Port Royal Yacht Club (CC Contest entry)
Aug 4, 2021 17:31:31 GMT -5
jwtexan, meyo, and 2 more like this
Post by chipsthedog89 on Aug 4, 2021 17:31:31 GMT -5
Welcome to the Port Royal Yacht Club, my entry into the CC design contest! This is my first design contest entry, and was designed on an Xbox One. Plays 7,363 yards and par 72 from the tips with firm, fast conditions and greens running about 180. Don't let the yardage worry you, this course plays substantially shorter than the listed yardage.
This course started with the premise of "What if St. Andrews was built in the Bahamas?". Tired of seeing 'links-inspired' courses which basically meant courses without trees, I wanted to build a course that actually played like an old links course but in a non-traditional setting. Port Royal Yacht Club is a seaside links course set in a small town which has developed a burgeoning tourism and sport industry beginning with the eponymous yacht club.
Since this is an open ocean course, it is designed to be played in high or even very high winds and can play well in any wind direction. Landing areas are wide and golfers are encouraged to shape shots or control trajectories to account for varying conditions.
Required design elements:
A course walkthrough below:
The first hole begins with an easy tee shot to a wide fairway, inspired by some of the more gentle opening holes you might find on Open Rota courses. Choose a driver, fairway wood, or even long iron depending on your wind condition and set up a good angle for approach. After the first hole, you'll progress to the low-lying par three 2nd hole which feels like it might sink under the ocean at any minute, and then the short par four 3rd hole stretching out at the end of a barrier island. The green on Hole 3 is quite large, but the golfer can face a pile of trouble if they miss in any direction.
The fourth and fifth hole play as something of a tandem, back on the course's mainland. The par five 4th wraps around an inlet and, depending on wind direction, can be reached with as little as a wedge. However, every bit of yardage gained from wind on the 4th will be given right back on the 500+ yard par four 5th hole which runs in the opposite direction to number 4. If you have a wedge into 4, be prepared to hit a long iron or fairway wood into 5.
After the 5th hole, the golfer will venture out onto the cape, an out-and-back stretch of holes in true links fashion that runs across a series of islands and sand bars from Hole 6 to Hole 13. Hole 6 is a mid-length par four with the beach and bunker cluster along the right, and an angled redan-style green. Hole 7 is a ~180-190 yard par three perched atop a dune with a "catchers mit" pot bunker to capture errant approaches. Hole 8 is another mid-length par four wrapping through the dunes.
Hole 9 is a bit of a unique hole, stretching out to the very end of the cape along a sandbar which is almost entirely flat. This mid-length par five offers very little in the way of sight-lines as the golfer tees off right into the horizon. This par five can be very easily reachable depending on wind direction, but distance control and lag putting are at a premium, and the water can be in play both left and way right on the tee ball. Nonetheless, a good scoring opportunity to close out the front 9.
Hole 10 is an almost equidistant par five to number 9, but again running in the complete opposite direction. Another reachable par five depending on wind direction, but probably the hardest of the par fives in the wrong conditions.
Hole 11 is shorter par four into the dunes, where the golfer must place their layup carefully to avoid being blocked out. Hole 12 is a mid-length par 3 with similar structure (but opposite direction ) to number 7 and provides a clear view of the town and marina. Finally, the cape closes with Hole 13, another mid-length par four that meanders through the dunes with an undulating fairway but a fairly flat and partially shielded green.
14 and 15 represent the toughest stretch on the course, with Hole 14 being a mid-to-long par four with a split fairway where golfers must choose whether they prefer angle or sight-line into the massive green. This is one of the most undulating greens on the course and contains the only direct run-off into a large beach bunker long of the green. Hole 15 is a par three that can play up to 250 yards.
Hole 16 is a drivable par four with a wide fairway to set up a good angle on your layup. Hole 17 heads directly out towards the marina which can come into play (as OB) if the golfer is too long on their approach. Finally, Hole 18 is an easily reachable par five inspired by the 18th at St. Andrews which has a large swale in front of the green and OB both long and right. Watch out for the spectators from the town on your right, and give yourself a chance at eagle on 18!
This course started with the premise of "What if St. Andrews was built in the Bahamas?". Tired of seeing 'links-inspired' courses which basically meant courses without trees, I wanted to build a course that actually played like an old links course but in a non-traditional setting. Port Royal Yacht Club is a seaside links course set in a small town which has developed a burgeoning tourism and sport industry beginning with the eponymous yacht club.
Since this is an open ocean course, it is designed to be played in high or even very high winds and can play well in any wind direction. Landing areas are wide and golfers are encouraged to shape shots or control trajectories to account for varying conditions.
Required design elements:
- Back to back par 5s (#9 and #10)
- Par 3 >230 (#15)
- Three par 4s under 400 (#3, #11, #16)
- Drivable par 4 (#16)
A course walkthrough below:
The first hole begins with an easy tee shot to a wide fairway, inspired by some of the more gentle opening holes you might find on Open Rota courses. Choose a driver, fairway wood, or even long iron depending on your wind condition and set up a good angle for approach. After the first hole, you'll progress to the low-lying par three 2nd hole which feels like it might sink under the ocean at any minute, and then the short par four 3rd hole stretching out at the end of a barrier island. The green on Hole 3 is quite large, but the golfer can face a pile of trouble if they miss in any direction.
The fourth and fifth hole play as something of a tandem, back on the course's mainland. The par five 4th wraps around an inlet and, depending on wind direction, can be reached with as little as a wedge. However, every bit of yardage gained from wind on the 4th will be given right back on the 500+ yard par four 5th hole which runs in the opposite direction to number 4. If you have a wedge into 4, be prepared to hit a long iron or fairway wood into 5.
After the 5th hole, the golfer will venture out onto the cape, an out-and-back stretch of holes in true links fashion that runs across a series of islands and sand bars from Hole 6 to Hole 13. Hole 6 is a mid-length par four with the beach and bunker cluster along the right, and an angled redan-style green. Hole 7 is a ~180-190 yard par three perched atop a dune with a "catchers mit" pot bunker to capture errant approaches. Hole 8 is another mid-length par four wrapping through the dunes.
Hole 9 is a bit of a unique hole, stretching out to the very end of the cape along a sandbar which is almost entirely flat. This mid-length par five offers very little in the way of sight-lines as the golfer tees off right into the horizon. This par five can be very easily reachable depending on wind direction, but distance control and lag putting are at a premium, and the water can be in play both left and way right on the tee ball. Nonetheless, a good scoring opportunity to close out the front 9.
Hole 10 is an almost equidistant par five to number 9, but again running in the complete opposite direction. Another reachable par five depending on wind direction, but probably the hardest of the par fives in the wrong conditions.
Hole 11 is shorter par four into the dunes, where the golfer must place their layup carefully to avoid being blocked out. Hole 12 is a mid-length par 3 with similar structure (but opposite direction ) to number 7 and provides a clear view of the town and marina. Finally, the cape closes with Hole 13, another mid-length par four that meanders through the dunes with an undulating fairway but a fairly flat and partially shielded green.
14 and 15 represent the toughest stretch on the course, with Hole 14 being a mid-to-long par four with a split fairway where golfers must choose whether they prefer angle or sight-line into the massive green. This is one of the most undulating greens on the course and contains the only direct run-off into a large beach bunker long of the green. Hole 15 is a par three that can play up to 250 yards.
Hole 16 is a drivable par four with a wide fairway to set up a good angle on your layup. Hole 17 heads directly out towards the marina which can come into play (as OB) if the golfer is too long on their approach. Finally, Hole 18 is an easily reachable par five inspired by the 18th at St. Andrews which has a large swale in front of the green and OB both long and right. Watch out for the spectators from the town on your right, and give yourself a chance at eagle on 18!