The #4 Course, now the North Course, was originally designed by Willie Park, Jr. The North Course after several reworkings, is now a 7157 yard, par 70 routing over a widely varied piece of Midwestern topography. Several of the holes traverse old farmland, but the strongest holes loop around several ridges that also feature a serpentine creek that comes into play. The North Course, ranked among the top 50 golf courses in the United States, was renovated in preparation for the 2003 U.S. Open, but remains true to Willie Park's vision with testing bunkers and treacherous greens.

Hole By Hole on the North Course

Hole Graphics By: Players' Book Publications ©2003 800-557-4370

Hole #1 This long & straight par 5 will present little dfficulty to the game's best players, provided that they stay out of the bunkers.  The tee shot should be played over the right edge of the left fairway bunker, leaving a long iron to a big green with tricky, side to side breaks.  A tee shot that ends in a fairway bunker will limit birdie possibilities, because the bunkers are too deep too deep to permit a long iron or fairway wood to be used.  The right, greenside bunker is definitely a place one would not want to visit . CLICK for FLYOVER Hole #2  In order to hit a mid-iron or short-iron shot into this sloping green, many players may try to shorten the dogleg by hitting over the fairway bunkers.  A huge stand of oak trees behind the green will convince many players to play to the middle of the green CLICK for FLYOVER Hole #3 The signature hole for this nine requires a blind tee shot over a hill to a narrow fairway that is shifted to the left of the teeing area.  Without taking that route, the player is unlikely to have a clear shot onto the small, elevated and well-protected green.  Most players will have mid-iron shots which will be difficult to keep on the green.  This hole will provide plenty of drama on the putting green, as its slope is one of the most severe on all of the course. CLICK For FLYOVER Hole #4 Considering the length of the other par 4 holes, this might seem like a shorty; instead, the fairway is quite narrow - with a big ridge splitting it at about 275 yards from the tee. Most players will opt for a long-iron, leaving a blind short-iron approach to a heavily bunkered, small green that tilts to the left. An excellent second shot is crucial if a player needs to make a birdie. CLICK For FLYOVER Hole #5 Another eyelit-wide fairway protected by a bunkere on the left.  The tee-shot comes through a chute of huge oak trees that also line the fairway.  Most players will pass on the driver to keep their tee shot in the fairway & short of the fairway bunker.  From there they are still confronted with a short-iron to a shallow green with a hogback in the back-left portion.  The greenside bunkers can also lead to difficult pars. CLICK for FLYOVER Hole #6 An elevated tee shot to a well-guarded putting service. The front-right & back-left hole locations are typically the most difficult. This hole penalizes players who miss the green, as it is quite a 'tough up-and-down.' CLICK for FLYOVER Hole #7 Another elevated tee shot to a fairway that moves slightly to the left. The preferred tee shot is over the corner of the left fairway bunker, leaving a short to mid-iron shot to a HUGE green with many demanding pin locations. The positioning of the greenside bunkers may cause prolonged strategy sessions between players & caddies.  Coming down the stretch, a par will satisfy most players. CLICK for FLYOVER Hole #8 This tee shot is into the prevailing southwest wind.  The green is well-protected with big, DEEP bunkers. Most players will fairway woods or long-irons into the center of the green & hope to secure par. This difficult putting surface has many undulations that can lead to an unexpected number of three-putts. CLICK for FLYOVER Hole #9 Another big par 4 played into the wind on most days.  The tee shot must split the forward fairway bunkers and stop before reaching the third, leaving a mid to long-iron shot into the huge sloping green. The green is the most sinister on the course with tough-to-read right-to-left & back-to-front breaks.  The best players in the world may (& have) three putt this green. CLICK for FLYOVER Hole #10 A slight dogleg left with four bunkers guarding the landing area. A drive that carries that carries the left-side bunker will leave a short-iron to a deep green with a back-to-front tilt. The green is well protected with two bunkers on the right and one on the left.  This hole may yield a birdie if played properly CLICK for FLYOVER Hole #11 A dogleg left with cavernous bunkers flanking the fairway.  The second shot will be with a short-iron to a hard, windswept green with a lot of right-to-left slope.  This hole is usually played with a prevailing wind at the player's back - which complicated the second shot.  The back of the green drops off sharply.  Most players will leave the driver in the bag as the key to this hole is accuracy. CLICK for FLYOVER Hole #12 This is a dogleg to the right with a creek crossing about 280 yards from the tee. The tee shot must be played with a slight fade, as oak trees line the fairway.  The creek & fairway bunker will rule out the driver in favor of a long-iron, leaving a medium-length shot into a shallow green with a lot of side slope.  The wind is difficult to gauge on the approach & may wreak havok with some players.  Even slightly pulled or pushed shots will find deep, sloping bunkers. CLICK for FLYOVER Hole #13 A truly delightful uphill hole with a green protected by enormous bunkers that catch their share of balls. The winds are masked by the huge trees left of the putting surface.  A pulled shot can wind up some 30 feet beneath the putting surface. The hole's primary challenge is the undulating green; a hole location at the front will cause most players to aim for the middle of the green. CLICK for FLYOVER Hole #14 This is the signature of the nine. The creek bisects the fairwayabout 125 yards from the tee, takes a turn & forms the right boundry of the hole. It re-crosses about the same distance from the green, ready to grab any pulled second shots. The tee shot calls for a long iron or fairway woodto a narrow fairway.  The next shot is over the creek to a mid-size green with a tremendous back-to-front slope. CLICK for FLYOVER Hole #15 This hole swweps to the right with with a lateral water hazard framing the right side.  This will be a 3-shot hole for most, because the fairway turns sharply to the right about 275 yards from the green. The fairway is quite narrow, with two bunkers on the left of the landing area.  Many players will use a fairway wood off the tee, leaving a long-iron & wedge into the small, undulating green. CLICK for FLYOVER Hole #16 The tee shot is from an elevated perch to a small green protected front & right by Butterfield Creek. The bunkers fronting the green will catch even slightly offline shots. Shots that just miss the putting service on the right may find a new home in the creek. CLICK for FLYOVER Hole #17 The creek again looms along the right side of the fairway, ready to catch any shot that looms too far that direction. The fairway is quite narrow in the landing area, with a large, horizontal bunker occupying the left-third of the fairway. The adventerous player can gamble with a driver, leaving an iron to an elevated, firm green that slopes away from the player. As always, large bunkers left & right protect the green. CLICK for FLYOVER Hole #18 This huge, dramatic right-to-left dogleg will result in plenty of bogeys. The tee shot must be on the left side to avoid the bunker that protrudes out into the landing area.  This will leave a long shot to toi a huge, tilted green with a hogback on the right. The pond along the right juts back in 20 yards short of the green. This hole calls for long, precise shots & great putts. CLICK for FLYOVER Hole Graphics By: Players' Book Publications ©2003 800-557-4370