Casa de Campo’s Head Golf Professional, Josh Cupp continues his ‘Surf vs. Turf: Battle of Casa de Campo’s Finest Golf Courses’ series with a battle between the La Romana Country Club hole number 1 and the Teeth of the Dog hole number 16.

To read the series introduction, click here , to read ‘Matchup #1 – Teeth #5 vs. Links #12,’ click here, to read ‘Matchup #2 – Teeth#5 vs. Dye Fore #10, click here, and to read ‘Matchup #3 – New Course #1 (3) vs. Dye Fore #14 (6), click here.

Matchup #4 – La Romana #1 (4) vs. Teeth #16 (5)
Quit your snickering, because if you do not think #1 at La Romana Country Club is a beauty, your irons are probably a set of Northwestern 3-5-7-9s and you think Fuzzy Zoeller is a kind of tropical frozen drink. From the tee box you can see a gorgeous tree that guards the left center of the fairway. The tree wasn’t left there by Pete so much to punish or guard the left, but to accentuate and provide a spot for which the skilled player might start their gentle cut back toward the garden spot of the fairway. The obvious trouble is right with a deep bunker and vast collection area. I think a great hole places you on a tee box or in a fairway and makes you want to hit your next shot so badly you can taste it. I feel exactly that way on the first tee box at La Romana. The second shot is not overly challenging as only a short iron remains. The green has two distinct tiers which is permissible since the player hasn’t been tested too rigorously to this point. I do not think greens should add too much to the degree of difficulty to any hole. If I am to be given a hard time on a green, however, I want it to be at the end of a hole that doesn’t see me hit driver and a four iron in.
#16 at Teeth is irrefutably one of the most aesthetically pleasing holes in all of golf. It undoubtedly passes the “do something with it” Josh rule. It doesn’t rest on it’s fantastic natural beauty. You could fish off the tee boxes, but they look natural and not overly contrived. The green complex is large and provides an ample target from the mortal tees, unless you catch this honey on a day when Aeolus is angry and the wind is howling in your face. Then the green cannot be big enough. There are approximately 27 fair hole locations and I adore that. Bunkering is divine and is highlighted by a sexy trap that seems to morph right out of the rocks and beach below. Mr. Dye’s famous quote is that he “built 11 holes at Teeth and God built the other 7.” That is a very humble adage, but if I may be so bold as to refute slightly…Pete, you improved on a masterful piece of property the way no other architect would have. Can you tell I like this hole? Let’s be honest, anyone in their right mind would rather put one in the air on #16 at Teeth over #1 at La Romana, but I find it disheartening to dismiss such a fine and understated hole just because it is up against near perfection….sooooo,
La Romana #1 defeats #16 Teeth forfeit (#16 didn’t make the tee time as it was out drinking the night before with #12 at Augusta National and #17 at TPC Sawgrass.)

I’m sure you are tired from reading the lengthy opening round diatribe. I will give you a few days off before the second round match ups which will be as follows.
Teeth #5 (1) vs. Dye Fore #14 (6)
Teeth #15 (2) vs. La Romana #1 (4)

Stay tuned, folks! C’mon, you know reading this is kind of fun. What else are you going to do, watch reruns of Two and a Half Men with Spanish subtitles on channel 85?

This article was contributed by Josh Cupp, Casa de Campo’s Head Golf Professional – Thanks Josh!