Course Rating Information
| Tee | Yardage | Course Rating | Slope Rating |
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Course Tour
Please click on the desired hole number to see hole descriptions, photos, and playing tips.
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Hole No. 1 – “Apple Tree”
Par 4 – 369 yardsA generous fairway on this opening hole, the best placement of the tee shot is on the right side, which will allow for a better angle for the second shot into the green. The green itself is guarded by severe bunkers on the left side, and bailouts to the right will allow for a chip onto a surface that slopes gently from back to front.
Historical Feature – Bordering the right side of the fairway are several apple trees that were planted during the 1830’s by Hudson’s Bay settlers. To the left of the green, within the black fencing, rests the remnants of the original Fort Nisqually. On the hillside right of the green is a Native-American and old settler burial ground.
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Hole No. 2 – “Olympics”
Par 4 – 367 yardsAn aggressive tee shot to the right side of the fairway will leave a short iron into this angled and sloping green. The rough falls away behind the green, so it is better to hit the approach to the first half, which will leave you with an uphill putt. Panoramic views of Puget Sound abound here!
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Hole No. 3 – “Sound View”
Par 4 – 373 yardsWith this dogleg left, the closer you place your drive to the left fairway bunker, the shorter your second shot into the green. Long hitters may try to fly the bunker with their tee shots, but a well-placed ball in the middle will leave only a short iron in. The green is guarded by a large sod faced bunker on the right side, and the two-tiered surface slopes dramatically from back to front, allowing long approach shots to trickle back to a front hole location. Avoid being long and over the green here as a steep slope awaits.
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Hole No. 4 – “The Armory”
Par 3 – 191 yardsClub selection is key here. Check the yardage and take into consideration any wind. Anything short will catch the front bunker or the steep bank and roll back toward the water hazard. The large wide green has a spine in the middle running from front to back. Three is usually a good score here.
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Hole No. 5 – “Four Maples”
Par 5 – 556 yardsThere is plenty of room in this fairway for the tee shot, but favor the right side to open up the second shot, which is where the strategy on this hole really begins. Large maple trees hang out over the fairway, with thick rough underneath them, placing a premium on the placement of the lay-up shot. For many, the approach shot will most likely be hit from a large collection area on the right side just short of the green. The green is heavily bunkered, and slopes on all sides into each of the three bunkers, making a soft touch on the approach a necessity. Keep it short of the hole here.
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Hole No. 6 – “Sequalitchew”
Par 3 – 186 yardsThe sunken waste area of heavy rough between tee and green will make this hole seem longer, so trust the yardage, adding a half club because of the slightly elevated green. The long green slopes gently from back to front and is receptive to long irons or hybrids. It is better to be long than short, avoiding a certain bogey from the deep bunker short and left of the green. When the flagstick is in the back, use the natural backstop behind the green to cushion your tee shot.
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Hole No. 7 – “Rainier”
Par 4 – 375 yardsThe fairway slopes from right to left, and at about 240 yards out begins to drop steeply toward a pond fronting the green. Check the PNGA tee markers for exact yardage to the water hazard. A black and gold striped aiming post indicates the center of the fairway. If big hitters want to hit driver, put the shot to the left side, where a neck of fairway winds around the water hazard. The fairway is elevated, and with the water in front of the green, club selection on the approach is paramount.
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Hole No. 8 – “Nisqually”
Par 5 – 520 yardsThere is more fairway than appears from the tee for this uphill drive. Once on top of the hill, your second shot lays open before you. However, the fairway slopes from right to left and the best angle for your approach shot is from the right side, so hit the second shot as close to the right fescue as you can. With most of the third shots coming from the collection areas below and left of the green, make sure your wedge clears the elevated bunkers that guard the approach. The green is a redan style (sloping from forward to back and right to left). Your approach shot should favor the right side of the green, as most balls will work their way left after landing. The green itself is no bargain – there is not a straight putt anywhere.
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Hole No. 9 – “Old Fort”
Par 4 – 390 yardsThe narrow fairway widens the further you hit your drive on this slight dogleg to the left, with shots coming to rest in the saddle. There is more room left off the tee than first appears. Tee shots that finish in the right side of the fairway will be faced with negotiating the approach shot around large maple trees which guard the right side of the green. The two-tiered green angles to the left, with the entire surface sloping steadily from right to left, toward the two bunkers that rest on the front left side. There is room to run the ball onto the green’s small upper shelf.
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Hole No. 10 – “Narrow Gauge”
Par 5 – 515 yardsA very wide fairway allows you to swing away on the drive, with more room to the right than appears from the tee box. For the second shot, big hitters can try for the green, but the lateral water hazard of Old Fort Lake angles close to the left of the green, which is guarded by several bunkers on both sides as well as short right. A safer lay-up shot should land about 90 yards short of the green. The large green is relatively flat. Aggressive play will yield birdies here.
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Hole No. 11 – “Asmundson’s Challenge”
Par 4 – 310 yardsThe choice on how to play this hole will depend on the wind direction. There is a large sod-faced bunker just short of the green, and if playing downwind you may want to hit less than a driver off the tee. The fairway narrows as you get closer to the green, with thick rough both left and right. The large table-top green, flat on top, slopes away on all sides, and will require a light touch on your short second shot.
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Hole No. 12 – “Redan”
Par 3 – 191 yardsOne of the largest greens on the course, this classic Redan design slopes from right to left and from front to back requiring a tee shot to the front quarter of the green that will allow the ball to release to the larger back portion. Any shot that carries too far onto the green will likely roll off the back. Two large sod-faced bunkers guard both sides of the green.
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Hole No. 13 – “Head Wind”
Par 4 – 430 yardsCalled “Head Wind” for a reason, this hole usually plays into the prevailing weather and slightly uphill, making it play even longer. The fairway is wide from tee to green, so hit all you have. The entire fairway slopes gently from right to left. The large green is receptive to long irons and fairway metals, and allows for lay-up shots to run on to the surface. Par is a good score here.
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Hole No. 14 – “Rhododendrons”
Par 3 – 177 yardsA large pond wraps around this peninsula green, beginning in the front and swinging around to the right and rear. This hole deceptively plays slightly uphill and a little longer than the yardage. There is also usually a prevailing crosswind blowing from left to right. Although it doesn’t look like it from the tee box, the green is wide and generous, but the fringe is usually shaved close, and balls hit short, right, or long will trickle close to the water hazard.
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Hole No. 15 – “Buried Bunkers”
Par 4 – 403 yardsThe shorter route, and better angle into the green, is to hit a tee shot to the right of the large mound (buried bunker remnants from explosive manufacturing era) in the middle of the fairway, but the way is narrow and slopes down into the fescue. The fairway is wide to the left of the mound, and if the flagstick is on the right side of the green, this route provides the best angle for the approach shot. The green is wide, with the left side sloping down and away. A left bunker guards this half of the green, and any hole location there will require a precise approach.
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Hole No. 16 – “The Works”
Par 5 – 500 yardsA generous fairway allows you to swing away from the tee box. A large mound (buried bunker remnant) on the left side of the fairway stands 80 yards short of the green. The second shot should be played to the right, where there is plenty of room despite a lonely bunker to the right of the green. This side offers the best angle into the green. The green itself is one of the smaller ones on the course, and slopes from left to right, with a bunker guarding the left side. Be aggressive on this hole.
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Hole No. 17 – “Anderson Island”
Par 4 – 336 yardsThis fairway is narrow, with a bunker on the right side. If there is no wind, big hitters can carry the bunker; if there is a headwind, keep the ball in the fairway by hitting a fairway metal off the tee. Club selection on the approach is crucial, as the green is long with a massive sloping tier from front to back. If your ball ends up on the wrong tier, a two-putt will be rare.
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Hole No. 18 – “Homeward Bound”
Par 4 – 410 yardsA strong finishing hole, usually playing with the prevailing wind. Try to favor the left side of the fairway with your tee shot, while avoiding a series of three, large fairway bunkers. Standing over the long second shot, the mounding of the fairway makes the bunker that lies 20 yards short and right of the green invisible. The narrow opening to the large, heavily-bunkered green requires an aggressive approach shot. A par here is a good way to finish.
