The Bear Trap at PGA National's Champion Course
No.15
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.
No.16
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.
No.17
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.
The holes prove especially trying in windy conditions.
