Course: Trunk Bay Date: 10/10/92 Designer: Jason Lance Cadena Location: Trunk Bay, St John's, Virgin Islands Real location, original design Course Difficulty: Easy to Moderate About the Course Name: My wife and I, in the summer of 92 went down to Puerto Rico for our summer vacation. While down enjoying the sunny skies of the Caribbean we decided to take a puddle jumper over to the US Virgin Islands. We ended up staying in St. Thomas for the remainder of our vacation. When exploring the Island of St. John we found this beach with the most exotic and beautiful snorkeling in this part of the world, known to the islanders as the friendly blue-green waters of the Caribbean Soul. The beach was called, you guessed it, TRUNK BAY. Briefing: The course was originally started in Aug 1942. The developer had to pull out of the project in Dec 1942 for obvious reasons, leaving behind 3 finished holes and 2 more partially completed. The two partially completed holes quickly grew back into its original state of the dense vegetation of lush coconut palms and wild bitter bush The first ten years the course was played with 3 holes that the golfer would play 6 times to complete a round. This proccess got to be quite lengthy and the phrase "slow Play" was born. The original holes were a par 5, par 4 and the finishing hole was a par 3. Those holes are now Trunk Bay's hole 2, 3 and 4. In 1952, in came the new developer by the name of R Johnson, who after seeing the three finished holes knew this course had potential and cominsed the rebirth of the final 15 holes. The earth below this Island is very soft and is made of mostly the sugar Sand that is found only in a 10 mile square radius of Trunk bay. You will notice quite a bit of Rail Road ties on this course. Originally Trunk Bay was reinforced with stonewalls. During the first big hurricane (hurricane Rodriguez 1978) the Rock was washed out. The first steps have been taken to replace the stone walls with the much sturdier and longer lasting Rail Road ties that have been weather treated and are in places is 6 feet thick. The winds are the worst just outside of Enfield Pass. It doesn't seem to let up as it enters Enfield Bay which is just to the south of hole 6. The most damage occurs to the northern holes as the winds are most dangerous between St Thomas to the north and St John's northern coastline. If you notice most of the reinforcement is to the northern holes. The Southern holes will be reinforced once the money is raised via this years MS Willett Charity Auction. The SBT hopes to draw a record crowd 1500 people to this eventful extravaganza and raise as much as 175,000 dollars selling such things as the first set of Blue prints to Alhambra, Aegina and Pebble Beach (both versions). Other things such as GRIII's first scanner, and J Duttons PCGA JNUG Putter, worth at least 4 bits to a guy named Harris. Hole 1: The opening hole sets the tone for the next 17, as far as the terrain. A lot of water to cross, with many sand traps in the fairway and surrounding the green. The entire left side of the fairway is dangerously close to the water! To top it off the slope is almost wickedly unfair!! Keep the ball middle-right on the tee shot. You might need a boat drink after this one. Hole 2: Water & Sand come into play here with a very narrow landing area on the second shot, this due to hurricane Lance that came through September 30, 1992. As of today the club pro is $25,000 short for reconstruction of the fairway! Stay tuned to the progress of funds that will enable the course to be restore to its natural beauty. Now the left side of the green is protected by Bubba the famous Sand trap that will kill a round as fast as you can say "Oh, Bubba Hole 3: A very exciting Par 3!! It'll be ugly if you land on the beach! To the north of the hole is the Island of St Thomas, where the original Islanders live. If you look closely you may see the huts in which they live. This inlet just may be "that one particular harbour". This is TB's signature hole, as club selection is vital for a good score on this one. Hole 4: 430 yard of pure fun!!! A flower bed with palm trees on your tee shot. More palm trees & water to your left on your 2nd shot. A beautiful Mt. View background with you 3rd shot. But beware, stay out/away from all obsticles. 3 pot bunkers on the right side of the fairway, another on the left just in front of the green with 2 more guarding the right side of the dance floor. Hole 5: LOTS OF SAND AND WATER Don't drive too far left or you might get wet! Keep ball right center of the fairway. Your second shot will be with a trusty 3, or 4 Iron depending on the length of the drive and placement of your ball!! Your approach shot will be to a large landing area that should yield more birdies than bogeys. Hole 6: Another "over the water" par 3. You are safe if you don't hit short or long, there is one more option! I don't know what is worse, getting the ball wet in the Caribbean and taking a stroke, or drilling it into the sandtrap! Only safe spot is on green. The winds really whip through Enfield pass and don't get any calmer once in Enfield Bay. Hole 7: A "longer than you think" par 5 that has trouble as you approach the putting surface. Be accurate here or else pay the price!! Balls are 2.50 each and the marshal hangs out on this hole to sell 2 for 4.95. Two huge bunkers on right with 2 more strategically placed to make this a tough par 5. Hole 8: My Theory on this hole,"Rip and grip". Play either the fade or draw on the tee depending on the wind direction. Your second shot is TRICKY! A 195 yard approach shot with 190 of this over the wet stuff. It's a good idea to check the overhead view of the green before you blindly put the ball on the dance floor! Hopefully, this will help with the putting. Hole 9: Be aware of the sand on the tee shot with more sand coming into play on your 2nd shot. You will more than likely have a 3 to 4 iron on the approach with 2 Coconut Palms obstructing some part of play. Whatever you decide to grab out of your bag ask your caddie to double check the yardage. The BEVILL BACK NINE Named after the original land owner "Robert Bevill" also known as the "Jolly Mon" by the Native West Indians. At one time he harvested sugercane and coconuts from the once dense vegetation of the Trunk Bay area. With the development of the golf course also came the loss of the suger plantation and coconut fields. Hole 10: Starting the back nine with a long par 4. It is a beautiful opening to the second nine. You're able to drive a big one off the tee. A very wide landing area and a relatively easy approach to a relaxing putting surface. THINK BIRDIE Hole 11: Again water to the left and bunkers to the right. Fairway slopes to the water with second shot traveling 235 plus yards over blue ocean. Bunkers surrounding this overly large landing strip. Putting may be a problem here. Hole 12: This is another draw or fade shot relative to the wind direction Watch out for the rocks in the water off the tee, and whatever you do don't let them lull you to sleep!! Concentration!!!! Hole 13: Hurricane Lance washed out the bridge and the only way out to the green is by boat. Look closely and you will see what is left of the old bridge that was once called "Toll Bridge Ted" Yes thats right, toll bridge Ted, and is cost you 2 bits to cross Round Trip. Construction on this project will start right after the rebuilding of the fairways. $$$$Talks!!!! The tee shot here is magnificent. Be on the lookout for any sand that might cause one to lose a stroke or two. Put it on the green and you will be rewarded. Hole 14: A hole without water!!!! Elevated platform allowing maximum distance with your first shot. Bunker is protecting the green which makes it nearly impossible to get close with the landing. Hole 15: All that need be said here is club selection!!!! Hole 16: Pot bunkers are abundent on this hole spreading over the right side of the fairway. Stay left on second shot and putt firmly on the green. Don't be to aggressive!!! Hole 17: Another hole with no water and very little sand. Palm trees are really the only thing you must contend with and watch out for the one in front of you, it might "holly Moses" your tee shot. A little history lay on this course. An old established family use to own the land that the 17th and 18th now occupy. They had their own coconut farm which made them rich, not from the coconuts, but from the money the developer offered them to give up the property. Transaction unknown, but family moved away to Beverly Hills, Movie stars.... cement ponds.... Black Gold... Hole 18: I originally planned on this being a very easy par 5 then got to thinking "should I make it a hard par 4". In the end, I brought in the dozers, made it 25 yards longer, planted more trees in the fairway and dropped 5 more dump trunks of sand. Grew the heavy rough closer to fairway and added a "tough spot" to the right side of the landing area on the tee shot. I think this will make it a very tough eagle or even birdie hole. For that reason this is my favorite hole on the course and think/hope you like it also. I hope my added effort on 18 has payed off. /------------/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/------/ / HOLE / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / OUT / /------------/------------------------------------------------------------/ /CHAMPIONSHIP/ 378 / 453 / 146 / 434 / 433 / 186 / 583 / 457 / 448 / 3511 / /------------/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/------/ / PRO / 375 / 437 / 138 / 412 / 428 / 178 / 573 / 449 / 428 / 3418 / /------------/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/------/ / MENS / 369 / 432 / 130 / 404 / 411 / 163 / 561 / 439 / 421 / 3330 / /------------/------------------------------------------------------------/ / LADIES / 362 / 392 / 120 / 374 / 386 / 152 / 529 / 425 / 397 / 3137 / /------------/------------------------------------------------------------/ / PAR / 4 / 5 / 3 / 4 / 4 / 3 / 5 / 4 / 4 / 36 / /------------/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/------/ / HOLE / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 / 16 / 17 / 18 / IN /TOTAL /------------/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/------/ /CHAMPIONSHIP/ 448 / 501 / 422 / 186 / 420 / 192 / 437 / 416 / 473 / 3494 / 7004 /------------/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/------/ / PRO / 422 / 391 / 408 / 178 / 401 / 184 / 414 / 408 / 445 / 3351 / 6769 /------------/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/------/ / MENS / 414 / 481 / 392 / 168 / 373 / 173 / 398 / 394 / 438 / 3231 / 6561 /------------/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/------/ / LADIES / 397 / 463 / 386 / 160 / 355 / 162 / 376 / 365 / 419 / 3083 / 6220 /------------/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/------/ / PAR / 4 / 5 / 4 / 3 / 4 / 3 / 4 / 4 / 5 / 36 / 72 /------------/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/-----/------/ Thanks to: Ron Enfield: for providing the playtest and many JNSE golf courses to enrich my borrowing power from the many excellent designers. Thanks Ron for your support and helpful hints on re-designing some of the more unfair holes and trouble spots. Robert Bevill: for doing the final playtest and helping make this a true Flight B course, which will let you spread the bird seed on some holes but spread cow droppings on others. Mark Willett: for his objects: trees, rocks, flowers. My first course I played on the prodigy playtest (other than Sherwood) was Mark's Isles and fell in love with this course and still feel to this day it is the prettiest course out there in the JNSE community. I changed some of the flower colors, but left the trees and rocks the same. Thank you muchly Mark! Ted Maiden: for the round (150 yard marker) bush. I, however, have added 2 colors to the bush, hope you like it. Gene Rodriguez III : For the use of his background. I had been searching for the perfect background for Trunk Bay and the first time I saw Gene's course, Royal St. Kitts, I knew it was the one I was looking for. Gene, thank you for a great backdrop. Have made minor changes to background, we will see if Gene knows where the changes are??? Comments: I hope you enjoy Trunk Bay. This is my very first JNSE design and have spent many hours fine tuning this to try and make it as fun and fair as possible. This was definitely at times a labor of love and at times was ready to hang up the blue prints, Please feel free to share the course with family and friends. I would appreciate any feed back, positive or negative, on your thoughts on the course, its the only way to improve You can reach me on Prodigy bjrx09a or by mail Jason Lance Cadena 2513 54th Ave NE Tacoma, Wa 98422