The Course
Rock River GAP, the former Rock River Country Club, is OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. The original nine holes date back to 1913, offering beautiful views of the Rock River. The design is a 2700 yard, par 34 with lots of trees and small greens. The back nine, built in the late 60’s, is a 3200 yard track par 36, with large greens and sand traps. Adding to the challenge is the Holland creek running through it, coming into play on seven of the nine holes. Part of what makes this course fun to play is the contrast between the front (old ) nine and the back. It feels like playing two different courses for the price of one.
Front 9
Established in 1913. Stay out of the trees and better to be short of most greens than right or left.
Hole 1 310/273 Soft dogleg left with the smallest green on the course. Hit tee shot to corner to have 100 yards into the green. Approach shots bounce to the right if you land short of green
Hole 2 407/405 Hardest par 4 for men on the front. Par 5 for ladies. Keep your tee shots to the right side of the fairway as a large tree protects this green from the left. Do not miss this green pin high right or left.
Hole 3 197/150 Green slopes back to front, bunkers on both sides of this narrow green. Don’t short side yourself. Low shots to green will run up.
Hole 4 381/297 Narrow fairway with OB left and bailout right. Over and right of the green makes for a difficult up and down.
Hole 5 287/254 You have to hit your tee shot to at least 120 yards from green to have the corner tree not give you trouble. Get your approach on the right level of the hole, big rise in center of green.
Hole 6 459/375 Only par 5 for men on front. Keep carts on path until path ends. Gets narrow inside of 150 yards. Stay below the hole. Better short on approach than long or left.
Hole 7 146/127 Plays true to yardage, but all carry. Balls hit left are magnetically drawn to the river. Make 3 and be happy.
Hole 8 303/293 Do the math that will get you to the 100 yard marker. Doglegs left hard inside of 100 yards. Through the fairway straight away lands you in the tall trees. Do not go over this green.
Hole 9 Narrow par 3, yes a narrow par three. Trees overhang fairway and green catching high shots to right side of green. Best tee shot is right in front of the green for a nice little chip and a putt.
Back 9
Established in the mid 60’s. Big sloping greens and more bunkers. Stay below the hole on each and every hole.
Hole 10 393/334 Big hitters take it over the bunker as far right as you dare. Do not go left off the tee, OB and nasty evergreens. 150 yards is at the corner. Guide wires are played as a bad break. Keep it low if they are in your line of play.
Hole 11 485/380 Par 5 with a creek crossing through it at the 180 to 150 yard area. Driver is okay off the tee to set up a long iron to the green or lay-up to 100 to 80 yards. OB over the greenside bunker the right will sneak up on you.
Hole 12 406/320 Hardest par 4 on the back with a green that slopes severely from back to front. Trees off tee on right catch a lot of shots.
Hole 13 144/136 Sloped green again, stay below. Tee shots move right to left on the green. Best miss is to the left.
Hole 14 351/283 Drive it to left or short of the bunker. OB on left is real close at the bunker. Greens slopes right to left quickly. Don’t short side yourself to the right. You will have a hard time keeping your chip on the green.
Hole 15 488/433 Reachable par 5 with the right tee shot. More room off the tee right than left. Lay-up to inside of 100 yards but be far enough left to not be blocked out by trees on corner of last little dogleg.
Hole 16 335/282 Creek crosses fairway at 150 yards. Read the plaque on the tee to decide to lay up or go over off the tee. Stay below this hole also.
Hole 17 201/125 Toughest hole to par because of the green. Mound on front right of green will effect every shot that gets near it. Best miss is to the left. Right of the green produces a really fast running chip. Take 3 and be happy.
Hole 18 410/404 Big hitters take it over the bunker as far left as you dare. Corner is 175-185 from green. Par 5 for ladies. Greens slopes from right to left. Don’t miss it right.