Just in case others do as I do, and search the forums for input when they travel somewhere new, I thought I'd add to this old Naples thread (in spite of the site warning me that it's old!) based on a trip I took a couple weeks ago.
My brother and I and two good friends recently took a long weekend in Florida to get away for some guys time. We had family we wanted to see in Bonita Springs, and a grandfather to visit up in Lake Wales, so Florida in May was the less than normal choice. Also handy that we had a free spot to stay in Bonita and our trip route from Bonita to Lake Wales enabled an overnight at Streamsong for the first day of their summer rates. Our trip ended up organized like this:
Sat 36 holes at Bear's Paw CC
Sun 18 at Old Corkscrew
Monday 36 at Streamsong
Tues 18 at Streamsong
Streamsong's accolades are deserved and both courses are broken down on this site by people better at describing courses and taking photos than I. I'll add only that they're doable from Ft. Myers, as it's a pretty easy 2hr trip. I'll also add that after having been there twice, I have trouble choosing between red and blue, and if I had ten rounds there I'd probably play them 5 and 5 (of course until the new course opens, and then I'd rotate it in too) and love it. Although having been twice with my game in less than perfect shape, the first on red is the opposite of a gentle handshake and the first few holes on the red can really be rough on a crooked driver. Next time I go, I'll try to play the Blue in the morning and then the red in the afternoon.
Last piece of advice - if you aren't getting caddies make sure you have a laser in your group! They still haven't figured out that there are easy ways to let people know where the pins are located on what are generally huge greens. One laser helps you figure out if it's 'front/middle/back' and then everyone with a GPS will be on equal footing. Without it you'll have some big guesses.Ok, now Bonita/Naples. We ended up with an Old Jack vs. New Jack architecture tour. Old Corkscrew was the new Jack. We had fun, but probably would not go back. As other reviewers have noted, it plays pretty unfairly unless you're a dialed in 1-2 handicapper. We were rusty 6-9's and it beats up even slight misses. We should have known that from the reviews we read, but we decided to play it...and we probably won't again.
That said the surprise of the trip for me was how much we loved Bear's Paw CC.
Bear's Paw CC is a private course that was Nicklaus' first solo design following his completion of Harbortown with Pete Dye. While I haven't played HT, I've watched the tournament there often and have always loved the course. Bear's Paw felt like HT looks on TV. Pine Needles under all the trees, some narrow driving holes (but ones that permitted you to lay back with a hybrid in turn for a longer approach in), and some gorgeous par 3's and 5's. For those that hate Old Corkscrew (and also Harbor Shores in Benton Harbor), Bear's Paw feels like a completely different type of Nicklaus course. It was in impeccable condition. It's easily walkable
although we rode due to playing 36 holes with 90 degrees, sun, and 80% humidity the day we were there, and there was no one there. A recently finished renovation had the bunkers full of the best sand I've ever played and we just ended up having a blast.Here's a link to their course tour:
http://www.bearspawcc.org/club/scripts/custom/custom.asp?NS=PG&PAGECFG=COURSETOURMy impression of some specific holes:
1,2, nothing much to start.
3 was a fun par 5, open off the tee and short enough to tempt a go in two, with trouble pinching in left and a well bunkered green site to make you think about it.
4 was a short par 5 with a neat dual tiered green with a big ridge separating the higher left from the lower right half.
5 was a great dog leg that wants you to hit it further and closer to OB left to have a straighter shot in avoiding (what I think) was a beautifully placed pine that says hit a high fade approach (as Jack would right?)
6 wasn't much to write home about
7 was a pretty straightforward par 5 with a tough elevated green.
8 was a more interesting 3 hole than 2, but the par 3's on the back were definitely better.
9 had a forced carry, but to a massive fairway, and then wanted a draw into the green if you wanted to get close.
10 was another forced carry from our tee, but had a fun tee that's part of the practice green to a cape fairway. In the online tour it looks really tough, but there's plenty of bailout right. There is however a stand of trees that don't add much although they kind of make you think about chancing it close to the water if you hit it low (like me). It ended up being a really fun hole to play.
11 is a par 5 that off the tee appears really narrow, but plays wider. Bit of a head game to tighten up with driver. Another one that if you hit a good drive from the right tees, probably going for it comes in.
12 was one of my favorites. The tee is pushed back up behind 11 green elevated on the edge of the property. On the course map the hole runs straight down a straight property line. In person it plays nearly like a double dogleg. You want to fade it off the tee to avoid the trouble that pinches in left, but then you'll need a draw coming in because of the green placement. And the slightly elevated tee and green make it feel like the hole has more movement than it does. Great golf hole.
13 is a fantastic par 5. Challenge the fairway bunkers to try to have a go (none of us really had it) and think through it as a three shot hole if you don't.
14 - Tough, fun, par 3. We played it 189 into a club breeze with a pin that you wanted to go at but couldn't really. Hit it out right and try to bring it back and the wimpier you are the harder the bunker shot/chip.
15 was a tight driving hole with a maddening pot bunker 220 out that was trying to tell you to do the right thing and layup. If you did you had a longer shot in but a green big enough to hold it. 12,13,14,and 15 were a great stretch of golf holes.
16 is another tough beautiful par 3, with plenty of bailout for those worried about the water. We like the par 3's in total, although due to the wind we had, none played short. It would have been more fun if at least 1 was an 8/9/wedge hole. I think I hit hybrid twice and a 6 and a 7 (and repeated it the next round).
17 was a challenging par 4 with water driveable down wind but the approach hard enough to make you want to get close to it.
18 the finishing hole was a beauty. Lots of room to decide where to hit it and how much you wanted to challenge bunkers. And if you hit it in them you likely were laying up. Only gripe (and it's a weird one for a Jack N course) was that the green was pretty flat and kinda boring. Maybe Jack wanted some closing birdies to make it interesting (I think we lipped out two in our group).
In conclusion, still Florida golf, but sure felt more like Carolina's golf than anywhere else I've played down there. You certainly could see houses, but since the course is 37 years old the trees are grown and do a great job buffering the houses. The course has their conditioning on point and was one of the more fun Nicklaus courses I've ever played. It makes me want to go check Harbortown off the bucket list and none of us were upset we'd played two rounds there as opposed to the Fazio we originally tried to schedule. Also, the lunch was fantastic between rounds. Two guys got lobster rolls, two guys got crab grilled cheese sandwiches, and 4 guys said dang that was a great lunch. All in all, I highly recommend it!
For those wondering about 'access' none of us really have any. Bear's Paw takes part in the South Florida PGA pass system. You can buy the pass for $50 and it's good May-October, and it allows you to make tee times at a lot of the private courses in Naples, Bonita, Ft. Myers (as well as the rest of the peninsula). It also gets you discounts at the public courses (our round at old corkscrew was $40 plus cart, and Bear's Paw wasn't a lot more). Great deal for anyone who likes playing in a little heat!
https://sfpgagolf.com/golfpass/participating-facilities/If you read this, hope it helps!
PJ