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1
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A tough par four begins the test. Straight forward, 420 or so,
two bunkers in drive zone, drive and mid to long iron to a slightly elevated
green.
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2
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Nice par five, where all depends on the wind. With no wind or
a following breeze, birdie becomes a possibility. With the breeze
in your face, number 2 becomes a true three-shot hole. Scattered
bunkers cause the player to think about tee and second shot placement,
although they are not plentiful nor hazardous enough to threaten the recovery.
Like all of Beaver's greens, this one is large and round, with slight breaks
and rolls.
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3
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A scenic par three that plays over a branch of the large, front side
lake. The green is protected by some sand, although not enough to
warrant redirection of the shot.
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4
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Beaver's signature hole, this par five presents
opportunity for
eagle if played properly. The lake comes into play along the left
perimeter of the hole, following it from tee to green. Woods on the
right prevent a bail-out. The second shot is played toward a green
whose fairway widens slightly toward the target. Nothing prevents
a straight ball on either shot, so miss to the front of the green if necessary.
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5
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Another terrific par four, the second of four on the front side that
require drive and at least mid-iron to reach the putting surface.
The lake guards the left side the entire length of the hole, although the
right side does allow a margin for error. The putting surface is
guarded by front bunkers, yet is receptive to a mid-iron flown onto
the surface.
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6
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A long par three that plays slightly downhill to a solidly-bunkered
green, there is nevertheless much room for error. The green is slightly
smaller than the others on the front, yet no more difficult. Do not
fly the green, as the smaller front-side lake comes into play.
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7
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A bit of respite among all the long irons, number seven offers a drive/short
iron to an appealing target. A bit of fairway bunkering and a copse
of trees along the left make the right side of the fairway the ideal side
from which to try an approach. Both a run-up and a flown shot are
options here.
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8
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If one can swing easily here, this enormous par four is
tamable.
The fairway is large for the drive, so the shaft may be let out.
The smaller front-side lake does not come into play until the second shot,
unless the player blocks one ninety yards right from the tee. The
approach can be played over a finger of the lake or across dry land, depending
upon the angle. An approach from the left is the most advantageous,
as the player can fade or draw the ball along the entire width of the green
without crossing water. An approach from the right is a more adventurous
one, as the water and a tree at water's edge co-present visual and physical
obstacles. The green is not nearly as difficult to putt as the fairway
is to negotiate, so putting becomes routine once the short grass is reached.
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9
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A terrific end to a tour-length front nine, drive-zone bunkering threatens
a well-struck tee ball to the left. Unlike the previous hole, the
better approach angle is from the right, to a green protected by some bunkering,
with a slight elevation. Much like numbers one and five, this straightforward
hole rewards solid ball striking, not dramatic exploits.
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10
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Another opportunity to shave a stroke from par, this par five doglegs
slightly to the left, and boasts a forest of trees down the left side.
The green is protected by bunkers, but is easily accessible from the front
left. The putting surface is two-tiered, and provides a bit of a
challenge when putting from one tier to the other. Miss the green
short, as it falls off on the other three sides.
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11
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A visually challenging tee ball begins this medium-length par four.
The large tree ahead seems to dictate a tee ball played to the left, when
in fact, the proper angle is to go over the tree or to the right, cutting
the dogleg and shortening the hole. The green sits no more than a
short iron away, and is eminently puttable.
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12
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The longest of the par fives at Beaver, this hole runs straight from
tee to green. Small trees on the right, and large trees on the left,
increasingly narrow the hole as the green nears. The green is well-bunkered,
and sits a bit above the fairway. It is large, and is best missed
to the front. It is puttable, as the sloping of it is not too rigorous.
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13
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An enjoyable par three, this hole is a mid-iron at most, is bunkered
to the right, and has OB behind and to the left of the green. The
putting surface is flat, and not too extreme.
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14
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The first of three consecutive medium length par fours, the drive must
carry 150 yards over a pond to the fairway. The green sits a bit
below the drive zone, yet is a smaller target than its predecessors.
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15
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A slight dogleg left, this hole provides ample width to the driving
area, although some trees do come into play. The green again sits
a bit below the drive zone, and is also a fairly small target. There
is some slope to the putting surface, requiring a bit of focus with the
flat stick.
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16
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This par four reverses the direction of the course, heading north.
OB lines the left side of the fairway, while a copse of trees to the right
forces the drive into the fairway for an unobstructed approach to the green.
There is sand around the green, which slopes a bit from front to back.
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17
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This short par three is marked by the enormous cross bunker that guards
the entire front of the green. The putting surface is double-tiered,
front and back, but not too extremely. A two-putt is not a difficult
achievement.
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18
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The home hole is a direct affair, with little trouble other than the
OB left. The green sits at the same level as the fairway and tee,
and, in spite of the small bunker to the left of the putting surface, is
an easy target to hit. A pleasant end to a pleasant round of golf.
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