Tee Time Week Six: Hole of the Week, No. 18 at Ocala National GC

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) - In week six of Tee Time, our Hole of the Week comes courtesy of Marion County’s Ocala National Golf Club.

The signature hole of this 57-year-old redesigned Rees Jones masterpiece is the daunting, Par-4 18th.

The demanding, finishing hole is an uphill, dog-leg left that plays longer than 400 yards from the amateur tees. Reaching the fairway to set up a good look at the green for your second shot requires a well-struck drive, with a right-left ball flight. If you get a hold of one, but it doesn’t draw to the left (for right handed golfers) you risk finding your golf ball in the yawning fairway bunker down the right hand side of the hole.

Once you’ve safely reached the fairway, your approach shot to the green is all uphill. To find the putting surface in regulation, you’ll need to flush an iron with enough distance to account for the elevation change, as well as, carry the large green-side bunker guarding the right side.

If the pin is located in the front, don’t be afraid to go over the green or bail out to the left to try and get up-and-down. But if the pin is in the back and you hit it over, you risk leaving yourself minimal green to work with, and praying for it to stop, as it slopes back to front.

As you get closer to the green, the beautiful clubhouse comes into focus and frames the hole quite nicely. The entire hole, from tee to green, is a beautiful piece of golf architecture.

Ocala National Golf Club is located at 4782 NW 80th Avenue Ocala, Florida 34482

To book a tee time or a lesson with PGA Professional/General Manager Jason Dowman call (352) 629-7980.

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