Mangrove

Par 27

Level 3 playing from 694 – 1,393 yards

I'd like to introduce you to my little friend Manny.  He's a 10-foot gator that's staked claim to the ponds between the 4th and 8th greens on Mangrove.  Like many Gators, he looks like he's smiling - probably because of the understated warning sign - Caution Indeed!  He's the King of this Jungle and deserving of a wide berth.  Because Mangrove is one of the shortest level 3 courses in town, some may say it's easy - that's a Croc.  Manny is no pushover - it's got one of the 18 Hardest Holes, followed by one of the toughest groupings of consecutive shots in town.  You may come for the Gator photo ops, but you'll remember Manny's bite!  Let's take a tour of his home:

First, remember there’s a practice putting green across Hendry Drive from the Starter Shack.  The whole course plays that side of Hendry so after checking in at the Starter Shack, head across Hendry to putt a little.  The first shot of the day feels pretty pedestrian - but don't be deceived - if you land too far right, you could get wet.  And getting wet on a course with an alligator for a mascot is not the way to begin.  As you drive to the 2nd tee box look for Manny's offspring - sometimes two are seen on opposite shores.  And getting to the opposite shore is your goal here.  Once there you'll find a skinny green that rolls everything right toward the pond.  The 3rd has a great view of Evan’s Prairie – which sure looks like a lake to me.  I’m from the Midwest and the prairies we have back there have "little houses" on them and are certainly not blue and wet like this one!  It’s also your first shot of the day that’s fully over water.  Yes, there is water under all that marsh, so don’t plan on retrieving any short shots!  And the green is a multi-tiered roller rink slanting back to front.  It’s a real tester for each of your allotted three shots. 

Now the real fun begins - the 4th through 7th is one of the best stretches in town.  Near the 4th green is where the picture of Manny above was taken.  But before you get your phone out, focus on the beast in front of you - Mangrove 4 is on my Hardest Holes list for both the optics and the logistics.  It looks freakishly far thanks to the large marsh - you can barely see the fringe in front of the green.  Your landing zone is long and tight, with a severely sloping green guarded by traps on the left.  This is a full-grown Man-Groan! #5 is a beauty, and a welcome respite from the marsh.  The water along the right won't come into play, unless Manny is hungry.  Just place your shot between the traps for your best chance at par during this treacherous stretch.   Cross the road to #6 to play a fun uphill over water shot.  Sometimes we've seen Manny on this side of the road.  That reminds me..... why does a Gator cross the road?  Contact me if you know a punchline I can use!  Because the water in this shot is so pronounced, we call this hole the "Irrigator". Club up!  Around the bend is #7 - another fun tee shot where you'll need your most precise play of the day.  The flag is often right behind a downhill trap on a narrow green.  This is the tee shot where you'll earn your stripes, or should I say "scales"?  Because your utmost directional ability is required, we call this tee shot the "Navigator".  Be safe and hit it long.  #8 has a pesky trap on the right and subtle rolling and dipping green - the toughest of the round.  The 9th is a fine finishing hole with nice big green - just like our reptilian friend who calls this place home.  

It's appropriate in Florida's Friendliest Hometown that we have a golf course that honors a prodigious Alligator.  Truth be told, I expect to learn from the Ambassador one day that Manny has been "relocated", like when our parents told us they brought our old dog to the "farm".  But even when he's gone, this course will be worthwhile.  Think of all the wannabe Mannys vying to take his place. It's the perfect locale for a Gator to thrive - marshland, open water, plenty of sunning spots and a bunch of easily impressed onlookers like me!  I play it whenever I can - and I always bring a Gatorade!  

Toughest to Easiest:  

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