Stonehouse Golf Club-Toano, VA

Another of the few golf courses that Mike Strantz designed. This one, sadly, lacks that "it" that the other courses have. That said, this is a quality golf course and certainly one to play. This course is simply a normal golf course, if there is such a thing. It does not reach the extremism seen at Tobacco Road and Tot Hill Farm. It does not play extremely difficult like Royal New Kent. This course plays somewhat similar to many other housing based membership clubs. In most cases this would be a fine course, but compared to Mike Strantz's other work, it falls a bit short.

Ranking
Variety of Design: The par 3's have only modest variety, ranging only from 172 to 204 yards. The par 4's virtually all fall in the mid-400 yard range, none being very short nor very long. And the par 5's have only moderate variety as well. Directionally, the holes would seem to balance out well, having 6 holes playing right, 7 holes playing left and 6 playing straight (the 7th doglegs both left and right), yet upon digging a bit deeper one finds that the holes on the front nine are broken down as 6 holes right, 1 left, and 3 straight, while the back nine is 6 left and 3 straight. The overall balance is fair, the by each nine, quite skewed. 5 3/4 out of 10

Flow of the Course: This course has limited flow. None of the holes stand out as exceptional to give high points to the round. But none are so poor as to give extremely low points. 5 out of 10

Course Conditioning: In most places the turf is solid. A few greens had some dead spots due to heat and lack of air flow, but in general, the conditions were what one would expect give the fees. 5 3/4 out of 10

Ease of Walking: Not good. Significant distances between many of the holes, road crossings and hilly terrain makes this a difficult walk. 3 1/4 out of 10

Atmosphere: Mike Strantz being the designer gives a bit of a boost, but other than that, not much atmosphere here. 3 out of 10

Total: 50 out of 100

*All photos property of and used with permission from The Buffalo Golfer www.buffalogolfer.com*

Holes to Note
Hole #1: Par 4, 401 yards
This is likely the easiest opening hole from Strantz that I have played. The play off the tee is fairly simple. The bunker on the right can be easily carried, but the player must be mindful of the fact that the fairway ends at 285 yards from the back tee. Longer players may be able to run the ball through the fairway. But in general, the tee shot should not be overly difficult given that the fairway is over 60 yards wide. From the fairway, the player will have an open approach shot to a green cut into the side of a large hill.

The fairway runs from the center of the bunker on the right to a line pointed towards the lone tree on the left. Anything in the fairway will give the player a solid look at the green.

The green is cut deeply into the side of the hill. Shots missed more than a fraction in any direction will be done no favors.

Hole #5: 431 yards

This hole plays fairly long with a blind tee shot and then an approach shot to a Punchbowl green. The best line off the tee is to favor the right side, even with a line over the shorter tree. The green is fairly open in front and could allow for a run-up shot, though that would not be the preferred option.

From the tee, the player is unable to see the fairway. The stake visible in the middle of the fairway is not the 150 yard stake, indeed that stake is more than 225 yards from the green. Any shot left of that stake will not find the fairway.

The green is surrounded on 3 sides by the bowl. Shots hit a slight distance up on the hills will kick down onto the green. The wide opening in front may allow for a roll-up shot, but there is a depression short of the green which likely prevents that.

Hole #14: Par 4, 402 yards

This is a solid hole even though is has an awkward green site. The bunkers visible off the tee are completely out of play unless the player tops a shot. The tee shot is blind and the best line is directly over the two bunkers seen on the left side of the image; the orange bunkers in the foreground to be specific. That will leave the player with 150 or less yards into the green. To a certain degree, the farther right the players tee shot is played, the better, due to angle and being able to see the pin or the green, but this is certainly not a green that one will want to approach with a long iron.

From the tee, the best line is directly over the grass that separates the two orange sand bunkers in the foreground. That will allow the player a clear view of the green.

From around 150 out, this is the look at the green. This is certainly an aerial only approach and any miss hit shot will be severely penalized.

A closer look at the green shows the jungle surrounding the green on all sides.

Hole #18: Par 4, 453 yards

This is a difficult closing hole. The fairway is over 100 yards wide before part of it comes to an end 265 yards off the tee. The shortest line to the green comes from playing the tee shot close down the treeline on the left. This is where the fairway runs out. Playing over to the left, over the large shrubby tree in the center of the below image will give the player more length for the tee shot, but will also leave a longer approach. To the green the player has multiple options. From the shorter route, the player must fly the ball all the way to the green. From the longer route to the right, the player is able to bring the ball in low with a run-up shot. Very solid finishing hole.

The shortest line to the green comes from playing close to the treeline on the left. Players who hit the ball more than 275 yards off the tee will need to play less than driver when playing down this side. From there, the player will have around 170 yards to the center of the green, but the ball must be carried onto the putting surface, there is no run-up option. Players who choose to play to the right, over the shrub, will be left with about 190 yards to the center of the green even if they are able to hit the tee shot 300 yards. This shot, however, can be played with a run-up shot if desired.

From the center of the fairway, both approach options are visible. Anything left of here will not have the option of playing the shot on the ground. Anything right will need more club to reach the green but is able to be played to the green by rolling the ball up. The bunkers serve as saving features for players who slightly miss their approach shots.

Overall, this course is good but not great. It does provide a great break from the ordinary however, and is worth a look because of that. 5 out of 10

Arcadian Shores Golf Club- Myrtle Beach, SC

This is a solid golf course that was ranked in the Top 100 in America by Golf Digest in the 70's. The course has lost a bit of luster since then, perhaps the course conditions are not as good as they once were and the designer, Rees Jones, is no longer a preferred name in the design business. The course is a decent combination of holes, but none of the holes are much above average. This is not a bad course by any stretch of the imagination, it just lacks anything better than average and even with it's prior pedigree, likely gets lost in the shuffle of the other courses in Myrtle Beach

Ranking
Variety of Design: This course falls into the rut of many courses built during it's era. All the holes on the course fit nicely in little "safe" yardage groups, none very long, none very short. Directionally, the course is average at best with 4 holes playing left, 2 holes playing right, and 12 holes playing straight. 4 1/4 out of 10

Flow of the Course: This course has little flow. There are no short holes to give the player great chances at birdie or eagle. There are no very long holes to mandate the player hit precise shots in order to make a par. At no point does the course provide anything of real excitement. There is nothing below average here, but nothing to get the blood flowing either. 4 out of 10

Course Conditioning: The conditioning was what one would expect when paying one of the lowest fares in town. The fairways were reasonable and the greens average. 4 3/4 out of 10

Ease of Walking: The course is very flat, most holes are fairly close together and the course is not very long in general, so walking would not be difficult. 7 out of 10

Atmosphere: The course might get a slight boost from those who really take time to research courses and know that it was previously in the Golf Digest Top 100. Other than that, the course has no known significant tournament history and much of it's luster has worn off. 2 out of 10

Total: 43 1/4 out of 100

Holes to Note
Hole #1: Par 5, 527 yards
Par 5's are not often used as opening holes, but this one is a solid hole. This hole plays as a slight dogleg left to a green that is heavily bunkered. The play for those who want to go at the green on the second shot is to play over or as close as possible to the bunkers on the left side of the fairway. That will give the shorter shot to the green. Those players not able to reach in two can play to the right away from the bunkers. For those not going at the green in two shots, the lay-up shot should be played down the far right of the fairway in order to have a better angle to the pin.

 From the tee, the bunker is visible on the left and the fairway is easily seen.

 From 250 yards from the green, the greenside bunkers can be seen. The entire left side of the green is protected by bunkers, but a roll-up shot is possible.

 A closer view shows how protected the green is and the difficulty of the shot awaiting the player.

Hole #2: Par 3, 201 yards
This hole is a perfect example of what the course was and what it has become. This is a fantastic hole, very scenic and provides solid strategic challenge. The lake protects the hole on the right and there is a bunker guarding the hole from the left. Very solid hole. However, look beyond the hole. There is a shopping mall now in the background. At one point in this, this was likely a very solid, secluded hole. Now there is such encroachment from the rest of civilization to make the hole simply average.

Hole #9: Par 4, 376 yards
This is a solid hole to close out the front nine. One reasonable strength of this course is it's shorter par 4's. There are bunkers located down the left side of the hole. It is not known the purpose of those bunkers, they don't seem to be in the range of any golfer playing the proper set of tees, even if playing the course in a strong wind from the south. However, they certainly steer play to the right side of the fairway which will yield a poor approach angle to the green.

 From the tee, the bunker down the left is plainly visible. The player should favor that left hand side in order to have the preferred line to the green.

From the left side of the fairway, the player is able to take the front bunker out of play more so than from the right. This is another hole that will easily accept a roll-up shot.

Hole #12: Par 4, 382 yards
Another solid shorter par 4. Play on this hole is directed by the right fairway bunker. A slightly better line to the green can be had from the right side. The green complex is fairly well designed as well. There is one large fronting bunker that protects the green. The green is elevated and is essentially not accepting of roll-up shots (though that is not 100% the case. My playing partner rolled his shot onto the green from around 180 yards with a hybrid, but that was not intentional, nor was he pleased with the shot)

 The bunker can be seen in this image. Truthfully, the bunker could be removed and no strategic value lost on this hole. A play down the left side will give the player a shorter approach shot with the same angle as the right.

 The green is elevated and protected by this large bunker, making it impossible for the player to see the bottom of the flagstick. The green is well contoured on top of that. This is probably the best green complex on the course.

Hole #13: Par 4, 408 yards
While this hole is not the best on the course, it is certainly the most scenic. The hole plays downhill with a dogleg left. There are no bunkers on the hole, so the best play favors the left side of the fairway, giving the player a shorter approach to the hole. The approach to the green is the most scenic on the course, playing over a lake to a green cut into a hill.

 Nothing major happening from the tee. The left side is preferred, but there will be no harm in finding the right side of the fairway.

The green and approach is quite scenic. Any missed shots short, left or right will find water and long will find a bunker, playing directly back towards the water. 

This course is simply average. This is nothing bad here, but nothing really above average. The course is fun to play and a place I would play again, but it's just not anything special. 4 out of 10

Old Town Club-Winston Salem, NC

Old Town Club is a classic Perry Maxwell design. The course is generally underrated in the overall scheme of courses and is fantastic in many regards. The course certainly fits the mold of the American Parkland course, routed over a moderately rolling site with several streams meandering through the property. Overall, this course does a great job flowing through the round and is certainly a course to see.

Ranking

Variety of Design: The par 3's have outstanding variety. Ranging from 245 to 166 yards, it is difficult for courses to have more range than that. Par 4 variety is good, but not great, with all the holes having mid and short iron approaches. Par 5 variety is very good, being benefited by the course having only two. One is reachable by long players, but has a creek fronting the green making the play more difficult. The other is reachable in two by only a very few (my host mentioned that Bubba Watson had played a few weeks before and reached the green in two shots hitting Driver- Hybrid) and given the creek and pond features, amounts to more of a 3 shot hole. Directional variety is fair, 4 holes playing left, 7 holes playing right and 7 holes playing straight. 8 out of 10

Flow: Flow is solid. Easy holes mixed in with more difficult ones. Holes playing uphill and downhill. This building up to a solid finish to the round. 8 1/4 out of 10

Course Conditioning: Conditioning is better than most southern courses. Fairways were very good and the greens were as good as can be expected during summer. 8 1/4 out of 10

Ease of Walking: The course is rather hilly, but the green to tee transitions are short. 8 1/2 out of 10

Atmosphere: Solid. Very laid back, private club vibe. Quite nice. 6 out of 10

Total:  79 3/4 out of 100

Hole #1: Par 4, 423 yards

Solid opening hole. Hole plays downhill off the tee towards a creek, then back uphill to the green. The downhill nature of the tee shot will likely mandate the player hit less than driver from the tee. From the bottom of the hill, the player will have between 140 and 180 yards to the center of the green, depending if he played up the left or right off the tee. To the green the hole plays roughly 2 clubs uphill.

From the tee, the player will want to play directly towards the green in order to have a shorter approach. Anything starting on a line right of the fairway bunker will not find the fairway. The bunker does not seem to have any strategic value, the reason for it's being placed there is not known. 

This is the approach from just over the creek, perhaps 100 yards short of the green. Even though the shot is uphill, the front is gently sloped and will allow for a roll-up shot.

Hole #2: Par 3, 163 yards
Very solid downhill par 3 to a green that is significantly sloped and surrounded by bunkers. It is believed that this hole is either the basis for or based on the 7th hole at Augusta National. Very solid par 3.

Hole #4: Par 5, 526 yards
The first of two par 5's on the course has solid strategic value on every shot. From the tee, the player will be best served playing directly down the walking path. Anything left of that will require a mighty blow to not be blocked out; a tee shot of 320+ yards is needed to clear all the trees on the right. But the hole doglegs to the right, so obviously the closer to the right side of the fairway, without being blocked out, the better. Once in the fairway, the player might be facing a shot of 275 to 200 yards to reach the green. Certainly the players at the far ends of that range will have no doubt as to the proper play, but players having between 250 and 225 yards will be left with a major decision. A creek fronting the green makes the play to the green all carry. The is a very good, strategic, short par 5.

From the tee, the hole plays slightly uphill to the fairway. The best play for most players is directly up the walking path.

This is the view from the top of the hill, roughly 230 yards out. The green cannot be seen from here.

The green comes into better view at around 200 yards. The green provides a large target for the player. Certainly Maxwell knew this hole would be reachable by longer players.

Another view of the green from much closer. The green tilts from back to front and, while being open in the front, does not provide much of a roll up option given the fronting creek.

Hole #6: Par 3, 186 yards
Another solid par 3 that plays downhill. However, unlike #2, this hole allows the player to roll the ball onto the green from the right side. Solid hole with the entire back of the green open.

Hole #10: Par 4, 406 yards
This hole plays slightly uphill off the tee, then back downhill to the fairway. The uphill part does not hurt distance off the tee, it merely prevents the player from seeing the landing area. The blind nature hole also manages to obscure the 2 bunkers down the left side waiting to catch the longest of tee shots. The green is best approached from the left side, but as said, the longest hitters have to be mindful of the bunkers lying on that side.

The landing area is completely blind from the tee, as can be seen here.

From the left side of the fairway, the green is open to aerial or roll-up play.

Hole 11: Par 3, 216 yards
Another fantastic par 3. This one plays long and slightly downhill. A creek guards the right side of the green and a large bunkers guards the left. This hole can be played with an aerial shot or roll-up shot. This hole is fairly straight forward and can help or wreck a players round, depending on how he plays the hole.

Hole #16: Par 4, 367 yards
This is a fantastic par 4 that plays uphill off the tee, then down through a large valley before rising back to a green that is on the same level as the fairway. The longest players will want to play less than driver from the tee to avoid a severely uphill approach shot. The green is open in front, but the uphill slope short of the green will likely prevent the player from playing a roll-up shot.

From the tee, the hole plays uphill and possibly blind to the landing area. A shot to the top of the hill, perhaps 225 yards off the tee, will be ideal.

From the top of the hill, the player will be left with a straightforward shot of about 140 yards to the green.

Overall, this course is quite good. It has solid flow and quality variety. It's this writer's understanding that Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw are currently undertaking a bunker renovation here and perhaps more than that. This will likely only help the course, perhaps getting it the respect it deserves. 7 out of 10

Mattaponi Springs Golf Club-Ruther Glen, VA

This is a fantastic course located a fair ways off of the beaten path north of Richmond, Virginia. The routing, in most places, makes great use of the terrain and even where it does not, the holes work out quite well. For the course to be located so far out of the way it gets fairly good attention, being ranked in the Golf Digest Top 100 Public courses. Based on other courses played, both on and off that list, this writer feels the course is deserving of such ranking. It is a very solid course. The only real weakness the course has is three holes in the middle of the back nine, 13, 16 and 17, that are routed over very flat land, surrounding a man-made lake, on top of a hill at the highest point on the course. But those have solid strategic value, even if they do feel a bit out of place.

Ranking:
Variety of Design: Very solid. The par 3's have variety as good as can be expected, as to par 4's and 5's. Variety in length among all holes is very good. Directional variety is as good as any, having 6 holes going Right, 5 going left, and 7 going straight. 7 3/4

Flow of the Course: The course does a very good job of taking the player up and down through the course of the round. Difficult holes are typically followed by breather holes and mundane holes followed by good ones. Adding in the fact that the course mixes up playing uphill and downhill, the course does a good job, though not a perfect one, of telling a story through the round. 7

Conditioning: The course was played during the spring season, Master's weekend, in fact, so the course might not have been as "green" as during high season. But the course had very firm fairways with solid turf cover to go along with a solid set of greens. Could have been fractionally better, but still very good. 7 3/4

Ease of Walking: Given the hilly site the course is a difficult walk, but not impossible. Generally the holes are routed somewhat close to each other, allowing for moderate to short walks between green and tee. 5

Atmosphere: Good. The club tries to be nothing more than it is, carries no amount of snobbery or the like. The club lives up to the standards set by the rankings and that adds to the history of the club. It also doesn't hurt that the course is privately owned, not owned by some huge corporation. Good, "throwback" type operation. 4

Total: 67 3/4

Holes to Note
Hole #1: Par 4, 446 yards
This is no bargain for an opening hole. Hole plays significantly downhill and has a pond awaiting the player at the end of the fairway. It is possible to reach the pond off the tee if the player hits the ball more than 300 yards from the tee, which given the downhill nature of the shot is quite possible. It is unknown why the pond is here, it certainly seems manmade. Perhaps is was needed to control run-off from the course. From the fairway, a semi-difficult shot awaits the player, coming over the pond to a slightly elevated green. This hole certainly does not give the golfer a "gentle handshake" to start the round.

From the tee, the golfer is afforded a great view of the hole and the surrounding country side. The best play is towards the right edge of the green with a slight draw if able. The farther left one is in the fairway, without being blocked of course, the better the angle for the approach shot becomes.

From the center of the fairway, the shot is rather simple, though not incredibly easy.

Hole #11: Par 4,413 yards

This hole features a double fairway set-up that allows the player to pick a side depending on how much rish he wishes to take. The left fairway is wider, but leaves a longer play to the green. The right fairway is narrow, and has disaster waiting down the right side, but will leave the player with a shorter shot to the green. The fairways are split by a cluster of trees, though they should not be in play for the golfer. The approach to the green changes little depending on side are far as angle and so forth. The left fairway is slightly more elevated giving a more level approach to the green.

From the tee, the two fairways wait. The better player, of course, can pick the fairway he wishes to play down and play to that point. The lesser player might simply aim for the trees, playing the percentages that he will not hit straight and will then find the fairway no matter which way he misses. Strategic for the best players, easy to play the the lesser ones? Seems to be a winning combination.

From outside the fairway down the left side, the green lies in wait on top of the hill. As seen here, the approach angle or difficulty would not be significantly different from either fairway, only change would be the yardage.

Hole #14: Par 3, 236 yards

The longest par 3 on the course plays over a large ravine and back up to a generous green. The design of the hole seems to prefer an aerial approach to the green since any ball landing short would have to be coming in quite fast to avoid getting stopped on the slope or, worse, coming back down the slope.

Hole #16: Par 5, 494 yards
This hole, while being out of place playing around a man made pond, it a solid hole strategically. The hole plays blind off the tee to a wide fairway. But being that it is blind, the player who has never played here does not know exactly how wide the fairway is, if is has significant slope or if it is heavily bunkered. This is the only blind tee shot on the course (it could be argued that the tee shot on 9 is blind, but that is only the case for the very longest of players) and that feature is used to full effect. Once arriving in the fairway, the player finds a very accomodating fairway with very little slope and no bunkering. From here, he must determine if he wants to go for the green in two or lay-up. Going for the green certainly brings the water right and short of the green into play. Laying up will bring the bunker that lies about 75 yards short of the green into play possibly. This is a solid risk-reward par 5 this late in the round.

The hole doesn't give the player much help from the tee. He simply must pick a line and hope it is the best (not knowing what lies in the fairway, of course)

This image, from the lay-up area, shows the flat nature of the fairway and gives a closer view ot the green site with the bunker and pond in play. This hole is very solid strategically, but the odd nature of the pond takes away from it, sadly.

Overall, this is a solid course. It certainly will not bore anyone from start to finish. The holes are solid and come together to form a very good course. The course is certainly deserving of it's ranking and very fun to play. 6 out of 10



Cahoon Plantation Golf Club-Chesapeake, VA

This course is a very unique golf course. Being located in the Virginia Tidewater region typically means the course will have bermuda fairways. But this course was built with bent grass fairways. It is the farthest south non-mountain course that this writer knows of with such fairways. The course has also seen some substantial evolution since it's opening. Originally this facility had 27 regulation holes and a par 3 course. It is unknown why the course owners elected to close some of the holes, but the lure of money from housing almost certainly played into the decision. 

On top of having bent grass fairways, the course also has very few trees, at this time anyway, to obscure the views of the hole and impede recovery shots. One thing that it would seem that the course has dropped from it's promotional material is comparing itself to the great links of Scotland. While the course is fun to play, it is most certainly not a links course, nor does it play firm and fast like links courses. But this is still a fun course and the bent grass fairways certainly makes it worth a little more effort to play.

Holes to Note

Hole #1: Par 4, 393 yards

The day starts off nicely with a reasonably short par 4. The hole features an anti-strategic bunker on the left side of the fairway that is opposite the best line into the green. This hole functions as a perfect start to the round and really describes the entire course. Very good conditioning. Wide open looks. Little strategic interest. Modest greens. 

From this location, the green is located on a line extending from the third teeing area. The bunker on the far left is the anti-strategic fairway bunker and the next bunker visibile is a greenside bunker. The best play is to keep the ball away from that bunker and into the right side of the fairway.

Even though this tee shot nearly found the rough, it provides the player with a perfect line to the green. From here, the green is accessible at it's longest part. The green is shaped and angled like a Redan, but as you can see in this image, the run-up nature of the Redan is not allowed here.

Hole #7: Par 5, 583 yards
This substantial par 5 must be played over water twice for those players playing from the back tees. From the tee the player should play his tee shot as far right as he can in order to allow for even a slight chance at going for the green. On the second shot, the player is left to determine if he feels like he can carry the second hazard on his shot or not. In order to carry the hazard on the second shot, the player will likely be looking at a carry of 260 yards or more.

From the tee the player is confronted with this view. The safe line is to play on a line towards the point where the tallest trees fall down to the shorter ones in the distance. The more aggressive line is to play over the taller of the scrub trees in the foreground.

The second shot has little of interest. The player either chooses to go for the green in two shots or he picks his lay-up yardage. This player laid back to around 100 yards, leaving a relatively easy shot to the green.

Hole # 11: Par 4, 401 yards
This hole is of note for all the wrong reasons. This is one of the holes added to the property when it was decided to turn part of the old course into housing. From the tee the player is faced with a forced lay-up shot. There is a hazard that is blind in the first image, though barely visible from the far left portion of the tee, that takes driver out of the player's hands. There is also another pond running down the entire left side of the fairway with a long beach bunker running right into the water. The fairway is then squeezed further by a row of houses down the right side. Once in the fairway the player is left facing a virtual forced carry (it is possible to bunt the ball around the hazard, but not a likely choice for most players) to the green that is not only fronted by a pond, but also fronted by a bunker. And on top of all this, the cart path, perfectly maintained portland concrete by the way, goes directly across the fairway. This hole is just a train wreck.

The tee shot should be played towards the bunker that can be seen in the center of the image. There simply is no bailout area here. If the player hits a shot more than sightly off line, he's looking at a drop in the bunker by the pond or a re-tee. Not the best situation.

This is the tornado-in-a-trailerpark approach shot that awaits the player. Just look at it and ponder.

Hole #15: Par 3, 137 yards
This short par 3 over water might be the best par 3 on the course. The hole is simple and understated. The pond is a necessity given the low-lying nature of the course but with the short shot it should not come into play. The green is well defended, having the run-off to the pond short and the three bunkers to the rear. Even with all the defenses, the player is given a solid opportunity to make a birdie before a difficult closing stretch.

Hole #17: Par 4, 411 yards
This dogleg left is complicated somewhat by the fact that it typically plays with a helping breeze. Long players must be careful as they may well run out of fairway beyond the dogleg. Being off the fairway here is no bargain as this fairway has more containment mounding than most on the course. The player will certainly have nothing close to a level lie.

From the tee the player should aim for the tree that is nearest the fairway on the left. This will leave the longer player with plenty of room to hit the fairway. The shorter the player is off the tee, the further right he should aim.

From around 125 yards, the large and deep grass bunker that directly fronts the green is an imposing hazard to the player. This used to be a sand bunker and it is not known why the configuration was changed, though it is not the only one that has been changed.

Hole #18: Par 5, 561 yards

It is never ideal when a tee shot is played over a street of any kind. This one plays directly over one of the major streets coming into the neighborhood.  Certainly the view from the tee is very 'busy' because of that. This is also a very difficult tee shot. Though it is not evident in the below image, the fairway plays as a peninsula from the tee. The inlet can be seen just above the cross-walk and the pond runs significantly down the fairway on the right. The entire left side is pond. The bunkers that are visible work in two ways. First they are saving bunkers, keeping the player from hitting into the water, ideally. Second, they are strategic targets because any player wishing to go for the green in two shots must play close to them. The second shot is merely a number and target shot because there are no bunkers or other hazards of that nature, beyond the fronting pond, on the second shot. To the green, the player looks at a shot over water to a green heavily defended by bunkers. This is certainly a solid closing hole due to the risk/reward nature of the hole.

From the tee, a very busy sight confronts the player. Water must be carried off the tee, then avoided both left and right. On top of that, bunkers must be avoided if the player wishes to go to the green in two.

From around 260 yards, the player is confronted by this. Pond running down the entire left side and then crossing over in front of the green. If going to the green in two from here, the line is between the two trees in the left-center foreground, just beyond the fairway. Players laying up should aim between the clubhouse and condo's more to the right.

If the player chose to lay-up, this is the approach that he must play. No easy shot here.

Overall, this is not a bad course. Some of the holes are good, some are fair, and, of course, as noted, at least one is just an absolute train wreck. But this course is certainly worth the rate they charge, especially for the oddity of being able to play a wall-to-wall bent grass course this far south near the coast. For equal parts architectural quality and novelty, 4 out of 10.