Seminole Golf Club Course Review & Photos

12. Seminole Golf Club

Donald Ross (1929) / Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw (2017)

A majestic Donald Ross design with a clever routing on a rectangular site, each hole at Seminole encounters a new wind direction. The greens are no longer Ross, replaced 50 years ago in a regrassing effort that showed little appreciation for the original rolling contours. The bunkers aren’t Ross either. Dick Wilson replaced them in 1957, his own version meant to the imitate crests of waves on the adjacent Atlantic. A few years back, Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw redesigned the bunkers again, along with exposing some sandy expanses in the rough. Seminole has long been one of America’s most exclusive clubs, which is why it’s exciting that it will host the 2021 Walker Cup.

100 Greatest History: Ranked since 1966. Highest ranking: No. 8, 1985-86 & 1989-90. Previous ranking: No. 13

Panelist comments, Seminole Golf Club:

“The caddies at Seminole have a term that’s unique to the club: GVR (Greens Visited in Regulation). Your approach might land on some part of the green, but with the severe pitches and fast speeds, it’s likely you’ll roll off. And without any rough around the greens, you’re headed to a deep bunker.”

“How much of a shot-maker’s haven is this? Ben Hogan would come here to practice before playing the Masters. You must have complete mastery of your long and short irons to score here.”

“I’ve played Seminole with several past finalists in U.S. Amateurs and former Walker Cup players. To watch them struggle to break par on a course not overly long by today’s standards tells you how tough the course can play for some of the best golfers around.”

“You wouldn’t expect a Florida course next to the Atlantic Ocean to have some serious elevation changes. That’s just part of the uniqueness of Seminole.”

“The layout moves in all directions, so the wind from the ocean will impact you in multiple ways. While the yardage is short on several holes, there is elevation change, sea level and wind to contend with that makes the course play longer.”

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