Remember those hot fudge sundaes when you were a kid?  When the soda fountain clerk presented that special treat, did you pluck the beautiful maraschino cherry on top and eat it first?  Or did you save that delicious cherry for the last exciting bite? 

The maraschino cherry, that last exciting bite of our round of golf at Vasari Country Club in Bonita Springs, FL was the bobcats.

Bobcats, those beautiful wild creatures that live and hunt the critters that love the delicious plush grass on golf courses across the entire range of American golf courses, have been the central figures many of my ‘Critters On The Course’ articles over the years.  But never Florida’s bobcats.  The bobcat sighting was the final wonderful bite for the wives of two lifelong golf buddies. 

My all-time bestie, Dennis Close, and I had not played a round of golf since the COVID outbreak in 2020.  In our 62 years of friendship and golf history, it had never been 3 years since we had shared an enjoyable time on the golf course.  We met on our first day of college in September of 1961.  We won conference championships, we competed for national collegiate championships and worked together immediately after college.  We were best man at each other’s (first) weddings and many time successful golf partners.

On a recent quick trip to SW Florida (some business and some pleasure) my wife, Bev, and I carved out a day to play a round of golf with Dennis and his new wife, Patty.  COVID caused a last-minute cancellation of participation in their wedding in 2020.  We had met Patty once for a quick lunch but have never had the opportunity to get to know the current Mrs. Close.

Dennis, a golf freak all his life, is now residing in a utopian golfer’s heaven.  He and Patty own a beautiful townhome at Vasari, a gated golf community in Bonita Springs.  Golf on this fine course is a year around love affair.

Bev and I thought that Vasari would be nice…. but nice does not adequately describe the intimate community that revolves around the club.  With a modern, very functional, clubhouse that includes all the amenities including bocci ball and a beautifully maintained golf course, the residents seem more like a very large family living in harmony in this comfortable setting.  

We turned right at the arrow pointing to the range.  As we followed the cart path, I was surprised to see a huge sky-blue lake with floating targets, sporting a flagstick, bobbing in the distance.  The range tee was a long narrow strip of well-maintained grass with boxes of “floater” golf balls evenly spaced.  The tee followed the contour of the lakeshore creating an unusual visual effect. After a few minutes at the driving range we headed to the first tee.  

With the girls in one cart and Dennis and I in the other, the first few holes were mostly golf and getting to know each other.  I also quickly understood the golf course architectural design of Vasari.  Water on the right or left of each hole creating a beautiful visual affect as hazards on the golf course while making course side housing extremely appealing.  Almost every inch of Vasari is golf side homesites or golf course with plenty of vegetation for accent.  The greens are fairly complex but hold a shot and putt smooth and fast; golfer friendly.  Really fun to play!

On the 17th tee the girls drove ahead and a little to the left as Dennis and I hit our tee shots.  As we were mounting our golf cart we heard a squill and excited chatter from our wives.  Even before they hit their tee shots, they were chatting excitedly about the two bobcats or cougars that walked onto the cart path then into one of the only wooded areas on the golf course.  

Bev could not wait to show the pictures, that she almost missed, of the bobcats as they disappeared into the brush.  Bev has seen bobcats on the golf course before, but she said that these wild creatures seemed larger than any she has seen

The photo that Bev captured as they descended into the brush show the white areas on the back of their ears.  Researchers believe that the markings appear to be eyes on the back of their heads.  

It might be a stretch, but these white ears proved to be the maraschino cherry on top of our round at Vasari Country Club.