17th Hole at Bay Hill Club and Lodge

Original Oil on Canvas

18" x 36"

Every March, the world's best golfers make a stop in Orlando to pay homage to one of the greatest their game has ever seen. "The King", as he is known, plays host at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. The tournament takes place at his famed Bay Hill Club and Lodge.

The course is challenging from the first tee, but as it is with any great tournament, the champion is usually decided only by the slightest of margins during the last few holes on Sunday afternoon. The last three holes of the course rarely fail to produce the drama and excitement worthy of this championship. The 16th hole is a risk-reward par-5 that yields numerous birdies, leaving those players who didn't birdie the hole feeling like they gave one back. The final hole has an approach shot that can make even a seasoned veteran question his ability and look for a place to lay up.

Sandwiched between these two is a little jewel of a hole... The par-3 17th hole is a mere 221 yards long that is almost all carry over water. A beautifully unique feature to this hole is the sand bunker that lies between the green and the water. This bunker lines almost the entire front of the green and seems to magically disappear into the water. The high walls of the bunker hide the green visually creating a sense of hopelessness in your effort to find the putting surface. A true test of nerves and fortitude, the 17th hole is as trying as it is beautiful.

Timacuan Golf Club

Oil on Canvas

24" x 36"

This latest golf course piece has been in the works for nearly 5 months. I started on it last Fall. About two-thirds of the way into it, I was asked to create a new piece for a client, so this one got put on hold. As it sat in the corner waiting to be finished, I had numerous ideas on ways to accomplish a certain look for different pieces of the painting. How did I want to present the water? was it going to be a completely still day with a glass-like calmness? Or should there be a slight chop to the water? This was also a first for me to include buildings of any sort in the landscape. Typically, I like to present the course for what it is- without any distractions "man made" additions. However, this time I felt like the homes in the background help develop the painting and add a small area of interest that otherwise may have been lost in the rough.

To see other works, please visit MarshallEnglish.com.