Flyover
Hole 1
A great but challenging way to start your round.
A straight drive off the tee to find the middle of the fairway is a must.
Anything right and the ball may go down into the long stuff.
Anything left and you could be blocked out by the bushes on the left.
Straight drive rewards you with a long iron or more into a nice receptive green.
Hole 2
It doesn’t ease off yet, this Par 3 at just under 200 yards is all about the wind and the direction.
It could be a mid iron one day and the next a long iron or even a fairway wood.
Find the putting surface and you have a birdie chance.
Hole 3
Uphill Par 4 that is dominated from the tee by a big bunker with sleepers.
The astute will notice that there is a lot more room to the left, the bunker is actually on the right side of the fairway.
Navigate a tee shot that encounters no sand and again it’s a longish iron at least to another nice receptive green. Plays its length and more.
Hole 4
Our first Par 5 and chance to really open the shoulders,
Aim for the marker and let the ball run down the hill.
Get it right and you have a great chance to reach in 2.
A real birdie chance this hole, don’t be disappointed with a Par.
Hole 5
The end of the first section here at Blakes Golf Club before crossing the driveway.
It’s a uphill all the way Par 3 and depending on the wind determines which club to play.
Don’t be short left or right, don’t be short.
Hole 6
After crossing the driveway to the club house you arrive at the Par 4 6th Tee.
A simple straight drive is all you need. Anything left is almost certain to find a prickly bush of some sort, anything right and it’s slopy rough patch into bushes.
The shot in to the green does not want to be long, as the back of this green slopes away from you down towards the OB behind the green.
A Par here is a great score, Bogey is no disaster.
Hole 7
The next Par 5 hole is a beauty, and you’ve heard its all about the drive. Well this is all about the drive and the second.
Aim for the marker post off the tee and your ball will probably be in A1 position.
The second is either a lay up before the ditch after the driveway or open those shoulders and go for it.
Again a tough Par 5 but rewards two great long shots.
Hole 8
The signature hole, Short Par 3 but the wrecker of many front 9`s
Its short, but the green is surrounded by water, and we mean surrounded. Its an island green.
Be brave and just aim for the centre of the green. Dont be too greedy or you could be wet.
Hole 9
A nice straight forward Par 4 to end the front 9.
A fairway wood or driver off the tee that finds the fairway will leave a mid iron in.
Your approach to a blind green needs to be aimed at the pin
Get the yardage right and the direction too and you could be putting for a 3
Hole 10
Back across past the clubhouse to this straight Par 4.
Not much to go wrong here.
Wide fairway and a nice straight forward approach to a nice green.
Hole 11
A long Par 4 which into the wind plays almost like a Par 5.
Get your tee shot away and your second could be literally any club in your bag. Depending on the wind direction and speed and the position of the pin on this very large green.
It could be a 3 shotter to the green.
Hole 12
Back past the club house and across the driveway to the lovely Par 4 12th tee.
This is a dog leg left to right that the big hitters can take on.
Its all about the distance.
Average hitters go for the marker leaving a mid to long iron in.
Cut the corner and find a decent lie and its shorter approach. But it is rough in there if you`re short off the tee.
Hole 13
The 1st Par 3 on the back 9 and it’s a straight forward tee shot onto a long green.
Water to the right to catch the slice, and go long and you may not see the ball again.
Par is a great score here.
Hole 14
A lovely Par 4 before what is arguably the best closing 4 holes in Essex.
The line is a draw off the tee around the tree leaving a mid iron up the hill to a large flat but blind green. Yardage and line correct and you could be rewarded with a nice birdie.
Don’t go right or left off the tee as you may not see the ball again
Hole 15
The first of 4 very strong closing holes.
This is a long Par 5 , approaching 600 yards off the back tees.
Tee shot should be aimed just right of the marker post.
You wont even see the green until you’ve gone past it. Then you will still have well over 300 yards left to the green. This is a real 3 shot to the green hole.
A fairway wood down the hill leaving a short to mid iron into the large green.
You wont be the first to think you are in Scotland when playing the 15th
Hole 16
It doesn’t get any easier with Hole 16 a long Par 4 SI 1.
Into the wind, as are the last 3 holes at Blakes. Get a nice drive away down the middle.
Its OB all down the left, and then leave a long iron or fairway wood to the green.
It’s a tough green and a 5 is something to not be disappointed about.
Hole 17
Par 3 and all about the carry with two ponds to negotiate.
Pull the tee shot and there is rocky ditch to contend with.
Aim for the middle of the green and 2 putt if necessary.
3 here is a great score.
Hole 18
Your challenging round at Blakes, ends with a challenging uphill Par 5.
A tee shot again over two water hazards, will leave a long second that literally is get as far up the uphill fairway as you can.
If you haven’t reached the green, the approach is to a blind green on a plateau.
Reach the middle and its two putts for a deserved Par.