Championship Course Tour
Handicap Men: 7 Women: 3
| Tees | Yardage |
|---|---|
| 410 | |
| 390 | |
| 375 | |
| 365 |
This is a nice opening hole because it offers a reasonable chance of playing to your handicap. The hole plays downhill and is a slight left-to-right dogleg. The best line for your drive is down the left side of the hole since this offers the best angle for your approach shot. A swale fronts the green, which slopes from back-to-front and the has a slight false front, so shots that don't run or carry into the putting surface run the risk of running back off the green. Bunkers right and left frame the green, which is 25 yards deep. Any holes cut to the right of the putting surface are sucker pins and you should resist attacking them
Handicap Men: 15 Women: 15
| Tees | Yardage |
|---|---|
| 173 | |
| 166 | |
| 155 | |
| 120 |
This is Race Brook's signature hole and most people believe it is the most beautiful hole on the course. It is a good par 3 that plays entirely over a pond. The green, which is 28 yards deep, slopes severely from back-to-front and slightly to the right and is framed by two bunkers on the left and one on the right. It is probably the most severe putting surface on the course and, in fact, it's not uncommon to see players putt off the green. Better players will try to leave their tee shot on the front third of the green to insure an uphill putt. If the hole is cut to the left, players should avoid missing to the left, since it leaves a very difficult recovery shot.
Handicap Men: 9 Women: 1
| Tees | Yardage |
|---|---|
| 492 | |
| 491 | |
| 476 | |
| 462 |
This is a very good par 5 that is reachable in two by longer hitters. The landing area is generous and is framed by two bunkers, although players can't see the bunkers from the tee because the hole plays slightly uphill on the drive. Longer hitters have a definite advantage on this hole because if they can reach the flat part of the landing area they have between 215-220 yards to the putting surface. The second shot should be played to the left side of the fairway to give the best angle for the third shot and to avoid a bunker on the right side of the fairway some 75 yards from the green. The large green is fairly flat in the back half and slopes towards the front. It is 32 yards deep but not very wide and it is protected by a bunker to the left and two to the right. The front section of the green is deceptively fast and the back of the green is fairly flat. This hole presents a good birdie possibility for better players.
Handicap Men: 13 Women: 13
| Tees | Yardage |
|---|---|
| 366 | |
| 354 | |
| 351 | |
| 338 |
The fairway is fairly generous but the landing area is protected by two bunkers on the right and one of the left. Longer hitters can try and carry the bunkers on the right and if they are successful, they will pick up some additional roll, leaving them just a wedge into the green. Most players, however, will find themselves with a 6-iron or so for their approach. The green is 29 yards deep and runs away from front-to-back and drops off severely to the back. As is the case on many of the greens at Race Brook, if you play to the center of the green you'll rarely face a putt of longer than 20 feet. The toughest hole locations here are front-left and back-right.
Handicap Men: 11 Women: 5
| Tees | Yardage |
|---|---|
| 498 | |
| 478 | |
| 445 | |
| 393 |
This straightaway par 5 can be reached in two by longer hitters but it really is a true three-shot hole for most players. Race Brook cuts through the hole near the tee boxes but doesn't come into play unless a shot is missed badly. The hole plays slightly uphill from the tee and the goal is to carry "Sissy Ridge" some 280 yards from the green and leave yourself with a level lie and a view of the green. Two bunkers frame the landing area. The best approach into the green is from the right side of the fairway since the green is set to the left and guarded by a large bunker on the left-front of the putting surface and another on the right, well short of the green. There is rough short and to the right on the large, undulating two-tiered green, which is 31 yards deep. This is a good hole for better players to pick up a stroke.
Handicap Men: 5 Women: 11
| Tees | Yardage |
|---|---|
| 422 | |
| 400 | |
| 383 | |
| 344 |
This is the longest par 4 on the front side and the start of a string of three very strong par 4s. It's a difficult driving hole because while there are no bunkers in the landing area, there is a slope 180-220 yards off the tee which, if you can carry, will give you an additional 15-20 yards of roll. It's best to play to the left side of the fairway because shots that land on the right side tend to wind up in the rough. The two-tiered green is fairly large and 37 yards deep. It is framed by large bunkers on the left and right. The front-left and back-right are the easiest hole location while the front-right is the most difficult.
Handicap Men: 3 Women: 9
| Tees | Yardage |
|---|---|
| 399 | |
| 393 | |
| 382 | |
| 387 |
This is another very good par 4. There are no bunkers in the landing area but there is a ridge 180-200 yards off the tee that is difficult for many players to carry. Balls that fail to carry the ridge kick right towards the rough. The play from the tee is down the left side of the hole in order to avoid the trees down the right side. There's a large black oak on the left side of the hole some 40 yards short of the green. The large green is 39 yards deep and guarded by large bunkers on the left and right-front of the putting surface. A ridge runs diagonally across the green and the front half of the putting surface tends to be fairly quick. Shots that carry well over the green run the risk of winding up in the stream.
Handicap Men: 1 Women: 7
| Tees | Yardage |
|---|---|
| 422 | |
| 412 | |
| 402 | |
| 392 |
As the name suggests, this is a demanding, dogleg right. A large bunker guards the right side of the landing area and gets a lot of business. Longer hitters can try and carry the bunker and if they are successful, they can gain another 15 yards of roll and give themselves a good chance to reach the green in two. Otherwise, this is often a three-shot hole for most players. A large tree guards the green on the right about 25 yards from the putting surface. The large, well-contoured green is 29 yards deep and slopes from back-to-front. If you find yourself above the hole, this is an easy green to three-putt.
Handicap Men: 17 Women: 17
| Tees | Yardage |
|---|---|
| 183 | |
| 169 | |
| 156 | |
| 129 |
Before you tee off on this excellent par 3, stop at "Louis' Halfway House" and roll for a hot dog. The green, which is 26 yards deep, is framed by a deep bunker on the left and two bunkers on the right. The false front of the green makes the hole appear to play shorter than it actually does. The saucer-shaped green runs away in the front but if the hole is cut to the front, the best play is to try and land the ball short and let it run onto the putting surface. Balls tend to funnel towards the center of the green. The hole is especially difficult when the wind is blowing, since it tends to swirl through the trees. When it does, a par here is a bonus.
Handicap Men: 6 Women: 2
| Tees | Yardage |
|---|---|
| 533 | |
| 518 | |
| 494 | |
| 475 |
The sharp dogleg right is a true three-shot hole for 99 percent of golfers. The target from the tee is a large tree on the left side of the dogleg. Players must carry a swale off the tee and the fairway slopes from left-to-right and leaves players stances with the ball below their feet. Long hitters can come close to the green in two but very few can reach the green with their second shot. There is a bunker short of the green on the right, two more to the right side of the green and one short and left. The large green is 30 yards deep and slopes from back to front. It is a difficult green to putt because it has so many very subtle breaks. For most people, par is a very good score here.
Handicap Men: 10 Women: 16
| Tees | Yardage |
|---|---|
| 184 | |
| 181 | |
| 167 | |
| 126 |
Another strong par 3, this hole plays severely uphill from the tee, so it's often a good idea to take 1 ½-2 clubs more than the yardage indicates. Any shot that misses left is dead. The green, which is 30 yards deep but fairly narrow, slopes from right-to-left and from back-to-front. There is a large bunker left and well short of the green but it shouldn't come into play unless a shot is hit poorly. This is a green you really need to hit since recovery shots are very difficult.
Handicap Men: 14 Women: 18
| Tees | Yardage |
|---|---|
| 206 | |
| 204 | |
| 193 | |
| 130 |
Unlike No. 11, this par 3 plays straight downhill and a good rule of thumb is that whatever club you hit on 11 you should hit here. The green, which is 27 yards deep, is beautifully bunkered with a long bunker protecting the left side of the putting surface and two bunkers on the right. This is a fairly generous green but putting is difficult because the breaks are so subtle. As a general rule, shots that land short of the putting surface will not run onto the green, so you must take enough club to carry your shot onto the putting surface.
Handicap Men: 18 Women: 12
| Tees | Yardage |
|---|---|
| 309 | |
| 305 | |
| 299 | |
| 289 |
This is a nice, short par 4. Most players will lay-up off the tee because the hole is all about the second shot. There a bunker guarding the right side of the landing area and two bunkers fronting the left and right of the green make even the longest hitters think twice about trying to drive the green. There is a very narrow opening in front of the green, which is 26 yards deep and very fast in the front section. This is another hole where if you play to the center of the green, you'll have a reasonable chance of making the putt. No. 13 proves that a hole doesn't have to be long to be good.
Handicap Men: 8 Women: 4
| Tees | Yardage |
|---|---|
| 484 | |
| 476 | |
| 465 | |
| 446 |
This is one of the prettiest holes on the course because a large pond fronts the tee boxes and it has the clubhouse as a backdrop behind the green. Long hitters can reach this green in two as long as they avoid the large bunker on the right side of the fairway. The green is the dominant feature of the hole. It is equal to No. 2's green in difficulty. If you play it as a three-shot hole, you want to leave yourself between 70 and 120 yards for your approach. Three bunkers protect the left side of the green while a deep bunker guards the right front. The putting surface, which is just 25 yards deep, slopes severely from back-to-front and to the right. In the 1997 Connecticut State Open, more players three or even four-putted this green than any other hole.
Handicap Men: 16 Women: 14
| Tees | Yardage |
|---|---|
| 176 | |
| 173 | |
| 168 | |
| 165 |
This very strong par 3 always seems to play ¼ to ½ clubs longer than the yardage would indicate. The pear-shaped green, which is 27 yards deep, slopes from back-to-front and is framed by a bunker left and another bunker on the right. The green is usually a little quicker than most of the other greens. The hole is made more difficult because the winds here tend to swirl. This is a hole where a bogey golfer can pick up a ½ shot with a par.
Handicap Men: 2 Women: 6
| Tees | Yardage |
|---|---|
| 471 | |
| 459 | |
| 437 | |
| 418 |
While a par 4 from three sets of tees, the hole is really a par 5 for most players since only the longer hitters can reach the green in two, particularly since the hole rarely plays downwind. There are no bunkers in the generous landing area and the hole plays slightly downhill to a green which is 27 yards deep and protected by just one bunker to the right side of the putting surface. The green is fairly flat but is difficult to putt because the breaks are so subtle.
Handicap Men: 12 Women: 10
| Tees | Yardage |
|---|---|
| 354 | |
| 317 | |
| 310 | |
| 284 |
As the names suggests, the cross bunkers in the landing area of this slight dogleg left are the dominant feature of this short par 4. The best angle for your uphill approach is from the left side of the fairway since trees protect the right side of the green, which is 25 yards deep. There is a bunker short and left of the green but it really doesn't get much play but the second shot is difficult to judge because you can't see the bottom of the pin from the fairway.
Handicap Men: 4 Women: 8
| Tees | Yardage |
|---|---|
| 420 | |
| 400 | |
| 369 | |
| 326 |
This hole plays uphill and it is important hit the fairway if you hope to reach the green in two shots. There are no bunkers in the landing area but the green, which is 37 yards deep, is flanked by two imposing bunkers. A ridge runs through the middle of the green, dividing it in two, and it important that your ball come to rest in the same section of the green as the hole is cut, other wise you will face a challenging putt. It is a strong finishing hole that demands both length and precision.
