Cambridge Meridian Golf Course - Hole-by-Hole

Distances from men's yellow tees

1st hole – 289 yards

Known as “Sheepshank” named after a curious knot, but also giving you a clue to the animals over the out of bounds fence on the right! An inviting tee shot, but find the left of the fairway and you will probably be blocked out to the green with a tricky shot over high trees and a stream

2nd hole – 340 yards

A couple of crafty bunkers creep in on the right of the fairway. The green is guarded by a lake on the left and vast bunker on the right.

3rd hole – 136 yards

The first of the four par 3's. If playing foursomes, consider that the par 3's are all on the odds. Well bunkered with a lake to the left. Deceptive for distance. Trust what the card says.

4th hole – 500 yards

A gorgeous dogleg par 5 – gorgeous once you've negotiated it. A sharp dogleg to the right. Long hitters can carry the corner and leave themselves a shot over the river to the green. But don't be too greedy. The best route for most is to keep left of centre from the tee, turn to the right and play up towards the river. The green is well guarded with another huge bunker to the right of the green. Don't underclub. Trust the 150 marker or the GPS buggy and hit long rather than short.

5th hole – 192 yards

A delightful par 3 to a well bunkered green. The green is on three layers, a menace to hit and a potential nightmare to putt.

6th hole – 508 yards

A challenging par 5, with some tricky, hidden bunkers in the middle of the fairway. The green is large and inviting but watch for some deceptive borrows.

7th hole – 373

This par 4, known as the "Hog’s Back", requires a good drive, keeping slightly left of centre. From the brow of the hill you get a glorious view of much of the course. The second shot to this well bunkered green seems straightforward, but the downhill lies can cause problems.

8th hole – 328 yards

A drive over water shouldn’t cause much problem but watch for the canny bunker in the centre of the fairway. Drive too far left of it and you can find yourself blocked out by trees in front of the green, leaving a testing shot over a stream.

9th hole – 416 yards

The name “Doublecross” gives a clue to the wickedness of this hole. The hole is a serious dog leg to the right, crossing the Bourn Brook with the drive and then again with the second (or third) shot. The general advice is not to be too greedy from the tee. The carry over the trees seems irresistible to many but usually ends in disaster. This is a hole that requires patience, caution and accuracy, combined with solid putting.

10th hole – 463 yards

The Bourn Brook weaves its way across and then left of this fairway. For those playing this conservatively as a par 5, aim slightly left from the tee. The carry over the first ditch is shorter. Then keep well right as you carry the Bourn Brook with your second, opening up the green for a delicate little pitch.

11th hole – 281 yards

Definitely a driveable hole for long hitters, but accuracy is the real key. Possibly the most straightforward hole on the course, but a par can never be guaranteed. And it does give some gentle relief amidst the punishing 9th, 10th and 12th holes!

12th hole – 486 yards

This is a real challenge from the back tees at 554 yards. But from the yellow tees, or for long hitting lady golfers from their tees, the challenge is to carry the first pond and to cut the corner, without over shooting and catching one of the bunkers on the other side of the dogleg. Once round the corner the fairway runs parallel to one of the lakes with trees encroaching on the right. This used to be stroke index 1 and from the white tees is probably still the hardest hole on the course.

13th hole – 338 yards

A shortish par 4, but with the lake on the left, bunkers on the right and a ditch to cross en route it isn’t the pushover the distance suggests!

14th hole – 381 yards

A lake encroaches into the left of the fairway, but if you lack the courage to keep close to it there are bunkers on the right ready to catch you. Called “The Meridian Line” this is a perfectly straight hole, but slightly uphill all the way, so be bold and attack the pin with enough club.

15th hole – 198 yards

A well bunkered long par 3, which simply requires a perfectly straight shot and courageous putting!

16th hole – 386 yards

“Bunker Hill” – the stroke index 1. The name says it all. It’s well bunkered with nine bunkers and uphill all the way. And the green is sloping and can be unpleasantly fast.

17th hole – 134 yards

The shortest of the par 3's, threading through willows and over a pond. The green is well guarded with bunkers and mounds and isn’t a hole to treat with complacency.

18th hole – 495 yards

Voted by the pros as the best finishing hole in East Anglian golf. Aim over or right of the first lake, negotiate some well placed fairway bunkers, carry the ditch in front of the green and miss the lake to the left and back of the green. It’s that simple – and all, of course, in full view of the waiting audience on the terrace!