Think Spring!

Clio Country Club established in 1960 plays to 6,556 yards from the blue tees and has a GAM index of 71.5 with a course rating of 135.  All yardage markers and sprinkler heads are measured to the center of the greens.  Sprinkler heads are double row on each side of the fairways.  Flag positions are: red – forward, white – center, blue – back.  Out of Bounds defined by inside edge of white stakes and occur on holes #8, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16 and 17.  Maintained roads and cart paths are to be played as obstructions with one club length relief, no penalty.  Water hazards are defined by yellow stakes with lateral water hazards defined by red stakes.  

Hole #1:  Par 4, 365 yards, green depth 27 yds, width 25 yds.

Best position off tee is left center which will take trees on right side of fairway out of play.  Large sand bunker on right side of fairway, 225 yards from tee to front of bunker, 235 yards to carry.  Green is elevated with creek on the left side.

Hole #2:  Par 4, 360 yards, green depth 19 yds, width 35 yds.

Dogleg right playing uphill from tee to the 150 yard marker.  Best position off tee is left center.  Heavily treed on right side of fairway. Greenside bunkers right, left and back.

Hole #3:  Par 5, 547 yards, green depth 27 yds, width 22 yds.

Here is a chance for the long hitter to make eagle.  Hole plays straight away with the creek running in front of the green.  You have approximately 15 yards past the 100 yard marker for a lay up. Any shot past this point has a good chance of running into the creek. Best position for third shot is left center.  Try to avoid the trees on the right side of the fairway.  Green slopes from right to left with sand bunker on the left side of green. Good birdie hole.

Hole #4: Par 3, 195 yards, green depth 28 yds, width 27 yds.

Here is the first of two great par threes on the front side.  Par is a very good score.  Green is elevated from the tee and pin positions can be difficult with a large mound in the center of the green.  It is rumored that an elephant is buried here.  Take your par and run.

Hole #5:  Par 5, 521 yards, green depth 27 yds, width 23 yds.

Slight dogleg right with your second shot back over the creek.  Once again favor left center with your tee shot.  Right of the large maple on the right side of the dogleg can be trouble.  A good second shot should leave you with a mid to short iron to an elevated green. There is a sand bunker on the left side of the fairway approx. 50 yds. from the green.  Skins are normally cut on this par 5. 

Hole #6:  Par 4, 395 yards, green depth 34 yds, width 24 yds.

O.K. they did design a dogleg left on this course.  Difficult par 4 with pond on the left.  Best position off tee is right center.  Fairway rises from an elevated tee with a carry of 230 to 245 yards to the top of the fairway.  Green slopes from back to front.  Keep your approach shot below the hole. Birdies often hold for a skin.

Hole #7:  Par 4, 371 yards, green depth 30 yds, width 26 yds.

Good birdie hole.  Keep it in the fairway to avoid trees on both sides of the fairway.  Green side bunkers right and left.  Another good green to stay below the hole.

Hole #8:  Par 4, 407 yards, green depth 32 yds, width 23 yds.

This is a real test of golf.  Dogleg left that starts to turn about 230 yards off the tee.  Best position off tee is center with left being jail.  This is the only hole on the front side with out of bounds on your left.  If you’re tempted to take a short cut over the pine trees on the left side of the dogleg you will need to carry your tee shot approximately 285 yards.  It has been done by the long ball hitters but it is truly risk/reward.  Another good skin hole.

Hole #9:  Par 3, 214 yards, green depth 40 yds, width 22 yds.

The second tough par 3 on the front.  Birdie will normally win you a skin.  With the tee and flag both back on this hole, it can stretch out to 235 yards.  Avoid the willow tree and sand trap on the right side.  Front and middle of green slopes from right to left.

Hole #10:  Par 4, 347 yards, green depth 18 yds, width 33 yds.

A good par 4 hole, dogleg right to an elevated green with the creek running in front of green. Out of bounds straight through the fairway and behind the green. Cut as much of the dogleg as you dare.  The Polvi’s of the world should keep driver in the bag.  There is a sand bunker on the right side of the fairway approx. 225 yards off the tee.  A good approach shot here is the key to a good score, but leave it short and you will be faced with a very difficult uphill chip to a narrow green which slopes from front to back.  Birdies often pay. 

Hole #11:  Par 3, 143 yards, green depth 26 yds, width 42 yds.

Definitely a birdie hole.  Elevated tee with the creek running on the right side and back of the green.  Wind can play with you on this hole with the trees to the back left blocking the flag.  Sand trap on the front left with a green that slopes from back to front.  Don’t be long.

Hole #12:  Par 4, 355 yards, green depth 32 yds, width 22 yds.

Another birdie hole.  Avoid out of bounds to the left side of the fairway.  Narrow fairway well treed on both sides makes club selection for drive important.  Greenside bunkers left and right.  The green has a slight swale running through the center.

Hole #13, Par 5, 563 yards, green depth 28 yds, width 30 yds.

This is the longest par 5 on the golf course.  Birdie is always a good score.  Long hitters tee it high and let it fly.  Out of bounds plays the length of the hole on your left.  Large swale in the front of the green with sand trap on the front right.  Green slopes left to right and back to front.  Chalk up another skin.

Hole #14, Par 4, 346 yards, green depth 25 yds, width 25 yds.

Slight dogleg right with the best position off the tee being left of center.  Green has green side bunkers and slopes severely from back to front.  Stay below a front pin position or you may be chipping back to the pin. 

Hole #15, Par 5, 464 yards, green depth 23 yds, width 32 yds.

This short par five is a dogleg right with a pond to carry on your second or approach shot.  Hit it left center off the tee and avoid the right side.  Green is elevated with bunkers left and right.  Good opportunity for eagle.

Hole #16, Par 3, 157 yards, green depth 30 yds, width 22 yds.

Good par three with wind playing tricks if it’s blowing.  Green is surrounded by large oak trees, if windy club selection is the key for a good tee shot. Bunkers left and right of the green.

Hole #17, Par 4, 358 yards, green depth 31 yds, width 26 yds.

Beautiful hole from the tee with club selection important off the tee.  Slight dogleg left to an elevated green.  Take a chance with the driver and draw it through the trees at the turn will leave you with a short iron to a green which slopes from back to front. Miss it right or left and you’ll have trees to contend with. Sand traps protect the right and left sides.  Birdie is always a good score.

Hole #18, Par 4, 448 yards, green depth 30 yds, width 22 yds.

Par is always a good score on this long par 4 that plays straight back to the clubhouse.  Fairway has a slight rise to it from the tee to the 200 yard marker.  Long iron or fairway wood plays to this green which slopes back to front with sand traps on right and left.  Birdie should pay a skin.

Last modified: 02/02/10