Number 7 (3/219) is a beast of a par 3 at 219 yards from the back tees. I butchered this hole and made 5, so I can’t really tell you too much about it other than the fact that you really don’t want to push-chunk a 2-hybrid into the barranca way right of the green. Seriously, though, it’s another excellent hole that is difficult, but fair – exactly what I look for in a long par 3.
Number 8 (5/507) is a bad golf hole in my opinion. Why? Because the driving area is too penal for even a gimmicky, short par 5. The hole is a severe dogleg right, with water short right, and then a giant oak tree that guards the inside of the dogleg. The problem stems from the fact that the oak tree is situated such that even the longest hitters can’t carry it, forcing them to go left of it if they want a realistic shot at the green in two – which should always be an option on a par 5.
If you try to take it left and PAST the tree to give yourself a clear shot at the green (the only way to do so, since being short of the tree means a silly punch lay-up under the tree), there is virtually no fairway to work with, so if you pull the ball just a hair, you will be left into the barranca.
To make the hole better, I would widen the fairway to the left at about 250 to 300 yards from the tee, so that a player could “bail out” to the left, thus leaving a longer shot to the green, which is very narrow, and elevated. Any shot that hits the green from such a spot would be a worthy shot indeed. The way it’s set up now, the best play is a 3-iron off the tee, then a 9-iron OVER the huge oak tree into the fairway, followed by a sand wedge to the green. Yuck. I don’t mind a 3-shot par 5, but give me OPTIONS. And more than that, give me REALISTIC options, not fantasy options that I could only pull off only once every 10 or 20 attempts.
The green is kind of cool, with the left side flanked by stone work, left of which is death. I really like the green set-up and the bunkers that are high to the right and just short of the green, but give me a chance to go for it in two if I want – especially since missing the green can lead to a big number. Don’t force me to hit a miracle tee shot just to have a chance for a go in two.
Number 9 (4/382) is another hole I’m not overly fond of. It’s an “island fairway” surrounded by water left and long, that requires a long-iron off the tee, followed by a simple wedge or 9-iron to the green. The hole needs something more, like maybe a way for long hitters to try to thread driver all the way up by the green, or possibly a nice pot bunker just short of the green. Or maybe a bunker set 15 or 20 yards short of the green for a little deception.
Number 10 (4/341) is a very nice short par 4 of only 341 yards, though it is uphill. I would, though, prefer more room to the right for big hitters to try to really let it go on this hole. As it is, the only legitimate play is a 3-wood or 2-iron up the gut just short of a complex of fairway bunkers. The green is very nice, though, sloping from front to back mildly in several places, requiring a well-struck approach for the ball not to go long and settle in another of those nice low-cut collection areas.
Number 11 (4/359) is a bit of a breather. The tee shot is slightly downhill, and the green is fairly accessible, with bunkering more for show than anything. A good birdie opportunity – something I’m certainly not averse to seeing a few times a round!
Number 12 (4/437) is a solid golf hole with a blind tee shot that is pretty trouble-free. The second shot, though, can be troublesome. You will be hitting from a downhill lie to a green guarded by water short and left. The green is one of the most severe on the course, so a 3-putt is a very real possibility. Again, though, the hole is tough, but fair, since the right side of the green (away from the water) is open and cut to fairway height. Anyone shy of challenging the water can simply lay-up short right and have a relatively easy pitch.
Number 13 (4/449) is another tough par 4, but with no trouble off the tee – which is a good thing since the hole plays longer than the yardage due to the uphill slope of the fairway. I don’t really remember much about this hole, which speaks to its appeal to me.
Number 14 (5/552) is a beautiful monster of a par 5. It plays about 600 yards or so, and requires 3 well struck shots for all but the longest of hitters. Befitting a long, tough hole, the fairway beckons for you to aim at the bunkers on the right side of the fairway and hit a big, long draw. Misses are playable here, which is key, since the hole plays so long. Very nice.
The second shot is basically a lay-up for most golfers, leaving anything from 90 yards to 150 yards depending on the player’s length. I hit driver that I pulled low left, then layed up with a 3-wood to about 110 yards and hit a PW onto the green that sits well above the fairway and is guarded by a deep (and scary!) ravine that starts high up to the right, and then crosses down in front of the green. What an intimidating approach – even with a wedge in your hands! I loved this hole.
Number 15 (3/253) is a great long par 3. In fact, I’ve played few better. The hole is significantly downhill, so it only plays about 220 or so. What makes it such a great hole, though, is that, while the tee shot is intimidating because you are elevated and worried about club selection and wind effects, it’s actually not a very difficult hole, since any miss even 15 or 20 yards to the right will kick down to the hole due to a bank the funnels everything toward the green. Short, and short/left is also a good place to miss, leaving only a simple pitch to a large green. Great hole.
Number 16 (4/453) is a long par 4 that plays shorter due to it being downhill. The tee shot is excellent because it is so intimidating, but fair – if you take the time to survey the hole before your tee shot. A ravine runs along the left of the fairway, and then cuts across at about 110 to 135 yards from the green, meaning big hitters will have to take care to not aim too far left, or they will drive the ball through the fairway (as one of my playing partners did).
The nice thing about the hole, though, is that there is MUCH more room to the right than there appears to be, and the slope funnels even misses to the right into the fairway. I love holes like that – holes that appear difficult off the tee, but really aren’t if you can concur your fears and aim at a less than obvious spot off the tee.
Number 17 (3/188) also plays downhill, and is probably the weakest of the par 3’s on the course. I would prefer there to be some trouble left here, since good players are only hitting a knock-down 7-iron or 8-iron to this hole, but there isn’t, so the hole ends up playing quite easy. The green is a good one, though, so that does make up for some of the lack of challenge on the tee shot. Overall, a pretty weak 17th hole.
Number 18 (5/600) is a great finishing hole to a wonderful golf experience. The tee box is set back deep in the scrub, and has a forced carry of about 220 yards, though it is downhill. The landing area is wide at about 250 yards from the tee, but narrows due to a nice bunker that is 260 or so yards from the tee. Very big hitters can carry it since it is only about 310 to carry, but again, downhill. Push your tee shot too far to the right in trying to avoid the bunker on the left, and then you have to contend with a large oak – a nice touch.
The second shot for most players will be a stand lay-up with anything from a 3-wood to a 5-iron. There are bunkers and barranca all along the right, but there is plenty of room to the left, and it opens up quite a bit as you get closer to the green.
The third shot is to a deep green (41 yards) that is bunkered to the left and long/left, with water long right. There is a generous run-up area in front of the green, and a collection area to the left between the two bunkers. Three solid shots will yield a birdie opportunity for good players, though as always at Maderas, negotiating the greens can be tricky.
I had a wonderful time at Maderas. I know that this group isn’t much interested in how people play, but I will mention that I shot 73 from the back tees (7115, 75.8/142) my first time ever playing the course, which means the golf course is tough, but fair, even from the back tees. All of us in the foursome (indexes between +3 and 0) enjoyed the course immensely if that means anything…