Editor’s Note: Cherokee Rose Country Club is celebrating it’s 50th Anniversary in 2021 and will culminate the event with the Club Championships September 18th and 19th.

Everyone has their favorite golf and every golfer has a favorite hole course that will yield birdies and plenty of smiles, but for every favorite golf hole, there’s also the one hole that has everybody’s number.

Players at Cherokee Rose differ on favorite holes, but almost everyone fears the dreaded Par 4 No.11.

“I dread No. 11 because it’s hard for me to hit the green in regulation,” Gail Poulsen said and she was backed up by several of players.

“My least favorite is No. 11,” Jack Shuman said. “It’s hard for me to hit the fairway off the tee. I’m sure it’s all in my head.”

Leroy Strickland said No. 11 is challenging because of the front bunker that guards the green.

“It’s long for me and the forced carry over the greenside bunker is very hard for me,” he said.

The 361-yard hole from the championship tees is a straight fairway, but the slightly elevated green is completely guarded by a deep bunker which runs along almost the entire front of the green.

Jan Umholtz added that No. 11 is always difficult.

“I could do without No. 11,” she said. “I enjoy No. 6 because I can usually par that hole.” 

While many agree on the difficulty of No. 11 some have differing views on other holes.

Strickland loves the Par 3 No. 13 and has every reason to.

“I have three holes-in-one on that hole,” he added.

But J.C. Connors and Jake Umholtz have a different view.

“No. 13 is where my ball goes fishing,” Connors said about the 171-yard hole which was partially designed like No. 12 at Augusta by Johnny Smiley.

“I usually put my ball in the water half the time,” Umholtz added.

Umholtz does enjoy the opening Par 4 which is a 342-yard straight away hole.

“I like it because if I birdie it I have a good chance at a skin,” he said.

Gary Hellums enjoys the Par 3 No. 3 because he has had more birdies on that hole than any other.

“And that’s on any course, but I hate No. 18,” he said. “I’m not smart enough to lay up and that pond is a magnet for my Titliest.”

While Gail Poulsen didn’t like No. 11 she has plenty of love for the Par 3 No. 7.

“I got my first hole in one on that hole!”

Jack Shuman leans his favorite hole to the Par 5 No. 9.

“It fits my eye off the tee,” Shuman said of the 505-yard hole.