By The Editors
If you were to play 18 of the finest, most memorable golf holes to be found within any golf course community, which holes would they be? That's the hypothetical question we posed in creating our 2009 listing of great holes from among the communities featured on GolfCourseHome.net.
You may have already read about the Front Nine. Here for your reading (and imagining pleasure) is the Back Nine. Below the list are fuller descriptions. To read about the Front Nine, click here.
GolfCourseHome 2009 Dream 18 Golf Holes, the Back Nine
No. 10. Stonehouse (6th), Toana VA
No. 11. Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club (4th), Ocala FL
No. 12. Belfair (6th West), Bluffton SC
No. 13. The Links at Gettysburg (3rd), Mt. Joy Township PA
No. 14. Running Y Ranch (4th), Klamath Falls OR
No. 15. The Founders Club (5th), Sarasota FL
No. 16. Heritage Todd Creek (17th), Thornton CO
No. 17. Forest Dunes (14th), Roscommon MI
No. 18. Wachesaw Plantation (18th), Murrels Inlet SC
No. 10. Stonehouse (6th), Toana VA
Located on 5,700 wooded acres in the scenic countryside minutes west of Williamsburg, this beautifully designed recreational community appeals to both retirees and young executive couples. The accessibility of I-64 from Stonehouse makes both Richmond and Newport News easy commutes. It’s a prime location for history buffs, close to Colonial Williamsburg, historic Jamestown and Yorktown.
An admired Mike Strantz course at Stonehouse draws in-the-know golfers from throughout the region. Named Best New Upscale Public Course in the U.S. by Golf Digest in 1996, it is known for dramatic elevation changes over rolling hills and for having some of the biggest greens in the state. We’ve picked Stonehouse’s toughest hole to include in our collection. It’s No. 6, a par-4 that plays 435 from the gold tees, 391 from the whites. This is a dogleg-right that demands a well-placed drive so the player will have as short an iron as possible into a narrow green that’s tough to hold.
No. 11. Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club (4th), Ocala FL
Golden Ocala is a 1,200-acre private community on rolling hills in Central Florida. A 77,000-square-foot clubhouse anchors the community, which is home to championship golf and tennis plus a spa, fitness center and an equestrian center that celebrates this region’s long tradition of horse breeding and training.
No. 4 at Golden Ocala is a “tribute” hole by architect Ron Garl that transports Golden Ocala golfers to southwest Scotland via its wondrous resemblance to the so-called Postage Stamp par-3 at Royal Troon. Stand on the tee with your wedge or 9-iron and study the little hillock mounds with their thick grassy fur, alongside sharp, sculpted bunkers with flat sandy surfaces to play from. All it takes is a high, delicate pitch to find the putting surface—with Florida breezes that replicate Scottish winds rushing past you to complicate matters.
No. 12. Belfair (6th West), Bluffton SC
Belfair is a lovely combination of golden Lowcountry landscape and a 36-hole club crafted in the golf traditions of the Northeast. Built along the broad marshes and waterways west of Hilton Head, this 1,100-acre Lowcountry retreat is known for its two award-winning Tom Fazio golf courses and amenities to suit an active, refined lifestyle. Life at Belfair centers around a 25,000-square-foot clubhouse with spacious and richly detailed interiors. Luxury locker rooms with private lounges furnished in dark wood and leather set the tone for a memorable day of golf.
On Belfair West, No. 6 is a short, well-nuanced par-4 that plays 367 from the back tee, with 359 or 341 as shorter yardage options. This is a truly unique golf hole, with two greens. Players have to be mindful of which green is in use on that day before they hit their drives, as placement and approach angle are highly influenced by the green's location.
No. 13. The Links at Gettysburg (3rd), Mt. Joy Township PA
Membership in The Links At Gettysburg offers championship golf, fine dining, recreation, and relaxation at the community’s Premier Clubhouse, which can accommodate up to 250 guests inside. It is designed for indoor-outdoor entertaining, with tents and tables positioned on a triple-tiered stone patio overlooking the 18th fairway and green.
Your round at The Links At Gettysburg will take you up and down rolling Pennsylvania hills, with lakes and creeks on almost every hole and dramatic red rock cliffs that form the backdrop for memorable golf. One of those is the 3rd, the signature hole, a dramatic par-3 from an elevated tee to a large undulating green that fronts a red rock cliff. Hit too far and you'll find the large trap in front of the cliff. Leave it short and you'll hit the creek in front of the green. This 187-yard hole is a true test of skill.
No. 14. Running Y Ranch (4th), Klamath Falls OR
The Running Y Ranch is located in the heart of Southern Oregon’s Cascade Range. Home to Oregon’s only award-winning Arnold Palmer-designed golf course, the Running Y offers luxurious accommodations, a large array of amenities and a full roster of recreational activities. The community’s 7,138-yard, award-winning golf course offers five sets of tees on every hole, generous fairways and fast, undulating greens.
Palmer himself considers the track one of his best. From its fine array of holes, we select No. 4, which can be played from 409 all the way down to 325 for juniors. Golfers should note the bunkers at the end of the fairway, which will scold an overly long drive, even a straight one. And beware of water down the right side, as well.
No. 15. The Founders Club (5th), Sarasota FL
The Founders Club, well-located an easy 20 minutes from the Sarasota/Bradenton International Airport, is a Florida golf community with superior cultural and recreational advantages. The club’s 18-hole championship golf course takes its cues from the gently rolling inland terrain. Set against a backdrop of centuries-old oaks, pines and palms and highlighted by a natural buffer of lush, untamed landscape, the 7,094-yard, par 72 layout by Robert Trent Jones, Jr. offers a dynamic route along groomed fairways, tranquil lakes and unspoiled wetlands.
For the Dream 18, we showcase this course’s fifth hole, a medium-length par-4 that offers the opportunity to play driver for maximum distance off the tee. Longer hitters may be as bold to play for the upper level fairway off the tee, which affords the optimum approach position.
No. 16. Heritage Todd Creek (17th), Thornton CO
Built in a setting that is pure Colorado, the majestic Rocky Mountains provide a scenic backdrop for the Heritage Todd Creek active-adult community. Designed for active residents age 55-plus who appreciate year-round sunshine, Heritage Todd Creek is a private gated community and home to a brand-new championship golf course by Arthur Hills.
For the Dream 18, we spotlight the par-3, water-guarded 17th here at Heritage Todd Creek. Now a staple of American golf, the do-or-die 17th hole with water ringing the green is well represented at Heritage Todd Creek. This one-shotter is abetted by a fairly deep and steep-faced sand bunker just short of the green. Up above the hole are mounds you can hit bailout shots into, but then comes the chip back, with water staring you in the face.
No. 17. Forest Dunes (14th), Roscommon MI
Forest Dunes Golf Club, centered in the pine-scented fresh air of northern Michigan, is a 1,200-acre golf community recognized for environmental awareness. It is one of just 16 Audubon International Signature Gold Sanctuaries worldwide. Its Tom Weiskopf Signature golf course is a 7,104-yard layout ringed by Huron National Forest that wends through dunes and towering pine trees.
The sixth at Forest Dunes is the one that makes it into the Dream 18. It’s a short but head-scratchingly complex par-4 that plays just 375 yards at its longest. Nicknamed “Gamble,” this two-shot splits the drive zone into an easy, short drive to the left and long, dangerous tee ball out to the right. When the dust settles, there remains a smallish, heavily bunkered green to work toward with your lofted iron shot. In the autumn, it’s a colorful challenge no matter how you play the hole.
No. 18. Wachesaw Plantation (18th), Murrels Inlet SC
Perched on a high bluff overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway, Wachesaw Plantation set a standard for elite but warm-spirited club golf along the Carolina coast. Wachesaw Plantation Club members socialize amid the natural beauty and serenity and they compete on standout amenities, including a Tom Fazio championship course that helped define Fazio’s signature style.
This par-72 layout is known for both grace and drama, with ornamental grasses sprouting from atop smooth mounds and buff-colored bunkers jut into the landing areas dauntingly. The home hole at this course is a truly great finisher—not long by par-5 standards but with a green that’s guarded by intimidating pot bunkers 40 to 60 yards out and a tough-to-hold putting surface that slopes right-to-left toward the water.
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