Course Layout

The beginning to the back nine commands your attention as you step onto the tee. As you stand on the tee and your eye travels the fairway towards the green, one thought comes to mind - accuracy off the tee is a must. The out of bounds on the right runs the entire length of the hole. If that doesn’t get your pulse to quicken, the overhanging tree forty yards up the left side should help. Depending on which tee the golfer plays will determine how narrow the chute becomes in order to play your tee ball through. Once you are ready to play your second shot, strategy must be employed, as this is definitely a three-shot par five. As best you can, you want to place your second shot in the vicinity of your strongest distance from the green. The green is kidney shaped and slopes upward from the front and falls off dramatically behind the green and to the sides. It is generous in size but subtle in slope so an approach played between the greenside bunkers framing this green below the hole offers the best chance to make the putt.

This is another unassuming par four that gives the average golfer a few options when playing the hole. The big hitter may be able to fly their tee ball past the trouble on both sides of the fairway. This will leave a short second shot with a pitching wedge to a narrow green. For the average player off the tee, you must contend with two obvious hazards in the distance. On the right side inside the tree line are two gaping bunkers ready to catch errant drives 150 yards from the green. There is out of bounds on the left side of the fairway extending from the tee to the 150 yard marker that can swallow short errant tee shots. The green is convex in design so playing to the center offers your best chance at a par.

Our "signature" hole requires a well struck and accurate tee shot to avoid the water and reach the green. There is room to bail out just short of the green on the right side. The generous green is protected on either side by large deep bunkers.

This is a ticklish dogleg left par 4 that offers a number of options to make your par. The obvious route is a tee ball straight down the middle to the turn in the fairway leaving an approach shot of 180 yards. Since the green is one of Richmond’s smaller and more undulating putting surfaces, an alternate route may make the hole play slightly easier. The more skilled player, who can shape their shots, will draw their tee shot around the corner. Or, some players more comfortable fading the ball may aim directly at the fairway bunker and move their tee shot off of it. Power hitters in control of their game that day may gamble and try and cut the corner to significantly shorten the approach shot. Wherever you play, your approach shot from it requires precision because the further back you are - the smaller the target appears. Once you are on the green have a good look before you putt. The slope is so subtle that local knowledge really plays a part.

This is the most difficult par 3 green to hold from the tee for two distinct reasons. The length of the shot combined with the angle at which the green turns on, makes the landing area somewhat narrow. To land a long iron tee shot as softly as is required is a much-envied skill of most golfers. Two large bunkers wait patiently on the left side to catch errant tee balls. If you are going to miss this green, the place to do it is just short on the right front side. This will leave a chip shot of varying length and difficulty depending on the pin placement. Considered the most difficult green to hit, this shallow green falls off the back, leaving you a small landing and putting surface.

The precision and accuracy off the tee does not ease up on this challenging dogleg right par 4. The lake down the entire right side forces the golfer to aim left off the tee. But be careful not to go too far to the left side, as there is a fairway bunker and a variety of trees which come into play. Well-placed tee shots are rewarded allowing an approach shot with a mid-to-short iron into one of Richmond’s smaller targets. The green definitely asks the smart golfer to play the approach shot to the middle of the green. If golfers choose to go for the flag they then run the risk of a difficult recovery shot if they miss. Deep bunkers front right and on the left side of the green frames an undulating putting surface. Putting from the right side of the green leaves an uphill putt and gives the golfer the best chance at birdie or par.

Most people who have played Richmond can tell a tale or two about their experiences on this risk reward hole. From the tee, the hole turns to the left approximately 160 yards from the green. How one gets there depends on the player. A tee shot between the thick stand of trees on the left and the unassuming pond on the right leaves a mid iron approach to an inviting green. The player who can shape shots may try to move the ball further down the narrowing fairway with a right to left ball flight. Big hitters may try to power a drive over the right side of the tree line to shorten their approach. The further down the fairway one tries to play the tee shot - the greater the risk of increasing disaster becomes. The green is softly guarded by to two bunkers both on the left side opening up the right side approach. The green slopes gently upward from front to back so make sure you give your putt just enough to get to the hole.

Getting close to home this benign looking hole lulls the average golfer into letting up on their focus. Prematurely adding up their score can lead to the addition of unnecessary strokes. Just as in most holes, placement of the tee shot is crucial to set up a strategic approach shot. The two bunkers on the right side forces the golfer to aim down the left center. From the fairway parallel to the bunkers the golfer is left with a short iron into a very slippery green. The putting surface is guarded front right and left to command a high soft approach to a convex shaped green. It may not appear too difficult on the outset but don’t be fooled. You still have to work to make your par here.

A three shot par 5 that is reachable in two requires chess-like strategy and precision shot making. The tree-lined fairway provides a natural chute to play through with a fairway bunker on the right side ready to catch a wayward drive. Longer hitters will try to hit the fairway beyond that bunker leaving an approach of 200 yards. The average player will play a lay-up shot of 175 yards to leave a third shot of just under 100 yards. The green is well protected on the front left by two penal bunkers. It has a distinct mound running through the green leaving putts from the wrong side as a definite challenge. Also a challenge, are any misjudged approach shots over the green. Shots that are not stopped, run the risk of going into the lateral ditch deep below the level of the putting surface. Whatever happens, watching it unfold from the vantage of the Clubhouse balcony gives the spectator a wonderful view back down a spectacular golf hole.