I'm a member at Pumpkin Ridge. They often flip the nines for daily play because they found the average round takes 10-15 minutes less when playing the back nine first. Strange, but true.
Although the front nine is clearly longer, tougher and better looking, I strongly believe the nines are in the correct order.
1) I like the idea of "charging" on the back nine towards a good score. There are a few more birdie opportunities on the back.
2) Everybody agrees the front nine is better, but some of us believe the back nine at Ghost Creek is quite underrated, with its par 2.5, 3.5, and 4.5 finishing stretch.
3) Hole #9 is my least favorite hole on the course, where the best play off the tee is over the containment mounding onto the 1st fairway. The safe second shot is out at the first tee, and occasionally hits the cart path and bounds into trouble. This is a very difficult and often demoralizing hole where the trouble is all contrived, man-made hazards. Hole #18, though also possessing a large pond to defend the green, is a much better finishing hole.
4) Hole #10 is a terrible starting hole. A pulled drive can easily be lost in the long grass. The hole is 474- 492, a very short par 5, so it makes sense to be warmed up for two long, straight shots here. In fact, the stretch 8-9-10 are all par 4.5 holes, and you should be loose and ready for these.
5) We hosted the Nike (now Nationwide) Tour Championship in 1993 and 1994. They were superb events, with exciting finishes. The spectator viewing is excellent on the back nine. The Safeway should work well at Ghost Creek. It was originally referred to as the Tournament Course, where Witch Hollow was the Member Course. I consider the two courses to be approximately equal, but many of us at the club consider Ghost Creek a better challenge for the best players.
So I disagree. Like her just the way she is.