to green, traps would be no real defense and likely counter productive, inviting long hitters some safe haven..
#17..Deceptive par 4 dogleg right ( for first timers), like #16, one needs a power fade up left side, leak into center, staying away from small pond guarding nearly entire right side. Don¡¦t be shy on approach, which is slightly uphill, to large sloped green.
#18..Test your manhood and/or get real on this par 5 closer.. One more small uphill drive, don¡¦t even think of challenging traps, cover some substantial territory down the fairway, approach your last angled, slight tiered, fall-away green with draw landing 5-10 yards right of pin, watch it track left back to hole.. tap in for birdie, go rest in parking lot or at the grill/veranda, hit the reset button, and repeat if you can¡K
We're looking forward to the return of BN's greens and conditioning under the new management.. with development in the area, and lower prices, I assume there'll be better cash flow and improvements made. None the less, we still love to play this course.. perhaps because it doesn't feel like 90% of the other courses we've played in TX in last 17 yrs.. A hidden gem indeed!