Golfing We-Ko-Pa Golf Club Saguaro Part 3

Hole 10

Par 4
337 | 322 | 306 | 306 | 214 yards

Stepping onto the 10th tee you're presented with a quote from the other half of the design duo, Bill Coore.  "Every interesting course owes a debt of gratitude to the land that gave it life".  This quote embodies the minimalist design philosophy held by Coore and Crenshaw, to do as little as possible to the land to create great courses.

The 10th tee is immediately adjacent to the 1st tee.  The 10th is to the right, and the 1st is to the left. A small putting green is also located here in the shadow of the halfway house.

From the tees you have one of the higher elevation points on the course.  To the northeast you have a great vista of the mountains running across the horizon.  Below them, the par 4 10th is exposed.

The largest design feature to this dogleg right hole is the massive bunker that sits at the corner of the bend.  From the back tees it is only 230 yards to carry this hazard.

A large landing area sits to the left of the trap, though a line down that side can carry through the fairway as it turns back to the right.  Provided you can carry it, the best line is just over the right trap, just in line or slightly to the right of the person in the white shirt below.

Closer to the green, if you approach from the left half of the hole you have to fly a bunker sitting short of the green to the left of the fairway.  Another small, deep bunker sits dead center and the front of the green actually wraps around this bunker on both sides.

There is not a lot of room to miss this green, other than short right.  Behind and to the left a pair of bunkers sit hidden and to the right below the green is actually the back tees for the 11th hole.  Anything missing on that side of the green will fall off down to these tees, as you can see in this photo.

We also ran into another hazard on this hole- a curious coyote who followed us a little too closely during the duration of this hole.  Luckily I hadn't used my beef-jerky flavored deodorant this day.

Hole 11

Par 3
197 | 194 | 176 | 154 | 154 yards

The 11th, while not the longest par 3, is a tough test.  Slightly uphill, it plays northerly.  You must carry a fair distance of desert before a small fairway area comes into play short of the green.

Short and left of the fairway is a large deep bunker.  Anything hit to the dormant grass area will roll back towards the desert.

There is about 25 yards of fairway short of this green.  The green is 40 yards deep but only around 20 yards across.  Obviously misses to the right will bring in the bunkers sitting down that side.

Hole 12

Par 4
476 | 461 | 423 | 332 | 332 yards

A long straight ahead par 4.  From the tips it is 190 yards to carry the desert and the large centrally located trap before finding the rough.  It is another 30 yards still until you reach the fairway.

Provided you can carry it far enough, the fairway is massive to land on- almost 50 yards across. A bunker complex does sit just off the left side of the fairway at 300 yards from the back tees.

Even with the left bunkers you still have 220 yards into the green.  The green is fronted by a cross bunker that sits in the center of the hole.  The bunker starts at 40 yards from the front of the green and is in play until about 15 yards from the green.

Running up to the green is not likely to happen on this hole.  If played into the wind on this westward facing hole, three shots to reach the green are likely.  The designers did take mercy on you though.  Aside from that front bunker the green is otherwise unguarded and presents a massive target, being almost 50 yards deep.

Hole 13

Par 4
470 | 457 | 417 | 417 |324 yards

A second back-to-back long par 4 awaits you on the 13th.  The landing zone off the tee is gigantic- almost 70 yards across!  There is a single small bunker sitting in the middle of this fairway but provided you avoid this (it is about 280 yards from the back tees) you should not have a problem finding the short stuff.

This is yet another fairly lengthy forced carry of about 200 yards from the back tees to reach the fairway.

Playing even with that fairway bunker you'll have 170 yards to the center of the green on your second shot.

A pair of bunkers 80 yards short of the green squeezes down the fairway visually but should not really be in play for most people.

Short and right of the green there is a bunker that is much more in play.  If you avoid that, again you'll have plenty of room if you do not hit the green.

Hole 14

Par 5
538 | 527 | 513 | 513 | 433 yards

The 14th features the only split fairway on the course.  A smaller fairway on the right offers a shorter route to the green but it requires a more accurate tee shot and a second forced carry on your second shot.

The left fairway runs continuously up to the green but doglegs to the right and presents a longer route to get home.

Regardless of the course you choose to play you will have another forced carry to reach the fairway. On either direction there is a possibility of running out of fairway for long hitters.  From the tips the right island fairway ends about 310 yards out.

At the furthest, the left fairway is slightly longer down its heart, quitting about 320 yards.  This distance reduces as you play further down the left though.

Not that many have to worry about 300+ yard drives but if you are playing up it could be a concern.

Of course you could split the difference of the two fairways and find the strip of desert separating the two options :)

As you make the turn on the left fairway's dogleg you have an unobstructed run to the green in the distance.

A smattering of bunkers run up the left side of the fairway, in strategic positions corresponding to landing areas for those playing to reach the green in three shots. One more sits on the left side of the green.  Down the other side, the desert is more in play until you reach the green where a trio of bunkers protect that side.

This is an accessible green to try reach in two.  A large area to the left of the green is the spot to miss on long approaches.  While there is a bunker on that side also, it is the more favorable side to miss than the right side where the desert can come quickly into play.

Hole 15

Par 3
255 | 233 | 209 | 209 | 114 yards

The last par 3 of the day that awaits you is the longest and most punishing of the par 3s for the round.  Topping out at 255 yards from the back tees, into the wind from the elevated tees this can be a full-out driver swing required.

It is 150 yards down the right side to reach the grass.  If you go at the green, bunkers run almost the entire distance to the front of the green requiring a true carry onto the green.

Keeping with the course's theme, a generous grass area to the left of the green is offered for those who can't reach from the tee, or who just don't manage to hit this green which is one of the largest on the course, being over 50 yards from front to back.

Playing from the fairway short of the the green is not too bad an option.  Likely a better one than a wild shot into the desert, or a long bunker shot from the left side.

Part 1: Holes 1-3
Part 2: Holes 4-9
Part 4: Holes 16-18

Golfing We-Ko-Pa Golf Club Saguaro Part 2

Hole 4

Par 5
631 | 609 | 595 | 494 | 494 yards

The first par 5 you'll face is a brute.  Anytime you see yardage starting with a 6 you know you have your work cut out for you.  Off the tee you are presented with your first challenge.  From the back tees it is 260 yards to carry that central fairway bunker.  Even from most of the closer tees your are looking at 230 yards to safety.

The safer option is landing the ball to the left half of the fairway (though another bunker sits off the left side), or landing in the 50 yards between the start of the fairway and that bunker.  Shortly after that bunker the hole starts descending in elevation towards the green.

Take note again if the conditions of the course.  Look at this fairway.  It almost looks fake!  The views to the NE here are also pretty stunning.

The second shot  requires you avoid a bunker down the left that is just over 200 yards from the green.  Its position squeezes down the width of the fairway before it widens out again to a fairly generous target.  I think playing down the right side is the intended line here.

At around 120 yards from the green another large bunker bumps in from the left.  A shot played down the this left side will expose the best third shot into the green and take the bunker on the right side of the green more out of play.  A ball down the right side of the fairway will require a carry over that bunker for your approach.

A ball down the right side of the fairway will require a carry over that bunker for your approach, making for a much harder shot.

The front of the green is guarded on both sides again by bunkers.  For the first time there is little room to miss the green here.  The desert is in play almost right behind the green.  This design encourages playing this hole with three shots in mind as a long shot in here would be pretty difficult.  There is room to run the ball onto the green but with this holes length I don't think too many people are reaching here in two.

Hole 5

Par 3
178 | 159 | 146 | 146 | 89 yards

Anybody besides me think this hole looks like an alien face from the course layout image?

The first par 3 is a pretty straight forward that plays south.  The prevailing southwest winds can mean a little more club is needed.

If you can avoid the two bunkers short, there is plenty of room around the green.  The green itself is a pretty massive target though too.  It is almost a circle 30 yards in either direction.  The front edge has almost a false edge though, so make sure you carry that to stay up.

Hole 6

Par 4
442 | 406 | 380 | 283 | 283 yards

A wide fairway offers an accessible target to swing away on on this mid-length par 4.  The biggest danger here is a ribbon of bunkers running down the left side that stretch almost 100 yards.

The fairway crests around 135 yards from the green before falling downhill and then rising back up to the green.

Art the base of that hill the fairway ends before a separate "island" of fairway starts up again so 35 yards before the green.  There is no desert wash dividing the two fairways only rough.  This design really doesn't impact the play of this hole.  From the tee you'd never reach the end of the fairway.  It is more of a visual distraction on your second shot.

This green is a deep oval that is unprotected by bunkers, with typical ample space surrounding the green to miss.

Hole 7

Par 4
331 | 305 | 290 | 290 | 275 yards

A slightly uphill tee shot requiring a forced carry, and fronted by a large central bunker before the fairway makes for maybe the most daunting shot of the round so far.  The hole actually isn't that long though so you have plenty of options to hit a confident shot here.

The forced carry is probably only 120-180 yards depending on your tee selection.  Using driver here is maybe not the best option, as the most hazardous feature of the hole is the smattering of bunkers at just around the perfect landing zone for a drive.

The fairway, once you get up to it, is very kind.  It is over 50 yards wide as a target to hit.

The line of bunkers stretching across the fairway frame your approach with the mountains to the south offering a great backdrop.

Sand sand pretty much everywhere starting about 85 yards from the green.

With the pair of bunkers sitting short of the green, and a severe drop off down the left of the green this is the toughest approach so far.  This green is almost a pear shape.  The first time I played here the pin was in the very front, a target only 18 feet across!

There is room to miss to the right on your approach shot.  This view, taken from the 8th tee shows the fairly sizable area to miss there.

Hole 8

Par 5
515 | 498 | 482 | 482 | 356 yards

Another tough tee shot awaits you on this par 5.  The hole has a fairly wide initial landing area, until the fairway is constricted by a bunker playing in from the left side at around 260 yards. 

In the initial landing zone there are another pair of bunkers down the left side that will surely spoil this hole if you find them off the tee.  Playing down the other extreme can find your shot running through the grass and into the desert.

A testing shot to be sure.

The last of the series of bunkers in the landing area off the tee has an extremely high face requiring taking your medicine and getting out, rather than advancing the ball any serious length.

Not everything is trouble here though.  An almost 50 yard fairway does offer a lot of target to aim at.  A ball that finds the fairway will require avoiding the large cross bunker encroaching from the right.  If you can clear this hazard, another wide landing zone awaits you.

At around 150 yards out, and just before that bunker on the right a cart path crosses the fairway.  If you can carry the bunker on the right you will have about 120 yards to the center of the green.

Another bunker sits further up across the fairway at about 80 yards out.

The approach into the green is ever so slightly uphill and is guarded by two bunkers on opposite corners of the green.  The green is a deep oval that is turned diagonally from the fairway.  A shot played down the right half of the fairway opens up the length of the green and is the preferred angle in.

The short left bunker sits below the green a good 6 feet and can make for a tricky escape to a short-sided pin.

A view from behind the 8th, taken from the 9th tee shows how the hole plays uphill the whole way from tee to green.

Hole 9

Par 3
137 | 130 | 121 | 121 | 106 yards

The final hole on the front is a short par 3 that is well protected by a trio of bunkers surrounding the front half of the green.  Behind the green is the starter and halfway house for Saguaro.

There is a small collection area behind the green, but the green falls away behind there, before a steep slope down to the trail around the clubhouse comes into play.  This green is again fairly deep kidney shaped green. A pin tucked back right, around the bunker on that side, should be a no go.  Just aim for the middle if it is located there.

Part 1: Holes 1-3
Part 3: Holes 10-15
Part 4: Holes 16-18