LOOKS CAN BE DECEIVING A hole-by-hole look at the Newport Beach Country Club

Most golfers describe the Newport Beach Country Club as deceiving.

Brad Bryant, last year’s Toshiba Classic Champion, said just when you think you’ve got a good read on it on one hole, you become victim to it on the next.

Though Hale Irwin has won Toshiba twice (1998 and 2002), he’s still not master of the domain.

“There are more subtleties than the obvious at [NBCC],” Irwin said. “It’s almost as if the more you play it, the more you feel comfortable, but then, later, you never feel comfortable.”

For a perspective, here’s what the pros will be facing this week. It’s a hole-by-hole description provided by Paul Hahn and the NBCC.

Hole: 1

Par: 4

Yardage: 339

Notes: A slight dogleg to the left, the first hole puts the premium on the location of the drive. The long hitter may elect to use the long iron to better position his second shot to a deceptive green. There are large trees on both sides of the fairway. The second shot demands hitting to a small two-tier green where you want to avoid being above the line.

Hole: 2

Par: 4

Yardage: 390

Notes: A slightly uphill hole that requires the tee shot be worked from left to right. A drive hit to the right side of the fairway sets up the opening of the green. A large bunker fronts the left side of the green.

Hole: 3

Par: 5

Yardage: 549

Notes: After teeing off of an elevated tee, the longer hitters are confronted with the choice of trying to reach the green with a fairway wood or long iron. There is a large lake to the left of the green. The green is protected by bunkers on the left and right side.

Hole: 4

Par: 3

Yardage: 143

Notes: A tricky hole that is normally played upwind. A large lake in front and to the left of the green. A rock wall borders the lake and the green edge. Your shot must carry over a waterfall and the rock wall to reach the green surface. The green has a large undulation that adds to the challenge.

Hole: 5

Par: 4

Yardage: 430

Notes: A straightaway uphill hole that is usually played upwind. A wide fairway lets you open up on the tee shot but the second shot is played to a well bunkered green.

Hole: 6

Par: 4

Yardage: 418

Notes: A dogleg left with large trees on both sides of the fairway. A drive down the right center of the fairway will give you an unblocked shot to a well guarded subtle rolling green.

Hole: 7

Par: 4

Yardage: 368

Notes: This hole can be played with a fairway wood or a mid-

iron from the tee. Many players will select an iron off the tee leaving a mid to short iron to the green. This is one of the larger greens on the course and has a huge undulation. Good judgment will tell you not to hit the ball above the pin.

Hole: 8

Par: 3

Yardage: 203

Notes: A very strong par 3 that normally plays upwind. The bank to the right of the green slopes down and away making it a difficult pitch to get the ball up and down for par.

Hole: 9

Par: 4

Yardage: 407

Notes: A really fine driving hole. Large trees left and right of the fairway demands a well-positioned tee shot. A dogleg right but the hole sets up from the left center of the fairway. The second shot is uphill and rather deceptive. Out of bounds guards the left and rear of the green.

Hole: 10

Par: 4

Yardage: 429

Notes: A straightaway hole that has two bunkers looking at you as you tee off. The tee shot between them leaves you with a mid iron to a small, tightly bunkered green.

Hole: 11

Par: 4

Yardage: 344

Notes: Plenty of driving room off the tee. The second shot into a small elevated green with bunkers located both left and right makes the hole a little more difficult than it looks.

Hole: 12

Par: 4

Yardage: 373

Notes: This hole has two important characteristics the player must overcome. The landing area for your tee shot is narrow and there is a large eucalyptus in front of the green on the right side. The left side of the green is well guarded by bunkers.

Hole: 13

Par: 3

Yardage: 170

Notes: A beautiful par 3 into a slightly tilted green which is surrounded by trees. Out of bounds runs along the entire right side of the fairway and generally plays into the wind.

Hole: 14

Par: 4

Yardage: 397

Notes: This is one of the more difficult holes on the course. It has length and you need a well placed tee shot. Large trees on the left side of the fairway and large, deep bunkers on the right side. The green is lower than the fairway and it is very small and well bunkered.

Hole: 15

Par: 5

Yardage: 492

Notes: A challenging hole that rewards and will make you pay the penalty if you make a mistake. A good drive sets you up to see the green and all the trouble that surrounds it. Bunkers surround the left side of the green and a pot bunker positioned on the right side of the green. The green is two-tiered with mounds and swales around the outer side. Some thirty palm trees around the green will offer challenge if you tend to stray just a little.

Hole: 16

Par: 4

Yardage: 437

Notes: Perhaps the best par 4 on the course. It requires along tee shot avoiding out of bounds left and trees right, leaving a long iron to a large rolling green that has well-placed bunkers guarding the front of the green.

Hole: 17

Par: 3

Yardage: 185

Notes: A beautiful hole with a large lake in front of the tee and to the green’s edge. A two-tiered rolling green with a large bunker guarding the front and a pot bunker behind the green. Mounds and swales will present a challenge if you miss the green.

Hole: 18

Par: 5

Yardage: 510

Notes: An uphill finishing hole that presents an opportunity for the long hitter to reach his green in two shots. A wide fairway with large trees both right and left and a bunker covering the green’s front, right side. The green is slightly elevated from the fairway and is deceptive to pitch to.