Diogenes9561

The last time I played this course was about 5 or 6 years ago, simply for the fact that I found other courses more economical for a retiree as I am. But, 2 things recently piqued my interest: one was a YouTube video where the subject was "the worst course in Florida" and it was Stoneybrook and second, I found the green fees for this week were only about $30, about half of the usual.
So, my golfing compatriot and I played today which was a gorgeous day for golf, cool, sunny, and a bit of wind to check it out. This is a challenging layout with some water on almost every hole and changes in fairway contours, not to mention the 8 foot long alligator that was 25 yards from the number 10 tee. The fairways were good and the traps had sufficient sand but the greens...AAAAK! Every green had some brown areas and some had dried mud areas that made putting quite adventurous. The staff had obviously cut the pins in the best grassy areas so short putts were not too challenging, but long ones...frustrating at times. The tees look like they were recently overseeded and the new grass is growing and the fairways, while not pristine, did not have any bare areas as I've experienced at another local course that has a rather high opinion of itself.
Overall, it was an enjoyable round and the course can be a wonderful track if the greens problems can be resolved. And, also, more rakes are needed for the traps as they seemed to be in short supply. I really like this course for the money we paid, but I checked and it appears the green fees are going way up to $60 (GASP! CHOKE!) next week. If you can find a hot deal, you should enjoy a round here but, for $60, I suggest you shop around.

Some courses I play seem claustrophobic, some holes very narrow and virtually no room for error. I hadn't played Metro West in 30 years and I'd forgotten how wide open it was. This is not to say it wasn't challenging, but it felt wide open compared to others. The only negative was that the greens had been aerated about 1 week earlier so putting was not a normal situation. Pace of play was excellent and there was a cart girl making the rounds, something I had not seen for some time at other courses. The fairways were good, though it appears that the grass has been infiltrated by weedy growth in some areas but there were no outstandingly bare areas as there are at some area courses. I found that the John Daly plaque that commemorated his driving the 18th green once upon a time has been removed due to vandalism, disappointing as I cannot envision anyone being so evil as to desecrate this course. The restaurant was a nice place to have lunch after the round and, all things considered, it was a pleasant way to spend Labor Day. I plan to play it again if I can find a Hot Deal. I recommend this course.

The description of this course on Golf Now is, "A lush, beautiful golf course..." Well, this may have once been true but, sadly, it's no longer accurate. The fairways are mostly weeds and crabgrass with the occasional smattering of some sort of grass. (I might have expected to see a cow or 2 or 3 wandering and grazing, but at least bovines are not currently part of the landscape... yet.) There are also many barren areas so be prepared to hit your shots off many bare, tight lies. The bunkers have some sand but each could use a partial truckload of new sand to make sure a sand shot does not dig into the earth itself. The greens are inconsistent, some having bare areas and some very good, though repairing ball marks seems anathema to many who play here. (Be prepared to be courteous and repair your ball mark as well as 2 or 3 others.)
There is a brick or block rest area that is accessible from both the front and back nines but, unfortunately, it was unusable as use requires a numeric door code which none of our threesome was given before starting. If you play here, be sure to ask for the code.
The layout is good and very challenging and would be a great test if course conditions were better. The staff was very friendly and the golf carts are in good condition so I have nothing but good to say about this.
For price, we had a Hot Deal so it was only $32.99 each whereas the standard green fee is about $53.00. For the Hot Deal, the price was OK but, for over $50, I would advise the reader to play elsewhere. For over $50, you will be underwhelmed.

This course dates back to 1922 and it reminds you of its history in the clubhouse with a large picture of the legendary Babe Ruth swinging a club here way back when. The layout is different than most Florida courses with more up and down changes than most courses and its length is ideal for the older player, such as I, as it played a little over 5000 yards from the gold tees. The greens are in really good shape, more so than most of the local tracks. Players actually fix their ball marks on the greens and the greens were fast and true, no dead grass spots and the surrounding rough near the greens was long and penal. There were no ball washers anywhere but there were water jugs, 1 each on the front and the back, and the water tasted like bottled water and it was COLD, amazingly so, something really welcome in the Florida summer heat.
But, like Gloria Swanson in the old movie "Sunset Boulevard" there is much faded glory. The fairways have much crabgrass and other weedy inclusions and the drainage - or, more accurately, the lack thereof - leaves many areas that seem to be seasonal shallow ponds. The fairways also have some bare, sandy areas that seem to have been where water accumulated, the grass died, and then dried out. And, the trees that are left after some of the hurricanes we've experienced over the last 20 years look old and badly in need of some trimming as they are likely as old as the course. The practice range is rather shabby and of limited distance but you can practice your iron shots without knocking them over the fence. The clubhouse, such as it is, is merely a trailer but there is a billboard outside advertising a new clubhouse that has yet to be built. The menu there is limited to precooked hot dogs but they are of good quality and taste excellent.
All said, it was a pleasant time and a challenging layout for a older player such as I and it was worth the $31.99 green fee which was a Hot Deal. However, the regular green fee at this time of year is about $52.00 (!) and, at that price, I'd pass and play somewhere else for that kind of money. This course could really be a gem if the clubhouse was built, a drainage system installed, and more grass could be grown on the fairways. I liked it and will play it again but I'd have to get another Hot Deal to do it.

My buddy and I play here 2 times per month, always on Mondays. If you look at the scorecard, the course is not overly long, BUT it does put a premium on straight shots and the golfer's ability to hit to a yardage. The vistas on each hole play to your mind as to how far do I need to hit this and where do I want my shot to land. Water comes into play on most holes as a lateral hazard so, if you're a bit wild, bring more than a few balls. The greens are usually fast, though I believe they're a bit longer and slower with the recent lack of rain.
If you're keeping your tee ball straight, it's very enjoyable but it's still enjoyable, though frustrating, if you're not hitting it well. The staff is friendly and I find it an enjoyable experience.
PS The hot dogs in the clubhouse are superior to anything anywhere these days. Stoneybrook East used to have hot dogs like this but, alas, not anymore. I recommend this course unequivocally.

Played here 4/25, This is - and always has been - a pleasant place to play, played here many times over the past 35 years or so, The greens on the front 9 are pretty poor and have been for quite a while but most on the back 9 are better, number 15 being a notable exception. The fairways are good and the course drains really well after heavy rains, unlike some local courses. The staff is always friendly, the carts are newer and in excellent shape, and I have always enjoyed my rounds here. Unfortunately, there is a BIG unknown looming, as the course has been sold to the city of Winter Park. From what I see, the course will be closed after 4/29 for an indeterminate time and the degree of pleasantness of future rounds on this course are to be determined. Change is always difficult and I am somewhat apprehensive, but I am hopeful that the greens will be be improved, the green fees will remain low, and that it will remain a most pleasant place to play. Just MNSHO.

I've played this course many times over the past 30-odd years, and it's always a pleasant experience, like being at home. The personnel are pleasant and the clientele is friendly. There are ,really, only 2 things that upset me about this course: first, nobody repairs ball marks on the greens and second, there is a noticeable difference in quality between the front and back nine greens. The front 9 greens tend to be inconsistent, like number 3 has sandy and bare patches that make putting an adventure depending where the hole is cut. The back 9 seems to have quality as far as condition goes and consistency as far as speed goes, and that's about all I want on a green.
But, again, the ball mark issue is a pet peeve of mine. I mentioned this to the lady in the pro shop and she said words to the effect that the members seem to be the biggest offenders for this (!). Maybe, someone can explain to them the common etiquette that any golfer should observe on any course. (Then again, this seems to be an issue at each and every course I play; maybe the Golf Channel can do a 30 minute show on course etiquette. One can only hope.)
Anyway,, Winter Pines is always a pleasant experience and I recommend it to everyone.

I played this course this past Monday, 2/22 but I also played in a monthly scramble there on 2/06 and I feel I need to comment on the course The greens and the teeing areas are in GREAT condition, almost lush. The tees are grassy as are the greens. No bare or crusty spots anywhere on any green and the only complaint I might voice is that some players do not fix their ball marks: be prepared to fix yours and 2 or 3 others. The greens roll true; they are fast but not obnoxiously so. Whoever is maintaining this course should be given a medal and a raise in salary as 15 years ago, calling this course a "cow pasture" would have been a charitable description. Casselberry is a most pleasant golfing experience now. Yes, there are some low areas that can get muddy after a heavy rain but this is well worth the price for green fees, (Let me note that I played free due to some free rounds my son and I won back on 2/06 so that explains my green fee being $0.00, This is attributable to my son's golfing skills more than mine.)
IMNSHO, both Wekiva and Rio Pinar (both CCs and higher $ green fees) should consult on how to keep a course green with whomever is maintaining Casselberry as the fine condition of this course puts both of those to shame.
And, let me also note, the staff is extremely friendly and the hot dogs are 5 star. It was a great day and a great time.

The description on Golf Now describes this as a "lush" course and. I suppose, that once it was, but this was not my experience yesterday. I live in East Orlando and this course is out west, near my buddy's house in Apopka and, as we had never played it, we decided to try it out. The clubhouse is nice, the staff was super friendly, and the course is well laid out. But, it sort of reminded me of Gloria Swanson in "Sunset Boulevard": very attractive once but showing age and the ravages of time.
The fairways were not "lush", they had very little grass, mostly of a wild type, and it seemed every lie was a tight lie, even from the middle of the fairway. The sand traps are most impressive, but the sand was gray, a mixture of sand and much dirt, and the sand was not deep enough, maybe 1 to 1.5 inches over dirt. The greens need some help as there were numerous crusty bare spots on most that made putting over them an adventure. Plus, there were numerous unrepaired ball marks requiring some self maintenance before putting.
It is a nice course but badly in need of some TLC. It's a country club but most public courses that I usually play are in better shape. It has potential to really be something, but it isn't in its current condition.

I'm 71, retired, and play once weekly with a work buddy who's a bit younger and not yet retired. We play courses that are local and not too long as neither of us has the distance we once had. This course is only about 5300 yards long but it is definitely quite challenging. It's routed through a manufactured home senior and retiree community and the fairways could use some drainage reworking as in the hot, rainy Florida summer some areas have the consistency of a soaked sponge, lots of casual water. When things dry out in the fall through spring, you can get a lot more roll on shots but summer and the lack of drainage on some fairways will stop your shot quickly. Oddly enough, no matter how much it rains, the greens drain really well and are very quick all 4 seasons of the year. Putting can be quite adventurous as a straight in putt is something you may not see on any hole; par is an excellent score. There are a lot of water hazards and the woods along some holes are thick, so if you have trouble keeping your shots straight, bring enough golf balls. Due to soggy fairways on some holes, many play as cart path only so beware where the path is routed.
Off course amenities are virtually nonexistent at this time: the course was closed for 6 weeks or so when the Covid pandemic was announced and the clubhouse is closed except for the window that the clubhouse clerk opens when you check in and pay. You can buy a soft drink or beer, but there is no cart girl so be sure to either bring or buy sufficient drinks for staying hydrated. The pace of play is usually pretty quick since traffic here is minimal. But, all in all, it's a fair test for the price. I'm just waiting for the fall when it will be not so unbearably hot.

I've played this course for a lot of years, so long ago that I was using blade irons and persimmon woods when I started. This is a friendly course, I feel at home here, it's a relaxed atmosphere though the current COVID 19 restrictions make any a round at any course seem less than friendly. There are no ball washers and the water fountains near the 5th and 14th tees are turned off until restrictions are lifted. But, it's always a pleasant experience, The only negative I will note is the continued degeneration of the greens where dead grass is being sanded over. Additionally, it would appear that the greens are not being watered overnight as each and every one was as dry as the proverbial bone. Come on, WP, water the greens and get the grass growing again. My foursome almost considered scoring these greens like you would a temp green: 2 putts max but we declined that idea, But, again, I cannot enough stress the fact that the greens need some TLC, the sooner, the better.

I've played this course for 35 years now and it's a nice course, not really difficult, a very relaxed atmosphere, very affordable, friendly staff, and a great place to play.
BUT, the greens are currently in an awful state, quite bare, and the grass seems mostly imaginary. In years past, they were overseeded with Winter Rye grass before Winter but they have not been overseeded for several years now and the condition of the greens is somewhere between awful and abominable, IMO: much bare ground with some evidence of grass embedded there somewhere.
The greens will be enjoyable again in another 30 to 60 days, when the weather warms and it gets some needed rain but, until then, trying to hold a shot on these greens will be like trying to hold a shot on the parking lot asphalt,