| Hole |
Par |
Yards |
Hazzards |
Descrption |
Picture
(click on image
for larger size) |
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| 1 |
4 |
380
330
300
290
235
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Standing on the opening tee box waiting to hit just puts you in the mood to play golf. The friendly atomostphere (no pun intended) is punctuated by the scenic view across a small pond the the steeply sloped 9th green. The first fairway faces you on the slope up from Clover Creek, inviting you to land your open shot in the short grass. Teeing off early in the summer has you hitting into the rising sun and the promise of a great round. |
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| 2 |
4 |
390
355
350
285
285
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Number two is a decptively hard hold. A large tree on the right side of the fairway blocks out anything to the right. A branch off of this tree even looms in the way of shots on the right side of the fairway. The green is well below the hold, with a steep slope short and another steep slope behind. The slope behind runs down to Clover Creek. |
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| 3 |
3 |
215
212
185
140
135
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One of the toughest holes on the course, number three plays along a lake down the left hand side. A small thumb of water comes out in front of the green to swallowup anything short. The right is guarded by two large trees that appear as one gigantic tree from the tee box. The safe play is to the right over the trees, but this leaves a difficult up and down to a steeply sloped green. |
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| 4 |
4 |
370
365
355
290
280
|
|
The course opens up with number four. Hammer away at this tee shot and you can leave yourself a very short approach. Angle is important. Tee shots to the left will have to work around trees on the way to the green. |
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| 5 |
5 |
580
512
500
390
380
|
|
The par fives in the video game will yeild eagles. In real life, this tee box backs up against a crop field, usually planted with soy beans or corn. To add length to this hole, I had to move the black tee into the fied.
The key to this hole is staying straight off the tee. Trees line both sides of the tee box and will reject any stray shots. Clear the tree line and you can go after this hole on your second. A pair of pines right of the green are the only real obstacle remaining. |
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| 6 |
4 |
450
435
365
285
275
|
|
The longest par four on the front plays acorss the same lake that fronts number two. Keep the ball in the fairway, and you should have little more than a mid iron to get to the green. |
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| 7 |
3 |
170
160
150
145
135
|
|
Approaching this green, it is easy to get cocky. But this hole plays harder than it looks. The green is probably the smallest on the course. And has just enough movement to make long two putts a test. But if you do hit the green off the tee, you should be safe making par. |
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| 8 |
5 |
570
502
480
420
408
|
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This double dog leg left par five is reachable with two very good shots that short cut the dog legs. Once on the green, the putting surface is pretty straight. The lack of movemnt on putts lets you be aggressive with par and birdie attempts. |
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| 9 |
4 |
440
405
355
340
280
|
|
The signature hole at Friendly Meadows is also the toughest. At 405 from the blue tees, it is a long par four that plays longer than it listed length. Only the longest hitters can attempt to cross Clover Creek off the tee. The rest of us mortals will usually club down and layout short of the creek. That leaves an uphill shot of at least 150 yards if you are at the very end of the fairway.
But wait, there's more. The green is the steepest on the course. Anything long leaves a slipery chip or putt back down hill. Reaching this green is two is difficult. And even if you do, par is not a given. |
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| 10 |
4 |
425
382
330
310
255
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This hole plays out across Clover Creek again, and much like number one, only a mishit will find the water. But there are dangers ahead. Anything too far left can find its way into the woods. And anything right will have to play over trees to reach the green. Best bet is to keep it straight and narrow and run your tee shot to the top of the hill. From here you can see the target ahead. |
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| 11 |
5 |
530
485
465
385
335
|
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The easiest hole on the course and reachable in two in almost any conditions. After hitting out of the woods, the hole opens up wide at the fairway. If you find the short stuf, you'll be hitting a fairway wood, and maybe even an iron on your second shot. Even the green doesn't put up much defense. Make bogey here, and you need to have a serious conversation with yourself whether golf is really the game for you. |
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| 12 |
3 |
225
215
180
165
130
|
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If you've gotten over confident after playing eleven, twelve will set you straight. Nothing tricky about this par three. It is just long. Very difficult to get the right club selection and to get your ball to stop on the green. Par is a good score here, don't get greedy. |
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| 13 |
5 |
565
525
490
455
450
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Thirteen is the one par five that is not reachable in two. Not without taking a huge risk off the tee. This is the sort of hole that will trip up first time golfers as you really need to know what lies ahead when you play it. The hole has a ninety degree turn to the right, and if you do not stop you tee shotin that opening, you forced to play over, around or more than likely thru the trees on your second.
The run to the green is tree lined on both sides for about 250 yards. And waiting for you at the end is a green guarded by water on three sides. But it is a par five. Hit good shots and you can make birdie here. |
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| 14 |
4 |
405
385
320
305
235
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One of the best recreated shot in the E-version of Friendly Meadows, just like in real life you have to figure out how much of the angle you can cut off. The fairway is almost perpendicular to the tee box. But come up short of the fairway and a mound rejects your ball back into the rough where you will be blocked out by trees. It is a thinking mans hole where looking ahead is key to playing the right shot. |
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| 15 |
4 |
475
455
400
290
280
|
|
The longest par four on the back, you need to fly your tee shot out as far as you can. A lake does run down the left side, but is only a risk if you mis hit badly. The length of your second shot makes it difficult to get close. So par is more than reasonable on this hole. |
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| 16 |
4 |
360
345
330
300
245
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A postcard waiting to be sent. That is how the Friendly Meadows web site describes number sixteen. And it is true. Not a long hole, you need to know how far you hit the ball off the tee. The fairway is guarded by a lake, and the end of the fairway is far too short for driver. The black tee is not much longer than the real blue tee, but plays from a strange angle that may force you to shape your tee shot. |
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| 17 |
3 |
200
182
135
130
105
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From the forward tees, seventeen is short and sweet. Step back to the long tees, and this par three has some teeth. Anything long will drop below the level of the green. And a depression in the back right of the green makes for a classic Sunday pin location. Which you can challenge with pin set four. |
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| 18 |
4 |
400
360
320
300
245
|
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Another picturesque hole, the fairway on number 18 runs in the valley along Clover Creek. A miss to the left is wet. Miss right and you are on the side of the hill blocked out by trees.
From the fairway, the appraoch isn't terribly long. But the elevated green will force careful club selection. |
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