Arthur Hills design on the Pacific stretched to 7,000 yards for final phase of ‘Links Enhancement’
(HALF MOON BAY, Calif.) – Half Moon Bay Golf Links, the world-class, 36-hole golf resort set against the dramatic cliffs of the Pacific Ocean, is opening five new tee boxes on The Ocean Course, stretching the Arthur Hills-designed, seaside links to nearly 7,000 yards from its black tees.
In addition to length, the teeing areas create additional angles and strategic considerations enhancing the overall playing experience and add to its integrity as a true links-style environment. Holes with new tee boxes include the par-4 second, par-3 third, par-3 seventh, par-5 14th and par-4 15th.
The tee box additions represent the final phase of The Ocean Course’s “Links Enhancement,” an agronomic transition to a fast, firm playing surface that emphasizes shot value and shot-making over sheer length and power.
“The Ocean Course enjoys one of the great settings for golf in North America, and now it has the true look and feel of a links course,” says Mark Kendall, President of Kenmark Golf Management, which operates the golf courses. “The quality of a shot has more significance than distance, and that is how Mr. Hills intended this course to play.”
The first phases of the project included mowing rough down around bunkers to bring the hazards back into play on tee shots; cutting green complexes and surrounds to “just above green” mowing height to foster ball movement on the ground; and raising native fescue heights around tee boxes and between holes to provide golfers with visual, strategic cues about how to play holes and to enhance the links-style atmosphere.
The Ocean Course opened in 1997 after an 11-year design and build process. It was quickly bestowed with numerous awards and accolades, including being named to Golf Digest’s “Top Ten Best New Upscale” list in 1998.
Hills laid-out and routed the (then) 6,649-yard track on a compact, 125-acre site, taking advantage of the natural contours, prevailing winds and Pacific Ocean view corridors. The final three holes, a par 4-3-5 closing, play hard along the ocean and exemplify the Ocean Course’s links experience. In 2008, the Ocean Course hosted the LPGA Samsung World Championship, cementing its status as a championship-caliber facility.
For more information about Half Moon Bay Golf Links: www.hmbgolflinks.com; 650.726.1800.
About Half Moon Bay Golf Links
Set against the dramatic cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Half Moon Bay Golf Links is located just minutes from San Francisco and San Jose, and only 20 miles from San Francisco International Airport. The golf resort features thirty-six holes of championship golf; a clubhouse with a full-service pro shop offering the latest equipment and fashionable apparel; and the popular ocean-view restaurant, Mullins Bar & Grill, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner in a casual fireside dining setting.
For nearly 40 years, avid golfers have been returning to this incomparable setting, enjoying the variety of play offered by two award-winning courses: Arnold Palmer’s classic American parkland-styled The Old Course and the Scottish-links-styled Ocean Course designed by Arthur Hills.
The Old Course is a classic American design, with a series of strategically-demanding holes linked through the property’s interior. The famous, par-4 18th emerges along the Pacific Ocean, boasting one of the most stunning tee-to-green views in the U.S. It plays up to The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay’s oceanfront courtyard and fire pit.
The Ocean Course provides a true links golf experience: the salt air of the Pacific a constant as it is transported via the breeze from the Ocean just yards away. Fairways are separated by coastal mounding and native grasses, and open green fronts and creatively designed green surrounds support a variety of different playing options.
The Ocean Course hosted the 2008 LPGA Samsung World Championship, featuring the world’s best women golfers and won by Paula Creamer. Half Moon Bay Golf Links is also a regular site for U.S. Open Men’s and Women’s qualifiers, including 2010.
The golf courses are managed by Kenmark Golf Management, for more information about Kenmark please visit www.kenmark.com.
Accolades for Half Moon Bay Golf Links Include:
• “Top 80 Golf Resorts” – Conde Nast Traveler
• “No. 18 Golf Resort in North America” -Golf Digest
• “Gold Medal Award” -GOLF Magazine
• “The Pebble Beach Experience Just Up The Coast” -New York Times
• “One of the 18 Great Country Clubs for a day” -Business Week
• “One of the Best 18 Holes in the Country” -Golf Digest
• “Four Stars: A San Francisco Treat” -Golf Digest
• “No. 1 in the West” –Business Week/Golf Digest
Contact:
Shane Sharp
Buffalo Communications
704.519.8381
ssharp@buffalocommunications.com
www.buffalocommunications.com
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