Other Area Golf Courses:
Rio Mar Country Club

The tee shot on No. 13, a 339-yard par-4, is basically a second chance at the same shot off of No. 1. A drive to a tight fairway that has a severe uphill slope requires 200 yards to carry the crest of the hill. But fade the ball too much and it will come to rest at the base of a tree-lined rough some 50 feet below the fairway -- known as jail.

The 18th is an open par-4 that is 357-yards long with water on the right and fairway bunkers down the left side. What the first-time player doesn't realize is how far left the fairway goes, and a well placed 3-wood to that side will take the water out of play on approach.

Kozak's favorite hole is the par-3 fourth. It plays 178 yards from the back tee to a wide, two-tiered green. The terrain makes a steep drop short and left of the green. The hole is downhill, but plays into the prevailing wind.

"Even though it's downhill, it plays a club longer because of the wind," Kozak said. "It's just a well-designed par 3."

The course is an Arthur Hills design that travels through major elevation changes. Views reveal the emerald countryside of the El Yunque rain forest or the cliffs that nestle up to blue green waters of the Caribbean Sea. While the course design has its positive elements, it will win over golfers with its amazing scenery.

The best perch on the course -- and perhaps any course in Puerto Rico – is on the 15th hole. The tee box is 200 feet above the fairway and overlooks the coastline that jets into the big blue abyss -- a vision that will be etched in the memory of all who pass through. From such high altitude, the fairway appears to be the size of a Lee Trevino divot. Actually, it's one of the widest fairways on the course, a fact that's only realized after the roller-coaster ride down the hillside.

Hills took advantage of the scenery, but also employed strategic design. Unusual for its time -- the course was built in 1993 -- Arthur Hills golf course makes golfers of all levels manage their games off the tee. This is not a driver-7-iron course. Holes 13 and 18 are perfect examples of this tactic. ....

Test your game at the Arthur Hills Golf Course at El Conquistador Resort & Golden Door Spa. This 72-par course is ideal - challenging and player-friendly.

Stroll the daunting hills and bunkers tamed by cleverly planned lateral movements and broad openings. View the elevation changes of more than 200 feet - rare among typically flat Caribbean golf resorts. And take in the greens, dotted with palm trees, lush island flora, and fauna. Drive the 18th hole, where splashing fountains lead to a waterfall over which the last unforgettable shot of the game is made. After your round of golf soothe your muscles with a rejuvenating Therapeutic Fusion Massage. An intensified version of the Swedish classic, this massage uses deep tissue techniques to release muscle tension, for a list of all of our treatments please click here.

Enjoy dramatic views of the majestic El Yunque Rain Forest and the stunning Atlantic Ocean on this truly unique Puerto Rico golf resort.

By Brendan McEvoy – It doesn't take long for the Arthur Hills Golf Club to get its point across. Before pressing the first tee into the ground, golfers are treated to the vision of a tight fairway that bends right into a crescendo and then falls off out of sight.

Ignore the yardage on the scorecard: 6,746 yards from the back tees, 5,131 yards from the front. If this course could talk, it would start by saying: "Bring your A game, especially off the tee." The bullish brute will be frustrated by the skinny fairways. Heck, even the driving range is tight.

But after the smart player figures out how to lay off and think like real estate agent -- location, location, location -- the course becomes more playable.

"It's all about position, not length," said Ken Kozak, director of golf at Arthur Hills. "It's better to play this course from green to tee. This is very much a shot-maker's course. You have to think your way around this place." ....