Eyes on the ball. Focus on the flag waving in the breeze on the distant green. Block out the songs of the cuckoo, warbler, and finch. Concentrate. A slight hook or draw, a few feet left or right, and you’re lost in the woods or in the water. These aren’t the manmade hazards you’ve faced on other courses; if the ball strays from these fairways, it could be gone for good in one of the island’s natural lakes, maritime forests, or marshes. Your shot might disturb an osprey or deer or land in an extraordinarily tough lie near an alligator. Golfers have been playing through here since 1898, but this wilderness remains far from tamed. Just center on the shot in front of you. Breathe. Swing true. Follow through. Watch the ball reach the green. Exhale. Grab your putter and move on. Just don’t stray too far off the path.
—Tony Rehagen