The opening hole is a par five of almost 500 yards, yet the tee shot is played downhill and the difficulties are not too severe. The approach shot is to a beautifully positioned green against a background of lake and trees.
By contrast the second is slightly uphill, with the tee set back within the trees and a raised green well protected by bunkers on either side. The first of the par three holes plays its full length of just over 200 yards because the way between tee and green is an absolute minefield of bunkers, and although the fourth looks innocent on the card at less than 340 yards, the hole doglegs to the left and the temptation to take short cuts should be resisted. The scenic quality of the hole is completed by a lake to the right which is sufficiently off-line to cause no problems.
When it was originally conceived, the fifth was a demanding par five, but with the improvement in golf equipment it has now regained its challenge as a 442 yard par four with out-of-bounds on the right of an undulating fairway. Fairway and greenside bunkers define and shape the hole and the semi- plateau green is a very difficult target.
Position from the tee, which is set back in an avenue of trees, is the key to the next hole - the second shot increases in difficulty the further the tee shot strays from the correct line. The short seventh is a gem, played downhill to a green set in front of a lake, and then comes the longest hole on the course, 517 yards to a two-tier green, before the outward half closes with something of a respite, an apparently simple par four, but with a green which is never easy to find.
The homeward half begins in beautiful and challenging fashion with a long par three across a lake to a green tucked in the trees and then there is a slight pull uphill towards the clubhouse round the corner of the dog-leg 11th which plays its full length up the slope. As if to compensate for the climb, the 12th sweeps downhill before rising again to the green.
Then come two tough par five holes in succession, the 13th (485 yards) and the 14th (504 yards), both swinging to the right. The second shot to the 13th is played down-hill to a two-tier green and there is out-of-bounds on the right. The 14th is tree-lined and there is not much room for error around the green.
The finishing four holes seem much less demanding after this tough stretch, but they all have that almost indefinable quality of good golf holes. They are not too long, or too tight, giving golfers of any calibre the opportunity to get home in the regulation number of shots. They require thought rather than power and they are well shaped holes which are as pleasing to the eye as to the scorecard. After the drive and pitch 15th, the 16th has hazards as it doglegs to the left which must be avoided and the 170-yard 17th is played over bunkers and a ditch to a green set into rising ground. The final hole shapes itself perfectly back towards the magnificent clubhouse.