Middle Ridge Golf Club

A testing par 4 measuring 414m from the back plates. A drive down the right hand side of the fairway allows a clear approach to the large two-tiered green. A drive finishing on the left hand side of the fairway will result in a second shot that will have to negotiate the tall overhanging eucalypts that feature closer to the green. Beware a forward pin as the putt from the back of the green can be quite quick.

The courses longest par 3 measures 184m and is protected by a deep bunker to the right and a grass bunker on the left. A long iron or fairway wood to the heart of the green should leave a relatively flat putt. There is a hidden bunker behind the green that is hard to see from the tee.

This hole is the start of the course's Amen Corner. A seemingly straightforward par 4 of 340m is made more difficult by the Out of Bounds on the left that runs the entire length of the hole. A drive should be aimed centre left to avoid the large gum tree that overhangs the entire right side of the fairway 60m short of the green. A mid to short iron second shot requires accuracy with the green large and sloping severely back to front and left to right. Mind the two bunkers left of the green.

A dogleg left 301m par 4 guarded by tall gums left and right of the fairway. The tee shot should be played to finish past the big gum 100m out from the green. A short iron second shot will be needed to find the small green guarded by bunkers left and right. Putting from the back of the green to a front pin requires a deft touch as many a golfer has been known to putt off the front edge.

At 421m the shortest par 5 of the course is no easy snack. Again this hole is guarded by tall overhanging gum trees requiring precise shots. A long iron or fairway wood tee shot down the right hand side of the fairway should set up an attempt to go for the green in two. However, tee shots that finish left or long will demand the hole be played as a genuine 3-shotter. The trees guarding the left side of the fairway require a controlled draw for the right hander to see the green for the third shot. A long and skinny green that falls away to the left greets the golfer at the end of their journey.

A relatively easy downhill tee shot awaits the golfer on this dogleg right par 4. The danger of the 395m hole lurks near the green. Two large conifers guard the left hand side from the wayward tee shot. To the right lies skinny gum trees and trouble. Once on the surface the large green is hard to read. Walking off with a two putt for par will make any golfer smile.

The feature hole. The short 123m par 3 is made more difficult by the large dam that guards the front and left hand side of the big green. A bunker to the right and out of bounds long means that any shot that misses the putting surface will be punished.

An uphill par 4 measuring 337m, this hole plays significantly longer then it looks. With out of bounds to the right to collect any miss-hit shots, the tee shot should be played to the left hand side of the fairway. The second shot to the small sharply sloping back to front green, will need to miss the large gum on the right hand side of the fairway. A well placed bunker on the front left of the green will catch any ball that is miss-hit.

The finishing hole to the front 9 is a 374m par 4. This hole can play significantly longer or shorter depending on the prevailing breeze. A tee shot finding the fairway will set up a good chance at hitting this green in two. Three bunkers surround the green. Short right there is a grove of camphor laurel trees. Left, right and long there is out of bounds.

A short par 5 of 436m that allows the opportunity to start the back 9 on a high. A drive that splits the two fairway traps on either side of the fairway provides the opportunity to attempt the green in two. The raised sloping green is protected by two bunkers in front. The approach shot should be left under the hole.

Arguably the toughest hole of the back 9 measures 384m from the plates and requires length and precision. The tee shot must find the fairway with any shot missing the fairway finding large conifers to the left and tall gums to the right. The second shot played uphill and slightly to the left needs to negotiate a narrowed hitting area to a narrow long green. With bunkers either side and a lowered area behind the green an errant second shot will make for a difficult up and down for par.

The dogleg left 12th hole is a scenic par 4 of 370m. When in bloom the large Jacaranda tree that lies between this and the 15th fairway should be you target line. A drive to the right will avoid the two fairway bunkers lining the left hand side of the fairway. An accurate second shot with a mid or short iron will see the golfer putting on the same tier as the flag. A putt either up or down the tier is sure to get the knees knocking.

There are 5 bunkers on this 334m par 4. Two fairway traps protect the left side of the fairway. Two more bunkers are on the RHS of the fairway short of the green. The last two bunkers are left and right of the large upside down saucer-like green. To add more spice to the hole, recent tree plantings on the right hand side of the fairway will encourage the tee shot to be played with a long iron or fairway wood, leaving a short to mid iron into the green.

The shortest par 3 of the course at 117m can quite often be taken for granted. A large raised sloping green is protected by two bunkers in front. Care must be taken with club selection for the two predominant breezes, from the right into and from the left behind can play havoc with mis-hit shots.

A long downhill par 5 that first sweeps left and then back to the right is fiercely protected by the out of bounds that runs the entire length of the left hand side of the hole. A dam to the right of the driving zone will also catch those tee shots that are timid. A long iron or fairway wood played into the right area will leave a short iron or pitch shot to a long green that is protected by a deep bunker on the right hand side and out of bounds less than 10m from the left hand side from the putting surface.

This dogleg right par 4 of 319m is straightforward. Keep it between the trees by hitting long iron or fairway wood. However, the second shot will be played to what is sometimes referred to as The Turkeys Nest. The small raised green is a daunting prospect. Miss right and face a chip to a green where you can not see the putting surface. Miss left and have to play a chip shot from under the large conifers near the green. Or hit straight and two putt for your par.

The two fairway traps on the right hand side of the fairway were added to strengthen this 439m par 5. For the penultimate hole accuracy is a must. A tee shot finding the fairway will leave a difficult choice. Attempt the two-tiered green in two or leave yourself a pitch. Both shots must negotiate the large overhanging gum tree which, when the flag is on the right side of the green, negates the high approach. A 5 here and you can walk off with a smile.

The last hole is a downhill par 3 of 152m in length. The tee shot is played westward to the small green. A sensible tee shot is straight into the heart of the green avoiding the 4 bunkers dotting the green?s surrounds. The green breaks to its back right and more than once has surprised the locals with its turn.