This William Flynn gem sends players around an “inner nine” and an “outer nine” that are woven together through the routing.
The land is rather flat, but mounding and bunkering make the course strategic off the tee. Cross bunkers and run-out areas force players to take the proper lines off the tees. The open land on many holes makes it challenging to stick to a line and commit to a shot.
William Flynn also loved tricking players visually. Many of the bunkers and mounding produce illusions that they are closer to greens or make a player think a fairway landing area is tighter than it actually is.
The greens are all slightly raised, another William Flynn calling card. Players must negotiate the wind and pick the right club and shot type to have chances at birdie. Tightly mown areas surrounding the greens make short shots a challenge. Hit approach shots long at your peril.
After the 15th hole, players turn back toward the ocean to a stunning view and lovely walk. The wind and visual tricky are in full force on the last three holes, and they are sure to provide drama both in the stroke play portion of the U.S. Senior Amateur and during match play.