The Course
Course Description
Ross is considered by many to be one of the finest inland courses in the South West. The course was designed by the leading architect Ken Cotton in the early 1960's. Today the club is advised by another outstanding course architect, Donald Steel - the architect for many famous courses including the redesign to championship standard of the Jubilee Course at St. Andrews.
Ross is blessed with wide variety flora and fauna with wild daffodils and bluebells in the woods and buzzards regularly circling overhead
Course Plan
Course Guide - Front 9
Hole 1
A straight-forward par four opening hole. A drive into the fairway should leave an easy approach to the green defended by bunkers left and right.
Hole 2
A demanding left to right dog-leg par four hole, where a long tee shot slightly left in the fairway will leave a clear shot to the green, anything right off the tee is likely to result in a blind shot, with very little hope of reaching the green in regulation. Four bunkers protect this green so proving a very difficult target to hit with a long second shot.
Hole 3
Yardage for this hole would give the appearance of an easy par four, but with a blind tee shot and an un-even elevated green, this hole could be costly. A drive into the flat part of the fairway will leave an easier approach to this green. But beware, a very fast difficult green to read.
Hole 4
A dog-leg left to right hole, where the tee shot is hit onto a sloping fairway which can kick the ball left into the rough. The second shot is uphill into a deceptively long green defended by bunkers left and right.
Hole 5
A relatively short par five hole with a slight right to left dog-leg. Any tee shot in the fairway can result in a chance of reaching this green in two, but with a fairway that slopes right to left and a long, narrow green that slopes away from the player, an inaccurate approach left or right of the green will result in a difficult chip to the green.
Hole 6
A long challenging par five hole which requires a long accurate tee shot. A well struck second will leave a short shot to a fairly open green.
Hole 7
A short par three, but hitting the green is paramount. Any tee shot missing this green will result in a very difficult chip to a small elevated sloping green.
Hole 8
Another challenging par five hole made more difficult by a double dog-leg and undulating fairway. The green does not come into view until the second dog-leg and reaching here in two, leaves the player a short shot to a large green with a step running through front to back.
Hole 9
The first of three tough holes regarded by the pro shop as our own "Amen Corner". This par three requires accuracy with a long tee shot to a fairly large green that is protected by a bunker on the left, and is slightly elevated from the fairway which can prevent balls running onto it.
Course Guide - Back 9
Hole 10
A very narrow hole where you must hit a long straight drive to have any chance of hitting the green in two. The fairway slopes left to right with over hanging branches blocking your shot to the green if the ball does not stay in the fairway. A large green with a bunker on the left and severe slope should you miss on the right which will kick the ball into the trees.
Hole 11
A tough par four dog-leg playing left to right to an elevated green. With a large tree on the right corner of the fairway your tee shot must be played into the left half of the fairway. This leaves a difficult to judge second shot to an elevated green, which if missed, requires a good chip to get onto the green.
Hole 12
A picturesque par 3 hole played over water. The green slopes from back to front and in the summer this can lead to a tricky putt on a fast green.
Hole 13
A straight short par four played down an avenue of trees. A deceptively flat fairway, which can kick the ball, left into the rough under the tree canopy. As with the third hole this green can be very difficult to read.
Hole 14
According to the SS this is the hardest hole on the course. A long par 4 which dog legs to the right, requiring a long straight drive into the left half of the fairway as the ball can kick right. A long second shot to a small green defended by bunkers left and right.
Hole 15
A blind hole that requires a long straight drive uphill to a fairway sloping right to left. A good tee shot will leave sight of the large green.
Hole 16
A par four hole that could tempt the long hitter into having a go at driving the green, but with such a small green which is elevated from the fairway and defended by three bunkers, probably the best way to play this hole would be to hit onto the steep downhill fairway and leave a short shot onto the green.
Hole 17
Another blind hole that is uphill from tee to green requiring a long straight drive. A blind second shot uphill to an unmarked small green makes for a very demanding par four hole.
Hole 18
A downhill par four hole which dog legs left to right. The landing area slopes severely and can kick a good drive left into the rough leaving a tricky shot into the green. If you find the fairway a good shot is required to a flat green with bunkers left and right and out of bounds beyond.
We hope you enjoy your round at Ross-On-Wye Golf Club!