For being such a long par 4, you either have to hit a massive fade, or select a shorter club off the tee. Chances are you will have a long second shot. There are a lot of holes like this one - through the trees. It is so quiet up there, you can hear your tee shot reverberate through the trees. Very cool audio effect.

It is unusual that a hole such as this gets rated #18 in handicap stroke assignment. At 400-some yards through the trees, it doesn't look that easy to me. The tee is elevated, so that helps.

By now you should have a pretty good idea how nicely conditioned this course is. That, and the location is just terrific. Keep going, it does get better.

Here is another tricky hole. Just like the first, there is a wicked dogleg off the tee that gets repeated on the 2nd shot too. The 2nd is even tougher as it is hard to tell how far to hit it. Especially if you layed back too far off the tee. Don't get distracted by the view to Valentine Lake as you hit your approach shot up the hill to the green. Plus, there are more trees to deal with. Hope you can hit the ball straight.

Be sure to check out the stream along the cart path on your way to the next hole. Between that and the view towards Valentine Lake, this is one of the nicest stretches of cart path scenery in the state.

It is all carry over this fountained water hazard. From the tee it looks like the green is right on the edge of the water. Very intimidating.

Just like the first 3 holes, this is yet another 400-ish yard hole cut right through a hardwood forest. Keep it straight. I sliced one into the trees and had all kinds of trouble. Don't do that.

Very similar to the previous par 3, both in yardage and required carry over a hazard. In this case, it is grassy wetland but there are trees narrowing the route to the green adding to the intimidation factor. The prior par 3 was more open.

While this is a fairly short par 4, you will have to stay back off the tee to avoid the wetlands which you will have to carry on your 2nd shot. More trees to contend with. Let's just say that all the holes on this course are surrounded by forest unless you hear otherwise. This hole is a little less conventional than the earlier par 4's. There is a nice specimen tree near the teeing area that is kinda cool. Check out the view of the surrounding area off the tee.

The attached photo is from the fairway of this hole. There is a steep rise to the green that isn't obvious from the 2d photo. This is a very cool par 5 with all the tall pines. I know, I wasn't going to mention all the trees.

There is more of a dogleg on this hole than the image on the left indicates. Otherwise, this hole has all the same characteristics as the prior par 4's. Very nice, all in all.

Ok, this is clearly their signature hole. Since the owners of this course are the owners of the Honey Baked Ham company, that pig-shaped bunker you see is no accident. Notice that it even has a little pig-tail. Gotta love that elevation drop though. Reminds me of the 6th hole at the Jones Masterpiece at Treetops.

Very short par 4, but not much different from the other par 4's except length. Usually these short holes have some strategy requirements, but not this one. Not that I could see in one visit.

There is more glacial carvings going on in the back 9 than there was on the front. This is the start of that. Let's just say that you don't want to miss short or left here.

They love the doglegs on their par 5's here. Right then left here but not too sharply. Note the tree in the middle of the fairway near the green. Keep that in mind when hitting your second, it is very much in play.

Yet another long par 4 through the woods. Gotta love that bunkering.

More of that glacier action on this hole. Lotsa carving especially short of the green. Good hole not to leave it short on otherwise you'll be huffing and puffing up that hill.

Easily the best par 4 on the course. If your handicap is above, say, 15, you should probably play the White tees. However, if you did that you will miss out on the best set of tees to play this hole from. The angle is too straight from the White and Red tees. Watch out for that water/wetlands on the left, it is very much in play. The approach is uphill to the green which you shouldn't miss long or left.

This hole is tough. There is more room (length) off the tee than it would appear. I was fooled and was left too far away from the green. Those wetlands are in a valley and you don't want to be short. The fairway drops down past the bunkers but there is room down there. Tough hole.

As if the hole being long isn't challenge enough, you need to have as short of a shot as possible for your approach. All four of us in our group put one in that wetland. Intimidated the h*ll out of us, I guess.

Excellent opening hole requires a carry over the valley where you see the water. From the fairway bunkers it is downhill to the green well protected by water on the right and mounds on the left. It is hard to see on the image, but it is 285 yards from the back tee to the far bunker. But don't be so foolish as to try playing from the back unless you are a scratch golfer.

Attached image is of this hole.

Hookers beware. The entrance drive runs right along side the entire left side of this hole. Pull hook anything and it is going to hit concrete (or a windshield). The yardage guide says 'trouble is short and to the right'. Yeah, no kidding, the big hole in the ground short of that piece of fairway is no place to be playing from.

I told you not to play the back (Black) tees on this course, but it might be worth trying on just this hole. That ravine you see is a giant pit filled with all kinds of foliage. If you fall into it, you might not come back out alive.

Make your plans for your tee shot very carefully. That second ravine is very much in play and you really don't want to be playing from out of there. The same is true when it comes to the second shot too. Miss the green by much and you are going to be in a serious recovery dilemma. The thick woods and dramatic dropoff might be too much for you.

Another valley to negotiate. Just hit it flush, it is a long friggin' way to that green very well protected by bunkers. Possibly one of the toughest par 3's you'll ever play. I know it was for me.

Outstanding par 5. After the last couple of holes, this one is a bit of a reprieve. That is, if you manage to stay out of the woods and that ravine. The fairway has a lot of contour character, but as long as you hit 3 decent shots, this hole isn't too bad.

Postcard hole. There are probably more pictures taken on this hole than any other in the state. The 120 foot drop to the green has to be experienced to believe. The view over the Pigeon River Valley is awesome in the fall when the colors are full.

Truly unforgettable.

Oh yeah, don't miss the green here. Trust me.

Straightforward par 4. Through the trees it rises slightly to the green. About as average of a golf hole as you will see on this course.

That last hole was a warmup to this one. There is a huge elevation drop from the tee down to the fairway. You can cut as much of the corner as you would like, but make sure you clear the forest. Ideally, you will get as close to this green as possible for your second shot. That narrow peninsula the green sits on is very slim. It is an extremely nerve racking shot from even up close. Avoid that friggin' cart path running down the right side. Last time I played here, I pushed it right and the ball bounced high and sent the ball into the water. They should excavate all the cart paths on this course and give you a caddy instead. Grumble, grumble...

Since you listened to me and stayed away from the back tees, you get the pleasure of playing from an island tee (unless you chose the Red tees). From the fairway, this hole is very much like #7 and I often confuse the two.

Bring a lunch with you for this hole. The tees are elevated, but that is offset by the brutal yardage and long uphill climb to the green. You get a minor reprieve from the forest on this hole.

When we first played here (their opening day), the fairway turf was sliding down the hill for the 100 some yards in front of this green. It is pretty steep. Hard to find a flat place to play from, isn't there?

Back out in the open again. At this point, you are given the opportunity to get some food, massive amounts of alcohol, or a phone call to your mommy to cry about the 70-some strokes you'd had up to this point.

Wicked par 3 with that water in the front. And it is carry all the way to the green. You're in big trouble if you miss it short, or right.

This is one of my favorite holes on the course. That ravine you see in the image is quite severe, but it shouldn't come into play unless you are a big hitter playing the white tees. It is possible to duff one into it though...

The image shows a handful of trees on the right, but, trust me, it is a forest. The ground slopes away from the fairway in there, so keep out.

There is a nice view from the green looking over the valley. Enjoy it before you leave.

Ifyou forgot to enjoy the view from the last green, you get another opportunity from the tee on this hole. The fairway drops drastically from the tee. When you hit, your ball will have some serious hang time. Since the hole is fairly open and rather short, it feels like you could drive this green. Go ahead and try. Now is a good time to get your frustrations out.

Nice par 3. Easiest one on the course. Those lines you see in the image indicate a sharp dropoff, so if you are going to miss in any particular direction, do so on the left, not the right. Nothing too special about this hole otherwise.

More dropoffs on the right (same ridge as #16). Nothing too special here either (in comparison to the rest of the course, anyway - these holes make most courses look like <expletive deleted>). Just stay left.

Good par 5 finishing hole, but it isn't as nice as #1 or #5 (in my opinion). This is basically a 3 shot hole. I can't imagine how anyone could get there in two given the sharp elevation rise to the green in the last 90 yards or so. The bunkers in front force a carry all the way up to the green (which is quite shallow in the back left).