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Was passing through Houston and wanted to get in a round of Texas golf (Floridian). I can't say that I've ever played a course that big that was located within a neighborhood. The course seemed unwalkable. It had to be over 10 miles long.

Summer mid day golf in the Texas heat presents its on challenges. Sure the grass was on the dry side and the ground was hard but the course seemed well maintained. Fairway shots rewarded the golfer while missed fwys presented additional challenges. Greens were fast and fair. 135 course slope is well earned and deserved. Definitely recommend some kind of navigation if you aren't familiar with layout.

If I had to complain i would say the practice facilities aren't 4*. But everything you need is there.

Overall strong course deserving of its 4* rating.

Winter Park is your Home course. Friendly staff. Friendly people. Decent course that is well maintained. The only issue I frequently had were the slow and bumby greens. That has changed dramatically. Greens were playing lightning fast 6/14. #8 was still a problem but the rest were in solid shape.

Winter Park Pines is one of the most played courses in the WORLD! Let that sink in.

Good Food! Good practice facilities. Solid prices in the pro shop.

Some of these reviews simply don't make sense. This course is awful at its best. Management has driven what should be a jewel into the dirt. It may be beyond repair. There are visible sinkholes on this course so don't wonder off the path. Sometimes some of the greens are decent. The fairways are either scorched or flooded.

THIS IS A 1 STAR COURSE.

I try to be fair and give honest, impartial reviews. So let me start by saying I love this course. Florida golf typically lacks any kind of real elevation changes. This course has plenty! The natural layout is rare for Fl. There isn't a ton of money that goes into the course but there is no shortfall in pride. The fairways and putting greens were green. Hesitate to say,...plush. the greens were in great shape. Today the course kinda reminded me of golfing in Az with the contrast between the areas you want to be vs desert or in this case, scarred areas. There virtually is no rough but if you go off the fairways you will typically have a poor setup for your next shot.

Not the first place I woule bring an out-of-towner to but certainly worthy of a play.

Probably one of the 3 most played courses in Orlando.. Greens were fast, clean, and fair. Short course that forces you to hit your mark. You cannot over power this course because there is plenty of water and wooded area to eat your golf balls. Tee selection makes a big difference so if you don't play much, play the whites. I definitely recommend this course.

Crooked Cat was in amazing shape today. Tuesday golfing with a friend from out of town and he raved about the layout, conditons, and value. He simply could not stop taking pictures. We took a peek at Panther Lake and he was even more amazed. Great job OCN

I feel safe saying that this is the toughest course in Central Florida. The conditions were dry when I played. The greens were fast and fair. There was very little to no wind.

7/20 I admit to getting beat up. And this is not a complaint because I lost the fight, but a warning to those unprepared. Having the LPGA title, I was expecting a bit more glitz and glamour. There is nothing overly special about this course. The practice facilities are just ok. Overall it lacked many of the little things you would expect from a course carrying such a high rating. But a course being overrated typically is the fault of those rating it, not the course.

If your ball is hit into the rough you have to treat it as if it went out or you simply won't find it. The group I played with had to institute the Gallery Rule simply to stay on pace. Hitting a ball into the rough shouldn't carry the same reward as a fairway shot but it shouldn't be a penalty either. Having to hit the ball from the rough all day will absolutely drain you. The layout forces you to hit your points to score and punishes you for inaccurate shots. And sometimes this even holds true when you are in the fairway. Play at the tees recommended by your handicap.

Overall, this is a solid 4* course. If you are a novice, don't waste your time. Intermediate and low cappers should mentally and physically prepare themselves to take on this course. For as many trees as this course has it surprisingly has very little shade. Have plenty of fluids and eat something before you play the back 9.

I simply can't imagine having to play in inclement weather or wet conditions.

God Bless you and Good Luck!

One of the better layouts in the Orlando Metro Area. Greens are usually clean, fast, and consistent.

Currently live in Florida but was quickly reminded that there is Beauty in Michigan Golf and Taylor Meadows is an excellent example. If this course was located in Fl (and had better practice facilities) you would easily pay $50-75. Features clean and fast greens, well kept grass and foliage, and elevation changes that add difficulty to what (from the sky eye) appeared to be a straight forward layout. Friendly staff and a pro shop that features extremely fair priced items (i.e. balls pro v1s sleves $13.95, nike dura feel gloves $9).

Pros:
Prices
Conditions
Friendly

Cons:
No driving range
Extremely small practice green

Use to be one of my favorites but course appears to be sliding downhill. I would probably continue to play if I lived in the area but certainly not worth the distance unless conditions improve.

Greens were fast and fair but the rest of the course was a bit fatigued. Rio is normally in tip top condition but not so much the other day. Still a solid play!

Will always be a fan of this course.

Orlando's most played course. Has all of the problems you would expect from a course with high volume.

Great staff! Great value! Beginner friendly.

It's place to play golf. Better than your backyard but not by much. Was truly shocked to see how much that place fell off.

The front fairways looked like the backyard of an abandoned house. You should definitely play the back 9 2x. Back 9 is 300% better than the front.

But it was only $10.

I've been to this course 4-5 occasions. Love it. Not the most challenging course but that is great for beginners like myself. 7, 8, and 9 are tough holes.

The course is always in great shape!

The Marriott Golf Academy is held here so the practice facilities are grand and immaculate.

It's 9 holes but if the course is not crowded they always allow you to continue play. Your significant other can stay inside and enjoy the restaurant and bar, both having a scenic view of the entire practice facility.

If this was an 18 hole course you would certainly pay $40-50/round easily.

Get there early and enjoy yourself.

I will start with the bad. This course is not for beginners. I'm a beginner but actually consider myself to be very good for a beginner. After 3 holes i put the scorecard away and began to take inventory of my remaining balls. Every hole, every shot puts you at risk. There are 3-4 holes that allow you to play from another fairway on missed shots. On the rest you will find yourself in deep woods or water. The Good - Everything Else. The course is immaculate. I don't recall seeing any stressed areas. Greens were fast but fair and all were raised. Facilities are outstanding. The views will provide you with plenty photo opps. Range balls are on the house so get there early. The pro shop looked like a luxury retail store. The prices were high but...seems silly to seek out this venue then proceed to complain about prices. I will certainly return when i get better. This is the place you want to bring your serious golf buddies that come in town to play.

Ventura is a strong 3* course. I see that some have rated this a 4* course and that simply is not accurate. Although I've only been playing since 8/17, i have played enough places to understand some of the features that create separation between the courses.

Course layout - strong! Keep your ball in the fairway or you will be punished. Plenty of water and wooded areas to steal your ball. If you're no good, get out those shags.
Course appearance - in my opinion, this is where Ventura loses a 4* rating. It seems like some of the holes are unfinished. Tee boxes are not level. This course does not have the finish of a 4*. Also, there were times i hit a good shot into the fairway but still found myself being punished because my ball rolled into a crater. This almost gurantees you will top your next shot. Btw, these are not divots or marks that have resulted from divots being tended. This is a problem in a number of the fairways. Nothing major, but not 4* worthy.
Greens - good and well maintained! Even during the drought we are currently experiencing.
Price - great value for your money. I typically find rates between $14-$20.
Amenities - this is another category Ventura needs to improve. No onsite driving range. (When I asked an employee about the range he told me to buy a practice bucket, get back in my car (was not allowed to us cart), and drive about 1/2 mile away to their range) Chipping green looked like a homemade add-on. Putting green is ok. Pro Shop is average.

Ventura is a very good looking, great priced 3* course but by no means is a 4*. If i have friends in town that are budget golfers, Ventura will probably top the list. But budget golfers typically aren't concerned wirh playing on 4* or greater courses.

This is an example of a tale of 2 courses. The front 9 plays like your typical public course. Mostly dog legs with hazards thrown into the mix. The back 9 gets a bit interesting. Admittedly, both front and back force you to be selective with your clubs. This course is not quite a 4 due to the outdated facilities and overall condition of the course but i would certainly rate it at a 3.5 or better. This course is a new favorite.

This is one of my new favorites.
Cons:
It is in the middle of a retirement community so the play can be slow. Facilities are a bit dated. Beyond that, there isn't much about this course that you won't like.

Pros:

One of the few courses I've seen in Florida that has drastic elevation changes.
Greens are super fast but consistent throughout.
Course layout forces you to be strategic with your shot selection. High Risk / High Reward.
Friendly Staff
Price

Overall - Great Course and a definite must play!