Hawkes Bay

Par 27 - Level 2 - 71 Slope Rating

Plays from 849 – 1,336 yards

Map

 

 

Hawkes Bay has a great sound to it. Like Bonita Pass, Redfish Run, or Southern Star, the name alone conjures something scenic and breezy. Thankfully, the course lives up to that image. It’s all par threes, none longer than 153 yards, and nearly half under 110. You don’t need power here - just touch, timing, and a willingness to let the wind make a few decisions for you.

 

A large fountain anchors the central lake, which feels appropriate for a course named after a body of water. As you circle the lake, the wind shifts just enough to keep club selection interesting. Bring your phone. Especially on the sixth hole. You’ll be taking some good-looking shots - both photographic and otherwise.

 

The round opens with a short shot to a fairly flat green guarded by an enormous bunker that also wraps around toward the eighth green. Think of it as a communal bunker - shared resources at work. That theme continues on the second hole, which nearly shares a green with #7 and gives you your first full view of the fountain. It’s one of the hardest short holes in town: compact, exposed, and visually distracting in all the right ways. Tough and pretty is a solid combination.

 

The third hole might be the most fun of the day - downhill, with sand and water right and a green that slopes just enough to reward good contact and punish everything else. Hole #4 is your last shot into the prevailing southerly wind, playing uphill with more sand than green and the Watercrest Senior Living building looming in the background. 

 

Turn west for #5 and things tighten up. Late in the afternoon, you’ll be staring straight into the sun with the lake running the entire right side. The fountain looks great. Try not to look at it. The green slopes nearly three feet toward the front left and sits perched just high enough that anything careless rolls away. It’s the first real test of the round - but it sets up what comes next.

 

Hole #6 is one of the most photographed in The Villages, and for good reason. Framed perfectly by trees, sand, water, and even a well-placed palm, it earns its spot on my Postcard list. Take the picture. Then focus. It’s a full water carry to an elevated green that slopes forward. Club up to clear the lake, and you risk a downhill putt. Club down, and you risk a swim. Choose wisely, Grasshopper.

 

Your final view of the lake brings you to the hardest shot of the day. Hole #7 stretches about 150 yards over a bunker with a high lip that guards most of the green. Left is best. Hole #8 repeats the theme, just twenty yards shorter. Again, left is best. The ninth closes with another similar look, which makes the finish feel a bit repetitive - but by then, Hawkes Bay has already made its point.

 

This is a course that doesn’t overwhelm with distance or variety. Instead, it leans into visuals, wind, and subtle green complexes. The stretch from holes two through seven is the heart of the round, filled with downhill drop shots, slippery putts, and camera-ready moments - all orbiting that fountain in full spray.

 

In the end, Hawkes Bay is much like its name: clean, scenic, and quietly compelling. Make it a good day on the Bay!

 

Toughest to Easiest:

7, 5, 2, 6, 8, 9, 3, 4, 1 – toughest green 5