Thanks for the tour, Joe.
What a lovely course.
What are people's thoughts as to the best few holes on the back nine?
David, here are my few (coming from a short hitting mid/high teen handicap hacker....will ask my 16 year old, who is 50 yards longer off the tee and 10 strokes better of a player what he thinks):
#10 - Really like the turbo boost one can get by carrying the crest. Need to carry it futher to the right to get the most benefit of the boost, but shot shape is important. If not playing a little of a draw, a shot down the right can run out over the crest into the fescue as the hole bends, so their is reward for taking ont he boost, but also risk if you don't execute the right shot. Love the two tiered green with front tier higher than the back. Running a ball in needs to be well calibrated and executed depending on what tier pin is on.
#11 - Has been talked about a lot around here. Great little par 3. Skyline green. Not a wild green, but not many easy putts either, so just hitting the green isn't good enough. Real good test of precise distance control with a short iron. After the long #10, you think this is a breather because you are pulling out a wedge, but its no pushover.
After playing gradually uphill on #10, playing up to a skyline green at #11, walking down to #12 tee and then looking at the down and then up nature of the terrain on #12, I'm not sure how people still refer to HC as flat. Think C&C did a great job of making use of the elevation change that existed on the property.
#14 - Love the at grade nature of this par 3 and with the size/depth of that green there is a lot of variety in pin positions/hole lengths which provides for much interest on multiple plays
#16 - Not putting it here as one of my favorites. Usually get here and after playing the beasts of #10 and #12 and think to myself "great...another par 4 I'm likely going to play as a par 5..."
#17 - Visually, I just really, really like this hole. As with the rest of the course, thoughtful bunkering and a hole where I really feel that I am tacking myself (or trying to at least) around. I then always remind myself that this hole is only 20 or 30 yards longer than #16 and par is just a number.
#18 - I've heard some say that this is not a strong finishing hole, but I really like it. You need to think about your drive, cant just hit away. Love the false front and the need to be thoughtful on the approach. A lot of slope and tilt on this green so different pin positions really change the nature of the hole.
I love the ones not mentioned above as well. There is a nice pacing to the back. Beasts at #10, #12, and #16, but then breathers (or so you think) sprinkled in between.
Love the whole course, I feel lucky that me and my family get to play there. Good for my ego too, in that while I don't score any better there relative to my handicap, I do more often than not end the round with the same ball I started with!
Jim