Coyote Springs Golf Club Detail
This writeup is from the White tees, which are 6215 yards. The back tees stretch all the way out to 7471 yards, but there are some forced carries and narrow fairways that make the white tees more suitable for a bogey golfer like myself.
The first hole is a good warm-up, playing only 343 yards. While not too challenging distancewise, you need a bit of accuracy on your approach shot, to a green which is slightly elevated, and protected by bunkers right and left.
The second hole is a par 5, playing 483 yards. It wraps around a bit of a waste area off the tee -- there's plenty of room off to the left, which I fully intended to take advantage of. Funny how I still wound up hitting over all the trouble. Still, all's well that ends well!
#3 is a 163 yard par 3, over a duck pond. I'm pretty sure they had to import the ducks, because I can't imagine they're native to the area, which is out in the middle of the desert! Gorgeous hole!
#4 is a 359 yard par 4. It's handicapped as the hardest hole on the course, for reasons which escape me. The fairway is plenty wide, but it doglegs right around a bunker and a waste area. The smart play is to stay left and put up with extra yardage in on your approach shot.
#5 is a "strategic" par 5 with diagonal waste areas running through the fairway. It's all about how much to bite off on your second shot. My advice is to get across the waste area early, and don't get too greedy to set up your approach shot.
#6 is another short par 4, playing only 343 yards. It features a tee shot over a pond, and deep bunkers on either side of the fairway. Whatever club you use off the tee needs to be straight!
#7 is a long par 4, with a very intimidating look off the tee. Keep the ball in play, and don't get greedy!
#8 ia a long scary par 3, playing 196 yards. There's a pond on the right, so if you're not sure about your ability to hit the green, bail out short and left. (Oh, by the way, there's a huge bunker guarding the left side!)
The ninth hole is wide open. It's a par 4, only 346 yards. Tee it high and let if fly! Now, having said that, I have to admit that when I did exactly that, I got over-zealous and snap hooked it into the pond on the left, so don't lose sight of swing basics like alignment and tempo...)
(By the way, #9 is nowhere near the clubhouse. But then again, neither is #1!)
The tenth hole is a 358 yard par 4. The tee shot is over a waste area, but as waste areas go, this one isn't too bad. The trick on this one is to stay out of the cavernous bunker in front of the green!
#11 is a par 5, playing 517 yards from the white tees. There's a pond to catch your eye off the tee, but the real danger are the bunkers and waste area stretching down the whole right side of the hole. Stay well left, and watch out for more cavernous bunkers fronting the green.
#12 is a 122 yard par 3. The tee shot is not long, but it is psychological. Nicklaus wants you thinking about all the trouble facing you, instead of the fact that, really, it's only a wedge shot into this thing.
#13 is a 378 yard par 4. It has trouble set up all along the left side. There's a bunker in the middle that says "Aim at me!", which is actually a good strategy. If you think you can reach it, lay up!
#14 is visually perhaps the most intimidating hole on the course. It's also handicapped as the most difficult hole on the back nine. The intimidation comes from the narrowness of the fairway. It's 378 yards, so you can perhaps get away with a fairway wood or hybrid off the tee, and still get home in two. Even if you take three shots to reach the green, it's well worth it to avoid all the trouble. Bogey is a great score here!
#15 is a short par 4, playing only 325 yards. It's also gorgeous, with the pond fronting the green on the left (more ducks!). There's a waste area cutting across the fairway right where a well-placed layup shot would come down. My advice is to stick with the driver, and bail out right, staying well away from the pond!
#16 from an elevated tee is a par 5 that looks like it stretches out forever. From the back tees, it pretty much does, at 607 yards. For us, it's only 525. Stay in the middle of the fairway, following the dogleg. Challenging that corner by the pond will only lead to heartache.
#17 is a 140 yard par 3 with a pond on the left. Ignore it, and focus on grip, posture and alignment. This hole can be had!
The home hole is only a 320 yard par 4. Hit a long iron or hybrid off the tee (something that you're confident will go straight), hit a wedge into the green, and oila! Easy-peasy. Get a little too greedy off the tee and there's a pond stretching across the fairway from the right waiting to gobble up the big bombs.
The course is visually pleasing, well cared-for, and challenging for all levels of skill. It's a bit of drive to get there, but lots of fun once you do. Enjoy!
| 
