#10 - Turn/Par-5, 518 yds.
After coming off what seems like a high ridge, 10 goes higher than that. The wind is blowing harder, and the back of the green is noticeable from the second one steps to the tee. There is sure death behind it, and the golfer jockeys for position on every shot to avoid it.
Or you could shank it in the woods on your second shot and leave this for an approach. Still made birdie after knocking it to 5'. Huge chipping slopes that feed heavily into the green, pushing the pad upwards.
#11 - Drop/Par-3, 185 yds.
This shot was taken five paces off the back of #10 green.The shot is not interfered with by brush, but is is semi-blind from the back of the back tees. The wind aided the shot, and the front shelf accented by the falloff to the back portion of the green makes this shot hairy.
The cant of the front portion of the green is evident, as is the size, which is much bigger than from on top of the hill. I say try to play short, because this shot seemed easier than any other point on the hole, including putting from back to front of the green
#12 - Pond/Par-4, 448 yds.
Ree Jones has a direct copy of this hole, #4 at Piedmont Driving Club in Atlanta. Nice swinging draw, but from the forward tees I would have thought to give it a go if they cut the pine tree to the left down. The green tilts sharply back to front and is wide and squared off, but the chipping area in front has an angle that will stop a ball running in.
#13 - Cabin/Par-4, 423 yds.
Named for the maintenance shack of the left, this must be the goat hill hole Doak talked about in the Confidential Guide - it's U.S. Open hard and straight up the escalator. The green complex saves it in my opinion. Think small, angled halfpipe with a back left knob.
#14 - Crazy Creek/Par-5, 550 yds.
One of the most unique feature hazards I've seen. With a downwind I flew this on right, but I didn't know it was even there until I got further down the hole. Its blind, and about four feet deep. There is a scary approach shot with water seemingly looming left. A visual trick, its not really in play on this hole. Right-to-left cant of the green defies the placement of a good drive on the right, as a shortside is dead.
#15 - High/Par-4, 338 yds.
Blind shot that curves and bounds up a hill, this shot is made all the more difficult by the members on the 1st tee looming to watch your shot. Part of the psychological hazards in this part of the course. This is where the acreage starts to get cramped, but every inch of space is well-designed, as this short half-par goes through a natural hogsback with a larger halfpipe depression on the right. The front of the green is hollowed out, and the wind pushed my flip wedge back down the slope in front.
#16 - Berrie/Par-3, 212 yds.
Unique to me because I don't know many other par-3 16th's that play from the front door of the club. A fortress green perched five feet high on the left, the running shot will be stymied by the sharp angle of the front. Very shallow and small green for the yardage. Par is quite good here.
The slopes of the surrounds
Looking backwards to where we just played, the hole seems like the front yard for the club. Design-wise I thought this was an interesting/appropriate landscape solution
#17 - Brae/Par-4, 388 yds.
One to be careful with the placement, as a huge depression splits this hole into a target fairway and green. The best play is to the left away from the fairway bunker, unusual for Palmetto, as most bunkers are placed to entice getting close to get a better angle. Not so here since the green angles right. The wind pushed the shot right towards trouble, but the green itself is the flattest on the course.
#18 - Home/Par-4, 306 yds.
I say this is the least driven hole of its length. Why? The great waste bunker, the hidden green and two deep greenside bunkers positioned to catch anything short and bouncing or faded, and the fact that when I went to hit, there were ten people within twenty yards on the left, right, and back of the hole. So I layed up. And then I layed up again...I'd like to be invited back someday, and hitting a member wasn't cutting it
18 must be the smallest green on the course, and the closeness of the surrounding areas make it charming, old world, but very claustrophobic.
All in all, a wonderful course, fully capable of stretching out and flexing its teeth. Because of a college tournament the day before, the course was lush and all pins were in the middle. Yet perhaps half the holes offer a chance to post a big number. It is exactly what a good club is all about, and it was an honor to be a guest and show my Dad a little bit of good golf architecture. An unforgettable day, and a must-play for anyone.