The Links Hole by Hole Review from Rosalind Barnes May 2006

Hole 1
This is a par 4 hole and men tee off across a large lake and ladies tee off with the water on the left hand side, which has several inlets to make life interesting and need to be avoided. Otherwise, this is a relatively straightforward trip to the green.

Hole 2
Men tee off through narrow opening between trees and across water on this par 4 hole. Ladies tee off with a long stretch of water to the left to an elevated green with sharp runoffs.

Hole 3
Hole 3 is a short par 3 – probably a 7 iron shot for most men and ladies. Men have a water trap coming in on the left hand side which they drive across the edge of and ladies have a straight shot to the green. Also for the men there are overhanging trees on the right which need to be avoided. There is water right up the edge of the fairway on the left and to the left and back of the green as well.

Hole 4
This is a par 4 hole, again with a long water hazard on the left hand side all the way to the green, with various inlets to catch the unwary. It’s a nice wide fairway up to the slightly elevated green with a lot of large trees on the right hand side. The green has lots of undulating mounds on it with sharp runoffs on all sides.

Hole 5
A short par 3 where men tee off again with a water trap coming in on the left hand side all the way to the green and for ladies a straightforward shot to the green with trees on the right which are designed to catch the unwary. A slightly elevated green with lots of water behind it so a problem if you overshoot.

Hole 6
A long tee shot over a large lake for the men on this par 4 hole with lots of anhingas drying their wings and several alligators in the water. This is a short hole for the ladies across the water too and more water along the left hand side once you are across with your tee shot and again behind the slightly elevated green. Not an easy hole.

Hole 7
A short par 3 hole, across the water again for men and ladies. There’s a steep faced bunker just in front of the slightly elevated green with water running round behind it which will catch you if your judgement is out on your approach shot to the green!

Hole 8
A short par 3 hole – not across water for a change. There are some large trees coming in on the left and bushes on the right and a bunker with a steep face immediately in front of the green, so accuracy with the approach shot is needed.

Hole 9
On this par 4 hole men tee off across water again which runs right down the right hand side of the fairway and there are large bunkers right and left of the green. There is a sharp runoff at the back of the green if you are a little too enthusiastic with your approach.

Hole 10
This is a par 4 hole, dogleg left with a large lake on the left with lots of large trees straight ahead and you have to play right around the water to get to the pin which is on the left, behind the water, as you are standing on the tee. This and hole 11 were for me the most difficult holes on the course.

Hole 11
Another challenging par 4 hole with water criss-crossing at all angles. A short layup stroke is needed before you can play up to the well elevated green. I believe this course has more water than fairway!

Hole 12
There is water down the left hand side of this par 3 hole, as you approach the green but if you keep to the right you should stay out of trouble. The pin is elevated with a steep drop into water behind it.

Hole 13
Another par 3 hole with a shot across the lake from the tee for men and ladies. I took a driver, hit it into the bank in front of the well elevated green and managed to bump it up onto the green; an unusual approach, I know, but this time it worked! This is a fairly straightforward hole.

Hole 14
A short par 3 hole with a long water hazard all along the left hand side so necessary to keep well to the right and the green is elevated with runoffs on all sides.

Hole 15
This is a par 3 hole across a large water hazard for men and ladies and the water continues along the left hand side right up to the slightly elevated green which has a large, deep bunker on the left hand side.

Hole 16
Men have to keep to the right when teeing off on this par 4 hole as there is a large lake straight ahead which again continues down most of the left hand side of the fairway. Ladies tee off on the right hand side, so don’t have to contend with the water if they play a straight shot. There are trees on the right, but the water is the main hazard on this hole. There is another water trap on the right with a very narrow channel of fairway between the two water hazards as you approach the green. It is best to lay up at about 100 yards before shooting across the water to the pin. It’s an elevated green with lots of bumpy runoffs all around it. An interesting hole!

Hole 17
This is a short par 3 hole where men tee off across a large lake and ladies tee off at the edge of the lake. The green is slightly elevated with lots of trees behind it.

Hole 18
A par 4 hole where men tee off across a small inlet of water with trees encroaching on the left and more pine trees on the right so accuracy with the tee shot is essential. It’s a wide fairway to a slightly elevated green and not much in the way of tree hazards so quite a nice final hole to play.