Pros:
-very long course with a big premium on both distance & accuracy
-great baskets fully installed, i was surprised for a temp course
-water in play on holes 3, 14, & 18, makes for some thought-provoking shots off the tee and in the fairway
-lots of risk/reward opportunities
-tees marked with temp signs and small flags
-lots of OB
-port-o-johns toward the back of the course and facilities in the clubhouse
Cons:
-big open ball golf fairways are terribly exposed to the wind
-the obvious stuff that goes along with a temp course: natural tees, only open once a year, etc
-very long distance makes for a long and exhausting round
-very few technical shots, mostly open and long, no tight, wooded fairways, line shaping not really tested
-over relies on OB
Other Thoughts:
I played here for the 2012 GBO and this course was a brutal beat down in the conditions in which we played. Half the holes are over 500' and 5 holes are over 700'. The wind that weekend was ridiculous: 20-30mph constant with 40-50mph gusts.
The long fairways and omnipresent OB really make you think and plan ahead for each hole and each throw, especially in the wind. The course makes good use of the land, taking advantage of the long, rolling fairways of the ball golf layout but playing into and out of the small groups of trees and other obstacles. The water, the ball golf tees and greens, cart paths, and all tall grass are OB.
Holes 1, 3, 14, & 18 really stood out for me. These had the water (except 1) and the most significant obstacles. Many of the other holes rely on pure distance and OB for challenge but these 4 have interesting options for lines, good risk/reward opportunities, and demand smart golf.
This would be a totally different course without the wind. The layout itself is not terribly difficult but you are really battling the conditions to stay in-bounds and get any distance down the fairway. I was disappointed with the lack of any real wooded fairways. Mostly long and open means placement for second shots and staying in-bounds are the name of the game here.
This course is great for tournament play and is a challenging addition to the GBO course lineup. The conditions and distances make for a very slow tournament round so be ready for a long, grueling experience.
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