Madawaska

[mpare]

Next Tuesday I am playing in the Senior Intersectionals at Madawaska. I've never played there. Is there anything that I should not know that might not be immediately obvious to a first-timer playing the course?

[mpare]

I can't believe that in this crowd there is not one person who has any tactical information on this course. Is this a course that is played only by its members? If so, is there a problem with this track?

[Solo II guy]

Just got back from my first time there. Nice little course. $15 twilight rate is really cheap. Not really a long course, but VERY NARROW, and lots of trees. Fairways are a little patchy in spots but there are a lot more worse courses out there. Greens don't look that great but rolls true, greens do not hold though even though they are not that fast. Lots of doglegs and a few tee-off boxes set up behind a tunnel of trees. Kind of intimidating if you have a tendency to slice/hook.

[mpare]

Thanks for the information. I really appreciate it. I have a tendency to hook the ball of late. This could be interesting!

[Big Johnny69]

I played there last year in a club event. The advice given to me on the first hole Mike was if you miss, miss big. If you don't, you'll spend your entire day chipping back to the fwy from under trees. Like SIIG said, quite narrow. Good luck Mike.

[Golf_Putz]

Take this for what it's worth. Played there regularly... some things I have discovered.
Hole #1 - very birdie-able par 5. Stay away from tree on right side of fairway. Chips to the left side of the green will funnel to the right.
Hole #2 - short part 4, but narrow. Too far right has a landing area, but tree will be in the way. Better to punch something straight between 150 to 100 marker and then short iron/wedge to green. Green slopes from back to front. Be below the hole.
Hole #3 - short par 4 again, but narrow shoot around the 150 to see around the dog leg. Be well right of the 150 marker if you want to see the hole.
Hole #4 - long par 4. depending on the wind, could be a challenging hole. Balls to the left or the right will funnel off the fairway if you are a short hitter - so better to be straight.
Hole # 5 - par 3 - seems to always be in the wind. Balls played short will usually roll onto the green if trajectory is low. Wind may result in an extra club. Large green to land on.
Hole #6 - short par 4 dog leg to the right. Iron to the 100 yard marker then a wedge to the green over water.
Hole #7 - par 3 - water on both sides. Large green to land on... but slopes to the front and to the front sides... careful with pin placements. Be below the hole. If you miss the green, best to miss short.
Hole #8 - shorter and very straightforward par 3. very biry-able.
Hole #9 - par 5 - reachable in 2 if you are long. But comfortable to reach in 3. Watch placement of your ball with respect to huge willow about 100 yards in fron of the green. You will want to be left or right of that tree! Right side is best for avoiding sand trap on the left side of the green (larger/higher lip than the sand trap on the right side).
Hole #10 - par 3, again straightforward... except that this green tends to roll a little faster than the other greens. (Sand traps on the left can be a challenge due to higher lip on the green side, depending on where your ball lands if it is in the sand)
Hole #11 - par 4 - slight dogleg. Anywhere near or past 150 marker is good for view of green.
Hole #12 - par 5 - coming out of a narrow shoot, tree in middle of fairway in line with a straight tee shot! Don't hit the sucker! There is also a large tree closer to the green on this hole (inside 100 yards). Approach is good from either right or left, though from left of the tree you can run a ball up onto the green. Severe slope on front part of the green. Watch pin placement if in this area. Be below hole.
Hole #13 - par 3 - nice hole. Straightforward.
Hole #14 - par 5 - good birdie chance here too. One of the widest fairways.
Hole #15 - par 4 - reachable with a very good drive. Otherwise, be on the right side of the fairway to approach while avoiding some sand traps on the left.
Hole #16 - par 3 - intimidating look - row of trees and backyards down the left side - large tree and bunker protecting the right side. If you miss left there is a landing area to the left, but a sandtrap there too. Again, large sloping green (back to front) watch pin placement and be below if possible.
Hole #17 - par 4 - dog leg. Anywhere past the 150 gives you a view of the hole. This green also slopes from back to front, with the back especially higher.
Hole #18 - par 4, slight dog leg. If you can keep it close to the trees on the left, you will cut a considerable number of yards and be a wedge away. Sandtraps on the left side, but just in front of the hole.

As other posts mentioned - a number of narrow holes, so being straight is more important than being long. The greens were putting fairly true when I played there last time. Take some time on the practice green - in this case it really does match the speed of the greens fairly well.

Good luck in your round.

[mpare]

Thank you very much for this hole by hole analysis. It was very thoughtful of you to provide it to me. Hopefully, it will be put to good use.

[mpare]

Golf Putz, thank you once again for your notes on the Madawaska course. They came in handy during today's intersectional matches.

As for the course, it is a real gem. I was impressed with the layout and the conditioning. The greens were especially surprising. I had been led to believe that they would be slow. They are not. As if that were not inducement enough to play there, the price can't be beat. Greens fees are inexpensive and carts are only $15 for a full cart. Wow.

[Indio]

How did you do today Michael?

[mpare]

I was fortunate enough to win all three matches.

How did you do today Michael?

[Golf_Putz]

Glad you did so well, mpare. Also that you liked the course too. It really is a little gem and has one of the most reasonably priced memberships anywhere.

[Indio]

I was fortunate enough to win all three matches.

Congrats young man

Did you have to use your 'walker'