Catawba Country Club - Newton, NC - Catawba Country Club

Donald Ross Designed Course - 1946

With all the long golf courses measuring over 7,000 yards from the back tees, Catawba would seem to be an easy golf course. Don’t forget, Donald Ross designed this “hidden gem”. What appears to be an easy course by measurements will, as they say, “eat you for lunch.” Like any course, Catawba rewards you for good shots, but the penalties for bad shots can be very costly. Many players have challenged her, thinking they were going to shoot a low number and left scratching their head. It is one of the most enjoyable courses that you will ever play. Don’t take any shots for granted. There are numerous birdie opportunities that can change to bogies with one small mistake. Greens missed in the right place can still offer par but in the wrong place, your score may jump up a few numbers. Once you are on the green, the game has just begun. When the greens are fast, you better be able to make five foot putts. If the greens are slow, the course becomes more manageable. The greens are smooth and reward good putts, but read them from the hole to the ball. It’s the last part of the break that makes the biggest difference.

Front 9

Back 9

Slopes & Rating

HOLE

Blue Tees

White Tees

Ross Tees

Gold Tees

Red Tees

PAR

Men's Handicap

Women's Handicap

OUT

425

397

355

319

521

507

437

391

197

172

142

136

345

337

302

255

474

457

433

400

393

366

347

286

175

148

122

114

405

378

355

302

379

354

330

248

HOLE 1

A slight dogleg to the right with a fairway bunker guarding the right side. The drive calls for a left to right shot but long hitters must challenge the right bunker or risk driving into trees on the left side of the fairway. Players with average length off the tee will be hitting mid irons to a two tiered green bunkered on both sides. Misjudged shots would be better short of the green than over.

PAR

HANDICAP

Men

Women

TEE

HOLE 2

The tee shot is over a pond followed by wetlands down the right side. This hole is a slight dogleg right that can be reached by an exceptionally long drive. Players who risk going for the green in two must negotiate a creek that skirts the front and right side of the green. The second shot calls for a lay-up to about 100 yards with most players using a long iron. Short hitters will not have to worry about the creek and can hit their fairway woods. The green slopes severely from the middle to the front, approach shots are better short of the pin.

PAR

HANDICAP

Men

Women

TEE

HOLE 3

A tough uphill par 3 that demands a well struck long iron or wood. The green is severely sloped from back to front with misleading slope from right to left. Even with shots finding the green, par is not a guaranteed score.

PAR

HANDICAP

Men

Women

TEE

HOLE 4

Don’t let this short hole fool you. The fairway slopes from left to right with a big tree guarding the left side. All shots will bounce to the right and could run into the trees. To hit a longer shot off the tee, players must be able to draw the ball. Left to right ball strikers will want to lay up with a long iron or fairway wood to about 135 yards. Beware of the fairway bunkers guarding the right side. If you conquer the tee shot, your work has just begun. The two tiered green is bunkered front and left with the green running to the left. A great birdie opportunity which could quickly turn into a double bogey.

PAR

HANDICAP

Men

Women

TEE

HOLE 5

This is an exciting hole that doglegs sharply to the left. The fairway bunker on the left can be carried by the long hitters leaving a mid iron into the green. A miss-hit shot could put you in the woods on the left or hit the ball too far and drive it through the fairway into the woods. For the average players, a creek that runs about 80 yards short of the green comes into play and the ball must be laid up. The fairway slopes down to the creek and lay-ups are difficult to judge which could leave a sloping third shot. It’s a great birdie opportunity, but the green slopes very severely from the back to the front. Although some eagles are made, there are more three and four putts on this green.

PAR

HANDICAP

Men

Women

TEE

HOLE 6

A dogleg right calls for a left to right tee shot. Watch out for the big tree on the right side of the fairway about 180 yards from the White Tee Markers. Also, fairway bunkers on the right are well placed. The green is the longest on the golf course and although the back half is flat, the first half slopes severely to the front. Stay below the pin.

PAR

HANDICAP

Men

Women

TEE

HOLE 7

Although this is a medium length par three, it can be very deceiving. The green runs at an angle to the tee and tee shots must be the right distance to hit the green. If the pin is on the left front and the proper club is hit to the right, it will catch the right bunker. If the pin is on the right and the proper club is hit to the left, it will be over the green.
Shots over the green could be a bogey or worse.

PAR

HANDICAP

Men

Women

TEE

HOLE 8

The hardest hole on the golf course requires two well struck shots to a long green that slopes severely from left to right. A shot too far left may lead to a lost ball due to a heavily wooded area and a shot to the right will be blocked out by a few trees. Some players will forfeit distance for direction and leave a second shot of 150 to 180 yards. Just because this green is hit in regulation does not guarantee a par.

PAR

HANDICAP

Men

Women

TEE

HOLE 9

A scenic par four that requires an accurate tee shot between two tree lines. This hole favors the right to left player because it is a slight dogleg left and the trees on the right grab a lot of errant shots. A well hit tee shot could produce a birdie finish on the front nine.

PAR

HANDICAP

Men

Women

TEE

HOLE

Blue Tees

White Tees

Ross Tees

Gold Tees

Red Tees

PAR

Men's Handicap

Women's Handicap

TOTAL

408

396

355

344

456

443

415

402

419

407

370

304

169

158

138

133

379

360

324

319

343

330

315

288

493

485

461

432

214

204

159

152

440

406

342

299

6635

6305

6004

5702

5124

HOLE 10

A straight-away hole that with a modest tee shot will leave about 150 yards to the green. Stay to the left side of the fairway off the tee for the best approach to a green that slopes from back to front. Shots hit over the green require a very difficult pitch shot.

PAR

HANDICAP

Men

Women

TEE

HOLE 11

A sharp dogleg right that goes uphill for the second shot. The tee shot must be played left to right for the longer drives, or hit your second shot from the trees on the left. It is a short hole that can be reached in two. This green slopes from back to front and a front pin placement can be a test for the nerves. Still, it is a good chance for birdie.

PAR

HANDICAP

Men

Women

TEE

HOLE 12

A tough hole with the tee shot going uphill and sloped from right to left. Pulled shots can run into the left rough. Tee shots hit to the right could leave your second shot blocked-out. The green is elevated with a single small bunker on the right that seems to attract the ball. A par calls for a celebration.

PAR

HANDICAP

Men

Women

TEE

HOLE 13

What seems to be a simple downhill hole calls for a middle iron to a small, flat putting surface. A tree and bunker guards the left with a small pot bunker on the right. A left side pin placement will bring the tree into play and a right pin placement makes that right side bunker a lot bigger. Don’t over-club yourself. Balls hit over the green go down a steep slope.

PAR

HANDICAP

Men

Women

TEE

HOLE 14

Holes 14 through 16 give a player a good opportunity to make three birdies, but can also leave you crying. The most generous fairway allows you to let a tee shot go. The green has a steep slope in the middle and a small shelf on the back. A long drive leaves a short iron to this bunkered green.

PAR

HANDICAP

Men

Women

TEE

HOLE 15

A short dogleg left that presents a great opportunity for birdie. If you have trouble drawing the ball, use a long iron or fairway wood off the tee and leave about 140 to150 yards to this green. The longer the tee shot, the shorter the second shot, but watch out. The fairway bunker on the right can be reached with about a 190 yard shot. What could be a birdie could turn into a bogey or more. Don’t miss the green on the left. The green has a valley in the front right that will feed a ball close to a front pin.

PAR

HANDICAP

Men

Women

TEE

HOLE 16

Here’s you last chance for an easy birdie, a dogleg left that long hitters can reach in two. However, it can take a shot away if grabbed by the left fairway bunkers. With an elevated green, it is best that the second shot be left about 90 to 100 yards back for it to accept the third shot. A ball that is hit short of the green never runs onto the green and for the green to accept an approaching ball, it must be hit high.

PAR

HANDICAP

Men

Women

TEE

HOLE 17

It is the first of two great finishing holes. A long flat hole with a slightly elevated green bunkered on both sides. Most players will need a well hit long iron and with the wind in their face, may require a fairway wood. Once you’re on the green, it is the flattest putting surface on the golf course, but don’t let that fool you. Most players would like to take par and run.

PAR

HANDICAP

Men

Women

TEE

HOLE 18

It has to be one of the best finishing holes in the area. A long tee shot is required to an uphill sloping fairway. Fairway bunkers on the left should not come into play, but if they do, you will get what you deserve. The green is guarded by a bunker on the right side and a ball missed to the left could cause a bogey or worse. Also, the front third of this green slopes severely to the front. A long putt to a front pin is almost a sure three putt. Par will win this hole most of the time.

PAR

HANDICAP

Men

Women

TEE

Blue Tees

White Tees

Ross Tees

Gold Tees

Red Tees

Slope

72.3

71.0

69.0

67.4

69.7

WOMEN

Blue Tees

White Tees

Ross Tees

Gold Tees

Red Tees

Rating

131

124

122

120

118

WOMEN