Sarasota Herald-Tribune
There are plenty of opportunities for chance encounters with wildlife at Riverwood Golf Club in Port Charlotte, Fla. Golfers are likely to spot bobcats, alligators, snakes, eagles, ospreys, herons, sandhill cranes and egrets. A river otter has been seen swimming in the lake by the seventh hole.
Riverwood, rated 4.5 stars by Golf Digest magazine -- the only Charlotte County course with that designation -- combines a romp through the wild with a first-class golf experience.
One of Southwest Florida's most elegant golf layouts, Riverwood backs up to the Myakka River in the Charlotte County region known as El Jobean.
Walking catfish have been known to walk out of the Myakka and into puddles around the course. And manatees have been seen lolling around in lakes near the 13th, 14th and 15th holes, according to golf course superintendent Stuart Taylor.
Course architect Gene Bates incorporated existing vegetation and environmentally sensitive areas into the overall course design. The sensitive areas -- some of which are protected by wooden bulkheads -- are off-limits to players searching for wayward balls. They also provide a buffer between the course and the residences, a buffer greatly appreciated by golfers prone to bouncing balls off lanais and tile roofs.
The golf course was laid out in a figure-eight design. There are no parallel fairways. And because it was built before the houses and condos, they rarely come into play.
"Even though you're in a development, you don't feel like it," said head golf professional Mike Burton.
The par-72 championship layout challenges high-handicappers, but five sets of tees make it enjoyable for weekend golfers.
The signature hole is the 435-yard eighth, a par 4, where there are two forced water carries.
For the uninitiated, a forced carry means a golfer must clear a natural area, such as a pond or scrub area, in the air. In golfers' terms, a forced carry is a way to make what would normally be a simple shot psychologically challenging.
Water comes into play on several of the holes, but to a lesser degree from either of the women's two sets of tees. There are only 26 bunkers on the course, less than half the number on most courses.
Typical of Florida courses, Riverwood isn't particularly hilly. But it's a narrow course, and on many holes, such as the long and difficult 455-yard par-4 18th, bunkers or water hazards line both sides, placing a premium on accuracy.
In 2002, Golf Digest ranked Riverwood 10th on its Top 10 list of "best places to play" for courses averaging 50,000 rounds a year or more. The legendary Pebble Beach Golf Links in northern California topped the list.
In 2001, Riverwood made Golf for Women magazine's Top 100 Fairways list for women-friendly courses. Part of the reason is because, unlike most courses, there are hole diagrams at both the men's and women's tee boxes.
Another reason, says Doug Reed, director of golf and general manager, is because the course's few forced carries are short.
"You're not forced to carry a lot of shots," Reed says. "It's a very beautiful golf course, built into the natural environment. That usually means forced carries, but there aren't many here."
Not many forced carries. Just a lush golf course with lots of opportunities to appreciate Florida's wetlands and wildlife.
