Course Lay Out & Descriptions
Hole 1
A great starting hole, this par 5 plays with the prevailing breeze and offers a generous landing area for the tee
shot. Longer hitters may elect to have a go at the green in two, but a well-paced second shot and short wedge
is probably the smart play right out of the blocks. A deep, narrow green is protected by a single bunker in the
front right.
Hole 2
The number one handicap hole at SNCC, the second is a tough driving hole which doglegs lefts around a towering
pine. A medium to long iron second shot to a green guarded front and back by bunkers puts a premium on
accuracy. Par here is a an excellent score for low handicaps, while five is very acceptable for all others.
Hole 3
The only true lay-up hole at Sterling, requiring a tee shot of about 200 yards. Be in the fairway! A short iron should
end up on the correct level of a tough, two level green. Not as easy as the yardage suggests!
Hole 4
A devilish, medium length par 4 not to be taken lightly as indicated by the handicap ranking. Tee shot over
wetlands, though not a long carry, can be intimidating. Bunkers protect both sides of fairway, with hole setting
up best from the right side.
Hole 5
A beautiful par 3 stretching from 150-190 yards depending on tee selection. The uniquely shaped green is
bunkered left and right, with the pond in front guarding against any "fat" tee shots.
Hole 6
A great driving hole framed by two huge pines. You tee off in the town if Sterling and land in Lancaster. Second
shot skirts a deceiving wetland area, with more room in the approach to the green than meets the eye. A deep,
two level green in guarded on the right by a towering oak.
Hole 7
Two separate tee complexes give two completely different looks to this interesting hole. One angle crosses a
wetland to a wide but shallow target, while the other is all land to a deep, narrow green. Bunkers protect two
side of the putting surface.
Hole 8
The trip through Lancaster continues with this demanding par 5. A tee shot from the elevated tee complex to a
plateau fairway sets up the next two shot on this true three-shot par 5. From 120 yards in, a series of bunkers
protect the right side of the approach to the smallest green on the course.
Hole 9
Down the gentle slope from tee to green, a well-placed tee shot will avoid the bunker complex on the left and
result in a short iron second shot. A challenging green is now the only obstacle between you and a birdie to
close out the front side.
Hole 10
A chance to gamble on the tee shot allows big hitters an opportunity to go for it on their second shot. Mortals will
play this as a three-shot hole, with the short third shot the key. Leaving the ball below the cup is the preferred spot
to assure no more than two putts on this wide but shallow green. You need to carry the corner in hopes of getting
a second shot up the fairway.
Hole 11
A scenic par 3, playing from multiple tees and yardages to an undulating putting surface. The green is protected by
a large hill to the right, with several deep bunkers to the left ready to catch all errant shots. You're back in Sterling!
Hole 12
One of the most visually appealing holes on the course, this memorable par 4 is Sterling's signature hole! It plays
as either a slight dogleg right from the elevated primary tee complex, or as a dogleg left from the alternate lower tees.
Water guards the green left with bunkers framing the backdrop behind a generous putting surface.
Hole 13
Considered the toughest of the five par 3s, the tee shot demands accuracy for both distance and direction in order to
put for a birdie. A large bunker guards the front of the green, while numerous pot bunkers lurk in the rear if too
much club is used. The shelf in the back right of the putting surface offers some challenging pin placements.
Hole 14
The tee shot plays downhill on this dogleg left, allowing most tee shots to reach the corner for an open second shot.
A pond guards against any "ugly" shots hit well left and short of the green. The two-tiered green is protected by a
lone bunker in the front right.
Hole 15
The longest par 4 at Sterling, playing slightly downhill to a generous landing area. Well-placed bunkers to the right
of the green lay in wait for any ball hit weakly off line, while the putting surface is one of the trickiest to read. Take
a four or five here, and go to the next hole!
Hole 16
Beautiful to the eye, but deceivingly tough (especially from the top tee). Playing into and across the prevailing
breeze, the tee shot must be solidly struck to find the putting surface and avoid the greenside bunkers. A huge pine
guards the left of the green on this par 3 which drops some 60 feet from tee to green.
Hole 17
From the silver tee, this is truly one of the great championship holes in New England. The tee shot carry over the
wetlands decreases significantly as the tees progress forward, making it a playable hole for all levels. An uphill
second to the largest green on the course easily avoids the second wetland.
Hole 18
What a way to finish your "walk through the woods!" An uphill tee shot to a large landing area sets up your
second shot on this slight dogleg to the right will require a risk-reward decision on the second shot to approach
the deep, undulating green. Try not to let your "friends" sitting on the clubhouse patio influence your putt!