10th, 399 yards par 4. One of the best holes on the course with a testing tee shot to a fairway curving slightly to the right. As you can see, the large green sweeps uphill and to the right and is well guarded by the bunkers and individual trees.
11th, 568 yards par 5. Not a very engaging hole, played along the course boundary close to the road from Valencia, but it is typical of many holes at El Saler in that the tee shot is played to a distant crest at which the fairway curves in one direction or another (on this occasion to the right). Although none of the course is true links (it is not maintained that way - maybe it couldn't be) even the inland holes such as this undulate in a very links-like way and there is clearly plenty of sand in the soil. The palm tree adds a touch of exoticism, but you would be infuriated if your ball finished behind its trunk, adjoining the green.
12th, 198 yards par 3. A rather plain par 3 at the far end of the course, distinguished by a horribly long, rectangular tee and a hugely long bunker running most of the length of the big green on the left.
13th, 348 yards par 4. A delightful short par 4 with a nice pitch to a green raised amidst the trees, and plenty of difficult pin positions.
14th, 414 yards par 4. One of the harder drives, to a distant crest with staggered fairway bunkers right and left. The slight elevation of the green and its slopes present a number of difficult pin positions.
15th, 564 yards par 5. Once again, the angle of the drive is critical. As you can see maintenance is such that the running approach is precluded, which is a pity given the staggered bunkers and the way the putting surface is moulded around and beyond the bunkers.
16th, 427 yards par 4. Although the drive is demanding, the rest of the hole is undeniably flat and rather dull. It runs alongside the extensive practice range (not a comfortable experience), which was crammed to capacity when I was there, the range being played from both ends. The four golfers are making their way to the nearer end. The visitor in the second photograph is a wader from the wetlands of the neighbouring Albufera National Park. I believe it might be a godwit of some kind, but I should only too happy to be corrected.
17th, 213 yards par 3. Returning to the dunes in striking fashion, the 17th is a plentifully-bunkered hole for one of such length, often with a strong wind influencing matters. There is quite a right-to-left slope on the putting surface.
18th, 466 yards par 4. A great finishing hole played from a high tee looking out towards Valencia, with the Mediterranean to the right. But the golfer's eye is drawn to the ferocity of the rough and dunes to the right of the fairway. The approach to the green is made towards the ghastly-looking Parador, but it is a demanding shot, nonetheless, with plentiful bunkers and a green on several layers. The view is much nicer looking back up the fairway, away from the Parador.
