The approach road to the clubhouse runs along the left of the first hole so the tendency is to aim a little right, I didn’t get any height on my tee shot but at least it went straight. My playing partner was trying out a new driver and managed a low hook across the road, into the bushes bounding the course.
The line is again down the right, over the water, on the second because a tree will block the approach to the green from the left side. I went a little too far right though and managed to find the fourteenth fairway but still managed to find the green with my second to get a par. Next up is the first of the five short holes, bunkers off to the left, so once again aim slightly right but make a note of the pin position as the green is quite long.
It is a bit of an understatement to say that the fourth is a dogleg, with a full right angle turn to the left, an iron off the tee to the corner was the obvious choice for me, leaving just a short pitch to the green for my second par of the round. The second of the short holes is the shortest on the course and really is just a pitch and a putt. The following hole bends round to the right and also drops in elevation, a good drive over the corner could get you very close to the green, if not then try to stay left near the bunkers for a much better line of approach.
I hit a very nice left to right drive on the par 5 seventh which put me in near perfect position, passed the hedge line on the right and onto the slight incline away from the trees on the left. Unfortunately I pulled my second left, which put me below overhanging trees for the tight approach to the long thin green, resulting in a lower flight of the ball which ended up through the green on the right. After a couple of failed chips putts I was disappointed to be posting an 8 on a hole which started so well.
The eighth plays in the opposite direction then you turn around again to play the ninth which has a lake down the right side of the hole all the way to the green. I was brave here and hit a great drive to about 80 yards short of the green, I missed the birdie putt though. The tenth plays back down the other side of the lake but you would have to hit quite a poor shot for it to come into play, I nearly found the water, after which I managed to find a fairway bunker. My luck did not improve as I hit a 7-iron from the bunker so sweet that it pitched right next to the flag then span backwards nearly off the front of the green.
The eleventh is the longest of the short holes, over 200 yards and in our case against the wind. We miss the green to the left but managed a couple of good saves. The twelfth requires just an iron off the tee to leave a sub 100 yard approach but the short hole that follows requires a solid strike to ensure you do not end up in the water, front right or bunker, front left.
By this time my partner had started connecting well with his new club and hit the perfect drive on the fourteenth towards the bunker on the left, leaving a nice line into the green without having to go over the water. Repeating this feat on the following hole by smashing a drive miles down the middle of the fairway making a mockery of the stroke index 1 assigned to the fifteenth.
The final par 3 is a test of nerves, do you take on the flag and risk going into the water or aim over to the right for a bail out area. I decided to go for the flag but got a slight right to left flight, sure enough I would be making a contribution in the bar as the penalty for going in the Captian’s Lake.
The penultimate hole is best approached from the left, avoiding the bunker protecting the green while the last can be reached in two but mind the water to the right.
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