u981982949

Went over from Tampa to play this course and the Nicklaus course in the afternoon. Played all 3 about three years ago and remembered them fondly. Palmer course is in good shape, except for one Par 3 that has all t's hitting from a mat (not a good look for a course that charges $90.00 bucks in the morning), but the highlights were the greens. Fast and true, some large and some small, everyone of them has undulations, which is unusual for Florida golf. Cart girl came around often, it was 96 so that's a great thing. The only complaint was almost the entire surrounding areas are under construction. I mean big construction; one hole has a large Excavator off left fairway and huge tire tracks surround either right or left fairways on most holes. It's not changing the course, but it is very distracting and certainly takes away any beauty to the layout. Overall impression of course was challenging and fun and I would like to come back after all the construction is finished.

I had really lofty expectations about this course after reading the website and overall layout in this area, this is supposed to be a premier course and high level of difficulty and in great shape. Not much of that is reality. Most of the staff was fast and efficient, except for the register guy at the pro shop, couldn't say enough how busy they were and where was our entire group, we don't have time to wait for your other twosome, etc. Turns out the course was mostly empty throughout the entire day - he gets an F for customer service. Range balls come from a machine and the buckets are a joke. 30 balls, or to get more you have to drive all the way back and pay again. Range was small, chipping green also small and very hairy (slow!), putting green was better but quite brown and they were running about a 9 on the stimp. Yes, a 9! for a premier club, and the course is not in great shape, it's playable, but crabgrass is everywhere, be ready for sandy lies if you miss the green, very slow greens....Course layout is friendly, however I can count at least 5 holes where there are streams, or lakes, or huge bunkers, or other penalty-causing obstacles over the horizon - you can not see them when teeing off and the graphics on the score cards are not to scale. Would have shot par if not for the massive lake on the back nine par 5, and the rock stream on 18 is always in play with driver, but you can't see it when teeing off from whites. Deceptive courses are not fun and it was my first time, so grrrrr...overall, shot a weak 76 where I was robbed on 3 holes by hidden obstacles, but the day was perfect and I only lost a few hundred to my partner. This club could be much, much better with some much-needed attention.

The staff at this course are excellent, from the parking lot to the pro shop, to the guy who gave us a ride back to our car after the round, friendly and professional. But the staff can't make up for a course that has just been destroyed lately. Don't know how a Diamond Resort got in this shape, but the fairways are dirt, there's just other way to say it. We had to agree to move all balls to anywhere you could find a patch of grass, it was that bad. The greens are in very nice shape, quite fast too, but you will be disappointed if you want to do anything than go to a nicer driving range than you typically pay 55 bucks for? It's going to be a bad year for this course, unfortunately.

I'm a single digit handicap and never been to Celebration but we played Mystic Dunes (horrible condition!) in the morning and I got us a T-time in the afternoon at Celebration as a backup, and so very glad I did. The grounds are beautiful, with everything you need located in one area plus Kathy at the pro shop was excellent. The takeout service was fast and the course was in beautiful shape. We played 18 and then stayed and forked out a bit more for another 18 we had so much fun, played until dark. Great value for the price and golfing at Celebration will make you forget all about the craziness that is happening in our nation right now.