Kennykid

Swiss Fairways is a relatively unknown course. I understand that a long time ago it was great and had tons of play. Apparently, over the years it decayed. It's very close to home, so if I felt like a quick round, I'd head there and usually have a great day.

The course is in really good shape. The greens roll quickly and they are generally not easy to get to. Placement can be tough. Played yesterday and it was excellent. I'm going back there today. After 3 pm, it gets pretty quiet so a quick round is in the cards.

I play the white tees and it taxes me each time I play. Hole 1 is over 400yds! Right out of the gate, you are tested and it's followed by a rough par 3. These both need to be played well or you'll be 2 over before you know it, or worse.

There is a couple of terrific, potentially reachable par 5's. Two really good shots are required, but it's always nice to be putting for an eagle, once in a while.

New carts are nice and the people are too.

See you on the links.

Just my thoughts.

I had a friend come into town to play from NY. Last minute and I stumbled into HH. It was a 55 minute ride for me, but man it was worth it.

The fairways were a little fluffy but in very nice shape. The rough was starting to grow and when it's grown out, this place will be tough. The greens ran as expected from appearance. If you can read them, don't hit it too hard because they were fast.

For a Sunday morning, we were blessed to play under 3 1/2 hrs! A group in front of us played quickly and we saw no one else the rest of the round. More water than expected and you have to hit it clean to make your shots, otherwise it's wet, a lot!

I will definitely be back and my NY friend who is here for a Windsurfing Tournament may make a special trip so we can play it again.

From Tampa to Lakeland, not a bad ride. As I mentioned almost an hour for me but totally worth it. The Staff was nice and helpful. Didn't eat, so no comments.

Las Colinas is a great track. This time of year the prices are lower, but that has not changed how they take care of this course.

The greens were fast! The fairways lush and the tee boxes were in fine condition.

I played at 3pm and I saw 3 other groups on the course, so I played in under 2:30.

If I had a complaint about anything, it would be the cart paths which aren't really there. In other words, it's dirt and bumpy, deep potholes and it's not an easy navigate

None of this affects course play, but it is inconvenient.

I will play more before season starts up again.

Great job, you guys.

This course has had good times and bad. This is again, a really good time! Go play.

The greens are excellent. Mid-afternoon and they still rolled around 8.5-9.0. Rolled very smoothly. Fairways are in vg shape and for a dry Winter and early Spring drought, the parts of the course which need to be green, are just that.

I was lucky because people thought it was going to rain, but it not only never did, but the sun came out several times, but it only took me 2 hr and 15 minutes to play!!!!

Pro Shop guy was really nice got me out quickly as there was a foursome getting ready to go, he suggested I get out there and tee off. Did that and never saw another human the rest of the round.

T he pace also led to me posting one of the lowest scores of the year for me. LIKE THAT.

Go play and support these guys. They have spent money. Look as if they will continue to and the course should be back on "Need to play" list.

Thanx

The cycle of this course is very well known by golfers in the area. It used to be great, then, like many other courses it struggled. Somehow in between, it had appeared that The Legends had lost its way, as it continued to struggle, while some others made a comeback.

After not playing here for several months, I played today, with 2 really nice guys. They thought the course wasn't as good as it could be, but I was very happy with most of the course from 1-18. And we enjoyed it!

Today was very pleasant. The course was green, the greens were quick, even midday. the Fairways can still improve, but it's playing and starting to look much as it did in its heyday.

We can be pretty critical in central Florida as there are many courses to choose from and often I think we can get to "if it's broke, it won't be fixed." In my opinion, that is no longer the case at the The Legends.

The prices are among the best in the area, for a solid layout and now a course which will make you feel as if you are at a pretty special place and because of that, it's worth a play. Please don't get me wrong, there are areas which still need some work. but if you haven't played in the past few months, I believe you will very pleasantly surprised.

I haven't recommended The Legends for quite some time, but feel great about recommending it after today's round.

Have a great time!

I think unless you live in Mt. Dora, every other place is kind of far away! I had about a 45 minute ride, but it was certainly a distance worth driving.

The course isn't long around 6500 yds, from the tips, it does play a tad longer than that. The driving range is kind of beaten up, but you can find a place to hit some balls into the lake. I have never been a fan of water ranges, but it's ok to loosen up.

Tree lined fairways abound and with slight doglegs on most holes, a little working of the ball makes the holes play better.

Most of the par 3's are short, but with good size greens, pin placement can make them challenging. A couple of the par 5's are reachable with good 2nd shots and that's always fun.

The greens were excellent. They rolled true and they were about 11 on the stimp. I'm not a great putter but seldom 3 putt and I did it 3 times on this day.

Although I followed a foursome and a Sunday League, we still finished under 4 hrs. That was impressive, as I played alone and only waited on about 5 holes.

Putting green has a similar speed as the course, so that's a good thing and the food is good and not expensive.

Go play here, you will do it again.

Just my thoughts!

My trip to St. Cloud was well worth it. Driving down the FL Turnpike as it started to spit rain concerned me, but by arrival the sun was shining and my spirits were lifted.

I was fearful of overcrowding based on other reviews and even more concerned when there were no carts for me when I checked in. However, within minutes one was available and again lifted spirits.

The range was nothing special, but it was fine. It was quite windy so hitting into a prevailing wind was a good warm-up.

Upon completion of my range work I headed towards the 1st tee. With 3 separate nines, I expected some confusion at the turn and was correct. That said, after being told a group was coming, but not showing up, the starter hooked me up with a group of 3 and off we went.

All of the tee boxes were in fine form. I suggest using a GPS as it's tough to see much of the course from the tee. The first few holes were played into a swirling wind, so be prepared to work from the 1st shot on.

The greens were typical of Links courses. They were big and rolled well. Pace was probably around 9.5. Fortunately, the pace of play was really good. Front nine in right at 2hrs.

We headed to our back nine, the White course and got back into the fray. It also played quickly and I was fortunate to have met 3 nice Canadian guys on a yearly trek south, so fun was had by all.

Overall, this is a worthwhile trip from wherever you are in the Orlando area. It's not tough to find and although the overall area is still showing much of the real estate depression of the last decade, it's not too bad.

I will definitely play here again. If your game is on, this is a really good test. If it not, you may be in for a long day, as the wind definitely is in always in play.

The course is showing some wear, but it shows that there has been quite a bit of work done recently and you will feel very linksish by rounds end.

Food was good and the menu looked fairly impressive. I only had a burger, but they have a dinner menu and I would think it's pretty solid.

In my opinion it's in better shape than the International Course at Champion's Gate at a way better rate, so go play there. You'll enjoy a little "Touch of Scotland."

It's always fun to play new courses and in Florida there is such a great assortment to play and others which have a great pedigree. It's great to try somewhere new and find a place which exceeded your expectations and one which demands you go play it again.

Sometimes because many people live closer to a big city or on the outskirts, that taking a little drive seems to be less important in order to try something new and different.

I will often plan a road trip to play the courses kind of off the beaten path. Most of the times it's worth the trip and once in a while it's not.

Big Cypress was surely worth the trip. It's located about 35 miles west of Orlando, in a very large over 55 community with two 18 hole golf courses. The North Course is a short course and the South Course is a championship track of 6700 yds from the tips which plays much longer than it looks, especially when the wind is up as it was the day I played.

The fairways are lush and the greens were fast with each hole having a character of its own. On the front nine, the 2 par fives are just tough. The first one requires a carry of over 240 yds. just to clear the water! During the winter, the wind blows in your face, so be prepared. The 2nd par 5 requires a totally hidden tee shot over a marsh and to play the hole correctly requires a draw or it will surely play as a 3 shot hole even though the yardage is under 500 yds.

Only 1 par 3 could be considered easy and 2 of them play over 200 yds. The greens have multi-levels and require you to be on the right level to have a shot at birdie.

You will surely feel as if you played an entire round of golf by the time you finish, as it makes you work on pretty much shot.

The clubhouse is nice and food was standard golf course fare, although priced a tad better than most courses.

The Pro Shop is well stocked and all of the people I met were very nice and it's evident they take pride in their course. The starter told me the front nine was a little backed up and let me start on 10 right behind an elderly couple, who played at a great pace and we actually completed those 9 holes in under 2 hrs.

The front was a tad slower, but still right around 2:15 on a Sunday afternoon. The practice area was grassy and a good size bucket of practice balls was only $5, so a good value.

Big Cypress was surely worth the trip and I will go back. The community of higher end manufactured homes was extremely well kept and I was floored by how many people live in this place. Make the trek and I am sure you will be writing a great review of this hidden gem.

Just my thoughts!

Deer Island Golf Course, now called "The International Club" was a great find. On their website, the scorecard reflects differently than the actual card, so expect to see a little different course set up, when you arrive.

It's tucked in a small town called Tavares, but well worth the trip to play a tough track with excellent conditions and a very nice staff. It's a Joe Lee design and one he claims is the "most unique course I have ever built." It shows.

The practice area is very well kept and leaves plenty of grass on the tees to get you ready for an exceptional round of golf.

The course is very spread out and offers wonderful vistas and views of the surrounding area. Some very expensive homes dot the course and it kind of homey watching people everywhere, putting up and testing the Christmas lights.

Playing the blue tees, the course is around 6700 yds. Although the course feels tight, it actually allows plenty of room on most fairways to air it out. Bunkers are strategically placed around the 250-275 range on most par 4's.

Three of the four par 3's are pretty tough holes. They are longish and require some pretty targeted shots to get to the green. A particularly tough #13 requires a very accurate shot over a pond to a nice sized green, that today had the pin tucked right at water level. Very pretty hole!!

There are even a couple of nicely positioned "risk and reward" holes where you can bust a driver and not be too scared of the outcome, while putting yourself into a shot SW or gap wedge to great greens.

They rolled true and they were quick. There are some deceptive rolls so be careful to look at a couple of angles before you putt.

The course, across the board was outstanding. I will definitely be back and if it was about 20 minutes closer to me, I would consider becoming a member. It's worth the ride, for sure.

Lastly the small Golf Shop is well stocked and the staff was very nice and more than accommodating. I played by myself and didn't see another human being on the front nine! I did catch up to a couple of groups on the back, but they were very kind and offered the chance to play through.

GO PLAY HERE!

OCN has always been on the top of most people's list of "Places to play", but as all central Florida courses, they lost a little during the bad financial times.

However, they are totally back. We played Panther Lake and it is in great shape and will test every club in your bag.

The fairways were tight and the greens were very fast and not only rolled well, but looked great as well. The pace of play is usually a tad slow because the course is tough and many people play incorrect tee boxes, so that's never been an issue.

The staff was great and it was nice to actually see a functioning Ranger on the course. She couldn't do much to improve the pace, but at least she tried.

Paired up with a nice couple from Miami and had such fun we played again on Sunday at Sanctuary Ridge, also in good shape. Review coming later.

Play this place, both courses and you will have fun, be challenged and will leave after a day of knowing that you if you didn't bring your best game, your score probably reflected it!

Will be back very soon

Thanks to Golf Now I got a great rate to play the New Course at Grand Cypress. I have played the other courses here and although generally in fine condition, not too different from other courses closer to home at a better price.

After reading some nice comments about the "New" course at Grand Cypress, I made the 45 minute trek to play.

As always the free valet is nice and they take care of getting you onto the golf course.

Bought a bag of balls to loosen up and headed out to the range. It's nothing special, but in fine shape. I had plenty of grass to get a feel for how my swing was to be for the day and off to the 1st tee.

I was greeted there by a very cordial man and he invited me to the tee box so he could explain the 1st hole and the layout of the course, which looked outstanding from this position.

His information, for a first timer, was helpful as he explained double greens, different color flags for front and back nines, history of a few holes, some of which are loosely based on famous British Isles courses, including the Old Course at St. Andrews. Then he disappeared and left me to it.

If I would consider a challenge, it would be the difference in length from the back to the next set of tees. It plays about 6800 from the tips, which is where I played from, but would have preferred around 6450. The 2nd set of tees only played 6100+ and I realized I would just be getting into more trouble playing the shorter course, so I stretched it out a bit and played the back tees. As it turned out, it wasn't a problem back there because the course was in such good condition that the ball rolled and the ground was hard, so it played quite a bit shorter than the 6800.

Interesting GPS system, as it gives a fly over of each hole. Not as helpful as I hoped, because it is quick and doesn't really show where to land on some of the blind shots, which I immediately found on #2 tee box!

The course was in great shape and each hole had a personality. I met a couple of nice kids from Sweden and we had a really nice round.

The fairways were well cut, kind of tight, which I like and quick. The greens weren't fast, but they played great. Take the time to read your putts because downhill and down grain gets pretty fast, pretty fast!

We got showered on, so rating the pace of play wouldn't be fair, but it appeared that on a busy day and with many non locals playing, I would think the pace could drag, so plan on 4 hrs minimum.

I could take the time to describe each hole played and all would be impressed, but instead I will just give this course a big thumb's up and end this little docudrama.

Pretty different style of play for this area as links golf doesn't really live here much, other than the International Course at Champion's Gate, so this was a really nice treat and a great day on the course.

Put this course on your "need to play" list and you won't be disappointed. Thanx Golf Now. I'll be going back soon!

Just my thoughts!

Central Florida is one of the best golf landing spots in the entire US and there are truly some great golf courses. There was a time when you would find each and every one in great condition, with the competition for your golfing dollar so strong, that each course would go out of its way to outdo the next.

The Legends was one of these and would always go the extra mile to make your day a great one. Now, it is yelling "Please Help Me", as it is not in very good shape.

It was one of the 1st courses I played in central Florida with elevation changes. The greens were always consistent and quick. The fairways were tightly cut and trimmed along the rough. The flowers were always in bloom, the fountains had clear blue waters flowing in and out of them, etc., etc., etc.

Alas, those days are now gone. The staff is still nice and you feel welcome. Although it did take a phone call to the Pro Shop to get a Ranger to come and threaten, I guess, the people in front of us. Otherwise we might still be playing.

The course has such potential and reflects days gone by, every once in a while, but overall, this track is a shell of its former self.

The greens are so messed up that uphill can be down grain. An obvious slope shows a left to right break, but no.... the way the green is cut, the ball goes in an entirely new direction.

Things like this never happened on this course before. True meant true. Up was up and, well you know the rest.

The value was ok, thanx to Golf Now, but had I paid what the people in front of me paid, I would have been extremely disappointed.

I was excited to play there as it had been some time since my last visit and unless I can't find any other place to play, I fear it will be a long while before it hits my list again.

Oh, yeah. The range is a joke. There was no grass anywhere on the teeing area and the flags were pointing in varying directions, meaning that some looked as if falling over, others were right next to one another, etc.

Legend by name only now, there are truly other places you will be happier to play. Sorry!

Just my thoughts!

Years ago this was one of the best resorts in the area. As with many courses it fell on hard times and closed a course and lost the rest.

The good news is that they are making a comeback and there aren't too many people playing it yet.

The fairways were overseeded and pretty lush. The greens were consistent albeit kind of slow, but looked very nice and when cut will roll very well.

It's sad to see all of the empty townhouses and the kind of transient people living in many of the others, but there were quite a few visitors and many more residents than I expected, that were playing the other course. I played the East course and would recommend it to anyone. If you haven't played it in a while, I think you will be pleased.

It's still inexpensive and as each day goes by, I think it will continue to improve.

Good effort so far!

Just my thoughts!

Playing the Cypress course at Stonegate was an enjoyable time. Even though we were stuck behind some really slow players, we still finished, surprisingly, in just over 4 hrs.

The staff was solid and the starter was very nice. The course doesn't start off too tough, but as you get into the round, accuracy becomes important.

Even though the greens hadn't totally recovered from the over-seeding and aerification, the greens were pretty consistent. Admittedly, they were quicker when we started, around noon, and got quite a bit slower later on in the round.

I'll definitely go back as it's a good challenge and I expect the course to be pretty pristine over the next few weeks.

Go play it I think you'll be impressed. I was, as it was my 1st time.

To build a 7000+ yd course in a couple of retirement communities doesn't make much sense, but they did it here. The design isn't conducive to quick play. This was a Sunday and it was crowded and it was slow. The course people were very nice and the food was good.

The course just plays tough. It's flat and hard so the ball carries well. The greens were very fast and in great shape. There is a lot of dry ares in the fairways and they need some grass. It hasn't been so cold that the fairways should be quite as barren as they are.

I will play it again and I think it will be another good round. I want to play it when the pace is better so I can get a better feel for the course.

Lastly, for whatever reason, the pins were like Sunday at a PGA event. Fast greens and tough pins make this as tough of a test as you would like, yet from the shorter tees I think you will still have a great time.

This course hasn't been in good shape for years. The new owners have not only spent money to get it into really good shape, they are continuing to maintain and improve the golfing experience.

The course was packed yesterday, yet we still completed our round under 4 hrs. I was pretty impressed. The fairways were tailored and nice and green, with no bare spots.

The bunkers were well stocked with sand and nice to play out of, if you were unfortunate to land in one.

The greens were firm and ran at about a 9, but as the day wore on, they did slow down some, but they were green and the grass was lush.

Overall, it was a fun day. The course isn't overly difficult. It can cause some challenges if you don't know where to place the ball on the doglegs, but no issues with the overall course.

The clubhouse is completely renovated and well stocked and the people working were polite and know their golf course.

It's not one of the top 10 courses in this area, but if you don't wish to spend $75-$100 to play one of those, you will have a great time for minimal money.

I will go back, for sure.