Recently renovated by “the Open Doctor” Rees Jones, the Gold Course carries the design philosophy of creator Robert Trent Jones Sr. forward for today’s golfer. The Gold Course now features the latest in modern turf grasses, new grass on the fairways, greens, and surrounding roughs, and utilizes “Better Billy Bunker” construction to improve the drainage, look, and playability of bunkers.
Tees have been re-leveled, resurfaced, and reimagined, and the expansion of the practice putting green and range gives golfers plenty of opportunity to work on their long and short games. Each of the Gold Course’s four par 3’s presents a visually exciting challenge, and is uniquely memorable in its own right. Even if you’ve played Gold before, you’ll find a few new surprises with the evolution of this timeless classic.
Hole
1
par 4
Red | 316 |
White | 369 |
Blue | 383 |
Gold | 402 |
Description
The opening drive, from a slightly elevated tee, calls for a gentle fade. The approach must avoid the right, greenside bunker.
Hole
2
par 5
Red | 416 |
White | 470 |
Blue | 476 |
Gold | 498 |
Description
This requires a well-positioned tee shot that avoids the right fairway bunker. A pond guards the front of the green, requiring players to choose between an aggressive attempt to reach the green in two, or a lay-up shot leaving a short, uphill approach over the pond. The rebuilt green features new contouring that offers challenging hole locations tucked behind the front left and right bunkers.
Hole
3
par 3
Red | 126 |
White | 145 |
Blue | 174 |
Gold | 201 |
Description
The first of the Gold’s renowned collection of par-3s. The shot requires a full carry over water to a long, slightly elevated green that angles left to right, between a small, front-right bunker and larger and deeper left-rear bunker.
Hole
4
par 4
Red | 325 |
White | 394 |
Blue | 403 |
Gold | 421 |
Description
This strong par 4 requires a solid drive, followed by an accurate approach that avoids bunkers flanking each side of the green. A back-left pin is especially challenging.
Hole
5
par 4
Red | 293 |
White | 328 |
Blue | 337 |
Gold | 348 |
Description
The dramatic elevation changes are symbolic of the course’s natural beauty. A large bunker guards the right of the fairway. The smallish, “plateaued” green features a large bunker on the left and a “saving” grass hollow on the right.
Hole
6
par 5
Red | 415 |
White | 463 |
Blue | 471 |
Gold | 485 |
Description
On this tree-lined, gentle dogleg right, the driving zone and green are separated by a deep ravine. The elevated green has been re-contoured and is protected by frontal bunkers on the left and right. A tightly-mowed chipping area sits behind the green, offering a variety of recovery shot options.
Hole
7
par 3
Red | 92 |
White | 165 |
Blue | 186 |
Gold | 206 |
Description
High on a bluff, the tee overlooks a pond that must be carried to reach the green on the opposite hillside. The two-tier green is guarded by a trio of bunkers.
Hole
8
par 4
Red | 274 |
White | 313 |
Blue | 323 |
Gold | 337 |
Description
The tee shot of this dogleg left is framed by trees on both sides and must avoid two bunkers on the right of the landing area. Two small bunkers guard the front edges of the green, requiring an accurate approach shot.
Hole
9
par 4
Red | 333 |
White | 355 |
Blue | 360 |
Gold | 372 |
Description
A tee shot that flirts with the right fairway bunkers provides a great angle into the green. The approach should favor the left side of the green, in order to avoid the deep bunker on the right.
Hole
10
par 4
Red | 350 |
White | 392 |
Blue | 450 |
Gold | 466 |
Description
Favoring the left side of the fairway off the tee provides the best angle into a green that sits on a left to right diagonal. A deep bunker protects the right-rear hole location. A greenside chipping area borders the front-left edge of the green, providing multiple recovery shot options.
Hole
11
par 4
Red | 264 |
White | 362 |
Blue | 383 |
Gold | 403 |
Description
Straightaway through the trees to the landing area, there are no fairway bunkers. The green is guarded by a deep bunker on the right, wrapping from the front edge to the middle of the left-to-right angled green.
Hole
12
par 3
Red | 93 |
White | 149 |
Blue | 169 |
Gold | 188 |
Description
This beautiful par 3 plays from an elevated tee to a rebuilt green that is guarded by a pond along the entire front and right side. The new right-rear hole location, guarded by a bunker left and water on the right, leaves little margin for error.
Hole
13
par 4
Red | 330 |
White | 340 |
Blue | 350 |
Gold | 363 |
Description
The tee shot plays into a wide landing area perched at the top of a hill. A deep ravine separates the driving zone from a green that is benched into the slope on the opposite side. Three bunkers protect the wide, but not especially deep, green.
Hole
14
par 4
Red | 358 |
White | 420 |
Blue | 429 |
Gold | 445 |
Description
Off the tee, the fairway bends sharply to the right, with a bunker guarding the inside of the landing area. The fairway dips low, before climbing up to an elevated green that features deep bunkers on each side. Both the back-right and back-left hole locations have been expanded to their original sizes.
Hole
15
par 5
Red | 468 |
White | 600 |
Blue | 613 |
Gold | 634 |
Description
Demanding both length and accuracy from to green, the opening shot must avoid bunkers on both sides of the landing area. The second shot is more open, with a small bunker on the right. A deep and imposing bunker guards the entire left side of a green that angles from the right to the left. Any shot carrying over the green results in a long and uphill recovery.
Hole
16
par 3
Red | 97 |
White | 150 |
Blue | 159 |
Gold | 169 |
Description
This iconic design features one of golf’s earliest “island” greens. The downhill tee shot over the pond is both visually breathtaking and immensely challenging. Small bunkers surround the surface of a green that offers a multitude of interesting hole locations.
Hole
17
par 4
Red | 308 |
White | 412 |
Blue | 422 |
Gold | 435 |
Description
This hole plays slightly uphill off the tee to a generous landing area. The second shot plays even more uphill to a deep green that is flanked by front bunkers left and right. A small and narrow tongue of the putting surface, between the front bunkers, provides a challenging front hole location.
Hole
18
par 4
Red | 310 |
White | 421 |
Blue | 431 |
Gold | 444 |
Description
The closer is both beautiful and challenging. The sharp dogleg left features a new fairway bunker that frames the right side of the landing area. From there, the hole drops to a reconstructed green that is narrow, but deep, and protected by water on the left and a bunker on the right. The front-left hole location is guarded by a small approach bunker.