The Eastern Golf Club

This long par 4 hole requires an accurate drive to the right side of the fairway for two reasons: the ball will tend to roll left with the slope after landing and you need to be as far right as possible for the best line to the green. Tee shots that finish on the left hand side leave you with trees blocking your shot to the green. Try to leave your ball below the flag and note that the green slopes right to left and from the back to the front. If the greens are running fast, a putt from above the roll can be exciting!

Long hitters will be able to drive this short uphill par 4, but they will need to avoid the long rough that cuts in around the front of the green, avoid the bunkers and not lose the ball right and out-of-bounds. Others can choose to hit a club that leaves them with their preferred shot to get the ball close to the flag on a large green that mostly rolls from right to left. Anything too close to the left edge of the green can roll off. The green is deceptively long and it is easy to leave a pitch short of the flag.

A straightforward downhill par 3 where what you see is what you get. Bunkers guard the front and sides of the green, so you should figure on carrying your tee shot all the way to the putting surface. The green slopes a little from back to front and left to right. A ball that lands on the right hand side can run off the green, but its a very simple chip back.

There is a slight dogleg to the left on this hole. If you can hit your drive to the top of the hill or further, then it becomes a much easier proposition. But hit to the right hand side of the fairway. Otherwise your ball may roll left across the fairway and leave your shot to the green blocked by trees. The green slopes to the front and the left hand side. If you miss the green to the right and have to play over or out of the bunker, then you may find it difficult to stop the ball near the hole or even on the green.

This hole calls for a careful decision on what club to hit from the tee. Apart from avoiding the out-of-bounds area that runs along the right hand side, take careful note of the distance and line to avoid the water hazard that sits forward and left of the green. If you have played to the flat section of the fairway right of the water, then you have an easy wedge to the green. But the green is distinctly two-tiered and slopes to the front. As always on this course, try to leave your ball below the hole.

Another hole with out-of-bounds on the right. The fairway slopes right to left so the ball will probably run towards the trees on the left where you can get blocked out. So hit for the right hand side of the fairway. Long hitters can drive close to the bunkers, but you may want to leave yourself a full wedge out so that you can stop the ball on the elevated green. It slopes a little right to left and towards the front.

A hole that provides choice for long and short hitters. Reachable, but not visible from the tee, the green is protected by water and trees if you want to hit it in one (ensure it is clear). Most players hit to the end of the fairway or at least past the pines and then play a short iron to the green. It can be a difficult shot, often from a dowhill lie to an elevated green with lots of slope to the front and the right hand side. Stay below the hole.

Use the mirrors to check that the fairway is clear for a blind drive. This hole is a dog leg right so aim well left and try to keep it just inside the tree line. Longer hitters can make the green in two. Otherwise place your second so that you can play the next shot with a club that you can stop quickly on the green - depending on the pin placement it may be difficult to run the ball on. The green slopes to the front and to the right and can make a shot over or out of the left bunker difficult to stop quickly. There is a steep bank behind the green so dont miss long.

A fun and challenging hole to finish the front nine. This one is much more difficult from the back tee for the average player who may struggle to get the distance while hitting the ball high enough to stop it on the putting surface. If you are going to miss, make it pin high left or close to the green front left and give yourself a good chance of par with an accurate chip. The green is relatively flat.

This hole will reward you if you hit straight. Accuracy off this tee is important because missing right or left is likely to cost you a shot. Fade it up the middle or hit high over the tree on the right - if you want to get to the middle of the fairway which will run your ball to the left. That tree is probably the most battered on the course. The green is large and long. It generally slopes to the front and left although the right hand side is deceptively flat.

Similar to the last hole with the fairway slope reversed. This medium length par 4 hole requires a careful tee shot into the left half of the fairway as the ball will probably roll to the right off the slope. The second shot will almost inevitably be with the ball below your feet if you are a right hander, so be wary of fading the ball into the bunker on the right of the green. Ensure that your shot to the green carries the bunker at the front and left. However, players should avoid hitting to the back or left of the flag as this will probably leave them with a difficult quick putt down the slope of the green.

Check that the fairway is clear as you walk across from the 11th green. A long tee shot just inside the right tree line will get you to the bottom of the hill with a good line to the green. Less powerful hitters should hit the ball low and get it to run. If you dont make the gully, you will face a tricky downhill shot. Long hitters can get to the green in two, but others should keep the ball on the right side of the fairway for the best shot to the elevated green which is deceptively long and make sure you get your ball all the way back to the flag, but a steep slope from back to front means it is best to keep it below the hole.

Best tip on this hole is dont miss the green which is large and slopes steeply on the left half before flattening out. It also slopes from back to front. If you insist on missing the green, do it to the right as a flop or bunker shot from the left can be impossible to stop on the left half of the green. The tee is often sheltered from winds that catch the ball as it nears the green so pay attention to the prevailing conditions.

A hole on which it is helpful to be able to hit the ball left to right. This means your tee shot plays back into the slope - you want to keep it away from trees and out of the rough that cuts in on the left hand side. The green can be reached in two shots. Try to avoid the rough that cuts in on the front right of the green and also avoid the bunker on the left. Only if you miss the green badly left or right will you face real problems. The green is large and slopes from the right.

A short par four that can be surprisingly challenging because of the difficulty of getting your second shot near the flag. The green has some swales at the front and slopes towards the back. The front is protected by bunkers that allow only a narrow opening onto the green. Best to leave your tee shot so that you can follow up with a wedge that you can fly to the flag with lots of backspin. Or drive into a bunker right or left and rely on your sand skills for a chance at birdie.

A slight dogleg right with a downhill drive offers a chance for a good score on this hole. Drive down the left half of the fairway and of course beware of the trees right and left for the first part of the journey. The fairway will probably run your ball left to right. Out of bounds on the right hand side and the possibility of being blocked out from the green so miss left if you must. The green slopes left to right but presents a very fair target for a short second shot.

A smallish green sloping from left to right. Stop your ball anywhere on the green and putt for birdie. Simple.

If the fairways are hard, then a tee shot landing on the rise is going to run hard right and may leave you blocked out by the trees that cut in from the right hand side. So decide whether you prefer to chance your luck with a very accurate long drive just inside the trees on the left or lay up on the start of the rise for a longer direct shot to the green. Bunkers guard the front left and the right - hitting into them isn't a bad option if in trouble off the fairway. The green is large and slopes steeply to the front right. It can make downhill putting a very nervous exercise.