Course Description

Designer: Fred Hulls / Allan MacKay
Golf Pro: Joey Rettinger
Holes: 18
Slope: 125.0
Rating: 72.1
Par: 72
Yardage: 6448

Joe "the Pro" Observations

From the Blue Tees the course is long enough at 6469 yards. The wind is a major factor at Ainsdale, making proper club selection and ball flight very important.

Many of the greens are sloped from back to front.  As the rule goes, it is better to be a little short rather than long.

The course provides more than adequate room of the tee to place your tee shot but then the approach shots must avoid the hazards guarding the greens.

The course is rated 72.1 and is playable for every type of golfer from beginner to expert. 

Hole #1: Straight Away, Good Short Opening Hole.

Hole #2: Using a driver off the tee not the best choice.  Best second shot is to hit high to this elevated green.

Hole #3: Long Par Three, Big Green.

Hole #4: Down Hill Tee Shot Sloping Right. Aim Left as there is trouble on the right. Aim Left on your approach as ball tends to feed to the right.

Hole #5: Risk Reward Short Par 4. Go for it only if you can drive to the Green Area 300 yards away. There is lots of bush to the left and a fairway bunker right. Second shot actually lands slightly on a downhill lay. The green is guarded by bunkers and long bush.

Hole #6: Can be long at 430 yards from the blue tee blocks, up and over a hill. Out of bounds lines the entire left side of hole. Approach shot feeds right.

Hole #7: A short risk reward par 4. Tee shot and approach feed to the left. The green is severely sloped from back to front. Leave your chip short and putt up hill.

Hole #8: A little bit of a blind shot par 3. A bunker on the left comes into play more than it appears from the tee blocks. Tee shot is preferably right to left and miss a little right if anything.

Hole #9: An uphill par 5. You cannot see the water that comes into play off the tee on the right - for this reason aim a little left. Very few will ever reach this 555 yard uphill (600yd) hole in 2 shots.

Hole #10: Medium length par 4, with a 30 degree dogleg right to left. Out of bounds (Driving Range) to the left.  Second shot should hit down hill. The green is well guarded by bunkers.

Hole #11: My personal pick as the best hole on the course. This hole is right to left (almost a backward C shape). Ninety-five percent of the time it will take you 3 shots to arrive at this small, high green with a small creek in front and trouble/bush to the left and right and long. Approach shot must be high and the exact distance. If you are brave you can try hitting your tee shot way left and 300 plus yards.

Hole #12: A great windy par three with water on the left and short. For this reason tee shots should be missed to the right and little long.  Take three and move on.

Hole #13: A long great par 4 455 yards from the blue tees. Straight hole, slightly down hill. Unique trees in front of the green mean unless you hit a big drive, it is better to bounce the ball into the front of the green and roll on.

Hole #14: Par 5 Fairway bunker left and reachable water to the right of fairway off the tee. Reachable Par 5 for some.  Approaches are better from the short right side of fairway.

Hole #15: Another opportunity to score on a reachable par 5. Tee shot must carry the ravine at the beginning of the fairway.  Approach shots should be hit to the right side as at the green as a bunker on the left side is really tough. The green is sloped severely from back to front (be short).

Hole #16: Off the tee keep the tee shot down to the far left side of fairway. The ideal approach shot should be hit across of the ravine. The ball must be high and land soft.

Hole #17: Medium length par three. If you are going to miss the tee shot, miss short left. A three here is a great score.

Hole #18 Hit your tee shot uphill straight away. You approach shot must be hit to the proper portion of this undulating green. Avoid the crowds cheering from the nearby patio!