A collection of tips, tricks and observations from playing the “Old Nine” golf course at Sandy Lane resort in beautiful Barbados. You may know the name Sandy Lane as the great Tiger Woods reserved the entire resort for his wedding years ago. The club features the Tom Fazio designed Green Monkey and Country Club courses, and there’s plenty of into on these courses on Sandy Lane’s homepage. The Green Monkey is exclusive to guests of the resort; the Country Club and Old Nine are open to the public.
Unfortunately the website doesn’t offer any details or a scorecard on the historic Old 9. It opened in 1961 as one of the first Caribbean golf courses and it’s definitely worth a visit. I like the little course so much I thought I’d post some of the details and a few observations and tips. First, here’s the scorecard:
Now, here’s a hole by hole analysis of the key things to know about each hole:
Hole One: The course starts out with a short dog leg left. This is one of two par fours where an iron is the safe (and perhaps correct) play off the tee. It’s an easy 180 yards to a landing area straight away [1A] before the sharp dog leg.
A large tree makes an attempt to dissect the corner a risky endeavor, but, over the past two years the grounds crew has cleared a potential landing area about 80 yards short of the hole to the left. It makes driving the hole an intriguing possibility with bail-out for a slice to the right (the fairway). If you are a little short you can hit the new area [1B] they’ve cleared but beware – if you don’t make it to the landing area you are out of bounds and will need to reload.
Hole Two: What you see if what you get. A straight long drive puts you in good position. I don’t know who measured this distance but if this hole is 398 then I’m Tiger Woods. On a few occasions I’ve been within a lob wedge of this green [2B] and no, I can’t hit it 350.
I will say, it you can drive past the bunker in the middle of the fairway [2A] you can get a healthy roll on the hard Bajan turf. Keep it in the middle and you’ll be ok.
Hole Three: The long nearly 600 yard par 5 features a difficult tee shot because there’s a large tree [3A] hindering the flight of the ball about 75 yards from the tee box. There’s plenty of room to avoid the tree but it’s just one of those things that messes with your mind as you set up.
If you can get off the tee you’ll still have a long ride to the hole. It takes three good shots to get to the green and a par is a good score on this one. It’s listed as the hardest hole on the course – that’s debatable but it’s challenging.
Hole Four: The first par three is pretty much straight away 161 yards, definitely takes some skill to land it on the green. This hole isn’t quite protected from the elements as the first three so make sure you get a read on the wind before you send the ball up.
The green (like many on the course) has a steep slope toward the fairway.
The bridge over the #5 gorge
Hole Five: Listed as the second toughest by handicap, the fifth is a unique hole that presents a 50 yard wide trench [5A] starting from about 150 yards from the hole. Can you fly the trench? If you an put it 290 on the fly I’d give it a shot otherwise you best lay-up. The key here is finding the right club on the lay-up. I’d play your club that can get 200 yards and let it fly. Definitely play the left side of the fairway.
The green is protected by traps and has two levels including a sharp front that drops off toward the fairway. This is a great hole.
Hole Six: Rated the third hardest hole, this is actually the hardest. The 420+ yard dog leg right that requires a great tee shot to get a good look at the green. No sense trying to cut the corner unless you’re the guy that flew the trench on the previous hole. Best to aim the tee shot to the left and let it fly.
Another green that features a front with a steep incline toward the fairway but it’ll take two great shots to get it on in regulation. From there, the sloping green makes birdies rare and pars commendable.
Up high on the #7 tee box
Hole Seven: The stunning heights that overlook the Caribbean make the last par 3 of the Old Nine one of my favorites. Man, woman or child, forget what tee you were playing and scurry up to the blue tee on top of the cliff and swing away: it’s required.. Bring a couple extra balls because it’s a blast to pound a few extra down the green a couple hundred feet below (I actually knocked one in the hole in 2006 on my third try). As far as the distance – it reads 132 from the Blues but it plays 100. The wild card is the wind. Up that high the wind will move the ball. The green has a slight slope toward the tee but if you get it on the green you can birdie it.
And you might want to keep one foot on the brake as you head down the winding Lombard Street-like cart path [7A] down toward the green (thanks to reader Marc for that description). Enjoy the wild ride - they recently installed a rail all the way down for good reason.
Hole Eight: Very similar in many ways to hole 6 just a little shorter. A long dog leg right. Really the advice is the same. Play it long left and do your best to knock it up on the green.
Hole Nine: Unlike hole three, a great drive makes this Par 5 reachable in two. A dog leg right, you can cut off some off the distance here with a shot near the corner [9A]. A safe play is straight away [9B] (or to the left, depending on the tee box).
If you are intent on reaching in two you’ve got to keep it right possibly flying some of the trees on the corner but a fence and houses to the right are OB.
Wrap Up: Hope that helps. As far as the “10th hole”, be sure to grab a cold Banks on tap and enjoy some of the cricket or football matches on the TV in the open air porch.
*** If you’ve had an experience at the Old Nine would love to hear it. Post any comments below! ****
