The golf course gets off to something of a mundane start with a wide-open tee shot on a mid-length, uphill par-4. But, upon reaching the first green, and seeing the scale of the bunker guarding the front-right and especially the wrap-around bunker on the left(!) he realizes that he may be in for a special day. Though it can't compare with the superb Double-Plateau at the 16th, the first green is nonetheless a decent example of the template:
The second hole continues in the direction of the first and is made by a unique 'L' shaped ridge running through the green, but the great golf starts at the third. The Eden par-3 stretches to 216 yards, the longest I've seen of this template, and is perhaps the most difficult with a large false-front and deep bunkering surrounding the green. Making the task more difficult is a 2 ft spine separating the green left and right.
True to its name, the fairway at the Hog's Back fourth will push marginal tee shots towards the rough.
The 5th plays to 417 yards and is a stellar Alps-Punchbowl combo. The short line along the left side of the fairway, but only long tee shots that challenge bunkering and a narrowed fairway will have any view of the green. Though the green does not function as a punchbowl green, it sets in a very neat amphitheatre.
The 6th is Knoll, a short and somewhat forgettable hole. A blind tee-shot and a semi-blind approach, though the hole will be remembered by those that miss the green long or right into another wrap-around bunker.
The 7th is a Reverse Redan that most will play from about 190 yards. The hole plays slightly downhill, and from the tee it looks as though the kicker will not function well, but, it does! The severity of the kicker is hidden well by the hill it is set into. As is always the case, a miss into the fronting bunker looks like disaster, but it is the long-left miss that leaves an impossible recovery.
Holes 8 and 9 are both par-5s played over rolling land. Though it is hard to see in photos, the severity of the front-left bunker is hard to believe. I don't know that any course, Yale included, has bunkering as severe as Forsgate.
The 10th and 11th holes are similar par-4s, though the land at the 10th is slightly more interesting. On both, deep bunkering guards the green front-right and tee shots down the left side (protected by bunkers on the 10th) are rewarded.
The Forsgate flies under-the-radar, the Horseshoe par-3 12th is somewhat well-known. This is the Short template and its thumbprint is, not surprisingly, the most distinct I've seen.
If there's a point where the golfer is let-down, it is the stretch of holes from the 13th through the 15th. The 16th is a stellar mid-length par-4 where the Double Plateau green is used to maximum effect. The golfer is given ample room to play away from angled bunkering down the left, but do so and his angle into the green is remarkably difficult. especially to a pin on the back plateau.
At 240 yards, there is ample length to allow the Biarritz 17th hole to function as intended.
