Antler Springs GC....the Painswick of the Pacific Northwest! All holes are up!

[Kalen Braley]

Hole 15 - Par 5 on the card, but plays as either  a short par 4, or even a par 3 if you're Bubba Watson.

This is hands down the quirkiest hole on the course.  Once again, i'll defer to the sign to try to give an idea of how the hole is routed.




So when ur standing on the tee, its really nothing more than a 8 iron to the blind downhill shot to the fairway.





If you're Bubba Watson, you might consider the direct route to the green which is likely no more than 230 yards.  But you have to be able to hit a high draw over these pine trees:





For me, I played it the conventional way...certainly don't have that shot in the bag.  When you get down to the fairway, you see this sign posted on the tree:





So you take a look to the left and play 150 yards to the green up the hill...with the stakes as your guide!! 





When you get to the top of the hill, you have ur 1st view of the green as its neatly tucked into the side of a hill.





A miss long and left leaves this chip to the green.  I like how he incorporates some bumps and undulations over here just to make things interesting!!


 

[Mark Saltzman]

Kalen,

Awesome!

Mark

[Garland Bayley]

Was the build of this course a place kicker that kicked field goals and extra points? That seems to be the dominant theme.

[Kalen Braley]

Mark,

I really liked it..as I really love quirk and out of the box holes.  It's quaint, the place was nice and quiet being 15 miles away from surburbia ...its like I had the place to myself and was playing a private course all for the low price of $18.

Garland,

Ha ha, we do live in the PNW and there are actually indeed lots of pine trees around.  Take a look out your front window, i'm sure you might see a few!!   

[Garland Bayley]

I know I haven't paid real close attention, but it seems there are a lot of goal post trees left and right of green entrances.
Even in the PNW that is unusual.

[Kalen Braley]

I know I haven't paid real close attention, but it seems there are a lot of goal post trees left and right of green entrances.
Even in the PNW that is unusual.

To answer your question.

Yes there are a lot of trees on the course.  But combined with the shortness of the holes, I think it really works to force decisions on tee boxes it terms of how aggressive you are going to be.

For the most part, I played non-aggressively and was able to avoid most of them.  But no doubt they will bite you in the ass like it did for me on #5.

Overall, the course is no world beater...obviously...but it is a ton of fun to play something different, and to boot play it in a semi-remote location and just have a fun time hitting all kinds of non-conventional shots.  That to me is one of the greatest joys of the game and the reason why I'm such a lover of quirk on the golf course.

[Kalen Braley]

Hole 16 - Par 4

This is another shortish par 4 that plays down the hill like #9.  The main difference is though, the tee shot is completely blind and the green is better protected.

The tee shot...best to keep it to the right of those two trees:





A look in at the green from the fairway:

[Kalen Braley]

17th Hole - Par 4

As the round wraps up, the player gets the chance to play a hole with the areas longest bunker...at least thats how they market it.

Normally I would frown on this kind of action/implementation, but on a quirky course like this, it just makes for another savory treat as the round winds down. 


From the tee:





Looking back down the hole from the green:

[Kalen Braley]

And finally on to the 18th.

18 - Par 3

This is probably the most "convetional" hole on the course.  Straight forward par 3:






Although he did include a little mischief for someone who mishits hit thier shot and comes up a bit short of the green! Its almost completely blind from the tee 

[Sam Morrow]

What are the rates?

[Phil McDade]

Kalen:

Great tour! Realistically, how many clubs would you need to play this course? Just based on your photos and descriptions -- half a dozen? 3-wood, 5-7-9 iron, wedge and putter? Love #15!

[Kalen Braley]

Kalen:

Great tour! Realistically, how many clubs would you need to play this course? Just based on your photos and descriptions -- half a dozen? 3-wood, 5-7-9 iron, wedge and putter? Love #15!

Phil

That sounds about right.  I found myself hitting 5 iron off the tee on many of the tight and short par 4s to leave myself a wedge shot in.  And the 3w is good on the longer par 4s and or the ar 4s that are in the 250-270 that are open enough to try it.

It really is a great match play course because there are so many half par holes and so many different ways to play these holes in terms of aggressiveness off the tee.

Sam,

The rates are $18 on the weekdays and $27 on the weekends.  And on Wednsdays and Fridays, its 2 for the price of 1 day!!   

[Garland Bayley]

... I found myself hitting 5 iron off the tee on many of the tight and short par 4s to leave myself a wedge shot in....

And you were bragging about the % of fairways hit. 

[Kalen Braley]

... I found myself hitting 5 iron off the tee on many of the tight and short par 4s to leave myself a wedge shot in....

And you were bragging about the % of fairways hit. 

Whatever it takes to get the job done.  I played smart golf and showed some restraint! 

[Garland Bayley]

Whatever it takes to get the job done.  I played smart golf and showed some restraint! 

I'm ok with that as long as you don't try it during a GRUDGE MATCH.

[Anthony Gray]

Bump

[Kalen Braley]

I need to get back out there one last weekend before it closes....in 2 months it'll be buried under 2-4 feet of snow.

[Jim Eder]

Kalen,

Great job on this!!  What an interesting place, what an interesting story of how it came to be. The website says the course record is 71.  And a 73 year old made an ace on the 17th!! That 8th hole is just cool!!  If I ever get out that way I am def playing it!!  Great photos, thanks again, very interesting.