King and Bear Golf Course at World Golf Village
St Augustine, Florida 32092
Saint Johns County
Phone(s): (904) 940-6088, (904) 940-6200
Fax: (904) 940-6211
Website: www.golfwgv.com
The course is a unique and historic collaboration between Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus and opened to the public in November 2000. The King & Bear is an 18-hole, par 72, 7,200-yard course featuring loblolly pines and open meadows on the front nine and the natural beauty of 200-year old live oaks complementing the back nine.
The signature feature of the course is placid lakes edged with large coquina rock. These beautiful lakes come back into play on 16 of the 18 holes.
Coquina rock is also incorporated into several bunkers and cart paths, lending visual texture to the stunning natural refinement of the land . This course is will challenge the skilled golfer while still being friendly to the novice.
Every tee shot offers you a unique look and a new opportunity to strategically plan your play. The King & Bear eagerly awaits you.
Golf course details
- Holes: 18
- Designed by: Arnold Palmer, Bruce Borland, Ed Seay, Jack Nicklaus, Jim Lipe, MacCurrach Golf, Nicklaus
- Public/Private: Resort
- Year opened: 2000
- Golf Season: Year round. Peak Season: Mid-February - May
- Guest Policy: Welcomed
- Tee times welcomed: Yes
- Fairways: 419 Bermuda Grass
- Greens: 419 Bermuda Grass
Facilities
- Pro in house: Yes
- Driving range: Yes
- Rental clubs: Yes
- Rental carts: Yes - included in green fee
Green fees price ranges
- Week days: $69 - $249
- Weekends: $69 - $249
- Tee times from $49 - Check prices
Course policies
- Metal spikes allowed: No
- Dress code:
- Credit cards accepted:
Length, slope and rating for each tee
Tee | Par | Yardage | Slope | Rating |
---|---|---|---|---|
Stone | 72 | 7279 | 141 | 74.6 |
Black | 72 | 6855 | 138 | 72.5 |
Blue | 72 | 6506 | 133 | 70.6 |
White | 72 | 5987 | 129 | 68.4 |
Green (W) | 72 | 5119 | 123 | 69.4 |
White (W) | 72 | 5987 | 136 | 74.3 |
Green | 72 | 5119 | 110 | 64.7 |
Blue/White Blended | 72 | 6217 | 132 | 69.2 |
White/Green Blended (W) | 72 | 5501 | 128 | 71.4 |
White/Green Blended | 72 | 5501 | 117 | 66.1 |
One of the areas that seem to be overlooked is St. Augustine, which in my opinion has the most to offer golfers: World Golf Village. World Golf Village is to golfers what peanut butter is to jelly. They just naturally go together. Within World Golf Village is The PGA TOUR Golf Academy at World Golf Village, the World Golf Hall of Fame, the Renaissance World Golf Village Hotel, several eateries, and two championship golf courses: The King & Bear and The Slammer & Squire.
Whether you’re new to golf or just fine-tune your game, the PGA TOUR Golf Academy at World Golf Village can set you on the right path. They specialize in providing clinics, group exercises, as well as one-on-one teaching for all levels of golfers. The academy also offers group activities such as team-building exercises, night golf, and challenges. They can help with every facet of your game, from the driver to the putter using the latest technology: TrackMan and the SAM PuttLab.
If you’re a golf junkie like me, you can easily spend a couple of days at the World Golf Hall of Fame. Next year (2022), four new members will be inducted into the Hall of Fame including Tiger Woods, Tim Finchem, Marion Hollins, and Susie Maxwell Bering. Exhibits include the Member’s Locker Room, containing personal items from each member, Tales From the Collection, Tributes to Nancy Lopez and African American Golfers, THE PLAYERS Experience, built around the PGA tournament in nearby Ponte Vedra, and The Challenge Hole – a 132-yard island green reminiscent of the 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass.
The Renaissance World Golf Village Hotel is located in the middle of WGV and puts you in walking distance of the Hall of Fame, PGA TOUR Academy, Bill Murray’s Caddyshack Restaurant, and The Slammer & Squire Golf Course. The rooms are spacious and well-appointed, offering everything you’ll need to relax after a round of golf or touring the grounds. The Villagio Restaurant is located on the first floor and serves a great breakfast buffet during non-COVID 19 times as well as sumptuous dinners.
All this leads us to the golf courses, The Slammer & Squire and The King & Bear. The King & Bear is the coup de gras of the two courses. It’s located a couple of miles away but is definitely worth the trip. You’ve probably figured out by now the designers behind it, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. Not only were these two champions part of the inaugural Hall of Fame class, but their collaboration on this course is also amazing. Of the two courses, King & Bear is much more of a “players” course although, with seven different yardages on the scorecard, there’s an appropriate distance regardless of ability.
The King & Bear can best be described as a tale of two nines. The front nine is more of a links-style course, open and airy with lots of native grasses. The back nine is where the fun begins. In true Florida golf fashion, many of the holes are lined with tall, loblolly pines and ancient oak trees, waste areas created with crushed coquina shells, and several water hazards. Since both Palmer and Nicklaus excelled off the tee, good driving is at a premium, especially on the two signature holes designed by each player. They are handicapped as the two most difficult holes on the inward nine. Number 15 is Arnie’s, a risk/reward,311-yard par 4 with a slight dogleg right. Most players will opt for a two-shot approach into a green surrounded by water. Number 16 is Jack’s hole, a 416-yard dogleg right par 4. A long drive down the middle goes a long way in succeeding on this hole. Trees line the right side and anything long and left off the tee is not likely to be found. Most players will be left with a long iron or hybrid approach shot into a large, elevated green protected front and right by a large, deep greenside bunker. Par these two holes and you’ve most likely shot a good round!
The clubhouse at the King & Bear was recently remodeled and is spectacular, especially their brand new restaurant, AJ’s Kitchen & Cocktails. World Golf Village’s newest dining venue recently won a Golden Fork Award, placing second in Best New Amenity 2021. AJ’s specializes in specialty drinks, beer samplers, and a wine wall as well as some uncommon comfort food with a local twist including Grilled Jerk Spiced Wings, Braised Short Rib Quesadilla, and Hatch Pepper Spiced Grouper. Whether you’re looking for something light or a multi-course meal, AJ’s has something for everyone.
Both courses have comprehensive practice facilities with full-length driving ranges, short game areas with bunkers, and large practice greens. Many players that don’t have time for a round will spend a couple of hours at one of the two practice facilities.
World Golf Village is currently accepting new members so if you can’t get enough of these courses, here’s your chance! WGV is managed by Troon Golf, the #1 golf course management company in the country. As a member of a Troon-managed property, you’ll have access to other Troon private and daily fees across the country and around the world. And with Troon’s recent acquisition of Indigo Golf Partners, that list has grown significantly!