The Bear Trap is Ready to Pounce

The "Bear Trap" on The Champion Course at PGA National Resort & Spa doesn't discriminate; it harasses everyone who dares to enter its three-hole lair. This week during the PGA TOUR's Honda Classic, the sport's best will have to somehow remain unscathed through holes 15, 16 and 17 - golf's ultimate version of the "tempestuous teens."
And that's not an easy feat. Since the Honda Classic moved to The Champion Course in 2007, the Bear Trap has been responsible for 24 % of all tournament bogeys, 56 % of double bogeys and an incredible 74 % of triple bogeys. How's that for a fine "how do you do?"

In his pretournament press conference Sergio Garcia contended competitors face a fine line between playing the Bear Trap well, or not. "If you're on and you hit three good shots and make one birdie and two pars or even two birdies, you're making up a lot of ground," said Garcia. "But being just a little bit off, you can make - without hitting terrible shots - you can make a double, a par and a bogey, and you leave those three holes shooting 3 over."

After a his warm-up session on the range before the Wednesday Pro Am, the affable North Carolinian Will MacKenzie said of the Bear Trap, "If you play them even-par for the week, you feel like you're gaining on the field. But there's definitely more at stake because they come at such a critical part of the round."

The diabolical stretch starts with the seemingly benign 15th - a par 3 of 179 yards. Its green is flanked on three sides by an idyllic lake that's home to several graceful herons. But the beauty can't be a distraction, as frequently gusty winds can knock even well-struck shots into the watery habitat.

Sixteen is a 434-yard par 4 with a canal and vast fairway bunker preventing any thoughts of a shortcut. The approach needs to fight prevailing headwinds to find a slanted green guarded by cavernous bunkers that will gobble up anything not hit right on the nose.

The toughest of the lot is the par-3 17th. Its green complex rises up out of a pond and features steep, ball-repelling banks. From the 205-yard tournament tee, players are faced with the task of trying to land their ball on a dining room table just big enough for a party of six. Anywhere on the putting surface brings a sigh of relief. Anywhere else brings double-bogey.

Australian Robert Allenby, known as one of the best ball strikers on the PGA TOUR, says, "On Sunday when the pin is in the back right on No. 17, this is the hardest hole we play on TOUR."

Your don't have to be a pro to try and tame the Bear Trap. PGA National offers the "Champion Golf Package." The stay-and-play starts at $379 through April 30 (per person, double occupancy) and features luxury accommodations with private balcony or terrace; full daily breakfast at the Palm Terrace; one daily round on The Champion Course (with mandatory forecaddie from Dec. - April); and unlimited range balls and complimentary golf bag storage.

The mighty Bear Trap will be licking its chops and waiting for you.