USGA Course Ratings
Blue Tees
6484
Men’s 71.7/129
White Tees
6106
Men’s 69.7/126
Women’s 75.4/132
White/Gold Tees
5847
Men’s 68.9/124
Women’s 74.0/130
Gold Tees
5494
Men’s 66.8/118
Women’s 71.0/123
Red Tees
5286
Men’s 66.4/117
Women’s 70.9/120
Red/Black Tees
4509
Men’s 63.0/110
Women’s 66.2/112
Black Tees
4195
Men’s 61.6/106
Women’s 63.9/110
Scorecard
Here’s a hole-by-hole look at Middlebury’s Ralph Myhre Golf Course.
A quick word about our golf course: Be patient if you don’t hit a lot of greens because they are relatively small. Bring your short game to get it up and down on most holes.
Twelve of our greens are elevated, which means you must add a club when calculating yardage.
Finally, be aware of the ground conditions. The course will change with the weather and play very differently when wet or dry.
Hole 01
Hole #1 is all about avoiding the bunkers. A fairly generous landing area for your tee shot we’ll leave you with a choice to try to hit over the fairway bunkers or layup short. If you’re not positive you can carry those bunkers, the smart play is to lay up, it’s very difficult to get on the green from those deep bunkers guarding the approach. The green has a steep false front, make sure you plan on flying that.
Hole 02
Hole #2 is harder than it looks. A straightforward tee shot to a wide fairway should leave you with a mid to short iron to the green. This elevated green is very narrow from front to back, so take extra time choosing your club. You want to hit at least one more club to allow for the elevation, and a higher shot is more likely to hold the green.
Hole 03
Hole #3 is our shortest par 4, but it is hardly an easy par. The longer hitters will try to bomb it over the bunker getting to just near the front of the green which leaves a short but very difficult chip to a narrow green that leans drastically from right to left. The better play is to hit your drive left of the fairway bunker. This will leave a better angle for a short iron into a green that’s difficult to hold. Once you’re on the green be sure to allow for lots of break and run to the bottom of the green. You will not see the green from the tee box so please make sure it’s clear before hitting.
Hole 4
Hole #4 is pretty straight forward: what you see is what you get. It is downhill and plays a little short off the tee, especially from the upper tee. The view from the blue tee is spectacular. The green is large enough to hold your shot nicely, it’s best to play to the front part of the green.
Hole 05
Hole #5 has a comfortable tee shot if you like to draw the ball. Otherwise, you will have to play to a yardage in the fairway making sure the ball doesn’t run through into the trees. Your approach shot is also slightly uphill and the green is protected by a bunker on the front right. The green usually holds well and pitches gently from left to right.
Hole 06
Hole #6 I always aim my tee shot at the fairway bunker on #8 in the distance. You’ll be tempted to try to cut the corner but that usually leaves you with tree trouble or in a bunker. There is a small bunker short right you may not see from the fairway. The green slopes from back to front and should accept a shot nicely. Putting downhill and side hill can get tricky; it may be quicker than it appears.
Hole 07
Hole #7 is a tricky green to hit in one. With water on both sides, I usually play to the front wider part of the green. This hole is often into the wind, if so, take an extra club and swing easy. Putts almost always break less than you see.
Hole 08
Hole #8 is a fun hole. It has a wide fairway to an elevated green. Favor the left side of the fairway and take an extra club into the green. Anything on the front of the green will end up rolling back down the hill. You will want to play to the middle of the green. Left puts you in one of the biggest, deepest bunkers on the course. The green is sloped back to front, seems to break more than it looks and is very fast down the hill.
Hole 09
Hole #9 is uphill and plays long. Definitely add an extra club for your approach shot. The right side of the green is relatively flat but the left side can get a little tricky because of a crown on the backside.
About the Back Nine
I hope you have straightened out your slice by now because the back nine is no place for those who hit their tee shots far offline to the right. The back nine was built pretty much around the perimeter of the original nine and there is trouble on the right side all the way around. It plays about two strokes harder than the front, and demands more accurate shots and lots of patience. So take a deep breath, be confident, and have fun!
Hole 10
Hole 11
The 11th hole is probably the most memorable. It will take three (or four, or five) good shots to get to the most challenging green on the course. The tee shot takes off from the highest point on the course and drops down to the lowest. There is a pond on the left and a ditch running all the way across the fairway. A 190-210 yard drive to the right side of the landing area will give you the best angle for your next shot. The second shot is challenging. You want to get into a good position for your approach to the green. Trying to cut the corner, more often than not, will lead to a big number. Just play the hole as it is set up, with three solid shots and leave an open shot to a very small and difficult green.
Hole 12
The 12th hole is a great par three. The green holds well, putts true, and there are no tricks. Just carefully judge the wind, as the tee area is protected, and pick the right yardage and fire away.
Hole 13
The 13th hole moves to the right with the green elevated and hidden from the tee area. You will not see the green until you are well down the fairway. Accuracy is more important than distance off the tee. Down the right side may leave you blocked from the green and there is a drainage ditch on the left. Any ball placed 75-150 yards from the green will set you up for the approach. The green is small, and usually firm. Putts will break from right to left. The amount of speed and break may deceive you.
Hole 14
Hole 15
Hole #15 requires extreme accuracy with your tee shot. Again, check wind and ground conditions. If the fairway is very dry the ball may roll through the fairway on either side. Any ball hit to the right will kick even farther to the right. Aim to land the tee shot in the left side of the fairway landing area. Be careful of the pond on the right of the green. Once reaching the green, it almost always breaks more than you see. If the flag is up front, stay below the hole.
Hole 16
The 16th is a full par 5 with penalty area all the way up the right side. Because it is a par 5, most will want to hit driver off the tee, it has a narrow landing area, so if you spray your driver, maybe a shorter shot is the best play. It’s a three shot hole for almost everyone anyway. When you do get within range of the green don’t forget to factor in a couple of extra yards for the elevated green. The green is well protected by a large bunker front/left.
Hole 17
The 17th hole is an uphill par four. The fairway tightens up a bit just beyond the 150 marker because of a bunker on the right side. Most tee shots will leave you with a blind shot to the green. The approach is flat and under most circumstances your shot will roll up onto the green. The green is sloped from back to front and will usually hold well. The downhill putts can get a little speedy.
Hole 18
The 18th is a slight dogleg left and a great finishing hole. Hit your tee shot as far as you can because the approach shot is to a green that is not only elevated but also has a large false front. Anything short will come right back at you. The green will break left to right and speed can get tricky.
Hope you had a great round!