(The 321/315 twelfth is one of the most exciting holes on the course. It entices long hitters to take the gamble and carry the water and valley. For those lacking length, the fairway to the right offers a safe layup or a hard draw that crests the hill and rolls just short of the green.)
I love the above statement because Mohawk is one of those nine holers. Ross designed the present day back nine in 1919 and Fred Garbin added another nine in 1970. The Garbin nine is forgettable. There’s really nothing to say about it. But the Ross nine is fantastic! He used all the valleys and plateaus perfectly. Every shot is engaging and needs a well thought out strategy.
I’m such a big fan of the Ross nine that I’m going to go hole by hole with my observations.
(The tenth is 190/183 yards over a valley with the green set on a right to left slope. The higher right side is well bunkered, but a shot that avoids the sand will kick left onto the green. A high cut will also work. The front right trap sees a lot of action.)
(The eleventh is 514/507 par five that plays into a valley, up over a plateau, across a couple rumpled depressions, to an elevated green. It maybe the best hole on the course..
... the side view of eleven green shows just how exact the third shot must be. The long hitters can reach it two, but there’s many places where a miss will lead to a big number. I would take par and move on.)
(This view of twelve from the top of the crest shows just how much room is available for those trying to carry the valley to the green. The short hitter has plenty of options depending on the kind shot he wants to play for his second. Note how the running approach shot is encouraged. I’d love to play this hole multiple times and figure it out.)
Thirteen is a 391/383 yard par four that was the original first hole back in 1919. I didn’t take any pictures of it, but it’s a strong hole with a slightly sloped fairway and small green. Missing right is a definite no-no.
(The 372/366 yard fourteenth is classic Donald Ross. The play is to layup down the right side and have a good yardage for the approach. Look at that green just draped across the plateau...
...being long leaves a very difficult recovery. It’s very possible the ball could end up against the wooden planks. It’s another hole where par is a good score.)
(I love the fifteenth hole! It’s only 144/136 yards, but the green is sited perfectly on the hillside across the valley. The tee is just off the back of fourteen and has an intimate setting...
...the fifteenth is also known for having the most hole in ones by one player (13). This was set in 1984, and if I was a betting man, I’d say it probably still stands...
...the steps from the valley up to the green.)
(They call this the dip hole because there’s a valley only twenty yards wide just past the bend in the dogleg. The golfer must decide to keep it up top and hit a longer club for the approach or challenge the dogleg and get it in the valley for a shorter but blind shot. It’s 445/381 yards so it takes courage to play for the dip, especially with OB on that side.)
(The seventeenth is a well designed 382/372 yard par four. The players eyes are drawn down the right as the valley makes it look shorter but the best play is left where one has a superior angle to the green. Anything right will leave a sidehill lie, and an awkward approach. It’s another beautiful green nicely situated on a raised shelf.)
(The key to the 515/506 yard eighteenth is being on the same level as the green in two shots. With the irrigation pond on the left, that becomes a challenging layup. The conservative option is laying up like the player in the picture. This leaves a semi blind shot, but it takes most of the trouble out of play.)
Mohawk is a private club but I highly recommend it if you ever get invited. While it may be a hidden gem to the casual player, Donald Ross aficionados are well aware of the quality It possesses. I give it a 6 (very good)(worth driving two hours).
Sidebar
[Mohawk’s most famous player is a woman named Carol Diringer who was a leading golfer in the 1940s. During that time, many of the ladies professionals frequented Mohawk including Babe Zaharias, Patty Berg, Louise Suggs, and Peggy Bell.]
(The 407/400 yard par four ninth strongly finishes the front nine. Note the modest
Clubhouse in the background. It’s an intelligent choice that keeps costs down and allows the membership to thrive in this rural location.)
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