|
|
HOLE ONE Par 5; 540 Yards; Handicap 11
This downhill par five has a fairway that slopes from left to right. There is out of bounds on the right that runs the entire distance of the hole. The tee shot should hug the left side of the fairway. Most player’s second shot will be a lay up while the better amateurs and professionals will try to reach the well bunkered green in two.
HOLE TWO Par 4; 369 Yards; Handicap 13
This short and scenic par four features water on the left and out of bounds on the right. Long hitters might consider teeing off with an iron or 3-wood. Depending upon hole location and the position of your drive, your approach may be over water. Be careful of challenging a left hole location. Missing the green to the left with a left hole location is a careless mistake. If in doubt, play to the right side of the green.
HOLE THREE Par 4; 405 Yards; Handicap 3
This tough par four doglegs right to a significant hill up to a narrow, well bunkered green. Playing the right side over the tree line is a risky decision since ending up in the trees makes reaching the green in two nearly impossible. A drive down the extreme left side can reach the lake on the left. The smart play: aim your drive down the center of the fairway. Your second shot is going to be from an uphill lie. The second shot, depending on it’s position, wind and hole location can play as much as 20 additional yards. Be sure to select enough club to carry the well bunkered green. The green features severe undulation from back to front, try to stay below the flagstick.
HOLE FOUR Par 3; 188 Yards; Handicap 15
The fourth hole features a brand new tee complex, outstanding vistas and a very difficult and challenging Par 3. There is a small runway between a bunker and mounds on the left and a deep yawning bunker on the right which makes it possible to run your tee shot onto the green. There is a deep, extended bunker guarding the right side of the green. Proper club selection is a must. The green is one of the few flat greens at Metropolis.
HOLE FIVE Par 4; 390 Yards; Handicap 7
The par four fifth hole requires a precise tee shot through a fairway bordered by large trees on both sides. Favor the left center of the fairway. The approach shot is to a large two-tier green -- the left side higher than the right side with a crease that runs straight down the center. The green is more uphill than most golfers think and is another hole which plays, depending on conditions, 10-20 yards longer. When selecting your club for the approach shot, there could be a two club difference between front and back hole locations. The green is surrounded on both sides by bunkers. A true shot-makers hole and typical of what makes Metropolis such an outstanding golf course.
HOLE SIX Par 4; 423 Yards; Handicap 1
This signature hole ranked by golf publications as one of 18 best in the Metropolitan Area and 500 best holes in the world, proves that a relatively short par four with only one bunker by the green can be challenging. The hole starts with an elevated tee shot to a rolling, tree lined fairway that slopes left. The premium here is on accuracy off the tee. The drive should favor the right side. If you are too far left your second shot may be obstructed. Longer hitters might consider an iron or 3-wood off the tee. The downhill lie on your second shot makes it difficult to carry the bunker, so favor the side where the flagstick is located and avoid the pond right of the green. There is not much depth to this two-tiered green, which has a ridge separating front to back. Any shot missed long over the green is a sure bogey or worse.
HOLE SEVEN Par 4; 438 Yards; Handicap 5
The seventh hole is one of the longer par fours on the course and has been statistically the hardest when Metropolis hosts area championships. The fairway narrows starting around 200 yards from the green. A tee shot left or right is either in the woods, bunker or creek. Two good shots are required to reach this green. Accuracy is very important here. There is another bunker located approximately 50 yards in front of the green, which should be avoided at all costs. If you don't think you can reach the green in two shots, play short of the bunker. The green slopes from back to front and right to left. It is advisable to try and stay below the flagstick.
HOLE EIGHT Par 4; 390 Yards; Handicap 9
Number eight is an uphill dogleg left. The green is approximately 75 feet above the tee, making the hole play longer than its yardage. There are trees left and right and the fairway slopes severely from left to right. The green is surrounded by bunkers and mounds and has a steep slope from back to front. A front hole from that spot is an extremely fast putt from the back of the green with substantial break. Be delicate, you could easily putt the ball off the green. If the flagstick is in the front portion of the green, you should play for the front edge of the green.
HOLE NINE Par 3; 158 Yards; Handicap 17
This is a classic par three design, short on length but long on trouble. The green is surrounded by bunkers and is also quite deep (about 35 yards) and severely undulated. There could easily be a two club difference between front and back hole locations.
HOLE TEN Par 4; 453 Yards; Handicap 2
The tenth hole is an extremely difficult, tree lined downhill dogleg right. Off the tee, there is out of bounds to the far right which prevents many from trying to “cut” the dogleg. Playing it safe and left leaves a very long and difficult second shot. Even a short tee shot down the middle may not be long enough to go for the green in two. Most second shots are from a down hill or side hill lie, making the hole even more challenging. The green is protected on both sides by bunkers and slopes from front to back causing many approach shots to end up in the first cut of rough. Par is a very good score on this hole.
HOLE ELEVEN Par 5; 587 Yards; Handicap 4
Number eleven is the longest hole on the course. When it was originally designed, it was the longest hole in the area. There are bunkers on the right and left side of the fairway off the tee which must be avoided and out of bounds the entire left side of the hole. The first half of the hole is uphill and the second half is downhill. The fairway slopes from right to left for the last 200 yards. Your second shot will likely be from an uphill lie. Aim up the right side of the fairway. Your third shot will generally be from a downhill lie. The green is sloped away from the fairway and protected by bunkers to the left and right. This is a difficult green to hold as it runs away from the approach shot and has severe undulation and a tier in the back.
HOLE TWELVE Par 4; 457 Yards; Handicap 8
The twelfth hole is a long, severely undulating dogleg left. The tee shot is a real risk/reward shot. “Cutting” the dogleg is possible, and the reward can be a flat lie with a medium length downhill second shot. However, the risk of either being short left, off the fairway left, or thru the fairway usually results in a lay up or pitch out. Shorter hitters should hit down the left center to the center of the fairway for a long second shot in. Remember, the second shot is all downhill and plays at least one to one and a half clubs shorter. Whatever club you decide to hit for your approach, consider that there is no trouble in front of the green, although the green is protected on one side by bunkers and the other side by mounds. The green on number twelve is one of the flattest on the course, so do not look for a break that is not there.
HOLE THIRTEEN Par 3; 183 Yards; Handicap 16
The thirteenth hole is another example of an uphill hole. There is a distinct elevation change from tee to green. Depending upon wind conditions, the hole can play 15 to 25 yards longer than it is rated, so your tee shot can play one to two clubs longer. This hole demands your best shot to have a chance for a birdie. There is out of bounds the entire left side of the hole. The green is protected by a large deep bunker on the left side and mounds and rough on the other side. The green has a back left tier which makes for some interesting putts and hole locations. During the early years at Metropolis, it was not unusual for players and their caddies to stop after this hole and have a picnic lunch!
HOLE FOURTEEN Par 4; 426 Yards; Handicap 6
The fourteenth hole is a great par four with a pond to the right located just short of a two-tiered green. Aim your tee shot up the left side of the fairway and work the ball back to the center. Your second shot appears to play a little downhill, but it really does not because the green is elevated. The green has a large tier separating it from top to bottom; the green also pitches to the right and is protected on the left and right sides by bunkers. It is very important to land the approach on the level where the hole is located or a three putt is likely; however, the penalty for being over the green is severe.
HOLE FIFTEEN Par 3; 147 Yards; Handicap 18
The fifteenth hole is the most recent hole to be re-designed at Metropolis, but while rated the easiest, generates its share of bogeys and double bogeys. It is a short par three which can play a half to a full club longer depending on conditions. The green undulates severely and is protected on all sides by deep bunkers. It is particularly large for such a small hole, thus creating many challenging hole locations.
HOLE SIXTEEN Par 5; 486 Yards; Handicap 14
This is a short par five that is definitely reachable in two shots by a long hitter. The drive should favor the left side of the fairway. Blast away and try to put yourself in a position to go for the green in two. When approaching the green from any distance you should beware of the protective bunkers. If you cannot go for the green on the second shot, the smart play is to lay up on the left side of the fairway, approximately 75 yards short of the green. From here, you have a short shot with a good angle about the hole. There is out-of-bounds behind the green over a pair of bunkers. A note to those putting from back to front on this green: there is much less right to left break than appears.
HOLE SEVENTEEN Par 4; 350 Yards; Handicap 12
Seventeen is a short and straight par four that demands accuracy from start to finish. You may want to use a long iron or fairway wood off the tee to stay within the narrow fairway. The best place to aim your second shot toward is the right center of the green regardless of the hole’s location. This shot plays about a half club longer because the green is at an angle. The green is guarded by sand on the left and a menacing grass bunker on the right
HOLE EIGHTEEN Par 4; 405 Yards; Handicap 10
The recently modified finishing hole doglegs gently to the right with trees, a grass bunker, as well as out-of-bounds guarding the right side. A well placed drive will wind up in the left center of the fairway, leading a second shot into the green from a flat lie (which is rare on this course). Pay attention to your yardage and your direction. If you are between clubs, select the lesser of the two, because getting up and down from in front of the green is fairly easy. The green has two-tiers with the right side higher than the left. Save for a small opening in the front, the green is surrounded by bunkers, a classic finishing hole.
|
|