Course Review: The King and Bear

In March of 2020, I was in the middle of a job change and had the opportunity to take a week off and enjoy a short period of unemployment before I started my next work venture. For anyone changing jobs, I would highly recommend building in time off after leaving your old post and starting anew. I found the transitional week of unemployment incredibly relaxing and restorative; the only part I would change was more time off if possible.

For the first part of my week off, I mapped out a solo golf trip, working my way through various parts of Florida with final destination being Amelia Island north of Jacksonville. My travels started in Tampa where I headed north to the World Woods golf facility and had a nice warm-up day, getting in 27 holes. From there I cut east across the state and played somewhat of a slum of a course in the St. Augustine area. My golf venture highlight came the following day at the King and Bear Golf Course.

The King and Bear course is located just south of the city of Jacksonville in an area known as the World Golf Village (dreamy right?).  The World Golf Village is also home to the World Golf Hall of Fame. The course was co-designed by Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer: The King and The Bear.  Ironically both were inducted into the World Golf's inaugural Hall of Fame class in 1947. It is the only course in the world the two golf legends co-designed together. Between the two they have designed over 600 golf courses across the world. Not a bad resume builder to add for two of the greatest to ever play the game.

Competitors and rivals on the course, Palmer and Nicklaus were great friends off the course (Picture source: Eleven Warriors)

The clubhouse and course amenities were in great shape. It was clear that they continue to put the proper money into the grounds course for upkeep and maintenance.  The course has a great practice facility and short game area with complimentary range balls included in your round, so be sure to get to the course early to knock a few around. There are five tee box options.  From the tips, the course plays 7,279 with a course rating of 141 (though I'm not quite there yet). As always, find the tee box that is well suited to your skill level and game. I played the blues, which carry 6,506 yard with a course rating of 133, which is probably right about where I need to be (my scores escalate when I get into the 6,800 yard range).  

The front nine brings water into play on many hole and offers unique challenges, particularly on a windy day

I played on a perfect blue sky, crisp, March morning. I could have shot a 130 and been pleased just with the perfect spring Florida weather, maybe.  The grounds were quiet and it was pretty evident the tee sheet was pretty clear early on in the round, which is a really nice way to take in a great golf course.  The course is forgiving enough, but difficult at the same time. The fairways are wide and the greens were rolling true and quick.  For the March timeframe, the course was in great shape. The fairways looked good and the greens were in great shape. 

The front nine carries many great views of the famous Spanish moss

I found water one of the primary hazards to contend with for most of the round. One of my favorite parts of the front nine  design were the number of oaks with Spanish moss, a which is apparently a nod to the St. Augustine Florida area.  The front nine is more of a transporting design compared to Palmer's back nine, which has more of a feel of a traditional Florida course. 

The closing 18th hole capping off the Palmer designed back 9

I don't have too much to pick apart on this course. It's a great layout and can enjoyed by any skill level. It was a great experience to take in two very different designed nine holes within the same course.  While the first course most think of in the Jacksonville area is TPC Sawgrass, The King and Bear warrants playing you are in the area if for nothing else to see course design and characteristics of two of the greatest to ever play the game. It doesn't hurt that The World Golf Hall of fame is down the street. 

I found this quote on the back of the scorecard and thought it was a great outlook of two great golfers with a known rivalry who maintained a long friendship and worked together to design a great course just south of Jacksonville. Go check it out.

"Arnold and I have been good friends for many years we've also been competitors both on the golf course and in business, so I see The King & bear as a wonderful opportunity to bring our friendship together."