Hole by Hole Tour

A classic entry to a classic golf course, this hole gives you a 'what you see is what you get' start to the round. A drive down the middle avoiding the reachable fairway bunkers will set you up for any hole placement on this 40-yard deep green. In his last visit to the course in the late 1980s, Robert Trent Jones commented on the 'cathedral' like setting, with some of the largest Douglas Fir trees on the course framing the green site. The cedar tree near the two fairway bunkers on the right is approximately 150 yards from the center of the green. You'll find similar trees on some other holes.

Avoid left of the green site and over the green, because steep banks result in difficult chips onto the green. If you don't have a long high shot, short/front left is a smart and safe lay up. This long par 3 provides a 'wake up call' to golfers of all levels. Hit a long iron or wood to a large, undulating green, well protected by bunkers. If you are playing from the back tees, #2 is also the first of four demanding par 3s. In his last visit to ECC, Jones commented about the large, old, and sharply leaning Douglas Fir that provides a unique backdrop to this hole.

This is the first of two consecutive strong two-shot holes. Off the tee, there's plenty of room to the right. However, the perfect drive is usually down the left side, shortening the approach. Aim your drive at the big Douglas Fir you see behind the right greenside bunker and a slight draw will put you in position for your approach shot, unless the hole is tucked behind the left greenside bunker. As with many holes on the course, avoid going over the green, because the dropoff is severe. High handicappers should consider laying up for a pitch or chip to the green, because right, left, and long often result in very difficult chips.

A drive down the left side of the fairway will usually bounce back toward the center off a slope that is not easily seen from the tee. If conditions are dry, this elevated green is usually a bit firmer than others on the course. The green is well protected. Left of the green is a deep swale. Over the green is another steep bank. A shot right of the green that misses the bunker risks a kick into the lateral water hazard. As with the prior hole, high handicappers should consider playing short of the green and greenside bunkers, because the green is well protected on all other sides.

Although the hole plays slightly downhill from all but one of the tees, a breeze blowing along the waterway can often knock down shots. Going after hole positions in the front portion of the green can be risky. Take the hazard out of play by selecting a club that reaches the center or back of the green. However, hitting over the green will leave you with a difficult downhill chip or bunker shot, facing the water hazard. One of the few 'quirks' of design on the course is the cart path up the hill. Hit it there and you have the option of playing it as it lies, or dropping to play your second shot from the drop area on the tee side of the water hazard. Also, note that the hazard is marked with both yellow and red stakes, depending on the location along the waterway.

For most amateur players, this is a three-shot par 5. Big hitters can go over the fairway bunkers on the right in an attempt to reach the green in two with a long second shot. If you choose to make it a three-shot hole, your second shot should be aimed more left than it appears; aiming just to the right of the gap in the Fir trees in the distance usually works well. If you drive down the center of the fairway and are still near the top of the hill, your layup second will be 190 yards at most. The green has a shelf that runs across its middle, so try to hit to the level on which the hole is cut. Layup yardages to 85 yards from the green are on the sprinklers. The grave of Indian Liza, reported to be the babysitter for Cal Young's children, is located on the right side of the fairway at the top of the hill nearing the third shot approach area.

Another long par 3 from the championship tees, this green demands a well placed tee shot because a hump in the back center of the green and other undulations can result in very difficult putts. A fade off the tee is risky because the water hazard stretches back to the right of the green. Tom Watson, who played the ECC course as a Stanford undergraduate, once said that the strong par 3s at ECC were among the best group of par 3s on any course he had played. Another Stanford undergraduate, Tiger Woods, four-putted this green in tournament play.

This is a par 5 that many players can reach in two shots, an opportunity for an eagle or birdie for lower handicap players. Aim to the left edge of the fairway bunker you see off the tee, hit a slight draw, and you will be in perfect position for your second shot. This hole has been played as a par 4 in some of the men's championship tournaments held at ECC.

Drive down the left side of the fairway (despite the bunker) because many players can drive long enough for the orchard trees on the right to screen the approach shot. From the championship tees ... blast away, it's a long hole for most and the bunker is tough to reach unless you are a very long driver or it's August. The fruit trees lining the fairway from 150-yards into the green were part of the farm that was on this property prior to the course.