Rarely do I ever brag about my golf game (it’s never that good), and I don’t really need to brag about it now, with just one exception: I played the Bear Trap at PGA National Resort and Spa - the Champion Course - the Home of the Honda Classic, and I didn’t do too badly.
Yep, I was there a few days ago, walking in the footsteps of 2008 Honda Classic Champion, Ernie Els.
The Bear Trap, if you’re not familiar with it, is a series of three holes – 15,16, and 17 – where, so Champion Course designer Jack Nicklaus says “ It should be won or lost right here.” The three holes that comprise the Bear Trap are said to be “three of the toughest holes in South Florida.”
Fifteen is a par three of 179 yards, from the back tee. You must carry at least 150 yards over water to reach the green, which is surrounded on three sides by a lake. If your ball rolls off the putting surface, it’s either in a bunker so deep you need a ladder to climb in and out of it, or it’s gone forever into the watery depths. It’s not quite an island green, but….
Sixteen is a par four of 434 yards from the Black Tee. Much of it is over water, scrub and a gigantic fairway bunker. The drive, from the Black Tee, must carry some 240 yards-plus to a point where the hole (notice I didn’t say fairway) doglegs sharply to the right: the second shot must carry the final 190 yards to the green. There’s trouble all the way along the right side – bunker and water. For us lesser mortals the play, even from one of the forward tees, is a drive, a lay-up second to the left taking the water out of play, and then a final chip to the green in the hopes of making the putt. Oh, and did I mention the greenside bunkers? More ladders! This is one tough par 4.
Seventeen is another par three over water. The carry from the Black Tee is 172 yards, all of it over water, to a long narrow green, front to back. Again, any ball rolling right off the putting surface is gone forever. To the left side of the green lies a fearsome, deep bunker. A bunker shot from there must have plenty of back spin; if not, it will roll past the pin, off the green, and into the water.
So, you may well ask, how did you do, Blair? Well, the weather was bad, heavy rain was forecast, and so we played only the final four – the Bear Trap and 18 (one of the toughest finishing holes I've ever played). My score: double bogey at 15, bogey at 16, par at 17, and a snowman at 18. Eighteen? I’ll forget about it. The Bear Trap, I’m kinda proud of.
Please click on theses links for more information about the PGA National Resort and Spa, image galleries of The Bear Trap... The Champion Course... The Palmer Course... The Haig Course... and The Squire Course.