WILD WING GOLF AND PLANTATION

I haven’t visited Wild Wing in more than two years.  It boasted four great golf courses and an outstanding practice facility.  Now it consists of the 18 hold Avocet course and a new 9 holer redoing the Hummingbird course.  This is not the same Hummingbird of years past in it entirety.  Todd, a golf assistant, informed me of the new nine holes as follows:

• Holes 1 & 2 from the old Woodstork Course
• #3 is the old #4 of the Hummingbird
• #4 is the old #5 of the Hummingbird
• #5 is the old #6 of the Hummingbird
• #6 is the old #10 of the Hummingbird
• #7 is the old #11 of the Hummingbird
• #’s 8 & 9 are both par 3’s using the greens of #17 & 18 of the old Hummingbird

I played today with Hank, his daughter Jennie and fiancé Nelson.  The weather was chilly and damp, so we concentrated on the newer nine Hummingbird course.  This is a par 34 or 35 as the sixth hole can be played from two sets of tees.  One set lengthens the hole with a tee ball over water making it a par 5.  Drive around these tees and over the water and the hole shortens to a par 4.  Entrance into the green is narrow a high iron shot is receptive and carries trouble that lurks short right and short left.  I would prefer playing this from the magenta tees as a part 5.  From the teal tees hole six plays 399 yards.

HOLE 1        A slight dogleg left has a fairway bunker on the left side.  Water catches a very wayward second shot right and one bunker is greenside on the left.

HOLE 2        A drive center or left center sets up your approach on the short par 4.  Fairway bunker on the right.

HOLE 3        A short wedge sets up a birdie. (Follow the starters map from 2nd green to 3rd tee or you won’t know where to go.  It’s a long ride around unpaved roads to the tee).

HOLE 4        A marsh cuts across the fairway 245 yards from the magenta tee, 275 from the teal tee.  Water runs along the right side from Marsh to short of the green.

HOLE 5        The old Hummingbird 6th hole.  A four par measuring 347(forward tees) to 448 yards(tips).  A very nice par four with mounding lining both sides of the fairway.  A fairway bunker right can catch your tee ball.  Hitting left of center sets up a straight approach shot to a green guarded short right and middle left by bunkers.

HOLE 6        This was the old Hummingbird #10 hole.  A medium length par 4 at 399(tips) and 295(forward tee) has a forced carry over marsh a short distance off the tee.  Water right collects a very wayward tee ball.  Four bunkers guard the fairway left.  A 32 yard deep green has one small bunker left and even with the greens center.

HOLE 7        This was the old #11 of the Hummingbird.  A picturesque par 4 measuring 327(forward) to 449(tips).  The fairway ends 148 yards to the green in front of 2 small bunkers and 70 yards from carrying the marsh.  A hugh bunker or waste area guards the right side of the fairway and three bunkers guard the left.

HOLE 8        A short par 3 using the old par 4 17th from 138(forward) to 190 yards(tips) from the greens center.

HOLE 9        A longer par 3 then #17  using the old Hummingbirds 18th.  This old par 5 has been shorted to 153(forward) to 203(tips).  The green is 38 yards deep with a rise in the center running across the width.  Two large bunkers guard the green left and right,

Summary:    Dark Teal            68.8/122              3046 yards
                     Magenta              66.0/119              2806 yards
                    White                    63.6/110              2522 yards

Ratings and slopes are calculated as if 18 holes are played.        

Hopefully this facility will once again become the golf mecca it once was.  The courses conditioning was worth the play.  If you want to play a challenge with exemplary speedy greens the Avocet and Hummingbird is worth the booking.  The Avocets back nine is outstanding.