Lives
Tampa, FL
Age
45-54
Gender
Male
Skill
Advanced
Plays
A few times a week

Review Statistics

Average Rating

3.5
3.5
Total 112 Reviews

Rating Breakdown

112 Reviews
5 Stars
18
4 Stars
51
3 Stars
23
2 Stars
9
1 Stars
11
Recommended Courses
85
Not Recommended Courses
25
Helpful Votes Count
13
Not Helpful Votes Count
6
First Review
02/08/2013
Last Review
06/28/2018

Reviews Map

Reviews

3.5
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Recommended
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Timber Greens Country Club

Played On 06/27/2018
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 250 Contributor
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average

River Run Golf Links

Played On 06/14/2018
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 250 Contributor
First Time Playing
Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Fair
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Fair
Response from on 06/19/2018:
We are sorry to see that your overall experience was anything short of 5 stars. Thank you for coming out and we hope you'll give us another try in the near future.

Links of Lake Bernadette

Played On 01/21/2018
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Top 250 Contributor
First Time Playing

Too many twosomes. Pair up and move!!!!!!!

First, I was pleasantly surprised by the layout, course conditions and friendliness of Russ in the Pro Shop. I would love to come back and play this course again when I can actually play at a decent pace and not skip four holes, which I had to do on this twilight visit to finish before dark. There was not one, not two, not three, not four, but FIVE twosomes playing in front of me and they all refused to play together to move things along. That is not only stubborn, but ridiculous. I literally laughed as I watched three twosomes all parked at #8 tee box not speaking to one another as they waited to tee off, while another twosome waited in the fairway for another twosome to putt out. Yes, that's five twosomes on one hole. C'mon! Do you people hate each other that much! Get over yourself, pair up and it benefits everyone. I jumped over to #12 tee after putting out on #7 green and had clear sailing for the rest of my round. Again, I really like the layout, but the customers need to do their part to help pace of play instead of being so arrogant.

Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Poor

ChampionsGate Country Club

Played On 07/24/2015
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Top 250 Contributor
First Time Playing

Enjoy the course and quit complaining about the clubhouse

I would have played here months ago had it not been for others on this website complaining about the lack of a clubhouse and other amenities. I'd like to thank them for their lousy comments and delaying what was an excellent golf experience. Playing such a new golf course where I can literally make the first mark EVER in certain spots in fairways was delightful. Amazed how this course's front nine winds its way right past the edges of the National Course, yet seems so far from the other CG clubhouse and the Omni Hotel when playing the back nine. This is a high quality layout with plenty of variation, yet very generous options for landing smart shots off the tee. Blue tees play about 6400 yards, but it can definitely play longer when you go into heavy gusts. Especially as I did on this particular afternoon with those winds in my face on the back to back Par 5's of #9 and #10. Anyone who bad mouths this property for its lack of a permanent clubhouse has issues and does not appreciate the game itself. Besides, the staff are all cordial and the temporary trailer holding the pro shop, bar, dining area, patio and bathrooms is more than sufficient until the clubhouse and tennis courts are finished in about 15 months.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent

Palms at Palm-Aire Country Club

Played On 11/15/2014
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 250 Contributor
First Time Playing
Excellent weather
Used cart

Classic South Florida golf course

Honestly, there is not very much in the way of exciting and unique golf experiences in South Florida that are available for public play. Therefore, my goal on a recent Saturday afternoon was to find a nice course in good condition where I could play at my own pace. Not only did the Palms cover all that, but I always appreciate when my interaction with the employees is so positive. While the layout is rather simple, I actually found more that a few challenging tee shots on the Par 4's and Par 5's. The location was also literally minutes from my hotel and the cart girls were out there until very late in the afternoon.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate

Juliette Falls

Played On 11/01/2014
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Top 250 Contributor
First Time Playing
Average weather
Used cart

Very much worth the road trip

If you live in Tampa or Orlando, Juliette Falls is not exactly around the corner. Don't think twice if you appreciate a great golf course and plan the visit. I was NOT going to miss out on the final long day of sunshine before Daylight Savings Time ended and a blast of cold temperatures actually gave me a fast pace of play as a bonus. This is also the rare non-Bermuda grass experience for a Florida golf course, as it apparently a hybrid specially made for them and it is the finest stuff I've hit fairway shots on since my last experience on Kentucky bluegrass in Colorado. Also, absolutely loved the shaved down edges on much of the greens. Sure, I putted one ball right off the green, but I adjusted and so will you. Course favors a draw off the tee, but fade hitters are not at a significant disadvantage. You will also find the clubhouse very intimate and inviting. Their bar area does not look like anything usually found at a golf property with great TVs and cool blue neon lighting. Tell Vince and the guys in the Pro Shop you made the drive from out of town and they will go out of their way to make sure you feel appreciated. That's what they did for me.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Conestoga Golf Club

Played On 10/20/2014
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Top 250 Contributor
First Time Playing
Excellent weather
Used cart

Wonderful people at a spectacular design

This was my first drive from the Vegas Strip to Mesquite for the golf I've always heard about and I'm not sure if I just had the perfect day or now need to do this every trip. First, the employees were outstanding in being both helpful and genuinely friendly. The course itself is not easy at all (especially for first timers), but I really appreciate the design in how it uses the natural landscape, especially on the Par 3s. Honestly, the last time I took this many on-course pictures was in New Mexico at Black Mesa and Paa-Ko Ridge, which are similarly jaw-dropping.
Not only was the course in excellent condition, but cart paths are all well-maintained for a smooth ride despite the trip through the canyons. Conestoga was definitely the highlight of my most recent trip to Las Vegas.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging

The Tribute Golf Club - Old Course

Played On 09/29/2014
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Top 250 Contributor
First Time Playing

A high quality Tribute indeed

I'll admit, my first choice was to play Old American right next door. However, that was not an option on this particular day, so I spent the afternoon at The Tribute. As always, I really appreciate when you visit a property for the first time, know absolutely nobody and find that everyone is very laid back and friendly. And I'm not just talking about the staff, as I played through three groups and each one let me go through with nothing less than a gracious smile. As a Central Florida resident, stepping to the first tee was like being at the New Course at Grand Cypress as they also design their #1 and #18 to look like St. Andrews. Unlike Grand Cypress, The Tribute has a true Road Hole complete with a shed that you must drive over from the back tees. In addition to holes from St. Andrews, there are also some from Carnoustie, Muirfield, Turnberry and many other famous European courses and the starter gives out a nice book detailing some of the rich history of each one. There's a lot of fun to be had on this course and all but one bent grass green, the eighth which was very soft and almost muddy, was properly conditioned to receive approaches and roll putts true. When playing certain holes that are close enough to the clubhouse, you can actually hear bagpipes to add another neat touch to the experience. Appropriately, the cart girl wears a red kilt and if her name is Katie, she has very good form if you challenge her to hit a ball or two.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good

Cerbat Cliffs Golf Course

Played On 09/08/2014
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Top 250 Contributor
First Time Playing

Two shots made this random visit memorable

Here's the story: I was driving early morning from Las Vegas to Phoenix with a tee time at Quintero already booked. One hour into my drive, Quintero called me to inform me that the course was under water due to the rare flooding in Phoenix overnight. No!!! I already had bought my ticket for the Monday Night Football game that same night in Phoenix, so I was not turning around and heading back to Las Vegas. The ONLY course on 93 South far enough outside of the flooding was this one...and it was right off the interstate. I pulled in, explained my situation and the very nice woman in the Pro Shop put me out immediately. Unfortunately, that bad weather did not allow me to play more than nine holes. However, I was able to play some golf that morning and I will always remember two very fun shots on the front nine. The tee shot from the black tees on the Par 4 fifth hole are literally off a tee box built on the side of a mountain right next to 93 South. The view was awesome and I absolutely loved crushing a perfect drive off that lofty perch. Then, the Par 3 eighth hole is really neat. The tee boxes are built up on one side to launch a wedge or 9-iron to an elevated green positioned between two rock formations. There's even one really nice house to the right of the green on top of the natural earth on that side. While it wasn't planned and wasn't even 18 holes, I will always smile when thinking about my brief and spontaneous visit. Maybe they'll let me play another nine holes again on my next drive between Las Vegas and Phoenix since I did not get a raincheck!

Conditions Average
Value Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Average

Las Vegas Country Club

Played On 09/07/2014
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Top 250 Contributor
Previously Played
Excellent weather
Used cart

A great spot if you can negotiate around the members

This course is so close to The Strip, the convenience of playing here is obvious if you're staying in one of the big hotels. However, this course is very private and you'll need a connection to get a tee time. The members are older and I give most of them credit for their overall pace of play, however I do try to stay out of their way since it is their course...not mine. Most of the staff welcomes guests, but there are exceptions. The layout is very straightforward and simple with a premium on hitting accurate drives on most Par 4s and Par 5s. A number of holes do border other holes while the finishing stretch of 16-18 is set apart. Greens here are soft and quick. The snack shack between 3rd tee and 14th green has an excellent variety of cold beverages and it is always a bonus when Casey is the woman working it. Water comes into play on just a few holes, but it will gobble up anything short of both the ninth and eighteenth greens.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Top 250 Contributor
First Time Playing

The 27-hole golf property endorsement holds true again at Boulder Creek

The further you get away from The Strip, the more likely you are to find a fast pace of play when in Las Vegas. Boulder Creek offered exactly what I wanted on a Saturday afternoon: A light tee sheet, challenging golf course and extremely nice employees. The drive out to Boulder City is all highway and the golf property is really easy to find. There's a very cordial, laid-back attitude at this facility...which I really appreciate after my last experience as the snobby TPC Las Vegas. I've said before that 27 hole golf properties rarely disappoint. While nine of the 27 holes on this day were closed for maintenance, I enjoyed the Eldorado and Desert Hawk nines. Eldorado is simply a fun layout to play and the course was in excellent condition. Desert Hawk is definitely tougher and was overseeded, yet extremely playable. Tee boxes are cut in squares (always a nice touch) and GPS was excellent in giving distances to landmarks as well as front, pin and back. The beverage cart girl was named Brooke and she stayed out deep into the afternoon bringing drinks, food and a killer smile to all of us. Boulder Creek really has a lot going for it and is clearly well-managed and maintained.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Top 250 Contributor
First Time Playing

Not JUST a Par 3 course. Not even close.

It is a credit to the Orange County National facility that they have a Par 3 that is not only legitimately maintained, but is a step above most Par 3 courses. First of all, two of the holes basically play like short Par 4 holes and only big hitters are going to reach the greens with driver. One of those Par 4s is significantly downhill, which tells you that there are elevation changes on this little track too. The Par 3 immediately after that downhill Par 4 plays back up the hill, which is always tough to find in Florida. A 3-4 hole stretch that follows brings a small lake into play and shows how cleverly designed this course was by the designer. Also, unlike many Par 3 courses at other golf properties, this one allows you to drive your cart. I played these nine holes before going out on Panther Lake and by the time I finished the front nine on Panther Lake, I really felt like I had played a legitimate 18 holes for the afternoon...rather than the Tooth simply being a warm-up. While the Tooth is certainly the choice of beginners and shorter hitters at OCN, I think any level of player will find it fun and with enough challenges to keep you interested.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent

Westchase Golf Club

Played On 08/26/2014
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Top 250 Contributor
Previously Played

Really nice people on staff, rough areas around tees and greens

First time at Westchase in about a decade because it does not offer tee times on GolfNow.com and their rates always seem to be near the higher end for golf in Hillsborough County. I'm sure they know their pricing points based on their location in the middle of a very populated area, but I found a pretty empty golf course after 2pm on a breezy weekday afternoon. Every employee I encountered was really top notch, whether it was the man working the Pro Shop, the woman working the bar/restaurant or the starter from Green Bay named Doug, Doug was the most interesting guy I've talked to at a golf property in quite awhile and he's obviously more than just your everyday starter. GPS is in the carts, but even with that, this is a tight golf course that must be managed with accurate golf shots. There are more than a few difficult tee shots and forced carries. Honestly, I do not like the overall design of the front nine, but the back nine seemed fair despite stretching beyond 3400 yards from the blue tees. Conditions are inconsistent, as evidenced by a horrific excuse for tee boxes on #3 and plenty of recently laid sod that is already patchy or outright dead around the edges of tees and greens. I'll come back and play again before things get busier later this year, as long as I find another competitive rate...which isn't easy to do at Westchase.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average

Countryway Golf Club

Played On 08/21/2014
1.0
Top 250 Contributor
Previously Played

Water comes into play on 14 holes? 3.7 out of 5 stars? Where are these people actually playing?

Sorry, but I just hate when course descriptions are inaccurate and when an overall rating at the time I post this updated review is way off. Anyone who would call this anything more than a two-star golf course is like the person who eats only fast food and simply doesn't know what a GOOD restaurant is like. Countryway is an average at best executive course that is appropriately about as cheap to play as going to a local driving range and purchasing a bucket of balls. As a matter of fact, I've spoken directly with others on this very course who are out there because they simply wanted to practice by hitting a variety of golf shots at greens and flags. Any player with a handicap of about 15 or lower can only pull driver here on a handful of holes while it isn't really necessary to have in the bag at all if you're actually filling out the scorecard. On a rare positive note, there is groundskeeping effort to keep playing areas of the course in decent shape and this is one of the most inexpensive daily golf options on this website. Other than simply practice, I do like when there are a few chatty young ladies in the pool directly to the left of the ninth tee and playing #15 from the forward tee boxes just to try and work the ball around the trees for that very rare Par 4 ace. Without question, this property is for beginners, families who don't usually play golf and locals who measure their golf experience by how the beer tastes rather than the quality of the property itself.

Conditions Fair
Value Fair
Friendliness Fair
Pace Excellent
Amenities Fair
Default User Avatar
Commented on 09/26/2014

Hi Wright2k,

Thank you for playing our golf course! I'm sorry it wasn't a perfect experience for you. Our goal is for every golfer to enjoy their day at Countryway no matter their handicap. We have a wide variety of golfers that play here and they usually always have positive feedback after their rounds. We'd love to have you back out at the course soon and please come see next time you're here. I'm always open to how we can better our facility so golfers always leave happy! - Bill Sherlock, GM

Fox Hollow Golf Club

Played On 08/21/2014
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Top 250 Contributor
First Time Playing

Every bit of the 6800 yards it says on the scorecard

The scorecard says there are black tees further back, but an employee told me they don't even set them up unless they are hosting a tournament for professionals. The 475 yard Par 4 14th is the best example of how the blues offer plenty of length on this golf course. While 14 is wide open for you to hit as much as you can, other lengthy holes feature a more restricted landing area off the tee. The rough is definitely penal, as it grabs your ball and makes the next shot difficult to make good contact. While I wouldn't call this course "scenic" like a Lake Jovita South, there is plenty of contour and hazards on virtually every hole. The greens are on the larger side, making GIRs somewhat meaningless despite the length it requires to accomplish them. Every bunker has plenty of sand and rakes (I know, I hit a rake with my approach on #2 and the ball deflected into the water) and the only thing lacking in the condition of the course were some brown tee boxes...which are somewhat expected in mid-August. I'd play here more often if Fox Hollow was on GolfNow.com and offered Hot Deals, but neither is TPC Tampa Bay and I don't ignore that property either.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Top 250 Contributor
First Time Playing

As the heat index rises, so does my enthusiasm here

There's nothing like having a fantastic golf course all to yourself and that was exactly my afternoon at Lake Jovita. Yes, the heat index was somewhere around 103 degrees, but I would do it again tomorrow without hesitation. After playing the impressive layout of the North course a month ago and being told the South was more scenic, I went back and the South lived up to that reputation and more. There are more elevation changes to the South and when you hit shots in the proper spots, this works to your benefit. On that note, it was nice to get actual roll on my drives for the first time on a Tampa Bay Area course in weeks. While I did have a few modest mudballs, I found most lies to be quite clean and only noticed some casual water in low-lying areas of bunkers that I'm supposed to avoid anyways. Is it just me or are Par 3 designs at Lake Jovita just very fun to play? Honestly, I truly enjoyed 16 of the 18 holes on the South. The exceptions were #1 (nothing like the toughest tee shot placement being the first ball of the day) and the Par 4 15th (which is a very difficult angled approach shot for those of us who play blue tees and don't hit enormous drives). Greens were very receptive to all types of approaches and putts rolled fast and true.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
1.0
Top 250 Contributor
Previously Played

No. No. And did I say no?

The fact that this property carried 3.6 out of 5 stars at the time of my review is truly an embarrassment. Only way this place would be worthy of that rating would be from people who don't know what a true four-star golf course is...or a three-star course...or even a two-star course. The fact that Silver Dollar is referred to as "scenic" in the description on this website is laughable. There is absolutely nothing to look at except the trailer park that borders the golf course. Well, there is the horribly maintained chain link fence that actually borders one of the first fairways. Golf carts are skeletons (no windshields, club covers or GPS), tee boxes have few flat spots and the course design offers nothing of significance. Somehow, this place made me feel like I had played golf at a flea market. Sure, the greens on the Panther nine were in good shape. However, just having some well-maintained greens does not make up for all the obvious shortcomings in every other category. If you take any pride in where you play golf, you do not belong here at any price.

Conditions Fair
Value Poor
Friendliness Fair
Pace Good
Amenities Fair

Crescent Oaks Country Club

Played On 08/12/2014
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Top 250 Contributor
Previously Played

When conditions are wet, stick to the back nine

Skies were particularly ominous when I teed off around 2pm, but I took a chance and it certainly paid off. The young lady working the Pro Shop told me to start on #10 and that actually proved to be a real plus because posted signs already showed that at least three holes on the traditional front side were cart path only and I'm sure conditions were only worsened by the steady rainfall. While #10 thru #18 were definitely soggy and put more than a little mud on the ball, I actually played that side twice because there was nobody else out there with me and was finished in two hours just as the next rainstorm closed in. Crescent Oaks is one of those properties where playing blue tees is not quite the challenge it is at other properties (as it does not even reach 6000 yards), but there are three other sets of tees further back depending on how much you want to bite off. There are plenty of fairway bunkers on the back nine that must be accounted for and the tee shot on the Par 3 11th hole just always seems to play at least 1 1/2 clubs longer even if there is no tangible wind in your face. Honestly, I have as little interaction with employees at this property than I do anywhere in the Tampa Bay Area. So, if you're hung up on bag service, starters, beverage carts and player assistants, please leave Crescent Oaks well enough alone for people like me who don't care about those things and just want to hit golf shots for a couple hours and then get on with the rest of our day.

Conditions Average
Value Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average

Mystic Dunes Golf Club

Played On 08/09/2014
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Top 250 Contributor
Previously Played

Just so many fun holes to play at Mystic Dunes

This property has been a consistent stop for me over the years and I think I appreciate the design of it more on each visit. Sure, I've gained more and more knowledge, but pin location alone on many of the holes makes every round somewhat unique. Both nines begin with short Par 4s and both end with Par 4s where flying driver over bunkers will be a huge reward on the second shot. The tee shot on #13 is one of my favorites for the risk/reward potential and #15 is a Par 5 that I could play all day and challenge myself (especially when the hole location is about five paces off the left edge). If you haven't been here in awhile, trust me that the greens on #14 and #16 are in good condition and very receptive to whatever iron you choose to hit from the tee. As I've stated before on this site, Mystic Dunes has absolutely no issues with drainage and I personally think they have the best Pro Shop in Orlando when it comes to selection of the newest apparel from all the major golf brands. From the cart guys to management, the staff at Mystic Dunes is rock solid and take a lot of pride in their facility. (One note of caution: Mystic Dunes attracts a few resort guests who know little about playing golf and treat it more as an "activity" than those of us who play regularly, so don't let them take away from your personal enjoyment of the round.)

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Default User Avatar
Commented on 08/20/2014

Great review!!!!!!!!

I Recommend This Course
5.0
Top 250 Contributor
Previously Played

Another awesome afternoon at Grand Cypress

Seems like every time the security guard hands me my parking pass and opens the gate to enter Grand Cypress, I immediately know I made the right decision on where to spend my afternoon. Afternoons in the summertime here (when the rain stays away) are just about as close to perfect as you're going to find at any golf resort in Florida where "Stay & Play" is not required. The staff always openly welcomes me back upon check-in and I really feel like I have the place almost all to myself. That said, they don't ignore you. While I was very much isolated from a few other groups on the New Course, the woman driving the beverage cart knew I was out there and went out of her way to find me. Also, when I approached a traffic jam on a stretch of three holes, a staff member was right there endorsing my idea to skip a few holes ahead and come back to play those holes at the end of my round. He even saw me in the parking lot later and asked me if everything worked out. The New Course is so much fun to play and makes me laugh at many other Florida courses who claim to be "links style" in their design. To be honest, the fairways were a bit soggy (Why yes. I'd love to play "Lift, Clean & Cheat/Place"), which also meant that there was little to no rollout when driving off Par 4s or Par 5s. This did make the course play a club or two longer, but I had a good ball-striking round and embraced the challenge. As always, I look forward to coming back soon and playing as many of their 45 wonderful holes as the staff, weather and sunlight will allow.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
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