If you love golf, live in Georgia, or you’re planning a visit, there’s a wide variety of great courses and golf resorts to choose from that fit every budget. We want you to have the best golfing experience possible, so here’s a list of our top five venues.
The Best Public Golf Courses in Georgia
You may be pleasantly surprised to find that there’s a great track right around the corner, or close enough for a weekend getaway. Check the GolfDay Rating for a quick and easy way to be sure you are getting the most value for your money.
1. Reynolds Lake Oconee
Less than 2 hours southeast of Atlanta and nestled into the rolling lake country of Lake Oconee, Ritz-Carlton guests have five great courses to choose from. Number one among them is Great Waters, consistently ranked among the Golf Digest top 100 public courses in the US from the time Jack Nicklaus designed it in 1992. The course is a demanding test of golf while offering magnificent views of the Georgia landscape and Lake Oconee.
The Preserve was designed by master architect Bob Cupp with input from Fuzzy Zoeller and Hubert Green—a pair of U.S. Open champions.
The National offers 27 holes, beautifully laid out by Tom Fazio while the eighteen-hole Oconee course was designed by nonother than Rees Jones, the “Open Doctor” himself.
The Landing is the original course at Reynolds Lake Oconee, another Bob Cupp masterpiece sculpted among the pines along the lake.
2. Sea Island Resort
With three great courses to choose from as well as a world class performance center, Sea Island is among the finest golf resort destinations in the world. The Seaside course, a classic Colt & Alison design that was masterfully enhanced and updated by Tom Fazio, is ranked in the top 100 public courses by Golf Digest and also the site of the PGA tour’s RSM Classic each year in March.
The Plantation Course was originally designed by Walter Travis as a 9-hole layout, with an additional nine added by Davis Love and Mark Love to create a wonderful eighteen-hole track. Travis trademark features such as the Principal’s Nose and chocolate drops can still be found, as the Love brothers have created a timeless treasure with gorgeous ocean views.
The Retreat is the third eighteen-hole course at Sea Island, but no less enjoyable to play. Davis and Mark endeavored to expand and revitalize this Dick Wilson original, and succeeded with resounding success. Challenging yet playable, the Retreat course rounds out a trio of wonderful courses to perfection.
3. University of Georgia Course
About an hour east of Atlanta, the University of Georgia Golf Course is home to the Bulldog golf team, a perennial powerhouse that produced two-time Masters champ Bubba Watson. Designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr., we rate the UGA course among the top 10 University courses in the country.
In addition to students and alumni, the course is open to the public for everyone to enjoy. A first-rate practice facility and PGA professional staff will help polish your game, and you can pick up some UGA gear while you’re there.
4. Cherokee Run
We rate Cherokee Run among the top 25 Municipal courses in the country. Located less than hour east of Atlanta, the city of Conyers has provided a great place to play for residents and visitors alike. In addition to a wonderful layout designed by Arnold Palmer, Cherokee run includes a grass driving range and short game practice facility as well as a golf academy with a variety of junior golf programs.
5. Echelon Golf Club
A fabulous layout in Alpharetta designed by Rees Jones, Echelon Golf Club is less than hour north of Atlanta. Like just about every Rees Jones course, Echelon is a stiff test of golf with a USGA course rating of 77.2 and a slope of 149 from the tips. Scratch golfers will get all the challenge they can ask for, but with four sets of tees, everyday golfers can enjoy the course and test their skills as well without needing to bomb it 330 or stick a six iron from 200 yards.
The course is kept in beautiful condition and the greens are perfect, so get ready for a great day on the links—and the greens fees are more than reasonable (particularly in the afternoon on a weekday).
The Wrap-Up
When it comes to public golf, the state of Georgia is second to none and perfect weather just about all year long. To find the best course nearby or if you are planning a visit, check out GolfDay for everything you need to know.
For all the avid golf fans who are down in the dumps about the PGA Tour events that have been cancelled in the past few months, there’s some really good news. It has just been announced that Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Tom Brady, and Peyton Manning will be teeing it up for a team match in May. The event is to take place on Memorial Day weekend in Florida, and will be pitting Woods and Manning against Mickelson and Brady, with the proceeds going to COVID-19 relief. Woods and Manning are already considered the betting favorites since Manning is a 6 handicap and Brady is an 8. Of course, we should not speak too soon, considering the rumors that Tiger’s back issues were flaring up again earlier this year (although Tiger insists that he is healthy) and Phil seems to thrive in these relaxed match-play settings, winning big chunks of change from other pros during practice rounds. Keep in mind too that Tom Brady is a 6-time Super Bowl champion, so there is no doubt he will bring some of that competitive, winning spirit to the match.
What can we expect?
The format has yet to be announced, but there has been some chatter about it being best ball—we’ll have to wait and see. Unlike the previous match between Woods and Mickelson back in 2018, which was a PPV event, this one will be broadcast live on regular television (TNT) so everybody will have the opportunity to watch 4 legends battle it out on the course. The players will practice social distancing throughout the event, and no spectators will be allowed to attend. No word on whether they will be masked, but doubtful since there is no reason to get that close on the golf course. One thing is for sure, it’s going to be a truly exciting match. And with no golf to watch for a month and a half, could there possibly be a better way to bring back golf than a match between Phil and Tiger—not to mention the fun of seeing Tom Brady and Peyton Manning duke it out. What can we expect? I think it’s safe to say it will be a hard-fought battle, considering none of the 4 has a reputation for losing—particularly on a big stage. Tiger may have some extra incentive to even the score after his loss to Phil in 2018, but you can be sure that nothing would make Phil happier than beating Tiger again (outside of a U.S. open win in the fall perhaps). Like Woods and Mickelson, Brady and Manning were long-time rivals at the top of their game. While this match-up won’t take place on the gridiron, you can certainly expect to see some of the fire that propelled them both to super bowl victories. Personally, my money is on Mickelson and Brady. Either way, it’s exactly what we need to take our minds away from the troubles of the last few months, remind us that it won’t last forever, and there will be good days ahead. Something tells me that this is going to be special, so make sure you mark your calendar.
There are quite a few great municipal golf courses
Most everybody has heard about municipal courses like Bethpage, Chambers Bay and Torrey Pines where the U.S. Open has been played, but there are a great many fantastic muni’s that are less famous—and you may have one right in your backyard.
In addition to the world-renowned Black course designed by A. W. Tillinghast in 1935 and last updated by Rees Jones for the 2009 U.S. Open, Bethpage State Park also offers the Blue Course (another Tillinghast original that was updated by Francis Duane), the Green (designed by Deveraux Emmet, updated by Tillinghast and later by Francis Duane), the Red (Tillinghast and Francis Duane), and the Yellow course (designed by Alfred Tull and updated by Francis Duane).
Built on the shores of Puget Sound, Chambers Bay is a classic links course designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr. Host to the 2010 U.S. amateur and then the U.S. Open in 2015, Chambers Bay also offers a top notch practice facility as well as the Chambers Bay Academy with a variety of outstanding junior golf programs.
With breathtaking views from the cliffs above the Pacific Ocean, the North and South courses at Torrey Pines, originally designed by William F. Bell, are something special. An annual PGA tour venue with the Farmers Insurance Open, Torrey Pines also hosted the 2008 U.S. Open where Tiger Woods had one of his most memorable victories.
TPC Scottsdale offers desert golf at its finest, with two great tracks designed by Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish. The Stadium course is host to the Waste Management Phoenix Open each year, one of the most popular and exciting stops on the PGA Tour. When you reach the par 3 sixteenth hole you may still hear echoes of the raucous cheering from the massive “coliseum” crowd.
When John Harbottle III passed away suddenly in 2012 at the age of 53, he left us with two wonderful course designs to remember him by, the Olympic and Cascades at Gold Mountain Golf Club. Sculpted from the magnificent terrain and majestic pines of northwestern Washington, each course is demanding yet playable, and kept in beautiful condition by course superintendent Abel Anderson.
Jack designed a stiff test of golf with beautiful views of the Manhattan skyline for residents of New York and visitors alike. Ferry Point also offers a manicured driving range and short game facility that is as good as it gets, as well as being home to the Michael Breed Golf Academy.
Overlooking Lake Tahoe, the Championship course designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr. and updated by Robert Trent Jones, Jr. is an experience not soon forgotten. The executive Mountain course is also an RTJ design, and while not as demanding as the championship course, every bit as enjoyable to play.
Only ten minutes from Hazeltine National (host of the 1970 and 1991 U.S. Opens as well as the PGA Championship in ’02 and ’09), Chaska Town Course is one of the finest municipal facilities in the country. Featuring an 18-hole championship course designed by Arthur Hills and a wonderful Robert Trent Jones, Sr. executive layout, Chaska also offers a complete practice facility and variety of Junior golf programs.
Alister MacKenzie is one of the towering figures in golf course architecture, and Haggin Oaks is home to one of his rare designs open for public play. Offering 36 holes as well as a variety of options for ladies golf, a terrific practice facility and junior golf program, the residents of Sacramento are fortunate indeed to have such a great facility available to their community.
Tanglewood includes two terrific Robert Trent Jones, Sr. eighteen-hole layouts as well as an eighteen-hole par 3 course. The championship course was the scene of Lee Trevino’s thrilling victory over Jack Nicklaus in the 1974 PGA Championship. A lighted grass driving range and complete short-game practice facility provide a perfect place to work on your game.
Designed by Donald Ross in 1921 and updated by Jim Hardy and Peter Jacobsen in 2008, Moody Gardens is a true classic. The Dallas Morning News ranked Moody Gardens number 13 among all public courses in the state of Texas. A quality range and short-game facility is available and junior golf programs are offered throughout the summer.
Southwest golf at its best, this Ken Dye masterpiece uses every feature of the beautiful New Mexico Landscape. Pinon Hills is also home to the First Tee of San Juan County, with a first-rate practice facility where junior golfers can develop their game.
Robert Trent Jones, Sr. remodeled this Willard Wilkinson layout in 1949, and it has been updated by notable course architects such as Alfred Tull and Stephen Kay. The latest update, by Rees Jones, was completed in 2014. Galloping Hill also offers a nine-hole executive learning course, all-weather practice facilities, and a golf academy.
A gorgeous Arthur Hills links-style layout through the Lake Erie wetlands, Maumee Bay also offers a grass driving range, complete short game practice facility, and first-rate accommodations at the Lodge and Conference Center.
Bryan Park offers 36 holes of golf with a demanding Rees Jones design (Champions) and classic George Cobb/John LaFoy layout (Players). In addition, the Bryan Park Golf Practice & Learning Center with Robert Linville Precision Golf School is among the top facilities in the country. Expansive grass driving range with twelve target greens, as well as putting and chipping greens with multiple bunkers provide low handicap and novice golfers alike the perfect place to hone their game.
Inniscrone was designed by Gil Hanse, opening to rave reviews in 1999. The classic layout provides a stiff test of golf for the most accomplished player, while additional tee boxes make the course fun for golfers at every level. Inniscrone also offers a grass range and short-game facility with warm-up balls included with your greens fee.
Less than half an hour from Cincinnati, Lassing Pointe is a wonderful Michael Hurdzan design laid down in the beautiful northern Kentucky countryside of Boone County. Golfweek ranks Lassing Pointe as the best public course in the state, and we certainly agree. In addition to a great course, Lassing Pointe offers a high-end practice facility and first-rate junior golf programs.
When Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry completed these wonderful 27 holes in the farmlands of western New Jersey, their next project was Erin Hills, a true masterpiece and site of the 2017 U.S. Open. In addition to three splendid 9-hole courses, Neshanic offers a 9-hole executive “Academy” course as well as a grass driving range, putting and chipping greens with bunkers and 2 additional practice holes.
Designed and built by the legendary architectural firm of Toomey & Flynn, Normandy Shores opened for play in 1941. Other notable courses designed by William Flynn include The Country Club in Brookline, MA, Shinnecock Hills in Southampton, NY and Merion (East) in Ardmore, PA. In 2008 Arthur Hills was commissioned to bring Normandy Shores back to its former glory, and he did so magnificently.
PGA Tour architect Chris Gray has done a masterful job bringing the TPC course at Harding Park back to the original vision of Willie Watson, who also designed the Olympic Club and holds a special place in golf history. In addition to the TPC course, Harding Park includes The Fleming Nine, an executive nine-hole course designed by Jack Fleming, an outstanding course designer in his own right and one of the most important figures in the history of San Francisco golf.
Are you looking for a great golf course? There may be a municipal jewel right around the corner that you didn’t realize was there. Don’t waste your time at a dog track!! Check out the GolfDay website for more information about the best golf courses around.
With over 1,000 golf courses to choose from in Florida, how do you decide which one you and the gang will visit on your next golf trip?
Whether you’re a Florida Resident or a Snow Bird enjoying the sunny state, you are sure to find a golf course that checks all your boxes.
With an abundance of public golf courses in the Sunshine State, there’s no need to pay for the membership fees and go through the hassle associated with playing on a private golf course.
Keep reading to discover the 10 best public golf courses in Florida right now!
1. Streamsong, Bowling Green, FL
The Streamsong Golf Resort experience is a once-in-a-lifetime Florida gem you don’t want to miss. The Streamsong golf course is made up of 3 internationally acclaimed links-style courses: Streamsong Blue, Streamsong Red, and Streamsong Black.
Playing this course is an experience in itself. You can expect to navigate through wild grasses, explore deep-water ponds, circle huge sand dunes, and deep greenside pot bunkers.
What sets this destination apart from other gold resorts in the Sunshine State is its unexpected design and secluded location. The scenic views and carefully designed course, make this golf destination one of the best in Florida.
2. TPC at Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
The TPC Sawgrass golf course features 36 challenging holes created by the famous designer, Pete Dye. This destination is known as a truly balanced course made to fit all player types. Players can find short, medium, and long holes along the course, and a routing course design so that no two holes are ever played in the same direction.
The 17th hole of the Players Stadium Course is one of the most popular golf holes in the world, making the TPC at Sawgrass a must-visit destination.
3. Trump National Doral Golf Club, Doral, FL
The City of Doral is no mystery to golf lovers around the world. It is a golf paradise to many and should be at the top of your bucket list if you’ve never visited.
The Trump National Doral Golf Club was home to the PGA Tour events for many years and has hosted almost every great name in golf history. This world-class track is definitely a must-play stop on your next golfing trip.
This 7,608-yard course is equipped with strategically placed deep bunkers, long fairways, waving greens, deep Bermuda rough and water hazards which make this course even more challenging. This course was made for the pros, and you will no doubt feel like one as you score well on this challenging layout.
The Blue Monsters’ 18th hole was even ranked as one of Golf.com’s Top 100 Holes in the World! If you get the chance to visit the Sunshine State you do not want to miss out on playing this course.
4. World Woods Golf Club, Brooksville, FL
The World Wood Golf Club is widely considered a “must-play” facility featuring 2 world-class Championship Golf Courses, a 9 hole Short Course, and a 23-acre Practice Park.
Designed by Tom Fazio, the World Wood Golf Courses were designed with a vision to provide world-class golf to all. Fazio often refers to the World Wood Golf Club as his “best work” and it shows!
5. PGA Village, Port St. Lucie, FL
PGA Village provides the ultimate golf experience. It is ranked as one of the best golf resorts in the USA and offers four courses at different challenge levels, so golfers of all skill levels can play.
PGA Village also offers golf instruction classes taught by PGA professionals and features the PGA gallery tracing back the history of the game. This is a must-see destination in South Florida for those looking to play the course and spend the day (or a few days) relaxing in the world of golf.
6. PGA National Resort & Spa, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
The PGA National Champion Course was originally designed for major tournaments only, but in 2014 it was redesigned by Jack Nicklaus for public use. Today, this course hosts the Honda Classic every spring on the PGA Tour.
With five sets of tees and 7,140 yards to play, this course is playable for all golfer levels and must-play destinations for all golf lovers alike! This course features the famous “Bear Trap” which is easily the most challenging course in South Florida.
The Southern Hills Plantation Club features an 18-hole golf course, a classic resort-style golf house, and a world-class athletic club and spa.
This 7,557-yard course was designed by Pete Dye, and renowned for the luxury experience granted to its members. If you’re looking for relaxation, class, and a classic course to play – the Southern Hills Plantation Club is the place for you.
8. Innisbrook Resort, Palm Harbor, FL
The Innisbrook Resort features 4 championship courses designed by the renowned architect, Lawrence Packard. Each year the Innisbrook Resort hosts the PGA TOUR, where the world’s best players compete on the famous Copperheard Course for the Valspar Championship.
When you visit this prime golf destination you will get the chance to play where the wolds best have played. These championship courses feature up to 70 ft. of elevation changes and a scenic lush view for you to enjoy.
Named Golf.Com’sTop 100 Courses You Can Actually Play, you don’t want to miss this one!
9. Turnberry Isle Resort & Club, Aventura, FL
The Fairmont Turnberry is a favorite amongst Florida visitors for its course and its central location. This resort features two legendary 18-hole championship golf courses in Aventura — just a short drive from Miami and South Beach.
10. Capital City Country Club, Tallahassee, FL
Located in Northern Florida, the Capital City Country Club features some of the unique landscapes of the northern half of Florida. With large pines and live oaks all around the elevated course, this is a challenge you do not want to miss.
Are You Ready to Play the Best Public Golf Courses in Florida?
There is no shortage of the best public golf courses in Florida for you and the gang to play on your next trip. Get ready for the sun and beaches, because Florida is sure to be your next golf trip destination.
Don’t waste your time at a dog track!! Check out our website here for more information about the best golf courses around.
If you are thinking about getting out of the house to play a few holes, you may have to think again. According to the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, a number of states have instituted a total golf ban in the wake of the Coronavirus epidemic. My home state of New Jersey, along with Colorado, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin have decided that prohibiting golf completely is imperative in the battle to slow the spreading virus. Since golf does not involve close proximity to others, and is one of the few outdoor activities that can be enjoyed in complete solitude, one may think this counterintuitive—even patently absurd. Perhaps the Governors of these states view golfers as mentally challenged, unable to comprehend social gathering guidelines or incapable of refraining from physical contact following the holes-in-one that occur with such great frequency. Maybe they believe that golfers will suddenly begin to travel great distances, spreading the virus hither and yon, rather than play their local course.
Some things are understandable, but …..
While it is certainly prudent to close golf course dining and pro shop retail facilities, place a moratorium on golf tournaments and outings and restrict the use of electric carts, banning golf entirely is simply ridiculous.
It’s common sense.
If golf courses prefer to close rather than comply with state directives and guidelines, that should be up to them individually. As we attempt to cope with this difficult situation, let’s hope that our political leaders exercise good judgement and common sense.
The status of golf.
The GCSAA link bellow will provide an overview for the
status of golf in your state.
If you are planning a Florida golf trip, World Woods in Brooksville has just about everything you could ask for with two great Tom Fazio courses (Pine Barrens and Rolling Oaks), a nine hole executive course, and perhaps the finest practice facility in the country. Pine Barrens is currently ranked among the top 100 public courses in the country by Golf Digest, and Rolling Oaks is ranked as one of the top 30 public courses in Florida.
Course Review
At just under 7,300 yards from the tips, the Pine Barrens course
is a stiff test for scratch golfers with wide fairways and five sets of tee
boxes to make the course enjoyable for golfers of every level. Fazio uses the
natural terrain and native pines to frame each hole in a magnificent layout
that is reminiscent of Pine Valley in New Jersey. The Rolling Oaks course is a
very different layout, with towering oak trees covered in Spanish moss and azaleas
that bring to mind Augusta National. A bit longer than Pine Barrens, Rolling
Oaks also offers multiple tee boxes that make the course challenging, yet fun
for expert and novice golfers alike. Take a video tour and see what
awaits you at World Woods.
And the practice facilities are second to none. The World Woods Practice Park is a twenty-acre facility with target greens, target fairways, bunkers, and multiple grass teeing stations on four sides. In addition, there are 3 practice holes including a par 5.
Accommodations
World Woods is just under an hour north of Tampa International Airport, and there is a Holiday Inn Express located just 15 minutes from the course.
GolfDay Rating
The GolfDay rating for World Woods is 98.7, the highest of any non-resort facility in the state of Florida.
If you are planning a trip to Myrtle Beach this spring, give some thought to the Course Jack Nicklaus designed at Pawleys Plantation Golf & Country Club on the coast in Georgetown county. At just over 7,000 yards from the tips, the course will give scratch golfers all the challenge they can ask for while multiple tee boxes provide golfers at every level the opportunity to test their skills to the maximum and enjoy the course without requiring a 300 plus yard tee shot. As with all Nicklaus designs, the Pawleys Plantation course offers a variety of options for playing just about every hole, so you have to give some thought to strategy. There are plenty of bunkers placed strategically throughout the course with a fair amount of water, but rarely will you find a forced carry without being offered an alternative play that can be equally effective. You will also enjoy the beautiful views, immaculate conditions, and the natural setting on which Jack has laid down this gem. To get a better idea of what awaits you at Pawleys Plantation, take a quick tour of the course—you’ll see it’s something very special. Or listen to what the Golden Bear himself has to say.
The practice facilities at Pawleys Plantation are top notch as well, including a grass driving range with targets, putting green and short game area with bunker.
Mel Sole Golf School
And If you would like to tune up your game, register for a one, two or three day program at the acclaimed Mel Sole golf school located on site.
Accommodations
With regard to accommodations and amenities, Pawleys
Plantation offers everything you could want. One, two, three, and four-bedroom villas
are available through Litchfield
Vacations with access to beautiful beaches, wonderful seafood and all of
the attractions offered along the Grand
Strand.
There is nothing worse than wasting a great day for golf on
a second-rate course. And a cheap price doesn’t offer much consolation when you
are on the second hole and realize that you’ve invested the next four hours on
mediocrity. A great track always starts with design, and while names like
Flynn, Mackenzie, Tillinghast or Ross may not be familiar, your round is
guaranteed to be more enjoyable if the course was laid out by a quality
architect. Conditioning and scenery are important as well, but the thought and
care that went into a course design will leave the most lasting impression.
When I was young my father was a member of Gardner’s Bay Country Club on
Shelter Island at the east end of Long Island, NY. I always loved playing that
course, but never really knew why. I had heard Seth Raynor’s name mentioned
here and there, but it meant nothing to me at the time. Years later when I
understood who Raynor was and why his courses are considered among the finest
in the world, the reason I found Gardner’s Bay so much fun to play became
clear.
The course rating given by GolfDay is based on a variety of
criteria, including local and national rankings by Golf Digest, Golfweek and
Links Magazine as well as USGA Course and Slope rating, general course
conditioning and the scope and quality of practice facilities. But the most
important aspect of rating any course is design, and we have given architecture
a great deal of consideration.
We hope that our ratings will help to make your day on the
links a pleasurable experience, and welcome any comments or feedback you may
have.
My club, Upper Montclair C. C. in Clifton, NJ hosted the
Cadillac NFL Senior Tour event back in the 90’s as well as a number of LPGA
tournaments—most recently the Sybase Classic from 2007-2009. One Friday evening
I stopped by the driving range at about 7pm and there was one person still
hitting balls, working hard at her game—with a beautiful golf swing. It brought
me back to a Thursday morning years ago when a business associate and I were at
the first round of the Sybase and decided to follow Lorena Ochoa (I believe she
was ranked number one in the world at that time). Lorena had a very early tee
time that day and we had to walk out to one of the farthest holes on the course
to catch up with her. When we reached her group, Lorena was in the center of
the fairway with her back to us, chatting with her caddie in preparation for
her second shot to the Par 5 fifth, one that would require a carry of about 200
yards over water. Suddenly, as if sensing our presence, she turned and waved
with a smile that nearly caused me to drop my coffee. I looked around behind me
to see who she was waving at, but there was no one else anywhere near us. It
was such a personal gesture of sincere appreciation that we would come out to
watch her play—and I’ll always remember it.
If you haven’t been to an LPGA event, you are really missing out on a special day—and I can guarantee the ladies will appreciate seeing you.
With the Presidents Cup coming up in only a few months, I think we owe some appreciation to the man who was instrumental in building the excitement of the Presidents Cup to what it is today–Fred Couples. Freddy played a key role in securing U.S. victories in three very memorable Presidents Cup matches. The first came in 1994 when Couples took on the World No. 1 player, Nick Price. That year, Price had just finished racking up two major victories–the Open Championship and the PGA Championship. Many observers felt that Price would make quick work of Couples with his ever-present back trouble–but they were wrong. Price held the lead throughout most of the match, until Freddy turned up his game and got it all square going into the last hole—where he knocked his approach to a foot and tapped in for victory.
The next Presidents Cup in 1996 had Couples taking on Vijay Singh in the final match–and it was another close one. The U.S. and International teams were neck and neck when the Couples-Singh match came to the last hole. Singh played a beautiful approach to about twelve feet, setting himself up for a makeable birdie chance. Couples played a rather mediocre approach, blocking his shot to the right and leaving a forty-footer for birdie. With Couples and Singh measuring their birdie opportunities, both teams looked on expectantly–a birdie by either of them would result in a one-point victory for their team. With Couples looking at such a long putt, the Americans knew their chances were slim, but Freddy delivered once again. Pandemonium ensued as the Americans rejoiced in celebration. With the pressure applied by Couples, Singh missed his birdie and the Americans won their second Cup in a row.
Nine years later, Couples would face Singh again in another key match at the Presidents Cup. At the time, Singh was No. 1 in the world and had just finished racking up four victories for the 2005 season. Conversely, the aging Couples with his best years behind him and saddled with a back brace, had to rely on a Captain’s pick to make the team. However, Jack Nicklaus, the Captain for the Americans had faith in him and that was enough to spur Couples on. After facing skepticism from the media on why he did not pick one of his “top guns” like Woods or Mickelson to go up against the World No. 1 player, Nicklaus staunchly defended Couples saying, “I did go with one of my guns, that’s who asked for him.” After some puzzlement, one reporter asked, “Fred asked for Vijay?” Nicklaus nodded saying, “He told me if you can get me Vijay, I’d like to have him.” Singh was rather cheerful at the prospect of facing Couples and said, “You’re going to need a golf cart!” “What do you mean?” Couples asked and Singh replied, “Bro, that’s because it’s going to be over at the ninth.” The event itself was close, with the Americans trailing the Internationals by a few points. Freddy vs. Vijay was one of the early matches, with seven more to follow; and the American squad was hopeful when Couples took an early lead on Singh—thinking perhaps the gray-haired underdog could pull another rabbit out of his hat. Suddenly it seemed that all hope was lost when Couples dunked his approach on the twelfth hole into the water. Freddy and Vijay were now back to even going into the last hole, much like their memorable match-up in ‘96. After good approach shots, both were looking at birdie putts. But Singh narrowly missed his putt; and once again, Couples calmly knocked in his twenty-footer to win the match and propel the American team toward an amazing comeback victory. When asked about his win over Vijay that ignited the American charge, the always humble Couples replied, “Is he going to beat me eight out of ten times? I think so. But in a one-day match, I had just as good a shot as anyone.” Couples then proceeded to Captain three winning Presidents Cup teams, etching his name forever in Presidents Cup history.
