Hands down — southern hills country club (in brooksville as well) Love this Pete Dye design, which makes it eye popping, hard, but not too punishing.
Hands down — southern hills country club (in brooksville as well) Love this Pete Dye design, which makes it eye popping, hard, but not too punishing.
Please take the time to Che k out Skyview at Terra Vista, part of Citrus Hills golf complex. You will be both challenged and very pleased by the Tom Fazio design and playability you will experience. It makes World Woods seem absolutely out dated. And, the price will surprise you. It is the vest kept "non-secret," in Citrus County.
Can’t believe Mountain Lake in Lake Wales is not on anyone’s list. It’s very private and hard to get on but well worth the effort. A Seth Raynor original with all the McDonald-Raynor characteristics. A true encyclopedia of design.
Steve, as I wrote in the article, I left out the private courses I've played from consideration (may do a private-only list in future). If I had included private clubs, Mountain Lake would have made the list because it is the best place I have played golf at in the state.
I might be a Limey (ie. English) but have played around 80 courses in FL
Most of my top 10 are mentioned somewhere above but honourable mentions go to :
Victoria Hills, LPGA Hills course, River Strand, King & Bear, Grand Cypress (New ... just for fun!), both OCN courses ... and 2 private courses: Grand Haven and The Concession, which is just about one of the toughest exams I've ever played, but was a great experience
Played Brookesvill CC last month for the first time, unbelievable! Its 15 minutes from my parents house and I was always going to World woods. WW is great but for 40 bucks, I dont think there is a better course ANYWHERE, never mind just Florida. Another for the list is Lakewood Ranch. This is an awesome course with some of the most incredibly fast greens you will play in florida.
As for a private course, check out Black Diamond ranch...no matter what they say at the pro shop, you can get on it and you wont forget the quarry course!
Dave, glad you share in the Brooksville CC love. I put it up with Deltona and Riviera for the best sub-$50 golf in the state that I've seen so far. Lakewood Ranch has a bunch of courses, including Lakewood National, which I haven't seen but have heard is nice. I have played Black Diamond Ranch-Quarry and really like it, too; for the purposes of this list I did consider it "private" because ordinarily outsiders need to stay on site in order to play.
You are right about Black Diamond. The Lakewood course I played just last month, right before they hosted the Web event was Lakewood National. It may be my top course that I have played as far as greens go. I am not a real fan of typical bermuda grass so these 18 greens of, I think, Championship Tif Dwarf were unreal! The course layout was no laydown either. If they can keep the homes filled and get the other course built there, this getaway will be an all time favorite in Florida for many, I believe. BTW, it was "The Kings" last layout so it makes it all the more special to play. Also, they only chared 37 bucks to REPLAY!!
Another, Grand Cypress, ALL courses there. Especially the New "old course," great fun!
My top 10: Bay Hill, Palm Beach Par three (Think WP 9, but on ocean), Pablo Creek, Panther Lake at OCN, Camp Creek, Old Corkscrew, Sawgrass Country Club (East, West rotation), Timuquana Country Club, Isleworth, Winter Park 9
Nice list, Alex! Timuquana would definitely be on my top 10 if I had included private courses. I played it prior to the most recent work done there, so I expect it's even better now.
I liked Diamondback better than Southern Dunes, although I only played each course once.
Diamondback was across the street from Grenelefe, but a quick look at google maps suggests that it has shut down.
Southern Dunes, in Haines City, is definitely in my top 2 or 3 in FL !
John, good call on Southern Dunes. I played it a couple years ago (not since they redid the greens) and, to speak in March Madness terms, it would be on my "First Four Out" list, which is to say I definitely enjoy the course as well.
