Post by Richie3Jack on Mar 29, 2012 13:08:31 GMT -5
Here’s a brief synopsis of the courses in the Central Florida area that I’ve played since I’ve moved here (in alphabetical order):
Deltona Club – Great layout outside of the crazy tee box on the 8th hole. It was in terrible shape when we played from the rough winters, but still fun outside of the condition because the layout was that solid.
Eastwood – Home course that grows on you although I think it’s a very average-at-best club. Tough to go low on because of the potato chip shaped greens that are usually slow. Too many tricked-up holes (#2, #4, #9, #10 and #13) and some design characteristics I don’t like (#6 and #17). More of a course that is ‘good for its value.’
Heritage Isles - Played this with Jules Coleman (aka tightdraw) and really enjoyed the company, but not the course. Sorta like a Pete Dye design with a lot of blind tee shots, but the trouble was closer to the fairway and impossible to see. Probably like Eastwood in that it will grow on you if you are member, but for a first time playing there it's not much fun.
La Cita CC – Most underrated course of the bunch. Has a few tricky holes to start out with, but holes #7 thru 18 are as solid as it gets. Short, but tight course that requires the golfer to work the ball both ways. It would be a John Erickson favorite.
MetroWest GC – Typical solid RT Jones design and usually in good shape. Nothing too goofy. Pretty wide open, favors bombers. Smaller greens than we are used to seeing in C. Fla.
North Shore GC – 2 different nines with the front being a FLA links style and the back being more parkland-style. Not overly difficult if the wind isn’t bothering you too much and you get by a few holes (#3, #6, #12, #14 and #17). TifEagle greens, but it doesn’t always show as they like to keep them long. Solid golf course.
Rio Pinar CC – Old school golf club with tree line fairways, limited water and small greens. Solid layout that used to hold the Citrus Open PGA Tour event. Front nine fairly easy, back nine is a beast. Lengthy rough makes driving even more important as you can easily lose 20-40 yards off your tee shot if you land in the rough. Conditions tend to be iffy.
Savannahs - This is in a tiny area called Merritt Island, just south of Cape Canaveral and north of Cocoa Beach. Short course, not overly tricked up, but very tight and just about every hole has water on it. More of a course worth playing if you are nearby, but the accuracy difficulty is a bit too much to have fun on a consistent basis. I believe Vicky Hurst has the course record there, from the back tees.
Shingle Creek GC – Resort course that isn’t designed overly ‘resort-ish’ as you have to pin-point some tee shot. Not a bad hole on the entire course. The yardages on #8 and #9 are in the wrong order and can screw you up. Put it this way, hit driver on #8 and don’t hit driver on #9. Probably a top-10 conditioned course in the Orlando area.
Spruce Creek – Weird course with a very short front nine (3100 yards) and a long back nine (3600). It’s a hit-or-miss club that either gives you a really good to great golf hole or tricked-up nonsense. Still, I typically have enjoyed playing there.
Stoneybrook East – Tough driving course with tough greens. But, if you drive the ball well there you can go pretty low. Generally in good condition and the only thing I don’t like is the shape of some of their greens like #18 which is absurd. A course I plan to play more often because of the pressure it creates off the tee.
The Villages – Cane Garden – 27-hole course and has 2 nines that are probably my favorite in the Villages. One of the nines (can’t remember) I really don’t care for with tricked out holes, but the other nines are quite solid. Great condition in the fall and spring, iffy in the summer.
The Villages – GlenView – Perhaps the most difficult course in The Villages. Usually in good condition during the summer, but the greens are dreadfully slow.
The Villages – Lopez – Like Cane Garden, 2 good nines and one goofy one. Probably the course in the best condition during the summer of the bunch.
The Villages – Mallory – Solid course, but struggles with conditions. A few questionable designs like one par-4 being longer than some of their par-5’s.
The Villages – Orange Blossom Hills – Another course that suffers from too many tricked out holes, but not enough that it makes it impossible to score upon. Probably the weakest course when it comes to conditioning.
The Villages – Palmer – Excellent from tee to green, but the greens are hideously shaped and make it impossible to score on. Usually the best conditioned course of the bunch.
The Villages – Tierra Del Sol – Perhaps my least favorite of the Villages courses as it is too tricked out for my tastes and the greens are insane. It’s also so-so condition wise due to its age and the trees that cloak the fairways and greens.
Walkabout Golf Club – recommended by iteachgolf. Ultra-tough track. Questionable condition, sometimes in great condition, other times rough. Holes #1-7 are monsters. Get by those you can score on the back 9. Good course if the wind isn’t too brutal and you have a decent game going.
World Woods Pine Barrens – a unique course designed after Pine Valley by Fazio. When it was first built it came with rave reviews and hype. It was then put in GOLF Magazine’s Top 100 courses in the world. That seemed to get some backlash. IMO, the backlash was due to the fact that it’s a public course that is very affordable to play. Well, so is Bethpage. But, World Woods doesn’t have anywhere near the tradition that Bethpage has. I think it’s every bit worthy of a top-100 course given the top-100’s that I have played that simply do not offer not only the quality of the design, but the uniqueness and artistry of the design. Top-100 clubs should offer that quality, uniqueness and artistry along with playability instead of worrying about prestige, history and exclusiveness.
3JACK
Deltona Club – Great layout outside of the crazy tee box on the 8th hole. It was in terrible shape when we played from the rough winters, but still fun outside of the condition because the layout was that solid.
Eastwood – Home course that grows on you although I think it’s a very average-at-best club. Tough to go low on because of the potato chip shaped greens that are usually slow. Too many tricked-up holes (#2, #4, #9, #10 and #13) and some design characteristics I don’t like (#6 and #17). More of a course that is ‘good for its value.’
Heritage Isles - Played this with Jules Coleman (aka tightdraw) and really enjoyed the company, but not the course. Sorta like a Pete Dye design with a lot of blind tee shots, but the trouble was closer to the fairway and impossible to see. Probably like Eastwood in that it will grow on you if you are member, but for a first time playing there it's not much fun.
La Cita CC – Most underrated course of the bunch. Has a few tricky holes to start out with, but holes #7 thru 18 are as solid as it gets. Short, but tight course that requires the golfer to work the ball both ways. It would be a John Erickson favorite.
MetroWest GC – Typical solid RT Jones design and usually in good shape. Nothing too goofy. Pretty wide open, favors bombers. Smaller greens than we are used to seeing in C. Fla.
North Shore GC – 2 different nines with the front being a FLA links style and the back being more parkland-style. Not overly difficult if the wind isn’t bothering you too much and you get by a few holes (#3, #6, #12, #14 and #17). TifEagle greens, but it doesn’t always show as they like to keep them long. Solid golf course.
Rio Pinar CC – Old school golf club with tree line fairways, limited water and small greens. Solid layout that used to hold the Citrus Open PGA Tour event. Front nine fairly easy, back nine is a beast. Lengthy rough makes driving even more important as you can easily lose 20-40 yards off your tee shot if you land in the rough. Conditions tend to be iffy.
Savannahs - This is in a tiny area called Merritt Island, just south of Cape Canaveral and north of Cocoa Beach. Short course, not overly tricked up, but very tight and just about every hole has water on it. More of a course worth playing if you are nearby, but the accuracy difficulty is a bit too much to have fun on a consistent basis. I believe Vicky Hurst has the course record there, from the back tees.
Shingle Creek GC – Resort course that isn’t designed overly ‘resort-ish’ as you have to pin-point some tee shot. Not a bad hole on the entire course. The yardages on #8 and #9 are in the wrong order and can screw you up. Put it this way, hit driver on #8 and don’t hit driver on #9. Probably a top-10 conditioned course in the Orlando area.
Spruce Creek – Weird course with a very short front nine (3100 yards) and a long back nine (3600). It’s a hit-or-miss club that either gives you a really good to great golf hole or tricked-up nonsense. Still, I typically have enjoyed playing there.
Stoneybrook East – Tough driving course with tough greens. But, if you drive the ball well there you can go pretty low. Generally in good condition and the only thing I don’t like is the shape of some of their greens like #18 which is absurd. A course I plan to play more often because of the pressure it creates off the tee.
The Villages – Cane Garden – 27-hole course and has 2 nines that are probably my favorite in the Villages. One of the nines (can’t remember) I really don’t care for with tricked out holes, but the other nines are quite solid. Great condition in the fall and spring, iffy in the summer.
The Villages – GlenView – Perhaps the most difficult course in The Villages. Usually in good condition during the summer, but the greens are dreadfully slow.
The Villages – Lopez – Like Cane Garden, 2 good nines and one goofy one. Probably the course in the best condition during the summer of the bunch.
The Villages – Mallory – Solid course, but struggles with conditions. A few questionable designs like one par-4 being longer than some of their par-5’s.
The Villages – Orange Blossom Hills – Another course that suffers from too many tricked out holes, but not enough that it makes it impossible to score upon. Probably the weakest course when it comes to conditioning.
The Villages – Palmer – Excellent from tee to green, but the greens are hideously shaped and make it impossible to score on. Usually the best conditioned course of the bunch.
The Villages – Tierra Del Sol – Perhaps my least favorite of the Villages courses as it is too tricked out for my tastes and the greens are insane. It’s also so-so condition wise due to its age and the trees that cloak the fairways and greens.
Walkabout Golf Club – recommended by iteachgolf. Ultra-tough track. Questionable condition, sometimes in great condition, other times rough. Holes #1-7 are monsters. Get by those you can score on the back 9. Good course if the wind isn’t too brutal and you have a decent game going.
World Woods Pine Barrens – a unique course designed after Pine Valley by Fazio. When it was first built it came with rave reviews and hype. It was then put in GOLF Magazine’s Top 100 courses in the world. That seemed to get some backlash. IMO, the backlash was due to the fact that it’s a public course that is very affordable to play. Well, so is Bethpage. But, World Woods doesn’t have anywhere near the tradition that Bethpage has. I think it’s every bit worthy of a top-100 course given the top-100’s that I have played that simply do not offer not only the quality of the design, but the uniqueness and artistry of the design. Top-100 clubs should offer that quality, uniqueness and artistry along with playability instead of worrying about prestige, history and exclusiveness.
3JACK
