Golfing Big Fish Golf Club

The first official round of our tournament was at Big Fish.  This is a club just outside the Hayward area.  It has been a couple of years since I played here but I remembered that I had really liked it.  This course is a tale of two sides, the front nine is a links style layout, albeit one with some water.  The back nine turns into the trees and has some more elevation changes.  The two sides really make the course feel like 2 different experiences.  The course was designed by Pete Dye.  This year it has come under new ownership that has started to re-invest in the course with new carts and the like.  The course itself has always seemed to be in good shape and we will see what new management makes of it.

The clubhouse set up is a bit weird.  The clubhouse has a lot to be desired.  It is basically just a big extension of the cart storage shed.  The pro shop is in this garage building.  There is a small amount of merchandise but that is about it.

There is a building located right behind the ninth tee that serves food and drinks.  Not very convenient for the start but it is handy when making the turn.

There is a good size practice green and a large driving range which is a short cart ride from the first tee.

The course itself starts out with a par 4.  Our tournament was three rounds of 2 man best ball.  This was followed by a fourth round that determined the playoff/champion.  Each 9 holes had a payout, along with the overall championship.  We also agreed that hole in ones would payout the pot for the 2 nines, if one was had.  At Big Fish, we played from the white tees, which is short 6045 yards short.  The course does offer blue (Championship) tees at 6608 yards.  The tips, black (tournament) are a bruising 7190 yards.

From here on out, all yardages refer to whites.

Hole 1 is a dogleg right 325 yard par 4.  The hole is wide open but anything hit right can run out of fairway and just adds length to the second. 

The green is slightly elevated from the fairway so it is not possible to roll one up. Deep bunkers on the right offer danger but on this short of hole those should not come into play.

 The back of the green has a generous run-off area.

Hole 2is a reachable par 5 at 513 yards.  It doglegs right and then back left.  A fair amount of bunkers collect first and second shots off the tee.

I hit my drive left which caught the cart path and left me inside of 200 yards for my second shot as seen here.

From the fairway, you can see some of the bunkers straight ahead and to the left.

The green runs off in the back.  I hit my second onto the green but it failed to stop and I rolled off the back and found the fescue long.  I still managed to get on in regulation and 2 just missed a birdie putt.

Hole 3 is a 137 yard par 3.  A sand bunker runs the entirety of the left side.  TO the right a couple of slopes can direct your ball back onto the green (or further away depending on the side you hit :))

The green is relatively large for this short of hole.

Hole 4 is a 387 yard par 4.  From the tips this hole plays at 517 yards!  Bunkers frame the fairway in the landing zone off the tee.  The hole turns ever so slight right. 

The fairway also runs out before the green, requiring a carry on your second.

The green is rather narrow but deep front to back.

Hole 5 is a 315 yard par 4.  The green is right, tucked behind a lot of sand.  Anyone who is thinking of going for the green should consider the trouble first.

The green itself is flat and one of the easier on the course.  There is a hidden bunker deep.

Hole 6 is a 394 yard par 4.  A wide landing area, anything right runs towards the left.  The hole doglegs left at the sand.

A shot showing the slope of the fairway to the left.

The green has serious trouble short right.  If you miss, miss left.

Hole 7 is a par 5 at 484 yards.  This hole curves left around the pond.  Hit it straight off the tee, anything towards the water may run in.

On your second you can decide how much you want to cut off in distance.  A wide landing area right offers a bail out.

The green is quite large.  Long hitters can run it up towards the green as long as they don't get to far left near the water.

Hole 8 turns back opposite hole 7 so one of these is likely into the wind.  The hole curves slightly right on this 346 yard par 4.  There is a bit of bunker danger to contend with in on the right side and deep off the tee.  The best bet is to hit towards the 150 pole.

Don't let the farm behind the 8th distract you.

The green as seen from the 7th tee.

Hole 9 is a pretty little finishing par 3 at 104 yards.  The food building is located directly behind this hole.  Don't let the treacherous looking bunkers fool you, just get it on the putting surface.  The green is deep so take that into account when selecting your club.

At the turn the flavor of the course immediately changes.  10 starts out as a 347 yard dogleg right par 4.  This hole is framed by trees.

 Bunkers protect the right side at the turn.

I decided to play it safe off the tee but hit it too long into the bunkers at the dogleg.  I managed to get out of the bunker and onto the green for a par.

Hole 11 is a 285 yard par 4.  It makes up for the shortness by the tight trees lining the hole.

 A safe shot of 180 will leave you 100 yards out and avoids the bunkers off the tee.

 The green falls off on all sides.

Hole 12 is a 149 yard par 3.  It plays downhill so one club less is not a bad idea.

Hole 13 is a 475 yard par 5.   Off the tee you want to hit it as far left as you dare.  The hole falls off right and it is easy to miss the fairway and end up being in the gully right of the hole.  The hole slopes left to right so anything left will likely find the fairway.

The second shot is the best on the course.  The green lies far below.  I hit my drive to 200 yards and got on in 2.

 Bunkers down the right of the fairway can collect shots.

 The fairway ends before dropping downhill towards the green.

 You can see my ball on the green here, in 2.  I didn't make the eagle but did get a bird.

Hole  14 is a 351 yard par 4 that plays adjacent to 15.  It is pretty much dead straight.  The hole does slope right to left off the tee.

 The green is protected short and right by several deep bunkers.

The green is somewhat domed and anything that just misses will likely run a distance away

Hole 15 is a 420 yard par 4.   The fairway runs uphill off the tee.  The tower in the distance is where the green is.

 Shots to the left of the fairway are best off the tee to get a good angle towards the green.

Hole 16 is a 171 yard par 3.   Trouble awaits front, right and deep.  Short and left is open if you are going to miss.

 An artsy shot of the serpentine bunker between the tee and green.

Hole 17 is a 490 yard par 5.  Off the tee you must clear the brushes, at least in your mind.  The hole offers a fairly large landing area.

 The second shot is uphill.

Once you crest the hill, you can see the green.  The best play is to lay up to about 130 yards on your second shot.

 This is a small green that is elevated from the fairway.

Hole 18 is a 384 yard par 4.  The hole is down the right side.  The best angle is therefor down the left side.

 Hitting down the left also avoids some troublesome bunkers right.

All in all I played really well.  A lot better than the last couple of days and a surprising way to start the tournament.