If you’re the type of golfer who likes a challenge, v Vote for your toughest of the toughest for a chance to win a foursome of golf at your chosen course!
Play Vancouver Island’s Toughest Golf Holes
Golf is primarily a challenge with yourself. Can you make par? Can you beat your previous score? Can you get past that one hole without throwing your club into the trees? If you’re the type of golfer who really enjoys a challenge, then you might seek out those courses or holes that test your endurance (and your sanity), in which case you’ll be interested in this list of the toughest holes (determined by their respective #1 handicap ratings on their scorecards) on the Vancouver Island Golf Trail.
And now, onto the holes that can make you laugh one round and cry the next…
Hole 7: 547 yards, par 5
Trouble right. Trouble left. Just keep each of your three full shots in the middle of the fairway on Arbutus Ridge’s Hole #7 and you’ll have little difficulty. From 140 yards to the green it’s downhill. Mind the wind as it will affect your approach shot.
Hole 6: 432 yards, par 4
Hole 9: 442 yards, par 4
Hole #9 on the Valley Course takes a slow turn right from the tee, with heavy bunkering on the right side of the fairway challenging the tee shot. The left side of the fairway hugs up against the exposed rock face. With a large bunker front, the average golfer will either try and run the approach in from the left side or need to hit a high, towering approach shot to find the green.
Hole 17: 613 yards, par 5
Hole #17 at Campbell River Golf Club is a double dog-leg par 5 demanding focus. After the tee shot, you will have to thread the needle into a narrow landing area before hitting a long approach of the hazard to this well surrounded multi-tiered green. Short of the green on your approach is better than landing in any of the three bunkers around it.
Hole 7: 433 yards, par 4
The ideal drive is to the right side of the 7th fairway at Cowichan so your approach is not obstructed by trees, but bogey is not considered a bad score here so take heart if you don’t make par.
Hole 14: 438 yards, par 4
Hole #14 is Crown Isle’s longest par 4 at 438 yards, a drive down the right side will help to shorten it a bit. The green can be pretty tricky if you don’t manage to land on the correct tier, so pay careful attention to your approach.
Hole 14: 533 yards, par 5
A bit of an anomaly here as the 14th is Eaglecrest’s 2 handicap hole, but the golfing public agrees that it is indeed the toughest on the course. Water runs down both sides and at the end of the fairway off the tee, play smart and lay up with your second shot to the 100 yard marker.
Hole 4: 418 yards, par 4
Hole #4 at Fairwinds is one of their longer par 4s with a slight dogleg to the right, a pond in front of the tee, and a fairly demanding tee shot. The raised green is fronted with a creek plus bunkers on the right side and back left.
Hole 14: 378 yards, par 4/5
VIDEO Hit your tee shot on HIghland Pacific’s Hole #14 200 yards from the white tees to the widest part of the fairway. If you decide to use a driver, keep it left or your ball will end up wet or on an awkward lie. The approach will test your nerves, but there is a bailout area short and left of the green.
Hole 8: 420 yards, par 4
A well-placed drive along the left side of Olympic View’s 8th fairway is the best shot here. If all goes according to plan, you’ll be about 170 yards from the green, leaving you with a longish iron or wood shot to the triple-tiered green surrounded by water and sand.
Hole 16: 536 yards, par 5
Accuracy and patience is required for this narrow-fairway course. Hitting the fairway off the 16th tee at Pheasant Glen is very important in order to play a second shot into short iron or wedge distance to attack this challenging green. The green is guarded with a bunker on the right, a bunker left and water left and long.
Hole 3: 487 yards, par 5
The tees for this uphill par 5 third hole at Quadra Island are set among Sitka Spruce, with varying widths of the fairway making it necessary to chose your landing areas carefully. Be precise with your approach to this two-tiered green as anything short will roll back down the steep slope.
Hole 12: 568 yards, par 5
VIDEO Hole #12 at Storey Creek is a dogleg right par five with a water hazard lining the entire right side of the hole. The tee shot takes the driver right out of your hands as you have to play to a landing zone. A perfect tee shot will leave you 185 yards to the 100-yard marker which will clear you of the water hazard. The green is two-tiered and placing yourself on the proper level is a must if you want a two-putt.
Videos courtesy of The Hole Golfer
Rules
May 15, 2019, by: Angela