Hey Catcherman, I can't believe it's week 20 already. I'll post the notes, I doubt anyone needs tips though, this is really just me yapping about the course each week. LOL
WHITEWATER PENINSULA
Architect Graeme Wood: Whitewater Peninsula set on the mountains above sea level with ocean surrounding the golf course. Generous fairways and undulating two tier greens. Scoring round here is all dependant on approach play.
www.tgctours.com/Course/Details/2394072.5 handicap
I’ve never been whitewater rafting or to Vietnam, so doing it golf-style is the comfiest way for me. I’m not a big adventure guy but this course is adventurous with its significant elevation changes and cliffs by the water. There are plenty of well-placed big cloud-styled bunkers, the large but sometimes narrow greens usually have subtle slopes in various directions. By the 6th hole, the fairway cambers can run with major slants so ball lie will be something to remember this week.
1) 4-474. Riding the raft downhill almost 50 feet, the first hole plays shorter than the distance as long as the drive is kept the furthest left on the fairway. A straight drive results in a difficult to judge 200-yard approach. The danger around the green are the steep runoffs behind and to the right.
2) 4-478 . A dogleg right that dips down then pops back uphill, it can be a challenge once facing the approach with 4 big bunkers surrounding the narrow, upside down bowling pin shaped green. The green slope is back-right to front-left with a backboard for overly long approaches.
3) 5-567. Anyone for some more whitewater rafting? We’re taking a 75-foot dip on a fun par-5 that heads towards the sea. Only the beautiful views will cause a bogey-or the 15 bunkers. The green is receptive, pinched in towards the center from the sides. There’s a snack hut on the side if playing 3 holes make me, err. any of us hungry. I’ll try something new on the Vietnamese menu.
4) 4-458. Another scenic hole that curves slightly to the right, this tough hole wraps around a cliff with the fairway leaning towards the danger. A bunker hangout spot, there’s about 10 to avoid, half a dozen by the green including the monster blocking runup shots. Approaches right of the green will face some nasty turf near the leaning tree on the cliff edge. The long and narrow dogbone-shaped green is only dangerous at the back.
5) 3-169. A short par-3 with a green that slopes severely back left to front right. I wonder which of the lucky 13 bunkers guarding the green will catch my ball? The further right the more dangerous and steep the recovery will be.
6) 4-440. I’ve never whitewater rafted uphill 50 feet but then again I’ve rarely done watersports. This is the first challenging drive with the fairway camber ready to knock balls off into the bunkers or rough. Laying up with a 5-wood in the safest area results in too long and too uphill an approach. The green lays out to the left but undulates severely to the right like hole 5. Ask permission if you want to use the houseowner’s pool – we’re here as guests so it’s good to be polite.
7) 4-485. A hole that plays straight towards another part of the coast. The tee shot has plenty space to land, so does the approach on the green, but the Friday/#2 pin position is in the back of the green that slopes away and may be difficult to get near. This can be punishing if approaching from the fairway bunkers. Here, they have a porch with a snack bar. If you’re loved one is on your bag buy them something.
8) 5-557. A pretty scary par-5 that plays along the cliff. Any very slow tempo shot will leap off the edge. The greenside bunker front left is really deep and could catch some approaches that go left.
9) 3-169. Another par-3 where the green is most concerning. It has the most pronounced dip between tiers of any green on the course. Aim straight for the hole – better to be anywhere (rough, bunker) but on the wrong tier of the green.
10) 4-340. Let’s get back to the whitewater rafting – this time down a narrow chute of straight par-4 that’s a relief after some tougher holes. Have fun cranking the drive – it’s downhill enough for a driver to reach the green.
11) 4-423. Another lighter hole to handle, as long as the drive lands in the fairway. It plays along the coast so shots heading right will roll down the cliff towards the bunkers.
12) 4-449. A dogleg right par-4 that continues the whitewater trip down the coastline. Any shot right will again leave us dealing with recovery from tall bushes on the side of the cliff.
13) 3-190. An average length, downhill par-3 with a large green that slopes lightly towards the back.
14) 5-528. Maybe the easiest hole at Whitewater Peninsula, the drive and approach should remain unencumbered except for the greenside bunker left blocking eagle chances. There’s a small crowd watching from a backyard but they are also guarding their pool so don’t bother asking them for a swim.
15) 4-443. An option hole but a vital fairway to reach. Bushes hinder the landing area for drivers – with a north wind against us, it will play very tough. A wood layup in front of the fairway bushes leave a 200+ yard approach uphill 40 feet. Any approaches from the rough will bring a high chance of a bogey – the green is unreachable from in the rough 200 yards away.
16) 3-191. The par-3’s have been forgiving and though this may be a tough birdie chance considering the narrow green and steep bush-filled runout to the right, but it’s not scary.
17) 4-435. A flat, straightaway hole that has a bushy bunker area smack dab in the middle of the fairway that doesn’t appreciate drivers or 3-woods. With a strong northern wind, a driver should be able to clear the fairway bunker and bushes and leave a short pitch to a receptive green.
18) 5-573. Unlike some courses, the finish looks beautiful but it’s not overly intimating or challenging – this par-5 is very tough to eagle but much easier to birdie. Playing relatively straight and significantly uphill, it’s a final chance for glory. The drive has to deal with one more large cloud-shaped bunker – if it’s cleared, then an eagle is possible especially in a northeast wind.
Good luck this week!