El Conquistador’s Arthur Hills Course
For many travelers, playing a round of golf in the country they are exploring adds to the enjoyment of their holiday experience. Visitors to Fajardo in the southeastern region of Puerto Rico can play a game at one of the country’s world-class golf courses in surroundings so beautiful that it may make it difficult to keep your eye on the ball. The Arthur Hills Golf Course at El Conquistador Resort offers a superb 18-hole golf course set on rolling hills with breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean and El Yunque Rain Forest, with palm trees swaying gently in the breeze adding to the beauty of the surroundings.
While the 72-par course is challenging, it is also player-friendly and golfers are assured of hours of golfing pleasure, while at the same time testing their skill. An interesting feature of the Arthur Hills Golf Course, which is somewhat unusual for a Caribbean golf course, is the elevation changes of more than 200 feet. Bunkers and hills are interspersed with expertly placed broad openings and lateral movements, while the manicured greens meet up with flourishing island vegetation which is home to a variety of birds, including hummingbirds, pelicans and egrets, as well as iguana and mongoose.
The golf course was opened in 1993 and about 25,000 rounds of golf are played here each year. Yardage markers are officially mapped for SkyGolf GPS units and golfers can buy yardage books before teeing off at the first hole. The overall course terrain is considered to be mountainous with a few level lies. There are 59 sand bunkers and 5 water hazards – found at hole numbers 3, 5, 6, 9 and 18 – to make the game really interesting. The primary grasses used on the tees and fairways are 419 Bermuda, with Tift Dwarf being used on the greens which average 5,500 square feet in size. The average grass height on tees and fairways is 3/8 inch, with greens at 1/8 inch and the rough at 2.5 inches. The course features 13 elevated tee boxes and 7 elevated putting greens. The average width of fairways is 200-yard mark at 100 yards across; 150-yard mark at 90 yards across; and 100-yard mark at 85 yards across.
The Arthur Hills Golf Course is open from 6:30 am to 6:00 pm, seven days a week. The average time for completing the course is four-and-a-half hours, and visiting golfers can rent whatever they need to enjoy the game to the full. A 1,100-foot driving range, complete with putting green and a chipping area, helps you get into the swing of things before taking the course. So if you are a keen golfer holidaying in Puerto Rico, you may want to some time out of your other activities to enjoy a round of golf at the stunning El Conquistador Resort’s Arthur Hills Golf Course.
