OVER THE EASTER HOLIDAY, we booked a tee time at Waterford Golf Club in Venice, Florida. As the day wore on, it looked like the storm might wash out our round; the club even warned of possible cancellations as record rains moved into the region. Early that morning we checked the forecast and called to see if our tee time could be moved up so we could play before the storm hit. Course PGA professional Jack McFaul told us to come on out and that the Waterford team would make room for us earlier, so we headed to the course.
I expected Waterford, located between Sarasota and Venice, to feel like an “old man’s” course — I was wrong. The well-maintained layout features narrow fairways and water hazards that come into play more often than you might assume. It’s a shot-maker’s course where long drives can either reward you or cost you dearly.
The club consists of three nine-hole courses: Gleneagles, Turnberry and Sawgrass. We started on Turnberry and finished on Sawgrass for our 18 holes. That pairing kept us moving at a steady pace, and we even caught up to a group ahead of us, which gave us the opportunity to replay a couple of holes and improve our scores.
The three nines were designed by Ted McAnlis. He began his career as a NASA civil engineer before shifting into golf course design, creating several courses in Florida, including St. Andrews in Boca Raton. Despite personal and legal troubles that ended his career, his layouts at Waterford remain thoughtful and challenging; if some holes feel like they can put you behind bars, you’ll understand the sentiment. Regardless of the designer’s biography, the courses are enjoyable and playable.
I played with Paul Gosselin that day. He challenged me to beat the storm and tame what he insisted was an “old man’s” course. The staff in the restaurant, pro shop and on the course were friendly and helpful, which added to the overall experience. I’d certainly consider returning.
HOLE 5 | 531 yards, par 5 – Turnberry
This was one of the holes we replayed as we raced through the course. Familiarity helped on the second try. From the tee the fairway appears fairly open, but on our first attempt I aimed slightly left and found tree branches. I hadn’t noticed the water on the left; any ball landing near it was redirected and ended up wet. Paul had his own problems, and we both carded double bogeys. Since no one was behind us, we went back and tried again. The second time around we scored much better — I made par and Paul made bogey.
HOLE 6 | 208 yards, par 4 – Turnberry
With water on the right and strong gusts, I hit a 3-wood that landed on the left side of the green, nearly rolling into the water. Paul overshot the green, complicating his recovery, while I chipped up and two-putted for bogey. On days like that, playing the wind correctly is crucial at Waterford.
HOLE 9 | 378 yards, par 4 – Turnberry
The Turnberry closing hole delivered. Just before teeing off, I took a tense call from a contractor about work on my house, which put me on edge for the drive. Water hugs the left side of the hole, wrapping around the fairway and then crossing between the landing area and the green. I mishit my drive but it landed safely short of the water. Paul’s shot came up short as well, and both of us were unable to save par despite getting near the green. We each took bogeys — I blamed the contractor. Between Turnberry and Sawgrass, keep an eye out for a striking totem pole made by locals.
Hole 8 – Sawgrass © FRANCIS X. GALLAGHER
HOLE 1 | 390 yards, par 4 – Sawgrass
This opening hole on Sawgrass is not especially long, but its narrowness makes it demanding. Rangers drove by as we prepared to tee off and joked about how many balls get lost at Waterford. We were moving quickly to beat the approaching tropical storm and, having caught up to the group ahead, got to play the hole twice. I drove to the left side of the fairway for a favorable lie and hit my second onto the green, two-putting for par. Paul’s drive kicked into high grass and branches, and after taking a penalty he made a respectable bogey. Our replay didn’t improve the scores much, showing that course knowledge helps but doesn’t guarantee a better outcome.
HOLE 6 | 423 yards, par 4 – Sawgrass
This hole shows its teeth: very narrow, with dense trees and brush on the left and a pond with marshland running along the right nearly two-thirds of the way to the green. We both unleashed drives with the best intentions; mine landed in the center while Paul’s found a precarious bounce near the pond and eventually rolled in. After a drop, Paul’s second shot reached the green. My approach missed right and finished close to out-of-bounds among palm trees, but I had a good line to the hole and lobbed onto the green. Both of us took bogeys after those wasted shots.
HOLE 8 | 346 yards, par 4 – Sawgrass
Hole 8 doglegs sharply around the right side of a pond. Big hitters can carry the corner and leave a short pitch to the green, but the wind that day made precision essential. My drive cut through the fairway and nearly reached the houses beyond the cart path, keeping me safely away from the water where Waterford’s resident gator, a 12-foot alligator nicknamed Bessie, often basks. Paul took a more conservative line around the corner for an easier chip. Through solid short-game work from both of us, we each recorded pars.
Waterford Golf Club
1454 Gleneagles Drive
Venice, FL 34292
tel 941 484 6621
golfinvenice.com