Toqua Course Tour

A Tour of Tellico Village’s First Golf Course

1. Great Expectations – Par 5 Men’s HCP: 9; Ladies’ HCP: 11
Black – 543 Blue – 515 White – 489 Orange – 447 Green – 447 Yellow – 372

The opening hole at Tellico Village’s Toqua Golf Course is a birdie opportunity out of the gate. The down hill tee shot will add a few yards and provide long hitters an opportunity to take on the uphill second shot to a green that is well protected by a bunker in front. Tee shots right of center will be blocked out of green’s view by trees on the right.

2. Surprise – Par 4 Men’s HCP: 3; Ladies’ HCP: 5
Black – 452 Blue – 377 White – 365 Orange – 322 Green – 322 Yellow – 255

This dog-leg left par 4 is a tricky tee shot. Long-ball hitters will have to work the ball right-to-left to keep it in the fairway and out of the trees. Otherwise, a less than driver ball will leave a mid to long iron approach to a green slightly below the fairway.

3. Humbler – Par 3 Men’s HCP: 11; Ladies’ HCP: 13
Black – 231 Blue – 203 White – 179 Orange – 142 Green – 142 Yellow – 116

The first one-shotter on the course lives up to its name, humbling even the best players. A long-iron or hybrid is required off the tee to reach the green. Balls left short and/or right of the green leave an uphill approach to the putting surface. Balls to the left and/or long of the green will leave a delicate and tricky up-and-down.

4. Lake View – Par 4 Men’s HCP: 15; Ladies’ HCP: 15
Black – 361 Blue – 339 White – 322 Orange – 322 Green – 268 Yellow – 213

The fourth hole is another birdie opportunity on this short par 4. The longest hitters can take on the green from the tee. Those more average in distance should be careful pulling driver out of the bag as the tree short and left of the green can block out shots that finish too close.

5. Shadows – Par 3 Men’s HCP: 17; Ladies’ HCP: 17
Black – 180 Blue – 150 White – 138 Orange – 119 Green – 119 Yellow – 95

The second par 3 on the opening nine is a straight-forward short to mid iron to an elevated green sloping back-to-front.

6. Left Pull – Par 5 Men’s HCP: 13; Ladies’ HCP: 9
Black – 521 Blue – 478 White – 463 Orange – 400 Green – 400 Yellow – 317

Despite the short distance on the scorecard, this par 5 is challenging for even long hitters to reach in two. A precarious tee shot lives up to the hole’s name bringing everything down toward the left side of the fairway. Too far long and left and you’re out-of-bounds. Try to stay right and you’ll contend with a tree that could send your ball out of play. The rest of the hole is uphill all the way to a deceptively deep green.

7. Devil’s Elbow – Par 4 Men’s HCP: 7; Ladies’ HCP: 1
Black – 417 Blue – 395 White – 369 Orange – 335 Green – 335 Yellow – 270

A mid-length par 4, many players will want to leave the driver in the bag here. Aim at that fairway bunker and hit something just short of it. A short to mid iron will be left downhill to an inviting green.

8. Up the Chute – Par 4 Men’s HCP: 5; Ladies’ HCP: 7
Black – 407 Blue – 382 White – 366 Orange – 317 Green – 317 Yellow – 270

The tee shot on the 8^th hole is paramount on this bottle-neck par 4. Driver can put a player in scoring position, but the landing area is tight. Less than driver also requires accuracy as too far left will be blocked out from the green by trees and out-of-bound runs the length of the right side. An extra club is required on the approach that plays well uphill.

9. The Longest Yard – Par 4 Men’s HCP: 1; Ladies’ HCP: 3
Black – 456 Blue – 436 White – 421 Orange – 356 Green – 356 Yellow – 279

The longest par 4 on the golf course, the ninth hole is a big advantage for big hitters. A slightly uphill tee shot will do well to hug the left edge of the fairway that begins to slightly dog-leg at the crest of the hill. The approach to the green is protected by a bunker in front but players are aided by a bit of a backstop behind the green.

10. Second Chance – Par 4 Men’s HCP: 12; Ladies’ HCP: 12
Black – 410 Blue – 378 White – 343 Orange – 321 Green – 296 Yellow – 199

Running parallel to the first hole, the opening to the back 9 also plays well downhill off the tee. A ball that favors the left side of the fairway will leave an open avenue for a wedge to a green protected by water to the right and bunker long and left.

11. Amen Corner – Par 4 Men’s HCP: 2; Ladies’ HCP: 6
Black – 401 Blue – 365 White – 349 Orange – 316 Green – 316 Yellow – 260

A reprieve for walkers as this begins a stretch of the flattest holes on the golf course. This par 4 dog-legs hard to the left. The ideal tee shot here is long enough to clear the trees on the left, but short enough to not be blocked out by the trees on the right. Balls played down the inside of the turn will be left with a short iron or wedge in while balls left out to the right will have mid to long irons.

12. Beast – Par 5 Men’s HCP: 10; Ladies HCP: 10
Black – 601 Blue – 577 White – 480 Orange – 428 Green – 428 Yellow – 357

The longest hole on the golf course and a true three-shot par 5. Play up the right side of the fairway on both the tee shot and second to avoid any tree trouble.

13. Short and Sweet – Par 3 Men’s HCP: 18; Ladies’ HCP: 18
Black – 198 Blue – 185 White – 160 Orange – 140 Green – 125 Yellow – 125

The easiest hole on the golf course by stroke index, this par 3 is very forgiving for players coming up short or right of the putting surface. Go left, however, and your ball will have to be saved from the penalty area by one of two bunkers.

14. Troubled Waters – Par 4 Men’s HCP: 14; Ladies’ HCP: 14
Black – 329 Blue – 307 White – 288 Orange – 288 Green – 243 Yellow – 204

A classic risk/reward short par 4. Long hitters can challenge the green with a good drive. However, three bunkers and Tellico Lake await any miss-hits along the way.

15. Formerly “Big Oak” – Par 4 Men’s HCP: 6; Ladies’ HCP: 8
Black – 378 Blue – 363 White – 329 Orange – 258 Green – 258 Yellow – 190

The only hard dog-leg right on the golf course, this hole is another less than driver option off of the tee. Lake Tellico is a looming presence down the left side of the hole, but really should not come into play for most players. The more aggressive line is straight down the cart path on the right, leaving a short iron or wedge to an elevated green protected by a bunker in front.

16. Overlook – Par 4 Men’s HCP: 4; Ladies’ HCP: 2
Black – 428 Blue – 394 White – 349 Orange – 307 Green – 307 Yellow – 232

An uphill tee shot leads to a plateau from fairway to green and one of the highest points on the golf course. The bunker on the front-right side of the green complex leads to a very difficult approach to any pin on the right half of the putting surface.

17. Dry Gulch – Par 3 Men’s HCP: 16; Ladies’ HCP: 16
Black – 181 Blue – 153 White – 140 Orange – 140 Green – 112 Yellow – 112

The penultimate hole on the golf course requires a forced carry over a valley of unfortunate mishits down to a wide, redan style green.

18. Home Stretch – Par 5 Men’s HCP: 5; Ladies’ HCP: 4
Black – 555 Blue – 516 White – 490 Orange – 448 Green – 402 Yellow – 362

Any great golf course should end with a great risk/reward hole and this one most certainly does. The wide fairway invites players to pull out the big stick and rip it as far as they can. Placement is crucial, however, as balls on the right half of the fairway will be blocked from green access by trees on the inside of the late dog-leg. Balls on the left side of the fairway near the bunker offer an opportunity for players to pull off a “hero” shot by either carrying a long iron or wood over the trees or by carving a left-to-right curve around them. Will you walk off the course in glory or agony?