83 The par-four sixth plays down a steep valley towards the coastline where the more dramatic holes are located “Most people would point to the holes alongside the ocean, whether it’s seven, eight, nine or fifteen through to eighteen,” says Coore. “But I have to say that while those are going to be the holes that people will talk about the most because of their spectacular nature and their proximity to the sea, some of the inland holes are quite interesting. They’ll provide some situations for some very interesting golf and that’s what we look for.” These holes include the par-four second and par-five third holes, which feature views across the golf course, island and towards the Atlantic Ocean. The fourth is a 213-yard par three that has a Redan-style green which will reward golfers that play to the right side of the putting surface. The fifth and sixth holes, both par fours, then play down a steep valley towards the coastline where the more dramatic holes are located. The final ocean stretch begins on the green of the fourteenth, a downhill par five that plays almost 600 yards to the cliff edge. Beyond that, a tee box juts out over the ocean; one of the most dramatic spots on the course. The fifteenth is a short par four; a semi-blind tee shot over water and rock to a fairway that looks deceptively further than it plays, a trick of the eye that Coore and Crenshaw like to employ. The short par-three sixteenth plays over a cove to a small peninsula and, with echoes of Cypress Point, is followed by a longer one-shotter. The 187-yard seventeenth requires a shot over a rocky inlet to a green that sits above another bay. The final act is another nod to Monterey; a closing par five that curves along the coastline and invites the bold to take on as much of the beach – in this case ‘Donkey’ rather than ‘Pebble’ – as they dare. The course is being grassed with Pure Dynasty from Pure Seed and Atlas Turf International. This advanced seeded paspalum was selected for its extreme salt tolerance, ease of import, and ability to provide excellent playing surfaces. “As with all the golf we have built, I hope that it will stand the test of time, like many of our favourites,” says Cowan-Dewar. “I always remember Mike saying ‘St Andrews has been there for 500 years’. That is humbling and I think as long as people find it as much fun as we do, we will have done what we set out to.” GCA Photo: Jacob Sjoman
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