Idle Hour Club (Private)

251 Idle Hour Drive, Macon
478-477-1724; www.ihcgolf.com

STAFF: Ray Cutright is the Director of Golf; Jeff Cutright is the Golf Professional.

PAR/YARDAGE: Idle Hour is a par 70 with five sets of tees: Black (6,671 yards); Gold (6,414); Blue (6,063); White (5,364) and Red (5,167). There is also a combination member set (6,200).

COURSE RATING/SLOPE: Black (72.9/137); Gold (71.4/133); Member (70.6/131); Blue (69.9/128); White (66.5/119); Red (70.9/125).

ABOUT THE COURSE: One of the state’s most historic courses will host its record-tying seventh State Amateur Championship next month, and the course has been lengthened a bit since it last hosted the event in 1997. The addition of a number of new back tees has added some 250 yards, with a sizeable chunk of that total coming on three par 4s, with several other holes gaining 20-25 yards. Apart from the added length, it is still pretty much the same course it was 11 years ago, when only the top two finishers broke par for 72 holes. Even with the new back tees, Idle Hour has four par 4s under 350 yards, but they are now balanced by some holes that are significantly longer and tougher than they were previously. The difficulty of the rough made Idle Hour such a tough test the last time it hosted the State Am, but it won’t be quite as thick this year as it was in ’97. Still, driving accuracy will be a key in the championship, with the tiny, well-guarded greens a challenge to hit after missing the fairway.

Idle Hour’s putting surfaces don’t offer much in the way of size, and most have a decent amount of slope, as will as a pin position or two that will make for some entertaining putts and short game shots for players who miss in the wrong spot. A number of the greens are above the level of the surrounding terrain, with some sharp drop-offs just over several of them. Any player who is not precise with his iron game is going to encounter some pitch shots that will require considerable skill to save par. Idle Hour has a deceptively difficult group of par 3s, with the second lengthened to around 200 yards to make the pond short and left of the green a greater factor. The two back nine par 3s don’t have a drop of water on them, but missing the putting surfaces are not advised, particularly on the 12th, one of a number of holes that provide plenty of challenge despite modest length. The par-3 18th is part of a demanding quartet of finishing holes that will likely provide an exciting State Am finish on one of the state’s most interesting courses.