Adios Golf Club

Many golf course designers become honorary members of clubs they design...a nice job perk. Arnold Palmer’s membership at Adios Golf Club was a bit more than that. He was one of just 16 founding members at the Coconut Creek club, which remains one of the most private golf institutions in southeast Florida to this day (no small accomplishment).

Those who manage to get an invite will find themselves on a course that measures just under 7,000 yards from the tips, and indeed Palmer used every inch of this small parcel to get to that number. Considering that he could not make the holes any longer by using what was left over inland, a number of ponds were created in order provide maximum challenge, and to ensure that every potential scoring opportunity came with potential disaster as a booby prize.

Many courses featuring doglegs have struggled to keep players from utilizing parallel fairways as a shortcut. Considering the lengthy water channel separating the No. 13 par five and No. 16 fairway, plus the angled green of the former, one has to wonder if Palmer intentionally built himself a quick route to eagle on this 550-yard hole.