The Best Course you have not played…

Is probably the one I’m playing today, The Trump International Golf Club at the Canouan Resort in St Vincent and the Grenadines.  Although it is over six years old the total rounds are less than 18,000 and most of these are done by our 31 villa owner/members and their guests.  When I arrived to work I expected just an island type course – what I found is a spectacular 18 holes with some holes close to sea level and others (13th) 500 feet higher!

The front nine plays the easiest and only soars to 100 feet above sea level.  From the Red tees (forward) it is a deceptive 2540 yards while from the Black Tees it’s only 3145 yards, but frought with danger for a par 34.

1st Hole, short par five 476 yards, perfect opener

6th Hole, 445 with slightly hidden green and the sea to your left

With three par-3s and two par-5s the front nine is a fine warm up because the back nine has 9 challenging holes and a par of 36 with possibly the finest views in golf!  The 10th is a good driving hole, par 4, played from 356 to 415 yards.  Then you drive up to the spectacular 11th hole, a par four similar to the 8th at Pebble Beach.  Your drive must carry 190 yards to a wide fairway.  Then you carry another “gorge” to a well protected sloping green.  Easy bogey!  Then you go up another 100 feet to the 12th, a slightly right to left dogleg par four with the Atlantice to the left and the Caribbean to the right.  Wonderful view, excellent hole playing from 354 to 408 yards.

12th, sorry about the view, often you can see Granada past the green.

The 13th is a signature hole (third one in a row), par five along the spine of the island. Always played with the breeze from your right side, hard to fade it.

looks faltter than it is, drive downhill then uphill to windy greensite

I meant “flatter”.  After making your birdie, the 14th is downhill par three playing from 226 down to 126 from the Forward tees.  Usually into the wind so it is difficult to club correctly, fortunately all the greens are large and receptive.

hard to ignore the view on 14, beautiful Mahaut Beach in the background

15 is an almost driveable par 4, played from one peak to a green set into the side of a mountain.  Fortunately for most of us there is a wide fairway somewhere below.   16 is an almost driveable par 3, FROM THE BACK TEE IT IS ONLY 320 yards, and my son Mark whistled a 3-iron in stiff!  once. the first time.

16 green in foreground, 17 fairway around the lake

17 is a Bay Hill type of semi-circular par 5, played around one of our lakes.  From the back tees it is 573 yards while from the front it plays 400 yards.

The 18th is back down to sea level and is a superb par four with my favourite green site in front of the clubhouse. At 486 it is tough, at 337 it can be had.

A brief tour this time, more details to come.  The Black tees are 6900 yards, 147 slope and 76.5 USGA rating.  Most men play the Blue tees, 6100 yards, 139 Slope and 72.3 rated.    Next time you are in the Grenadines give me a call!