An accurate tee shot is essential as gorse and trees guard the left of the fairway for 300 yards. There is also a fairway bunker as well as a copse of conifer trees to the right and six bunkers to negotiate short of the sloping green.
This is a very interesting and challenging hole with a sharp dogleg to the right. An accurate tee shot close to one of the fairway bunkers is required. The shot to the green is fraught with danger. A pond to the left, the river to the rear and a bunker slightly short guard the narrow sloping green.
As the Stoke Index suggests, this is the most difficult hole on the course. The river, gorse and trees follow the dogleg all the way along to the left. A ditch crosses the fairway to catch a topped drive, and more gorse waits to the right to catch the slice or the push off the tee. If the drive is both long and on the right line, a good shot is still needed to reach a well-protected green.
This is a favourite hole for many, and the opposite for others. Gorse needs to be cleared off the tee, and with more gorse both left and right of the fairway, it is essential to strike a good tee shot, the second shot is then relatively straightforward.
The best line off the tee is to the left of the fairway marker, but the tee shot has to be fairly long to enable the player to have sight of the flag when playing the second shot. A safe tee shot down the right side of the fairway leaves a testing blind shot over the tall conifer trees.
This hole has proved to be a ‘card-wrecker’ for many.
The 18th is a pleasant medium length hole and comes as a relief following several holes fraught with danger off the tees. The green is well guarded with bunkers short, to the left, and to right.