Abbey Hotel Golf Course Hole by Hole Description & Golf s 1st Hole Par 4 Stroke Index 12 Red Tees 306yards Yellow Tees 313yards White Tees 317yards A short, sharp dogleg-right par four. The two fairway bunkers in view from the tee are 200 yards from the yellow tees, so for the longer hitter, a driver to start your round may not be the right choice of club! Two bunkers either side of the green protect a slightly wayward short approach and out of bounds 10 yards behind the green can make a fairly straight forward start to your round a potential card wrecker! Pro's Tip You will make more pars (and potential birdies!) teeing off with a long iron or hybrid. Aim left side of the fairway to leave an easier approach to the green. For the big hitters looking to cut off the corner - the carry from tee to green is approx 265 yards. 2nd Hole Par 3 Stroke Index 18 Red Tees 137yards Yellow Tees 154yards White Tees 162yards The course has been slightly reconfigured recently and the new 2nd hole opened in April 2011 after a 50,000 investment. This fantastic par 3 plays on average 150 yards, with bunkers short, left & long and 2 large ponds to the right hand side of the green. The green is very, very wide (but not overly deep) so at least you have a big target! But there is also out of bounds beyond a large mound at the back of the green leaving club selection essential for a good result on this hole. Already rated as one of the finest par 3's on the Midlands PGA Pro-Am circuit, makes this a great choice for nearest-the-pin competitions. Pro's Tip This hole plays very slightly uphill and the bunker short of the green is the one to avoid (as it has a very steep face & is well short of the green itself) So take one club more than you think, unless it is downwind. Always play to the middle of the green no matter the pin position, particularly if the flag is cut back right, where even the slightest miss-hit/off line shot will find a watery grave!
3rd Hole Par 4 Stroke Index 6 Red Tees 337yards Yellow Tees 386yards White Tees 401yards A fairly long par 4 with out of bounds beyond the hedge running the length of the right hand side of the hole. A bunker to the left side of the fairway at 220 yards adjacent to a coppice to the right, narrows the landing/rollout tee-shot margin for error. A slight downhill approach to the green can help-on under hit shots but a bunker short- right can easily punish. Pro's Tip Short of the fairway bunker there is lots of room left here. For the mid to high handicap & especially those prone to slicing - Leave your driver in the bag and play it as a par 5 (well it is stroke index 6!). The slightest push or slice can easily put you OOB.For the longer hitters a nice straight/draw tee shot can potentially set you up for a short iron approach & possible birdie opportunity. A real risk & reward driving hole. 4th Hole Par 4 Stroke Index 2 Red Tees 378yards Yellow Tees 421yards White Tees 441yards The second longest par 4 on the course will put your long game to the test! The fairway is plenty wide enough though and a fairway bunker at around 250 yards from the tee is only an issue for the big hitters. A huge oak tree overhanging the green, combined with 3 greenside bunkers demands a prescise approach. Pro's Tip Time to widen your stance & give the driver a smack! The real skill on this hole is in negotiating the approach shot to the green. My advice is land your shot 15-20 yards short of the green and let the firm, fast ground (in summer months) do the rest! Overhanging branches from the large greenside oak tree often deflect attempts to hit the middle of the green. For low handicappers, keep your drive to left side of the fairway for the best access to the pin for second shots.
5th Hole Par 5 Stroke Index 16 Red Tees 453yards Yellow Tees 554yards White Tees 570yards The longest hole on the course! This par 5 will definitely require at least 3 or 4 shots to reach the green for most players. A ditch runs across the fairway at around 300 yards with a large fairway bunker to the right at around 260yards that can catch the longer hitters. The green only comes into view around 100 yards short as there is a steep down-slope which can help chase your ball on or even over the back if too much club is taken. 2 large greenside bunkers and a lateral water hazard behind makes a tricky approach. Another opportunity to open up the shoulders and give your driver a good belt! Longer hitters just need to avoid the bunker on the right, but there is plenty of room left so the drive favours a little draw (for right handers). Don t be tempted to hit your second shot over the brow of the hill you may be left with a tricky downhill lie which is easy to thin over the back. The best option is to leave yourself 100-120 yard approach, as you will have a flatter lie, but maybe go down a club as the shot is all downhill. 6th Hole Par 3 Stroke Index 8 Red Tees 118yards Yellow Tees 145yards White Tees 200yards The shortest of the par 3 s from the yellow tees, but the green is heavily guarded with 3 bunkers and a surrounding ditch. This hole is a very different prospect from the members medal/championship tee, playing 200 yards! Taking dead aim at the centre of this green is the sensible play with so many hazards surrounding it. Clubbing up one can be wise as the green slopes from back to front. A shot pitching at the front edge often spins back off.
7th Hole Par 4 Stroke Index 14 Red Tees 332yards Yellow Tees 344yards White Tees 349yards A medium length par 4 and a good opportunity to make a par or better but this hole still requires some careful negotiating. A large pond splits this and the 17th holes and can collect a wild slice! Two fairway bunkers to the right side of the hole are also out to catch the longer hitters. There is also more water stretching 80 yards short to the left of the green. Another bunker sits short and slightly right of the front of the green. A driver is not always needed from the tee particularly if the ground is firm and playing down wind. The pond short of the green can be in range for the longer hitters. The best approach to the green is definitely from the left side of the fairway, this takes out the short right greenside bunker. Club selection is important as you are better being slightly short of the flag to leave an easier uphill putt. 8th Hole Par 4 Stroke Index 4 Red Tees 366yards Yellow Tees 379yards White Tees 411yards A challenging slight dogleg-left hole which heads back towards the hotel. A large coppice hugs the whole of the right hand side of the hole and a trickily placed fairway bunker at 230 yards to the left side (from yellow tees) makes this a tough driving hole. 2 large bunkers either side of the green see plenty of use! For shorter hitters the ideal line is the fairway bunker and opens up a long, straight second shot approach. Slightly longer hitters left side of the fairway is the best line, with a touch of fade (for right-handers). For the Bubba Watson s out there!! - you can really shorten up this hole by hitting a nice big curling right-to-left drive, starting your ball out over the coppice. The 2 greenside bunkers creates a narrow approach and at stroke index 4, the sensible play can be to lay up short for your second shot. Most high scores on this hole come from wide approaches leaving very difficult pitches out or over the bunkers.
9th Hole Par 4 Stroke Index 10 Red Tees 293yards Yellow Tees 398yards White Tees 404yards A tough par 4 to end the front 9 that heads back away from the hotel to the left side of the driving range. Lots of hazards to avoid here! Out-of-bounds beyond a 10 yard wide coppice stretches down the entire right side of the hole. A ditch running across the full length of the fairway requires 185 yard carry from yellow tees (or bounce over if you are lucky!), 2 large fairway bunkers at around 210 and 235 yards will easily catch a good long tee shot straying a little left. 3 Greenside bunkers are situated short, right and back right, protecting a slight back-to-front sloping green. A very difficult stroke index 10 hole as this can be another potential card wrecker! It is all about the drive here, if playing down-wind a 3 wood would be a sensible choice as anything too far left or right can mean 3 off-the-tee. In the drier conditions imagine the ditch is not even there as more often than not it will bounce back out or over (it is a dry ditch only 4 feet wide). Higher handicappers may even consider taking an iron from the tee, to cut out all of the hazards completely, playing a hybrid or fairway wood 2nd shot from short of the ditch will leave you a straight forward pitch on. Lower handicappers/long hitters who are confident with the driver can aim over the coppice to the right with a nice right to left shape drive you can really shorten up this hole. 10th Hole Par 3 Stroke Index 17 Red Tees 142yards Yellow Tees 162yards White Tees 176yards The last and longest of our fantastic par 3 s and once again water plays a major part here! The first thing you will notice on this tee is a pond straight ahead which demands a well struck shot to carry (around 130 yards from yellow tees and 110 from red). A well struck shot straying slightly left will still find the lake to the left of the green especially as the natural contour of the ground slopes towards it!a large, deep green side bunker to the right also protects a bale out shot away from the water. Club selection is important here often playing wind against, you are better off taking one extra club and swing smoother as all the danger is short & left. Our greens are generally very receptive so even if you pitch towards the back of the green, the ball will stop. Not ideally suited for the right-to-left hitters - lower handicappers will ideally want to hit a little fade (right handers). Landing short of the pin will leave an easier uphill birdie putt.
11th Hole Par 5 Stroke Index 17 Red Tees 441yards Yellow Tees 500yards White Tees 513yards A long Par 5 that gives you a little more margin for error from the tee up to around 230 yards, where a coppice to the right can block you out for your second shot. A long coppice left that splits this and the 16th fairway can also cause problems but the fairway is plenty wide enough for you to confidently hit the driver. A large fairway bunker at 250 yards to the right side of the fairway can also catch the longer hitters, you will not see it as it is over the brow of the hill but for reference it is in line with the big oak you can see. There is a bunker 50 yards short of the green to the left side of the fairway and 2 greenside bunkers short and to the right creating a narrow entrance to this green. You will see a marker post situated in the middle of the fairway as an aiming reference as this is a slightly blind tee shot. The ideal line is actually slightly left of the post to avoid being blocked out for your next shot. Once you get over the slight brow of the hill you will see the green in the distance. 2nd/3rd shots are best aimed to the right side of the fairway to avoid the awkward 50 yard bunkers shot. This fairway is particularly undulated if your fairway shot is on a slight upslope - your ball will launch higher so if you are after distance be confident in using a fairway wood or hybrid. If on a slight down slope however it is not as easy, so play sensible and take a more lofted club. The approach to this green should ideally be a lofted shot as the bunkers. 12th Hole Par 4 Stroke Index 1 Red Tees 370yards Yellow Tees 409yards White Tees 423yards Ranked as the most difficult hole on the course, mainly due to its length and as it is all uphill it certainly plays its full yardage. A deep ditch runs across the middle of the fairway at around 120 yards and stretches up the right side for another 50 or so yards. There are 2 large oaks either side of the fairway at 230 yards from the yellow tees, then further coppices both sides stretch up towards the green. There is only one greenside bunker to the left and the green itself slopes quite dramatically at the front section. A popular choice for Longest Drive competitions! Another nice long hole you can start with the driver. The perfect line is between the two large oaks. Ideal shaped drive is slightly right-to-left as there is quite a bit of room for error to the left not so much to the right. Take one extra club for approach shots to the green taking into account you are hitting uphill. If the pin is at the front take care not to go long as you can leave an almost impossible downhill putt when the greens are at their fastest.
13th Hole Par 5 Stroke Index 9 Red Tees 455yards Yellow Tees 511yards White Tees 524yards The last and perhaps most interesting and challenging of the Par 5 s due to its left-to-right sloping fairway and long two-tier sloping green. The fairway is approximately 40 feet higher along the left hand side than it is on the right (for the first 350 yards and begins to level out nearer the green). Out of bounds runs all the way down the left side for about 400 yards. A large oak and coppice towards the bottom of the slope on the right at around 230 yards from the tee make this a tricky driving hole. A fairway bunker also sits just short of 100 yards on the right side. There is also one large greenside bunker again on the right. The green itself is 2 tiered and runs very quickly from front-to-back. Keeping the ball on the fairway from the tee is a challenge in itself especially if the ground is firm & fast. Aim up the left side and watch the slope do the rest! The perfect shape drive is again right-to-left to counter act the slope, being careful as a big hook will be out-of-bounds. The next challenge is the ball-below-feet second shot (for right handers) These generally swing a little left-to-right even with a good strike - so aim up the left again for this shot. For approach shots pay attention to where the flag is if on the bottom tier take your normal club and my advice would be to try and pitch it on that level (as mentioned, our greens are generally receptive) rather than run it down, as this option can easily end over the back. Longer hitters can get up or around the green in 2 here in the summer as it plays downhill a good birdie opportunity. 14th Hole Par 4 Stroke Index 5 Red Tees 335yards Yellow Tees 376yards White Tees 390yards The start of a run of five par 4 s to complete the round. A slight dog-leg right-to-left hole from an elevated tee makes this a fun driving hole. A large pond not visible from the tee is situated to the left side of the hole and will catch most tee shots hit far enough left. A coppice to the right side at 200 yards and a bunker just beyond at 240 yards can easily catch tee shots straying even slightly to the right. A large greenside bunker sits to the right. At stroke index 5 two reasonable shots here can boost your score. My favourite driving hole as a right-to-left draw is my preferred choice of shot and definitely suits this hole. For mid-to high handicappers or slightly shorter hitters a 3 wood should be your choice of club aiming left side of the fairway. It is a downhill drive so it can easily chase on leaving a medium iron approach. Aim left side of the green, away from the bunker where there is plenty of room for a miss. Longer hitters aim left side of the fairway with draw (the fairway kicks a little left-to-right) - to leave a short iron approach setting up an easy par or birdie opportunity.
15th Hole Par 4 Stroke Index 13 Red Tees 306yards Yellow Tees 338yards White Tees 350yards This hole, along with the 2nd opened in April 2011 as part of the course reconfiguration to allow us to construct a first class short game practice facility situated around the old 2nd green (opened in June 2011) specifically for members & coaching. We also now have potential to add further accommodation (lodges) in the future around the old 3rd hole pond area. This exciting dog-leg right par 4 has two large fairway bunkers either side of the fairway at around 160-180 yards, with out of bounds running down the left. Water hazards extend down the right side of the hole, across the fairway 70 yards short of the green and also adjacent to the left side of the green. All through the winter of 2011/12 further investment and improvements have been made including drainage work, adding a new green side bunker, improving the surrounding areas of the green and work on the green itself. Now fully back open (April 2012) we have a hole that provides a great challenge and is of a quality that matches the rest of the course. The key to scoring well on this hole is to try and keep your drive to the right side of the fairway, avoiding the deep fairway bunkers to leave a nice short approach. An ideal line is just over the right fairway bunker, being careful not to be too long from the tee as you can easily run out of fairway. 200-220 yards is plenty. Big hitters might be tempted to go straight for the green from the tee not advisable as anything short will be lost or long will be in the water hazard. Play sensible and you can score well but it will bite you if you try to be too greedy! 16th Hole Par 4 Stroke Index 3 Red Tees 334yards Yellow Tees 401yards White Tees 435yards Another long par 4 which requires length and accuracy from the tee. Large trees run down the left side of the hole until around 170 yards short of the green where a lateral water hazard takes over. A coppice separating this and the 11th holes runs down the entire right side of the hole. A cleverly placed fairway bunker awaits slightly left side around 60 yards short of the green with pot bunkers on the right side of the green. A perfect drive here ideally slightly down the right side with a touch of draw can still leave a very long second shot. Even a good long drive can easily kick left into the water hazard. So if you have a good score going, playing this hole with the plan to getting on the green in 3 shots therefore having the option of a 3 wood or even a hybrid from the tee & keeping the ball in play is your best option. Attacking the green from a considerable distance out can be dangerous particularly if you miss left as a big slope will put you in trouble.
17th Hole Par 4 Stroke Index 7 Red Tees 306yards Yellow Tees 374yards White Tees 379yards This elevated tee shot over water is perhaps the most thrilling drive on the course! From the men s tees a drive carrying at least 140 yards is required to safely negotiate the water. The ladies tee requires around 50 yards of carry. A massive bunker stretches around 70 yards along the right hand side of the fairway up until a coppice 100 yards short of the green. The deep green has a bunker front-right and to the left, making a narrow approach. A driver from the tee is the ideal choice of club here as you want to ensure you carry the water don t force it though - the elevated tee position should help you get a good drive underway! There is quite a lot of room to the left side of the fairway so ideally aim down this side, away from the huge fairway bunker. Take note of the pin position, this is quite a long green and if the pin is at the back you might want to hit at least 1 extra club so as not to leave a very long putt. Being slightly long is also better than a little short on your approach this will take the front bunker out of play. 18th Hole Par 4 Stroke Index 15 Red Tees 212yards Yellow Tees 271yards White Tees 287yards The shortest par 4 on the course to finish your round. The fairway is wide enough but with bunkers placed at 140 yards (right) and 160 yards (left) from the tee out of bounds all the way down the right, coppices up the left and a ditch across the fairway around 200 yards from the tee the landing area feels a little narrow! A pond short right and another just beyond, to the right side of the green makes the longer hitter think twice about taking the green on from the tee. There is also a large greenside bunker front-left and out-of-bounds up the bank just behind the green. A real grand stand finish as Tawny s bar terrace overlooks the green. Be prepared for cheers from the gallery if you hit a good approach! Simple way to approach this hole if you are doing well and want to protect your score, hit a tee shot of around 170 yards to leave a nice, straight forward 100 yard second shot. If you are not doing so well or maybe 1 down with 1 to play give it your Sunday best and have a crack at the green!! aim slightly left side of the fairway to avoid the ponds to leave a nice chip on or even a putt for eagle Enjoy! Produced by Rob Davies, Head Golf Professional