Old Corkscrew #8 & #14

Old Corkscrew Golf Club is located just east of Fort Myers in Estero, Florida. The 72 hole complex was designed by Jack Nicklaus in 2007. It is situated on 275 acres in a natural, private setting. This particular day I was hosted by Don Edwards. Don is a wonderful ambassador for Old Corkscrew and also a very fine golfer. Most all of the hockey players I have played with have excellent hand-eye coordination which is a great asset for playing the game of golf. Don was an All-Star goalie for the Buffalo Sabers back in the early 80's and won the Vezina Trophy in 1980.

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Hole #8 is a reachable par 5 for the long hitters who can avoid the left fairway bunker. Otherwise, it is a three shot hole with driver off the tee or a 3 wood to avoid the bunker short on the left. I hit a good drive right of the bunker that left me with 230 yards to the pin. To go for the green you would have to carry a large waste area and hope of landing in the front bunker. It appeared that it would be the prudent move to lay up in the landing area right of the green about 200 yards away. I pulled out my 3 hybrid, which gets me around 205 yards, and pushed it right over the cart path into the pine straw. Luckily, I had a great lie with 79 yards to the pin which was located on the left portion of the green. My shot landed short of the pin and rolled about 10 feet past the pin. I made the putt for birdie. After playing the hole, I would hit three wood with a draw for my second shot if the pin was located on the right half of the green. I played it safe with the pin on the left and had a great result. A very aesthetic hole with strategic bunkering coming into play off the tee, on your layup shot, and around the green.

Hole #14 is one of the most challenging holes at Old Corkscrew. Off the tee you are confronted with a dog leg right, cape style hole with the right side protected by a large bunker. Land in the bunker and you are going to have a hard time making par. I choose not to cut off any thing on the drive and hit it straight down the fairway to 155 yards out to a front right pin. The green is shallow/wide and elevated. It is protected by large bunker complex with the deepest portion on the right front side. I was advised not to leave it right of the pin and hit my 5 iron further left and longer than I wanted ending up toward the back left center of the green . I was left with an impossible putt to get it close. After my first putt, I had about an 8 footer to make par and missed for my bogey. This hole is all you want on any given day. If you can hit it over 280 off the tee, try to cut the corner and leave yourself with a shorter more manageable approach shot.

Other notable holes: #2, #4, #9, #10, #11, and #18.