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In general, the fairways at Las Colinas would be considered quite generous with the exception of, say, the 8thand the 13th. The bunkers are strategically placed but most holes provide you with an opportunity to ‘bale out’ to a certain degree. The putting surfaces are excellent and consistent but on holes 7 and 10, both greens are quite shaded and, at certain times of the year may be inclined to run a little slower than the rest.
The greens are beautifully contoured and should provide a good challenge for the ‘flat stick’.
HOLE 1: Par 4, Stroke Index (S/I) 2, 341m (375yds)
The ideal line is on the far bunker and small building beyond, preferably with a bit of a draw. If you fade the ball then a line on the left-hand bunker should see you well positioned. From the Yellow tee position you should have a chance to go for the green from a well placed tee shot. The green, like many on the course, is elevated with bunkers to the right and behind and anything missing short and left will be gathered and taken in any number of ways due to the humps and swales that exist. The green itself is not that big making it a very small target for a second shot. For this reason, if you find yourself a long way back, play it as a 3-shotter and if you were to give me a 5 on the tee, I would happily take it and move on to the 2nd hole!
HOLE 2: Par 4, Stroke Index (S/I) 8, 378m (416yds)
The 2nd plays a lot longer than its yardage as it is a steady, straight uphill climb. For this reason, I would also consider this hole to play more as a Par 5 than a Par 4 for many people. The fairway is generous and there is not too much trouble to be encountered until you reach the green, which is well bunkered to the right and again, there are several swales to catch anything going left. If you happen to hit this green in two you have probably hit two of your best shots but, for me, I would again be happy to be pitching on and hope to make a putt.
Otherwise, give me another 5 and I wouldn’t argue!
HOLE 3: Par 5, Stroke Index (S/I) 10, 481m (530yds)
This time we do have a genuine Par 5, played from an elevated tee where you can see plenty of bunkers guarding the far, right-hand side of the fairway. These may be out of reach for most but the one you want to avoid is the craftily placed one on the left of the fairway and another, slightly further on, in the middle of the fairway so, for me, I feel the line off the tee is straight for the bunker to the right of the lake, which should not be reachable for most players.
From a well placed tee-shot it really depends on how brave you are for your second shot. There is water to both left and right so you can either lay up short of the water on the left or, if you fancy it, the better shot is to go long beyond the water on the right. From here you will have an easier approach into a green that is quite shallow from front to back but much easier to hit coming up the length of the green from the right.
HOLE 4: Par 4, Stroke Index (S/I) 16, 277m (305yds)
This is not a long hole but there are a couple of pointers that may help you come off with a birdie. The short line to the green is to the left of the bunker in the middle of the fairway but, really, there is no real advantage in doing so. By going to the right of this bunker, being sure to stay short of the bunkers on the far right of the fairway, this should give you a straightforward short iron into the green – but be careful! Although the green is well bunkered to both sides and to the rear, for me the danger at this hole lies in the large grass bunker waiting to gather up anything coming up short. Depending on which side the pin is, you have to be sure to be on that side of the green, as this grass bunker hides a large ridge dominating the front of the green. If you happen to finish on the wrong side of this ridge you are staring at a very possible 3-putt unless, as I did, you manage to hole a ridiculous triple-breaker from about 25 yards!
HOLE 5: Par 3, Stroke Index (S/I) 4, 155m (170yds)
Your first Par 3 is played from an elevated tee and will be playing anything from a mid-iron to a fairway/hybrid off the tee. This is a generous green with water guarding the front left and bunkers back left and short right so, for me, anywhere back middle of this green is the sensible line. This is a relatively flat green and for me, barring any disasters, plays easier than its low Stroke Index.
HOLE 6: Par 4, Stroke Index (S/I) 12, 294m (324yds)
Another short Par 4 that shouldn’t present too much difficulty off the tee provided you keep it right of the left-hand bunkers. Longer hitters may want to play short on the line of the right-hand bunker. This should leave a short iron to the slightly elevated green that is well protected by bunkers at the front and all down the left. The green itself, which slopes from back to front, is long and narrow and there could be a difference of three clubs depending on the pin position.
HOLE 7: Par 3, Stroke Index (S/I) 18, 102m (112yds)
This is a little diamond of a pitch hole and, at just over 100metres, something that is sadly lacking from nearly all of the new courses that have been built in the region in recent years, where it seems that every Par 3 requires a shot of up to and over 200 metres. The hole plays steeply downhill into a secluded glade and, as such, plays even shorter than it looks. Surrounded by trees, and set in a bowl, a good straight short iron should leave you with a putt for birdie. However, you daren’t stray too far left or right and anything long will fall away down a small gulley. As the hole is going to be almost always in the shade, the one thing that may catch you out could be the pace of the green, which is likely to run a little slower than the others.
HOLE 8: Par 4, Stroke Index (S/I) 6, 308m (339yds)
Played from an elevated tee to one of the more narrow fairways, you need to be very straight with your tee shot. Assuming you have managed to avoid the bunkers on either side you should have a fairly short approach to the green protected by a bunker front right. Anything hit left of centre of the green should benefit from a kick off the steep bank on this side. If you can avoid the bunkers this is a definite birdie opportunity.
HOLE 9: Par 4, Stroke Index (S/I) 14, 315m (346yds)
There is plenty of room off the tee if you can fade your drive and stay left of the bunkers leaving you an uphill second shot to the green. There is a shorter, alternative route off the tee by taking a line up to the right of the bunkers offering a degree of risk vs. reward but be warned – Out of Bounds awaits anything drifting too far right. There is a bit of room to the back of the green but bunkers protect anything going left or right so for me, anywhere in the middle of the green is good. Don’t forget to take a moment and take in the great view to be had looking back down across the first fairway.
HOLE 10: Par 3, Stroke Index (S/I) 15, 115m (127yds)
In many ways this opener to your back nine is like a longer version of the 7th but if your are going to miss the green anywhere you should favour coming in from the right as two deep bunkers will catch anything going left. There is a tier about one-third up the green so to give yourself a birdie chance you really need to take account of where the pin is and be sure to finish on that level. Like the 7th, this green is quite shaded and you may find it running a little slower than the rest.
HOLE 11: Par 5, Stroke Index (S/I) 1, 534m (588yds)
This is a genuine 3-shotter and a cracking Par 5. Your ideal line is just to the right of the last bunker you can see off the tee, and, unless your name is Alvaro Quiros, you will be left with a very long second shot for position to hit your third into another elevated green. Try to favour the right-half of the fairway with your second to avoid running into the bunkers on the left. Your approach needs to avoid the bunkers on the right but, like the 4th, the front of the green is protected by a deep swale, ready to catch anything coming up short.
HOLE 12: Par 4, Stroke Index (S/I) 17, 326m (359yds)
This hole is a slight dog-leg from right to left to another elevated green. The line off the tee is ideally a draw aimed at the bunker short right of the green, which should leave you with a short club in your hand for your approach. All of the trouble is front, left and right with bunkers strategically placed so the key is to go long, particularly as your approach is slightly uphill to quite a generous green.
HOLE 13: Par 4, Stroke Index 9, 342m (376yds)
This hole will require you to put your thinking cap on for your tee-shot. Bunkers line the far left-hand side of the fairway all the way up to and including the green but you also have to miss the ones to the right as well. A fairway wood or hybrid may be your safest choice here but this then makes your second shot that bit longer. However, there is plenty of room on the right for your second shot and the slope of the ground should help you coming in from that side. The green itself is quite generous but there is a tier running from the left centre so it may be worth your while going up to take a look at where the pin is positioned before your approach.
HOLE 14: Par 3, S/I 11, 157m (173yds)
This Par-3 has got just about everything. You play from an elevated tee to a good-sized green but one that has a water hazard running all the way from the front right down to the lake that protects the left-hand side. On top of this, there are bunkers all down the right almost to the rear of the green and a smaller one guarding the left. Having said all that, the target area is quite generous so probably my best advice is ‘don’t be afraid’ and take dead aim on the centre of the green where you will happily take two putts for your par. No problem!
HOLE 15: Par 5, S/I 13, 498m (548yds)
Yet another long Par-5 that calls for good positional shots for both your tee-shot and your second shots. There is water to your left off the tee but this really shouldn’t come into play. If you fade the ball, anything down the left should leave you in good shape but you really have to avoid the bunker facing you on the right. If you draw the ball you need to be sure to leave it short of the sand down the left and driver may not be the best option here, despite the hole’s length, as you will definitely be bringing those bunkers into play. For your second you need to keep your ball right to avoid the water that guards the front of the green. Anything short of the bunker to the right should leave you in good shape to attack the green but if you are going to miss it, short right is definitely the place to be where a straightforward chip and a putt should secure a good par.
HOLE 16: Par 4, S/I 4, 343m (377yds)
An excellent Par-4 that calls for you to take dead aim on the third bunker from your right, ideally with a bit of a draw, although shorter hitters can bail out to the right from this elevated tee. From the fairway, the green is slightly elevated with bunkers waiting to catch anything sliding right or left. However, there is plenty of room to the back so going long is probably the best option.
HOLE 17: Par 3, S/I 3, 179m (197yds)
A fine Par-3 that is fully deserving of its low index of 3 for most players. Bunkers surround the hole and the entrance could possibly be a bit more generous, considering the hole’s length. If you happen to come off this green with a Par you should be feeling fairly pleased with yourself!
HOLE 18: Par 5, S/I 13, 442m (486yds)
To complete your round is another good Par 5 that calls for a good tee-shot straight up the middle of a generous fairway, which is where you have to begin considering your options. Assuming you have found yourself in good shape off the tee you are now faced with a couple of choices. There is water guarding the front of the green although, for the longer hitters, you are probably going to fancy having a go at the green. Those that do need to ensure against going long and left as this side of the green is lined with sand whilst there is a bit of room of you miss it long and right. For most of us though, a lay-up is going to be the best option at making a par. This looks easier said than done but in fact, there is quite a lot of room going left of the lake, which is going to leave you the best angle to approach the centre of the green.
© Gordon McCadden
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