| Hole-by-Hole
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| Hole 1 (Par 4) |
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Designers Robert von Hagge and Rick Baril are starting you off with a taste of
what's to come on this always-enjoyable, sometimes-testing golf course. After
admiring the stream running down the left side leading to the waterfall at this
peninsula green, aim away from beauty and hit your drive to the right side of
the fairway.
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| Hole 2 (Par 3) |
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Select your club carefully on this fairly strong par three, and pay attention
to your aim, as the green falls off to the left side. Short shots will find
several sand bunkers lying in wait.
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| Hole 3 (Par 4) |
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Here's a longish par four with trouble waiting on the left in form of a mirror
lake, and ahead at the elevated green, perched above a deep grassy swale. Think
about staying right.
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| Hole 4 (Par 5) |
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Robert and Rick call the sandy waste on the right side of the fairway a "beach
bunker" because it flows down into the lake guarding the green on this strong
par five. Stay left all the way.
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| Hole 5 (Par 4) |
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You'll find the classic risk-reward challenge on this dogleg par four hole.
From the tee, you'll see a split fairway offering two choices: take the safe
route to the right, and have a long iron to the green. Or try the macho route
to the left, over water and another "beach bunker!" and be rewarded with a nine
or wedge to the green.
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| Hole 6 (Par 3) |
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Six is a spectacular par three with an island green. The little Scottish pot
bunker in the front may make you think about using one more club.
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| Hole 7 (Par 4) |
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Staying left on this tough little dogleg will give you a wide landing area.
You'll need a safe drive here, because your next shot is into “La tierra de los
bunkers, amigo” (land of the bunkers, friend). They surround the green; so pick
your approach iron carefully.
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| Hole 8 (Par 4) |
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Here's the hole for straight shooters: a long par four with a slice of the
Sonora desert warning you away from the left side.
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| Hole 9 (Par 5) |
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If you're down one on the front, nine is a good chance to get even. It's a
three-shot par five for all but Tiger Woods and John Daly, and you should
probably bump a three or four wood down the left side past the dogleg on your
second shot. Cheat left again on your approach, as there's water on the right.
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| Hole 10 (Par 5) |
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Figuring you have just finished a snack and a cold drink, Robert and Rick
decided to give you a generous landing area on this sinuous par five. They've
even kept the lake near the tees, so relax and swing away.
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| Hole 11 (Par 4) |
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By now you've used most of your woods, so you'll feel comfortable pulling your
three wood from the bag and smoothing the ball down the fairway. Robert and
Rick suggest that, because if you used driver and caught it on the screws, you
might make the lake on the left. Think tempo. Hum a waltz.
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| Hole 12 (Par 3) |
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A hole you'll remember is this cunning and seductive par three. Standing on the
tee you'll feel the Pacific breezes blowing at your back, lulling you into
using a club or so less than the yardage might indicate. Resist! Even though
it's downwind, you'll need plenty of length to make this peninsula green. If
you must, bail out to the right.
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| Hole 13 (Par 4) |
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Another challenge to those who think they can hit both long and straight. If
that's you, go ahead and play it straight over the long sandy waste on the
left, and you'll find a shorter pitch to the green. If you're a normal human
being, simply drive left and you'll have a medium iron to the green.
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| Hole 14 (Par 5) |
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If you want to go for it in two on this rolling par five, you'll find your
landing area somewhat restricted by the ubiquitous pot bunkers around the dog
leg. But of course the three-shot player will find a wide landing area before
the bunkers, and plenty of room for the second shot. Sand again at the right of
the green.
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| Hole 15 (Par 3) |
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A deceptive little par three which, although of modest length, will ask you to
select your lofted iron carefully. The green is wide, yes, but oh so shallow!
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| Hole 16 (Par 4) |
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Now begins von Hagge and Baril's famous finishing holes. This one is a dogleg
right, around a lake, so hit your tee shot to the left side. Your approach will
be crucial here, as you're hitting to a peninsula green.
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| Hole 17 (Par 3) |
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If you play from the way back tees, you'll hit from an island across a lake to
the peninsula green. Mere mortals won't have to carry the lake, but will still
have to face - from left to right - a lake, a rack wall, a sand bunker and
grassy mounds. Vaya con dios.
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| Hole 18 (Par 5) |
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This is probably one of the most challenging holes in Mexico. Some will say an
M-16 is needed off the tee on this powerful finishing hole, but we believe that
three of your normal, accurate shots will reward you with a well-deserved par.
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