Photo Heavy Course Photo of the Day: Old Corkscrew Edition

[Junkyard]

The 5th hole is a 375 yard par 4 that has water the entire length of the left side, even creeping into the fairway a touch just in front of the green. From the tee aim at or slightly right of the communication tower in the distance and swing away.

For your approach, check both your yardage and the wind when choosing your club; a miscalculation here could put you into the bunker short, or even worse into the hazard shorter. If in doubt, aim at the right hand edge of the water hazard, as a poorly struck shot on that line should still find land.

 

[Mmaynard11]

Okay...you are making me want to make the three & a half hour drive to play this course.

 

[AuzzieMatt]

I'm always tempted to play there when I'm in Bonita in March, but then I look at the price...I really should try and get down there in August.

 

[Junkyard]

Okay...you are making me want to make the three & a half hour drive to play this course.

You will not be disappointed. Imagine being unable to cross the border for your normal week-long October golf vacation to Naples....

 

[Junkyard]

I'm always tempted to play there when I'm in Bonita in March, but then I look at the price...I really should try and get down there in August.

One time won't hurt. I'm missing this course right now.

 

[Junkyard]

Hole 6 is a straight-away par 4 that plays at 410 yards. The closer you get to the green the narrower the fairway becomes; the right side contains several very large, very deep bunkers that are best admired from a distance only.

It may be cliche, but a hole like this reinforces the fact that the best way to play a golf hole is from the centre of the fairway.

 

[Junkyard]

While it looks like a mere underhand toss would put you on the green, the par 3 7th plays 172 yards. What could possibly go wrong on such a simple looking hole?

 

[Junkyard]

The par 5 eighth hole is pretty off the tee. At 486 yards in length, with a hazard fronting the green to carry it plays as a three shot hole for most golfers like myself.

From the tee a good aiming point is the visible portion of the hazard in the distance. Your second shot will be played out to the right of said hazard, so a drive to the left side of the fairway will set up the best angle.

 

[Junkyard]

Choosing a point to lay-up to on this hole is not a decision to be taken lightly; the closer you get to the hazard the narrower the fairway becomes. In fact, I would estimate that the landing zone adjacent the widest portion of the hazard is only 10 yards wide. It does open up again the closer you get to the green. From this photo the direct line to the pin is 100% carry all the way to the front bunker - anything short of the bunker will be in the hazard.

I'm going to include one additional photo here showing the angle from the final strip of fairway beside the hazard. If you had hit your ball at the middle bunker in the shot above, this would be your view. You can just see a corner of the hazard on the left side of the photo, but it is no longer a concern on your next shot.

 

[Pinger71]

Choosing a point to lay-up to on this hole is not a decision to be taken lightly; the closer you get to the hazard the narrower the fairway becomes. In fact, I would estimate that the landing zone adjacent the widest portion of the hazard is only 10 yards wide. It does open up again the closer you get to the green. From this photo the direct line to the pin is 100% carry all the way to the front bunker - anything short of the bunker will be in the hazard.
View attachment 8963230
I'm going to include one additional photo here showing the angle from the final strip of fairway beside the hazard. If you had hit your ball at the middle bunker in the shot above, this would be your view. You can just see a corner of the hazard on the left side of the photo, but it is no longer a concern on your next shot.
View attachment 8963234

I live about 20 minutes from Old Corkscrew and have played it a couple of times. I do not intend to ever play it again. It is your typical Jack Nicklaus design and a great example of why he should not design golf courses!! It is too long and is a prime example of "punitive design"! You should not be punished for hitting good shots!!

 

[Junkyard]

The par 4 ninth hole again utilizes a hazard fronting/edging the right side of the green which requires a decision from the fairway. To set up the easiest decision, aim halfway between the right side trees and the right edge of the fairway bunker. If you're feeling lucky, hedge your line towards the right trees as this will cut off a bit more of the hole's length. The further right you are, however the more the hazard will come into play on your next shot.

If you've hit a solid drive you will have around 140 yards and can choose the most direct route which will require a shot over the corner of the hazard. If you've gotten really lucky, your drive will have found the left side of the fairway which gives you a better angle to take the hazard out of play. Of course, if you've hit it that far the hazard should be of no concern for you.

 

[Junkyard]

I live about 20 minutes from Old Corkscrew and have played it a couple of times. I do not intend to ever play it again. It is your typical Jack Nicklaus design and a great example of why he should not design golf courses!! It is too long and is a prime example of "punitive design"! You should not be punished for hitting good shots!!

I'm sorry to hear that you're not a fan; while it is a difficult challenging course it can be as difficult as you want to make it. Playing a set of tees shorter than what you normally would play should take some of the edge off. While there is a premium on shot placement, I don't consider it to be "target golf" like some courses are. I would definitely play it again the next time I am in the area.

 

[Junkyard]

The 10th hole is a mere 416 yards, but as the photo shows you cannot see the desired landing area from the tee box. A shot hit over the gap between the first and left bunkers will put you in the middle of the fairway with a short iron in. Certainly a hole where the on-cart GPS and course layout comes in handy.

If you choose to try and cut too much of the corner off, or if you hit the ball longer you will bring the water hazard on the right into play. Once you are in the fairway there is a generous opening to the green that allows for mis-struck shots to still have a chance to run up and onto the green. The bunker to the right is there for visual feature only.

 

[Junkyard]

The par 3 12th hole plays 140 yards and while there is water between you and the green, it is merely a visual element and does not come into play.

 

[Junkyard]

At 304 yards, the par 4 13th may tempt some golfers to try driving the green. For those that try, there is plenty of greenside bunkering to collect all but the best struck shots. A better approach is a tee shot of roughly 180-200 yards which will leave you far enough back that you have a straight angle into the green.

 

[Junkyard]

The 14th hole is only 389 yards, but requires well placed shots to avoid the abundance of both fairway and greenside bunkers. Off the tee you are faced with a choice: play for the fat of the fairway or try to shorten your approach shot by taking on the bunkering at the corner.

 

[Junkyard]

As this photo shows, this hole is all about avoiding the bunkers. Finding the fairway still leaves you with several large bunkers to avoid on your approach to the green.

 

[Junkyard]

The par 5 15th hole is pretty much a forced three shot hole for the average golfer. The only hope of reaching the green in two requires carrying the left hazard off the tee which IMO is best avoided. A tee shot played to the right of the hazard will leave the player at the corner of the dogleg, with a straight path down the second part of the dogleg to the green.

 

[Junkyard]

A well struck second shot should leave you short of the right side fairway bunkering, with roughly 100 yards left to the pin. Avoid the left side bunker and a birdie opportunity can be yours.

 

[Junkyard]

The 16th hole is visually appealing from the tee; the premium on this hole is accuracy over distance. Avoiding the bunkering is paramount if you wish to make par.

 

[Junkyard]

At 130 yards, the 17th hole is a straight-foward one-shotter. The front of the green is open if you come up short. Avoiding the right hand bunkering is really the only challenge on this hole.

 

[Junkyard]

The home hole at Old Corkscrew is a par 4 playing at 401 yards. The ideal tee shot is played directly at and over the 150 yard marker.

 

[Junkyard]

The straighter and longer your drive, the less the water hazard comes into play on your approach. The front of the green is relatively unprotected, however if you find yourself further back in the fairway your approach angle will bring both the hazard short/left and the greenside bunker long/right into play.