Bonita Pass

Par 27 - Level 3 - 79 Slope Rating

Plays from 1,031 – 1,471 yards

Map

 

Bonita Pass feels like a downward spiral. The first eight tee shots are all downhill, arranged in a figure eight around a large pond. Naturally, you expect the ninth to be a punishing uphill finale - something like Volusia #1. But no. It’s just a slight incline. How is it possible for a course that starts and finishes at nearly the same elevation to play almost entirely downhill? I don’t have an answer, but Bonita Pass seems determined to explore the mystery - much like those carnival fun houses from childhood that tilted the floor just enough to convince you gravity had changed.

 

If the topography alone doesn’t catch your attention, the sixth green probably will. Pictured above - on a windy day, the tree along the right edge appears to bend just as much as the flagstick itself. Standing over a putt there can trigger a brief wave of vertigo - as if gravity, wind, and visual perception have all decided to collaborate against you.

 

Beyond those quirks, Bonita Pass isn’t overly dramatic. In fact, it’s almost deliberately redundant. Every hole is a par three, and many look and play so similarly that the experience becomes a kind of golf white noise - the more you go, the more it blends together. I used the same club on six of the nine tee shots. Only 44 yards separate the shortest and longest holes from the gold tees. If the course weren’t so attractive, the lack of variety might be more noticeable.

 

That said, Bonita Pass is an excellent place to practice one very specific skill: hitting controlled downhill shots. Think of it less as a round of golf and more as a focused training session. Bring your clubs - though realistically, you’ll only need one.

And so, the lesson begins immediately....

 

The first hole is downhill. So is the second. And the third. This is not a coincidence. Many golfers instinctively slow their swing when hitting downhill - a habit I’ve battled for years. That usually leads to poor contact and shots pulled offline. The fix is surprisingly simple: swing through the ball with the same cadence you would on flat ground. Keep the follow-through committed. Use a shorter backswing or more loft if needed - but don’t ease up. Bonita Pass gives you nine straight chances to practice this idea.

 

The first hole is short, making it the perfect place to experiment. The second stretches just a few yards farther. By the third, you’ll have a working plan - which is good, because the challenges increase.

 

The third plays 143 yards to the center of the green, flanked by two large traps. The good news is both sides are elevated, so most shots funnel toward the middle. The fourth adds more complexity - water, sand, and even a small depression on the front fringe of the green. Depending on pin placement, it may demand the most precision of the day.

 

By the fifth hole, you’ve fully adjusted to the gravity of the situation. At 155 yards, it’s the longest tee shot on the course and features the most demanding green. If the pin is front or back, the smart play is left, away from the trap. If it’s tucked on the center ridge, however, your options narrow quickly. At that point, strategy gives way to hope.

 

The sixth is where the visuals take over. Have your camera ready. If the wind is blowing, the bent tree and leaning flagstick combine to create an optical illusion that makes lining up a putt feel like standing on a moving surface.

 

The seventh feels like familiar downhill territory again.  Then a drive across a bridge to the eighth offers a brief mental reset. Aim your tee shot to the front right and give yourself an uphill putt.

 

Then comes the ninth, and for the first time all day, the shot is actually uphill – or maybe it’s just level and feels uphill.  You’ll probably feel an unexpected surge of energy!  Just be mindful of the large trap guarding a quarter of the green. The safest play is right of the sand, setting up a chance at par.

 

Bonita Pass may not overwhelm you with drama or difficulty, but it offers something else: a pleasant round in a beautiful setting, punctuated by a few memorable oddities, where you logged plenty of practice hitting downhill shots. The good news?  You’ve earned the right to reward yourself by downing a cold one later!

 

Gravity works on cold beer too!

 

Toughest to Easiest: 

This is the hardest course to rank – the holes are so similar that the degree of difficulty will depend on pin placement.  But here’s my best guess: 5, 4, 3, 8, 7, 9, 2, 6, 1 – toughest green 5