View of a green at Black Bear Golf Club.
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3.6
1455 Reviews (1455)
5 Stars
521
4 Stars
607
3 Stars
191
2 Stars
69
1 Stars
67
Conditions
3.4
Value
3.6
Layout
4.3
Friendliness
4.2
Pace
4.2
Amenities
3.9
73.3%
Recommend this course
1220 out of 1455 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
3.3
114 Reviews (114)
5 Stars
21
4 Stars
36
3 Stars
32
2 Stars
11
1 Stars
14
Conditions
3.0
Value
3.4
Layout
4.3
Pace
4.1
Amenities
3.9
StaffFriendliness
4.2
65.8%
Recommend this course
75 out of 114 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
3.3
171 Reviews (171)
5 Stars
30
4 Stars
52
3 Stars
49
2 Stars
16
1 Stars
24
Conditions
2.9
Value
3.3
Layout
4.3
Pace
4.1
Amenities
3.8
StaffFriendliness
4.1
63.2%
Recommend this course
108 out of 171 reviews
Read Reviews

About

Holes 18
Type Semi-Private
Style Links
Par 72
Length 7041 yards
Slope 139
Rating 74.1
Book a Tee Time at
Black Bear Golf Club - Orlando
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Course Details

Year Built 1995
Fairways Bermuda Grass
Greens Bermuda Grass
Golf Season Year round
Architect P. B. Dye (1995)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes - included in green fees
Clubs Yes
GPS No
Pull-carts No

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Bunker Yes
Caddies No
Golf Simulator No
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes
Practice Hole No

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard, Amex Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No
Walking Allowed No
Dress code Proper golf attire required

Food & Beverage

Bar, Restaurant

Available Facilities

Clubhouse

Reviews

3.6
1455 Reviews (1455)

What Golfers Are Saying

The 19th Hole is Great For:
Drinks 32
Patio Dining 17
Brunch 13
Course Challenges Include:
Bunkers 62
Elevation Changes 55
Undulating Greens 49
This course/club is great for:
Locals 40
Advanced Golfers 34
Seniors 18
This Course's Location is:
Worth the Drive 49
In the 'Burbs 29
Convenient to the City 7

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

Advanced Filters
Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 16
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played

Great course and amazing layout!

I had not played this course in a while. Hands down its the best course in the area. Great layout. They are working with some of the greens but once work is done this is one of the best courses around

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 10
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
1.0
First Time Playing
Wet weather
Used cart

COW PATCH!!!! Disappointing

I had higher hopes but terrible disappointment. WEEDS Everywhere. Such a shame this course is not closing soon. It appears it should be shut down. !!!!

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 30
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Rough and bunkers needing some TLC. Many bare spots in fairways and rough.
This course has the potential to be top notch, it’s just poorly maintained.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 4
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

1 green

1 green is unavailable so they made a makeshift one on the fairway. Very hilly course and had many very low lying areas that pool quite a lot same with bunkers

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Fair
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 11
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 19
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Great layout in rough shape

I have played this course several times and I love the layout. I could tell they aerated the greens a few weeks ago and most of them have come back nicely. The greens were a little slow probably due to this though. The first issue came as I stepped on the 6th tee. I look down the fairway and see a flag in the middle of the fairway and none on the green. After I hit my drive I see the sign saying the green was in rough shape so they have a temporary flag. They did not cut the fairway differently just put a few ropes around an area they considered to be green. The sign also said just try 1 putt and pick it up. This in itself is not an issue, just the fact no one mentioned it in the clubhouse. It seems like a fairly important thing that patrons may want to know. My other issue comes with the 18th hole. A challenging hole that demands a good tee shot and a second shot of 130 yards plus over water. I guess this was too hard, so they took the front part of the putting green and made it an alternative hole for whoever does not want to hit over water. I think just instituting a local rule that if your approach shot goes in the water you take a drop on the other side of the lake would have been just fine, but I am not the GM. Overall, this course could be better, but it could also be a lot worse. Hopefully, my next round will not see it the latter.

Conditions Fair
Value Poor
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 5
2.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart
Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 8
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 35
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Challenging and scenic

Unlike most courses here in Florida, this is NOT flat. Very hilly fairways will either reward or punish you. Well placed shots are a must. Greens were in great condition except for one that was being worked on. I haven’t played here in years and it was great to play it again. I recommend playing it.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Played On
Reviews 35
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played

Beautiful course

I haven’t played here in a while and I was impressed with the conditions. The fairways are in great shape and the greens are lush…tricky course demands accurately placed shots. Sand traps are the only reason I didn’t give it a 5 star rating. I recommend playing this course, it’s a superb design.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 5
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
3.0
Previously Played

Save your money

Love the layout, but course is definitely not in good shape right now

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Default User Avatar
Commented on 05/15/2023

Agree 100%
This place is as awful as ever, with members likely writing fake reviews. The rates are nonsense.
The member population here is the worst, Aging hackers with seriously bad attitudes toward outsiders of any kind.
They seem to literally be at the course 24/7, cant golf for S, constantly cutting across the course, jumping holes in every direction and rude as F if they are confronted.
The only thing thats changed since the previous owner is a new one who cant run a lawnmower, but thinks hes somehow 'special" as he teaches 'Kids"

Another dying golf course that needs to go to golf course burial in Florida.
Never play here, its just another member muni type course.

Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great Course in Bad Conditions

I’m a longtime fan of Black Bear, but this was my worst experience in almost 20 years of playing out there. First and foremost was the lack of warning that the greens were being aerated. This is definitely something you should be told prior to booking. This may be a Golf Now problem and not a Black Bear one. The bunkers were very inconsistent and the green side rough had large growths of weeds on a lot of the holes. As much as I like this course, it’s overpriced given the current conditions. If you can get on for high 20’s or low 30’s, that would be fair. Over 40 for a course in this shape seems a bit too high. That said, I’m sure I’ll be back once the greens are sorted.

Conditions Fair
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 8
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Windy weather
Used cart

Enjoyable

Played Black Bear a number of times when over from the UK. A great layout in better condition than other courses I recently played in the area.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 7
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Used cart

friendly layout

Very hilly, most everything slopes back to the fairway. Very few trees, very windy. Fairways nice, greens recently aerated (and advised so prior to reservation) but still rolled well. Look forward to playing again.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
1.0
Previously Played
Wet weather
Used cart

The course and the price is horrible

the condition is horrible. there is dirt and weeds in the rough and there are horrible spots that are unplayable. the staff and club pro treat me like dirt, but the cart guys are nice. The new owner has ruined this golf course I will never play again. The only reason i'm not giving 0 stars is because i can't.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Fair
Pace Poor
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Default User Avatar
Commented on 06/04/2023

If you meet the owner ("Roger the dodger they call this guy", You will understand... :)

He and his cronies ruined Black bear, AND the neighborhood. The funny part is watching this 'pro" play golf. its a joke! LOL
His wife thinks she's LPGA material with a 100 HC... LOL

Seriously, go anywhere, but this place. Look at the reviews. they are going downhill FAST!!!

Played On
Reviews 11
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played

Love this course

Great layout good condition will play again here
for sure 4 stars love it 😍

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
1.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Worst customer service - lost a customer for life

I received a charge from Black Bear for $96 a few days after playing there and being charged $48 on the day of the round. I called to have it reversed and the pro shop guy said they probably wouldn't but then got the owner on the line. The owner proceeded to yell at me and accuse me of trying to put them out of business. I said I was sorry that my friends bailed but that shouldn't be my responsibility as I only played one round of golf. He seemed giddy to be stealing $100 from me. I will never play here again and will discourage all of my friends from supporting this place. Red Tail and Eagle Dunes are awesome nearby courses with great customer service and fun layouts, so I will be playing there instead.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Poor
Pace Average
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Moderate
Default User Avatar
Commented on 05/15/2023

Agree as ive experienced it several times.
The owner is the worst i have ever seen at BB. Hes beyond awful with his attitude.
The previous owner was not great, but miles head of this self absorbed "pro"
there is literally nothing 'pro" about him, or BB anymore,.

He needs to adjust his arrogant attitude.

Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
3.0
Previously Played

Use to be better

They had just aerated the greens a week before I played so I understand them being in the condition they are now. But they could have at least tried to blow the sand off the greens and there are millions of the dirt balls laying around the green. The bunkers and sand traps are probably the worst condition I’ve ever seen for a course that charges as much as They do. Fairways are in decent shape. Still a fun course because of the unique layout. Black Bear could be a whole lot better for what you pay.

Conditions Fair
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Default User Avatar
Commented on 06/04/2023

Everything was better before "Roger" ruined it with him being so clueless and all...

Played On
Reviews 63
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Greens were aerated.

Neither golf now or their own website told you that the greens were aerated. I always like this course it's a fun course to play but the grwens are absolutely horrible not worth going for weeks until the greens come back

Conditions Fair
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
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