Overview Course Description Hole by Hole Photo Tour Today’s Playing Conditions

Valley Course / Wright

Hole by Hole

Welcome to the Ben Wright-designed Cliffs Valley course…and what a great starting hole.

Holes 1-9 ( 1.3MB PDF)  ~  Holes 10-18 ( 1.4MB PDF)

Click the image of each hole below to view a close-up...

	Hole 1. This downhill, 395-yard par 4 is truly indicative of the elegantly designed holes ahead. A big drive down the middle to left-hand side of the fairway, gently sloping down to the right, will leave you with a wedge or short iron to this large, flat green. One of the best views on this hole is offered from the green as you look back up the fairway to the magnificent Valley clubhouse.
	Hole 2. The second hole is a demanding, uphill par 3 of 178 yards. The green is a big target, with two bunkers to the left of the hole, but the sloping green itself is extremely challenging. It's best here to leave your shot on the same level as the pin or face some quick, dramatic breaks as you work extremely hard to get to the hole in two.
	Hole 3. On the third, you'll tee off from a hillside with a view all the way to the green on this par 4, 385-yard hole. This is one of the shorter par fours on the Valley course. However, the tree line lurks hard to the right. Visually, this hole looks more intimidating than it actually plays, since a birdie here, with a good drive, is a real possibility.
	Hole 4. The two most thrilling and memorable holes on the Valley course are back to back par 4s, numbers 4 and 5. For these two holes, Wright has placed an extreme emphasis on tee shot accuracy. On the fourth tee, you're forced to carry a lake to get to the fairway, while avoiding another lake left of the landing area that also borders the rest of the fairway all the way up and beyond, hard, by the left side of the green. Out of bounds stakes sit just above the cart path that runs along the right side of the hole, tightening, along with the left-side water, the tee shot landing area. This extremely demanding, 406 yard, dogleg left hole is slightly reminiscent of Mid Ocean's famous cape hole, number 5.
	Hole 5. From the elevated tees, Valley's 459 yard fifth is a visually thrilling, but intimidating dogleg right, where Wright forces a golfer to place his tee shot to the center, left portion of the fairway. If not, the lake to the right of the fairway, whose range is definitely in play from every tee box Wright offers, is certainly in play as it was placed hard by the right rough and extends along the hole for nearly 100 yards. From the fairway, the golfer is forced to carry, typically from 200 yards out or more, a thirty-foot wide creek that guards the approach to a small and undulating green, framed on three sides by large pines and hardwoods.
	Hole 6. After 4 and 5, take a breath with the sixth hole, a reachable par 5 at 499 yards. Playing uphill, favor the left or middle portion of the fairway, and a greenside bunker that comes into play on second and third shots. The green itself is made up of two sections, so make sure you leave your approach on the same level or face some of the most challenging putting on the course.
	Hole 7. The real danger of playing the par 3 seventh hole is a shot that comes up short and nestles into the grass bunkers fronting the green. This is a straightforward, traditionally designed par three at 184 yards, where the best play is to pick the right club for the distance and make sure you get it to the green.
	Hole 8. The high tee box at number 8, a 461-yard par 4, offers one of the great views at Valley. Attempt to blast your tee shot over the creek that runs across the fairway, but the safest play is a tee shot than lands short of the creek and on the left hand side of the fairway as the trees that sit in the right rough completely block the approach shot from the far right side. The eighth green is kidney shaped, and is the largest green on the golf course, with a well-positioned bunker protecting the middle portion of the green.
	Hole 9. Number 9 is a perfect example of an elegantly designed par 5. What a striking scene from the tee as the huge landing area is set before you and a fairway that slopes up and away to the left and disappears past the dogleg. A good tee shot and a second shot straight down the middle of the fairway of this 578 harder leaves you a short iron into the small green of this magnificent par 5.
	Hole 10. You begin the backside with a demanding par 4. The 435 yard tenth challenges you with a tee shot over water, but gives you a large landing area. The approach shot is uphill, with an approach apron that rolls short shots back down the hill.
	Hole 11. The eleventh is a pretty, downhill par three at 178 yards with a bunker left of the green and a pond to the right. This is the only downhill par three on the course, so choose your club well. The green is large, however, and fairly flat, so another good birdie opportunity is presented here.
	Hole 12. The dogleg left, par 4 twelfth hole, is the shortest par 4 on the course at 352 yards. With the tree line hard by the left side, however, favor the middle to right hand side of the fairway here with a 3-wood or long iron into this tiny green set near a hillside.
	Hole 13. The thirteenth hole is a dogleg right, three shot par 5 at 550 yards. Two large bunkers guard the left side of the landing area, and a tree line and creek runs hard along the right side of the fairway. The best position is to leave your drive right in the middle of the fairway. Keep in mind that the creek runs all the way along the right side of the hole. The green is unprotected by bunkers, and it's fairly flat, so a birdie here after playing conservatively, should be a possibility.
	Hole 14. The par 4 fourteenth is a straightforward 384 yard hole with no sand bunkers. A number of grass bunkers lurk along both sides of the fairway and on the backside of the green. Tee shots and approach shots that fly too far right end up in the creek that meanders throughout the back nine.
	Hole 15. The fifteenth is a demanding par three. It's long, at 217 yards, and the creek comes into play here on the left, front, and right side of the green.
	Hole 16. Like fourteen, the sixteenth, at 404 yards, is a straightforward par 4 that rewards a big tee shot. The green is round and slightly elevated with a large bunker to the right.
	Hole 17. The par fives on the Valley course are sensational, and like nine, the view from the tee box here is beautiful too. The seventeenth is a subtle dogleg left at 534 yards with a hillside to the left of the hole and a creek to the right. Play this hole all the way down the middle of the fairway to position yourself for the approach to the small green and another birdie opportunity.
	Hole 18. For seventeen holes you were given some generous landing areas and some fairly open holes with room for mistakes. Now, at the home hole, Wright forces you to hit a straight tee shot on the tightest hole on the course. The par 4 eighteenth isn't long at 432 yards, but it requires tee shot accuracy. Pull out the driver if you dare, but the safe play is a 3-wood off the tee, slightly favoring the middle left of the fairway. The small green is protected on the left by a sand bunker and a grass bunker beyond the green.

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