The opening hole is a par 4 that doglegs right to a large undulating green. The tee shot plays to an inclined landing area protected by fairway bunkers on the right. Play the tee shot to the left side of the fairway to provide an open approach to a large green guarded by greenside bunkers on both left and right. Wetland areas flank the green on the left, right and behind.
Par – 4
Yardage
Professional – 467
Championship – 445
Tournament – 431
Yellow – 403
Forward – 362
Handicap – 3
This hole generally plays into the prevailing winds and wetlands split the fairway. Choices from the tee are:
1) Play at the fairway bunkers on the right and draw the ball around the wetlands into a very wide landing area;
2) Lay up short of the fairway bunkers to a narrow landing area between two wetlands. After the lay-up, the approach to the green must carry a large bunker, protecting the right front approach to the green;
3) Play to the left carrying the wetlands to a large landing area, requiring a draw around a grove of trees to the very large and deep green, guarded on all sides by greenside bunkers..
Par – 4
Yardage
Professional – 477
Championship – 456
Tournament – 426
Yellow – 399
Forward – 315
Handicap – 1
This par 3 plays slightly uphill to perhaps the largest green on the golf course. This green, which slopes moderately from back to front, is protected on the left by a small bunker. An additional bunker sloping toward the green is long-right, requiring a downhill bunker shot to a green sloping away. The far-left features heavy rough and includes the remnants of a hedgerow.
Par – 3
Yardage
Professional – 203
Championship – 193
Tournament – 183
Yellow – 162
Forward – 144
Handicap – 15
This hole plays uphill to a landing area nestled between two large, rolling hills. No fairway bunkers here, just a fairway narrowed by a tall fescue-grass rough. The wayward shot either side of the fairway gets “member-bounce” back toward the fairway. The approach to this medium-length par 4 is downhill to a large, undulating green. Bunkers protect short-left, with additional target definition provided by wetland areas left-short and long. Pay particular attention to pin location; this deep green could mean a two- to three-club difference, depending on whether the flagstick is cut front or back.
Par – 4
Yardage
Professional – 405
Championship – 395
Tournament – 356
Yellow – 320
Forward – 284
Handicap – 17
This par 3 features the first of several sprawling tee complexes that are one of Oak Grove’s signature elements. The tee is 100 yards long, so pay particular attention to the tee block location. A far-left tee is 45 yards closer to the green than a far-right tee.
The tee shot plays to a deep, elevated green protected on the front-right by a deep “smiling bunker” waiting to catch the imperfectly struck shot. The green is deceptively deep over the bunker, so pin location could mean an additional club or two. The green sneaks out from behind the bunker on the left. The further left the tee blocks are, the more of the green that sneaks out from behind the bunker. A tee location all the way left opens the entire green. Out-of-bounds comes into play on the left–the closer to the green, the closer the out-of-bounds.
Par – 3
Yardage
Professional – 200
Championship – 190
Tournament – 180
Yellow – 170
Forward – 155
Handicap – 9
“The Monster” would be a fitting nickname for this 600-yard-plus par 5 that generally plays into the prevailing winds. Once down the fairway about 250 yards, the remainder of the hole plays nearly 70 feet downhill. The panoramic views from the fairway to the south are dramatic.
The target off the tee is a massive cottonwood tree 400 yards down the fairway, with the landing area sandwiched between fairway bunkers on the left and large, rolling hills on the right. Out-of-bounds comes into play on the left for the overly aggressive swing off the tee. The wayward tee shot to the right gets help back towards the fairway. Missing the fairway too far right brings a tall fescue-grass rough into play, making a par a really good score.
Once in the middle of the fairway, having safely negotiated the two fairway bunkers located 260 yards from the back tees, the cottonwood and six more fairway bunkers come into play for almost every shot. Leave the ball on the right side of the fairway, and the next shot means decision time: draw around the tree, lay up short, run it under the tree, or try to carry the cottonwood. The carry probably means a short iron over the top, leaving a long approach to a well-bunkered green with several “rooms.” The lay-up means a 200-yard-plus approach to a green more than 50 feet below the fairway. Shape the shot around the cottonwood, and bring one of many bunkers lining the fairway into play.
The putting surface is relatively small, and severely sloped as greens at Oak Grove go. Play the approach to the correct “room” on the green, negotiating the ninth, tenth and eleventh bunkers on the hole, otherwise 3-putts are a real possibility.
Par – 5
Yardage
Professional – 617
Championship – 603
Tournament – 578
Yellow – 522
Forward – 510
Handicap – 5
The tee shot on no. 7 sets up the approach to the pin. If the flagstick is cut right-side, the left side of the fairway is the best spot, taking a deep, front-right, greenside bunker out of the picture. If the pin is center or left, either side of the fairway is okay.
A gangly box elder tree guards the right side of the fairway off the tee, with wetlands and water coming into play on the far right. The fairway in the landing area is relatively level, sloping only slightly from left to right. As the fairway approaches the green, it develops a severe left-to-right slope and dramatic undulations. A short approach can leave a difficult stance for final approach to the large green. Be careful not to go right or long near the green; the recovery will not be pretty.
Par – 4
Yardage
Professional – 427
Championship – 413
Tournament – 384
Yellow – 363
Forward – 353
Handicap – 11
Oak Grove’s no. 8 is deliciously scenic, playing across one of the course’s many wetland areas. This relatively short par 3 will require a pinpoint tee shot to make par or better. The green is slightly elevated, wetlands in front, bunkers short and right side, and any long shot easily ends up more than 10 feet below the putting surface. A shot missed left brings out-of-bounds, greenside bunkers and deep rough into play.
As with no. 3, tees are scattered from right to left; the further left the tee, the more open the green and the approach. The bump-and-run is possible from the farthest left tees, a full carry is a must from the far-right tees.
Pin placement on this hole can add two or three clubs and complicate strategy from the tee. The flagstick on the top-back left shelf is the tightest and most severe pin placement on the green. If it is there, club selection becomes a prevailing concern as does consideration of where to place the ball. Trying to get it back to the hole brings out-of-bounds and the tough recovery from behind into play, while a conservative play to the middle of the green leaves a long putt up the slope to the top tier of the green.
Par – 3
Yardage
Professional – 170
Championship – 148
Tournament – 125
Yellow – 111
Forward – 100
Handicap – 13
This may be the front nine’s last hole, but it is certainly not the least. The tee shot generally plays into the prevailing winds. Out-of-bounds, wetlands, water and fairway bunkers frame the left. Play the tee shot to the right of the fairway bunkers. Those bold enough to try to carry the fairway bunkers can pick up added roll by hitting the downslope on the backside of the bunkers. If successful with this first venture, the decision to “go for it” and get home in two is tempting. The green is protected by several bunkers in the second landing area and greenside.
If the pin is cut right-side, the best play is to the middle of the green. The bold play to the right-side pin placement will find the green sloping away from the approach. The back side of the green is severely sloped towards the water, and is protected in the front by a greenside bunker. Behind the green is Never-Neverland. A creek and wetlands are within 15 yards, so anything too long is long gone. Play it to the center and make the putt.
Par – 5
Yardage
Professional – 561
Championship – 538
Tournament – 506
Yellow – 483
Forward – 456
Handicap – 7
Hole 10 is known as “The Chute.” A tee placed deep in the oak savannah sets the stage for this dogleg-left par 4 featuring a landing area that deceptively opens up to the right. Another grove of 70-foot-tall oaks guards the fairway on the left. The best play off the tee is to put it in the fairway, as far right as possible. The target is a fairway bunker almost 290 yards off the tee: aim at it and hit with a slight left-to-right movement.
Leave your ball left of center and you’re in jail. A recovery is possible if you can thread the needle and hit the eyeball-high punch shot through the oaks to get back to the fairway.
The green is large and leaves ample room for putting. Greenside bunkers both left and right protect the wayward shot from even deeper trouble.
Par – 4
Yardage
Professional – 431
Championship – 417
Tournament – 384
Yellow – 366
Forward – 331
Handicap – 8
Known as “The Anaconda,” no. 11 will inspire many adjectives, but “easy” will never be one of them even though this par 5 plays only 451 yards. The double-dogleg snakes its way through wetlands and across the creek to a deep, heavily bunkered, cloverleaf-shaped putting green with several “rooms.”
“The Anaconda” demands three carries over water. The tee shot is critical: play to the right spot, and getting home in two shots and recording an eagle is possible. Try to take too much off the tee, and expect to card a 6–at best.
The first carry is 185 yards from the Professional tees; aim it at the middle of the fairway bunker. The second shot requires a tough decision. Feeling good, hitting the ball well, and need some shots to get back to par? Then go for it. Or, play conservatively and hit a short iron to the second landing area, leaving a 120-yard approach over bunkers to the green. Again, pin placement can dictate club selection.
Par – 5
Yardage
Professional – 488
Championship – 464
Tournament – 451
Yellow – 414
Forward – 384
Handicap – 6
This hole is probably the least menacing of the second nine. The tee shot plays downwind between two rolling hills to a slightly elevated landing area. The best tee shot is left of center to take a greenside bunker out of play. The shot missing the fairway might get a “members’ bounce” and make it back to the fairway.
The green is slightly elevated with a backdrop of mature forest. Distances here are deceiving; the hole plays shorter than it looks. Short right can catch the greenside bunker, or end up 10 to 15 feet below the putting surface.
Par – 4
Yardage
Professional – 388
Championship – 367
Tournament – 359
Yellow – 340
Forward – 271
Handicap – 14
This hole poses a major challenge from the Professional tees, requiring a 210-yard carry over wetlands into the prevailing winds to reach the fairway. The approach shot can be 140-150 yards to a green that is protected in front by a running creek and a greenside bunker.
From the Tournament (regular) tees, the initial shot is a long iron or fairway wood, laying back far enough for a full-pitch-shot approach to the green.
Pay particular attention to pin location on this one. If the pin location is right, or back-right, trouble can be found both in the long shot with wetlands, and in the short shot with the creek and bunker. If the pin is left, club selection is extremely critical. The green is only 15 paces deep on the left side, but balloons to 25 paces on the right.
A conservative approach is to play for bogey, laying up short of the creek on the second shot, with a third shot pitched to the middle of the green.
Par – 4
Yardage
Professional – 444
Championship – 343
Tournament – 335
Yellow – 310
Forward – 286
Handicap – 4
This tee box sprawls almost 100 yards from left to right, with distance to the green ranging from 172 yards (Professional tees) to 130 yards (Forward tees). Each downshift in yardage opens up and deepens the approach to the green.
Club selection relative to pin location is absolutely critical here. Depending strictly on pin location, club selection itself can easily vary two to three clubs, but the dense oak savannah and a narrow wetland swale protecting the left side of the green with wetlands both right and left complicate the picture. Factor in the prevailing winds, and pinpoint accuracy becomes a necessity compounding both club and target selection.
This green is extremely deep–almost 50 paces–from the left front to the back right. Two tightly tucked greenside bunkers protect any pin location from left-center, all the way to the far-right side. Be extremely cautious from the Professional tee. The shot must carry all the way to the putting surface, which runs slightly away and to the right of the player. If the superintendent is feeling especially perverse and cuts the pin far-right while setting tee blocks far-right, a grove of willow trees also pops into the picture.
Par – 3
Yardage
Professional – 172
Championship – 160
Tournament – 150
Yellow – 140
Forward – 130
Handicap – 16
This hole, “The Eye of the Needle,” is by far the most difficult hole on the golf course. Starting with an extremely tight tee shot down a narrow chute, this hole features a fairway lined by mature oaks and wetlands. A mound cuts across the fairway about 270 yards off the Professional tees (220 yards off the Tournament tees). That mound, incidentally, conceals an existing 500-gallon-per-minute well feeding the wetlands and the irrigation system.
A good drive from the Tournament tees can carry the mound, landing in a more open span of fairway. The fairway up to the mound is very tight, with wetlands and woods to the left and very dense woods to the right. If a shot misses the fairway, pray it goes left to the lateral water hazard, not right resulting in stroke and distance because of a lost ball.
After placing the tee shot either short of the fairway bunker or laying up to avoid that bunker, the approach to the green from the oak tree is 231 yards. The green is very large, guarded right by a greenside bunker and left by wetlands that will come into play if the ball is moving right to left.
Par – 4
Yardage
Professional – 482
Championship – 464
Tournament – 431
Yellow – 395
Forward – 379
Handicap – 2
The 16th plays through a chute of very mature oaks to a landing area 15 to 20 feet above the tee. Play the ball right at the fairway bunkers you see from the tee. They are more than 260 yards out, and you probably will not reach them. Be careful not to move the ball left to right; hidden fairway bunkers and a wetlands pond will catch any errant shot to the right.
The approach from the center of the fairway is relatively straightforward, but pay particular attention to the pin location. The green is deep with a significant ridge about two-thirds of the way back. Look carefully at your target. It’s no coincidence that this green is the only one on the course with no greenside bunkers–they aren’t necessary! Club selection can vary from two to three clubs depending on wind and pin location.
Out-of-bounds comes into play both left off the tee and left on the approach to the green. Right of the green, the terrain slopes away dramatically leaving a wayward shot 10 feet below the putting surface and requiring a challenging flip shot to salvage par.
Par – 4
Yardage
Professional – 390
Championship – 378
Tournament – 372
Yellow – 271
Forward – 254
Handicap – 12
Here is a challenge! No. 17 is a very short par 3 as yardage goes, but its green perches precariously on the edge of a major slope. Any approach played to the right side can easily end up in the rough 20 feet below the putting surface. Long is not good either with a bunker and dense woods behind the green. The conservative player, trying to go left and bounce it off the hill and onto the green, will find three hillside bunkers waiting and a potential downhill bunker shot from five to ten feet above the putting surface.
Club selection again is key. Pick the right stick, and two is a possibility and three is a good score. Get careless and not only will the numbers go up, but so too will the blood pressure!
Par – 3
Yardage
Professional – 160
Championship – 140
Tournament – 134
Yellow – 128
Forward – 110
Handicap – 18
The tee shot on no. 18 comes out of the chute and heads for the clubhouse in a big way. Fairway bunkers on the left are 255 yards off the back tee. The fairway is pinched at about the 300-yard mark, making the tee shot critical to any aspirations of getting home in two. Fairway bunkers surround the bowl-shaped second landing area on all sides. Place your second shot in the bowl and the approach to the green is wide open, with the bump-and-run available. Miss the second landing area, and any one of the eight greenside bunkers can gather up your ball.
The green is deep and fairly generous in size. Three-putts are very possible. Again, it is important to select the right club to put it next to the pin.
Par – 5
Yardage
Professional – 539
Championship – 499
Tournament – 469
Yellow – 440
Forward – 430
Handicap – 10
