It�s not many times that you get to step onto a track that was designed by probably the two best golfers that the sport has seen. The King and Bear, as the nicknames suggest, was designed by Arnold Palmer (The King) and Jack Nicklaus (The Golden Bear). As I stand on the first tee they certainly set their combined stalls out from the start. Before me is a carry-over water and a large bunker to the fairway beyond. I check the yardage book and from the stone tees we are playing from its 308 yards to the bunker on the far side of the fairway. Blocking everything out of my mind I smash my drive and manage to hit the middle of the fairway and we are off.  Risk & Reward 573-yard 7th It's a great opening hole, but I would make sure that you take full advantage of the fantastic practice facilities before you hit the first tee. There are five teeing option here measuring 7,279 yards from the stone tees to 5,987 from the green tees, so you have plenty to choose from. Or you could go for a mix-and-match playing the par-3s from one of the back tees if you so choose, or one of the forward tees if some of the carries over water look a bit daunting. No matter what tees you choose you will enjoy this track. There is water on 17 of the 18 holes but it doesn�t really come into play on a lot of them. It does on the tee shot on the 2nd with another carry over water, but don�t worry ��� there are bail out areas or as I said earlier you can choose a tee where the water doesn�t come into play. Both Arnold and Jack have their favourite holes, Arnold�s being the risk-and-reward 360-yard 15th where water runs all the way along the right-hand side leaving you to decide how much you want to take on. While Jack chooses the demanding 467-yard 16th that plays through pines to a large sloping green. My favourite hole has to be the 412-yard par-4 12th known as Hidden Lake. If you get a good drive away you only have an 8-iron into the green over water and I just love the look for that second shot. And from the angle you come in from you play to a shallow green, that seems to sit in a valley with a lone bunker to the right to catch anything short. I also enjoy the dog-leg left 427-yard 17th where you tee off over a small pound through a funnel which is played through giant oak trees. The second shot is played to a green that is 36 yards long and protected by three deep bunkers � it really is a great hole. You will probably like one of the other many great holes on this beautiful track. What everyone will agree upon is the big juicy red iced apples in a barrel on the 10th tee. Not only do they look and taste great, it�s one of the many nice touches that turns a great day into a memorable one. Sign up for the Albrecht newsletter and be the first to learn about new golf packages, special offers and exclusive travel experiences. You can change your mind at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in the footer of any newsletter you receive from us, or by contacting us at [email protected]. We will treat your information with respect. You can find details about our privacy practices here. By clicking above, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with these terms. My wife and I played the Slammer and Squire and it was your typical Florida golf course experience, in our opinion. Greens had just been aerated and sand was coverinjg them. We were offered no discount of course and paid $150 each, not happy. The HOF itself and surrounding areas seemed to be struggling financially. We went across the pond out front and went Murray Bros Caddy Shack themed restaurant and sports bar for dinner, which was fun. The elder brother (I think) was on hand as the host at the door. I was really surprised at the empty shops all around the pond area there. We could not get on the King and Bear due to rain but we did go over to the pro shop which was nice, as well for what little of the course we could see there. We ended up playing one of the muni's north of there and had a blast playing 18 and then in a group 9 hole scramble they talked us into. The place was called Cimmarone Golf Club about 20 minutes north of HOF. Meanders around through a neighborhood and was really nice for the money. I think we paid $40 each with a cart. Greens were a little grainy but better than 1/2 inch of sand! Disclaimer: I have never been there myself. But I will share a story straight from my Dad, who went there a few times, granted it was at least 30 - 40 years ago when he was traveling the entire State of Florida, and playing every golf course in the state known to man. He went there on a "business trip" when he worked for TWA and just wrote it off. Again, 3 to 4 decades ago, so the information is so dated as to not be worth mentioning, but since it sort of lines up with what is said above I'll say what my old man said here. "The Hall of Fame charges WAAAY too much money for me. The place was empty for good reason, because no one was gonna pay what they were asking to go in the place." "We checked out the Slammer and the Squire and the King and the Bear courses and they are a total marketing rip off. Not one memorable hole or experience from playing those courses, and they aren't even worth half of what they were charging for greens fees, based on the level of condition or the design of these courses." Have you ever wondered why you see Gary Player on your TV every day begging you to travel to the World Golf Hall of Fame saying, "You've got to go."? Have you ever wondered why these same golf courses are endlessly marketed on TV? Again, I haven't ever been, and can only go off of what my Dad says about that place, but even based on your comments above I am pretty convinced that nothing has changed in 30-40 years. Marketing BS and a total tourist rip off. At least that's what I glean from all of this. Is King and Bear worth the money?Overall, The King & The Bear is a quality course. The staff were very friendly and helpful. The greens were excellent, lots of contour and pretty quick. Most of the tee areas were in good condition (there were a couple that were pretty rough, but it's early March so that happens). What is the difference between Slammer and Squire and King and Bear?Compared to the King and Bear, the Slammer and Squire course is about 400 yards shorter from all tee grounds. The fairways are more generous, and the water hazards are less intrusive. The two nines are entirely different. The links-style front nine cuts through the forest and swampland while the back nine is more open. |
