I had the good fortune of playing SP two weeks ago. Below are my comments regarding my favorite holes:
-I loved #1 as an opening hole. I loved how the hole was carved out between the dunes. Blind second shot for many, but with lots of room up there. Fun hole.
-#3 was also a favorite (probably my second favorite one shot hole). A natural green site and a very fun green. Fun shot to hit.
-#4 was probably my favorite hole on the front 9. The anticipation of playing the first 3 holes toward the sea was met with an amazing view from the 4th tee. Loved the way the hole invites the golfer to try to knock it on the green in 2. I never did, but played the hole in one under for 2 plays, getting it up and down from the left front greenside bunker for a birdie the second time around.
-#5 was my favorite one shot hole. I loved the green and really liked the back left hole location and how you could use the slope to get over there. Fun hole playing beside the sea.
-#7 was a hole that I liked a lot. It probably won’t make the favorites list of most golfers, but I liked the view from the tee and I loved the blind approach and the green complex. The more a golfer played that hole, the better they would get at playing that approach as there are slopes that will help you if you know how to use them.
-#9 was my second favorite hole on the front. Just a big, bold golf hole with plenty of room to play.
-#11 green was something else. The first day I played the back tee, hit a pretty good drive (probably 260’ish) and had 220 left. I hit a hybrid and bounced it onto the left fringe. But, with the hole being back left, I had to putt straight down the severe slope, and I knew it would not end up close to the hole. I tried to putt it over to the right side of the green and use the slope and I got my putt to within 15 feet, which I thankfully made for par. Honestly, from how I played that hole the first day, I didn’t even notice the high right portion of the putting green. The second day, we played the next tees up and I hit a good drive and had about 200 yards left. I hit a really good 4 iron right at the flag, and it didn’t quite make it up the severe slope and rolled back down into the valley. From there, my chip ended up left, and it was really hard to get the ball up on that portion of the green and keep it close to the hole. Truly, it is a green that must been seen to be believed. Not many architects in this day and age would build a green like that!
-#14 is the hole everyone will say is the “centerfold” of the golf course. What a golf hole! I hit good drives into the fairway both days…and made 5 both times. One approach rolled off the green and down in the collection area short left, and the other ended up on the front of the green but I 3-putted. Very cool hole.
-#16 was one of my favorite holes on the course. Standing on that tee makes me want to play golf. Playing downwind, it just invites you to really rip a drive into that massive fairway. I never parred the hole and never hit the green, but I loved trying. I think more plays would help the golfer know where to aim to bounce it onto the green.