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I had been calling the pro-shop for months. The course was originally supposed to open up on March 1st, but that date slipped to mid-March, early-April, etc. etc. I called about once a week wanting to know when they would be opening and if I could reserve a tee time yet. The Wild Wings Golf course pro, John Hoag was always the one to answer the phone, and he was always pretty nice about it. But I imagined that there were probably 50 other guys calling each week and asking the same questions and it was probably driving him nuts. Finally on May 12th 2005- Wild Wings Golf Course opened up for business. Everything was ready, and golfers finally got to put on their funny looking clothes and hit a little white ball around for a few hours then lie to their friends about the score. I was out there with them. I ended up playing with a father/son combo of Rich and Chad. You can see them in a lot of the pictures...they were good guys to play golf with and didn't even mind that I spent so much time taking pictures. Did opening day go well? It did for me- I was very happy with the course. I overhead the golf pro tell someone else that there were probably about 80 people on the course that opening day. Wild Wings Golf Club is a 9 hole course. They have 3 par 3's, 3 par 4's and 3 par 5's. You can see the hole layouts on the scorecard.
18 holes means you will be playing the entire course
twice. I stood out on the first tee and thought the same thing I usually think when I play golf: "Oh god, don't screw up...don't look like a chump...just hit the ball past the ladies tee..." So in that regard it was like any other course I've ever played. But since I have never played this course before, it was a little more exciting- I didn't even know where the ladies tee was.
The best feature of the first hole is the giant oak tree right smack-dab in the middle of the fairway (circled below). On this hole, you really need to make the choice of going to the left, or to the right. Going to the left will leave you with the better approach shot- but as you can see, there is also water over to the left. There's more room to the right, but from that direction the green is protected by a nice bunker. The pro-shop told me that in the morning the rough under the tree was a very long rough- about 6 inches. But after a few complaints they decided to cut it. Personally, I'd prefer the long rough as a bigger challenge.
How I played it: I played this hole twice. The first time, I tried to go left, but actually ended up right in front of the tree. My next shot was an 8-iron which went over the tree, but ended up a little short of the green. Chip onto the green, and two putt for bogey. The second time I played I went to the right. My next shot was a wide-open 6-iron onto the green. (please don't ask about the putts...or putz in this case.)
The second hole is the easiest hole on the course. It is a short par 3 with a bunker guarding the front right of the green. But the green is humongous, and there is nothing protecting the center- so shooting straight down the middle is safe for hitting the green, but you still may end up with a 30 foot putt. If just hitting the green is your goal, this is the hole for you.
How I played it: I Played a 9-iron, and my tee shot was on the front and center part of the green. Pin was off to the right, up on a little plateau. First putt was about 1 foot short- tap in for par. I said to Rich and Chad - "well, I got one par- I'll be happy even if that's all I get." How prophetic...and pathetic...that was the only par I would get.
This hole runs parallel to #1, but is a little longer, and a little tougher. Even though there is no tree in the center of the fairway, the 33 extra yards really affect your approach shot. Hitting the green with a 5 iron is much tougher than an 8 iron. The sand on the right hand side of the green is deep and deadly. Wild Wings golf course has great bunkers.
How I played it: Well, from my scorecard, I guess I didn't do too well, scoring a 6. My tee shot was nice, but ended up on a small hill on the left hand side. From there my next shot went over to the right hand side of the green. I hit a decent chip onto the green- but the green was so hard it bounced off onto the small hill to the left side. A little pitch on, and 2 put for a grand total of 6. I'm starting to think I'm not very good...
Hole #4 and Wild Wings golf course is the first par 5 on the course, and in my opinion, the least exciting hole out there. Not to say it is a bad hole at all, there just isn't anything really exciting about it. You tee off on a slightly elevated box, next to a small lake, but not really over it. The fairway is long, and very straight. The left hand side out of bounds is farm fields- and the right side is lined with houses and a few small lakes. Three fairly straight shots should take you to the green no problem. Once near the green, the biggest problem will be that the green itself is so hard, that it is difficult to 'stick' anything. This was a solid hole, but again, nothing to get excited about- the strategy is 'hit it toward the pin.' (Not to say that I can follow that strategy, but that is how it should be played.)
How I played it: Once again, the scorecard doesn't lie. I got a 7. My tee shot was good, in the center of the fairway, and my second shot was also pretty fair, putting me in easy position to reach the green on my 3rd. But, my third shot went wide to the right. Next I hit a fairly decent pitch over the sand traps and onto the green, but it hit hard and bounced off the green way past the back. A little chip on, and two putt...double bogey.
Number 5 is a nice hole, with a lot more strategy involved. I really like the dog-leg-left play, because it goes opposite of my slice, and makes me work harder. Also, I believe that the scorecard map is missing some bunkers in front of the green (I may be mistaken). I seem to remember two huge traps that would block a short approach shot down the center. I also thought that this had one of the prettiest lakes on the course. Unfortunately, since the course is so new, there are very few birds taking advantage of the lakes...it will be nice when ducks and geese move in.
How I played it: Poorly of course. My tee shot went to the right (slice...) and my next shot with a 5 iron ended up on the left (just bad golf). I was about 120 yards out and I blasted a 9-iron straight into the sky. It came down on the back of the green....and BOUNCED over the hill on the back. I have never seen a ball bounce on the green like that before...that same shot on any other course would have bit in, and rolled back because of the spin. So- I ended up chipping on, and 1 putting for a bogey. At least the rough behind the green was easy to play from.
Hole #6 is a pleasant little par 5- one that I will probably never par. Midway in the fairway, on the right, is the set of bunkers you see below. That would normally be my target area. A few hundred yards beyond that, there is a pond on the right- another one of my target areas. Once again, the greens are big, and pretty. I will stop mentioning the greens...
The yellow dot over his left shoulder
shows where Rich's house is. It looks out right on Wild Wings golf course.
#7 is a sweet little hole. It's a 6 iron onto the green, with very little actual danger. But since you have to hit over the water, some people will get freaked out. Also, there are bunkers in the front right, freaking more people out. Don't even worry about the hazards, just aim for the pin. This one should be no sweat.
How Chad played the hole: Chad took a nice tee shot (pictures above) and hit the green. Two easy putts later, he had a solid par.
This hole is my favorite at Wild Wings. I like it because it is a short par 5, but there is a beguiling set of hazards by the green. You really need to plan your first and second shots well, to get into a good position on the third. The problem is that the green is at the bottom of a funnel. There is a lake on the front left, and bunkers on the front right. A fairly narrow little pathway will take you to the green. Go over, and you will have a horrible downhill lie in the rough.
There are a lot of positive things to say about Wild Wings, but one negative thing really sticks out- bermuda grass on the fairways. We have to ask the question- "Why bermuda?"
UPDATE! - 9 July 05. I played
at Wild Wings again (4th time). The fairways look great now.
I could be wrong, but I think that number 9 has one of the largest greens on the course. Getting to the green should be easy- you have to fly some water, but at only 128 yards, that should be no problem. But once you are on the green, you could still have a HUGE putt left. I did notice something strange out on the course...the greens are so perfect, that it is difficult to read the breaks. The are no imperfections to show you the contours...or, that is my really weak excuse for 3 putting. Ladies- on this hole don't even bother with the 'gold' tees. Play from the whites or blues. The way the gold tee is set up, it takes the water completely out of play. It's not much distance, but it will be so much more rewarding to hit across the water!
Because we were playing 'twilight' we got a couple of extra benefits. First, the golf was cheaper - only $15.00. Second, I believe that you can keep playing until it is too dark to play anymore. At least that is what the woman at the pro-shop agreed with. I talked to her a little before our game, and a little bit afterward- I wish I had caught her name, she was very nice, AND, she assumed I was young enough to be with two teenage girls that came into the pro-shop the same time I did.
Moo. For more information about Wild Wings - Prices, location, etc. Please see the Wild Wings Profile.
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