Turtle Point Golf Course

Both the high-handicapper and the scratch player have to hit over water to a landing area guarded by what is now one large fairway bunker on the left. It used to be a much tougher driving hole before the right side of the landing area was cleared out. The hole is reachable in two by the big hitters with oaks guarding the right fairway leading to a shallow green. It is a large risk/reward shot with the right side of the green surrounded by water. This is a good opportunity to pick up a stroke. It is also one of the most aesthetically pleasing of the holes on the outward nine.

Hole 3 is a little more difficult than the previous holes, even though the handicap implies it’s not. It is the only hole on the golf course without a bunker. There is a lagoon along the left side of the fairway that is about 220 yards from the blue tee markers. The right side is best here. Many players will forgo use of their driver to gain position for a dangerous second shot to a tiered green. There is plenty of room to bail out right of the green, but long of the green will leave a very difficult pitch.

This hole is a long par 3 that prefers a left-to-right shot off the tee. Subtle undulations in the green separate the pin areas while bunkers protect the putting surface on the back-left and front-right.

Hole 5 is a scoring hole for both the scratch and average player. A simple, straightaway hole with water coming into play for the average player, but really doesn’t for the longer hitter unless playing from the gold tees. The better player can reach it in two. There is not much trouble around the green except for a bunker on the left as well as a bunker in front. On the right is a “shelf” that collects balls missed to that side.

The better player will not necessarily hit a driver here, opting instead for position on this relatively short hole. If they do hit a driver, they need to be on the right side of the fairway, especially if the pin is in the middle or left side of the green. The silver tees are substantially in front of the gold and black tees, giving the average player an advantage off the tee. However, the second shot is a difficult one over water to a bulk headed green with one small bunker in the back. Accuracy is a premium.

Hole 7 is a short and picturesque par 3 that plays over the pond. The only true bail-out is left of the green while a bunker frames the back of the green. Subtle ridges and contours set up the various small pin areas in this green.

Nicklaus lengthened this long par-4 by about 30 yards, making it extremely difficult to reach. The first thing a player sees is an imposing tree on the right. This tree guards a lagoon and serves as the crux of its dogleg right. But, the further left a player goes, the longer the second shot. Expect a mid-iron from near the tree and a long iron or wood from the left side of the fairway into a small green guarded by a bunker on the right. If the wind is blowing, even long hitters may need everything in their bags to reach it.

This is a hole where a phantom wind can really affect a shot. Hitting the second shot into the green, the player won’t feel the breeze, but near the green a gap in the houses and trees funnels the wind that will push most balls to the right. Local knowledge has the better players aiming to the left side of the green (even over the water) and allowing this phantom wind to carry their ball to the pin. From the tee, players will see a directional fairway bunker that turns the hole to the left. A well-placed tee shot on the left side of the fairway will greatly reduce the length of the second shot. Too far left and players will need to shape their shot around a large oak.

A long tee shot avoiding the two left fairway bunkers might allow this green to be reached in two long shots. Players laying up will need to favor the right side of the second landing area and avoid the fairway bunker to set up the best angle to approach the green protected by three bunkers.

A great golf hole, both aesthetically and in playability. Water lines the right side of the fairway while trees guard approaches to the green. The hole has a big premium on a tee shot down the middle or to the left side of the fairway. The farther left, however, the longer the second shot to the bulk headed and very shallow green. An intimidating shot for the average player. The green has a lot more break than it appears. Collection areas have replaced the bunkers behind and to the right of the green.

This oft-photographed hole features a generous landing area a player must take advantage of due to the hole’s length. Even with a good drive, players are looking at a mid- to long-iron into a fairly large, elevated green set back into the woods. If the pin is back, add at least one club. This hole was the least altered by Nicklaus during his course refurbishment. He added a fairway bunker and the greenside bunker became smaller.

A tight driving hole with an intimidating second shot. This last par-5 on the course can be reached in two shots by carrying the large fairway bunker along the lake’s edge. Those bailing out short and left will face a difficult pitch over the knob in front of the large, gently contoured green.

The first of the ocean holes, it is a very difficult green to hit. Shots are generally played downwind to a very small, tough putting green. The green has a small bowl in the center, which can be difficult to deal with while putting. There are two bunkers to the left of the green and the ocean on the right.

Many consider 15 the “signature” hole of the course. This is a short par-4 that features two distinct options off the tee. Those playing along the dunes on the left will get a full view of this punch-bowl green that slopes away from the player. Those bailing out right will be partially blinded by the dune. A bunker protects the right of the green. The best miss on this green may be long, as players are only faced with a straightforward pitch back up the green.

Better players will hit everything from an 8-iron to 3-iron, depending on tee location and wind strength. If the pin is on the left side of the green, players may have the intimidating task of aiming their ball out over the dunes to have the wind carry the ball back to the hole. The back right pin placement makes it almost impossible to get the ball close. The hole now only has one front right greenside bunker that Nicklaus “softened,” feeling the hole was already difficult enough!

This relatively easy hole rewards players for surviving the ocean holes. There is a big distance advantage teeing off from the silver tees. Players want to hit their tee shot to the left side of the fairway because trees can block second shots if too far right. Bunkers front-right and left guard the small green. Nicklaus moved the green a bit to the right and raised it over four feet, so it now demands a precise short iron second shot.

Hole 18 is a strong par-4 guarded by fairway bunkers on the right and water down the entire left side and in front of the green. The fairway is very wide short of these bunkers, but narrows significantly the further the shot is played. The wide and shallow green is strongly contoured and protected by bunkers front and back.