The St. George's Golf Course back 9 presents challenge and adventure at every hole. As you play these nine holes, you'll encounter sand bunkers, fescue patches, sloping terrain and a water hazard. Each hole reflects St. George's historical roots in the Golden Age of Golf. The distinctive character found at St. George's will compel you to play the back 9 time and again.
Hole 10
The first hole of St. George's back 9, The Cedars, is named for the cedar trees that line the right side of the fairway.
Hole 11 involves a blind shot, which is a common trait of links courses, the style in which St. George's is built.
Many blind shots incline from the tee to the cup, but this hole is the opposite. In fact, there's a 10-foot drop between the start of the fairway and the green. Furthermore, the green itself slopes from front to back.
This hole is a par 4, and it's rated a 10 handicap for men and a 6 handicap for women. From the championship tees, the ball travels 380 yards to the end of the hole.
Hole 11
Maiden is the name of this challenging hole. The green presents an easy putting surface, but getting there can be a formidable task. On the fairway, swing your ball too far to the left, and your ball will go out of bounds. Let it fly to the right, and you'll land in the sand.
This par-3 hole is a short 204 yards from the championship tees. It's a 14 handicap for men and an 18 handicap for women.
Take a look at it in the video below:
Hole 12
The 12th hole is Needle E'e, pronounced "eye," and it's named for the fairway's narrow path. It's bordered by an out-of-bounds territory on one side and a hill on the opposite side.
This hilly nature of the terrain extends to the green. Just to get your ball onto the green, you must propel it up an incline. Once there, take care, or your ball will careen toward the left.
Hole 12 is a par 14 with a 4 handicap for men and a 10 for women. It measures 430 yards in length.
Hole 13
Get ready for adventure on Hole 13. Called The Knoll, this hole coasts up and down over the course of the fairway. It rises near the end of the fairway but then drops back down 25 feet in elevation by the time you reach the green.
In addition to rolling crests, The Knoll also presents impressive views of St. George's setting. Take a moment to look around at the sights before continuing on to the next hole.
This is another par-4 hole. It's ranked as a 2 handicap for men and a 4 handicap for women. The hole is 458 yards long.
Hole 14
This hole is named Drum Sichty. "Sichty" is a Scottish word to describe an impressive sight, and the hole's name refers to the views of the hills at St. George's Golf and Country Club.
An inclining fairway ends at a green that is surrounded by trees and sand bunkers. To add an element of challenge, the green slopes. Careful putts, therefore, are a must.
Drum Sichty is a 394-yard par 4. It's the course's No. 6 handicap for men and the No. 8 handicap for women.
Hole 15
Don't expect a long fairway on this hole, known as Bastion. Instead, this par 3 separates the teeing ground from the green with a patch of thick fescue. Your ball must soar over it if you want to have any hope of reaching the green.
The hazards don't stop once you get there. Hole 15 has no shortage of greenside bunkers, and another patch of fescue sits beyond it. Watch your putts carefully; the sand bunkers sit 10 feet lower than the green, so getting them out can prove tricky.
From the championship tees, this hole is only 171 feet long. It is ranked as a 16 handicap for both men and women.
View the impressive layout of this hole in the video below:
Hole 16
Water Kelpie is the name of this hole, and not surprisingly, you must clear a water hazard to make your way toward the green.
The first part of the 20th century was the Golden Age of Golf, during which many classic courses were constructed. This includes St. George's, which opened in 1917. Many of the design elements reflect the era in which the club was built. This includes the false front on Hole 16. You'll need to navigate this if you want your ball to land on the green, but if you hit it too far, it will land in the rough.
The green itself is smooth and simple, so an accurate shot onto the green may reward you with an easy putt for your final stroke.
This is a 323-yard hole, and it's rated a par 4. The handicap is 12 for both men and women.
Hole 17
Sunken Forest is a fitting name for this hole, where the teeing ground and the green are separated by a forest of fescue. Even if you clear the fescue, more trials await. The green is surrounded by five sand-filled bunkers that can trap a wayward ball.
This is a par 3, but you'll need an accurate shot off the tee in order to achieve that. The 129-yard hole is considered the No. 18 handicap for men and the No. 14 for women.
Hole 18
The final hole of the St. George's Golf Course back 9 is Hame. It's a dogleg hole that is riddled with bunkers. You'll have to navigate both sand bunkers and fescue to reach the slanted green.
Once you reach the green, however, the clubhouse will be within sight. Sink your ball, and then start thinking about the cold drink that awaits you inside.
Hole 18 measures 542 yards from the championship tees. It's a par 5 that deserves an 8 handicap for men and a 2 handicap for women.
Watch the video below to get a feel for the many bunkers on this hole:
Thanks to a major restoration project that began in 2008, the back 9 at St. George's Golf and Country Club stands as a testament to classic course design, and the layout reflects the original vision of the course's architect, Devereux Emmet. Contact us to learn more about playing on this Golden Age course.