Inside the course: El Camaleon Golf Club

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El Camaleon Golf Club is located in the beautiful Playa del Carmen region on the Gulf of Mexico.

Feb. 20, 2012

The PGA TOUR will play the sixth edition of the Mayakoba Golf Classic at El Camaleon Golf Club in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

Fast facts

Course Superintendent	Kurt von Hofen
Original architect	Greg Norman (2004)
Par value	71
Number of TOUR events as host venue	6 (including 2012)
Course ranking	Ranked 30 (out of 51) in difficulty on the PGA TOUR in 2011
Yardage history	6,923 (2006-present)
Grass	Sea Isle 1 seashore paspalum (tees, greens, fairways, rough)
Tournament Stimpmeter	10-10.5 ft
Sand bunkers	35
Water hazards	7-10
Course tour	Click here

Course record

Player
Roland Thatcher

Year
2008

Round
3rd

Finish
T9

Holes-in-one

Player	Hole	Year
George McNeill	2	2011
Charles Howell III	7	2010

2011 Rankings

Most Difficult Hole

	The par-4 451-yard 12th This very long par 4 has no bunkers but plays very difficult into the prevailing wind. From the back tees, the hole plays straight away at 452 yards. The fairway is very wide and cut into the existing terrain to help feed balls back to the middle. The green is raised and is small considering the heavy slopes that surround it, so approach shots are best played high and soft. 2011: 0 eagles, 22 birdies, 272 pars, 103 bogeys, 15 double bogeys, 2 others.
Easiest hole
	The par-5 490-yard 8th This par 5 is 554 yards and brings you back into the protected mangroves of Mayakoba. Bordered on the left by one of El Camaleon's signature canals, the hole plays right to left with a medium-sized green tucked directly in front of the Fairmont Mayakoba. You will need three shots to find the green on this beautiful hole. 2011: 23 eagles, 201 birdies, 131 pars, 50 bogeys, 8 double bogeys and 1 other.

El Camaleon Golf Club			2011 rankings		Last 5 years
Hole	Par	Yards	Avg. Score	Rank	Avg. Score	Rank
1	5	554	4.664	16	4.711	16
2	3	151	2.93	11	2.921	12
3	4	462	4.184	4	4.221	2
4	4	438	4.043	10	4.109	7
5	4	428	4.244	3	4.208	4
6	4	389	4.15	5	4.136	6
7	3	116	2.831	15	2.842	14
8	5	490	4.57	18	4.608	18
9	4	416	3.843	13	3.878	13
10	3	200	3.121	6	3.073	9
11	4	360	3.836	14	3.811	15
12	4	451	4.285	1	4.230	1
13	5	532	4.594	17	4.634	17
14	4	452	4.268	2	4.214	3
15	3	155	3.051	9	3.032	10
16	4	485	4.094	7	4.154	5
17	4	386	3.848	12	3.945	11
18	4	458	4.07	8	4.101	8

Course origins

Camaleon Mayakoba is a work of art designed by Greg Norman. This 18-hole course is just 45 minutes south of Cancun at the heart of the mystic Riviera Maya. The inspiration for its name was born out of its diverse layout and ever-changing landscape, which bends through the tropical jungle, dense mangrove, stunning oceanfront stretches of sand and long channels with limestone borders. With Mayakoba's unique system of lagoons, golfers will be able to step out of their rooms and into a boat, which will take them directly to the first tee.

Winding under a forest canopy and through the tropical landscape, El Camaleon borders the resort. Here, golf enthusiasts can experience fairways covered with the dark-green tones of the Paspalum grass. The fairways are lined with sand dunes and mangroves; the course features unique hazards such as cenotes (subterranean caves) and crystal clear lagoons. This place is much more than just a golf experience, with its unequalled hazards and captivating greens, El Camaleon has been carefully planned to capture the essence of a pristine and natural landscape.

The 15th hole is the feature that defines El Camaleon experience. At only 160 yards from the back marker, the hole plays directly towards the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea. The large green sets the scenery for a memorable shot as the nearby waves gently soothe the golfer's soul. Don't be fooled, this hole is not to be taken easily, especially when the tropical winds increase.

The navigation limestone canals connect the resort's bungalows with the clubhouse. The Camaleon's clubhouse boasts a Contemporary design and a 3-tier copper roof. Designed with supreme luxury, it features an Argentinean steakhouse with a lovely view to the picturesque hole 18. It also has a Pro Shop with the ultimate fashion and golf accessories. Shoes and clubs are available for rent.

During completion of construction and growth in 2005, Camaleon Mayakoba was hit by Hurricanes Emily and Wilma. Both Ocean Holes on 7 and 15 had to be rebuilt two times. Wilma hit on October 18, 2005 and devastated the entire Riviera Maya. It was reopened for play after reconstruction on January 16, 2006.

In October 2006 a new Pro Tee No. 1 was added and an additional fairway bunker on No. 8. In November 2006, El Camaleon achieved Audubon certification status for Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program within the first year of operation. It was also voted "best new international golf course" in Golf Magazine.

Course architect, Greg Norman has long held an environmentally friendly position through the design and construction of golf courses. Norman has always adhered to a least-disturbance approach, focusing on every opportunity to incorporate unique existing site features into the layout of a golf course. This design mentality has led to a recent appointment as Chairman of the Advisory Council for the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America's Environmental Institute for Golf.

--Source: Golf Course Superintendents Association of America

Tournament course history