On The Tee

Hole # 4

 

The Resort at Longboat Key Club:

Harbourside Course - Blue Heron

A Watery Stretch

Posted by Alistair Orr

Willard Bird created a wonderful target golf experience on the Blue loop of the Longboat Key Club with a routing that is characterized by narrow fairways, tricky doglegs and small green complex’s. Placing an emphasis on conservative course management practices is the most likely blue print for achieving scoring success. However, if you are the gambling type you will have a ton of fun here because there are plenty of opportunities to grip-it'n'rip-it and challenge the corners and attack the pins. Although, do so at your peril for you may find that the rewards don’t always out way the risks.  

 

The opening hole is a fairly forgiving gentle dogleg right par 4 of medium length offering a nice stress free start to the round but things change dramatically on the second tee. Holes two through five feature water running down the entire right side of each hole while trees and OB dominate the left. Laser like accuracy and precise distance control are needed to manage this stretch successfully. The sixth hole is pretty basic short straight-away par 4 and is a welcome breather having survived the previous watery challenge but the siesta is short lived for holes seven through nine require your full concentration. The ever present swirling winds will have you in a quandary over club selection on the demanding par 3, 7th while the dynamic views of Sarasota Bay and the sounds of the bustling marina will bombard your senses on the closing holes.  

 

Course Stats:

Harbourside

Blue Heron: Par 36, 2599 - 3401 yards

 

Editor's Shot Makers Picks:

Hole 2		Hole 3		Hole 4
Par 4	HCP 5	Par 3	HCP 9	Par 4	HCP 2
Blue	395	Blue	148	Blue	418
White	346	White	127	White	366
Gold	331	Gold	119	Gold	345
Red	305	Red	111	Red	302

 

Feature Holes Descriptions:

The 2nd hole begins a stretch of three holes where careful navigation is needed if three pars are to be marked. Less than driver is the prudent club choice for the opening drive of this stretch. The landing area on this sharp dogleg right is guarded by water on the inside bend from tee to green, two bunkers through the fairway and a creek crossing at the 130 mark. The 3rd is a tidy little par 3 but don’t let its apparent lack depth fool you for a pure strike is needed to overcome the prevailing wind, pot bunker front left and water hazard right. Number 4 may be the sternest test on the Blue. Featuring another sharp dogleg right the tee ball must carry the corner of the pond and a hedge row to find the blind landing area which is pinched by stands of trees and a bank of bunkers through the fairway. An approach from the 150 mark must split the overhang trees that line the fairway to a green site protected by a lone bunker left, scrub long and water right. A 4, 3, 4 pencilled on the score card here will earn you bragging rights post round in The Tavern.

 

Related Editorial:

The Resort at Longboat Key Club: A Gulf Coast Golf Oasis

White Egret: Beauty on Sarasota Bay

Contact:

The Resort at Longboat Key Club

Harbourside Golf Course
3000 Harbourside Drive
Longboat Key, Florida 34228

[website]