The most difficult holes at Litchfield Country Club aren’t necessarily the ones dictating the final tally.
For as much as Nos. 2 and 5 include brutal doglegs, the hourglass fairway affects shots galore on No. 10 and some hidden water near the end of No. 15 strikes like a cobra, there are four holes where success is all but necessary to score well overall.
A Par 5, a Par 3 and two Par 4s in particular offer some added drama and force players to be mindful of their surroundings and then execute appropriately.
NO. 3, PAR 4, 401 YARDS
While the first and second holes at Litchfield include significant doglegs, the water up the right side of the fairway on this Par 4 is the first real danger players are going to face. As such, all it takes is the slightest of slices for a ball to go in the drink and a drop stroke affecting the score here. A pair of trees at or just prior to the 150 marker up the left aren’t a picnic necessarily, but landing under one of those still allows players a viable shot into the green in two. Basically, stay away from the water and bogey or better is a strong, strong possibility.
NO. 12, PAR 3, 189 YARDS
Not only is this the longest Par 3 at Litchfield. More than half of the green is disguised and tucked behind a couple of trees on the left-hand side. It makes pin placement pretty important, as the three greenside bunkers tend to make the target area feel even smaller. None of that is even the fun part. Thanks to the distance, the cart path that cuts close to the left edge of the green comes into play, too. If for some reason your ball finds the pavement, and a 50-plus yard second shot to the green is possible, too. (12th hole top photo)
NO. 13, PAR 5, 498 YARDS
No, you’re not imagining things. That fairway and slender rough all the way up the left side of the hole is sloping down toward the water. We’ve seen more than our share of would-be solid shots take a turn for the worse here. As such, you’re going to want to keep everything right of the not-so-conveniently placed 150 marker. It doesn’t matter that it means bringing the front-side bunker into play. Because if you find the pond and require a drop, you’re now going to be angled in a way that allows for even less error. You’re simply better off staying right and taking what the lie gives you.
NO. 18, PAR 4, 386 YARDS
We’ve counseled plenty of playing partners over the years to not cut the corner on the finisher. Beyond the tree line at the bend here is only a sliver of usable land that even does you any good. That being the case, easing off entirely is just as big of a mistake. If you don’t at least come close to the 150 marker, a bunker, then a pond, then two more bunkers and a false front help prevent you from actually reaching the green in two. You need fairway grass to even tempt it. Otherwise, bogeys tend to turn into triples.
