Northfield Country Club’s 9-hole scenic and challenging golf course offers 14 tee boxes for men, 16 for women, 3 teeing areas, and a practice putting green.
From the fairway, take a look to the left, across the road and the 9th fairway, into Northfield’s Valley of Sin. That big hill will come into play on your second shot on 6, but it will be blind. Take a mental picture so you remember. Also from the 1st fairway, look to your right and note the 2nd fairway and landing area. This will be largely blind to you from the 2nd tee.
When you cross the bridge, take one last look at the 2nd fairway, the angle of the river and how much room you have between the trees right and the river left.
Note that the blue and white tees are “crossed:” the white tee for 2 is in front of blue 11 and vice versa.
If you pull the tee shot, it’ll be your call whether you got the ball across the river and over the fairway before it entered the hazard. If you did, you can drop over there. If you didn’t get it that far, you’ll have entered the hazard more or less in front of the ladies’ tee.
The 3rd tee is behind and above the 2nd green. Short par 4, but those two traps are important because the green runs from front to back. It’s hard to keep it on the green coming over them. Better to be in front and come up the opening. 12 is a par 3, with the tee on the other side of the river. Sign says 190 from the blues, but I don’t think it’s all of that.
The volcano hole. The green is longer than it is wide. You can be long or short, but best not to be left or right. It plays at least one club longer than the yardage (note stone plaque beside the tee and location of blue/white tee markers). A wind can make this an even tougher shot than it is already, but it’s hard to judge the wind from down on the tee. This is considered one of the most difficult holes on the course.
5 is par 4, 14 is par 5
Take a look at the slight dogleg from the tee because if you don’t make the top of the hill the second shot is blind. (From the 14th tee you’ll definitely be playing from between the hills, so remember from the first time around how it lies.) Advice: Avoid going left off the tee. It’s red staked, but in addition to the penalty (and the lost ball; that’s quite a ravine) your drop won’t leave you much of a shot. Around the corner the stakes are white, but that shouldn’t come into play.
Out of bounds on the tracks to the left all the way. You want to stay left on your second shot, (remember the Valley of Sin you observed form the 1st fairway?) so you may prefer to be a little right off the tee. The knoll right center is a good line. The challenge is the second shot. The Valley of Sin cuts in quite far, and the fairway above it runs in that direction, too. If you get down there, take a look from above before lining up your shot. The green may be blind, and the angle, with the trees right and the trap in front, isn’t easy. Finally, count your blessings that they have filled and leveled the trap in front of the green, softening it considerably. If you do Sin, the trap in front isn’t a bad option.
7 (blue and white are behind the 6th green) 16 (white is down below-follow the cart path) and 16 (blue is to the right of the 6th green)
The trees on the left are white staked, so if you hit it that way, play a provisional. Big hitters who might lose it right better be sure no cars are coming. The road is definitely in play for you. Also for big hitters: the 8th tee is just about at the end of your range but reachable.
NOTE: If you hit a power line, replay the shot.
No mysteries here. Have someone in the group watch for cars. You can’t see because of the trees left of the tee.
NOTE: If you hit a power line, replay the shot.
Don’t hit while cars are coming. On your second shot, remember that look at the green from the clubhouse. It’s uphill and the green is hard to hold. There are sometimes friendly bounces right, off the volcano.
