Emerald Golf Club

This short Par 4 is drivable by the very long hitter in favourable conditions. The preferred line from the tee is centre, or right of centre of the fairway, depending on the pin position. Any shot left of the green will require a high-quality recovery shot as the green cuts quite steeply on the back and you will need to play through low lying trees.

This short Par 4 offers the golfer a range of options. It can be legitimately played with any one of a number of clubs from the tee. If you are going to miss the fairway then you need to miss it right, anything left will prove challenging with dense trees leading right up to the green and a green side bunker that makes a low shot through the trees impossible.

An intimidating tee shot greets the player on this 338m Par 4. For the ladies this green is reachable for the long hitters. For the men an accurate drive is required to miss the out of bounds on the left and the mass of water to the right. Trees lining the hazard may provide some relief from the water but will make any second shot to hit the green difficult.

This Par 4 is guarded on the left with a line of trees and a water hazard awaits wayward drives that go right. The fairway is a must from the tee to the green. Bigger hitters can take a more aggressive line to the green if they want to take on the thick layer of trees guarding the lengthy water hazard. The hole requires a precise second shot to the green.

A good, solid Par 3 with the green framed from the tee by a surrounding hazard to the back and left and a large tree on the right. The green has one bunker in front that will catch the player who miss judges the breeze or club selection. Players who over-club are punished by a drop off the back making for a difficult up and down to save par. The undulating green ensures that not too many birdies are had on this Par 3 when the pin is cut centre back.

The first of four holes which adjoin the Nogoa River. Any tee shot played left or right into the hazard lined with trees and overgrown grass on this 527m Par 5 will ensure a drop unless you are lucky to find it. The best position from the tee is right of centre for the hitter playing to the dogleg left corner. For the braver, bigger hitters placing a drive to the left of fairway will open up a shot into the green.

A genuine birdie chance for the longer hitter. The green is reachable for the longer hitters provided they can hit a very accurate tee shot. For the average hitter a thick tree line and undulating rough penalise misdirected tee shots to the left, while large trees catch those that go right. Don’t be too casual with the approach from the fairway to this elevated green. A large ridge running from the front to the middle portion of the green on both sides means that being short or long with a slick green will leave plenty of work for par.

A long par four with a wide-open fairway making it difficult for players to get into trouble. A pretty straight forward hole, one of two holes on the course that are a Par 5 for the ladies. Golfers should stick to the right of the green if they are going to miss it. The green drops off on the left hand side where thick grassy lies and low-hanging branches make it difficult for any player to get up and down.

A very long green of some 26 metres from front to back makes club selection quite critical. This green also has severe drop-offs around the left-hand side. Any shot missed to the left of the green off the tee ensures a difficult chip to the pin. If missed on the right side of the green, a chip hit short will pull up in the thick grass and if it’s hit too hard it’s all down-hill.

Players hitting into this green need to correctly judge the meterage off a slight downhill lie. The tee block for this 366m Par 4 nestles against an out of bounds fence on the right and a tree lined fairway greets players hitting their ball to left. Long putts are certain if the approach is misjudged. Many a three-putt has been on this green.

An intimidating tee shot greets the player on this 363m Par 4. An accurate drive is required right of fairway to ensure players don’t end up in the trees on the left. From the fairway a difficult shot to a small raised green. A wayward shot will most definitely be a very tough chip back up into the elevated green.

This long Par 3 is the most demanding of the short holes on the golf course. Players missing this green left or right are faced with a difficult approach to make par. One of the longest greens on the course which can prove difficult depending on pin position. All in all a very challenging hole.

Hitting the fairway is a must if you want to take advantage of this long Par 5. The drive on this dogleg right 529m Par 5 must find the fairway in order to have the ideal second shot to the green. Players hitting a wayward drive will have to negotiate the steep drop off on both sides of the fairway and dense trees on their recovery shot.

The green is reachable for the very longer hitters provided they can hit a very accurate tee shot down the middle. For those taking the more conservative approach, a no less precise tee shot is required to avoid the hazard down the left-hand side of the fairway.

Trouble looms if the putting surface is missed on this delicate little Par 3. A high elevated tee to an elevated green, with deep cut off areas to the front and right making it a tough up and down. The hole which runs besides the Nogoa River is framed in grassy hazard right and left. This short Par 3 can soon turn into a major blemish on the scorecard if not played smart.

The 16th is a short Par 5 with a slight dogleg left that plays uphill. Drives to the left may catch the trees and could end up in the hazard boarding the Nogoa River. The hole requires a precise second shot to an often misread green. A poorly struck approach may easily result in a difficult two-putt.

The 17th provides some of the most demanding putting on the golf course. This Par 3 is a classic example of the situation which exists on many holes where the placement of bunkers forces the player to make decisions about how best to navigate his or her way to the green. Once on the green this sloping surface can be easily three-putted by the less skilled golfer.

This long Par 4 is a tight driving hole that has thick trees left all the way to the green. The tee shot must be in play to provide an approach shot in to the elevated green. Missing this green ensures the short game will be tested. Anything right will be a tricky uphill chip to the green. Out of bounds comes into play for those who over-club.