Turtle Hill Golf Club located at the Fairmont Southampton With its lush sub-tropical surroundings, dramatic elevation changes, and strong coastal winds is largely regarded as one the best par-3 golf courses in the world
Bermuda is an island of surprises. At the top of the list of those surprises is Turtle Hill Golf Club located at the Fairmont Southampton. Turtle Hill features 18 challenging par-3 holes, most with stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean. With its lush sub-tropical surroundings, dramatic elevation changes, and strong coastal winds, this challenging 2,684-yard golf course is largely regarded as one the best par-3 golf courses in the world. In fact, Turtle Hill Golf Club is the current host of the Grey Goose World Par 3 Championship. This annual event brings participants from more than 10 countries, including many noted professionals and an impressive list of amateur golfers—from Bermuda, the United States, Canada and Europe—vying for titles in the men’s, women’s and senior amateur divisions and their share of the $75,000 (USD) purse.
Turtle Hill is a world-class venue designed to take your short game to new heights. Thanks to the coastal winds coming off the Atlantic Ocean, every round at Turtle Hill is unique. The keys to a successful round at Turtle Hill are patience and prudent club selection. The wind fluctuates so much at Turtle Bay it’s common for a hole to vary drastically in distance, making club selection range from a 9-iron to as much as a 5-iron depending on the wind that day. In terms of patience, there are some holes on the course where you need to consider par as good as a birdie. If you walk onto the course thinking you’re going at every pin you’ll be in for a long day and a score well over par.
A look from the first tee box with the Atlantic Ocean as the backdrop
Designed by Ted Robinson Sr., former president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects is credited as one of the first designers to incorporate water-hazards into his course designs. Dubbed the King of Waterscapes, the Atlantic Ocean was his backdrop as he designed Turtle Hill, but it wouldn’t be a Ted Robinson course without a few man-made water hazards. During your round at Turtle Hill, you’ll play through many bunkers and water hazards, but the most challenging aspect will continue to be the winds that blow hard off the ocean. The spectacular elevation changes on the course make shots that much tougher to judge, on the first two holes the elevation drops around 200 feet. Imagine the struggle, you stand on the tee of a 145-yard par-3, the hole plays drastically downhill but with a massive ocean wind in your face what distance does it really play. Without a few rounds at Turtle Hill under your belt that’ll be a question, you struggle with.
Turtle Hill might be a par-3 course but just because it’s short on length that doesn’t mean any corners have been cut. Much to contrary, you’ll find the island’s best Pro Shop located at Turtle Hill with a selection of apparel and equipment that’s second to none. In addition, Turtle Hill features a staff of talented golf professionals that provide lessons to the resort’s many visitors and are accustomed to introducing people to the great game of golf.
Fairmont Southampton the home of Turtle Hill Golf Club and it’s an amazing resort with tons of amenities
If you’re staying at the Fairmont Southampton, first off consider yourself lucky. Secondly, you’ll want to take advantage of having Turtle Hill in your backyard, make sure to play at least a few rounds. The staff at Turtle Hill does an excellent job maintaining the course and the greens are the best in Bermuda.
However, the best thing about the Turtle Hill experience is the pace of play. You’re in Bermuda, on a fabulous holiday enjoying everything that the island offers and Turtle Hill allows you to play a full round in just over 2 hours. Nothing’s better than being in paradise and finishing your round in just over two hours. The elevation changes can make Turtle Hill a tough walk so we recommend paying the cart fee to make the round more enjoyable but either way, you’ll enjoy a quick round of golf at Turtle Hill Golf Club.