Tecina Golf

Standing on the tee, it will be immediately apparent to the golfer that the views of the Gomeran landscape and the Atlantic Ocean will dominate the round. The golf course can be seen snaking its way down the hillside, the ribbons of green fairway making a vivid contrast with the browns of the surrounding landscape and the blue of the sea beyond. However, the 1st hole will be a fairly challenging start to the round. While the fairway is amply wide, it contains some significant slopes, which will make the ball break to the left, and the second shot will have to carry the approach bunker to the right in order to reach the green.

The short par 4 2nd hole will play even shorter than its length, playing almost directly down the slope with the ocean in the background. Despite this it will require nerve and accuracy to hold any length of approach shot on the green. The two bunkers guarding the right side of the green will allow for some very testing flag positions on this side and it will be very easy to end up over the back of the green if any misjudgement is made.

The 3rd hole actually has an uphill element to it, with the drive having to crest a rise in the fairway. Once the tee shot is negotiated, the fun begins. For the strong hitter, there are two options for the second shot to this long par 5. A diagonal line of cross-bunkers divides the last part of the hole into two distinct sections. The bold line will be to the left of them but this involves a long carry over the rough and an old, stonewalled well. Having succeeded with this line, a simple pitch will be left to the green. If the easier right hand route is adopted, a blind approach will be required from a level considerably lower than the green. The hole will have a beautiful backdrop of trees and also the far side of the barranco – This gives a clue about what is to come on the terrifying 4th.

There are many awe-inspiring holes in the world of golf but none more so than the par 3 4th hole. One can only marvel at the magnificence of nature when standing on the tee looking down into the chasm of the barranco with the glittering sea beyond. The tee shot itself is terrifying, with anything pulled to the left ending up a lost cause but to see the ball soaring away to the heart of the green will give the ultimate pleasure. A nervous push to the right will leave an extremely difficult chip over the greenside bunker. Trust the swing on this one.

A good, honest, long and level par 4. Two good strikes will be required to reach this green in regulation as it is a long hole. The impressive tree to the left of the drive frames the tee shot. The green has a dominant ridge running in from its right hand side which will make putting decidedly difficult if it has to be negotiated.

One of many holes where the view of Mount Teide forms an impressive backdrop. A good, strong tee shot will be needed here to give a complete view of the green. A fairway bunker lies in wait to catch any tee shot pushed out to the right but, if the tee shot is played well, an inviting second awaits to a green lying in a slight valley below the golfer. The green runs away from the approach so it will be tricky to get the ball close to the flag.

The second of the par 5s doglegs slightly to the right and is played pretty much along a level contour. If a good drive is played, decisions will be required on the second shot. Generally the best line into the green for a third shot will be from the right but an approach bunker lies on this side. Hence the second will either have to be laid up short of it, to the left of it or the longer hitters can risk trying to carry it to reach or get very close to the green. The green itself is protected strongly with a bunker to the left so the toughest flag positions will be found along the left side of the green.

This attract par 3 makes use of some of the old agricultural terraces for the tees. The golfers will have to take care to align themselves correctly as the long narrow tee could cause them to aim left. Two bunkers hold up the green on the right side but the principle difficulty could be the green itself. There is some significant undulation in the green surface so an accurate tee shot will be rewarded.

The longer hitters will be able to contemplate driving this uphill, short par 4 hole. Only the best and most accurate strikes will have a chance of finding the green though. If not, the approach shot will have to be well controlled on another undulating green if the hoped for birdie is to be achieved. The flag positions on the small ledge at the front left will be amongst the most difficult to get close to.

This is another of the holes which Gomera will be very well remembered for. The green seems to lie suspended in mid air, hanging out into the barranco with an almost vertical precipice to its left. The hole plays directly down the slope from the high tee and the fairway is divided into two sections with the bank of the barranco forming the division. This will limit the length of the drive, which ideally should be played as far to the left as the golfer dares. This will give the best line into the green but, from wherever the approach is played, there will be a heart stopping few seconds until the fate of the ball is known. Playing downhill makes judgement of distance very tricky but such judgement will be the essential ingredient for success.

A par three played up the hillside with a dramatic quarry face backdrop to the green. The green had to be cut into the volcanic rock and it was decided to leave this rock exposed as a visual feature and a reminder of the terrain from which the course has been hewn. The green is defended to the left by a bunker and has some significant change of level across its surface.

The fairway of the 12th sweeps away downs the hill from the tee with the sea and Gomera’s headlands in the distance. There is a sudden drop in level for the second half of the hole and the correct part of the fairway will have to be found to give an unobstructed view of the green. Reaching that green will be another challenge, similar to the 10th in some ways with a sheer drop to the rear. Do not be long!

The tee shot from the back tee for the 13th crosses the approach to the 12th green in a similar style to that on the Old Course at St. Andrews. This lengthens the hole considerably but the tee shot from the main tees will make the hole much less demanding. Having said that, this will be another case where a short approach shot will have to be finely judged to hold a green, which is very shallow and has a steep drop away at the rear.

This is the last and longest of the strong set of par 3 holes. Mount Teide lies in the background and the terraces containing avocado trees, a reminder of the lands former use, sit above the hole. A well struck tee shot will be necessary to land the ball over the approach bunker guarding the left side of the hole. A greenside bunker lies waiting to the right.

An exhilarating tee shot to a fairway at a lower level brings the golfers towards the lower reaches of the course but the views are no less impressive. A large tree dominates the right side of the hole from the tee but, as long as this is passed, the ball should bound its way down a fairway, which has some very attractive undulation. If the fairway bunker to the left is avoided, a fairly short approach shot is left to a green that is bunkered on its left side.

Possibly the toughest of the par 4 holes, the demanding second shot at the 16th plays up an incline which will make it harder for the golfers to force themselves to take sufficient club. The line of palm trees frames the left side of the hole nicely while the approach and green are bunkered to the right.

With a good downhill tee shot the better players will be hoping for a birdie on the par 5 17th hole. It will take a long and accurate second shot to find the green but a good pitch with the third shot could still yield a one under par score.

Fittingly, Mount Teide, ever present during the round, can be seen in the distance on this beautiful downhill-finishing hole. The lower level of this part of the course provides a less dramatic but possibly more attractive view of the ocean and the 18th is one of the most beautiful holes. The golfer has to maintain concentration however, with the complication of some palm trees lying in wait across the approach to the green. A good, high approach has room to clear them and land on the green beyond but the alternative is an accurate, low flighted shot between the trees. A great hole to complete a unique course.