After the Cliffs course, this Bay version is a little bit less difficult but still very scenic with sand replacing rocky terrain, especially on the back 9, and with, once again, plenty of breathtaking views, elevation and strategically-placed bunkers.
This par 71 starts with three “gentle rollercoaster” holes : the par-4 1st is a right dogleg with a nice panoramic view, with a wide and undulating fairway downhill all the way to the green, whereas the par-4 2nd hole is uphill all the way with a blind approach shot to the green, slightly to the right, and the par-4 3rd is downhill to the green, with the ocean behind.
Then the fun begins... The par-3 4th hole is simply gorgeous, with a tee shot over a wide lake, with trees and beautiful flowers on the left side and a peninsula green with... that lone palm tree on the right (and the ocean further back), before heading back inland with the right dogleg par-4 5th, uphill all the way and with a green, very close to plenty of trees below on the right !
The par-4 6th hole is a short (about 345 yards) left dogleg, with an uphill tee shot over a few bushes, landing near a big bunker across (and at the end of) the fairway, and a blind approach down a steep slope toward the green, slightly on the left.
On the pretty par-4 7th hole, you will have to be careful with your tee shot over a wide lake on the left, as the fairway gets narrower halfway, before hitting your approach over the water again to reach the green, with nice flowers behind.
Then, after the par-3 8th hole, with an uphill shot to the green, surrounded by 6 bunkers, you will move on to the left dogleg par-4 9th where, after your tee shot lands onto the undulating fairway, you will need to hit a blind and uphill approach shot over a wide... sand river crossing the fairway near the green !
With the 9th hole in mind, you will head for the back 9 where sand is present on almost every hole (one way or the other), starting with the left dogleg par-4 10th, quite spectacular with a meandering light sand river all along on the left side, and with a very elongated “medium rough island” in the middle, with a tiny elongated green in between, and continuing with the beautiful par-3 11th hole, with a tee shot over that sand river again and a green, set on a rocky plateau.
After the nice par-4 12th hole, downhill all the way with an undulating and slanted fairway, and wide bunkers near the green, you will reach the very scenic and steep downhill par-3 13th, with a great panoramic view of the ocean beyond the green far away.
If you are in a gambling mood, then you will love the short (about 295 yards) dogleg par-4 14th hole, with a tee shot over a wide lake on the left and a couple of trees on the edge near the green, hard to reach also with a bunker across in front.
You will then move back inland on the last 4 holes, starting with the left dogleg par-4 15th, uphill all the way with a green, hard to reach on your (long) second shot with some big bunkers in front, before finishing with three tricky holes, with the right dogleg par-4 16th, with a downhill tee shot over the sand river and an uphill approach to the green, the par-5 17th hole with a rollercoaster fairway and a big bunker across midway, and a blind and uphill long approach shot to the green, and the right dogleg par-4 18th, downhill all the way with another bunker in the middle of the fairway before heading for the green and its clubhouse behind !
Once again, Bobby Bolin designed a beautiful course and should also be thanked for planting one palm tree per hole, just like on the Cliffs course !