Deadeye4

This is a classic, with origins to 1899. A private club until the last couple of years, it still bears marks of exclusivity, even if the 10th hole snack shack has been dismantled. Narrow by today's standards. Lots of old trees. Hilly. Very unusual, obviously, for a public course. And an absolute crazy value with the Golf Now tee time.

Gas carts. Fairways full of clover. No real pro shop. This is an old parkland course that is now owned and run by the county. But it was in good, if a little shaggy, condition. The greens were slow, but true. The layout was fine, plenty of challenge and interest for all but the single-digit handicappers. And with Golf Now's hot deal, a stone bargain.

Unlike so many Florida golf courses, the Forest Course of this 36-hole facility actually gets you away from the houses and condos for a stretch. It's rather scenic and a welcome break from the oppressive intrusion of humans in Florida. The course itself is fair, lots of water, and a very good value. There are black, blue, white and gold tees for men, so just about anybody can find the challenge that suits him.

It''s always worth the drive down to Primm. Was booked on the Desert Course, but they put me on Lakes. Both are well-designed and challenging, but not crazy penal. The greens were excellent. Fairways and tees fine. There were a few Yahoos far ahead of us whom we eventually caught, but still the round was under four hours.

The greens had been aerated, so no comments there this time. But it's hard to get over the remarkable conditioning of this course. I was scheduled to play the Ridge and the Lake, but when we finished the front nine, a marshal directed us to Meadow, which was wide open. We played in under four hours. There is good variety to the holes, and the whole place is peaceful, with fabulous views when you reach the end of each nine. It's a premium public golf experience.

Played with a Golf Now rate that was a great value off the somewhat high regular price. This course is a fascinating study of golf architecture. Highly recommend getting the yardage book or downloading the information about each hole. It does not copy famous golf holes, but rather applies the principles of 17 different architects (Donald Ross gets two holes) to the spectacular land that was already there. Wonderful long views. The holes are playable but definitely challenging. Fairways are generally fine, but tees and greens are underwhelming. The greens roll pretty well, but the grass can be sparse.