The opening hole is a 296 yard drivable par 4 with a tee shot over the main entrance road that accesses the island. Players looking to drive this green will need accuracy to avoid left and right green-side bunkers. For tee shots short of the green, your second swing of the day will require a delicate pitch or chip shot to a small crowned green with a false front.
The second hole is a 418 yard par 4 best played with a gentle draw off the tee. The drawing tee shot will be a recurring feature of this classic right to left layout. The fairway drops off to the lower level at around 260 yards allowing longer hitters a chance to hit a short iron into this difficult 2 tiered green. The green is fronted by a cavernous grass bunker. A front hole location requires pinpoint accuracy to avoid a downhill putt that will typically run off the front of the green and possibly into the grass bunker.
This 391 yard par 4 was built to deceive. The bunkers fronting the green are 75 yards from the putting surface but appear much closer from the middle of the fairway. Trust the yardage. The contour of the bunkers, the entire fairway and the 16th green were built into the profile of an an antique bicycle race track which pre dated golf on the island in the 19th Century.
The shortest hole on the course, this 147 par 3 requires an accurate tee shot over the Merrimack River to a tiered green that is well bunkered short and left. Be careful trying to chase a pin on the top level as the out of bounds fence lurks just past the back of the green. The foot bridge to the green leaves Tyngs Island, returning players to the mainland where they will play the "Mainland Nine" before returning to the "Island Nine" on the adjacent 14th hole.
The first par 5 on the front nine is a wide open driving hole that is reachable in two shots for long hitters at 480 yards uphill. Out of bounds borders the right side of this hole for the length of the hole. Players choosing a 3 shot strategy will need to avoid a large fairway bunker left with their second shot, and all players will be mindful of difficult green-side bunkers to the right of the large green. Pin placements middle-right on this green are especially difficult due to the tendency of the surface contour to fall off right.
This 339 yard part 4 plays straightforward until the player reaches it's large undulating sloped green. Accuracy on the approach shot is required for all front pin placements beyond the large sand bunker fronting the green. Approach shots landing above the pin will result in a downhill slick putt demanding a good read and some luck.
The longest hole on the golf course, the 7th hole requires players of all skill levels to consider some course management. As a 554 yard dog leg right par 5, long hitters may be able to reach the corner right, giving them a look at the green. Most players will prefer to favor the left side of the fairway off the tee, giving themselves more options to approach the complex green. At 80 yards from the green there is a valley. If your second shot cannot reach the flat of this valley, play short of the valley to allow a level 3rd shot into the green. While golf shots may be run up to this elevated green from many approach positions, the green is protected short left and right by large deep sand bunkers.
This 392 yard dog leg left presents the player with the ultimate risk reward decision. A long straight drive will frequently be hit through the fairway. Players with a high right to left shot off the tee will usually be pleased with their second shots. Risk takers who elect to cut the corner off the tee, going over the tall pine trees and the course boundary usually get what they deserve. Out of bounds borders the hole all the way down the left side, and back side of the green. The second shot requires accuracy to an uphill, sloped, and false fronted green that is particularly penalizing to miss hit shots.
The player must carry his tee shot every bit of this 216 yard par 3. Sometimes regarded as Vesper's "Signature Hole", the green is quite large but shots to the false front of the green will frequently release all the way down the mowed hill fronting the green. Member Tip: The surface of the green is often considerably elevated from the tee (depending on the tee box) and there is usually a head wind above the tree line coming off the Merrimack river.
The first hole on the back nine is a 374 par 4 with a slight dog leg left that rewards a right to left tee shot. Hitting the fairway is a premium on this hole as shots missed either left or right can be blocked by trees. The approach is moderately up hill to a well bunkered and elevated green.
The 11th hole is a dogleg left par 5 played at 534 yards. Tee shots to the right side of an uneven fairway with multiple humps and bumps can make use of a fairway wood difficult for your second shot. The rolling swales through the fairway on this hole are designed to intimidate, but a disciplined second shot will leave the player in a good position to finish the hole. If laying up, be aware of the left fairway bunker 80 yards short of the green. Golf shots that run through the green are usually penalized as they settle into a closely mowed collection area behind the green.
The 12th hole is considered the most difficult driving hole at Vesper. This long up hill par 4 through a chute of oak trees seems to play even longer than it's yardage indicates on the scorecard. Accurate drives will favor the left side of the fairway leaving the player a clear albeit usually long iron to the green. The green is large and open enough so as to invite players to run approach shots onto it rather than having approaches land on and potentially release to the back of the green where putts are a bit more complex.
This downhill par 4 is the highest point on the golf course and frequently faces a cooling head wind. Notwithstanding that fact, the hole plays even shorter than it's 373 yards. The tee shot is blind to a wide fairway and long hitters should only have a short iron/wedge to the green. The green however is well guarded on all sides and errant shots into the green can only aspire to bogey. This is the final hole played on the "Mainland Nine".
The 14th hole returns players to Tyngs Island to finish the remaining 5 holes. Countless dreams of a great round have either been made or crushed once crossing back onto the island for these challenging finishing holes. This par 3 plays at 198 yards with tee shots crossing over the Merrimack River. The false front green will kick back any shots hit short and frequently even balls hit on the front part of the green will roll back off the green and down the closely mowed front banking; however short is the location to miss as over this green is near impossible for an up and down save.
A very long 440 yard par 4, the 15th hole's entire right side runs along the bank of the Merrimack River. While the fairway is quite large , there is not much room for error on the left due to high grass and trees separating the 15th and 16th fairways. Long and straight hitters have a distinct advantage here but anything less than a very accurate approach shot will leave the player with a difficult attempt at par.
This hole is nearly as challenging and long as it's predecessor at 424 yards. A good drive down the middle will leave the player at least a mid iron to a sunken inverted bowl shaped green, protected by bunkers right and left. Prior knowledge of this hole provides the player a distinct advantage since the approach shot from the fairway is blind of everything but the flag stick.
Many players will disagree with the handicap rating on this 211 yard uphill par 3, particularly if his or her tee shots find the deep green-side bunkers that guard the front left and front right of this green. Tee shots that arrive safely aboard this large "punch bowl" green will find par well within reach.
This is a unique, 526 yard double dogleg par 5 finishing hole that provides a final risk reward challenge to the skilled player. Drives that reach the base of the hill can reach the green in two, but the player must hit a blind approach up and over a large hill that will guide the ball onto the putting surface, with some luck. For those laying up the angle of play is much easier with a clear line of sight to a green guarded by sand bunkers left and right.