The Golf Club at Fernley is located just 30 minutes East of Reno. I looked forward to playing this course as I had not played the course in over 10 years. I remember the course as value for your money, with open fairways, yet some interesting and challenging holes. The course offers the traditional three sets of tees (red, white, blue).

The first hole is “Cottonwood Mesa” and is a 416-yard par 4 with a slight dogleg left. The fairway is open with some trees on the left side of the fairway. The right side of the fairway is protected by a large net separating the first hole from the driving range. Aim your tee shot down the middle of the fairway to give yourself a nice approach shot into the green. The green is very long and narrow with a bunker on the left and in the back. Due to the depth of the green, an approach shot on the green in two still won’t guarantee a par. Make sure to hit your approach shot to the appropriate part of the green to give yourself an opportunity to score on this hole. I was able to hit my chip shot close to the cup, allowing me to save par on the hole.

Hole No. 2 is known as “Shotgun” and is an intimidating 244-yard par 3. Due to the length of the hole, most golfers don’t hit their fairway woods or long irons far enough to hit the green on their tee shot. The problem you will encounter is the difficulty of laying up with your tee shot on a par three. The green has bunkers on the left and front right sides of the green. The pin placement on this day was tucked behind the bunker on the right side of the green. Luckily, the green is big and flat. Club selection is critical on this hole as if you go for the green, you need to clear the bunker, yet be able to keep your ball on the green. On the other hand, it’s difficult to lay up on a par 3.

The front nine closes out with back to back par 5’s. The eighth hole is known as “Sidewinder” and is a 502-yard par 5, dogleg right. You want to hit your tee shot down the middle, avoiding the dry lake on the right and the out of bounds on the left. A golfer needs to decide on their second shot if they want to take the risk/reward shot at the green, or the safe shot by laying up and then hitting into the green on the third shot. The green is a well-protected green with a dry lake on the front and left side with bunkers on the right and back sides. Going for the green requires a long difficult shot and the ability to hold the ball on the green. The fairway becomes very narrow up near the green and has another dry lake on the right side of the fairway about 100-150 yards out. Even attempting to lay up with your second shot can be difficult as the fairway becomes very narrow from 100 yards and in. The safe second shot is to the right side of the fairway, leaving a 100-130 yard shot out of the open fairway.

The No. 1 handicap hole on the course is the ninth hole. It is a monster, 614-yard par 5 dogleg right called “Smokin’ Gun.” The fairway is fairly narrow and requires a big tee shot to give yourself any shot at getting to the green in three. You want to place your tee shot between the mounds on the left and right sides of the fairway. Your second shot should be played toward the left of the fairway to give yourself a decent approach shot into the green. The fairway tends to go from wide to narrow at various places. Following your second shot is when the dogleg comes into play as the dogleg starts very late on the hole, starting at about 100 yards out. The green is protected by a dry lake on the right front side and a bunker on the front left, making for a difficult approach shot. Luckily, it is a large green, which is what is needed to be in order to hold your approach shot.

The back nine starts off with “Rifle,” a 382-yard par 4. The tee box area is fairly narrow but opens up to a big fairway. You want to play your tee shot away from the dry lake bed on the right. Your approach shot is into a large green that slopes right to left and is protected by a large bunker in the front with rolling hills on the right and back sides of the green.

“Top Gun” is the 13th hole and is the No. 2 handicap hole on the course. It is a 426-yard par 4, dogleg left, where you want to play your tee shot toward the fairway bunker on the right side of the fairway. You want to approach the green from the right side of the fairway as there is dry lake bed in front of the green, making for a challenging approach shot. There is a bunker on the back side for shots that are not able to hold the green.

The signature hole on the course is No. 14. It is a 161-yard par 3 named “Hanging Tree.” There is a dry lake from the tee box to the front of the green. There is also a bunker between the dry lake and the front of the green, making anything short of the green trouble. Behind the green is another dry lake bed, making club selection very important as the golfer will find trouble both short and long on this hole. The green is fairly narrow from front to back.

The final hole on the day is a 394-yard par 4 named “Tumbleweed.” The tee shot is to an open fairway with a large tree set up to catch any tee shots wandering too far left. There is water that runs up the left side of the fairway all the way to the green. Beware on your second shot as the green is protected on the front and left side with water and tall grass and a bunker on the back side.

On this day, I played from the blue tees. I was informed by the staff prior to playing the greens were in great shape and to “hit at the pin” on your approach shots. I was also informed the course used to have a decent amount of water, but much of that has changed to dry lake beds. With this, I decided to take advantage of the open fairways off the tee and take the staff’s advice and “hit at the pin” on my approach shots.

Fernley was not the course I remembered. It has some interesting and challenging holes, including probably the longest hole I have ever played. Unfortunately, the course’s lakes have dried up, taking away some of the challenge and appeal. The greens were in very good shape, the ball rolled very well and was average in speed. Fernley has the potential to be a great value course with interesting and challenging holes, unfortunately, the course needs to find a way for the lakes to hold their water.

-Facts about The Golf Club at Fernley-

4000 Farm District Road

Fernley, NV 89408

(775) 835-6933

www.golfclubatfernley.com

Designer: Don Mackey, Bob Bingham Construction

Date played: Monday, June 23, 2008

Dress Code: Proper Golf Attire

Rates:

In season - Mon-Thur $35, Fri-Sun $40

Twilight - (begins at 2pm) $25

All greens fees includes golf cart

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