(The short par four seventeenth has a beautiful green protected by a deep bunker front left. Note how small the putting surface is. It's easy to spin the ball off if one is not careful.)
Lost Nation is bisected by Hodgson rd with holes 2-8 occupying the property on the north side. These holes are bordered by a private airport and residential housing. It's a conundrum of noises and sights. It's a different experience to say the least. 
(The 415 yard fourth is a strong hole. Notice how flat the property is on this side, and how the green, collar, and even the fairway just blend together.)
(The 500 yard par five fifth has a creek that crosses diagonally, forcing the player to pick his line and his strategy.)
(Some really cool bunkers are still present at Lost Nation.)
(The amount of front to back slope on seven is incredible! There's fifteen feet for a front pin, then the rest of the green pitches hard away from the golfer. It takes a few plays to gauge how the ball reacts when it hits the green. I've never seen a hole like this. It's one of a kind.)
(The ninth is one of my favorite greens. Just look at the bunkers guarding it! The dark shadows forewarn the player not to be short.)
Ward Creek traverses thru the back nine, and it's reclamation has significantly improved both the visual beauty and the drainage of Lost Nation. It no longer floods, and the creek flows uninhibited through holes 10, 13-16, and 18.
(The eleventh has a vulcano green that can only be held by a high lofted shot. It's a very cool greensite with an abrupt swale that circles around like a moat.)
(The twelfth is one of the holes that fell victim to the housing crunch. It once was a 200 yard plus par three that sat precipitously near the valley edge. Now it plays over the valley, requiring a mid to short iron.)
The reclamation project not only cleaned up the water and protected the hillsides from eroding, but it lead to a new tee for the thirteenth, and an additional fifty yards onto the scorecard. 
(The new thirteenth tee!! The old tee was in the valley and the player had a blind tee shot over the hill. The new sight line is easier to digest, but now the hole takes two well struck shots for a par...
...looking back from the green, you can see the hole doglegs right. Any ball that cuts too much or gets blocked out will find the water hazard.)
(What a glorious tee shot! It's only 180 yards but it's pretty awesome watching your ball fly over the waste land...
...a small low profile green finishes off the short par four fourteenth. I love this hole!)
(Lost Nation's best hole is the 440 yard fifteenth. The tee shot is hit over a shallow valley...
...a good drive leaves a long iron or fairway wood approach to an elevated green. Ward Creek cuts across, forcing the player to layup or challenge the hazard if the drive wasn't hit good enough. A par is an absolute great score!)
(The eighteenth is a 500 yard par five with Ward Creek cutting across forty yards short of the green. It's a great risk/reward hole! It's reachable in two, yet demands two perfect shots to reach the green. Short hitters must lay further back to avoid the creek's buffer. A birdie is a terrific way to end the round!)
Lost Nation flies under the radar, and many golfers from the west side and south side probably haven't heard of it or have negative memories. Even in my past notes, the conditioning was a concern. However, it was in good shape, and it's November. If the city can keep it up, then this is a 5 (good)(worth driving an hour). The back nine alone is worth the trip!!
(The 175 yard sixteenth is all carry over Ward Creek.)
No comments:
Post a Comment