Once the back nine is gained, the scenery changes, introducing to the experience hardwood forests and awkward, but quite striking, top-heavy pines called loblollies. The holes on this side, while every bit as opportunistic as those on the outward nine, are visually beautiful as well. 14 through 18 particularly are eye candy and provide for picturesque golf shots and a memorable finish. The climax, literally and figuratively, is the eighteenth, called Bear s Claw, a proverbial name that seems to show up on so many Nicklaus courses. At 563 yards the hole may seem out of range for most, but is set up in such a way that going for the green is not only possible but encouraged.
Choices abound here.
The fairway is the largest on the course and the tee shot can be directed any number of places. Pines and wetland define the extreme left side of the hole along with a vast crushed-coquina waste area that runs up to the green. An abundance of fairway room exists on the right of the waste area and green, but that angle brings into play three greenside traps. There are probably a dozen ways to approach this hole. It s the best hole on the course, and one of the best in the region.