Bear Trap Dunes (Ocean View, DE)

I played Bear Trap Dunes while visiting Ocean City which sits on the Delaware/Maryland border. One of my goals is to golf in every state and this was a chance to knock Delaware off the list. It was also an opportunity to see Rick Jacobson’s work as well. 

(In a touristy area, wide fairways are a must to keep the pace of play brisk. Jacobson however let it be known that poor drives were not going unpunished.) 

Rick Jacobson started his architectural career with Larry Packard before becoming an assistant with Jack Nicklaus. In 1991 he formed his own design firm and has found success with several well known layouts. One of those is Bear Trap Dunes which opened in 2001. It’s regarded as one of the top 5 public course in Delaware. 

(The 550 yard par five seventh on the Kodiak nine has water extending into the layup zone. The best angle is actually from short of the hazard where the three people in the picture are walking. Guarding the front left side of the green is a wide bunker. Players who shy away from the water will need to carry it on their approach.) 

In an interview, Jacobson described how he avoids the signature hole. Bear Trap Dunes is a good example of this philosophy, and its consistency is seen throughout the round. Each hole has the same look and feel as the others, and if you asked a foursome what their favorite hole was, you’d get four different answers. The course moves both ways multiple times, and the player is asked to have a working repertoire to accurately attack each hole. 

(The 427 yard par four ninth on the Kodiak nine plays short of the elegant clubhouse. The green is protected on the right while the short grass short and left welcome those looking to bail away from the trouble.) 

Bear Trap Dunes has 27 holes named Grizzly, Kodiak, and Black Bear. Grizzly and Kodiak share a large parcel of land while Black Bear is on the other side of houses. The course is part of a huge housing development that has storefronts at the entrance way. In fact, the clubhouse serves the entire community and not just golfers. Jacobson deserves credit for blending the course into the housing . On only a few holes did the OB stand out. 

(Black Bear’s 363 yard par four fifth hole has a beautiful tee shot over water to an angled fairway bracketed by bunkers...

...a good drive leaves a simple shot into an open green with a lone bunker guarding the right.) 

The cart barn attendant stated that Bear Trap Dunes sees a lot of career rounds. I can see that. While the fairways are well bunkered, there’s plenty of room to drive the ball. The greens have modest contouring in them and usually just one bunker on a side. They're midsized so golfers have a good chance at hitting them. Good players who are trying to go low will have to challenge the pins that are tucked while higher handicaps have the opportunity to safely navigate the trouble. It’s a smart design that works perfectly for the area. During the summer, many people visit the beaches that stretch up and down the Delaware/Maryland shoreline. Bear Trap Dunes accommodates all the skill levels looking to get a few swings into their holiday. 

(The 175 yard par three Black Bear seventh has a large bunker fronting the center of the green. Today’s pin position requires a shot that can carry all the way to the pin.)

The biggest challenge and unknown is the wind. It gets breezy by the ocean. The day I played it was a constant 10-15 mph, and a couple days before it was gusting up to 40 mph. The ground game is available on days like this. The course plays fast and firm with openings into greens. 

(Black Bear’s final hole is a 424 yard par four with a centerline bunker dividing the fairway into left and right. A drive to the right fairway must carry over a waste area where the approach has an unhindered view and plenty of room to work the ball into the flag. Water on the right has seen plenty of good rounds implode at the end.) 

Ocean City has several good options for golfers looking for a game and Bear Trap Dunes is one of them. I give it a 5 (good)(worth driving an hour to play). 

[I usually don’t comment on my playing companions but my girlfriend and I were paired with two gentlemen who where members at the Country Club of Maryland. Both were very good players but the one who caught my eye had a carry bag embroidered with “Fr Champ 2009 2018”. Yes, it turned out he was a priest.] 

 

{After the round, a visit to Harpoon Hanna’s is a must! It sits on the water and the tiki bar is the perfect place to grab food and few drinks. If you’re lucky, they’ll have live music playing too.}