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White Sands Golf & Beach Resort |
Course Information
More Reviews
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Name: Bo (DR1) Handicap: 12 Review Date:
August 26th 2007 Tee Time: 10:30 |
General:
Fairways are surrounded by a 1st cut of rough from which the ball is easily
played. Beyond the 1st cut you'll meet white sand just as the course title says.
No driving range or putting green.
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Course layout:
A Jose Gancedo design. Few changes in elevation and there's seldom a bad lie with the ball above or below your feet.
The course has a nice variation in style of holes. On some you can really grip it and rip it while on others you have to place your tee shot carefully to make the most of it. Holes 5 thru 8 are just straight between two roads without much character to them. Mostly small greens.
The vegetation is designated by the fairway in a sea of sand more or less all around with only holes 2 and 3 playing in a wetland area.
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Maintenance:
Paspalum grass. Greens are in good shape although some greens were
showing a brown spot here and there. Fairways and tees look a little worn but
that may be the sign of the season as I've seen it elsewhere. Sand in bunkers was as soft as what you'd expect to find on the beach. |
Service:
Professional and attentive staff in pro shop, reception and caddy shack.
We didn't use the club house changing facilities. There were no caddies available but there were people helping you fit your bag on the cart.
A container with ice and water was fitted to the cart.
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Price:
US$85 / 18 holes in the off season. US$60 / 9 holes. Cart included. |
19th hole:
Terrace bar/restaurant in nice surroundings with a view to the 9th green. A large selection on the White Sands Steak House menu. A Presidente beer went for 120 pesos. |
Value for money rating:
White Sands is a nice golf course and a decent round of golf for tourists seeking an activity away from the beach although playing a 9 hole course twice doesn't rate the same as 18 holes.
However another 9 is due to open this autumn and they will become the front 9 while the ones described will become the back 9. I had a look at the back 9 and they will be more spectacular with more stunning views with water and a canyon coming into play. A driving range will be opening as well. I'm
looking forward to see the final result and if it turns out the way it's planned
I'm sure there will be another star added on (unless the price goes sky high with the new 9 and fairways keep looking the same).
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Hole Descriptions & Photos:
Click a camera icon
 to see larger images and descriptions. |
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1st hole, par 4, 393 yds:
A long opening hole with tree trouble on the right. Hit it as far as you can
because you'll have to carry a lot of trouble in front of the green on your second shot: Bunkers left and right and a palm tree in the middle, right on the fringe!?!? |
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2nd hole, par 3, 135 yds:
The tee shot will have to carry a lot of water to get to the elevated tee. There seems to be a bail out area right of the green but your second shot will most likely be blocked by trees. |
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3rd hole, par 4, 385 yds:
Dogleg right. Go over the palm trees on the corner and thus play away from the trouble with red stakes and condos down the left side. A stream cuts across the fairway about 85 yards short of the very small green tucked between bunkers left and right. |
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4th hole, par 4, 307 yds:
Finally a breather. Drive over the bunker and palm tree on the left and take the bunker on the right out play. Bunkers front left and front right and water further right protects this green. |
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5th hole, par 5, 467 yds:
The next four holes play straight without too much trouble in the fairways. This green is guarded by three small bunkers left and large one right. |
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6th hole, par 4, 385 yds:
This green has sand left in a large shallow bunker and a small deeper bunker closer to the front of green. |
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7th hole, par 5, 544 yds:
There's a small group of trees on the left of the fairway and a single small palm in the middle of the lay up area and shallow bunkers front right of the green. |
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8th hole, par 3, 202 yds:
A large bunker behind the green reaches down the left and right side of the long narrow green. |
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9th hole, par 4, 316 yds:
Water on the right, which has to be carried on the second shot into the green. There's sand behind the green. |
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