Pro Tips from the Caddy
Majorki 9 Hole Course
RED FLAGS designate these holes
Most greens are sloped uphill front to back. Pay attention to flag position to avoid downhill putts.
par 4, handicap 9
Start your round right with a straight ahead, wide open par 4, which is the easiest of the nine holes. Stay to the left side of the fairway away from the trees and ponds (the 1st pond is reachable from the tee) that are on the right. A well placed tee shot will leave a short approach shot to a receptive green sloping front to back, with a grass bunker to the left front.
Forward Tee
Fairway
Approach
Behind Green
par 4, handicap 1
Keep your tee shot to the right side of the fairway on this par 4 to set yourself up for a shot to the green, between the trees, on this #1 handicap hole, playing a slight dogleg right to left.
par 3, handicap 4
A picturesque par 3 with a tee shot over a pond to a green with a huge bunker across its backside. The green slopes back left to front right. Pay attention to the flag location to allow yourself an uphill putt. Better yet card a hole-in-one and win $2500, as this is one of two Swing King holes at Cross Creek Golf Club. Cart path only on this hole.
par 4, handicap 3
A straight forward par 4 suggesting a mid-fairway to slightly left tee shot, over the first pond and between the ponds left and right. You will then be setup for a shot to the green which has a couple trees and grass bunker on the right. The prevailing wind can be in your face on this hole, keep in mind you may need an extra club on the second shot.
par 3, handicap 5
This par 3 looks shorter than the advertised yardage so pay attention to the score card. This is one of the flattest greens on the course. A high shot into the green offers the best chance to hold. The green is protected by a small bunker front left. Note: Cart path only this hole. Take cart path from tee to green and return the same direction to #6 tee station beside this #5 tee station.
par4, handicap 2
A nice par 4 through the trees off the tee. Ladies and seniors will tee off at the bottom of the hill, negating the need to thread between the trees. The tee shot should favor the left side as the right side of the fairway is boarded by a tree line separating the course from OB into Hanna-Nuttman Park. Further, the right edge of the fairway slopes toward the OB line. Note: when leaving this hole head toward the green you’ll see behind this green (i.e. to the West), you will see two Par 3s to your left just past the tree line (Holes # 7 & 8).
par 3, handicap 7
A short par 3 into the West with a tee shot to a mounded, undulating green, protected by a front left bunker and downward slope for a miss on any side.
par 3, handicap 6
The near twin par 3 to #7 coming back East. A bunker front right with a plateau style green that slopes away to all sides keeps you honest – plan to hit this rolling green for the best chance at par or better. Note: Leaving Majorki #8 green to number #9 go back past the number #6 green (on your left), continue past the tee station (Biggs Kreigh #15) on the right, stay on the center cart path along Majorki #6, past the shelter, past the Biggs Kreigh #17 green on the right, to the Majorki #9 tee box taking you right (i.e. South).
par 5, handicap 8
Finish your round with a par 5, which gently curves to the left, that takes you back to the Club House. Pay attention to the advice of many high school golf coaches, “tree trouble exists along the entire left side of this fairway, while you have the entire state of Indiana to the right!” The green is fronted by a bunker on the right and is protected by a near vertical drop along the left. This forgiving hole is a perfect manner in which to finish your round on a high note.
Biggs Kreigh 18 Hole Course
BLUE FLAGS designate these holes
Most greens are sloped uphill front to back. Pay attention to flag position to avoid downhill putts.
par 5, handicap 13
This short par 5 is an easy par while too designed to offer many the chance to start their round with birdie. Direct your tee shot toward the pump house building which is visible toward the end of your fairway. (Note: this hole seems to share a fairway with Majorki #1 to the right.) The pump house reflects where the hole doglegs downhill to the left. Keep your shot on the green below the hole for the best putting opportunity. Note: A bit of a drive to #2 tee. Leaving the back of the green, take the cart path up the hill along Majorki #6 fairway on your right. Go straight past Majorki #6 green, you will immediately see Biggs Kreigh #14 green. Stay on the cart path with this green on your right. #2 tee box will be in front of you on the left.
par 3, handicap 15
A long par three downhill and through the trees to a large rolling green. Men, seniors and ladies tee off from down below. The tee shot is over a pond with a pond also guarding the right side of the green. This is a huge green that challenges with many different breaks. Par is a good score. Cart path only on this hole. Note: exiting the back of the green, the cart path forks. Keep on the left fork, between the houses to street (Woodridge Court) and turn right up the hill, at the intersection with Washington Street, the #3 tee station is across the road on the right.
par 4, handicap 5
This is a dead straight par 4 along Washington street to the right and Cross Creek condominiums to the left. Play your tee shot to the middle of the fairway and your second shot will be downhill to a severely faced green. This is definitely a green on which you want to putt from below the hole to avoid the dreaded three or greater putts. Note: Leaving the green, take the cart path up the hill toward the building (The Oasis on 4), with a beverage machine and rest rooms.
par 4, handicap 3
A par 4 dogleg left along the high tension wires, with homes on both sides of the fairway. The tee shot favors a draw (right handers) that bites off as much of the corner as is dared. Trees and residences guard the left corner, don’t break any windows! The green has a good sized mound across its front right half, which can hold up shots coming in from that direction. Note: Leaving the back of this green, follow the cart path between the homes, straight across Cross Point and between those homes, #5 tee station is on the left.
par 3, handicap 9
Another long par 3 to a large raised green that slopes away from the tee (i.e. front to back). This green is deeper front to back than it is wide left to right. A high tee shot landing short of the flag has the best chance to hold this green, which has a bunker front left, a grass bunker right, and a significant hill slanting away in the back. Note: when leaving the green, the tee station you see is hole #11. Stay on the cart path, doing a u-turn around #5 green, follow the cart path between the homes onto Eagle Glen Court and go left to the corner, go right onto Bears Pass, you will see a Cross Creek Golf Club building with restrooms and a beverage machine on the right hand corner, take the cart path past restrooms and the house (left side) and #6 tee station is straight ahead.
par 4, handicap 17
A short par 4 that is a risk reward hole. The green is drivable for some and eagles have been made, however, a pond across the fairway guards the front of the green stopping about fifty yards out, a bunker is front right of the green, while going over the green faces a severe downward hill that can allow a ball to run OB. A smart play is to hit an iron off the tee, favoring the left side, taking the pond out of play, and leaving yourself with 135 yards or less into the green. Note: leaving this green, head back along the houses on the left fairway, pick up the cart path, following it between the homes, straight across Tiger Trail, between the homes and the #7 tee box is right there.
par 3, handicap 11
A beautiful par 3 across a pond to a green faced with a grass bunker, with sand bunkers to front left and rear right. The green is quite flat, favoring a high trajectory in order to hold. A long shot across the green will easy reach a severe down slope that typically means your ball rolls OB. If you hit over the green, you may wish to hit a provisional. Note: leaving the rear of the green, head on the cart path between the trees and continue around to your right to the #8 tee.
par 5, handicap 1
The extremely challenging and number one handicap of the Biggs Kreigh course is this beautiful, long par 5, which usually plays into the wind. The tee shot is across the water to a fairway which is lined with trees along its right side as well as a number of mounds, which can toss your ball OB if it hits one wrong. A second pond lives on the left side closer to the green, waiting for second or third shots that are pulled left (i.e. for righties). Adding to the fun are a fairway bunker (right) and a greenside bunker (front right). You will earn your score on the approach shot. The green is large and tiered (lower front left and higher back right). Pay attention to flag position to avoid a treacherous putt. Note: follow the cart path behind the green, around the end of the pond, again straight across another part of Tiger Trail, onto the cart path to #9 tee box.
par 4, handicap 7
After a relatively hard #8, this easy par 4 can get your mind right if needed. Frequently the hole plays with the wind to your back. The hole is another risk reward option. Many golfers will not need to hit driver off the tee, rather choosing three wood or long iron to set themselves up for a 100 or so yard shot into the green. This choice may take the fairway bunkers and pond (that extends all the way along the left of the fairway to the front of the green) out of play. However, longer hitters can definitely “go for the green.” Birdies and eagles have been recorded on this hole. The crowned green is quite deceitful and putts can run particularly quick. Note: leave this green following the cart path to Hoagland alley and take a slight jog across to the cart path leading you around the bend to #10.
par 4, handicap 18
You have finished the “out” nine and begin the “in” nine with a straightaway, short par 4 which offers a broad fairway and little trouble, unless you try really hard to find some. The ponds to the left really are not in play. The fairway has some mounds to the right, which can be avoided. The green is quite wide open with a pond along its left side. Definitely, designed to provide par or better for starting your second nine. Note: leaving pick up the cart path behind the green, and follow it between the homes back to Bears Pass, you will see the Cross Creek Golf Club restrooms in front of you that you passed going to the #6 tee, turn right onto Bears Pass and take the left onto Eagle Glen Court, you will see the cart path that was used when you left #5 green, go between the homes, past #5 green to #11 tees.
par 3, handicap 12
A par 3 that plays downhill and not unusually has wind to your back. Pay attention to these facts as you may want to club down, avoiding a shot over the green that can run well away from the hole leaving a precarious chip back up the hill to a green now sloped well away. Forced into this recovery shot near always results in higher numbers. Equally avoid a miss left of the green. Your ball near 100% of the time ends up in the pond. The best “miss” is short or right. Cart path only on this hole.
par 5, handicap 2
A nice par 5 with trees along the left side but OB right into the residential area (stay left of the cart path). Keep your tee shot straight away and right of the large poplar tree, which will facilitate missing a pond in the left rough that can be reached by long hitters. Some golfers elect to use three wood off the tee in order to avoid trouble and play their second shot from the fairway. This is a difficult green to reach in two. On the second shot, a pond travels the entire left side of the fairway (the fairway slopes toward the pond). The pond also protects the front left of the green.
par 3, handicap 14
A slightly uphill, running beside Washington Street, par 3 with the green guarded by a mound across the front right third, which will stop low hit short shots, and a shallow grass bunker along the left side. Cart path only on this hole. Note: exiting the green, take the cart path and turn left onto Cross Pointe, (if going straight ahead, you will see Cross Creek’s Oasis on 4 food station / restroom on the hill beside the #4 tee), at the intersection with Washington Street cross over to the cart path and proceed to your right (West) along the woods, at the end of the woods on your left is #14 tee.
par 4, handicap 4
Another risk reward hole and a favorite on the Biggs Kreigh course. This short par 4 is a dogleg left, with a woods along the left side. Accuracy trumps distance here as most play this hole conservatively by using a middle iron straight ahead off the tee, across the pond, landing short of the trees in front and the creek on the left. This sets up a second shot with a low to middle iron, between the trees, across the creek and up the hill to a fairly flat green, with a few subtle breaks, protected by mounds to the right and behind. Where is the risk reward? Big hitters will pull driver on the tee and blast one up and over the trees down the left side. Clearing the trees at the correct angle can result in birdie or eagle. Note: leaving the green, proceed on the cart path past the tree line and immediately turn right to the #15 tee.
par 5, handicap 10
A direct par 5 with the green slightly to the right side of the fairway. A row of trees down the right side, tee to green, is ready to grab any errant push (righties). A pond is off the left of the fairway in a perfect spot to ruin the day for a tee shot that is pull hooked (right handers). A drive left center sets up the second shot, which can be for the green with big hitters. Bunkers protect the green short left and right.
par 3, handicap 16
A challenging par 3 to a raised, faced green protected by small bunker right and left with a significant slanted drop off for long tee balls. Short is better than long on this hole. As Majorki #3, this hole offers the opportunity to card a hole-in-one and win $2500, as this is one of two Swing King holes at Cross Creek Golf Club. Cart path only on this hole.
par 4, handicap 8
A par 4 with the tee shot over a pond, which runs half way down the right side. A grass lined ditch crosses the fairway ready to collect drives that are just a bit short, presenting the golfer with a downhill or uphill lie. Favor the left side of the fairway to open up more options for your shot to the green as a large faced bunker protects the front right. Note: leaving the green, take the cart path right, past the Majorki #9 tee and find the #18 tee immediately on your right.
par 5, handicap 6
A terribly fun par 5 finishing hole to the championship course that takes you back to the Club House. The tee shot is a forced carry over a creek to land at the corner of this dogleg right. Long hitters can cut as far to the right hand corner over the trees as they care to gamble. A typical tee shot is hard left center, which allow your ball to roll right off the hill back to the fairway. However, avoid hitting too hard and far to the left or you will be through the fairway and blocked out by trees for your second shot. From the corner of the dogleg, trees are down the left side while a creek runs along the right, though it should be out of play until you are near the green. Just in front right of the green the creek bends over and comes into play. The creek runs along the right side of this small green while the front left is defended by a bunker.
