El Diablo
Par 27 - Level 3 - 73 Slope Rating
Plays from 811 – 1,486 yards
You can have a devil of a time playing El Diablo. Which probably explains why the developers chose the Spanish word for Devil when naming this course. It’s all par threes - and like the Devil himself, it offers very little forgiveness.
Personally, I like at least one par four on an executive course. It gives me a breather, lets me stretch out with a driver, and - most importantly - lowers my score. El Diablo offers none of that. No par fours. No mercy. Just nine chances to confront your short game.
The course finishes by spiraling around a deceptively inviting lake - complete with a fountain that suspiciously has a hissing sound. Or maybe that’s just the devil imagery getting into my head. Either way, I arrived at the course hellbent to play well.
In Dante’s Inferno, the main character must descend through nine circles of Hell. Here at El Diablo, you’ll navigate nine circles of putts - far less ominous, one hopes. Dante had to contend with treachery and torment; you’ll contend with mounds. And like the Inferno itself, El Diablo sprinkles those troublesome mounds everywhere. You’ll notice it immediately on your first shot, where two mounds flank the opening green. This time, they almost seem friendly, subtly funneling shots toward the center—just enough to lull you into thinking the devil might be taking it easy on you.
On #2, the mounds shift to the left, sand guards the right, but the hole remains short with a flat green. It’s as if the course is gently luring you forward, whispering, "See? This isn’t so bad".
Then comes #3. Uphill. Targeted. Less forgiving. I normally allow myself one mulligan per round. I took two here. As Flip Wilson famously explained, “The Devil made me do it.” At least I resisted any foot-wedge temptations. Progress, not perfection.
The test continues on #4, where the pin hides behind a fully frontal bunker, assisted by - yes - more mounds on the left. You’ll need a precise drop shot and a careful putt on a green bisected by a long valley. This is where El Diablo stops flirting and starts making demands.
Hole #5 offers your first clear look at the lake and its fiery fountain. The flat, plateaued green looks almost ceremonial - like an altar. And yes, I realize I’ve wandered back into religious imagery again. Yikes.
El Diablo is one of the few Level 3 or 4 courses with ALL par threes. Can you name some of the others? Click here for the answer.
The 6th appears to be the easiest tee shot of the day. Just over 100 yards. Sand and water to the right, a beach scene to the left. And yet, short shots like this are often my undoing. I get loose. Casual. Overconfident. In other words, I get a little too Loooocifer. I try to remind myself that a shorter backswing and a full follow-through are the key to these short shots.
You stay in the hot zone on #7, the toughest hole on the course. A long, stretched bunker guards the elongated green - directly in my slice zone. The setting is picture-perfect, especially near sunset.
The 8th keeps the distance short but raises the stakes on the green itself. This time, the mounds aren’t around the green - they’re in it. Pin placement here can feel downright devious. It’s one of the nine hardest greens in town.
Which brings us to the 9th. Your final test - and your chance at redemption. The tee box offers a nice 360-degree view of the course. Then you turn to face an uphill shot, climbing out of the depths and aiming, quite appropriately, toward higher ground. A shot at heaven?
At the top, enjoy one last view around this one-of-a-kind course and know that you gave the devil his due!
Toughest to Easiest:
7, 5, 3, 9, 8, 1, 6, 4, 2 – toughest green - 8
From the blacks!
Playing from the blacks will add plenty of brimstone to the El Diablo fire. Four holes play longer than 170 yards. The 7th is nearly 200 over water. It's a great way to exorcise!
Go Green!
On holes #3, 7 and 9 you’ll be singing the praises of the course designers. Those are three of the hardest Diablo shots and each is far simpler from the green tees.
What’s nearby?
El Diablo’s sister course is named El Santiago – love this combination of the devil and the saint! El Santiago is designed for beginners - shorter holes, no water, few traps, large flat greens and 8-inch cups that would fit a volleyball. Try to play the saint before the devil - even if you are not a beginner, you can use this course to improve your game. A helpful technique is to use just a 7 iron and putter. Focus on your cadence and consistency to shoot knock down shots instead of high-trajectory drops. This type of practice round can pay dividends on The Devil!
The view near the starter shack is heavenly!
Don't be deceived! The 7th is 175 yards of perfect temptation because the Devil wants to Be Right - don't do it!!
The terrain and undulations make El Diablo 8 one of the toughest greens in town.
My impressions are based on playing from the Gold tee boxes. The Black and the Green tee boxes pose different challenges or benefits described as well. The rankings of the toughest to easiest holes are just my opinions - yours will be far different, as will your favorite courses and most difficult and attractive holes. I welcome your opinions or thoughts on any of this - click to leave a comment.
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