It has been some time since I last posted anything on the site. There are reasons, i.e. work, school, family, etc. However, the biggest reason is that I have not been able to play other courses and continued to play the same courses over and over so thought it would be boring to just update those courses. Quail Valley GC is one of those courses that I have played multiple times. But I moved further away from the area so it was a number of years before I returned. I know the club pro, and wanted to see if he was still there, and do a quick catch up on what is happening.
QVGC, is a very fun course to play. It provides some easy holes and some challenging holes. Let’s start with number 1. This hole plays straight away. It runs parallel to the 18th which we will talk about later. A good drive down the middle will leave a short iron shot into the green. Be aware that the green runs from front to back and any ball that lands on the green will run out, so depending upon where the flag is, which it is usually near the front, you may want to land just short and let it bounce onto the green. Moving onto the second hole, it is a challenging but short par 4 that you can reach with a good tee shot. However, the fairway runs left to right, and right is high grass and a pond that attracts golf balls like a magnet and the throat to the green is very narrow. The best way to play this hole is to play a long iron or a hybrid first shot to the left side of the fairway, use a sand iron or a wedge to reach the green. Please note, that the green has two levels, front and back, and also the front part of the green is fairly steep and runs to the left, towards the water. If the flag is in the front, play it short to have an uphill putt. Moving on to the third hole, a slight dogleg from right to left par 5. A good tee shot will help set up a possible second shot to hit the green and putt for an eagle. Overall, it is a pretty easy par 5 with a good third shot allowing you to birdie the hole. Hole 4 is a short Par 3 that is pretty much straight away. There is a bunker that is on the front right. If the flag is on the left, no problem. However, if the flag is over the bunker right and you go flag hunting, if you land on the green, the putt will be downhill and breaks from right to left. If you miss your spot and you land on the left side of the green, you will have to putt across a green that has a ridge that runs through the entire green from back to front and breaks hard toward the right. Good luck. The next hole, hole 5 is another straight away par 5 that is wide open for the first shot but tightens, i.e. the fairway narrows, for the second shot. The best way to play this hole is to stay left on the second shot, whether going for the green or laying up. This allows you to stay away from the cattails and water on the right. However, once again, be aware that the green runs from left to right, so select the right club to land on the green to give you an uphill putt. Hole 6 is a par 3 that is entirely over a body of water. I have seen many lose their golf balls on this hole. Depending upon when you are playing the course. The tee shot could be a wedge or even a long iron. The reason is that the wind that comes off of the Oregon coast range mountains gets pretty strong later in the afternoon and can reach some pretty high levels later in the day. The green has a high ridge in the middle with a bunker in front right and a bunker in the back middle right. If they put the flag on the far right side of the green, aim for middle right and the ridge will push your ball towards the hole. If the flag is on the left, have fun as the only trouble is the water in front. Hole 7 is a short par 4 but requires a good tee shot to the left side of the fairway. This is because if you go right too far, a group of trees will block a second shot to the green. The green, once again, has a middle ridge that runs across the entire green. The left side is guarded by a bunker front. If the flag is on the left, play it left of the flag to provide yourself with an uphill putt. If it is on the right side, find the ridge middle with your second shot and the ball will move toward the hole. From there is should be a flat putt. Hole 8 is a long par 4 that requires a good tee shot over water from the back tees. The best play is to aim towards the 150-yard marker. If your tee shot is in the fairway, it will take a long iron to reach the green. The green is pretty flat and large so go for it but make sure to cover the bunker that is located front right. Now, hole 9 is a nightmare for most golfers. It is a par 4 that demands a great tee shot to allow a second shot to reach the green. However, make sure to stay right as if not your second shot will be over water, which goes right up to the green and anything short will be wet. I have played this hole far right tee shot, with a second shot right of the green to set up a short pitch shot and a putt for par.
Moving on to the back 9, hole 10 is a straight away par 5 that sets you up for a birdie or eagle putt when making the turn. A good tee shot will be middle right setting up a second shot to a big green. The green is surrounded by humps, but playable. The green also runs left to right so remember to be right to set up an uphill putt. Hole 10 is a fun hole in that a good tee shot will middle left, will set up a short iron to the elevated green. This green can make you pull your hair out as it runs kind of front to back and left to right. Although it is short, you will feel great to par this hole and move forward. Hole 11 is the number 1 rated hole on the course. It is very long for a par 4, wind usually is blowing from left to right, there are fairway bunkers left and high grass if you go too far right. If you are lucky to get on the green in 2, you will be greeted with a green that is slanted left to right up and back to front down. They almost always put the hole in a spot that will require a large break to get it in or close. Again, a par is a great score on the hold. The next hole, hole 13 is a simi-long par 3 straight away. There are bunkers left and right and the green is long front to back. Best way to play this hole is to hit the center of the green to set up a birdie putt. Now, moving onto hole 14, the tee box is back in the trees which is kind of cool, but your tee shot needs to be center right as the entire fairway runs next to a pond on the left. Some have played their tee shot way right towards the par 5 3rd hole, to set up a shot to the green that does not require a carry over water. The green is fairly receptive as it runs front to back up, which allows you to go for the flag and stop a long iron on the green. Caution, going long is not good as you will have a pitch shot that lands on the green that runs downhill and there is water just off the green. Hole 15 is a short par 4. Your tee shot is best if you go over the trees that are running on the left side of the fairway. A good cut or baby fade will allow the ball to land on a downhill or on the fairway setting up a wedge shot to a large green. Don’t go long, as it runs right into the pond that is on the back of the green. Hole 16 is a short uphill par 3. Club up to reach the back pin. The green is guarded by a large bunker right, and humps back and on the right. Fairly easy par 3, which leads you to feel pretty good. You will need this confidence heading into what I think is a short par 5 17th, that has a narrow landing area from the tee. If you go left, you will be behind trees making you play wedge to go up and over trees to find the fairway. If you go too far right, you will find water. The second shot, if from the middle of the fairway, should reach the green setting up an eagle or birdie putt. The green runs uphill from front to back and is surrounded by a bunker left, and hills back and right. Now, for the final hole, hole 18, it is a long par 4 dogleg right to left. A good tee shot is left to the corner of the fairway giving you a view of the green. Left is no good and it blocks your view of the green. The green is very large and flat, allowing you to finish with a par or birdie if you are lucky. However, later in the day, the sun is directly in your eyes, and also the wind is blowing directly into your face making it hard to reach the green.
Best advice, play early in the day and enjoy the round.
Course Price – 
Course Condition – Par
Course Amenities – Par
Course Personnel – Birdie
Overall Course Rating – Par
