Post by irwinm2006 on Apr 24, 2021 15:09:03 GMT -5
My first course, Osprey Island Club is published. A fictional par 72 track set on an island somewhere off the coast of northern CA/southern Oregon it plays just under 7400 yards from the tips but plays shorter due to elevations and you have to be selective off the tee in a lot of places.
Big thanks to plawlor15 for some great beta feedback! Hope to have some pics up soon...
Hole by Hole
1st Hole
Medium length par 4 to open the round, the near bunkers are not really in play off the tee but the far bunker is deep and should get your attention. The fairway is more accepting of a right-to-left tee shot and the more you challenge that last bunker the better your angle to to the green, which is carved into the hillside and well protected by several bunkers.
2nd Hole
Long par 4 that provides the first look at the bluffs that surround the island. The fairway to the left of the fairway bunker is narrower but provides a better angle to the green while the right fairway has a significant left to right camber and most drives there will run toward the fairway bunkers and bring an approach over the green side bunkers into play. Long drivers can also take on the island of rough past the fairway bunker and have a short iron in.
3rd Hole
This is a challenging, slightly uphill par 3 with a large undulating green. The preferred shot shape into the green is a draw, especially to the back pin placements. The apron allows a ground-game option to shorter pins but will require an accurate shot to avoid the front and left green side bunkers. Hitting the right tier of the green is key to scoring here.
4th Hole
Dogleg left left par 4 back out of the trees that plays shorter than its length. Take care off the tee as the fairway runs sharply toward the large bunkers by the cliffside. The more you challenge the long bunker on the left the more level the lie and the better the angle on the approach. The green is mostly flat with a pronounced hogback swale which can make for some challenging putts.
5th Hole
Long par 5 with several options off the tee. Playing to the right fairway will offer a chance to get home in two but from the back tees will require a long forced carry. If forced to layup take note of the pin placement as each of the two fairways provide advantages to different pins. The green slopes back to front to and will provide some slippery putts.
6th Hole
A beautiful par three with a green perched on a cliffside, protected front and left by bunkers and going too far right means the ocean. The shot is a medium- to long-iron forced carry to the large green that should be a decent birdie opportunity with a great view.
7th Hole
Short par 4 with a slight dogleg right, the safer tee shot can be played to the lower portion of the fairway to leave an uphill approach to a green with a pronounced false front. A more aggressive play is to hit to the upper fairway which affords a clear view of the green and a better angle, but brings multiple bunkers into play.
8th Hole
Par 5 that will require 3 shots in most winds. Avoid the larger bunkers on either side of the fairway with your tee shot and you will have a chance to get home in two, but you’ll have to carry a stream and run the shot up a false front to the green. The green is long and narrow so it will be accepting of accurate shots, and the bail out play is to the right to avoid a large green-side bunker on the left.
9th Hole
Medium length dogleg left par 4 with a stream along the entire left side and large bunkers on the corner of the dogleg. The fairway sports a prominent ridge and slopes strongly from right to left.. The corner can be cut by challenging the stream, and the more aggressive you get on that line the reward is a flatter lie for your approach shot. The approach carries a pond to a green that slopes from back to front and has a pronounced lower tier on the right.
10th Hole
The back nine opens with a short dogleg-left par 4 requiring an accurate drive to a fairway sloping away from the tee. Play a draw up toward the large waste bunker forward of the green or cut the corner over the shoulder of the hill left of the fairway to set yourself up for a short uphill approach to the green, but if the tee shot strays too far right it will catch the hill and result in a challenging second. The green is deep but narrow and divided into separate tiers with the higher tier in front, so if the pin is in the front you will have to spin the approach to keep it there. Any wayward or long shots tend to end up in the collection area at the back right of the green.
11 Hole
Another picturesque par 3 and the highest point on the course. This is a “what you see is what you get” hole, be accurate or bailout left or short-left, otherwise you will find trouble. The green is large and most pin positions will reward a fade, with an option to bump and run to the front pin position, but too far right with this approach and you will likely end up in the front bunker.
12th Hole
A dramatic downhill par 4 that will take you from one of the highest points on the course to the lowest. Pull a driver to try to carry the waste bunker on the right you may find holding the fairway a challenge unless hitting a big fade. Favoring the left hand side of the fairway with a fairway wood to catch the speed slot that will funnel down to the fairway and set up your approach. The green, set in a rocky hollow near the water, slopes from right to left and will favor a fade approach.
13th Hole
The longest par 4 on the course, a dogleg-left requiring an accurate tee shot to a tight landing area with water on the left and large bunker on the right. The landing area is wider short of the dogleg but will leave a long approach. The green is large and is most accessible with a draw, or cut the corner with a carry over the water.
14th Hole
A drivable par 4, but a risky shot as it is all carry to a green that slopes towards the back. It's a big target and the green slope is not dramatic, but still requires a very accurate shot to yield a chance at eagle as anything long will funnel to a collection area behind the green. The safe route is to play out to the left with anything from a 5 wood to driver, which will typically give you a simple pitch and a great shot at birdie.
15th Hole
A reachable par 5 with the right approach, the direct route is to target the fairway right of the large cross-bunker will give you the shortest path and best angle to the green. The green can still be reached by going left of the bunker but the angle is much less favorable and the shot longer.
16th Hole
A target par 3 with large undulating green, the green sits on a rocky outcropping surrounded on all sides by cliffs. Protected in front by a large deep bunker, the size and contours of the green make for some challenging rolls once on the putting surface. The only easy bailout here is to the right of the green.
17th Hole
A medium length par 4 that starts with an uphill tee shot to a fairway guarded by two large bunkers, and an aggressive line challenging the bunkers will shorten your approach to a downhill green. The green is guarded in front by 3 bunkers that can come into play when trying to bump and run shots onto the putting surface, which a subtle tier in the front section.
18th Hole
The round wraps up with a reachable par 5 with a stream splitting its two fairways. Carrying the stream and playing to the right will leave you with the shortest second shot while left is safer but no less guarded as there are large bunkers both in the landing area and the potential layup if needed. Definitely check the pin position as the green has dramatic tiers that will affect your decision on approach angle.
Big thanks to plawlor15 for some great beta feedback! Hope to have some pics up soon...
Hole by Hole
1st Hole
Medium length par 4 to open the round, the near bunkers are not really in play off the tee but the far bunker is deep and should get your attention. The fairway is more accepting of a right-to-left tee shot and the more you challenge that last bunker the better your angle to to the green, which is carved into the hillside and well protected by several bunkers.
2nd Hole
Long par 4 that provides the first look at the bluffs that surround the island. The fairway to the left of the fairway bunker is narrower but provides a better angle to the green while the right fairway has a significant left to right camber and most drives there will run toward the fairway bunkers and bring an approach over the green side bunkers into play. Long drivers can also take on the island of rough past the fairway bunker and have a short iron in.
3rd Hole
This is a challenging, slightly uphill par 3 with a large undulating green. The preferred shot shape into the green is a draw, especially to the back pin placements. The apron allows a ground-game option to shorter pins but will require an accurate shot to avoid the front and left green side bunkers. Hitting the right tier of the green is key to scoring here.
4th Hole
Dogleg left left par 4 back out of the trees that plays shorter than its length. Take care off the tee as the fairway runs sharply toward the large bunkers by the cliffside. The more you challenge the long bunker on the left the more level the lie and the better the angle on the approach. The green is mostly flat with a pronounced hogback swale which can make for some challenging putts.
5th Hole
Long par 5 with several options off the tee. Playing to the right fairway will offer a chance to get home in two but from the back tees will require a long forced carry. If forced to layup take note of the pin placement as each of the two fairways provide advantages to different pins. The green slopes back to front to and will provide some slippery putts.
6th Hole
A beautiful par three with a green perched on a cliffside, protected front and left by bunkers and going too far right means the ocean. The shot is a medium- to long-iron forced carry to the large green that should be a decent birdie opportunity with a great view.
7th Hole
Short par 4 with a slight dogleg right, the safer tee shot can be played to the lower portion of the fairway to leave an uphill approach to a green with a pronounced false front. A more aggressive play is to hit to the upper fairway which affords a clear view of the green and a better angle, but brings multiple bunkers into play.
8th Hole
Par 5 that will require 3 shots in most winds. Avoid the larger bunkers on either side of the fairway with your tee shot and you will have a chance to get home in two, but you’ll have to carry a stream and run the shot up a false front to the green. The green is long and narrow so it will be accepting of accurate shots, and the bail out play is to the right to avoid a large green-side bunker on the left.
9th Hole
Medium length dogleg left par 4 with a stream along the entire left side and large bunkers on the corner of the dogleg. The fairway sports a prominent ridge and slopes strongly from right to left.. The corner can be cut by challenging the stream, and the more aggressive you get on that line the reward is a flatter lie for your approach shot. The approach carries a pond to a green that slopes from back to front and has a pronounced lower tier on the right.
10th Hole
The back nine opens with a short dogleg-left par 4 requiring an accurate drive to a fairway sloping away from the tee. Play a draw up toward the large waste bunker forward of the green or cut the corner over the shoulder of the hill left of the fairway to set yourself up for a short uphill approach to the green, but if the tee shot strays too far right it will catch the hill and result in a challenging second. The green is deep but narrow and divided into separate tiers with the higher tier in front, so if the pin is in the front you will have to spin the approach to keep it there. Any wayward or long shots tend to end up in the collection area at the back right of the green.
11 Hole
Another picturesque par 3 and the highest point on the course. This is a “what you see is what you get” hole, be accurate or bailout left or short-left, otherwise you will find trouble. The green is large and most pin positions will reward a fade, with an option to bump and run to the front pin position, but too far right with this approach and you will likely end up in the front bunker.
12th Hole
A dramatic downhill par 4 that will take you from one of the highest points on the course to the lowest. Pull a driver to try to carry the waste bunker on the right you may find holding the fairway a challenge unless hitting a big fade. Favoring the left hand side of the fairway with a fairway wood to catch the speed slot that will funnel down to the fairway and set up your approach. The green, set in a rocky hollow near the water, slopes from right to left and will favor a fade approach.
13th Hole
The longest par 4 on the course, a dogleg-left requiring an accurate tee shot to a tight landing area with water on the left and large bunker on the right. The landing area is wider short of the dogleg but will leave a long approach. The green is large and is most accessible with a draw, or cut the corner with a carry over the water.
14th Hole
A drivable par 4, but a risky shot as it is all carry to a green that slopes towards the back. It's a big target and the green slope is not dramatic, but still requires a very accurate shot to yield a chance at eagle as anything long will funnel to a collection area behind the green. The safe route is to play out to the left with anything from a 5 wood to driver, which will typically give you a simple pitch and a great shot at birdie.
15th Hole
A reachable par 5 with the right approach, the direct route is to target the fairway right of the large cross-bunker will give you the shortest path and best angle to the green. The green can still be reached by going left of the bunker but the angle is much less favorable and the shot longer.
16th Hole
A target par 3 with large undulating green, the green sits on a rocky outcropping surrounded on all sides by cliffs. Protected in front by a large deep bunker, the size and contours of the green make for some challenging rolls once on the putting surface. The only easy bailout here is to the right of the green.
17th Hole
A medium length par 4 that starts with an uphill tee shot to a fairway guarded by two large bunkers, and an aggressive line challenging the bunkers will shorten your approach to a downhill green. The green is guarded in front by 3 bunkers that can come into play when trying to bump and run shots onto the putting surface, which a subtle tier in the front section.
18th Hole
The round wraps up with a reachable par 5 with a stream splitting its two fairways. Carrying the stream and playing to the right will leave you with the shortest second shot while left is safer but no less guarded as there are large bunkers both in the landing area and the potential layup if needed. Definitely check the pin position as the green has dramatic tiers that will affect your decision on approach angle.