1. At IdleWild, golf skill chal­lenges begin with the first hole. A good drive left of the fair­way bun­ker leaves a short or mid iron approach to an elevated green guarded by a large ash tree and sand trap. A risk/reward drive right of the bunker into the rough, among a spattering of young elm trees next to the out-of-bounds area, leaves a shorter iron approach to an unguarded green. Shots hit over the green leave an extremely difficult chip shot back. The first hole green is a deceptively undulating three-putt nightmare if you underestimate its slope and speed. Hit away, enjoy the ride, and learn right-off-the-bat what a round of golf is all about here at IdleWild.

3. The prevailing in-your-face winds on the long­est par three at Idle­Wild gen­erally make this hole play longer than the yardage listed on the scorecard, and birdies are hard to come by. The ample bunkers guarding the green short left and right make it difficult for up and down pars.

4. It takes a good drive from the is­land tee (black tee) to carry the lake, avoid the creek and miss the mounds on the left. From the other tee areas, unless you're a very long hitter, those hazards make cutting across this dogleg very risky. Hitting a drive a little too far to the right or even a little too far down the middle will reach the tall prarie grass stretching along the outside edge of this dogleg left. Sand traps guarding the green both front right and left give this green an imposing postage stamp appearance, but a good mid-iron shot after a good drive will provide opportunity for a birdie putt on this relatively level green.

5. This magnifi­cent par four is Idle­Wild's sig­nature hole, and rated the most dif­ficult on the course. To play this hole in par requires a long tee shot between the lake on the right and the lateral hazard on the left. The approach shot must carry Lost Creek and avoid a tall ash tree guarding a fairly flat elevated green tucked into the woods with a sand trap on the left and mounds at the back.

6. With the pres­sures of the first five holes be­hind, take a deep re­laxing breath, choose a mid or short iron appropriate for the second shortest hole on the course, and softly spin a drop and stop shot up close to the pin; then, eye up your line on this relatively friendly green and make your birdie putt. Or drop it short anywhere around the green, in the traps front left or right. A good chip from anywhere around the green can still get up in two and down for parr.

7. Grip-it & rip-it or risk / reward? You decide when you look down the bottle­neck of the first par five on the front nine at IdleWild. A great drive could put you in position to knock your second shot on the green for an eagle putt, but spraying a long drive could put you in the woods running down both sides of the fairway. A couple of well hit two hundred yard shots should put you in position to hit your favorite scoring club for an up and down birdie. The relatively small and somewhat bowl-shaped green is protected by two greenside bunkers, so strategy can play an important role in going low on this hole.

8. "Great Eight" is a beau­ti­ful and ex­treme­ly chal­leng­ing golf hole. The nar­rowing fairway is skirt­ed by lateral hazards and forest on both sides, and a fairway bunker left and mound right tighten up the driving target even more. The difficult mid-to-long iron approach shot must cross Lost Creek and rise to an elevated green guarded by two greenside bunkers. Negotiating the sloping putting surface adds the final touch to this terrific golf hole.

9. Only the long­est and most ac­curate hit­ters will be able to reach the is­land green in two on this par five gambler. Forest on the right and on the left, fairway bunker and big old Elm tree down the middle – this is a very risky grip & rip situation. The smart player could do the math, and cipher that a couple mid-irons might work as well as Driver and a short-iron layup to leave a scoring-club shot at this large and undulating island green – for an up and down birdie.

10. This is pos­sibly the most straight-forward par four hole at Idle­Wild, pro­vid­ing a fairly easy­going start to the back nine. Avoid driving into the two small bunkers down the left side of the fairway, and you should be left with a short iron approach to the small, flat green. Sand traps guard the green front left and right, and another trap backstops long shots over the green.

11. Carefully work your way through the longest and most dif­ficult par five hole at Idle­Wild. Hug­ging the drive left to cut the dogleg corner risks dunking it in the pond. The second shot may be impeded by a great tree next to the pond. A pull left on the second shot will put you out of bounds, and a push right may put you in the fairway bunker or into Lost Creek or the small pond that widens short of the green. Sand traps guard the green front left and right. The large green slopes from back to front and left to right.

12. From the tee, only the big­gest hit­ters need even think about carry­ing Lost Creek, which crosses the fairway at the dogleg turn down the left side of this demanding par four hole. Most players will hit a fairway wood or long iron to the landing area short of the creek, which will leave a second shot of about the same distance to the green, which is protected left and right by sand traps. This is one of the largest and most challenging putting surfaces on the course. Get away with a birdie on this monster, and you can count your lucky stars with three fingers.

13. If ever there was a birdie op­portu­nity at Idle­Wild, this is it, the short­est par three on the course. The green, guarded by a couple of bunkers front left and right, slopes gently from back to front, providing the perfect landing area for a soft drop and stop shot with your favorite scoring iron from the tee.

14. Take advant­age of the best chance for eagle on the easi­est par five at Idle­Wild. An out of bounds area runs down the entire length of the left side of the hole, and a couple of fairway bunkers are also tucked in left at about driving distance; so, keep your drive down the middle or a bit to the right. A good fairway wood or long iron second shot should reach the generous green guarded short left by a third fairway bunker and two right side greenside sand traps.

15. This straight­for­ward par four is short enough for a good chance at birdie if you keep your tee shot down the middle. Scattered trees and grassy mounds are trouble at the right, and tall prarie grass provides even bigger trouble on the left. The green is surrounded by bunkers and offers some subtle putting twists, but a short scoring iron shot after a good drive should allow for an accurate drop and stop shot up close to the hole.

16. This quite long par three should be played with great care. The forest-flanked fair­way makes it feel like the hole is closing in on you, and it is. The bowl-shaped green is up on a pedistal and blocked by bunkers front left and right, and the ball could roll down the back slope and into Lost Creek if you hit it long, Keep your chin up, your head down, and get off the tee and up and down for a birdie.

17. This very tough par four dog­leg left will chal­lenge the long­est and most ac­cur­ate golfer. Lost Creek stretches down the left side, then cuts straight through the fairway. The drive must stay right of the creek, miss a fairway bunker, and be long enough to clear the corner for a clean view of the green. The second shot, with a fairway wood or long iron, must split a pair of greenside bunkers to settle safely onto this softly sloping green.

18. The last hole at Idle­Wild will test your skills as much as any other, and leave you want­ing an­other chance to try your game again. Keep your tee shot left in the fairway for a clear view of the approach to the green. The right rough dips into a gully, and, from there, you'll have a blind up-hill shot over the lake to the large and well-sloped green.