If North Port, Florida rings a bell, it’s likely because of last year’s high-profile Gabby Petito case. Nearby Carlton Reserve is part of Myakka River State Park, a well-known destination for hiking, kayaking and wildlife viewing, including birds and alligators. South of the park, in a residential setting, sits Heron Creek Golf & Country Club.
Heron Creek features three distinct nine-hole courses — Oak, Marsh and Creek — that can be combined in different ways to form varied 18-hole rounds. Designed by Ohio native Arthur Hills, who passed away last year at 91, the course reflects his philosophy of risk-and-reward golf. I headed out to play with my longtime friend George Hofmann and his son Cole. George and I previously partnered on the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Red & White Ball in Philadelphia, raising significant funds through the support of friends in the travel industry.
PHOTO: © FRANCIS X. GALLAGHER
Like many who relocated during the pandemic, George moved to Florida’s Gulf Coast and settled in Cape Coral to enjoy the outdoors. Heron Creek was a convenient meeting point — I traveled from Sarasota while George came from Cape Coral.
HOLE 1 – OAK
515 yards, par 5
We started on a chilly, drizzly morning that made the first hole feel even tougher. This dogleg-left par 5 features an elongated pond along the left side of the fairway. George mis-hit short, Cole drove beautifully down the middle, and my tee shot looked destined for the trees on the right before it rolled to a decent lie just past the cart path. My 3-wood found more right than intended, and the hole’s many undulations — a bit of a Scottish feel — kept me from reaching the green in regulation. I two-putted for a bogey, Cole matched me, and George carded an 8. Not the best start on a cold, wet morning.
HOLE 7 – OAK
400 yards, par 4
The tee sits behind a large pond that must be carried to reach the fairway, and aiming right makes the carry longer. A gusty wind knocked down several tee shots, and because the group ahead was slow, we decided to re-hit. George’s ball found the water, and he used the nearby drop area, while Cole cleared the hazard with a leftward aim. I followed Cole’s line, finding the left bunker but escaping. My 7-iron into the green left me about eight feet for par; I missed the putt but was pleased to save a redo par.
HOLE 9 – OAK
536 yards, par 5
By the ninth the wind had calmed and the rain stopped. The hole is another dogleg left with a pond along the left and homes beyond. While George flirted with the water and Cole carried to the right in play, I found the fairway aiming toward two right-side bunkers. From there we all scrapped our way to the green, mixing penalties and miss-hits. I reached the green in four and two-putted for a bogey — a satisfactory finish to the front nine.
HOLE 1 – MARSH
522 yards, par 5
Switching to the Marsh nine, the weather improved but the pace of play lagged. A ranger warned that a slow group might be asked to skip a hole. With three open holes ahead and a faster group behind, we agreed pace was important and decided to spice things up with dollar-per-hole wagers to keep the round competitive.
This challenging par 5 doglegs right and features brush and fairway sand traps. After solid drives from George and Cole, my 3-wood clipped a tree and landed behind a trunk, forcing a punch-out to avoid a large bunker. The hole produced no great scores — Cole and I carded double bogeys, pushing the pot forward.
HOLE 2 – MARSH
434 yards, par 4
The second hole requires routing around wetlands on the left and staying in play on the right. George and Cole found their rhythm again, while my approach landed on the green and applied a bit of pressure. Cole also hit a clean approach and we both parred, extending the wager. Two right-side bunkers short of the green proved costly for George.
HOLE 9 – MARSH
412 yards, par 4
Heading into the final Marsh hole, Cole led and I suggested making it double or nothing to settle the bets. I drove into an overgrown spot behind a small tree but managed a strong 7-iron to just short of the green. George chose a conservative placement to the fairway, while Cole took a bold line over the marsh and remarkably cleared the water toward the green. On the putting surface, any of us could have won. Cole and I two-putted, but George sank a long putt to erase our debts — a fitting finish to a memorable day at Heron Creek.