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#10 Let the games begin. The straight and shortest, 379 to 490 yards, of the par 5s the 10th is easily reachable in two, but accuracy is a must. The fairway is narrow with impinging bunkers both right and left. A pond on the right side of the fairway narrows the approach increasing the risk of playing a long second shot to the green. The prudent play is to lay-up short of the pond to play a 100 to 120 yard shot to the elevated saddle shaped green with bunkers front right and in back. Approach shots left above the hole or on the wrong side of the green will produce difficult slippery puts.
#11 Ranging from 96 to 151 yards the par 3 11th hole is the shortest of the par 3s. Played from slightly elevated tees to a large elevated green shots landing in the front side will stay. With a pond and bunker short right, bunkers in the rear and out of bounds on the left this short par 3 can be a challenge.
#12 The medium long par 4 12th hole playing from 318 to 398 yards often times plays much long than the card. A wetland hazard on the left runs the entire length of the hole and two ponds with a bunker on the right side of the fairway create a gooseneck shaped constriction of the fairway. Accuracy and distance control is imperative from the tee to set up a medium to long iron second shot to an elevated, deep, multi-leveled green. The 12th green is the only greenside bunker free hole on the course. 4 on this hole is an excellent score.
#13 The most difficult hole on the course is the ultimate in risk and reward. Played from 293 to 420 yards the question will be, on tee shot, how much of the pond can I carry. The tee shot can be played to the left avoiding the pond but will leave a very long approach shot to a difficult elevated green or a well-struck tee shot tempting fate can leave a sand wedge approach. The green is divided into three sections all sloping away from the high point in the center. Similar to the 12th hole a 4 is an excellent score.
#14 The Sugar River running adjacent to the left of the tee boxes and the bunkers on the right side of the fairway frame the tee shot to the 308 to 415 yard par 4 14th. A tee shot that carries past the fairway bunkers will find a spacious fairway and a flat lie for a medium length second shot to a two level green. Guarded left and right with greenside bunkers but open in the front the green may be approached with a variety of shots including bump and run.
#15 The yardage, from 273 to 353 yards, on the dogleg right par 4 15th is deceptive. Like #13 risk and reward is a major element to playing this hole. A tee shot to the fairway staying left of the potential trouble leave you with 160 to 180 yard approach shot, however, with a high ball flight the skillful player can cut substantial distance to the approach shot by cutting over the corner of the river and trees. The green is protected by bunkers front right and back left and slopes off in 3 directions from the center.
#16 The most difficult of par 3s the 105 to 185 yard 16th is a challenge. Finnegan’s Brook to left the Sugar River to the right frame the hole nicely. The elevated kidney shaped green is bunkered on the right and around the back.
#17 The dogleg left par 4 17th varies from 293 to 425 yards in length depending on your choice of tee box. The tee shot from any tee box is over a different body of water to a very wide fairway with a bunker to the right that rarely is in play. The approach shot can vary greatly from a short iron to rescue hybrid. From the blue tees it takes two well-struck shots to get home. The large elevated green with bunkers both front and back runs perpendicular to the fairway. Approach shots that do not find the front edge of the green will not bounce up.
#18 The newly restored dogleg right par 5 18th is a great finishing hole with elements of risk and reward. The hole plays from 441 to 527 yards from elevated tees to a wide fairway. Bunkers on the right side of the fairway are a target for the big hitters that want to shorten the hole, however, a shot missed right is often in trees blocked out from a look at the green. A lay up shot over the river will leave a 100 to 140 yard approach shot. Big hitters looking to reach the green in two must navigate the narrow passageway between the pond on the right and the mounds on the left. The large green is gently sloped from back to front and is surrounded by mounds and bunkers. Played well 4s are carded often; striking poor shots on 18 can have adverse results.
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