Hole by Hole Videos

Hole 1: [Orchard] A 573 yard par five with slight dog leg right.  One of the most open fairways on the course especially for the second shot. A left to right tee shot is ideal due to the penalizing fairway bunkers residing on the left side of the landing zone. Large pine trees line the left side which helps give the hole its shape.  A fairway bunker on the left strategically situated about 100 yards from the green should be avoided as there is plenty of space on the right side.  For those willing to risk a chance for eagle, an apple orchard to the left and a greenside pot bunker to the right put a premium on accuracy when going for the green.  Surrounding the outer perimeter of the hole is thick heathery grass which penalizes any shots landing long or wide.  The green is large and somewhat elevated with both subtle and obvious undulation.  Pin position knowledge is very important for those reaching this green in regulation.  Long putts will have many breaks to traverse and speed can be difficult to judge making two putts a challenge.

Hole 2:  [Siren]  A 356 yard par four, this hole is beautiful and seemingly benign but is deceptively difficult.  The tee box is somewhat elevated and the shorter length of the hole is offset by the tree lined fairway which provides a relatively tight landing zone. The fairway slopes from right to left with two fairway bunkers perfectly positioned to accept shots off line to the right.  The ideal tee shot is one that lands on the right side of the fairway and takes the slope coming to rest on the relatively flat lie of the left side.  The green is surrounded by bunkers that can be difficult to get out of while holding the green. The green slopes from right to left fairly dramatically the further left you land.  Focusing on the flatter portions of this green to the right will be important in choosing your club for the second shot.  The green is much larger than it appears from the fairway given the line of sight with a distinct ridge towards the back of the hole.  Achieving the green in regulation here does not necessarily mean a par is imminent.  

Hole 3: [White Oaks]  At 442 yards, this par four is long with a few surprises.  Many players with home course knowledge tend to aim at the 150 yard marker on the left side of the fairway.  Ideally the ball will follow the slope and come to rest in the middle or the right side of the fairway.  A fairway bunker somewhat hidden from view via the tee box may catch shots pushed just right of the fairway.  Tee shots which are sliced will catch the downhill slope beyond the bunker and end up in trees lining the right side of the fairway leaving the possibility of a side hill lie in thick rough.  From the far left side, a high shot will be required from a lie which will likely be below your feet to a green which is possibly 1 club shorter due to the change in elevation.  Missing the green immediately to the right will mean either finding the bunkers or thick rough.  Right of the cart path will likely be out of play.  A safe option would be left of the oak trees potentially causing you to play a third from the rough left of the green.  This green appears quite flat but actually moves left to right and back to front in less than subtle fashion.  

Hole 4 [ Brae ]  A 405 yard par four with a tree lined hill sloping down the left side and trees lining the right side.  A fairly generous landing zone is better played down the left middle over a small dale noting that shorter hitters will land into the side of the hill leaving a longer and potentially blind second shot.  Blocked or sliced tee shots may fall down the hill towards the sixth hole and possibly out of play.  Pin position matters noting that playing left and off of the green will likely mean having a side hill chip to a surface which slopes noticeably back to front.  Playing a high shot over the right side bunkers and red oak, or a left to right shot around them may be necessary depending upon the position of your drive and the position of the flag. Wayward shots beyond the bunkers and right of the green are met with a dramatic slope falling away down the back of the bunkers possibly feeding into trouble with high fescue rough.  When on the green, the player should be aware of the slope of the green and how it will affect the pace of the putt.  This green is sloped back to front so speed is a key consideration.

Hole 5  [Boreas (Greek God of the Northern Wind)]  A 231 yard par three from an elevated tee box looks out over a water hazard that is well short of the green and should not come into play.  The hole is protected by three sand bunkers and one grass bunker. Shots wide left or right will land in the midst of the trees lining this hole.  Shots misjudged long will fall down the backside into trees and long fescue.  The wind factor is key in playing this hole.  If the wind is blowing in any direction it can compress through trees surrounding the hole and swirl into your shot.  The green has comparatively less break and undulation versus other greens on the course and slopes back to front.  However, there is some subtle movement that one may not notice at first glance. 

Hole 6 [Rifle]  A 398 yard par four requires accuracy from the tee.  A narrow landing area is also guarded by sand bunkers on the left side and trees lining the natural growth and rock laden hill protecting the right.  Shots pulled too far left of the path will likely be lost into the woods and shots pushed too far right may be playable if located but from a very difficult side hill lie.  Longer drives will catch the slope beyond the bunkers and leave the player with much less than 120 yards to the green.  The second shot played from the fairway will be to an elevated green with two bunkers protecting the left side along with a steep slope.  The right side of the green is the place to miss noting that your third shot will be out of a side hill lie in thick rough.  The green has two distinct levels and is deceptively large due to the line of sight so club selection is key on the second shot as being long may result in negotiating the downhill slope of from the back tier.

Hole 7 [ Bunker Hill ] At 518 yards, this par five dog leg left is theoretically reachable in two shots.  This hole represents the lowest point on the golf course with a tee box carved into a tree lined shoot.  Wind certainly factors into this hole and can bring the water immediately in front of the tees into play especially for tee shots played to the right side of the landing area.    The longer the shot, the safer the result assuming you don’t run out of fairway and into the long fescue.  The landing zone extends to approximately 280 yards.  Bunkers left of the fairway just after the water will come into play for shorter tee shots attempting a safer line.  The second shot may be tempting to have a go at eagle but note the severe change in elevation required to hit the green in calculating your yardage.  In addition, water is in play along the right hand side of the hole and five bunkers protect the green in the face of the hill approaching the green, four being in view with the fifth behind the green catching longer shots.  A regulation play would leave your third shot approximately 100-120 yards up hill to a comparatively small green.  Subtle movements exist throughout this green creating a challenging two putt.  The green slopes slightly back to front.    

Hole 8 [Abyss]  Multiple tee box options provide a variety of possible shots on this maximum 226 yard par three.  In fact, the shortest tee option shifts the yardage by 100 yards to 126.  Played from the back tees this is a long par three with a carry over water with little room for error to the right and a “safe” shot left will find trees and severe slope to negotiate.  Wind certainly must be judged on this hole potentially requiring a shot played out and right over the water to be drawn back to the green.  Because of the carry factor, there is really no place to “miss” on this hole noting the severe slope which makes this green feel much like an island.  Being long results in a severe downhill lie over a bunker to a green which slopes away from you and back to the water making it nearly impossible to stop on the green.  The middle tee option sits atop two separate elevated tee boxes. One of which was designed and installed as a birthday gift for the founder, Larry Wien.  The green has a slope from left to right and back to front making for a very challenging par three.  Just about anyone can make bogey on this hole and just about everyone has, and worse.  

Hole 9 [Three Steps]  The ninth hole is a 391 par four which slopes from the right to left as you move down the fairway.  A long fairway bunker stands in the way of tee shots looking to shorten the hole on the left side.  The fairway will carry the ball from right to left.  As with number two, the fun really begins once you get to the green which has three levels.  Each tier presents different challenges both in approaching the hole and putting.  A front pin placement brings the greenside bunkers on the left in play and if your shot is long, putting down from the second tier is quite a challenge and will cause you to consider substantial break and speed.  Clubbing for the second tier is difficult to judge depending on the impact of the wind coming through the valley on the neighboring 10^th and 16th holes.  A back pin placement is most difficult because the landing area is much smaller and the slope is surprisingly dramatic from right to left.  Once again, achieving a green in regulation is no guarantee of a par.    

Hole 10 [Valley]  The shortest of the par three holes, at 187 yards from the back tee this hole plays downhill from an elevated tee into a green guarded by three bunkers and ponds on either side.  Wind judgment adds to the considerations for this hole given that directly in back of the green is a rock outcropping which can penalize a shot played long.  The front right portion of the green exhibits a large “thumb print” leaving uphill putts to the other locations on the hole.  Those locations are relatively small making speed judgment critical.    

Hole 11 [ Sweet Misery]  This 397 yard par four begins with a tee shot over a small water hazard and high fescue to a landing area slightly uphill with a group of fairway bunkers protecting the right side.  Longer hitters would opt hit the ball right to left landing left of the fairway bunkers to take advantage of a better viewpoint to the green.  The eleventh green is an upside down saucer and presents quite a challenge for players even after reaching this green in regulation.  Two bunkers protect the front left and right side of the green.  Pin placements on the outer rim of the green are very challenging.  Long shots to the back rough area require touch as any balls coming out with speed will be hard to stop.  This is a difficult but enjoyable hole.

Hole 12 [Blind Horizon]  A 518 yard par five which provides opportunities to assess risk and reward.  The tee shot is played into a rising fairway and depending upon length, players have two options.  The second shot can either be a mid iron played along the fairway to the landing area for the regulation play or it is possible to cut the hole left to attempt reaching the green in two shots.  Both efforts are completely blind.  Shots played along the fairway will find trouble if played too far right or left.  Playing from the landing area leaves you a short iron into a wide but shallow green with a false front and a bunker behind.  Water runs along the right side of the hole from the landing area, wrapping in front of the green providing another obstacle for aggressive play or poorly played shots.  The green has subtle movement throughout.  Getting on this green in regulation is key. 

Hole 13 [Black Watch]  A 212 par three playing from an almost hidden elevated tee box from the black tees.  Water guards the right side of the carry with bunkers protecting the right side of the green and the back left.  This hole location represents Connecticut Golf Club’s own version of Amen Corner in that the wind comes through the twelfth hole and swirls into the trees behind the thirteenth tee.  This factor must be evaluated to ensure a quality shot into this green.  Watch the water flow in determining your wind direction.  The green slopes from back to front and towards the water.  Long shots are likely to find the back slope down into long rough on the 14^th hole.  

Hole 14 [Beech]  The last of the par fives, this 504 yard hole plays out of a shoot to a fairway that slopes from left to right.  The perfect tee shot will end up down the left side providing a legitimate opportunity to go for the green in two.  Shots played to the right side of the hole will likely have to lay-up between fairway bunkers leaving a short iron to a green that only shows the top of the flag from the fairway.  Greenside bunkers remain out of view from the second shot providing an element of risk to those attempting to reach in two.  A left to right shot is required to hit this green in two shots.  The green has some subtle movement but overall is fairly flat providing a real opportunity to score.  

Hole 15 [Consequence]  A 359 yard par four, the fifteenth hole has all the elements of a truly great golf hole.  The elevated tee box provides a view of the entire hole and its obstacles.  There is water short and left and bunkers along the fairway on both sides and protecting the green.  These bunkers are deep and challenging to exit such that you end up on the green in regulation.  The shorter length combined with the elevated tee provides an opportunity to take a risk and drive the green.  One of the few out of bounds areas on the course exists behind this green so overshooting will likely result in penalty.  The green slopes more dramatically back to front on the left side, slightly leveling out as you move farther to the right.  

Hole 16 [Menace]  A 368 yard par four with yet another elevated tee box.  This hole demands accuracy but guarantees no rewards for execution.  The tee shot is played to a narrow landing area with a fairway which slightly slopes off the hill it is built into from the left and rises up to the green.  Bunkers come into play on the right side from the tee box with additional bunkers protecting the green.  Tee shots lost to the right will find a dramatic slope down to a collection area near a pond.  This green has four tiers and cannot be fully viewed from any vantage point on the fairway.  At most, only the flag position can be seen from your second shot so course knowledge and pin location is key.  A well played second shot for distance may fall victim to the layering of the tiers leaving you with either a very long uphill or downhill putt.  The tiers are more consistent  on the left side of the green while on the right side they will send your shot to the right and away from the green.  Shots played above the hole will be an extraordinary challenge given the slope and undulation of the downhill putt.  Imagination may be called upon to make par on this tremendously difficult par four.  

Hole 17 [ Maple Row ]  A 387 yard par four plays fairly straight with bunkers protecting the right side fairway against short tee shots. The only place to miss is to the 18^th fairway right of the hole. Bunkers protect the right and left and back left portions of the green.  The green itself slopes from front to back but provides a real chance to score for those playing in regulation.

Hole 18 [ Grind ] A 427 yard par four provides a dramatic finishing opportunity playing gradually uphill almost all the way.  A bunker sits quietly short of the fairway on the left side collecting any poorly played shots short and left.  The remaining left side is risky because it slopes down a hill into a series of trees all along the fairway to the green. Bunkers guard the left side and back left of the green ready to catch any balls played off the right hill which naturally draw.  The green slopes noticeably from back to front and wraps around the Cornish signature tree coming into play just right of the green protecting a back right pin position.  This hole seems to play much longer than the yardage indicates especially when wind is present.  Shots landing on the green but above the hole will leave a very challenging speed putt.