Walk the Course
Come along with our pro, Tim Johnston, as we walk the course and give you playing tips. Assuming men hit a five iron 150 yards, and women a 6 iron 100 yards, adjust these recommendations according to your actual club selection at that distance. Keep in mind the white posts in the fairways indicate 150 yards to the center of the green, the red posts 100 yards. These recommendations are from the white tees for men and the red tees for women.
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Hole 1: A slight dogleg left to an elevated green. Your tee shot should favor the left. Due to elevation, your approach may require one club more than you'd think. The safe area is the right
side of the green. |
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Hole 2: Water comes into play just
over 220 yards off the white tees, 200 yards off the red tees. However, due to the elevation
change and normal prevailing winds, a little less club is advised. A five wood or three iron
should leave a short iron second shot for men; women will want to play a three wood off the tee and a long iron or utility wood to the green.
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 | Hole Three: Pebble Beach on St. Croix? Definitely our prettiest hole! Please allow golfers to clear the #4 tee
before teeing off. Use anything from a 4 iron to a wedge, depending on the wind and the type
of shot you choose to play. Be sure to have your camera loaded and ready. St. Thomas, St. John, and many of the British Virgin Islands can be seen from here on a clear day.
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Hole Four: Slight dogleg right par 5. Your tee shot should favor the left center of the fairway, due to the cross-wind. If you can't get home in two, play your second shot just short of the cluster of bunkers on the right for the best angle to approach this very sloping green. Try and keep your shot below the hole.
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Hole Five:Out of bounds left and right makes this more of a hole than meets the eye. A five wood or 3 iron just left of the fairway bunker leaves a good birdie opportunity with a short iron home. For women, try a thee wood aimed the same way. |
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Hole Six: This hole plays very similarly to #15. A driver to the middle of the fairway is the easy part of this hole. Your second shot is very deceptive,
due to the elevated green, the uphill slope, and prevailing wind. You may find yourself needing two clubs more than it appears. |
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Hole Seven: One of our best holes! Dogleg right.
The out-of bounds fence to the left of the fairway is 155 yards off the tee. A sloping fairway
and green favors keeping both tee and second shot at the left side, but make sure you stay in-bounds or it's stroke and distance for you! |
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Hole Eight: The real danger lies not in the water off the tee, but in the hazard to the right of the fairway and out-of-bounds left. The directional flag is 167 yards from the blue tees, 131 yards from the whites, and 113 yards from the reds. A five wood for men should leave a wedge shot to the green. Should your tee shot splash, the drop area is the rear of the red tees for men, the directional flag for women. However, a drop at the flag means a 2-stroke penalty. |
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Hole Nine: Good 3 par, requiring a four iron or five wood for men, and a five or six iron for women. The drop area here is between the red tees and the green. |
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Hole 10: Short par 3 that usually features a tail wind, with a seven to nine iron depending on the wind and pin position. |
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Hole 11: Double dogleg par four. Due to safety concerns and the proximity of the hotel's power plant to the right side of the fairway, we ask that you play the hole as follows: For men, aim a five wood just to the left of the big tree at the top of the hill. There is water all along the left of the second and third leg: don't take too much club on the tee or you'll be in it! There is water behind the green, so I recommend bouncing the ball into the green. The safe area is right. If your ball goes into the hazard behind the green, then drop left of the green near the bridge. |
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Hole 12: Downwind par 4. The longer hitter may reach this hole. The prudent man's play is a three iron or five wood to set up a short iron onto the green. Women will hit a drive off the tee, which should leave a mid-iron to the green. Please allow players on the 13th tee to clear before playing into the green. |
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Hole 13: Short par 3, featuring a spectacular vista behind the green. If the wind is down, anywhere from a 6 to 8 iron, depending on the tee and pin placement. I suggest a knockdown shot when the normal tradewinds are blowing. |
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Hole 14: This par 4 measures basically the same as the 12th hole, however, now it's against the wind. Keep your tee shot as left as possible, due to the cross-wind (although the hazard left of the path is all sand, so don't go too far left!) Tricky second shot - safe area is short. Avoid the bunker right of the green at all costs. |
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Hole 15: Uphill dogleg right. There are two ways to play this hole. A driver aimed left of the bunkers leaves a flip wedge home (women will want an 8 or 9 iron for their second shot). I prefer a shorter club off the tee (3 iron) that positions approach shot from a level lie. The Out Area is right of the green. |
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Hole 16: Short downhill par 4. The green, which is protected in front by a pond, is reachable off the tee for the very long hitters. "Regular" golfers need a four iron or seven wood from the white tees, a 5 or 7 wood from the red tees. Be sure to note on which side of the green the pin is located and target your tee shot to the opposite side of the fairway. |
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Hole 17: The first of two fine finishing holes, a par 5, a true three shot hole for men, although only the longest hitting women will make it in regulation. For the men who hit long, I recommend laying back on your second shot, aiming a 4 iron at the fairway bunker below the green. This sets up a full shot to the green. |
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Hole 18: This is the best hole on the course. There is normally a prevailing left-to-right wind and out of bounds down the right side and behind the green. Add the pond in front and a hole measuring 429 yards from the white tees, and you have an excellent finishing hole. Now the good news: due to the elevations and the slightly helping wind, the hole plays shorter than 429 yards. This is another hole where you should bounce the ball onto the green. |
Contact The Golf Pro Shop
To book your tee time directly, call 340-712-2144. For inquiries, or pre-reservation communication,
e-mail the Pro Shop at
More About Golf at The Buccaneer
Printable scorecard and course layout and player information.
The Buccaneer
St. Croix,
US Virgin Islands
800-255-3881
340-712-2100
