518 yard par 5. An uphill par 5 with an elevated tee. Trees guard both sides of the landing area. The approach to the green is generous, but beware of long rough on the left and a carefully placed bunker on the right. A large, very deep green makes ball placement critical.

Tips from the Pro
Long hitters can reach the green in two but need perfect tee shoot placement to have a chance for an eagle putt. For best results, place your drive on the right center of the fairway, but only if you can carry the small copse of trees that guard the center-right of the fairway. Shorter drivers are best off playing the ball in the middle to prevent the trees on either side of the fairway from coming into play. Play your second shot to the center-right of the fairway to avoid tall grass on the left and provide the best angle for your approach. Club selection for the approach is key as an incorrectly judged distance can result in a long and difficult putt. Regular players often comment that the green is farther back than it appears on the third shot.

365 yard par 4. A short, dogleg left par 4 guarded by small trees on the right and a large oak tree on the left. The landing area is wide, but tightens close to the green. The green is very deep and quite narrow in the front where it is guarded by bunkers on either side.

Tips from the Pro
If you can play a long, high drive, aim left and carry the ball over the big oak at the left apex of the dogleg. A successful drive will yield an approach shot of 100 yards or less. A safer approach is to place your tee shot to the middle-right of the landing area as the fairway is quite roomy on the right. Like number one, the green is quite deep, so an inaccurately ranged approach will leave a long, treacherous putt.

440 yard par 4. A long, difficult dogleg right guarded by bunkers on both sides of the landing area and trees on the right that significantly restrict corner-cutting tee shots. The landing area is generous on the left side, but tee shot to that side will leave a long approach shot. The large, elevated green slopes sharply toward the front.

Tips from the Pro
Longer hitters can play directly over the right fairway bunker for a perfectly positioned approach shot. Be careful, however, as a shot that is even slightly errant to the right could leave you in jail, behind a large tree. In addition, carrying the right bunker is extremely difficult if the tees are back. A more conservative play is to aim for the generous left side of the fairway – the downside to this strategy is a very long (200 yards + approach shot). Target your approach shot to be short of the pin as the green slopes severely back-to-front.
A putt from above the hole on number three is a frightening experience.

375 yard par 4. A short, dogleg right par 4 played from an elevated tee. Tee shots must carry a small ravine that runs from the left of the tee box across the fairway to the right edge of the rough. The carry required increases substantially if you play the blue tees and includes an area of tall grass and trees on the left. The modest-sized green is guarded by bunkers to the left, and in back, it slopes slightly back-to-front.

Tips from the Pro
The tee shot, which looks intimidating from the blue tees, is perfectly suited for a Ben Hogan-power-fade. With this shot, aim for the right edge of the fairway and you’ll land the ball a short chip from the green. You can achieve a similar result by “cutting the corner” with a long straight drive. Beware of the spruce trees that dominate the right rough, however, as they are quite penal. Non-faders and the risk averse can play to the middle of the fairway, which will yield a 150-yard approach. The green has a pronounced hump in the middle, so play your approach on the hole-side of this feature to avoid an “up and down” putt.

418 yard par 4. A long, slight, dog-leg left par 4 guarded by sand on the right and trees and tall grass on the left. The dominant feature off the tee on number five is a depression that runs across the fairway about 150 yards from the green. This shallow area widens on the right side of the fairway to form a generous landing area. The green is elevated and guarded on the right by a bunker. A dense wooded area begins within twenty feet of the back of the green. Like many greens at Lacoma, number five green slopes sharply from back to front.

Tips from the Pro
The tee shot on number five presents a classic risk-reward golf shot. Play it safe to the right and leave a medium to long iron to the green. Cut the corner on the left and risk being in the deep grass that lurks over the ridge. A successfully played left-side drive results in a short chip to the green. Lagging the pin on your approach is the safest play as playing long will lead to a difficult downhill putt. The green flattens in the back, but a shot played long at a deep pin placement on this hole could carry the green entirely. The sharp drop-off immediately behind the green and the proximity of the deep woods virtually guarantees balls landing over the green will be lost.

415 yard par 4. One of the few straight holes on the course, number six is bordered by a formidable tree line on the left and several large pines and two small sand traps on the right. The landing area on the left side of the fairway slopes gradually toward the woods. Number six green is the left portion of a large, dramatic double green which is shared with the 10th hole. The number six side of the green, which is separated from the tenth green by a large knoll, is guarded by a front-right bunker and is relatively shallow.

Tips from the Pro
Being slightly right of the 150 marker with your drive will offer you a good approach to the green. A riskier approach is to drive to left side of the fairway. Hit the sloping left side of the fairway perfectly, and your ball will roll to within a chip shot of the green. Go a little too far to the left and you will find your ball in the forest (if you find it). Sand on the right side of the green keeps this from being an easy second shot. Playing the ball short of the green or on the front half is the best option. This green doesn’t hold well as the approach and front of green are firm and flat. Hitting the ball on the wrong green – the number 10 half of the green – will result in a long difficult putt.

217 yard par 3. A downhill par 3 with a small green bordered by an amphitheatre-like bank on the left and to the rear and a pond on the right. The tee is well above the green and in addition to the pond, the green is guarded by a bunker on the left. The tree line to the left of the hole and in the back of the green only comes into play if you play an exceptionally errant tee shot.

Tips from the Pro
The tee shot appears intimidating – especially from the back tee. The most serious hazard to your tee shot is the pond on the right, however, hitting into the sand leaves a difficult downhill bunker shot to the green with the real possibility of being in the pond on your second shot. Account for the downhill tee shot by playing one less club than you would normally at the distance. Your tee shot will be in the air a long time, so be very careful if you are a fader or if the wind is blowing left-to-right, as these are ideal conditions for a wet landing. If you land your tee shot on the small green, the relatively flat putting surface provides a good birdie opportunity.

524 yard par 5. The first of two double dogleg par fives on the Blue course, number eight is another high risk/high reward hole. Carved out of the surrounding woods, the tee rests on the end of ridge that drops away sharply to the left and the front. The pond from number seven extends to the base of the tee, while the fairway rises sharply from the pond to the apex of a broad ridge, which comprises the tee shot landing area. A bunker beneath the ridge guards the left side of the fairway, while a line of tall trees along the top of the ridge makes cutting the corner off the tee a challenge. Two large mounds comprise the hole’s right boundary. A number of trees and a second pond to the right of the green protects against cutting the second (right) dogleg. The large green slopes severely from back to front.

Tips from the Pro
Shooting for the flat spot between the two mounds is the safest way to play the hole. A more aggressive approach for longer players is to play over or through the trees atop the ridge on the left (immediately above the left fairway bunker). If you can draw the ball around the corner, this is an even better approach. A ball played successfully over this ridge will hit the fairway’s downhill slope, save you fifty yards, and provide a real shot at getting home in two. If you’ve played conservatively off the tee, going for the green in two requires the ability to play a 250 yard fade shot, as the direct path to the green is guarded by trees and a substantial pond. If you’ve played aggressively – and successfully – off the tee you may be able to hit a long iron over the trees on the right and carry the green. A more conservative approach is to lay your second shot up short of the green and leave a short, uphill chip shot. The large two-tiered, sharply sloping green makes placing the third shot important. Being above the hole will result in a very challenging downhill putt.

190 yard par 3. While number nine is the shortest hole on the Lacoma’s Blue course, its gentle uphill slope causes it to play a club longer than the yardage suggests. The dome-shaped green slopes especially sharply toward the fairway near the front. A large trap on the right and a small trap in the front left add to the difficulty.

Tips from the Pro
The sand traps that guard both sides of the hole make playing to the middle of the green the most attractive option. If the pin is to the left, however, playing to the center of the green will result in a difficult downhill putt. In this case, playing over the left bunker may be a better option, even if you miss the green slightly.

420 yard par 4. A long, slight dogleg right bordered by trees on both sides and sand on the right. The tee shot landing area is on top of a ridge that is elevated relative to the tee. The green – the second half of the double green shared with number six – is narrow and deep and protected on the right by a bunker.

Tips from the Pro
Unless you get your drive over the crest of the landing area ridge, you will face a blind shot to the green. Beware of the right fairway bunker, as it is hidden from the tee by the ridge line. Once you get up the hill, the hole flattens out, with a good view of the green. The approach to the green is slightly downhill to a narrow, tricky green. The green is domed, so non-centered pin placements can easily result in a downhill putt.

414 yard par 4. Considered by many to be Lacoma’s finest hole, eleven is a sharp dogleg right, with trees to the right from tee to green and long grass and steep banks on the left. The second leg of the fairway – the tee shot landing area – is on low ground between two ridges. The narrow, deep green is elevated from the fairway and protected by a deep bunker on the right and a small bunker in back.

Tips from the Pro
The narrow nature of the landing area makes the tee shot on # 11 very important. Being long or short of the landing area will result in a poor angle to the well-protected green. Playing your drive over the trees on the right will shorten the hole considerably; however, if you fail to carry your drive to the fairway, the trees will put you in jail with no shot at the green. Shooting for the fairway flag – which marks the apex of the dogleg – is the safer play but will leave you with a long, tight second shot. The bunker on the right is extremely deep – you won’t be able to see the pin from the bottom. Another approach option is play your second shot off the bank left of the green. If you ball hangs on the bank, however, you will have a tricky, downhill up and down for par.

200 yard par 3. A long par three to a large green, number 12 is protected by a very large bunker on the left – the bunker resembles a Mickey Mouse head. The green is elevated relative to the green, but not enough to change club selection. The green is sheltered by a small ridge on the right and a steep bank in the rear.

Tips from the Pro
This hole places a premium on playing a straight, long iron shot. A miss to the left will almost certainly result in a shot from the giant bunker. A miss to the right is even worse, as it will result in difficult pitch over the ridge which guards the right side of the green. The green slopes toward the fairway, so being short is generally better than being long.

373 yard par 4. The beginning of a stretch of four holes that are carved out of the surrounding woods, number 13 is a short, tight dogleg right with densely packed trees on both sides. A left fairway bunker marks the apex of the dogleg. A railroad-tie lined bunker and a large oak tree protects the front of the steeply elevated green. The green is small and relatively flat with a pronounced bank on the right.

Tips from the Pro.
Unless you are a short hitter, put away your driver on this hole. Your target off the tee is the crest of the hill about twenty yards beyond the 150-yard marker. The window for an approach with a good look at the green is narrow. If your drive is short of the 150-yard marker, the trees on the left side of the fairway come into play. If your ball rolls to the bottom of the hill, you will face an extremely intimidating shot over a large oak tree to the elevated green. Many a golfer has failed to carry that tree with their approach and watched their ball carom into the front bunker, from the bottom of which, this pin is not visible. If your drive carries too far to avoid the tree, a viable second shot strategy is play your approach off the bank to the right of the green. The green slopes a little more to the left than it appears.

377 yard par 4. Another tight, forest lined par 4. The forest is tightest near the front of the tee shoot landing area and the green. The widest spot on the fairway is the center-left of the landing area. The green is relatively small and flat and is bordered by banks on the left and in back.

Tips from the Pro.
Number 14 is the course’s second straight hole where the best location for your driver is in your bag. For best results off the tee, play a fairway wood or long iron to left side of the wide part of the landing area. Drives played to the right side of the fairway risk being beneath the boughs of the tall trees that line the fairway, forcing a long bump-and-run shot. The green is flat by Lacoma’s standards – a definite birdie hole if you keep it out of the trees.

517 yard par 5. The second double dogleg on Lacoma’s Blue course, number 15 is regarded by many as Lacoma’s most intimidating hole. The fairway is forest-lined for virtually its entire length. The first dogleg bends through the forest at nearly 90 degrees. The left side of the second leg – adjacent to the landing area for your second shot – is guarded by a large fairway bunker. The green, if you play your approach from the apex of the second dogleg, presents a narrow deep target that slopes toward a bunker on the left and mounds on the front right.

Tips from the Pro
To play it safe, play your tee shot to the apex of the first dogleg – marked by a flag. Precise placement is important, as being long or short of the flag will result in poor angle for your second shot. A more aggressive play is to try to hit a fairway wood or long iron over the tall trees on the left. If successful, you can take 30 to 40 yards off your second shot. The risk to this strategy is being in the deep woods on the left. If you play the back most-elevated tee, trees surrounding the tee make this strategy untenable. Play your second shot directly at the large mound that marks the back of the fairway. For most pin placements, the angle to the green improves as you get closer to the mound. Be advised that going for the green on your second shot is virtually impossible. The forest on the right ends with a few feet of the green and the green itself is very shallow from this angle, and it slopes away from you. The front of the green slopes directly to the sand on the left, so it is easy for chip shots to end up in this bunker, especially if the pin is in front. If the pin is back, play short or risk being the woods behind the green.

404 yard par 4. A forest-lined dogleg left with a wide fairway played from an elevated tee. Unlike the previous three holes, the landing area on number 16 is very generous, particularly to the right. The fairway is bisected by a gentle ridge from left to right. A swallow valley separates the green from the fairway. A bunker in the back separates the green from the woods.

Tips from the Pro
After three straight holes of playing it safe, pull your driver out on this hole. The landing area is quite wide on the right, but the left dogleg means a right drive lengthens the hole considerably. If you can draw the ball, this hole sets up well for you as you can draw your drive around the corner. Exercise caution; however, the forest on the left is dense and unforgiving. The dip in front of the green makes the hole appear shorter than it is, but don’t be fooled, play the full distance. The green slopes back towards the fairway, so being short with your approach is better than being long.

209 yard par 3. The Blue course’s last par three, number 17 is carved out of the trees. The green and tee are separated by a substantial valley. The green is guarded by bunkers on the left and in back. The sand on the left front of the green will keep shots hit to the left from going in the woods. The green has two distinct tiers, the lower tier comprising the front third of the green.

Tips from the Pro
Play the full distance off the tee as this hole is deceptively long. Landing your tee shot on the same tier as the pin is critical, as putting from one tier to another is a frightening experience – especially from back to front. In general, being short on this hole is less penal than being long. The double tier green makes putting a challenge. It is very easy to putt off the green if your long of the hole and the pin is on the lower tier.

438 yard par 4. Lacoma Blue’s closing hole is a long straight par four played from an elevated tee with trees on the right and a pond on the left. The landing area sits atop a hill that gives way to a broad valley. A bunker guards the right of the landing area, and the bottom of the valley is bordered by the pond. The green, which slopes sharply toward the fairway, is elevated relative to the bottom of the valley and is guarded by trees and bunkers on both sides.

Tips from the Pro
Pull your driver out on this hole, as you will need a long drive to avoid a 200+ yard approach shot. Big hitters beware, however, as a long drive to the left will roll down the steep embankment into the pond. As the pond is not visible from the tee, keeping your drive to the right of the right-most willow tree will keep you safe. If you get your drive over the lip of the hill that marks the end of the landing area, your ball will roll to the bottom of the hill saving you 30+ yards. Avoid the trees to the right on your approach, and keep the ball below the hole for best results. If the pin is up, you’re better off short of the green than on the green and well past the hole. The sand on the left grabs up many shots hit through the greens. Given the back-to-front slope of the green, putt with more break then is apparent.