A dogleg-left par-4 that shapes around a small valley and two deep fairway bunkers. With out-of-bounds down the right side, most players will play out to the right of the bunkers with a three-wood or hybrid to the widest landing area. Once in the fairway, hit a mid- to short-iron approach to a relatively flat, albeit well-bunkered green.

A challenging tee shot for this dogleg-right par-4. A fairway bunker guards the right corner of the dogleg, where players will have a 295-yard carry to shorten this strong hole. It’s a very difficult fairway to hit with any kind of right-to-left movement off the tee. The pear-shaped green is well bunkered and tricky to read.

From an elevated tee, the hole falls to a two-tiered fairway and plays over Ancaster Creek. The bottom section, 255 yards out, is only 18 yards wide. The lay-up off the tee to the upper portion of the fairway is preferred. This leaves the player with 150 to 165 yards to an extremely well bunkered, elevated green cut into the side of a hill. The green slopes from back to front. Missing the putting surface makes for a difficult up and down.

This straightforward par-5 can be reached in two, although the green is not terribly receptive to long shots. Players will have to avoid the trees that flank both sides, as well as the two fairway bunkers—one a 275-yard carry down the right side and the other a 320-yard carry down the left. Once in the fairway, a 250-yard approach is required. If errant off the tee, players will have to negotiate the cross-bunkers 90 yards from this well-bunkered, sloping green, which falls off to the right.

A real risk-reward hole, No. 5 gives the gambler an opportunity to hit driver and go for the green. It’s an uphill, slight dogleg right with the green on a small plateau. Playing aggressively brings the deep bunkers into play, while laying up leaves a ball above or below your stance on this narrow, mounded fairway. The green offers many subtle breaks and is one of the course’s most difficult to putt.

This is the first of four very strong par-3s. Surrounded by woods, it plays entirely across a valley to a slightly raised putting surface. Right of the green slopes severely down into the woods and lost-ball territory. Although it is relatively flat, the green is surrounded by bunkers.

This uphill, dogleg-left par-4 is laced with bunkers down the left side and tree-lined to the right. The second shot plays to an elevated, three-tiered green 50 feet above the fairway. Deep bunkers await errant shots left and right, but the green is the true challenge. With three tiers you must find the correct location of the pin to have a realistic chance at making a putt.

This secluded tee shot makes club selection difficult, as the carry is across a valley to an elevated green that slightly cants away from the tee, making it tough to hold. The putting surface is further protected by bunkers left and right.

This straightaway hole usually plays downwind from an elevated tee to a narrow fairway that’s only 20 yards wide. The fairway slopes left to right, leaving many tee balls in the right rough. The approach is uphill to a green cut into the side of a hill. Bunkers to the right help define the hole. The green slopes from back to front and runs left to right. Past the hole leaves the player in a defensive position.

This elevated tee leads to a fairway 60-80 feet below that severely slopes left to right. There are trees and a bunker running up the left side and a hazard down the right. The second shot is to a well-bunkered, elevated green that breaks hard from back to front. A three-wood off the tee is recommended, since keeping the ball in the fairway is the first priority. From there, a wedge shot below the hole is in order. Any shot long makes for a difficult par save.

This par-4 is a tough dogleg left from an elevated tee to the fairway 60 feet below. Large trees at the corner of the dogleg will prevent all but the longest hitters from taking the shortcut. A bunker at the corner of the dogleg on the right side provides a good target from the tee. The fairway then slopes uphill to a green that falls from back to front with a bunker to the right.

This par-4 has a thick stand of trees running up the right side and a hazard up the left. The elevated tee plays downhill to a 22-yard-wide fairway that gently doglegs left. The approach is played uphill to a two-tiered green set in an amphitheatre and sloping hard from back to front.

From an elevated tee, players hit over a small valley to an undulating, elevated green that runs from right to left and back to front. A false front makes this hole play to its true yardage. The putting surface is well bunkered and extremely fast when putting right to left. Coming up short on your tee ball could leave a 50-yard uphill second shot.

This blind tee shot means players can’t see a large fairway bunker 295-300 yards out on the right side. From the middle of the fairway the second shot will be between 140-150 yards to a small, well-bunkered green that pitches balls to the back. Subtle breaks make this slick putting surface one of the course’s most difficult.

This dogleg right features cross-bunkers that require a carry of between 270-285 yards. The second shot will be a short-iron to a two-tiered, well-bunkered green that has a plateau at the back right. Positioning the approach below the hole is the goal to making putts here.

The shortest of the par-3s runs uphill to yet another green well protected by sand and pin positions that are hard to find. Choosing the right club is the challenge. The green sits into the hill and has a sharp falloff to the left that offers an unlikely up and down.

This par-5 will provide plenty of birdie opportunities and even eagles to players who have an extra gear off the tee. It’s a straightforward hole from an elevated tee with trees guarding both sides of the fairway, as well as a large fairway bunker that runs down the left. The player who chooses to lay up for the second shot will have cross-bunkers 65 to 70 yards from the green to negotiate. Bunkers protect the putting surface, which slopes severely from back to front, making any shot above the hole difficult.

This classic finale demands precise positioning off this elevated tee. Ancaster Creek snakes across the fairway 285 yards out, so a three-wood or hybrid is the prudent play. The approach shot climbs 175-200 yards uphill—often from a downhill lie—to a severely back-to-front sloping green set in a giant amphitheatre with bunkers on either side. One of golf’s greatest finishing holes!

A generous downhill opening hole awaits the players on the East nine.  A large hill guides and tee shots heading right to kick them back into the fairway.  The green is well guarded by 3 bunkers, with the slope of the green going away from the tee. 

This hole is one of many dog-leg holes on this night.  Bunkers guard the long hitters, while trees await any errant shots to the right.  A tee shot of 220 to 250 yards will set up a downhill second shot.  A large back to front green is guarded by two bunkers. 

Another dog-leg right hole; but with a twist.  A tee shot of 220 to 250 over a fairway bunker will work best.  A creek winds through the hole, while a pond sits to the right of the green.  Par is a good score here.  

A demanding tee shot of 200+ is needed on this slight dog-leg left hole.  Try to keep your tee shot near the 150 yard marker to get a flat lie.  The green is perched protected by both two bunkers and a steep hill to the right.  Pick the right club on the approach is key.

A long par 3, with a long green challenges the players here.  Bunkers protect the shorter shots, while the back of the green is large and sloping.  Keeping it below the hole is important.

A downhill tee shot of 225 or more will catch the large slope and give players a few extra yards.  Both sides of the hole are guarded by trees making it look tighter than it really is.  Yet another large green is protected by a bunker on the right. 

This is the shortest hole at Hamilton.  Don’t let its small stature fool you.  This hole has bunker left, right and long, as well as a huge pond to swallow up any misguided tee shots.  The green slopes from right to left.  Take your three and run to the next tee.

This hole is the longest on this nine, and also one of the most challenging.  The Ancaster Creek meanders through the trees on the left and cuts through the fairway 240 to 270 yards from the tee.  A large willow guards the left side of the fairway to make your second shot even tougher.  The green is guarded by a pond on the right.  A back right pin makes this hole even more interesting.  Good luck.

A straight away tee shot is needed here on this dog-leg left hole.  The fairway is rolling which can give you a tough lie.  This hole has the most severe sloping greens of all of the 27 holes.  Keeping the ball left and a little short of pin high is essential to secure a low score.