[Tom_Doak]

Carl:

You are correct that the photos do not give a real sense of the elevation changes on these holes, which is hard to capture because of the scale of the place.  The next green, #14, is right at the beach, and the eleventh tee is at 60 meters above sea level, so you're playing considerably downhill in this stretch -- and you had to play considerably uphill on holes 4, 9, and 10 to get up there to begin with.

The routing was not so hard to figure out.  There is a 400-foot hill inside the golf course property, and we either had to get two holes (out and in) between the top of the hill and the bay, or we had to route a loop of holes up around the hill, to make room for a lot more housing with beachfront or bay views.  It was pretty much understood when I signed the contract that the client wanted the latter.  I explained to them that if we went that direction, the course would not have returning nines, because the loop going up and around the hill and back down to the beach and then out around the development was just too long for nine holes -- indeed, that loop itself is twelve holes:  3, 4, and 9-18.  The routing you saw had a six-hole loop at the start of the round, but they later asked me to cut that off to just holes 1 & 2, and tack four holes into the routing at a later point.

Jud:  Thanks for posting the pictures.  Hopefully you'll have a little more commentary down the stretch about the holes you liked most or least, since I already know what they look like! 

[Jud_T]

Tom,

You're not satisfied with the quick tips?    Favorites thus far are 2,3,8,9,11,12,13....One potential problem area.  The area short and right of the green on 11.  Balls hit here simply run down the hill into the desert.  This area can come into play for the higher handicapper. If one doesn't hit a solid drive over the ridge and is faced with a somewhat long, uphill blind approach a layup hit right may catch the hill. Not sure what a possible solution would be, aside from significant recontouring, a huge bunker, or clearing more of the desert floor as you know I'm not keen on growing this grass out to rough length...

Also on #7, what's the deal with the runoff area short of the green?  Is that for drainage during the rainy season?

[Tom_Doak]

Jud:

There are all kinds of natural washes coming down the hill through nearly every hole from 4 to 18.  Some of them we just grassed in because we don't expect them to carry too much dirt when it rains; others we left open because we were sure they would be gouged out deeply in a storm.  These storms only happen once a year or once every 2-3 years ... it has to rain pretty hard, and that doesn't happen often in Baja, other than when a hurricane comes by.  But you can't just ignore it, either.

[Jud_T]

Hole #14: Blue-300, White-280, red-248
Handicap #17

"The "photo hole" is a short par 4 drivable for long hitters if you are downwind and a simple drive and pitch shot to the tiny green on the water's edge.  Aim towards the right of the fairway for the best angle in, and there is plenty of room to the right of the green leaving you an easy chip shot if need be."

One of the more inviting tee shots on one of the more scenic holes you're going to find...


zoomed in:


zoomed even more, a nice look at the fairway undulations...


I like how the bunker work here blends so seamlessly with the desert:


approach.  looks like a simple wedge, but I bet this can get pretty interesting when the wind is up..


short of the green.  notice all the ground game movement here one faces when trying to bump and run one under the wind:


err right, but that's no bargain either...






looking back up towards the tee:


looking back across the bay toward the beach club:






ok champ, you drove it pin high, how're you left?


another crappy view from the green...

[Jud_T]

Not sure I agree with the "easy pitch shot from right of the green" concept...

[Carl Rogers]

tom,
My memory may be at fault, but I thought at one point the 14th was a very long par 3.  Or am confused with the 15th??

[Jud_T]

Carl, 16 is the long par 3, at least in the final routing....

[Tom_Doak]

tom,
My memory may be at fault, but I thought at one point the 14th was a very long par 3.  Or am confused with the 15th??

Carl:

You remembered correctly.  Fourteen was originally going to be a very long par-3 with the green site just a bit forward and left of its present position.

When we had to change the routing, we added a new par-3 [hole #7], where none of the four holes removed from the plan were a par-3.  So, we had five of them.  I didn't really think anything about it for a while, but Brian Schneider was not fond of the par-3 14th, and suggested moving the green back and to the right to highlight it against the point, and make it a very short par-4.  I think it was a great find and it will be a much more memorable hole this way.  It has a very small green with quite a bit of movement to it, and getting close for a birdie will seldom be easy to do.

[Jud_T]

Hole #15, Par 5: Blue-609, White-526, Red-509
Handicap 9

"A monster par 5.  If you can keep it in the fairway on your first and second shots, you will still have a mid to short iron in to this flat and approachable green.  Off the tee, aim towards the left hand bunker. On the second shot, hit it right towards the green with any wood you are comfortable with, and attack on your approach.  Stay right, but even if you go left, an up and down bunker shot is not that difficult.  Into the wind, this one will be brutal."

This hole indeed would be a bitch into the wind, but I gotta believe that the vast majority of the time it's downwind and is therefore quite manageable.  I could even imagine the biggest hitters getting home in 2 with a 2 or 3 club wind behind them. I love how the mountains in the distance frame the ideal line off the tee.

View from the tee:


Zoomed in view of landing area:


From fairway:




Some nice contour in the fairway that one can use:






left-front bunker:






ball-cam from behind green:




relatively flat by RGD standards, but still some subtle movement going on.  

[Carl Rogers]

Hole 15:
When I was there in late January, each day the wind blew steadily out of the north.  I think that would be into the wind on this hole.  I would suspect that in the rest of the year it would be downwind.

Do I observe that the bunkering is getting more severe on the back nine?

It seems Tom & Team did a very good job of hiding the cart paths.

Tom, if you are reading this .... Is the bunker sand unique to Baja Cal?

Jud, how would you compare playing on paspalum (spelling?) with fescue, bent or bermuda?

[Jud_T]

Carl,

The paspalum is a pretty tightly knit surface.  It's pretty good for a firm, fast ground game.  It's not so good grown to rough length, particularly near the green as it grabs the club and thus doesn't really allow for any feel shots and the ball grabs, but that's not an issue at BDLS.  Fescue it ain't but it's probably the best solution for this climate...

[Jud_T]

Trying to post the next hole...How come I can't click on the image icon?  Anybody know the script to type it in offhand?

[Alex Miller]

Trying to post the next hole...How come I can't click on the image icon?  Anybody know the script to type it in offhand?

Not working for me either. I believe the script is if you are trying to maintain the same size photos.

EDIT: Sorry, insert brackets for parenthesis: (img width=720)(/img)

[Jud_T]

Hole #16: Blue-213, White-174, Red-137
Handicap 5

"The tee shot on this hole looks down over the green and the Bay in the distance.  Play a club less depending on the wind and stay left.  Remember, there is plenty of room left!"

This is a solid par 3 that could be a nice poke into the wind.  Take a 3 here happily and move on.  A cross wind off the bay makes it tricky as a low fade off the left bunker is what's called for.  There's a slope long left which can be used depending on the pin placement.

From the tee:


Zoomed in:


Room for a low runner under the wind:






Looking back up at the tee:


A cool green.  Either run it up tight or veer off into 3-putt territory:

[Jud_T]

Hole #17, Par 4: Blue-458, White-441, Red-348
Handicap 3

"No trouble to worry about off the tee here.  Step up and hit it hard.  Not a long hole, but the elevated green makes a short approach the preferred route.  Take enough club into the green, though, and aim toward the left side."

Not sure how a 458 yard par 4 with a hurting cross wind to an elevated green isn't considered a long hole for most...15-18 is a pretty tough finishing stretch, 609 yard par 5, 213 yard par 3, 458 yard par 4 and 432 yard par 4 with the wind likely hurting on 16-18.  But these are also some of the best holes on the course.


From the tee:


zoomed in:


approach shot (zoomed in).  Better angle from the left, but the fairway kicks everything right bringing the cactus into the line of play:


Looking back up to the tee (zoomed in).  Speed Slot?:


Short of green (zoomed in).  Some nice ground game options here for those who inevitably come up short when the wind is up:




Right greenside bunker:


Back-right of green.  Notice which way the flag is blowing...


Tough pin to get to:

[Greg Tallman]

Looking at 16 again brings back some thoughts on the par 3 holes.

I believe there are some design flaws on holes 7 and 16 as both can turn a relatively well struck shot into an unplayable second.

At 7 one could land on the green, trickle off the middle/back right edge and run into the desert and an unplayable lie.

Similarly at 16 if one hits a great shot to a far right pin and runs through the green it is a lost ball. Worse yet is that you are not afforded the opportunity to play safe as a shot played to the left side with a far right pin leaves a putt that is nearly impossible (if greens are running 10 it IS impossible) and could well run off the back and into the desert.

Don't get me worng, I like the course and love that type quirk for me but for the average player to hit a "career shot" only to get the ultimate penalty I question the design intent.

7 is indefensible (able???)

[Jud_T]

Greg,

I understand your point, but honestly how many amateurs are going to be long and right on a 220 yard par 3?

[Jud_T]

Hole #18, Par 4:  Blue-432, White-404, Red-303
Handicap 7

"Whether you are into or with the wind, this is a challenging finishing hole despite the wide open fairway off the tee.  Play towards the right side of the fairway for the shortest approach in, and take an extra club into this green and adjust for the wind.  A large bailout area plays to the left and will leave you a chip down to the large green.  Right side is difficult, so focus on getting over the ravine and staying left."

This is a fantastic finishing hole which is clearly one of  the best holes on the course.  With the fan on, this will challenge the best players.  Also a great finish to a match when one needs to make par or birdie:

From the tee:


Zoomed in:


Zoomed in further:


Fairway undulations:


Approach.  Be aggressive or bail out left?:


From left side of fairway.  A bit more daunting from here:


Bailout area to left of green:


Looking back up towards the tee:






from bailout area:

[Anthony Gray]

  Love the cacus in the bunker,it gives you something.There are many dangerous curves in Mexico.

  Anthony

[Carl Rogers]

When I was there, Tom told me he was not trying to do a killer course.  I think that goal has been achieved provided the player does not hit it sideways.  It also seems that the first time player can play it effectively without a lot of local knowledge.  The bunkers, while clearly strategic, do not look that penal.

It seems to be a pleasant walk through an interesting landscape.  Jud, it seems like a good job hiding the cart paths??

Does anyone know how much play it is getting?

Is accessibility to the area holding that back?

[Jed Rammell]

Thank you for the photos - - the 18th hole looks terrific.

[Jud_T]

Carl,

There aren't full-fledged cart paths, just natural material around tees and greens.  The place isn't getting much play.  It was designed as a private real estate course with a high-end hotel component.  It's 45 minutes from La Paz and 2:45 from downtown Cabo.  While it isn't a killer course I think I actually scored as well or better at Diamante and Cabo del Sol Ocean, so it's not exactly a pushover.

[Tim Book]

Jud,

Thanks for the effort.  The pictures and descriptions are fantastic.  I have been lucky to find myself in Cabo each of the past three years.  For the average tourist and not necessarily the GCA nut how is the trek between Cabo and BLS?  I would love to check it out, but my normal travels in Cabo don't take me much outside the 'corridor'.

[Greg Tallman]

The sale of this facility just closed today.

New owner had a hand in a few Cabo developments/resorts. Will be interesting to see how it progresses. Wish them well.

[Tom_Doak]

News to me!  But I guess that's why our client has been out of touch!

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