Hole-by-Hole Commentary from the Golf Professional
Hole 1 “New Leaf” -- Welcome to North Shore! This is a beautiful opening hole. Finding the left-center of the fairway off the tee here will give you the best angle on the approach and avoid the only fairway bunker. Second shots missing the putting surface will face a tricky up and down on this front to back sloping green with a false front.
Hole 2 “Sahara” -- Shortest par 4 on the golf course and a great risk/reward hole. Long hitters can take on the 3 Sahara bunkers short of the putting surface. Shorter hitters should play short but will face a blind 2nd shot to a green divided by a giant ridge. Placing your 2nd shot on the correct portion of the green is crucial if you are going to make a birdie here.
Hole 3 “Road” -- Number one handicap hole, par is a great score on the Road hole. The ideal tee shot must be long enough to find the plateau on the right half of the fairway. From here players are given a view of the green. Be sure to check your yardage to the hole as this green is very deep. This green slopes from front to back and missing long will give you an uphill putt.
Hole 4 “Highlands” -- Short par 5 and a good birdie opportunity for the longer hitter who can find the fairway. Take your tee shot at the fairway bunker in the distance. Get your second shot over the hill and avoid the two cavernous bunkers on the right side. Pay attention to the hole location as this is a big green with several sections to it.
Hole 5 “Biarritz” -- North Shore has 4 world-class Seth Raynor par 3's, and the Biarritz is the most challenging. Playing short of the green in the fairway is a good play and leaves you an up and down opportunity for par. This green slopes steeply from back to front and leaving your putt under the hole is important here.
Hole 6 “Punchbowl” -- Maybe the toughest tee shot on the golf course, and only a good swing will do here. Once on the fairway be sure to play enough club on the uphill 2nd to avoid the front bunker. This Punchbowl green can lead to some tough 2 putts.
Hole 19 “Taz” -- A fun hole, and a true short shot test. This par 3 is a Tom Doak creation fashioned after the 7th hole at Barnbougle Dunes in Tasmania. Put your shot on the green and be left with a good chance for 2. Miss the green and 3 is a great score.
Hole 7 “Bandon” -- Beautiful looking par 4 from the tee and a birdie opportunity if trouble can be avoided. To find a flat lie in the fairway, carry the ball long enough to get past the 2 cross bunkers, but short of the down slope 80 yards short of the green. Again the 2nd shot must find the putting surface as all other misses leave a challenging recovery.
Hole 8 “Pond” -- Less than driver may be needed here as there is a pond 115 yards from the front of the green. Right center off the tee is ideal, but avoiding the fairway bunker is necessary. For players who cannot carry the water, playing down the fairway short of the bunker will leave a nice pitch. This green slopes dramatically from back to front, and putts should be left under the hole.
Hole 9 “Redan” – The author’s favorite shot on the course, this is a great Redan hole. Missing left is certainly terrible, but right can be equally daunting. Misses short or long but on-line will have the best chance to save par. Be sure to use the "sideboards" on this fun green to get the ball close.
Hole 10 “Eden” -- Don't let your guard down on this Eden hole. The green slopes steeply from back to front, and misses long and left will face bogey or worse.
Hole 11 “Woods” -- Cutting around the corner here on this sharp dogleg often leads to more risk than reward, and the smart play is straight down the middle. Long hitters need less than driver to position the ball correctly here. The second shot is at least a full club longer uphill to the most challenging green on the course. Position your approach short and right of the hole to leave an uphill putt. Any shot long and left will likely face a 3-putt.
Hole 12 “Hilltop” -- This tee shot needs to find the fairway to have a chance of getting home in two. Avoid the extremely deep front bunker and leave yourself an uphill putt on this back to front sloping green. The front left portion of this green is a false front.
Hole 13 “St. Christopher’s” -- Plenty of room to miss right off this tee, a drive in the right center of the fairway is ideal. Another steeply back to front sloping green requires a second shot under the hole for an uphill putt, and a good birdie opportunity.
Hole 14 “Double Plateau” – Outstanding Par 4 here. Position the tee ball in the left center of the fairway to open up a view of the green as tee shots drifting right will have to contend with trees. Once on this double plateau green the fun begins. Pay attention to the hole location and put your approach on the correct portion of the green. Hole locations on the back plateau play a club longer.
Hole 15 “Dell” -- Aim your tee shot just left of the fairway bunker; long hitters need less then driver here. Tee shots drifting right will be blocked by trees on the second shot. The downhill approach will play a bit shorter than the number to this green divided by two ridges.
Hole 16 “Ravine” -- Shorter hitters play straight away off the tee here, while long hitters can try to move their tee ball around the corner to the left. The conservative play is into the valley for your second shot, leaving a semi-blind approach. Shots in the right half of the valley will have a better look. The aggressive second shot over the valley will leave a straightforward approach. This green slopes back to front.
Hole 17 “Short” -- Tom Doak called this the "second wildest" green he has built. Avoid the deep fronting bunkers -- missing long is not all bad here. This Short hole is a great time to hit one close. Otherwise be prepared for a very challenging putt.
Hole 18 “Westward Ho!” -- The longest hole on Long Island. The fairway bunker must be avoided here as it will make this hole very challenging. Ideal tee placement is down the right center. Enjoy the view of the clubhouse in the distance as you advance your next shot as far down the hill as you can. Be prepared to play your 3rd off a downhill lie and avoid the big miss left. A large ridge running down the middle of this green divides it left and right.