Mediterranean style clubhouse.
1st hole, par 4, 434 yards (all yardages are from the tips) as viewed from the clubhouse.
At the 2nd , a par 5 of 525 yards, the tee shot is played over a ravine and a bit uphill, with the slope feeding balls from right-to-left. A lone fairway bunker guards the left side.
The 2nd shot is played steeply downhill. Most will lay up and wedge on with their 3rd.
Short and right are perilous misses. The bunkering seems a bit disjointed and disproportionate visually, by my reckoning.
Here is a glance back from behind the hole. The slopes are steeper than they appear.
The delightful 3rd is played with a mid-iron (178 yards), but demands accuracy. The walk through the woods along the right side will be a charming interlude for those fortunate enough to find the putting surface.
The par 5 4th tee shot, like at the 2nd, is played over a ravine to an uphill slope. The hole plays longer than 501 yards due to its uphill nature, but is still very reachable.
Turning right, the fairway climbs steadily to a left-to-right sloping green guarded by a stately oak tree.
The 5th (188 yards) is played downhill to a green that slopes from back-to-front and right-to-left.
The 6th (420 yards) drops back down into the heart of the valley, with a bunker, weeds and saplings playing sentry.
The approach must clear the barranca and find the correct tier of greenery.
The 7th is a drivable par 4 at 340 yards (the green is partially visible through the left-hand gap in the trees and closer than the stated yardage on a straight line). The conservative route consists of a shot played 200 yards over the barranca towards the straightaway bunker and then a wedge onto the green.
The green sits a bit higher than the fairway beyond a reshaped creek.
Front/left pins play about a club shorter than back/right hole locations.
A peak back to the fairway landing zone.
The 8th (411 yards, uphill) bends right around the base of a small hill.
For the approach, the fairway slopes uphill and right-to-left, helping players shape their flight to reach back/left pin locations.
The 9th is a reachable par 5 for those that play the forward tees and hit a hard draw well right of the green on their approach. From 568 yards, most players will reach in three at best.
The 10th (397 yards) asks for a yet another strike over a ravine to a sloping fairway, this time right to left.
The green sits left of the landing zone, across the gully once more.
The 11th (205 yards) plays downhill to a green site scooped out of a small hillock beneath the clubhouse. The green slopes away and to the right from the teeing grounds, a bit like a reverse redan. Shots can be played to bounce on from the left.
A look from behind shows the small ridge that bisects the rear portion of the green from the front.
The 12th (441 yards) doglegs left through a tight corridor of oaks.
Recovery is possible from under the left side trees. The left front pin location is very difficult to approach, thanks to steep fallways at the front of the green.
After an uphill trot, one must catch their breath before driving at the far left bunker into the prevailing wind on the 13th (404 yards).
The approach is played with the ball above one’s feet to a slightly elevated green beyond a ravine.
Do not miss short on the uphill, upwind par 3 14th (159 yards)
At the15th (537 yards), long hitters can carry the left bunkers and get a huge kick left/forward to wedge range. Those who lay back on the top will probably lay up with their second.
The closer one lays up to the end of the fairway, the better their chances of a level lie. Longer approaches will be played from downhill lies.
Looking back from yet another green benched into a hillside with a ravine guarding its front. The hole is highly enjoyable, but perhaps the themes have been overused up to this point in the round.
The 16th (322 yards) asks for a shot of 200-220 yards at the reeds beyond the fairway.
Challenging this bunker will open up left-hand pin locations beyond the fronting pond.
The middle bunker is set nearly even with the center of the 17th green (196 yards). As such, it’s best to take 1 club more or less than the distance to the front pin position pictured so as to avoid the middle bunker (or a flop shot over said bunker from a tight lie), should you be a bit off target). The safe play on most days is towards the green’s back edge.
At the 18th (559 yards), tee shots ideally soar over one last barranca before reaching a fairway sloping rightwards.
Although its quite reachable with a good drive from the elevated forward tees, the green is not quite deep enough to hold most long approaches. Laying up to the left should ensure par.
Beyond the green, one must play a downhill pitch out of chunky rough. The easier leave is pin high-left.
Mayacama is a very good course on gorgeous property. The club features a sizable caddy program -- walking golf is the norm. Masters of the aerial attack will enjoy the challenges presented and swirling winds will combine with fast/firm turf to make each day a different challenge on the course. The club is also known to make honorary members of local, quality vitners. But despite its many qualities, the golf course is probably a bit overrated due to its exclusivity and pastoral setting.