Course Layout and Hole Descriptions

 

Hole 1 - Hole one is a short par 4 which plays slightly downhill.  With a reasonable drive between trees left and right of a moderately wide fairway, most players are hitting second shot wedges 100 to 125 yards over water to a green that is graded slightly downhill from back to front with trouble over the back.  Short drives result in downhill lies.  If the pin is located over a grass bunker on the left side, the target area is small. 

Hole 2 - As the course's number 1 handicapped hole, it plays very hard for average players with water hazards off the tee on left and right.  There is also a water hazard nearly the length of the left side of the fairway which comes into play both on the drive and some second shots. The fairway is tree lined on both sides. Pins placed on the extreme left rear make longer second shots very difficult. Par 4 is an excellent score for average golfers. 

Hole 3 - Hole three is the longest par 3 on the course.  Unless the drive is mishit, the water in front of the tees is not a problem.  The slightly elevated green tests the golfer when putting to a front center pin placement.  Only a grass bunker protects front of the green.  Length makes the hole a challenge for the average golfer.

    Hole 1 - Par 4        Hole 2 - par 4           Hole 3 - par 3

Hole 4 -  Hole four is a par 5 dogleg left.  Water protects the left and there is out-of-bounds on the right side of the fairway.  The green has severe undulations and is protected by two front side sand traps and mounds.  This can be a fairly easy birdie hole.

Hole 5 -  Hole five is a short par 3. For the average golfer the shot is a eight or nine iron to the middle of the green.  The is an extensive sand trap which protects the green on the left and there is out-of-bounds and trees on the right.  The green has a humped back middle creating fast puts for some pin locations.

Hole 6 -  Hole six is a shorter par 4 which has a dogleg left. Water and sand protects the right side of the fairway with trees on the left.  There are longer and elevated tees to a even further left driving position which can increase the dogleg and difficulty of the hole. A grass bunker on the right side of the green collects some balls.  Two good shots give one very good birdie or par chances from the lower tees.

   Hole 4 - Par 5           Hole 5 - Par 3           Hole 6 - Par 4
Hole 7 -  Short par fours can be hard.  Hole seven is a perfect example.  Water protects the entire right side of a fairly narrow fairway and trees are on the left.  The front of a severely sloped green is also protected by water.  A grass bunker collects balls hit to the right side of the green.  A well hit middle iron and a short wedge makes a birdie a real possibility.  For longer hitters driving the green is often an ill fated temptation.

Hole 8 -  Hole eight is the 15th easiest hole on the course.  A good shot to the middle of the green makes this hole a real birdie possibility.  Trees are on both sides of the fairway, but there are no traps, water or grass bunkers.

Hole 9 - Hole nine is a nearly 90 degree dogleg right par five with three sand traps collecting balls hit too long and straight off the tee.  Longer hitters attempt to clear the trees along the right side of the fairway.  If successful reaching this par 5 in two is possible.  There are out-of- bounds on the right and trees on both sides the full length of the fairway.  Hole favors a power fade and good fairway metal to a green which is graded downhill from back to front.  There are grass bunkers on the right and left sides.

        Hole  7 - Par 4        Hole 8 - Par 3         Hole 9 - Par 5
Hole 10 - Hole ten is the longest par 5 on the course.  On the drive trees and out-of-bounds protect the right side of the fairway.  Wide fairway which favors driving left.  There is water left, which juts out into the fairway in spots, for all second shots with trees on the right.  The green is severely sloped from back to front which produces some puts with significant break and speed. Given the steep decline, over the back is generally a ready made bogey. Avoid trouble and make birdie. 

Hole 11 -  With the Little Red River and trees on the right and water the length of the fairway left, a straight shot to the green is a must.  The green has significant slope from back to front  making pitches from over the back problematic, and is protected on the left by a sand trap with medium lip.   Birdie puts are a possibility from most spots on the green. 

Hole 12 -   Hole twelve is one of the hardest holes on the course.  Mostly a wide open fairway with trees on the right and rough on the left.  A generally longer second shot by the average golfer is to a narrow green which is severely sloped from back to front.   Pins on the top middle are particularly difficult to find on the second shot.  Over the back is serious trouble for most pin placements. No water, no sand, but often higher scores.

 Hole 10 - Par 5       Hole 11 - Par 3       Hole 12 - Par 4
Hole 13 -  Out-of-bounds left and embankments to the right makes a good shot to this par 3 a necessity for a birdie.  The green is sloped from back to front which creates significant break for puts to middle pins.  By handicap the 16th easiest for men and 18th for women.   

Hole 14 -     Hole fourteen is the signature at River Oaks.  The is a short, picturesque par 4, but difficult hole. The narrow fairway runs along the Little Red River right and is closely graded by trees on the left.  A pond guards the left and front of the green with a river high bank on the right.  One is dead over the back.  Not much room for any error on this hole, but one will remember the view.

Hole 15 -  This longer slightly dogleg right par 4 hole is a challenge. Par is a good score for most golfers on this 2nd most difficult hole. Trees along the river protect the full length of the fairway's left side. There is water off the tee for mishit and short drives. Golfers generally have a longer second shot after a drive which favors a slight fade to an elevated green which is mounded on the left and protected right by a small sand trap.  

 Hole 13 - Par 3           Hole 14 - Par 4      Hole 15 - Par 4
Hole 16 -   A creek running along the right and a water hazard on the left make a good drive on this dogleg right hole a necessity for a good score.  After a good drive, a short second shot to a fairly flat green is left.  The green is protected by a sand trap on the left.  Missing the green right generally puts a golfer in deeper rough and over the back the ball could roll into the creek down an embankment.  A real birdie hole possibility.   

Hole 17 - This par 5 is rated the easiest hole on the course for men.  However, trouble abounds.  Water hazards both left and right with of-of-bounds also the right of the fairway require a good drive on this hard right doglegged hole. Bogies and worse have been the fate of many golfers who try to "cut the corner" on this hole.  After a normal drive the second shot is generally a lay up to 100 yards or less with water on the left and out-of-bounds on the right.  A third shot is uphill most of the way and makes good club selection a necessity. The green has several undulations, a small opening to the front and a sand trap all along the back. Another good birdie possibility.

Hole 18 -  The finishing hole is a dogleg left par 4.  For the drive, out-of- bounds are both left and right.  A long straight drive can also easily reach the out-of-bounds markers on the right and a hook can end up in the street along the left.  Many sliced drives end up in one of three sand traps or backyards on the right.  A good drive is a slight draw which leaves a second shot to a green divided by a low valley type drainage area.  The front of the green is fairly level and the back is severely sloped toward the front.  The green is protected by a sand trap left and a severe embankments left, right and long.  

  Hole 16 - Par 4        Hole 17 - Par 5          Hole 18 Par 4

 

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