Stu Smart Head Golf Professional Persimmon Country Club
	RATING/SLOPE
	Blue	71.2/125
	White	69.5/122
	Red	70.3/122
	Gold	66.1/112
	HOLE #1 - Par 4
	Blue 350		White 341
	Red 303		Gold 269
	A relatively soft starting hole, this presents its biggest challenge on the second shot: it's all downhill, so club accordingly! While longer hitters tend to prefer a 2-iron, a 3- or 5-wood is the more typical choice. With a mid- to short iron in hand, try to play to right of center of the green, since the ball usually bounces to the left. And be forewarned: the green is surrounded by water and bunkers, so accuracy is a must. Miss the green, and you could be in deep trouble!
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	HOLE #2 - Par 5
	Blue 601		White 574
	Red 538		Gold 469
	Ever fantasized about reaching a par 5 in two shots? Well, better keep dreaming! Here's where you'll need that driver: this is the longest hole on the course. The tee shot requires both length and accuracy: a fir tree looms off to the left, so make sure to stay to the right of it. The second shot has a bunker in play to the left and most golfers tend to aim to the far right, bringing the rough into play. Don't let that bunker intimate you: there's more room there than you think! The third shot can be played with anything from a fairway wood to a short iron, but keep in mind that this shot is slightly uphill and coming up short is a common problem. Be happy to take a par on this hole, the toughest par 5 at Persimmon.
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	HOLE #3 - Par 3
	Blue 201		Red 153
	White 169		Gold 129
	The first of back-to-back par 3s, this hole is a real tester, so choose your clubs carefully. Fairway woods or long irons are usually used. If you plan on hitting it close, you must hit the ball fairly high, since a large bunker fronts the left of the green. There's also a side bunker to the right, leaving a small opening in front to run the ball in. Bail out is short right, leaving you with a fairly simple chip.
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	HOLE #4 - Par 3
	Blue 186		Red 140
	White 158		Gold 119
	On this second of two strong par 3 holes, the terrain slopes from right to left, promoting some hard bounces to the left. In playing for this bounce, aim to the right edge of the green and let the natural shot take over. A tip: being short is better than long here, since the green slopes from back to front.
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	HOLE #5 - Par 5
	Blue 501		Red 466
	White 490		Gold 367
	A short par 5 with a fairway bunker to the left, this hole takes a tee shot placed left of center and hit long in order to have a go at the green in two shots. The second shot sets up for a slight right-to-left shot with a fairway bunker short right and a greenside bunker front left. You can either run the ball up the front or fly the shot to the green. Better aim for a birdie here on the first of back-to-back par 5 holes — the next one could be a real long shot!
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	HOLE #6 - Par 5
	Blue 495		Red 435
	White 470		Gold 380
	This second par 5 hole can challenge even the best players. Drive the ball to the left center of the fairway, cutting off some of the dogleg. Two options may face you on your second shot. Longer players can go at this green in two, but if you're short or long, watch out: disaster awaits, with water both in front and behind the green. A second and most common option is to lay up with a mid iron to the left of the water and then use a short shot to reach the elevated green.
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	HOLE #7 - Par 3
	Blue 210		Red 150
	White 189		Gold 143
	Despite its length, this par 3 is one of the most difficult holes at Persimmon. This uphill hole requires a fairway wood or long iron for the tee shot, but don't be long on any shot, since the green slopes severely from back to front in three tiers. The putting surface here is the toughest one on the course, so take your two putt and recognize that par is a great score.
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	HOLE #8 - Par 4
	Blue 259		Red 229
	White 244		Gold 216
	This is a short hole demanding accuracy right off the tee. Longer hitters will go for the green on the tee shot, but if you miss, par is all you can expect. Laying up with a long iron sets up a short second shot to an elevated green. Don't be overconfident, though: this hole produces as many double bogies as eagles.
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	HOLE #9 - Par 4
	Blue 404		Red 348
	White 377		Gold 307
	This par 4 hole shouldn't be taken lightly! Play a fairway wood or long iron to a narrow landing area; aiming left center can provide a favorable right-hand bounce back into the fairway. The right side closes in quickly with a water hazard and trees, and your second shot crosses a hazard fronting the green. Club selection can be tricky, since a wind often blows through the canyon from left to right.
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	HOLE #10 - Par 4
	Blue 375		Red 299
	White 348		Gold 247
	To welcome you to the back nine, three of the next four holes offer good birdie opportunities, but beware: this one can lull you into dangerous complacency! Trouble looms everywhere, so accuracy is critical: fairway bunkers frame the tee shot with out of bounds to the right for those players attempting to cut the dogleg. A fairway wood or long iron is the best choice here. Your second shot can be played with a medium to short iron into a deep narrow green with bunkers and water hazard to the left. A birdie is a great way to start your tour of the back nine.
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	HOLE #11 - Par 4
	Blue 340		Red 290
	White 320		Gold 255
	Accuracy is of utmost importance on this short par 4 hole. With out of bounds right and fairway bunkers left, the fairway appears to be quite narrow. A fairway wood or long iron is your best choice, aimed down the left center of the fairway. Play a short iron to the elevated green — the flattest on the course — but watch out for the bunker fronting the right side, destination of many under-clubbed shots. This green offers your best opportunity to make a long putt.
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	HOLE #12 - Par 3
	Blue 170		Red 146
White 166		Gold 122
This short hole is very deceiving, so don't be over-confident. Your tee shot can be tricky, with out of bounds to the right and directly behind the green and bunkers surrounding your target. Most players use a mid-iron, hitting a high shot onto the green or playing for the opening in the front right. Either way, this green is one of the firmest on the course with some undulation, so play for roll from right to left.
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HOLE #13 - Par 5
Blue 505		Red 436
White 461		Gold 329
#13 is often a lucky hole for big hitters: a par 5 that can be reached in two shots. The tee shot is wide open, though the best angle for the second shot is from left center of the fairway. Out of bounds down the right side makes your second shot a real challenge, so either lay up with a mid-iron or go for it with a fairway wood. If you lay up, make sure to hit the green with your third shot, since it drops off quickly to the left and chip shots are extremely challenging. A very deep, elevated and triple-tiered green makes club selection interesting and, oh, by the way: getting on the green in two by no means guarantees you a birdie!
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HOLE #14 - Par 4
Blue 473		Red 385
White 433		Gold 347
Uh oh. Here it is: the toughest hole at Persimmon, sure to challenge any player. Hit a long tee shot to a slight dogleg left landing area. A right to left shot is perfect; if your shot starts left, it could get hung up in the rough and side hill, making your second shot more difficult. The second shot could be a fairway wood or long iron to a green that is elevated from a water hazard fronting the right side. Undulation, a bunker behind the green and the water hazard makes this long second shot your toughest so far. Bailing out to the left of the green leaves a tough pitch that tends to run away from you. Once you're on, keep the ball below the hole and you'll maybe see some real putting success. All in all though, bogie is nothing to be ashamed of on this demanding hole.
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HOLE #15 - Par 3
Blue 205		Red 144
White 184		Gold 120
Talk about an long, uphill battle! This par 3 doesn't give you a chance to relax. Use a fairway wood or long iron to reach the green — a very large target. Miss it to the left, however, and chance for par is slight; miss it to the right and you may end up in the bunker but bailing out short or to the right of the green can help you save par. Once on the green, remember: it slopes from left to right so stay below the hole to minimize the chance of three-putting. Par is a good score.
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HOLE #16 - Par 4
Blue 459		Red 401
White 432		Gold 366
One of the prettiest holes at Persimmon, this elevated par 4 sets up for a right-to-left tee shot. Hit it long and straight and, if you're going to miss the fairway, keep it on the left side for the best chance of recovery. The second shot is slightly blind; use a mid to long iron, keeping in mind that the ball will bounce forward if your shot is short. The very large green offers a great target, but note that it slopes from left to right. Again, par is a good score.
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HOLE #17 - Par 5
Blue 511		Red 440
White 490		Gold 369
Reachable by big hitters in two shots, more often this is a three-shot hole, starting with a fairly straight forward tee shot favoring the left side. The first fairway bunker to the left does not come into play off the tee, but can on your second shot. Here, a fairway wood should be played up the middle. Hit it to the left and a second fairway bunker will come into play close to the green. This green is sloped from back to front and left to right, with a bunker on the right that can come into play if your approach shot gets too close to this side of the green. If the pin is anywhere on the right side of the green, play conservatively to the left, taking a 15 to 20-foot putt.
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HOLE #18 - Par 4
Blue 433		Red 331
White 383		Gold 298
Rated one of the best par 4 holes in Oregon, this is a tough, but rewarding, finishing hole. Drive it long and straight, favoring the left center of the fairway to avoid the water hazard to the right. Your second shot is downhill to the slightly elevated green and usually requires a fairway wood to mid iron, depending on conditions. Remember those winds blowing on hole #9? They affect shots onto this green, too. If you shoot short and to the left, you'll undoubtedly find the water hazard that runs from the front to the left of the green; pot bunkers behind and a side bunker to the right of the green are additional threats. The green itself is very large but shallow with pin placements highlighting numerous slopes. A 4 on this hole is a great ending to your round at Persimmon.
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