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Hole 1

Hole Name

From The Tee Briarwood's first hole is not your typical "shake hands" starting hole. Long distance and hazards give the golfer a challenge right out of the gate.

From The Fairway A pond comes into play left and bunkers right off the tee. Even after a good tee shot

On The Green the longest hitters will still need a mid-long iron to reach the green. Note that the bunker short right of the green collects many anxious approaches.

Hole 2

Hole Name

From The Tee Following the challening starting hole, the second hole presents the golfer with a simple shot and a feasible birdie try.

From The Fairway A well-struck short iron should leave the golfer with a nice birdie putt up the hill

On The Green This green is very receptive to the approach shot, but make sure to avoid the deep bunker on the left

Hole 3

Hole Name

From The Tee Hole 3 is the true definition of a risk-reward scenario

From The Fairway Golfers are given the choice of teeing with an iron, fairway wood or bombing their driver. Selecting a driver will allow longer hitters an opportunity to go for the green in two. However, a crooked drive may easily find the creek to the right or head out-of-bounds to the left

On The Green A perfect tee shot sets up a forced carry over the water onto this small and difficult green. The third green is among the most difficult to putt on the course. This hole is known to often make or break a round. Usually, the golfer choosing an iron off the tee is the one smiling as they leave the green

Hole 4

Hole Name

From The Tee Normally the easiest hole on the course, hole 4 is the last good scoring opportunity on the front nine.

From The Fairway The tee shot offers a generous landing area. If the golfer can avoid out-of-bounds and fairway bunkers, they will have a good chance to reach the green in two

On The Green The green is inviting and very receptive to a mid-long iron. The biggest challenge here is locating the proper section on this large, two-tiered green

Hole 5

Hole Name

From The Tee Similar to the third hole, hole 5 sees a wide variety of scores. Golfers must be careful off the tee as out-of-bounds guards the hole on both the left and the right side

From The Fairway Many golfers will select a fairway wood for the tee shot, which will then leave a mid-long iron to reach the green

On The Green Beware of the large bunker short right protecting the green. Par is always a good score on this hole

Hole 6

Hole Name

From The Tee Hole 6 is a mirror image of the first hole, except longer

From The Fairway It is the most difficult hole on the front nine, requiring a long drive and a well struck long iron. Beware of the two large bunkers that frame the tee shot

On The Green The sixth green is a very difficult green if you get above the hole and beware of the front-left hole location.

Hole 7

Hole Name

From The Tee Hole 7 is the most difficult par 3 hole on the course, forcing golfers to hit a mid-long iron through a shoot of trees

From The Fairway The trees to the right of the green attract many shots. When the golfer reaches the green, they face a slope of more than three feet from back to front.

On The Green Hopefully, the greens keeper does not wake up on the wrong side of the bed and cut the hole in the far back left

Hole 8

Hole Name

From The Tee Although hole 8 is short, it is deceptively difficult. The tee shot is generous, but many golfers will hit something less than a driver to set up their ideal distance to the green

From The Fairway Having the proper club is important to find this green, as it is well guarded by a creek on three sides

On The Green The second shot on this hole is one of the most important shots of a round. After safely navigating the creek, golfers are rewarded with an easy green to putt

Hole 9

Hole Name

From The Tee Hole 9 make a great finishing hole for the front nine. It can play as a completely different hole depending on which tee box you start on

From The Fairway From the back tees, golfers are forced to hit a driver, avoiding the large pond running the length of the hole. After a good tee shot, a mid-iron shot over almost all of the water is needed to find the green. From the up tees, golfers are given a few more choices

On The Green They may hit an iron off the tee, leaving a short iron to the green; or they mey hit the driver and try to carry the water onto the green. Hole 9 is a pivotal hole to keep the momentum of the round going into the back nine

Hole 10

Hole Name

From The Tee Leading off the back nine, hole 10 is a short, yet difficult hole. A good tee shot leaves the golfer with an uphill approach to one of the largest greens on the course

From The Fairway A fairway wood off the tee to the larger area of the fairway is the safest play and following a safe tee shot, a birdie is a very realistic possibility

On The Green

Hole 11

Hole Name

From The Tee The length of hole 11 makes it one of the toughest on the course

From The Fairway A high draw is perfect for hitting this fairway, an uphill drive sandwiched between two large bunkers.

On The Green If you get off the fairway, you will likely be blocked by one of the many Ash trees. To finish the hole, this green is medium in size and deceiving, making par a great score on this hole

Hole 12

Hole Name

From The Tee Hole 12 is the longest hole at Briarwood, yet makes for a fairly easy hole for scoring.

From The Fairway The fairway is generous in size, but if one strays from the green runway, they will likely find a fairway bunker on either the right or the left. The longer hitters may have a chance to get to the green in two; however, most golfers will play this as a three-shot hole.

On The Green The ideal placement for an approach is 100 yards out on the left side of the fairway. The green has a decent slope from back to front, making it great for holding an approach, but difficult to putt if you get above the hole

Hole 13

Hole Name

From The Tee The scorecard ranks hole 13 as the easiest hole on the course, yet it is a very easy hole to bogey

From The Fairway This is a straightaway par three, guarded by a large bunker short left of the green.

On The Green The large green can make it difficult to get to the proper area. It is very common to see 60-70 foot putts on this hole, especially when the pin is cut in the back of the green. Par is always a good score on hole 13.

Hole 14

Hole Name

From The Tee Hole 14, like many others at Briarwood, becomes much easier after a well-placed drive.

From The Fairway Avoid a big score by finding the fairway or the first cut of rough. Similar to hole 12, hole 14 is only reachable in 2 shots for the largest of hitters.

On The Green After covering the distance, you find the most interesting green on the course. It is a triangle-shaped green with a ridge that slopes off dramatically. This hole is the last scoring opportunity on the course

Hole 15

Hole Name

From The Tee The final four holes at Briarwood are arguably the best finishing stretch in the Des Moines Area

From The Fairway The par three 15th hole is one of the most beautiful holes on the course. This hole is extremely difficult to judge distance on because the dip in front of the green causes the hole to look shorter than it is

On The Green The front right hole sets up many exciting shots because the ball will funnel to the hole. This is the easiest of the final four holes, but still a challenging par

Hole 16

Hole Name

From The Tee Not to be outdone by the previous hole, this hole is every bit as beautiful as hole 15. Four-Mile Creek lines the hole all the way up the left-hand side and large trees up the right-hand side

From The Fairway Hole 16 is the only true dogleg on the course. It is ideally suited by a right-to-left shot. The woods behind the pin frame this elevated green nicely.

On The Green Like many holes at Briarwood, this green is very large and slopes from back to front. It is important to keep the shots low on hole 16 because it only gets more difficult on the finishing two

Hole 17

Hole Name

From The Tee Hole 17 offers a great risk-reward scenario on the tee-shot. Four-Mile Creek runs right through the middle of the fairway 165 yards from the green, forcing golfers to challenge the creek.

From The Fairway If the tee shot does not get all the way down by the creek, a fairway wood will be left to the green. However, if you challenge the creek and stay just short, a mid-iron may be hit into the green

On The Green If the tees are up slightly and the wind is out of the south, the longer hitters may elect to hit over the creek to set up a wedge for the second shot. Due to the compelling challenge of the creek, a par is a great score on hole 17

Hole 18

Hole Name

From The Tee Hole 18 is the crown jewel of the final four holes at Briarwood

From The Fairway is the perfect finishing hole for any tournament or match. No lead is ever too great in a stroke-play format heading into hole 18. This hole is where good rounds come to die. Large trees line the right side of the fairway and a lateral hazard lines the left side.

On The Green To add to the hurdles, Four-Mile Creek cuts through the fairway up by the green claiming many second shots. A golfer can truly take pride in finishing their round with a par