Course Breakdown: Emerald Vale Holes 6-9

The par-4 6th looks pretty friendly from the tee—and it is, as long as you find the fairway. Anywhere else, and you’re facing an uphill battle to score well.

The left side is wide open until about 230 yards, where hardwoods come into play. These trees block your angle into the green unless you’re safely in the fairway. I’ve marked this area yellow to show where you're likely blocked out. I still remember a high school tournament where I missed left and had to chip the ball straight right—and slightly backward—just to get a clear shot at the green.

This might tempt you to favor the right side, but there’s trouble there too. A creek at 255 yards keeps me from pulling driver, but I still need to clear the bunker at 200 yards. I almost always go with my 220 club to land in the fattest part of the fairway.

The approach plays about 10 feet uphill, so be sure to tack on an extra 3–4 yards. I prefer missing right over left and usually take a pretty aggressive line into this green. It slopes steeply from back to front, and missing just left or right often kicks the ball toward the center. You can swing confidently here—you don’t need to be perfect.

As a lefty who prefers to hit a right-to-left shot off the tee... I hate this tee shot. The par-5 7th is a dogleg right that wraps around a set of bunkers—212 yards to reach, 245 to carry. I can carry that bunker, but the tee box is tucked so tightly next to trees on the right that I don’t have much room to hit the shot I’m comfortable with.

I could aim farther left and play it safer, but that brings a set of pine trees through the fairway into play. This hole is my nemesis—it even finds a way to punish my well-struck shots. I have to believe most golfers should pull driver here, but for me, it’s usually not the right play. One thing we can all agree on: don’t miss right of the right bunkers. That’s where the long, gnarly heather lies in wait, ready to swallow golf balls whole.

Past the bunkers, the fairway slowly narrows until it becomes very tight around the 80-yard mark. The smart layup zone is somewhere between 110 and 80 yards. This hole is lined with long heather so try to keep in down the middle. 

The green is large and slopes from back to front. The right half sits below a hillside, making it completely blind unless you're coming in from the far left side of the fairway.

The 8th might be the best hole at Emerald Vale. It’s been interesting to watch this hole “grow up” over the years. What used to be an open field with saplings on the left has transformed into a dense stand of tall trees—completely blocking the once-clear view of the green from the tee. That change adds a layer of mystery, especially for first-time players.

The tee shot gives you options, but the key is staying short of or away from the water. The pond begins about 240 yards out from the blue tees at its closest point. You can either lay back and hug the left side or take driver and aim down the right side of the fairway—away from the green on this dogleg left. There’s plenty of room out there, as the fairway doesn’t end until around 290 yards. Personally, I like to keep it short of the water. I came here to golf, not swim.

The green complex is large and slopes left to right. There’s ample room to miss left or short, but long is sneakily the worst miss—the pond wraps behind the green and sits just a few paces beyond it. From the fairway, the water long is mostly hidden, which makes it even more dangerous. The right bunker isn’t ideal, but since you’ll be hitting into an upslope, you’ve got a good chance to get out unscathed. 

The 9th is a fitting end to the tougher of the two nines. This uphill par 3 doesn’t offer much to look at—just bunkers left and right, and not much room for error. The elevated terrain on the left side of the hole hides part of the green from view, but the good news is that it slopes dramatically down toward the putting surface. I’ve seen plenty of fortunate bounces from over there.

The right bunker runs nearly the entire depth of the green, and honestly, I find it more often than the green itself. Miss even farther right, and you're in real trouble. Picture this: you're under overhanging branches with a long bunker between you and the green. Easy shot, right?

The safe play is just left of center. Don’t be afraid to club up a bit to account for the elevation. This amphitheater-style green is pretty forgiving—especially if you’re long or left.