A demanding opening par 4 with OB on the right off the tee and a lot of dead ground on your approach, so take plenty of club into this narrow but long green. The smart approach is aiming at the left greenside bunker with a slight fade. Anything right of the green can leave a difficult par save.
A short but troublesome par 4 where a driver is not always the best policy from the tee. The second shot is to an elevated green and distance control is paramount; too short and the ball will roll 30/40 yards back down the slope. If you hit it long you will need a tour player’s touch to get it close.
Accuracy off the tee is crucial with trees right and OB left over the ditch. A second shot that lands just at the end of the fairway should allow the ball to run down onto the green. If you are going to carry it on to the green take an extra club to avoid the slopes shooting the ball into tree trouble behind the green.
Leave the driver in the bag and hit a long to mid iron. It is imperative to favour the left hand side of the fairway here or you will have a blind shot over trees. An accurate tee shot will give you a short second shot setting up a real birdie chance. But don't go long.
Par 5 which plays long up the hill. Play it as a three shotter with caution to avoid the OB left on the second shot and it will pay off. Remember to take great care on the difficult to read and slick-paced green.
Good downhill par three with disaster lurking for anything big off the tee. If the flag is tucked behind the bunker play for the centre of green and try to leave yourself an uphill putt.
A 3 wood or long iron to keep it in play is a must with this very tight tee shot. An accurate tee shot will leave an approach to an elevated and small green with very subtle breaks. Again distance control is critical with difficulties short and long of the green.
Plenty of space down the right side of the fairway, so use it and don’t go left or you’re dead in the trees. The sloping fairway will encourage a pulled second shot to test your skills. Once again be cautious on the green.
Short par four which is possibly drivable for the longer hitter but generally not worth it. The lay up on the right side of the fairway is advisable and it leaves a short shot preferably left below the hole. Have a look where the pin is cut at the 16th, it will come in handy later in the round.
A good par three which can play very long when into the wind and has a lot of dead ground in front of the green. Take an extra club.
Nice downhill dogleg to the right. A good guide off the tee is hit it on the chapel bell tower with a fade. This leaves a short shot on to a green that slopes sharply from back to front and is very difficult to read. Don’t go long. Whatever your score, enjoy the view across Belfast lough on a blue sky day.
One of the easiest holes on the course but not to be taken for granted. Aim dead centre of the green and avoid gambling!
A challenging par 4 uphill with a blind second shot to the green. Got to hit the fairway and preferably right of centre here to set up a chance to find the green in regulation. Hit one club extra here as it looks shorter than it is.
OB all the way down the right hand side so be careful! However, the slope will gather a well hit drive giving longer hitters a chance to leave an eagle putt. An approach to this green is generally best played short and let the ball run down onto the green.
A ditch at around 220 yards may well gather an ambitious drive so best to lay up with a hybrid or iron. Take care in clubbing your approach on to the upturned saucer-shape green as anything too aggressive will run though the green and down the slope.
Straightforward tee shot but must find the fairway. The second is played uphill towards a sloping green with a considerable ridge in it so pay attention where the pin is cut - you can see it from the 9th tee. Again take an extra club up the hill.
Medium length par 3 with a small green. Take plenty of club, even if you go long it’s generally easier than being short.
A great finishing hole. With OB down the right a slight fade aimed at the elevator shaft of the clubhouse would be a good play here. That’s the hard part. The second shot is played into a fairly deep green so be sure of your distance as you don’t want to test yourself too much with a long putt at the last. For the higher handicapper play it as a three-shotter.