Review: Dunedin Golf Club (Part 2)

Check out the front nine if you haven't already seen it. Otherwise, off we go onto the back nine!

The tenth hole is the first of three par 5s on the back nine. We're much closer to the Gulf of Mexico now than we were on the front nine, but even so, you can bet that if there's elevation to be found, Donald Ross found a way to use it. We go from a higher point on the tee down to the landing area, and then the golfer is confronted with a blind second shot. We're only a few hundred yards from the coast, and yet, we have a blind shot. The second plays up and then gently down to the green. The hole is just over 500 yards, so it's definitely reachable in two, but it's not a particularly wide fairway, and there's OB right the whole way. There are better birdie opportunities out there.

The tenth hole. Look, there's a fairway bunker out there!

The tenth green.

The eleventh hole is a medium-length par 3, and it's here that we get our first real encounter with water. Yeah, we're in Florida, it had to happen eventually. This is another tough par 3, there's water in the form of a tidal creek, there are bunkers, and the back of the green is significantly higher than the front. Luckily, as you can see, the hole was in the back, so there was no messing around with slippery downhill putts.

The eleventh hole, over Curlew Creek.

The twelfth hole is a short par 4, and for some reason this little hole contains half of Dunedin's four fairway bunkers. There are quite a few holes that could have used them, and yet, we've got two on a hole that didn't really need them. You can't see them from the tee really, they're barely a factor. Anyway, other than that little thing, this is a neat little drive and pitch par 4 that skillfully utilizes the limited elevation change to make the second shot that much more interesting. There's a bit of a horizon green effect going on, which makes judging distance a little more tricky. This is just another example of Dunedin going that little extra step, which I greatly appreciate. That's what makes this golf course good.

The twelfth hole. More creek in the foreground.

We still manage to get an uphill approach, despite the proximity to the coast.

The thirteenth hole is a mid-length par 4 playing back up towards the clubhouse. This is a pretty average hole, to be honest. The last hole plays very similar, but is generally better in every single way. I'd actually call this hole a decent birdie opportunity, it really isn't that tough a hole.

The thirteenth hole.

The fourteenth green, with the clubhouse just behind.

The fourteenth hole is a fairly short par 4, but as you can see from the picture, it's definitely not an easy hole. Yes, we've got a hole would blend in at any other Florida golf course. There's a pond, and it even has a fountain in it. They couldn't resist, could they? It's certainly tempting to pull out the driver and try to clear the pond, but there's no obvious reason to do that. You can't get to the green with the drive, and it's pretty narrow up past the pond. I think the best play is to lay up right, then hit a full wedge into the green. It's not a long hole, and doing that makes the water a minor factor.

The fourteenth hole. This is the most Florida looking hole on the course.

Lots of accuracy is called for on this hole.

The fifteenth hole is a very short par 5, and is probably the best hole on the back nine. The creek cuts the hole in two, and unless the hole is playing into the wind, the drive is best hit with a 3 wood. Driver may be a bit too much otherwise. Obviously, you don't want to go in the water (how about that), but if you bail out too far right, some trees may block you out, and it'll be a longer second. Drive close to the water and you'll get a better view, a better angle, and a shorter shot. This is a fun hole, and a lot better than the par 5 running parallel to it (we'll get to it soon).

The fifteenth fairway. The creek is to the left.

Hit a good drive, and the fifteenth is a definite eagle opportunity.

The sixteenth hole is a medium length par 3, and other than the water tower right behind the green, there's not a whole lot to this hole. It's not as well guarded as the other par 3s, so it's probably the easiest one of the bunch.

The sixteenth hole.

The seventeenth hole is a 500 yard par 5, and I have to say, it's a good thing Dunedin only has three par 5s, because they are definitely not a strength of this golf course. Oh sure, the mound that you can see on the tee shot is pretty cool, but unless you top your drive or hit a truly prodigious hook are you going to encounter any sort of trouble. There's only one bunker, leaving the green oddly undefended. So hey, it's a great birdie or even eagle opportunity right at the end of the round. And that's about it.

The seventeenth from the tee. That is a big mound on the right side of the fairway, just over the creek.

You can definitely go for the green in two on this hole

The seventeenth green, with the fourteenth in the background

The eighteenth hole is a mildly long par 4 at 413 yards, but since we haven't had a par 4 over 400 yards since the fourth hole, it feels a little longer. It's a fairly tight driving hole, with a denser bunch of trees left and the driving range right, a 3 wood might be a good play. Being on the fairway is important, because this green is not particularly big, is noticeably elevated at the front, and is very well bunkered. This isn't a hole you can cruise in on, but it's not so dramatically difficult that it beats you up at the end. A solid ending to a solid golf course.

Fun fact, I didn't play the hole anything like I just recommended. No, I hooked one way left, then hoisted a massive 6 iron up over some trees to within 15 feet, which was by far the best shot I hit during the entire mini-vacation. That's golf for you sometimes.

The eighteenth hole

One last staunchly bunkered green.

You can see the result of my EXTREMELY well-hit second shot just below the hole. I didn't make the birdie though.

Granted, beautiful weather can make even a questionable golf course seem good. But Dunedin is a good golf course, and it feels like a classic Golden Age design, in sharp contrast to Clearwater Country Club, which dates from the same time period but has fared far worse. Clearwater didn't feel like much of anything, Dunedin definitely did.

Dunedin has another thing going for it: elevation change. This is better seen on the front nine, which is further from the coast, but even on the back, there is a definite sense of movement to the landscape. Holes do play up or downhill, and some by a significant amount. It adds that extra dimension to the course.

Is there anything particularly noteworthy about Dunedin? No, not really, you're not missing anything exciting if you haven't played it. There's no hole here that I would include on my list of favorites. But there isn't a hole here that I can say I really don't like. There are a few boring holes, but nothing unlikeable. Aside from some water on the back nine and a bit of OB floating around, there isn't anywhere you'll lose a golf ball, and it is entirely possible, maybe even probable, that you'll finish the round with the same golf ball you finished with. I did, and that's saying something. And really, that's high praise for a golf course. Nobody likes losing golf balls. And yet, Dunedin is not an easy golf course. It's not brutally difficult, but you will have to work to get a decent score out of the place. Good iron play is critical. The greens are reasonably complex. But above all else, Dunedin is fun to play. I really enjoyed it, and any other reasonable golfer would agree. Donald Ross may not have done flash, but he was able deliver hundreds of consistently fun and enjoyable golf courses for people of all skill levels. Dunedin is one of these golf courses, and I would highly recommend playing there if you're in the area.

And with that, we've reached the end of our little trip down to Florida. Reviewing a golf course in April may be a bit tricky, not only is Maryland currently experiencing the biggest snowstorm of the season, but I can't play golf for two weeks. I hope to work something out, but there's a good chance it will be on a smaller scale. We'll see.