...for the better regardless.
Played well here on a gorgeous late January day.
The history of LWB Muni is pretty clear, too, so I won't rehash it:
https://floridahistoricgolftrail.com/courses/lake-worth-beach-golf-club/?altTemplate=CoursePageSticker shock is rarely a good first reaction but when I was told (and subsequently confirmed) that $70 for a mid-morning Wednesday round is still the cheapest in Palm Beach County I wryly thanked The Park (tm) for it's contribution to affordable golf.
Being forced to pay for a cart I didn't use is not helpful, either.
The 9 hole aerial from 1939 suggests that the Wilson additions were on the north end of the skinny property with some construction legerdemain within the existing corridors to make an 18-hole routing.
Three Drives, Three Approaches, and Three Greens:
-We love a good corner boundary and the tee shot on the 11th places some premium on placement for the second shot to reach the green this Par 5 in two shots.
-The likely-most-well-preserved 5th hole tee shot is compelling on this short Par 4 as the green is not easily approached from the direct line.
-The last tee shot on 18 - Not noteworthy other than it's a good chance to lay into one without the threat of water found on the previous few holes.
Overall not a terribly interesting course off the tee. I almost put the short Par 4 12th shot here but it's artificially defended on the inside of the dog-leg to prevent an attempt at the green.
-The approach to the 5th hole is likely to be a pitch of under 100 yards to the most severely contoured green remaining. It's compelling and fun with a variety of options to knock it close.
-The Par 3 17th is by far the most picturesque approach on the golf course. The hole served as the northern most hole in the 9 hole routing.
-The first hole, a reachable Par 5, has some tension in the lay-up or go for it decision that pushes the better player to have a crack at it. I like holes where a cautious bogey marker can nab a shot from the scratch and this is it if the scratch fails to execute and convert.
Not much here, either, in way of approaches to greens. You'll have longer shots into them as a result of trying to get as close to a green as possible on a Par 5 or because you marched back to the 220 tee on the Par 3 4th hole. Other than the potentially delicate pitch or chip into the 5th and the need to fight the omnipresent wind from the tee on the 17th there's not much to challenge precision.
-The 5th green (pictured) is by far the most contoured. The tepid front hole location on the day I played was easily accessible but it's clear that this green have hole locations that could extract a shot from a lazy or ill-conceived approach.
-The 11th green is ideally severe for the end of such a short Par 5. Hardly distinctive or unique other than showing what I'm guessing is a vestige of the Dick Wilson work.
-The 16th green is large and somewhat undulating at the end of a short Par 5.
If there were even one more greens that resembled the 5th in contouring, I'd say the $70 was worth it. However, I'm more amazed that the fifth green has stood the test of time so well - assuming of course it is original.
There's not much here that's worth the $70 price tag. I did have fun but only as a once-off that I can now sleep a bit better knowing what was there before the scheduled renovation.
Two views of the 5th green. If there is any L&M left, I think this would be it.
The fun short 17th
