As you walk from the 5th green, down, then up the hill to the 6th tee you have no idea as to what awaits you, for 6th hole won't come into view until you arrive up on the tee.
Once on the tee, a unique vista unfolds before your eyes.
Lying down below is an expansive green surrounded by bunkers.
But, it's not just any green, it's a compartmentalized green, a series of greens, a green with nooks and crannies, donuts, elevation changes, penisulas and the like.
At 141 from the Red, 131 from the Green and 110 from the White, it's a short hole,.... made shorter by its downhill nature.
The green is about 35 yards deep, probably 45 yards on the diagonal.
The green has a diagonal element to it.
The hole plays with a prevailing down/cross wind, however, when the wind shifts, it takes on a far more complex nature.
The number of hole locations and how they affect play are numerous.
The strategic nature of the hole locations is quite unique.
From the front right locations to locations scattered around the donut/ volcano top in the center, to hole locations inside the donut/volcano to the hole locations in the back left and right make for incredible diversity.
When you factor the elevation change, and the WIND into the shot, if becomes far more complex.
Despite the appearance of the huge green that lies beneath you, your target is substantively smaller, ala the greens within greens concept.
Club selection can be incredibly varied, from a Lob/Sand wedge, to a 7-iron or more, depending upon hole location, wind direction and wind velocity.
Just hitting the green is not enough.
You must be within the same area that the hole is cut in.
Golfers missing the green have an enormous task ahead of them.
The recovery, generally from the bunkers, can be very difficult due to the pronounced contouring in the green.
For those golfers not in the same general area as the hole, three and four putts are the norm.
It's difficult to describe the elevation changes and contouring in the green, but, suffice it to say, when the greens are F&F this green is a bear to putt, unless you've hit your approach close to the hole.
The neat thing about the hole is that you can play it every day, and, with changed hole locations, varied wind direction and velocity, you could probably play it differently every day. It has enormous variety.
One of the neat aspects of playing the hole and missing the green is the possible use of the volcano for your recovery shots when the greens are F&F. The volcano can be like a sloped backboard, assisting the aggressive recovery.
When the hole is located in the front right, close to the edge of the green, it presents an extremely narrow target, like a penisula. With the prevailing wind at your back, the target is even narrower. Despite the short length of the approach, it's a difficult shot, often causing indecision in the golfer's mind.
One of the really neat, neat features of the green is its feeding nature.
Marginal shots to the perimeter are fed into the surrounding bunkers.
Even good shots, with backspin find their way into the bunkers.
On one round, with the pin back left, I hit what I thought was a terrific shot, probably no more than 12' from the hole.
We left the tee and walked down to the green.
When we got to the green my ball was nowhere to be found.
It was in the left flanking bunker.
The backspin had taken it back to the crest of the upper tier, then down the slope of the green and into the bunker. While I made a par on the hole, a bogey would have upset me, as I was thinking birdie as I left the tee. I was shocked to find that the ball wasn't on the green.
Over the years, many golfers have suffered the same fate, and worse.
This is a hole where power has little advantage.
Finesse, smarts, good planning and good execution can be rewarding.
Other times you can do all of the above and suffer an unpleasant fate.
It is a wonderful hole, a hole that appears to be a birdie on the scorecard.
Often however, golfers leaving the green are terribly disappointed.
I think it's one of the great par 3's in golf.
Pictures Please.
Thanks