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Hole 1

Hole Name

From The Tee A classic entry to a classic golf course, this hole gives you a 'what you see is what you get' start to the round.

From The Fairway A drive down the middle avoiding the reachable fairway bunkers will set you up for any hole placement on this 40-yard deep green.

On The Green In his last visit to the course in the late 1980s, RO-Bert Trent Jones commented on the 'cathedral' like setting, with some of the largest Douglas Fir trees on the course framing the green site. The cedar tree near the two fairway bunkers on the right is approximately 150 yards from the center of the green. You'll find similar trees on some other holes.

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Hole 2

Hole Name

From The Tee Avoid left of the green site and over the green, because steep banks result in difficult chips onto the green. If you don't have a long high shot, short/front left is a smart and safe lay up.

From The Fairway This long par 3 provides a 'wake up call' to golfers of all levels. Hit a long iron or wood to a large, undulating green, well protected by bunkers.

On The Green If you are playing from the back tees, #2 is also the first of four demanding par 3s. In his last visit to ECC, Jones commented about the large, old, and sharply leaning Douglas Fir that provides a unique backdrop to this hole.

Hole 3

Hole Name

From The Tee This is the first of two consecutive strong two-shot holes. Off the tee, there's plenty of room to the right. However, the perfect drive is usually down the left side, shortening the approach.

From The Fairway Aim your drive at the big Douglas Fir you see behind the right greenside bunker and a slight draw will put you in position for your approach shot, unless the hole is tucked behind the left greenside bunker.

On The Green As with many holes on the course, avoid going over the green, because the dropoff is severe. High handicappers should consider laying up for a pitch or chip to the green, because right, left, and long often result in very difficult chips.

Hole 4

Hole Name

From The Tee A drive down the left side of the fairway will usually bounce back toward the center off a slope that is not easily seen from the tee.

From The Fairway If conditions are dry, this elevated green is usually a bit firmer than others on the course. The green is well protected. Left of the green is a deep swale.

On The Green Over the green is another steep bank. A shot right of the green that misses the bunker risks a kick into the lateral water hazard. As with the prior hole, high handicappers should consider playing short of the green and greenside bunkers, because the green is well protected on all other sides.

Hole 5

Hole Name

From The Tee Although the hole plays slightly downhill from all but one of the tees, a breeze blowing along the waterway can often knock down shots. Going after hole positions in the front portion of the green can be risky.

From The Fairway Take the hazard out of play by selecting a club that reaches the center or back of the green. However, hitting over the green will leave you with a difficult downhill chip or bunker shot, facing the water hazard.

On The Green One of the few 'quirks' of design on the course is the cart path up the hill. Hit it there and you have the option of playing it as it lies, or dropping to play your second shot from the drop area on the tee side of the water hazard. Also, note that the hazard is marked with both yellow and red stakes, depending on the location along the waterway.

Hole 6

Hole Name

From The Tee For most amateur players, this is a three-shot par 5. Big hitters can go over the fairway bunkers on the right in an attempt to reach the green in two with a long second shot. If you choose to make it a three-shot hole, your second shot should be aimed more left than it appears; aiming just to the right of the gap in the Fir trees in the distance usually works well.

From The Fairway If you drive down the center of the fairway and are still near the top of the hill, your layup second will be 190 yards at most. The green has a shelf that runs across its middle, so try to hit to the level on which the hole is cut.

On The Green Layup yardages to 85 yards from the green are on the sprinklers. The grave of Indian Liza, reported to be the babysitter for Cal Young's children, is located on the right side of the fairway at the top of the hill nearing the third shot approach area.

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Hole 7

Hole Name

From The Tee Another long par 3 from the championship tees, this green demands a well placed tee shot because a hump in the back center of the green and other undulations can result in very difficult putts.

From The Fairway A fade off the tee is risky because the water hazard stretches back to the right of the green. Tom Watson, who played the ECC course as a Stanford undergraduate, once said that the strong par 3s at ECC were among the best group of par 3s on any course he had played.

On The Green Another Stanford undergraduate, Tiger Woods, four-putted this green in tournament play.

Hole 8

Hole Name

From The Tee This is a par 5 that many players can reach in two shots, an opportunity for an eagle or birdie for lower handicap players.

From The Fairway Aim to the left edge of the fairway bunker you see off the tee, hit a slight draw, and you will be in perfect position for your second shot. This hole has been played as a par 4 in some of the men's championship tournaments held at ECC.

On The Green

Hole 9

Hole Name

From The Tee

From The Fairway Drive down the left side of the fairway (despite the bunker) because many players can drive long enough for the orchard trees on the right to screen the approach shot. From the championship tees .

On The Green blast away, it's a long hole for most and the bunker is tough to reach unless you are a very long driver or it's August. The fruit trees lining the fairway from 150-yards into the green were part of the farm that was on this property prior to the course.

Hole 10

Hole Name

From The Tee From the tee, this hole is dominated by a large Maple overhanging the right side of the landing area.

From The Fairway Aim to the fairway bunkers on the left and fade your drive. This will avoid the Maple. Higher handicappers may simply play down the left side to avoid the overhanging tree.

On The Green A drive into the right rough and trees often leaves no clear shot to the green, as a cluster of Douglas Firs further down the fairway screen the view of the green. An approach shot that is long on this green will result in another difficult chip up a fairly steep slope.

Hole 11

Hole Name

From The Tee The goal off the tee for most players is to drive up the short, but steep bank. This results in a clear view of the green and an approach shot that is no longer than 160 yards. A drive too far right risks a second shot from the Fir trees.

From The Fairway The perfect drive is a fade, because a long straight drive can roll through the fairway to the left, leaving a second shot that is hindered by overhanging trees. A creek runs behind the green. This green slopes severely toward the pond; first-timers may not see the entire break when putting across the green.

On The Green RO-Bert Trent Jones reportedly traveled to Scotland during the remodeling of ECC. After reviewing the natural links of Scotland, he erased the thought to flatten the ledge up to the landing area for the drive.

Hole 12

Hole Name

From The Tee This par 3 is slightly uphill, so more club on the tee shot should be considered. A lie in front of or left of the green leaves a second shot that is a difficult chip up a steep bank. A shot that lands short of the green can roll back near or into the water.

From The Fairway

On The Green Along with #7, this is a hole that does not follow the Egan routing in reverse. The former teeing area was well to the right of the current green and the previous green was 50 yards in front of the current white tee area and to the left.

Hole 13

Hole Name

From The Tee This par 5 is a three shot hole, except for very big hitters. A conservative approach is to use a three wood off the tee, hit a two hundred yard second shot, and then a shot of 100-120 yards into the green.

From The Fairway The drive should be to the center or left center of the fairway, because Oak trees screen second shots from the right side of the fairway. A couple of undulations in the fairway can result in awkward lies unless your drive stays short of or clears them.

On The Green Unless you are playing a shot to be near the green, staying center, or slightly right of center is the safe layup second shot, because the left side in the approach area is protected by another large overhanging Maple.

Hole 14

Hole Name

From The Tee A fade is clearly demanded off the tee of this fairly short par 4.

From The Fairway A good target for a faded drive is the Cedar on the left side of the fairway. This tree was a 150-yard marker to the green of the old, Egan course #5, which was just in front of the current tee.

On The Green While not a style of bunker that Jones used often, the round bunker at the back of this green is likely the result of his experimentation following his travels to Scotland during the 1960s. Similar bunkers are on #8 and #15.

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Hole 15

Hole Name

From The Tee Number 15 is usually considered the most demanding par 4 on the course. Long hitters can hit drives past the corner of the dogleg, but most players aim to the center or right of center from the tee, in order to ensure a view of the green from the approach area.

From The Fairway The approach is a bit uphill, and with the deep, angled green you can usually take an extra half or full club, because a chip or bunker shot from the swale on the right side of the green is difficult.

On The Green Approach shots clearing the front right bunker but landing short of the green will bounce down into the swale or back right bunker. Many players forget the hole placement and aim for the center of the green. The green has quite a bit of slope to it (down to the swale).

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Hole 16

Hole Name

From The Tee This is not a long par 5 but to reach this green in two, you should hit a drive down the right side of the fairway to clear the old, natural drainage channel. This will result in a clear second shot toward the green.

From The Fairway Seventy yards short of the green, a water hazard is on the far right and in the rough. This is the second of two hazards that are difficult to see from down the fairway.

On The Green The green is 44 yards deep. A back left pin placement results in a putt up the hill that has a big swing left (not all of it apparent).

Hole 17

Hole Name

From The Tee This tee shot demands a fade, airming to the right edge of the Ash tree that protects the left side of the fairway. The large Douglas Fir off the right side of the tee has been given many monikers over the years.

From The Fairway One of the most popular in recent years is "Olajawon" for the famous basketball player known for blocking shots. Natural drainage channels can yield unusual and testing lies for your short approach shot.

On The Green This sometimes makes this short par 4 a bit more challenging than the yardage indicates. Shots landing in the front left of the green often roll back down the hill and off the putting surface.

Hole 18

Hole Name

From The Tee RO-Bert Trent Jones, Jr., worked on the course for his father when the course was redesigned and also served as the course's Architect of Record for several years. He once asked rhetorically while viewing this hole, "What are the two toughest consecutively hit shots in golf?" The answer: "Straight and straight."

From The Fairway From the tee, a variety of trees are spread out to protect the left side of the fairway. A drive into the Firs on the right results in a very difficult recovery shot.

On The Green A trailing wind in the summer often makes the approach shot one-half to a full club less than in windless conditions. It's jail to the left of the green in or behind the Fir trees.