Escambia 

Par 27

Level 3 playing from 757 – 1,337 yards

E is for Escambia.  E is also for Exotic, Engaging and Enlightened.  Those Especially descriptive words may seem a bit too Embellished to describe Escambia – perhaps too Exaggerated.   This feels like the start of a Sesame Street show sponsored, of course, by the letter E.  Enough already – let’s play an Executive!  But this is no typical Exec.  It’s built on one of the most interesting pieces of land and has one of the Hardest Holes and tallest tee boxes around.   It’s also one of the shortest tracks in The Villages with all par threes, only two of which that are longer than 130 yards from the gold tees.  Here's a fun fact: From the green tees there are only two courses shorter than Escambia - can you name them? (Quiz Question 9) But what it lacks in length, it makes up for in Elevation changes and Endangering greens.  Oh, and there’s no Escaping the wind factor.  Because it’s so wide open to the East, a prevailing cross wind often cuts across you - Especially on holes 1-5 and 9.  A Level 3 course that’s so short has to be filled with other daunting Elements, right?  Exactly!  It'll be a round to Enjoy!  Let's go Elmo!

My golf game has a lot of ups and downs.  So does Escambia!  We’re a perfect match!  This will be Evident when stepping up to the first tee.  The first green is distinctly downhill with a center swale from left to right making it hard to stick your first drive.  #2 is a similar shot - but upward to an Elevated green that funnels anything short to the left toward a trap. But if the wind is howling from the left, you have to aim for the trap and let the wind correct for it.  Easy!   Next move is climbing the cart path to Escambia’s upper Echelon for some great views and more challenging shots up on the Edge of the course.  On #3 you’ll be shooting up hill with the wind now from your right.  The green has a valley running in the center making for a fun putt.  #4 is on my Hardest Holes List.  Pictured below, the 4th is an Electrician’s delight with High Wires above.  The length alone (178 yards) makes this a hard club selection.  But it plays downhill with two front traps that virtually Eliminate a shot rolling up onto the green.  So, you’ve got to decide to lay up or carry the green.  For me any downhill approach feels like I’m gonna skip it right over the green.  Throw in the cross wind and chaos Ensues – and your toughest shot of the day. Oh, and before you tee off, look to your left to see the only landfill with an American flag flying.  Salute, shoot and hope for a bogey on toughest shot of your day!  Keep coming down the incline to #5 - it's a difficult green, but it’s a little more Easygoing than #4 at just 100 yards.  But you'll still need an Exact drop shot for a chance at par. And if you go long you'll find an Exasperatingly huge hidden trap behind the green.  So be short! 

Now turn to the west with the wind to your back on #6.  Club up to avoid the trap Employed to guard the front right – it’s better to be left on this uphill wide green.  If you’re playing near Evening, #7 will reward you with a sunset shot from a vista looking west.  In the Up and Down derby, you’re now shooting downhill again to a crazy double dipper green – if the pin is back, you may reach your Emotional overload!  Turning back to the East and into the wind, #8 is nearly level, but the green is perched high Enough that anything hit short will drain away.  But if you can stick your drive, you’ll Experience a perfect putting surface for a birdie opportunity!  The End has now arrived.  #9 is Escambia’s only water hole, saving a possible splash for last.  Just 112 to an Elongated green with a back to front slant with lots of, you guessed it, ups and downs and Entertaining rolls in the way!  Yeah, the Entertainment never Ends on Escambia, I Enjoy it more Every time! 

Thank you to the letter E for bringing us Escambia! 

Toughest to Easiest:

4, 6, 5, 2, 7, 3, 9, 1, 8 – toughest green 7