First hole - The first hole at Hickory Ridge is a medium to long par 5. It requires a player to hit two accurate shots, leaving a short iron or pitch to an elevated green. The player's biggest concerns are the out of bounds over the green and the lateral hazard that runs the length of the hole on the left side. This is a very good test and a par on this hole to start your round is all you should expect.

Second hole - The second hole is a medium length, down hill par 4. A straight drive is required,as trees will block out or interfere with your second shot. This hole can be a birdie chance but watch out for the drop off into a hazard over the green. The green is fastest from right to left and back to front, so be careful.

Third hole - This short par 4 is a great birdie chance. A good drive down the left side is safest,and will leave most players with a short iron to the green, or even a pitch for the longer hitters. This green does have a ridge that separates it down the middle, but it isn't severe enough to affect most putts. Out of bounds does come into play over the green but it will have to be a very errant shot to get there!

Fourth hole - Our fourth hole at Hickory Ridge is a deceiving par 4 that doglegs to the left. Long hitters can cut off much of the dogleg but beware of the thick rough and newly planted trees. The best play is over the right corner of the pond to the middle of the fairway. This will leave a short to mid iron to a large but deceptive green. Choose your club carefully as out of bounds comes into play behind the green. A shot hit even slightly too long will run quickly to the boundary fence. This hole is definitely tougher than it looks so take a 4 and run!

Fifth hole - The first of four really good par threes! This hole requires a solid long iron or fairway wood to reach the putting surface. Two large bunkers, and a large tree that overhangs the left side protect the green. The green will be fast, and putting down to the front of the green is always difficult. Treat this as a hole that can and will be bogied by most, and take your chances on the other holes.

Sixth hole - The par 5 sixth is a hole that will give every player many options. The best play is to hit your tee shot down the right side even if it goes into the rough. This will open up an angle for your second shot, which should be played conservatively. Do not cut the corner unless you are prepared to take a really high score!!! A mid iron for your second shot should be plenty and will leave you with a wedge for your third. Risks on this hole will most likely ruin your front nine score.

Seventh hole - The par 4 seventh is our shortest par 4 hole. This hole is truly a birdie hole but there are dangers. First, on your drive you must carry the river that cuts across the fairway. Use a club that will carry approximately 225 yards from the tee sign. The second shot will only be a short wedge, but be careful, this is also our smallest green and any shot right, left, short or long will produce a difficult pitch or sand shot. There is a water hazard over this green, so be careful not to get too aggressive.

Eighth hole - It is all about the green on this par 3 hole. Players will need a mid or long iron depending on which level the hole is on. It's uphill so take a little extra! This green is slower than it looks even with the slopes, so watch for tricky hidden breaks in your putts. This is another birdie chance so be aggressive!

Ninth hole - The long par 4 ninth is our #1 handicap hole and you will experience why. Keeping your tee shot in play will be a challenge, with out of bounds down the left side and a water hazard down the right. A large fairway bunker also protects the right side but can stop a ball from entering the hazard. The second shot is just as difficult. A long iron or wood will be needed for this uphill second shot. Once again, out of bounds protects the left side and the water hazard protects the right. The green is well bunkered and has three levels to hit to. Play this carefully and anything bogie or better is not going to hurt you...On to the back nine!

Tenth hole - The next stretch of holes is the most critical to maintaining a good score. The Tenth is a medium length par 4, which is straight away. Beware of the hazard on the left side if playing a driver off the tee. The fairway will kick the ball to the left and even if you miss the water the left side is not the place to be. Hit your tee shot right center and plan for a mid to short iron to the green. Bunkers protect this double level green and a hazard top the left of the green that is not visible from the fairway. Do not go over the green as the ground falls quickly away from you and your pitch will be very tough. The ridge running across the green is very difficult to judge and the green is fastest putting right to left and back to front. Par is the target score here!

Eleventh hole - Our shortest par 5 hole, the eleventh is your best shot at birdie or even and eagle. Get your tee shot into the fairway and you should not have too much trouble. Be careful of the trees off the tee that will quickly grab a slightly errant tee shot. Trust the yardage markers and be confident... Birdie hopefully awaits you!

Twelfth hole - This difficult par 4 hole is one of our best. Be sure to be aggressive with your swing on the tee to carry the bend in the river down the right side. Any shot hit to the right and not hit well will be swallowed up by this hazard. The hazard also crosses the fairway at about 250 yards down the right side. A tee shot in the middle will leave most players with at least a 6 iron to the green that has a ridge down the middle of it. Once again par on this hole is a great score.

Thirteenth hole - This short par 4 is a fun hole if you like target golf. You can put away your driver and use a fairway metal or long iron to hit off the tee. Stay away from the fairway bunker and you will be in good shape for your second shot. From the fairway you will be faced with a short iron shot over the fort river that crosses the fairway and runs to the left and back of the green. You will also have to be careful of the pond that is to the left of the green. Any shot hit even slightly left will catch the water! The green is narrow in the front and larger in the back with a slope from right to left. This can be a birdie chance if you choose the right club for your second shot but par is always a good score to plan for.

Fourteenth hole - This par 4 is an easy birdie hole from the regular tee area and a difficult par hole from the back tee area that is 80 yards longer. A row of pines protects your tee shot on the right and a large oak is looming in the distance for anything hit to the left. From the forward tee hit your shot down the right side and be rewarded with a very short iron to a relatively flat split-level green. From the back tee hit your tee shot to the left of the pines and be left with a mid iron or fairway wood to the green. Take plenty of club as most players are short of the green.

Fifteenth hole - Affectionately known as the "pig hole", this par 3 has a wide but shallow putting surface so choosing the right club is paramount to taking advantage of this short hole. The green is possibly the fastest on the course especially putting from right to left and from back to front. Many birdies and even an occasional hole in one are seen here so take advantage of this opportunity.

Sixteenth hole - The sixteenth hole is a drivers dream! The only trouble is the out of bounds down the left side of the hole. Take a big swing and hit it right and you'll never lose it! This is reachable in two shots so take advantage of it because the next two holes are possibly the best finishing holes in Western Mass. The green has two bumps in it that can and will make some putts difficult. Stay in the right place on the green and putts can definitely be made here. Be aggressive!

Seventeenth hole - A long difficult par three! This hole will require a shot between 180 and 200 yards to a green that has a large difficult ridge in the middle creating three small hitting areas. A large bunker and trees protect the left side of the green and out of bounds awaits anything hit long. If your lucky enough to hit this firm green beware of the quick breaks in your putts, this is one of the easiest three putts on the course. A par is great but bogie is the norm!

Eighteenth hole - One of the areas best holes period! This long par 4 requires a long and accurate tee shot avoiding the river on the left and thick spongy rough on the right. Don't worry about the river crossing the fairway only the really long hitters can reach it down the left side off the tee. Your second shot will most likely require a very long second shot to a green which is protected by large deep bunkers which run in front of this elevated wide green. (The green measures 155 feet wide and about 40 feet in depth). Most players try in vain to each this hole in two shots only to come up short in the bunkers. Play it safe if it's a risk to get there. Lay up to the left front of the green and pitch it on from there. This hole plays more like a par 5 for most players so don't take a chance. Play for 5 and be happy with a chance to make a putt for a par. Truly a great par 4 hole! .....On to the 19th!!