Royal Isabela
Puerto Rico has over 20 wonderful golf courses but not with the ocean views that the Pasarell brothers of tennis fame, imagined. So Stanley, Charlie and partners, after 18 years in the making, will open Royal Isabela this summer. Stanley and his dog Dunas, honored us with a preview of this dramatic course, an ocean golf experience of a lifetime. Located on the cliffs of Isabela, this 7600 yard layout will simply take your breath away. Panoramic views 300 feet above the roaring ocean waves and native landscaping deliver golf with unbridled fury. The tropical Scottish link treasure with a rating of 80.3 and 155 slope will be a bucket list course for the best of golfers.
Every hole is memorable and aptly named. With a name like Yogi Berra, you know it is not over, until it’s over. Number 6 is an uphill challenge over water to a large landing area where you decide to go right to a par 4 or take the long way home left to a par 5. Each fairway is designed separately. Big hitters can try and reach the par 5 in two, but must navigate the waste area guarding the narrow, three-tier green. At 493/622 yards respectfully, this one-of-a-kind hole is great fun, exemplifying the intricate design process of Royal Isabela. While David W. Pfaff has the official architect title, the design was in collaboration with Stanley and Charles. On the score card under “designed by”, Mother Nature is also listed and rightly so with all the natural vegetation, nursery, powerful ocean force and even iguanas to serve as sparring partners for Dunas.
Hole 10, the number 1 handicap, is a 578 yard par 5, journeying through sand dunes toward the ocean with the course logo looming as a tree blown down in the fairway by Hurricane Hugo, hence the name “Huracan”. Once you navigate the fairway, fighting the stiff ocean breeze, a hidden green awaits the folly of trying to reach in two. The front bunker is extremely deep with a vertical wall that provides angst for those poor souls who have found its lair. The green is fast and slopes steeply, further testing abilities to confront and conquer this champion of a golf hole.
Golf Links at Royal Isabela extends along 426 acres of oceanfront. Located 90 minutes from San Juan International Airport and 20 minutes from Aguadilla International Airport, membership is very limited and by invitation only, but guests will be able to play and enjoy the future amenities of this extraordinary retreat. “Say hello to my little friend”, sneers Al Pacino, in Scarface, when he unloads a grenade launcher toward the enemy. The famous line comes to mind at Royal Isabela. Say hello and prepare to be blown away. If the views don’t get you, the course will.
