T.H.U.G.S
Thugsgolf.co.uk
The Hollywood & Uruguayan Golf Society
FEATURED HOLES
Over our many years of THUGS tours we have come across quite a few holes that crop up in conversation time and again. There could be any number of reasons - Difficulty, design, beauty or simply because of memorable moments created there. We have favourite holes, and we have infamous holes whose mere mention brings a shudder. Whatever the reason, these holes are firmly embedded in the minds of most of us - and if not, then here's a reminder of a few of the fantastic holes we've been fortunate to play, updated at regular intervals.
Get in touch if there's a hole that you feel warrants inclusion.
FEATURE: Poniente Hole 10
Aug 12th 2026
In the first of our look back at memorable golf holes played by THUGS we revisit Hole 10 at Poniente GC in Mallorca. Now renamed T-Golf Calvia after the company that bought the club, T-Golf spent millions redesigning the course with the intention of turning it into one of the best courses in Spain, yet one hole that has seen very little change is the fantastic Hole 10.
Widely regarded as one of the finest holes in Europe, and described by the great Severiano Ballesteros as one of the best holes he ever played, the 432 yard par 4 entices you to play dangerously from every area. The tee box gives you a superb view of the hole's magnificence, and immediately invites you to take on the challenge of cutting the 90-degree dogleg right, and hitting straight over the lake to the green, which no doubt has been achieved a small number of times, however according to the course Marshall the only known success was by Seve himself whilst claiming the course record 71 back in 1978. Not wishing to turn down a challenge, THUGS introduced a 'Mulligan' rule allowing a free attempt at making the shot, which resulted in some valiant and excellent attempts, but ultimately nothing more than quite a few submerged balls.
The 'Professional' approach according to the Marshall was to aim slightly right of the windmill some 135 yards back from the green, and hope to avoid the bunkers on the far side of the fairway, yet this method was also discouraged by the Marshall who felt even this was beyond average golfers. In a memorable moment a couple of our members considered this a slight on their abilities and soon dispelled the suggestion by placing their 'Official' tee shots precisely in the area the stoney-faced Marshall had pointed out.
Of course, this was still a risky shot, and the safest method of completing the hole was to play to the dogleg and leave a long iron and potentially a short chip to the green, however even this was fraught with danger as the green was fiercely guarded by bunkers, and the fairways offered nothing but water and reeds to the right, and thick shrubbery all down the left.
Having managed to reach the green with still enough shots in hand to score points, there were some menacing slopes to negotiate with the putter that seemed to tail off in every direction, and those fortunate enough to complete the hole could considered themselves to have played it extremely well.
Hole 10 was a beautiful hole, and seemingly remains so, with much admiration from a great number of sources on the web. It is now over a decade since THUGS last visit - yet it still remains a firm favourite amongst our society.
FEATURE: No. 2
Bendinat Hole 12
Sep 15th 2026
In the second of our Featured Holes, we stand atop a steep hill looking down over a fairly small green 134 yards out and forty-eight feet below. With a cart path that winds front, left and back of the green Bendinat’s 12th hole is already a daunting test. Add to this a further small lake down the left, and a severe scrubland drop that begins on the right and continues round the back of the green and there is little hope for an errant shot.
Of course, if you do find the green with your tee shot, you’d understandably want to protect a potential Nearest The Pin prize from those following – which is precisely what Jimmy Elliott famously did when he shepherded a nearby badling of ducks onto the green around the hole. This single hilarious act ensured Bendinat’s 12th was henceforth always referred to as ‘The Duck Hole’ amongst THUGS members.
There is no “Right” way to play the hole other than to aim directly at the hole and hope for the best. Hitting short and hoping the downhill slope carries you gently on to the green is risky, as you need to clear the scrub between tee and green, and then hope you have just enough pace to scale the slightly uphill fringe. Too much club however, and you risk contact with the path at the back and an almost certain second shot from down in the rocky abyss beyond, with the same outcome being a result of drifting out right of the green.
Aiming for the left side of the green gives a little more area to catch the ball, however the lake will devour anything too far left, and the trees overhanging the lake will ruin any chance of scoring. Avoid the water and you only have a small bunker to worry about – strategically placed in the only real safe area between the water and the green. Bizarrely, the water isn’t the worst place to put an errant shot, as a Drop Zone close to the green allows a chance to knock it close enough for a bogey.
Over the years the ‘Million Dollar Golf’ girl has been in attendance on the tee, enticing us to part with our Euros in exchange for the chance to win a trip to Vegas for an Ace, or a sleeve of Srixons for simply hitting the green. They’re not daft – They know how tough this hole is, and though there have been a number of birdies amongst us it is definitely one of our most feared yet loved holes. Going straight for heart of the green and saying a little prayer is the only practical approach here, and if you do rest your tee shot on the dancefloor, you might find there’s only a family of ducks between you and a birdie two.
FEATURE: No. 3
Son Vida Hole 18
Oct 30th 2026
In the third of our featured holes we visit the oldest course on Mallorca, and one of legendary course architect Fred Hawtree’s finer creations. As finishing holes go, the 18th at Son Vida is spectacular – 470 yards off the yellows, this par 5 winds its way down toward the clubhouse offering beauty and treacherous hazards in equal measure.
Need a Double Bogey or less to finish? Don’t count your chickens here – Although only considered the 8th toughest hole on the course, this is a hole where every shot at the fairway needs to be accurate in both direction and distance, with every conceivable hazard waiting to pounce on those shots that are not.
Narrow fairways that follow an ‘S’ shape are flanked by trees, bunkers, water and steep slopes, with a final shot to the green very often requiring a perfectly weighted shot over water.
A straight drive of around 210 yards is required to allow the ball to follow the left-and-downward leaning slope into the perfect position for your next shot. Too far left and a vicious slope leads to water or at vey least a bunker. Too far right and you’re battling with dense trees. Too long and you can run out of fairway as it swings left and find yourself in a perfectly placed sand trap.
Survive the difficult drive and your next shot suddenly gets a whole lot tougher, as you’re faced with a downhill shot which is fairly straight but requires a perfect shot of around 140 yards, in order to avoid water on both sides of an extremely narrow isthmus of rough dissecting the fairway.
If you’re lucky enough to still be in play by this point, you will either have laid up to the isthmus at around 160 yards out, or cleared the dissecting rough and given yourself a short iron to the green – neither of which are easy. The longer shot guarantees playing over the water in front of the green and stopping your ball before the bunker at the back of it – or laying up on a narrow patch of fairway with a hungry sand trap beyond it, and water to the right. The better placed ball that has already cleared the hazards and sits on the second part of the fairway still needs either a good 100 or so yards shot fully over water, or a well crafted punch to the front edge of the green in the hope the ball will run on, however this could still flirt with the water if you’re any more than around 55 yards away due to the way the fairway curves around the water to its target.
Make the green in regulation and you’ve earned yourself a fairly simple turn with the putter. It’s not a particularly difficult green depending on the pin position, but with the gallery watching from the clubhouse it can be a little intimidating.
The hole is beautifully designed, and unbelievably picturesque, however it has caused some misery to a few of us over the years, particularly in the difficult approach to the green, Conversely it has also provided a few comedy moments – In particular the time Graham Wilson failed to understand why the club pro was shouting and waving his arms at him, and proceeded to mistakenly play his ball from the Out-Of-Bounds practice area to the right of the green onto a roof and back onto the apron of the green.
Although this finishing hole probably doesn’t rank as anyone’s favourite hole in Mallorca, it is a well liked and respected hole simply for the test it provides and the stories it often creates.
