The golf shop is not updated in many ways from initial looks as it small with wall fixtures and about 3 racks of clothes in the middle carrying mainly essentials for many golfers.
When you step out of the golf shop or the locker room you see part of what makes this course, this facility so special. Not only can you see the ocean from the patio of the clubhouse, but you can see about 6 of the holes as the design is that of many classic golf clubs around the world. The course has many bunkers designed with the purpose of players to aim at them and use them to your advantage. That is displayed especially behind the 15th green (below) where there is a bunker in the face of the hill below the golf shop in the shape of a check mark. Green surrounds and collars blend in to the next tee box throughout most of the golf course which reminds you that the course is not only a special place with the shape that it is kept in, but that it is a classic design that is truly special.
As you step out of the golf shop you nearly step right on to the first tee, which is not a feeling you get at many newer golf clubs. When I mean nearly step right on it, I mean you can take the stairs to the right to the clubhouse, or you can go left and the tee box is five steps away. It is such a classic first hole design being directly next to the golf shop and clubhouse for big events it must really put a lot of pressure on players who aren't used to being watched. The first hole itself is a long par 4 opener. A 460+ downhill hole has a green that is skirted on the sides with deep menacing bunkers. You may see two flags in the picture and while you walk down the fairway. Make sure you aim for the 1st hole flag and not the par 3 14th directly behind it.
The second hole is a relieving par 5, short one at that. The hardest part? For newbies it will be the drive. With the fairway sweeping left with only a fairway bunker on the left hand side and a few trees on the right, you don't have the luxury of seeing the full landing area. It appears that the trees serve as an aiming point if you hit a good draw and the bunker would make a great aiming tool for anyone who favors hitting it dead straight or a cut. A number of bunkers interfere with your approach shot should you try to run the ball up and on to the green. An aerial approach is almost always required for a decent first putt on this green.
The 3rd hole is the hardest hole on the golf course. Nearly 460 yards you will have an uphill approach... which is the easier half of the hole. With the fairway tightening with a bunker, a tree and a lateral hazard the tee shot proves to be a daunting task to any player.
Below is the first par 3 you face, the 4th hole. Downhill with a short iron does initially sound like an easy task. However this narrow opening is also prevalent in many older golf courses, more on the East Coast than the West Coast, however this is a great example of what so many
memorable tee shots provide.
This is the green surrounds close up. As you can see the tree gap is the least of your worries. MacKenzie as usual uses incredible bunkering to make it appear as a more dangerous shot than it actually is. The nearest bunker is approximately 60 yards away from the green, though this hole is still slightly memorable of 15 Cypress in the sense that it all carry and surrounded in bunkers.
Just a great hole.
This is the view from the par 4 5th hole's fairway where you can see the right fairway bunker is actually a greenside bunker for the 7th hole as well. The way the tight fairways move around the golf course with such a great flow is a feature I enjoy every time I see it.
This fairway bunker is another classic MacKenzie design feature. Notice in the picture below it looks like it may be a large greenside bunker guarding much of the front of the green.
Here you see that there is nearly 70 yards between the end of that same bunker above with the front of the green. This is something only the best new course designers
can develop into their design with new courses.
This is the DRIVABLE 298 yard par 4 6th hole. The great short holes in golf typically have an aiming bunker short, a greenside bunker to catch arrant drives and an empty front of the green to give players a hope and a chance in order to entice you to try and drive the green. Another note: most of the great golf courses in the world have at least one drivable par 4 on it's property (pending redesigns).
This is the 7th hole where you see the greenside bunker that is also a fairway bunker. A rare design feature that works perfectly as shown here.
The par 3 8th hole is uphill and again a par 3 that is all carry. A great design with adventure and temptation with a little illusion. And if you are wondering, yes those bunkers are silly deep.
This is the view from the 8th green back towards the tee box (to the left) and has the 7th green in the background as well (middle of the picture).
The last of the front nine brings you to the farthest point away from the clubhouse to a green that has a false front, a forced carry, and ample opportunity to be aggressive long on one
of the Valley Club's largest greens.
The par 4 13th is adjacent to the second hole and again has a bunker that appears to be in play off the tee. We all really appreciated having a laser with us that day so we could find out that it was out of reach at a subtle 330 yards away from the tee box on a 383 yard hole.
This is the final par 3 of the golf course and brings you one of the most picturesque views while you're playing. The 13th hole in front, the first green directly behind the rear bunker, and the amazing clubhouse in the background. Stunning.
This is the view as you walk up the final par 5 of the golf course. On a picture perfect day like this is does make it a little difficult to concentrate on the job at hand sometimes.
We all had to pause and take it in and take a picture.
A view back up the 18th fairway with the two cottages that are on property.
A different view as you walk up the 18th fairway with aiming bunkers lining the entire length of the left side of the fairway.
The final green of the day, clubhouse in the back right, cottages in the back left, and bunkers all over the place.
One last panorama of my two friends walking up to the green
and showing you all that the 18th has to offer.
