Holes 15, 16 and 17 on the Champion Course at PGA National have a fearsome reputation and are ready to bite
When a section of the golf course is called 'The Bear Trap', it's pretty obvious that trouble is lurking.
Quotes on The Bear Trap
Jack Nicklaus - "It should all be won or lost here. It's not about length, it's about precision. It's about guts. It's all about what do you have in your chest that you can finish those holes."
What is the last hole in Bear Trap?
The final hole on the Bear Trap is another par 3, the 17th. This is easily the scariest of the three holes. It's a tee shot pretty much all over water to a thin-ish green that runs long. Miss on the right? Splash. Bail out left? You'll be fortunate to find a bunker or you might go further left into grass. Either way, a poor second shot could send your ball to a watery grave.
How many par 3s are there in Bear Trap?
The Bear Trap has two par 3s, kicking off on the 15th. It's a 179-yard hole that requires a slight draw from the tee over the water up the right side to the green. There are two bunkers beyond the green. The smart play is to aim for the bottom tier on the left and hope for a two putt to a back pin. If the hole location is on that portion of the green, more birdies can be had.
How long can you go without hearing the "Bear Trap"?
At The Honda Classic, you can't go 5 minutes without hearing the phrase "Bear Trap." It's the defining stretch at PGA National's Champion Course, the host course for the Palm Beach-area portion of the PGA Tour's Florida Swing.
How many yards off the tee is the 16th hole?
The 16th hole is a dogleg-right par 4 which measures 434 yards off the tee. There's water up along the right-hand side, with fairway bunkers to protect an overly aggressive or overly cautious drive. The green shape runs diagonally to the right of the approach shot from the fairway. Again, bunkering beyond the green is a piece of visual intimidation. A bad approach shot, especially after an aggressive drive, could get wet.
How many yards is the Bear Trap?
The Bear Trap — the 15th, 16th and 17th — might be a high-handicapper’s worst nightmare. The 15th is a 179-yard par-3, the 16th is a 434-yard par-4, and the 17th is a 175-yard par-3. The 15th green has water short and right and a bunker that gobbles up most shots that go long and forces players to hit a nervy shot back toward ...
What is the par 3 17th?
The par-3 17th at PGA National Resort & Spa. There are plenty of nervy, watery and difficult finishing stretches on the PGA Tour, most of which have fancy names you’ve probably heard of. This week’s Bear Trap at PGA National Resort & Spa’s Jack Nicklaus-designed Champions Course is among the most terrifying. The Bear Trap — the 15th, 16th and 17th ...
Who has the highest score in the Bear Trap?
Briny Baird has the highest career scoring average on the Bear Trap. He's 26 over in 18 rounds. Chris DiMarco is next at 24 over in 13 rounds, with David Duval at 23 over through 14 rounds. 23 percent of all players have career scores of 10 over par on worse on the Bear Trap.
How many bogeys does the bear trap have?
The Bear Trap accounts for 18 percent of all bogeys, 33 percent of all doubles and 41 percent of all triples or worse at PGA National. 2,069 balls have been hit in the water at PGA National since 2007. The Bear Trap has accounted for 38 percent (779 balls).
What is the second shot in the golf course?
This hole presents a tee shot that most players will play with an iron just to get the ball out into the fairway. The second shot is played over water and into a green that's slightly elevated. It's always been one of the strongest holes on the golf course.
What is the golf course in Florida called?
The course now offers one of the most iconic three-hole stretches on TOUR, the 15th, 16th and 17th holes known as the Bear Trap.
Is Bear Trap par 3?
The start of the Bear Trap is not a long par 3, but the winds make it very tricky as you have to play a shot into a diagonal green running left to right. The slope of the front part of the green runs left, away from you, with a big bunker in the back, which is very difficult to get up and down from because it runs away from ...
What is the bear trap?
About “The Bear Trap” Name. Its moniker was coined as a tribute to the “Golden Bear” Jack Nicklaus. At its entrance, on No. 15, a plaque and bear statue welcome golfers to what has come to be recognized as one of the ultimate tests in all of golf.
What is the bear statue in golf?
At its entrance, on No. 15, a plaque and bear statue welcome golfers to what has come to be recognized as one of the ultimate tests in all of golf.
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The Bear Trap looks even more intimidating from above. pic.twitter.com/eYCIlYqgW3
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Let's start with 15. The Bear Trap has two par-3s and both (yeah, you guessed it) are laden with water. Water looming everywhere.
Hole 15 — 179 Yards, Par 3
Hole 16 — 434 Yards, Par 4
- Even a solid drive in the fairway leaves an uphill approach over water and sand — another classic anxiety-inducing situation. Concern with where the ball is headed, especially on tough shots, often causes players to come up out of their posture too early. For pros, this flaw generally results in a miss short and right. Too many golfers don’t take a practice swing, or take it above the ground, s…
Hole 17 — 190 Yards, Par 3
- A hole like No. 17 has an important lesson to teach: When playing in the wind, let the ball ride the breeze if you have room on the safe side. Here, the prevailing wind is left to right, and the water is to the green’s right. Yes, there’s a bunker left of the green, but that’s certainly the better alternative. The tee is also elevated, so it’s a gr...