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Punta Blanca Golf Club |
Course Information
More Reviews
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Name: Bo (DR1) Handicap: 12 Review Date: April 22nd 2007 Tee Time: 10:15 |
General:
Fairways are surrounded by a 1st cut of rough on which the ball sits up nicely. If the ball goes beyond the 1st cut of rough there's only guinea grass and dense vegetation left and finding a ball there is almost impossible much less playing it from there if you should find it.
Driving range in front of the club house has no distance markers and there's a small putting green in front of the club house terrace
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Course layout:
A Nick Price signature course. Not much change in elevation but that was expected from the landscape the course is set in.
The vegetation changes between the front and back 9. While the front 9 displays the scenery of a typical Florida course the back is more distinct with the wetlands in play on 13 and 15.
It's a nice layout which should appeal to golfers of all levels.
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Maintenance:
Paspalum grass all over. Tees and fairways are in good shape. Tees are not raised but merely an area of the fairway cut down like you'd see on Scottish courses. Greens are in great shape and putts true. They are very hard and some approaches bounced right off the green.
Sand in bunkers didn't vary in density while playing from the waste bunkers really depends on the lie you get.
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Service:
Professional and attentive staff in pro shop, reception and caddy shack.
Professional and attentive staff in pro shop, reception and caddy shack.
Nice, clean bathrooms. We didn't use the club house changing facilities.
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Price:
US$150 / round. Some nearby hotels (Majestic - Barcelo Punta Cana etc) have deals for their guests.
There's a free round on week days between June and September if you have a FEDO golf card.
No caddies available for the round but they will receive you and get you set on arrival and clean your gear when you're finished.
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19th hole:
Beautiful indoor restaurant with A/C. Terrace with the putting green in front and views to 9th green (and 18th if you stretch your neck).
With the round there's a free meal in the restaurant. That's a nice touch. It
gives a live atmosphere where golfers meet after the round and not just escape
back to the hotel in a hurry and leave the club house deserted like you'll see on other courses. Furthermore any non-alcoholic beverage from the food cart is free as well.
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Value for money rating:
Punta Blanca is a well kept golf course. It's still new and will need to settle in to get the last star.
The course lacks that specific hole where you say "Wow!" but it's still good value for your money if you're staying at a nearby hotel or hold the FEDO-golf card.
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Hole Descriptions & Photos:
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to see larger images and descriptions. |
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1st hole, par 4, 388 yds:
A nice opening hole with a wide fairway for that important first tee shot. There's a fairway bunker on the right side but still plenty of room. Another fairway bunker on the left well short of the green makes it possible to run up your approach to an unprotected green.
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2nd hole, par 3, 188 yds:
Fly your tee shot over the large waste bunker in front to a wide but shallow green only guarded by a bunker front right.
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3rd hole, par 4, 373 yds:
Land your tee shot between the left and right fairway bunker if you're short off the tee. Longer hitters can go ahead and carry any of the two bunkers and reach a wide landing area. The green is protected by a lake and a bunker on the right.
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4th hole, par 5, 536 yds:
Another wide fairway. Even long hitters will have trouble reaching the fairway
bunker on the left. If you miss right pray that you miss it so bad you'll clear the guinea grass area and reach the 5th fairway instead. One bunker guards the front of the green.
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5th hole, par 4, 409 yds:
Fairway bunkers to the left but ample space on the right side of those to land your tee shot. No bunkers around the green but the lake is guarding right and behind.
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6th hole, par 3, 128 yds:
Another waste bunker short of the green. Two large bunkers front left and front right of this green.
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7th hole, par 4, 350 yds:
Fairway bunkers all the way down the right side of the fairway. Water to the left and a bunker short right guards this green.
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8th hole, par 4, 293 yds:
Shortest par 4 on the course. Long hitters should leave the driver in the bag as a large waste bunker cuts off the fairway on the right and all the way to the green. There's a sliver of fairway on the left on which you can run up your approach if you're accurate enough. The two fairway bunkers on the left and right hardly get into play. A bunker and a large tree guard the left side of the slightly elevated green.
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9th hole, par 5, 466 yds:
Slight dog leg right. A waste bunker runs down the right side of the fairway for the first 275 yards. A large bunker protects the green on the front right.
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10th hole, par 4, 340 yds:
A large fairway bunker cuts well into the right side of the fairway. There's a bunker to the front left of the green which has a big mound behind it as a backstop for the long approaches.
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11th hole, par 3, 176 yds:
2 bunkers left front and back and 1 bunker back right protects this 3-tiered green. Plenty of room to run your shot onto the putting surface.
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12th hole, par 5, 472 yds:
Numerous bunkers on the left side of the fairway. But only 2 bunkers in front of the green and they are place well short so even the short approaches may run up.
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13th hole, par 3, 126 yds:
Your tee shot must carry some wetland to reach the shallow green with bunkers left and right in front.
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14th hole, par 5, 525 yds:
A waste bunker runs down the entire right side of the fairway on this slight dog leg right. Bunkers to the front left and right protects the green.
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15th hole, par 3, 154 yds:
Looks like the 13th but it's a longer carry over the wetland. The green is not as shallow though and long misses can be played easier than short, left and right misses, so pick an extra club.
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16th hole, par 4, 389 yds:
Long hitters can take the straight line to the flag over/between the two fairway bunkers on the left. Shorter hitters should look to the right of those and find enough room beyond the little fairway bunker on the right. One bunker well right of the green makes it possible to run up your approach.
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17th hole, par 5, 494 yds:
Go left/right/left on this hole to avoid the fairway bunkers and get to the rather large green that's tucked away to the left at the end of the fairway.
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18th hole, par 4, 379 yds:
90 degrees dog leg right with a large waste bunker that cuts well into the right side of the fairway. You feel like you're playing away from the green on your tee shot but it's the smart play and you still have to carry the waste bunker on your approach. The fairway bunkers on the left don't come into play. A small bunker front right of the green is the only obstacle and there's room to miss left and long.
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