Timberton

A majority of Mark McCumber’s work has occurred in the American South, and few locations are deeper south than his original design at Timberton Golf Club. The region surrounding Hattiesburg, Mississippi is full of wetlands, and McCumber almost didn’t have a choice but to incorporate ample water hazards throughout his design.

Although the opening hole is gentle enough, the course’s true identity emerges at No. 2, where a creek flows along the entire left side of the par four. That creek empties into a pond, where McCumber built the tee box on an island. Continued creek-crossings and forced carries ensue.

The second half of the course has more property to roam than the first, and players in carts may enjoy the drives through wooded wetlands to get to the next bit of playable land. Players will be relieved to know that the island green off of the No. 15 green isn’t actually part of the Timberton routing, but they’ll be in for a similar experience soon enough. If the long forced carry to a perched green on the par three No. 17 seemed bad, it’s just a warmup for the closer, which requires two carries of the lake to a similar green.