Toughest holes

Editor's Note: This is the second of a six-part series about the toughest holes on the golf courese of Bella Vista.

When asked to name the hardest hole at Scotsdale Golf Course, Michael Dryer didn't hesitate.

"No. 11 is the hardest," said Dryer, who's been supervisor at Scotsdale for nine years. "It's a par four and it's long and narrow. It doglegs to the right and plays uphill to a small, undulating green."

The fairway is surrounded by thick forest, and if a golfer overshoots the green, there's a large tree planted just a few yards away serving as another obstacle.

Joe George, assistant supervisor at Scotsdale, has a few tips for golfers trying to conquer No. 11.

"You have to hit (the ball) straight and you have to hit decently long," George said. "If you're not accurate, it's easy to get into the rough."

Hole No. 11 has a handicap of 1, making it Scotsdale's hardest hole. From the deepest tee, the hole is 422 yards long. The blue tee is 404 yards; white is 386 yards and red is 317 yards.

However, a handful of golfers disagree with Scotsdale's upper brass. Sandy Wylie and Pete Petersen believe Scotsdale's most challenging hole is No. 12.

"I've parred it less than any other hole at the course," Wylie said, adding that he golfs often at Scotsdale. "It's hard to reach the green."

But George says golfers are falling prey to the illusion of the hole. From the tee box to the green, hole No. 12 is separated by a canyon. The deepest tee is 165 yards and the shortest a mere 138 yards.

"Distance is what it amounts to," George said. "You got to hit the ball so it carries to the green."

The appearance of the tee being higher than the green fools most golfers, George added.

"The green is actually higher than the tee box," he said. "It doesn't look that way (from the tee box). But if you go over on the green and look back, you'll see that it's higher."

Scotsdale opened in 1985 and is the only course in Bella Vista without sand bunkers, George said. The course's hours vary by season, but the earliest current tee time is 7 a.m. and the latest is 6 p.m., George said.

According to the Property Owners Association's website, Scotsdale's front nine "is a gently rolling layout, which offers a fair test of golf but far less demanding than the back nine. Holes 11 through 15 take you on a roller coaster ride of demanding golf. The course will challenge all players."

The golf shop, located at 10 Scotsdale Lane, can be reached at 479-855-8140. Rental carts and clubs are available for golfers, according to the website. After 2 p.m., a golf cart will be included in the green fee.