OC Golf Course

This is the 2nd part of a 3-part series that highlights the San Clemente Golf Club. Check out other parts of the series for the complete overview of the golf club at the end of this post!

Hole #1: 343 Yard Par 4

One of the things I really like about the San Clemente Golf Club is that it starts you off with a wide open hole.  If you hit the ball about 230 yards, the fairway dips down, giving you another 20-30 yards of roll!

After a good tee shot, it is a fairly easy short iron onto a pretty wide open green.  Don't pull your approach as the only sand trap is on the front left of the green.

Hole #2: 151 Yard Par 3

A medium length par 3, this will test how relax your swing is.  The hardest pin location will be on the far right which will look like it's hidden behind the sand trap.  Unless you are very confident with your game, shoot for the middle of the green.

Also of note is that the last few times I've played here, there was a pretty strong cross wind from right to left so use more club!

Hole #3: 356 Yard Par 4

This is a dogleg left par 4.  Every time I play this hole, I try to hit my drive over the left tree to cut the corner when the correct approach should be to hit a 200 yard shot to the bend, leaving yourself an 150 yard approach.

If you hit the fairway, you will have an approach shot that will need to feed through the bunkers guarding the green.

This is a good risk/reward hole as hitting a driver over the tree will leave you with a better chance of avoiding the sand trap since you will have a shorter iron into the green.  However, hitting the fairway on this hole is crucial because the tree lines along the left or the right will cause lots of trouble!

Hole #4: 388 Yard Par 4

After you escape the dogleg 3rd hole, you are faced with another straight forward par 4.  This is pretty wide open and flat so just swing away!

Hole #5: 538 Yard Par 5

This is one of the widest and straightest fairway that you will find anywhere. Apart from the fact that it's not that short, this is a very easy hole.

Even the green is extremely flat!

Hole #6: 383 Yard Par 4

This is actually a pretty hard hole. The hole is a dogleg right and there's a dip right in the landing area if you hit your drive well. If you don't make it to the dip and is on the right side of the fairway, the trees on the right may become a problem, making this a 3 shot to the green hole. Try to aim at the middle of the left side of the fairway so you still have a chance to get to the green if you hit a bad tee shot.

On your approach, it will be an uphill shot to a medium sized green so take more club. With the wind, you might be taking 2 more clubs than usual so don't worry about hitting the ball too far!

Hole #7: 485 Yard Par 5

After going back across the driving range and past the road to the other side, you will get to the 7th hole where it is a slight dogleg right par 5. Although the hole isn't long, the uphill makes it a little longer than it actually is.

On your approach shot, remember to take more club as it is again uphill. Another reason why you would want to be safe on the long side is because there's a bunker right in front of the green that guards the flag!

Hole #8: 419 Yard Par 4

This is a very long par 4 by casual golfer standards. On your tee shot, it is imperative that you avoid the bunkers to the right that is shown in the pictures as it will be next to impossible to hit the green from there. There is a dip at about 250-280 yards so if you can hit it down there, you will get some extra distance and be in good shape. Otherwise, expect a long second shot into an slightly elevated green.

Hole #9: 165 Yard Par 3

This is a great hole for your eyes as the fairway slopes down for the first half and then comes back up to the green. The green is pretty wide so if you hit your shot correctly and use the right club, there should be no problem getting on the green. If you hit your shot fat, your second shot will most likely be uphill. This green is a little more tricky than the previous ones you've seen so play more break than you think!

Now that you played the first 9 holes, you will be treated to a very different (and slightly more difficult) back 9. The second half of the course also offers even better scenery than the first so prepare to enjoy!

Check Out Other Parts of The San Clemente Golf Club 3-Part Series
Overview - Intro that covers the club house, driving range, and practice area
Front 9 - This article
Back 9 (coming soon!)