By Mike May
Named Golden Bell, the par-3 12th is the shortest hole at Augusta National, a mere 155 yards from tee to green. During any given round at the Masters, every player’s score can be greatly impacted by their ability to hit their tee shot over Rae’s Creek and find the 12th green.
Tiger Woods will never forget the quadruple bogey he made at No. 12, during the final round on Sunday last month.
In honor of the many trials, tribulations, and triumphs that golfers have experienced while playing Augusta National’s Golden Bell, this story focuses on five of the most memorable par–three holes along the Florida Historic Golf Trail.
Waterside Wonder.
The most memorable tee shot at the Lake Worth Beach Municipal Golf Club is the par-three 17th. As you stand on the tee, an unblocked view of the Intracoastal Waterway is at your back. It’s a priceless perspective. As you look at the 17th green, the steeple of a nearby church in downtown Lake Worth Beach grabs your attention, especially late in the day with the sun setting in the west. With your tee shot on this hole, aim to the right or left of the steeple, depending on the location of the pin.
Precious Par.
At the New Smyrna Beach Golf Club, head pro Gary Wintz’s favorite hole is the 15th hole, a long par three.
“From the back tees, it’s more than 230 yards to the pin,” says Wintz. “The green is protected by bunkers short right and short left. Par is a great score. Not many people birdie the 15th.”
Clearly, at the 15th hole at the New Smyrna Beach GC, birdies are few and far between, pars are celebrated, but bogeys are the norm.
Classic Closer.
When you play the 188-yard, par-three 9th hole on the Azalea Course at the Cleveland Heights Golf Club in Lakeland, proper club selection will be the key to your success. This par three features an uphill tee shot to a raised green with the clubhouse looming in the background. Closing with a par at the 9th on the Azalea Course is impressive, powerful, and pleasing.
Memory Maker.
‘Fun’ and ‘beautiful’ are two words used to describe the Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club. One of the ‘fun’ and ‘beautiful’ holes at the Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club is its signature hole, the par-three 16th. The green is a peninsula with water in front, on the right, and behind the green. It’s not a long hole, but it requires an accurate tee shot.
Helluva’ Hole.
The most talked-about and most-photographed hole at the Miami Shores Country Club is the par–three 2nd. While standing on the tee, the green angles from right to left and the tee shot must clear the Biscayne Canal to avoid a watery grave. If your tee shot veers too far right it will find the sand bunker complex to the right of the green. Willie MacFarlane, the winner of the 1925 U.S. Open, referred to this short par three as “the hole.”
For complete details on every hole among the 53 courses on the Florida Historic Golf Trail, visit: www.FloridaHistoricGolfTrail.com.
