Middle Creek is a solid course located in Southern Wake County. It's one of the most-played courses in the area in terms of organized league play. I have it at 3.0 for now, but once the next round of updates and additional holes goes through, making Middle Creek a 27-hole complex, I could easily see it jumping up to a 3.5 or even higher.
+ This is a mixed course, open and wooded, and one of the few that does both well.
+ There's a good variety of elevation, long and short holes, dogleg left and right, tunnels, open holes, and technical holes.
+ While very challenging and tightly wooded in spots, Middle Creek is a fair course. Errant shots can be punished with "natural OB" (including roads and public park areas, as well as tree jail).
+ Begin your round with "hole 0," the practice hole. Currently, holes 7 and 8 are pulled, so you're down to 16 holes. But hole 0 is a regular distance hole and fits in with the flow and character of the course. There's no reason not to play it. So, this gives you 17 holes, for now. Hopefully 7 and 8 and a new 9 holes will be added soon.
+ Hole 1 is a technical, wooded shot that you need to keep straight or finish slightly right.
+ Hole 2 is a fun one that tempts you to hyzer out over an OB park road. Obviously, you have to yield to cars and wait for an opening before you throw. It's a lot of fun to play the hyzer skip off the road, over the curb (hopefully), and right up to the pin.
+ Hole 4 is a short, sharp dogleg right. It's tough to do better than land just at the mouth of the dogleg. That will give you a circle's edge putt. If you get it any further into the mouth via skip or air, you're parked for birdie.
+ Hole 5 is uphill, straight to slightly right finishing. It's short, but plays longer due to the elevation.
+ Hole 6 is downhill, straight, and very narrow. If you miss the line, you can be punished with a tough kick.
+ Hole 7 plays from the sidewalk of a busy road, through a very narrow gap, finishing at an open green on the corner of the park road. If you make the gap and finish straight or to the right, you're parked for 2.
+ Hole 9 is a very challenging, long, wooded hole with the basket perched on a steep, grassy hill. Lots of risk/reward elements on this one.
+ Hole 10 might be the toughest hole on the course. After the long walk from hole 9, the #10 tee is on the sidewalk looking down on a very long and tightly wooded fairway. Getting it close to the green requires a accurate power. Off-the-fairway shots can be severely punished with bad kicks.
+ Hole 11 is a fairly easy, downhill hole. You just have to throw it straight. The fairway is pretty wide on this one, but miss your line left or right and you could end up in tree jail.
+ Hole 12 is more open than most of the back 9, but still tree-lined and technical. If you have an anhyzer shot in your arsenal, you'll love this hole.
+ Hole 13 is back in the thick of the woods. It's uphill and very technical. It's a fun hole unless you end up in jail.
+ Hole 14 is a short, dogleg right. Another technical one.
+ #15 is really unique. You tee off at the top of a steep flight of stairs, sharp hyzer to a blind basket. I've never played a hole like that anywhere else.
+ Hole 16 is similar to hole 14. It's pretty short, dogleg right and technical.
+ Hole 17 is a contender for signature hole. It's pretty open, but trees and mandos on the right force you to play the hole from left to right. But on the left is an OB road and street lights. If you have an accurate flick in the 250-300-foot range, that's the play. The green area is surrounded by OB roads and paths. Nice risk/reward hole.
+ I really like #18, which is a wide open 300' hole with the basket on a hill. It's a fun, easy way to end a pretty challenging course.