Slammer and Squire - WORLD GOLF VILLAGE (904-940-6100)
Florida golf course review
General Information
The World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Florida is a "must visit" for golf enthusiasts. The sprawling complex boasts two 4-star championship golf courses - the King and Bear
designed in collaboration by Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, and the Slammer and Squire by Bobby Weed, plus the World Golf Hall of Fame, the PGA Tour Golf Academy, an 18
-hole putting course, an Imax Theatre, designer shops, plus upscale amenities at a variety of on-site accommodations. You can take a virtual tour of the Golf Hall of Fame, and will
find many other interesting features on the WGV website, including info on stay and play packages, by clicking here.
Slammer and Squire
The Slammer and Squire at the World Golf Village is the property's original course - and is located within the World Golf Village grounds, just minutes for the World Golf Hall of
Fame. Bobby Weed designed the layout, with consultation from legends Sam Snead and Gene Sarazen. Though challenging, the course will not penalize the average or
inexperienced player - who will have a variety of tee boxes to choose from. It is a well conditioned layout from tee to green, with two distinctive nines. The front meanders through
pine lined fairways and wetland corridors with wooden pathways and bridges. The back nine stays in view of the village - with a great view of the Hall of Fame in the background of
the 18th green. Throughout, large mildly undulating putting surfaces and finely manicured fairways and bunkers are defined by playable rough, with wetlands frequently in play.
The clubhouse is a beauty - complete with a pro shop, locker rooms with showers, and a restaurant/lounge. Golfers are met at the bag drop, and transported to the facility via a
commuter cart. The World Golf Hall of fame is just a short walk away, and is recommended for those with some extra time on their hands. Call the pro shop for operating hours (it
closed at 6PM on our visit). There also is a wonderful practice area with complimentary range plus putting and chipping greens.
On course golfers will discover the same marking system that is featured on the King and Bear - Pro Link GPS on all carts plus the Kirby measuring system with yardage blocks
posted every 25 yards from 200 yards in. Directional stakes are posted at 150 yards away on par fours, and 225 yards away on par fives. The GPS will indicate the exact distance to
the pin, and also provides hole diagrams. With 5 different tee boxes, all levels of golfers will be able to choose a yardage that suites their game. The tips (Stone tees) measure
6939 yards with a 135 slope, the Blacks 6660/128 slope, the Blues 6132/123 slope (, the Whites 5711/124 and the Greens 4996 with a 116 slope rating. For women the blues rate
131 and the whites 124. The blues are a good choice for the average golfer, as the longest par four from these tees measures just 387 yards. As with the King and Bear, there is
generally plenty of fairway to work with and lots of room near the greens.
The opening hole is very open with a shot to the left center of the fairway setting up for the most advantageous approach. The second is a pretty but simple par three with bail out
room short left. Long shots are penalized as the partially crowned green slopes off in back. This is even more true for the green complex on the par four third, as the slope past the
putting surface drops off dramatically. Aim for the directional stake off the tee on the par five 4th, and lay up to the right center of the fairway about 70 yards for a clear wedge shot
approach. Played cautiously as a 3-shot hole, this dogleg left number 3 handicap can yield some birdies. Five is flanked by a water hazard left and a thick forest of trees to the right.
Pay attention to the pin placement on this ridged putting surface, which is well protected by sand bunkers. Long hitters can bend their tee shot over the left fairway traps on six; all
others should play towards the directional stake right of center. Miss the green right on this challenging four par and your ball will likely come to rest in one of the collection areas
greenside. The par three 7th plays to a raised green, suggesting one extra club off the tee. Miss the green here and you most likely will be chipping/pitching uphill as the greens
drops off sharply on 3 sides. Eight is the course's number one handicap - a par five bordered by trees on both sides with the fairway narrowing as you approach the green. This
hole is handicapped number one - but is core-able if played cautiously. The eleventh lets you breathe with plenty of room on a generous fairway and also greenside.
The back side begins with a par four that plays easily if you can manage to clear the right fairway bunker off the tee. Eleven plays to a contoured fairway, again with plenty of room.
The well protected green is best approached from the left center, to avoid navigating the bunkers and mounding just short right of the putting surface. The par four 12th plays long
with a hidden water hazard on the right coming into play about 120 yards away. The collection areas on 3 sides make getting up and down from greenside quite a chore. On the
par three 13th there is plenty of room for error right - but the left side drops off towards the bunker and water hazard on that side. The green complex on 14 is perhaps the toughest
on the course - with mounding and bunkers coming into play and undulations rolling throughout the putting surface. A drive past the 100 yard area between the fairway traps will
leave a nice wedge approach. There is plenty of bail out area left of the green on the beautiful par three 15th. The narrow green is ridged in the middle however, creating some
tricky chips. Number 16 is the longest hole on the course, but presents plenty of room off the tee, and an ample landing area past the 100 yard marker on the second shot. Par is
a great score here. Seventeen can also play long, depending on the wind factor - and is best played to the right of the left fairway bunkers off the tee. Shot placement here will cut off
some yardage as the hole bends dramatically left. Eighteen also bends left - this time around a lake on that side. The green complex rests just right of the water hazard with
bunkers on both sides. The view of the Golf Hall of Fame across the water is spectacular.
The Slammer & Squire is the easier of the two layouts at the World Golf Village. The conditioning from tee to green as good as we have experienced in Florida - and the
atmosphere is classy yet comfortable. A round here is highly recommended. Scratch golfers will find challenge from the tips, and yet will be comfortable bringing less skilled
friends who will find the course playable from alternate sets of tees. This is a great golfing atmosphere!
Click here for an information page for this golf course with a link to its website (if available.)
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