The Emporda Golf Club features 36 holes, the first nine (Forest back) opened in 1993, the next 18 in 2000 and the final nine (Links back 9) in 2004. Today the four nines make up a links and forest course, with the term 'links' used very loosely and basically referring to a course that is not in a forest - but also far from a real links

All 36 holes were created by Robert von Hagge and his team, who display the appropriate artistic flair for a course that needs to attract a fair number of domestic golfers to survive. The evolution of this style and his general shaping philosophy is evident across the courses, the first holes are flat and lined by containment mounding while the newer ones are built more with internal humps and bumps in the fairway and some of the most extreme green complexes in the country. The Links course is a mix of flat greens and fairways and a back nine of undulation and severe greens. As you would expect from this team, there are also plenty of water holes and huge sand traps, often stretching more than 100 yards and artistically shaped to complete a pretty picture. Like the Circolo Golf Bogogno courses in Italy, many targets are framed by superfluous traps for visual definition.

The Forest 18 by contrast, is more tight and features the better and more natural looking holes, including the old 18th which is now the 16th and a beautiful par four through trees and into a lovely green site. The par fives on this course are good, but the short par four 6th hole, with its split fairway, doesn't work at all because the safe line from the tee is harder to hit than the straight line.

Emporda is a pretty solid golf club, and both courses have enough interest to keep most members satisfied. There is plenty of development around the perimeter of the property, so a tough course to photograph but good fun to play.