71 All tees were levelled and expanded, with new forward and back tees added. The twelfth’s tee complex was redesigned so that it faces to the right and offers a better angle of play for resort golfers playing this dogleg left hole – similar work was performed on the eighteenth. “On the iconic par-three sixteenth, the large main tee was angled slightly left to open up views of the cliffs and beaches,” said Birtel. “Previously, the front of the tee shielded the view of the dramatic coastline. A minor but impactful improvement to polish one of the great par threes in the world.” Other work on Teeth of the Dog includes irrigation upgrades and a tree management programme, both of which form part of the club’s ongoing sustainability and operations plan. This plan also covers how the course is set up to manage storm events and climate change. “Many of the holes are located directly on the Caribbean Sea with many features only a couple of feet above the tide,” says Dana. “Periodically, these greens and tees are damaged by storm surges or even just rough seas. Additionally, several features have had aquatic caves eroded underneath them, making their stability tenuous at best. The project enlisted a coastal engineer to review the coastline, the exposed golf features, tides, currents and storm potential. As a result, tons of rock were installed along the coastline to dissipate the wave energy and reinforce the eroded shoreline.” “Overall, the course is more challenging for all players,” says Birtel. “Errant shots are penalised more consistently, yet Teeth of the Dog still offers tremendous variety in shotmaking. Golfers can choose to run the ball onto greens or play higher, more traditional approaches. With fairway-height surrounds instead of heavy rough, players have a wide range of recovery shots available. That creativity, combined with the setting on the Caribbean Sea, remains one of the defining features of the course.” “ The guiding question was simple: does this look and feel like Pete Dye, and like Teeth of the Dog?” Bunkers have been rebuilt with steep grass faces Photo: Pat Koenig
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