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he club itself decorates the landscape of Great Abaco's eastern shores, with views of the bay and the ocean — an ideal locale for 18 holes. e Abaco Club boasts a Scottish-style tropical links course designed by two of golf 's notables, Donald Steel and Tom Mackenzie, and has been consistently ranked as the number one course in the Bahamas. A links is the oldest style of course, its meaning coming from the Old English word "hlinc" which refers to "rising ground" or an area of coastal sand dunes. Built with native paspalum grass, e Abaco Club's turf is made for a warm season and tolerant to the salt in its environment. e scenery might not be menacing but rest assured, e Abaco Club is not without its complications (or drama). e course, a par 72 running 7,138 yards long, is a complete 18 holes and anything but your typical tropical game of golf. Abaco's sloping greens and deep bunkers set beside the Atlantic give players a true links-style challenge without a perilous battle with the elements. ere are very few links courses throughout the world and a large number of those are located in harsher climates like Scotland and the UK. Each hole gives the golfer an illusion of narrowness off the tee but once you get out there, you'll see just how much space there really is. e greens are very firm and large, you will be challenged with a medley of shots — for which you'll want to practice your bump-and-run game. As you play the course, you'll not only be tested with having to use different techniques but you'll be faced with different environments (the club also has its own app so you can keep score and check your yardage on the fly). e course opens with a gentle par 5; from there however, things get a bit more ambitious. Halfway up the fairway of hole 2 (at around 200 yards or so) there are bunkers on either side, which can make an already narrow shot that much more challenging. By hole 4 (a par 3) you'll get views of the bay and following that on the fih, you'll find yourself right against the beach. e back nine play to an old rock quarry and aerwards, you'll hit a par 3 17th hole which slopes right to the sea. e course finishes on a par 5 with a slim fairway set beside the ocean with plenty of breeze to make you think twice about doing your best Happy Gilmore impression. (If you do happen to be a bit rusty however don't fret, e Club is also home to a practice facility with a double-end range and short-game area to prepare you for what you'll encounter on the course.) Signature Hole Hole 5 The Abaco Club's 5th hole is also one of the course's biggest risk-reward scenar- ios. Located on the edge of Winding Bay, this short par 4 can devastate your score if you're not careful. When you tee off (and when you've reached the green), the shore will be very near on your left side, generating an unpre- dictable sea breeze as you take your swing. The fairway doesn't begin until over 100 yards on your right but if you want to take on the green and hit the long ball, you'll have to do it over some tall (and very sandy) rough. The hole has six bunkers and if you miss the green to the left, you'll find yourself facing a literal uphill battle for a small green. If you do land on the green, it is possible to sink it in for birdie. VUE ON GOLF V U E N J . C O M 99

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