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Hole #1 - Spoonbill
Par: 3Gold/Blue/White Handicap: 13Red Handicap: 15
163
163
153
115
Description by Pete Dye:
The first hole is a great little starting hole. This par 3 is 163 yards in length from the back tees and looks easy. The first fairway runs southwest with water left on the tee and a pretty little stream that runs across the fairway and up along the right side of the green. Don’t let the scenery distract you, because the first green is fast and tricky.
Hole #2 - Porpoise Bay
Par: 4Gold/Blue/White Handicap: 15Red Handicap: 7
277
277
266
242
Description:
With a long narrow waste bunker and a magnificent view of the Indian River Lagoon along the entire left side of the fairway, number two is a par 4 and it’s not too long at about 290 yards. Of course when the good players are here they are going to want to drive the green, but in my opinion, that’s about the worst approach you can take because it’s really hard to hit such a small green. The best way to play the hole is to just hit a shot out about 190 yards or so and then another hundred yard shot to the hole. Since the green is small any second shot on the green leaves you with a legitimate birdie putt.
Hole #3 - Osprey
Par: 4Gold/Blue/White Handicap: 1Red Handicap: 3
404
383
320
278
Description:
In my opinion, the third hole is undoubtedly the hardest hole on the course, and judging by the way it’s rated on the scorecard, it might very well be the hardest hole in Indian River County. It’s a 400-yard par 4 with an elevated green that has a slight ridge running right down the middle. So if you hit the right side of the green it can bounce off to the right, and if you hit the left side it might bounce left. Being both very difficult to putt and well bunkered and with water on both left and right of the green, my approach to this hole is never to worry about where the flag is. Instead, just try to get it on the front of the green. If you can make it in two putts and get out of there, that’s a great way to play the 3rd hole.
Hole #4 - Mangrove
Par: 3Handicap: 9
162
162
139
108
Description:
This is one of my favorite holes. It’s a 162 yard par 3. During the winter season, you get a wind blowing off the ocean from the east, but the hole runs north to south, so the wind blows left to right. Running along the entire left side of the hole is a long and narrow seaside waste bunker backed by mangroves and the lagoon. When the high tide water from the lagoon rises, the seaside waste bunker looks very pretty. If you’re a high handicapper, I might recommend hitting short right of the green on #4.
Hole #5 - Poco Loco
Par: 3Handicap: 17
89
89
83
78
Description:
The 5th hole is the short but very popular par three. Only 89 yards, it’s still an intimidating forced carry.
Hole #6 - Porpoise Point
Par: 4/5Gold/White Handicap: 5Blue/White Handicap: 3Red Handicap: 1
362
362
330
342
Description:
The 6th hole, a 362-yard dogleg right, is a tough little par four and is rated as the 3rd hardest hole. This is a beautiful golf hole with the Indian River Lagoon along the left side of the narrow fairway, and a reachable man-made lake on the right. It’s always very nice to hear members say, “I saw the dolphins playing out left of number 6 today.”
Hole #7 - Manatee Pocket
Par: 3Handicap: 11
409
393
356
314
Description:
Alice (my wife and co-designer) pretty much designed the 7th hole on her own. It’s a 155 yards, par 3 with a forced carry over the lagoon from the back tees, but no real forced carry from the forward tees. There are mangroves along the water on the left. Once again, if you draw it too much you’ll be in the Indian River Lagoon. Even though the 7th green tends to slope ever-so-slightly away from the water, this is still a good hole to hit a nice little fade, because you generally get the wind off the ocean so if you fade a little, that little cut can hold its line into the green. Director of Golf, Tom Thornton, named hole #7 Manatee Pocket because it’s a great place to spot a manatee.
Hole #8 - Snook
Par: 4Gold Handicap: 3Blue/White/Red Handicap: 5
396
351
311
263
Description:
Now hole #8 is another really good hole. It’s a 396-yard dogleg right, par four, with trees and water on the right and the seaside waste bunkers, mangroves and the lagoon on the left. The small 8th green slopes left toward the water here, plus you’ve got to hit over a bunker that is guarding the front of the small green. So you’re better off trying to fade your second shot onto the green, especially with the wind typically coming from the southeast on this hole.
Hole #9 - Little Starvation
Par: 3Gold/Blue/White Handicap: 7Red Handicap: 13
156
156
137
106
Description:
The last hole on the front nine is a beautiful 156-yard 3 over the lagoon and toward the clubhouse. This hole is definitely one of the toughest par 3s on the course. Also, with the prevailing wind blowing in your face, the 9th hole seems a lot longer than it is. Over the past 40 years, I’ve hit everything from a pitching wedge to a 4-iron on this hole, so make sure you use enough club and hit it solid.
Hole #10 - Duck
Par: 4Gold Handicap: 14Blue/White Handicap: 12Red Handicap: 10
260
260
251
222
Description:
The 10th hole is another very interesting hole. Tiger Woods could probably drive this 260-yard par 4 with a 4-iron, but with a pond on the right and out-of-bounds on the left, I think the smart play for most golfers might be to lay-up and then hit a wedge into the small elevated green.
Hole #11 - La Pared
Par: 3Handicap: 16
127
119
105
75
Description:
Not the toughest par 3, the 11th hole is one of the prettiest holes on the course. With magnificent old oaks along the left side, it’s a 127 yards from an elevated tee, over the water, to a big beautiful elevated green.
Hole #12 - Oak Hole
Par: 4Blue/White Handicap: 6Gold/Red Handicap: 4
327
327
315
297
Description:
This is the fourth toughest hole on the course. It’s a 327- yard par four into the prevailing wind to a treacherous green that’s bunkered in front and back.
Hole #13 - South Beach
Par: 4Handicap: 18
123
123
105
92
Description:
This is a cute hole, 123-yard par. Its large green has lots of shaping and beautiful bunkering.
Hole #14 - Sabal Pointe
Par: 4Gold Handicap: 4Blue/White/Red Handicap: 2
361
361
318
302
Description:
I think this is a really fun hole. It’s pretty much straight away, with your tee shot most often hitting into a southeast wind. The second toughest hole on the course, the 361-yard par four, has out-of-bounds on the left and a forced carry over the only fresh water lake on the course. The 14th green is guarded on the front left by a large bunker.
Hole #15 - Cutlass Cove
Par: 3Gold Handicap: 8Blue/White/Red Handicap: 14
180
158
116
104
Description:
Changing direction the 180-yard par three, turns north with a tee shot that is forced to carry a beautiful waste bunker to the very large, undulating, and well bunkered 15th green.
Hole #16 - "The Road Hole"
Par: 4/5Gold Handicap: 2Blue/White Handicap: 10Red Handicap: 4
440
440
417
401
Description:
The 440 yard is the only par five at the Club. This is a very scenic hole with a view of the water at Cutlass Cove just left of the tee and a very different view of the lagoon and Porpoise Bay up near the green. Medium length hitters are advised to aim their tee shots between two big banyan trees that are out in the middle of the 16th fairway. Though, it’s guarded by a big waste area directly in front of the green, and another bunker to the left of the green, some of the longer players still manage to reach the 16th in two only to find that the swales and hollows shaped into this challenging-but-true Tifeagle green make it a very difficult green to hold and putt.
Hole #17 - Beach Treat
Par: 3Gold Handicap: 10Blue/White Handicap: 6Red Handicap: 12
146
146
119
109
Description:
This is a par 3 that is 146 yards over a lake to a green that’s protected on the left by an enormous bunker, so I’d say if you’re going to miss it, miss it short right. I like #17; it’s an excellent golf hole.
Hole #18 - Sunset Grille
Par: 4Gold Handicap: 12Blue/White/Red Handicap: 8
306
306
275
261
Description:
This is a great finishing hole, and a lot of fun to play. The little island tee area hidden back amongst the oak trees makes your tee shot a forced carry over the water. It’s a 306-yard par four over a lake with out-of-bounds on the left and water running all along the right side of the fairway. This is a terrific hole for putting pressure on final hole bets!
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