Copper Creek Golf Course Detail
The carts at Copper Creek have handle little books describing each hole. These details leverage heavily from that book. This writeup is done from the blues.
The first hole is a short par 4, and narrow (OB left, trees right). It's also a blind tee shot, but it's straightaway, so no worries. Hit a long iron or hybrid to set up a short iron approach shot.
#2 is a longer par 4 (373 yards), and it's downhill. It's a bit narrow, but if you feel confident in hitting your driver straight, well, tee it high and let it fly. On the other hand, if you're a bit queasy about OB left and trees and bushes on the right, a hybrid will likely get you home in two. The green is not too difficult, but it's pretty well protected with berms.
The third hole is a long par 3 over water, playing every bit of 196 yards, so take plenty of club! The pond stretches diagonally from left to right, so if you're going to bail out, go left. (PS, there's a drop zone in front of the red tees.)
The fourth hole is long (414 yards) and difficult (hazard all down the left). Beware the bunker short and right. So you need a straight tee shot, and bogey is not a horrible score here.
#5 is a short (318 yards) par 4 with a dogleg left. There's trouble pretty much everywhere, so the key is to hit it straight. Twice. Mid-iron or hybrid off the tee, short iron approach. There's a little bit of room right of the green, but the fringe on the left ends in a drop to Copper Creek.
#6 is a short (484 yards) par 5, which exemplifies target golf at its finest. First, there's a forced carry. (I dunked my tee shot in the water despite hitting driver because I caught it just a bit thin.) Second, there are two ponds and a creek down the right side, so your second shot needs to stay well left. Finally, the green tucks in to the right behind the water, which is meant to trap long hitters trying to reach in two. My advice: Hybrid over the water, mid-iron layup to the left, short iron approach to the green.
#7 is a short par 3, playing only 111 yards. The creek runs to the left side, so don't go there! Of course missing it right means you have to chip directly at the creek on your next shot. On the other hand it's only 111 yards -- just hit it on, take your two putts and walk away.
The eighth hole offers some more target golf. It's short, but... There's OB left, and there are signs cautioning you not to try to hit over the buildings. There's also the creek to worry about from the right. Hit a long iron or hybrid off the tee -- anything to get you in the proximity of the 150 stake. Then you're left with a short iron up the hill to the green. The book cautions you not to get above the pin...
#9 is a drivable par 4 -- it's only 264 yards, down hill. The green is tucked back into the right behind a small hill and a big sand trap. So anything less than perfect is pretty much doomed to land in the trap, which is pretty deep. If you're a bit faint of heart (like me), lay it out to the left of the trap with a hybrid or long iron, to set up an easy chip on to the green -- no muss, no fuss.
The opening hole on the back nine is a 169 yard par 3. You drive past the Super Bee left to get to the tee box. There's a pond to hit your tee shot over, but bailing out right is an okay strategy (at least compared to hitting it in the water). The green is well-protected with berms and bunkers.
#11 is a 532 yard par 5. There's room to hit your driver here, but because of the altitude, you're going to get plenty of carry out of a hybrid or three wood too. Pretty straightforward, hit quality shots and this hole can be had.
#12 is a 144 yard par 3 with a wiiiddde green. If the pin is on the left and you hit it right, you could easily 4-putt it. Aim at the pin.
#13 is a reachable par 5, playing 468 yards. There's a two-tiered green, and it's well-protected by bunkers, so play close attention to pin placement.
#14 is billed as the highest tee box in North America, at 9863 feet. It's only 309 yards, so it's fun to try and drive the green, especially because of the majestic height you're teeing from. On the other hand, you could tee off with an eight iron and still wind up inside of 150 yards. So have fun!
15 is a pretty little par 3 nestled in the woods. It's only 135 yards, and no trouble to speak of. I chunked my tee shot and still made bogey...
#16 is a long downhill par 4, playing 420 yards. It has a slight dogleg left, and you need to hit it reasonably straight, but there's definitely room to hit your driver. But a three wood or hybrid will do the trick too.
The seventeenth is a yet another par 3. It's 158 yards, but the tee shot feels kind of intimidating because of the trees on both sides. The hole sets up well for a slight draw, but if you don't have that shot, at least hit it straight. Take plenty of club, because there's a bunker system fronting the left side of the green.
The home hole is a steep par 4 (359 yards) through a chute in the trees. A driver is fun because it will hang in the air forever, but there's trouble on both sides. On the other hand, you can easily reach this green with two mid-irons because the fairway is so steep. Fun hole, lots of trade-offs.
| 
