dufferdaubert

It was Friday the 13th of January, but everything came together for a fantastic round of golf. The weather was in the high 70's, and the golf course was in impeccable condition. The service from the staff was outstanding and we played well. The gentlemen at the bag drop took care of our bags with a smile, showed us where the facilities were, and started us on our journey. The stars must have been aligned in our favor. Despite having a full field of golfers, the player assistant was on his toes today. We got behind a foursome that were probably tourists enjoying the Florida climate and not playing ready golf. By the third hole, Ranger Mike was admonishing many of the groups to keep it moving. He checked in regularly to insure satisfaction.
Some of my playing partners needed a warmup on the range, which is HUGE! I prefer to work on chips and putts before venturing out. There is a chipping area near the driving range and a putting surface before the 1st tee.
The Arnold Palmer designed Legends is a joy to play with a fine selection of holes, very challenging and aesthetically beautiful.
You will play every club in the bag and maybe a few extra balls, if you are not familiar with the many water hazards and use smart management of your golf game. Water does not come into play until #4, a legendary par 5, well bunkered with water coming into play off the tee and on the back of the green. The next 3 holes are dry but the par 5, 8th has water around the tee and right of the green. Nine has a pond in front of the green to cross unless you play left and then the mighty oak could cause problems. There 3 par 5's on the front and only one on the back. Greens were fast with some foreign clumps of grass invading the bermuda.
The cart lady was there to fuel our round with cold drinks and arrived many times to make sure our cups never got empty. We finished our round inside 4 hours and enjoyed the well kept and challenging course. They have a very nice restaurant with good service and the pro shop is well stocked with plenty of goodies to purchase. We will be back to confront the Legends again.

I hadn't played the Creek in some time. The last time it was pretty rough. Friends said they had been there a month or two ago and were very pleased. So we gave it a try. Fairways were lush, green and no weeds. Traps were full of sand and well maintained. Greens were great. Tee boxes could use a little TLC but overall, it was in fine shape. The course is a hearty 7,400 from the tips, so play to your preferred length if you want to enjoy your round. We play 2man team match play which we enjoy and rotate partners every week. No problems and were done inside four hours. There is no starter, just bag person sending you off and no ranger. We went off at 7:50 am and I was surprised to see a twosome come off of 18 and get behind us on 10th tee, that way avoiding the pro shop or bag guy, and not paying. What some folks will do to skirt the system. We had a great round. We had lunch in the Grill with good service and tasty food for reasonable price.

Arrived to a very pleasant cart attendant that took our bags from the car and loaded us up with water. The gentleman in the clubhouse who checked us was as nice as he could be and mentioned that they had a heavy rain storm the night before so there could be some wet areas to avoid.
He sent us on our way because there was no starter or ranger. I was a little concerned about the conditions because the first fairway was blotchy with no grass in many areas. Conditions got better and most of the fairways were fine. The greens were in great shape, a little slow because they had not been cut due to rain. I was at the opening when Johnny Miller introduced us to his only design in Florida, so I remember his beautiful course in pristine conditions. One of the unfortunate losses to time is the company that manages Harmony has allowed the waste bunkers that bordered and defined the course to grow up with weeds. The bunkers that are still maintained had weeds and grass along the rims that had not been touched for a good week. Same thing with some of the rough. They need to get the crews out there and trim the edges and overgrowth and the course would present itself much more favorable,
That being said, Harmony is still a great golf track to play and challenge everyone no matter what their handicap- 5 sets of tees. Two short par 3's that are bordered by ponds on the right, that are great challenges and aesthetically fine. There are no homes that set on the golf course so it is still 'one with nature'. In fact, we had to stop play on the ninth fairway so a dozen turkeys could cross in front of us. I guess they had the right of way, because they weren't bothered by our foursome at all. Had a great meal and good service in the Craze restaurant . I would go back and recommend Harmony.

Bella Colina sits in the lovely hillside community of Monteverde, west of Orlando and just northeast of Clermont. The Nick Faldo layout has been here a few years since the original developer. the Ginn Company, asked him to design a course, and then went bankrupt. DCS Investment and Holding LLC of Boca Raton has taken over the property and is finishing the amenities promised while maintaining the golf course in very good condition. The starter gave us the lay of the land and suggested very strongly to drive the ball to the high side of the fairways on every hole. He was not kidding. I doubt if I had a flat lie all day. I will give you an idea how severe the slope is. The course from the Faldo tees is 77.0/142 and the Bella tees(forward) for the ladies is 72.2/129. Need I write more.
They do have a GPS on the carts that does help with distances, but not downhill, sidehill, uphill, below or above your stance shots. I get tired just thinking about it. According to the scorecard there are 6 sets of tees but I only saw 5. Maybe Nick just imagined his.
They have a great practice facility with a large target driving range, sizable practice bunker and chipping areas and practice putting green. I would recommend a sideways fairway shot place too.
The golf course starts off with a downhill par four with a bunker complex to start you thinking where to hit the ball. This is the case on most holes. The use of deep, large and picturesque waste areas as well bunker complexes give the course its personality, or perhaps better said-its angst. I had a few choice words for my golf challenges this day. Its setting makes up for some of my peril. Bella Colina is certainly unique to Central Florida in its scenic hills and absolutely stunning design. It was eye candy on almost every tee box. After fighting through my frustration or perhaps just poor play, I finally started playing what the course gave me, and low and behold it what low scores from about the 8th hole home. In fact the par 4, 8th is a downhill monster which took 3 shots to reach, but a one putt made this duffer smile. And then the par 5 ninth was another par.
The back nine is on the opposite side of the magnificent hilltop Tuscan style clubhouse. I would recommend they have a small vineyard on one of the hillsides to make it more authentic.They were putting the finishing touches on the new fitness center area while we were there. I have been to a lot of golf clubs and this clubhouse has to rank as close to the top if not the best. I squandered a few opportunities on the back but not because of the terrain. The two par four finishing holes have uphill blind shots from the tees, but the fairways give you a good idea where to hit to.
After some early frustration I found myself enjoying Bella Colina more and more and am sure a second time will allow me to improve on the first 7 hole messes.
The pro shop and 19th hole grill are both on the second level of the clubhouse with lovely warm décor and great service and fare. Bring a credit card because they don't accept cash. The cart gentleman take good care of you and the beverage cart lady was around often.
If it is your first time, take heed of the starter's remarks and play wisely. You will have an Amore of Bella Colina. Go Play!

I didn't need a top hat and tails but I could have used a better game to enjoy the finest golf experience in Central Florida. Playing the Ritz Carlton Golf Club Orlando at Grande Lakes is like no other. The Greg Norman Signature course is set within the pristine headwaters of the Florida Everglades right here in Orlando. Who Knew? The 'Shark' and his design team took extraordinary care to preserve the property's well balanced ecosystem. The 7122 yard layout garnished a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary status and was named the National Resort Course winner in 2012 in the Environmental Leaders in Golf. The service is second to none. The gentlemen at the bag drop, the pro shop and the starter can not do enough to insure a perfect day no matter your ability. They are there to please and they do it with panache. The golf course has large generous fairways bordered by an army of bunkers, five sets of tees, tightly cut fairways, and a rough that is easy to play from. The immaculate greens are perfectly contoured and as true as any PGA Tour stop. The routing takes you through a forest of scrub pines, indigenous plantings and natural beauty. The Ritz and J.W. Marriott Resort complex are mostly hidden until you
start your way back home around #16. My playing partner was from Aberdeen, Scotland and he could not get over the sheer
spectacle of the design with a 73.9 and 139 ratings. If you want to enjoy the best round of golf in Central Florida you need to GO PLAY the RITZ!

Stayed at Soleil/Laurel Canyon and played a complimentary round on Fairways. The lovely clubhouse sits on a hill overlooking the 9th &18th greens and the adjoining pond. The practice facilities include driving range, putting and chipping area. There is a golf school there with qualified instructors as well. The pro shop has plenty of merchandise to pick from and the staff was very helpful to our group. We had dinner at the restaurant with great service, reasonably priced fare, great libations and good selections.The first and 10th holes play side by side and are great starting holes to lift your confidence if you keep it in the short grass. Fairways were lush and greens superb. There are a lot of challenging holes and you might need a second round to know when to go for it off the tee and times to play safe. The course rolls through the hills north of Canton and there are places you just want to pause and take it all in before smashing a club. If you an average golfer like me, you might want "to play it forward' on some of the holes to insure you can find your ball. Most of the rough was right off the fairway with tall grass and or forest area to contend with. We did enjoy the challenge and the beauty of the views while playing here. Go Play!

Drove out past Marion,NC to play along the shores of beautiful Lake James in Nebo. The 18 hole course was originally a Donald Ross 9 hole layout that is now the back nine. The folks in the Pro shop are just as accommodating as they can be. The practice area has a large driving range, putting surface and short practice area. I recommend you spend a little time there to get used to the greens and get ready for some accurate drives. The dogleg right first hole plays downhill from the clubhouse around a stand of tall pines and back up the hill to a good size
green. Number 2 plays straight up a hill to a plateau green which is out of view depending on how far your drive makes it. The bent grass greens are in great shape. After crossing the railroad track, Number 3 has some challenges. The landing area narrows significantly due to another group of trees, then if you found a safe place , you have to clear the creek to reach the green atop another hill. A par 3 finally that is a chance for birdie on #4. I was surprised to see a dozen Canadian Geese in the pond that is right of the fairway on the par 4 #6. Number 7 is all you can take after a good drive across a pond to a smallish green. Back across the track, the par 3 # 8 and all uphill dogleg left par 4 #9 bring you back to the clubhouse. Time for refreshment at Slices Café, I am sure named after me. Across the road begins the back nine with a wide open par 4, a short uphill par 3, then #12 where you need to keep the drive right away from the rolling fairway that gets steeper the closer you get to the hole. Two par fours, the uphill 13 & downhill14 share a fairway with the lake on both sides. The hills were alive with beautiful views of the Lake James with Blue Ridge Mountains backdrop. The closing holes bring you back and complete a lovely and enjoyable round.

On vacation in North Carolina, we drove the Blue Ridge Parkway from Burnsville north to Linville to enjoy a great day of golf. Pro Shop was a bit sparse, but the attendant was nice and got us going quickly. The practice areas are up from the clubhouse and a golf cart would be the best way to get there. The front nine plays southward and the back north bound. The 1st is a dogleg left that a strong fade off the tee box will put you in good position to attack the uphill entry into the green. The fairways had a variety of grasses growing in them but the greens were pure bent grass and running great. The second is
a par 3 with a large receptive green. Watch out if you are a long hitter on the par 4 third, your tee shot could wind up in the many bunkers that protect the green. I landed just short to allow an easy wedge to the green. It is not often I can yell birdie, but yes I did. The fourth isn't that long either but the green is right & uphill of the fairway and everyone came up short on their 2nd. I whispered bogie. The par 5 fifth is all downhill and your second shot could find the creek that crosses in front of the green. I laid back on the right to give me an easier shot into the smallish green. I must say I thoroughly enjoyed the layout of the course and the smooth greens. The 6th & 7th play side by side and the short 8th par 3 is a birdie chance. The ninth was a test for my playing partners. I hit a good drive on the left side of the fairway that gave me a chance to go for it. My best shot of the day is when the ball landed on the green for another birdie try, while others were searching in the rough for their layups or in the large creek that runs left of the fairway and in front of the dance floor tucked back to the left. Cha ching!
There was no foodservice at the clubhouse, so we crossed the entry road to play the back. starting with a demanding par 5 to a small green. The 11th is another hole that a good drive could put oneself in jeopardy. Once again I landed in the perfect position to hit a short iron across the wide creek to a large green for a good score. Why do I have to mess up after every good hole?Twelve is a par 3 about 180 yards uphill. I hit into the same creek. Can you hear me whisper bogie? Once again there are a number of par4s to play out bound and then turn back at 16, with a blind shot down the dogleg right slope to a smallish green. The finishing hole is a great one provided you stay out of the woods on the right. We never saw any water falls, but we did have a great game of golf.

Went to the lovely community of Celebration to experience the only Robert Trent Jones Senior & Junior collaborative design in Florida. The immaculate fairways, pure running greens and overall golf experience is something one only dreams of where golf is the main subject. There were no nightmares or horrible stories of poor service here. From the time you pull the car up to the bag drop, check in with the pro shop personnel, get your information from the friendly starter and tee off , everything is done professionally and with the utmost care for their guests. We must have had 5-6 visitsin our 18 hole match from the lovely cart lady to refill our liquid refreshments. The course has its challenges with water lurking at many corners of the fairways, pins tucked close to edges of greens near hazards and 7,000 yards of receptive fairways where placement is paramount. We loved it all. Celebration Golf Club has got to be one of the best in Central Florida. After our fantastic round we had lunch at their Windmill
Restaurant where the food was fresh and plentiful, the libations cold and the service great,. Try it -You'll like it. How does that song go- 'I just want to celebrate another day of great golf'.

TPC Treviso Bay is all you could ask for in a golf course. Paspalum Grass makes the place like an emerald green carpet to play on. I don't think there is a blade of another type of grass on the fairways, tee boxes and greens. There is however plenty of water and sand to make TPC Treviso Bay a challenge to play and score well The Naples area had been inundated with drenching rainstorms in July and there was not a soft spot to be found on the course. The unofficial 'Mayor of Naples' Arthur Hills, and former PGA Tour Player and Ryder Cup Captain Hal Sutton designed an awesome layout that should be considered a contender for the best course in Collier County, Florida. If they don't move the Ace Classic here thy are making a big mistake because this will make the ole boys work to get par. If you go now , the pro shop is still in a trailer, but from the practice areas to the service by the bag drop personnel and starter, this is a Tournament Players caliber stop.

Visted Ocala Palms which is off of HWY 27 just west of I-75 in June. Used one of my par deals from Golf Now to make it all that inexpensive. Got to the property, an active adult community with single family homes, about an hour early. The gentleman in the pro shop was as accommodating as he could and got us out about 45 minutes early. He explained the layout, watering holes, markers and suggested we keep hydrated because of the heat and humidity this day. Ocala Palms is a great layout with all the distance you need from various tee locations. The continuous rolling hills keep the course challenging with different views from every tee. After a poor start , I found my groove and started whipping OPCC. We had a quick time of it on the front, but then an afternoon shower with thunder and lightening showed up. We headed for safety of the bar and enjoyed pleasant service and some cool ones from the lovely bartenderess. It was back to birdie time on the back and I made easy work of the rest of day. Everyone was very pleasant to us. Ocala Palms is OH SO NICE!

We couldn't wait to try this new GolfNow listing. i had heard good things about it and Lake Wales CC met my expectations. The course is right off of Highway 60 with easy access from north or south off of Highway 27. Hidden from the road by a large wall, once inside the property you see a lovely clubhouse with plenty of mature plantings and well maintained foliage. The pro shop attendant was cheerful and showed us to the practice area prior to our tee time. The Donald Ross 1926 design is a joy to play and challenging for any handicap. My playing partners could not figure out why we were always playing uphill and never really playing to a downhill green. The course is designed to flow very well with tee shots to wide softly sloped fairways and then to smallish greens that are typically set up for good drainage. There are 2 downhill par 3's.. The pristine layout is primarily without homes except on a few
holes, but no real estate intrusion. For this time of year where we have run into some bad greens, thinning faIrways and unkept conditions, LWCC was a pleasant change. My playing group is ready to call Lake Wales their home course. The ladies in the lovely restaurant where friendly. I am going to bring the wife for golf and dinner . That's saying something!

If your first impression is anything like the course, you will be pleasantly surprised. The bag drop attendants, the pro shop personnel, the hostess and bartender were nothing but fabulous and attentive. They are the best in Central Florida. The course had been aerated but was still in great shape. The design is spectacular and they have tee boxes to fit the 0 handicapper to the duffers. There is a snack shop at the turn with all the necessities of golf, food and libations, to comfort weary players. The front nine plays around the back of Rosen Shingle Creek Resort and the back plays around the front. The golf cars are equipped with GPS, so there is no excuse not playing the right club. Range balls were provided free of charge so one can't proclaim "I didn't warm up" for their errant tee shots. The layout is well worth many more visits.

Mother's Day found us in Lakeland at the city managed Cleveland Heights 27 hole complex. Driving up I was astounded to find the parking lots packed with cars and thought, O boy, a long day today. Well the locals were enjoying a holiday feast inside the beautiful clubhouse, and from the looks of the buffet, they got their money's worth. Once we found a spot to park, got our clubs unloaded, visited the well merchandised pro shop and checked in with the friendly staff, we found the starter and a golf car.
They have 3 nines, A, B & C. We were put out on B which I must say is a great set of holes , meandering around a large tract of land with no homes, great vistas, great fairways, good facilities, and a quick 9 hole round. Here is the rub. The greens were horrible. If I was running The Heights I would be ashamed to charge people to play it. I am not sure how busy they were but I would have only used A&C. When we made the turn, it was like night and day. The greens on C were great. I was infuriated by hole 9, Luckily when we arrived at the 10th green, I said "finally a green I can putt" No more problems . My anger subsided and we were blessed with a great Mother's Day round at a lovely venue. In the bar we had great serviceand a good tasty lunch. They have inside and outside seating and walls filled with televisions, to watch any or all the sports playing this sunday. I would loved to have played A and see how that 9 was.

Royal St. Cloud is 3 distinct nine hole courses all designed to resemble the great links courses of Great Britain. With stone bridges over water, assorted bunkers of every shape and size, including a grass bunker, and clumps of tall grasses bordering the fairways . When the wind blows and there is a nip in the air you need to don your argyle socks, knickers, wool sweater and tam o'shanter and play the best in central florida for a mere sum much less than the overpriced hoity-toity layouts. You will enjoy your 18 no matter what mix of nines they put you on. The Stonebridge Grille menu is priced right, the beverages are cold and the staff are friendly. A must play when visiting Central Florida.

It might take you a bit to find this track, but once there, you will enjoy the layout that is located in an active adult community of manufactured homes. Greens were in great shape- a little fuzzy for me; bunkers had plenty of sand; every tee box had brand new markers and a pot to discard broken tees- nice touch. My only negative was some of the fairways were a bit sparse. Guys in the pro shop were friendly. Starter got us out early and they had a ranger keeping everyone moving. We played in less than 4 hours on a busy day. Great selection of holes with plenty of water to avoid if possible. Course does not return after nine and there was no refreshment cart, so be sure to take your libations of choice with you. There are plenty of water stations. We really had fun playing Riverside.

I needed some love to play Schalamar Creek near Lakeland. The tight fairways and great design gave us all a fit. Course is in fine shape, with quick greens, grassy fairways and plenty of trees. We will be back to play this track. Very reasonable prices in the restaurant with friendly service. Starter checked on us and was extremely considerate to the group.

Early Super Bowl Sunday we went to play. Lots of other people had the same idea, but we still got done in less than 3 hours. Deer Creek is a par 60 and a great place to practice your short irons either on the par 3's or approach shots on the par 4's. Nice rolling countryside layout with a bunch of par 3's on the backside with challenging greens. No cart girl or snack bar. I recommend you bring your own beverage of choice to make the round that much more enjoyable Couple of the greens need attention but I would go back.

Visited Cypress Greens, a nine hole active adult layout in Lake Alfred, Polk County. Much to our surprise it was in awesome shape with plush greens, good fairways, sandy traps, and clean waterways. If there is one thing I would advise them to fix is the 3rd tee box for the white & blue tees which needs flattening. There are 3 -3s which ads up to a par 35 and a great selection of challenging holes that we really enjoyed. If time is a factor in choosing a game, this is the perfect place to play in less than 2 hours or pay an additional fee and go back out and do it again,- you won't be disappointed.

Traveled about an hour south of home to try out Bartow Golf Club. The gentleman in the pro shop was very accommodating and the Grill had good food and cold beer at reasonable prices. The course is set on a large track of land with no houses on it and sizable fairways. The 6600+ yards are all us amateurs could handle, but there are 4 sets of tees to make an enjoyable round for anyone. The small quick greens were usually guarded by traps with plenty of sand. Fairways had lots of mature trees bordering them that, depending on your cut or pull, could cause havoc to an errant shot. You have to cross a street to reach about half the course and the back nine has some water hazards that can come into play.Beware! All in all , a good flat track with a nice practice area as well