th382007

We played both the Love and Dye courses at Barefoot, and I liked the Dye course better. This course has a very strong Pete Dye feel, with sharp lines, intense mounding, railroad ties, etc. There is sand framing nearly every hole that plays as waste areas, with traditional bunkers lining the greeens. The course is very challenging for all the aforementioned reasons, but a fun layout.

If you are playing soon, be aware that the resort suffered some tough weather in the recent months and have a lot of issues with the greens. They were repairing them while I was there. There were about 5-6 greens on each course that were getting partially scraped and sodded.

The Love course at Barefoot is a solid track. It's a very playable course for all skill levels, and offers plenty of scoring opportunities for better golfers. I appreciated the mix of holes as there were a nice mix of short/long Par 3s and Par 5s. A few unique holes definitely make this worthy of the play. You can the resort was built as a big money property as there are many nice amenities throughout the resort (GPS Golf Carts, large and beautiful clubhouse, restrooms on the courses, etc.).

If you are playing soon, be aware that the resort suffered some tough weather in the recent months and have a lot of issues with the greens. They were repairing them while I was there. There were about 5-6 greens on each course that were getting partially scraped and sodded.

I've played the North Course at Firestone a few times as part of the ClubCorp program. The course consistently delivers on conditioning, pace of play, and challenge. It doesn't receive the national recognition of the South Course, but it has a much more interesting layout. Surprisingly, the few large ponds out front impact 10 of the 18 holes. It's really great use of the water. There's also a hill that runs through the middle of the course that makes for a handful of interesting holes.

My only complaint is I consistently get started off the 10th tee, which makes for a difficult starting stretch. The 10th hole ends up being an awkward wedge into a water guarded green, the 11th is a mid iron Par 3 completely over water, and the 12th, 13th and 14th are a few brute Par 4s. If given the choice, I would definitely recommend starting on the front 9 to ease your way into the round.

Overall, the staff is always friendly and the golf is on point. Paired with the great facilities at Firestone, it's always an enjoyable afternoon. Highly recommend.

DeBary Golf & Country Club is a fairly average venue. It's on the outskirts of Orlando (~30 min north) and there isn't much going on around the property. The clubhouse and amenities fall in line with the average rating, along with the conditions of the tee boxes, fairways and bunkers. However, the greens were outstanding. They were running at about a 10.5 the day we played and are clearly the standout of this course. Overall, the course is challenging enough to warrant a play. If you are in the area, it's worth a stop. All the staff members were very friendly as well.

Diamante Country Club in Hot Springs Village is a fantastic course. It can be a beast from the tips, although it plays slightly friendlier than the scorecard yardage. The course has a lot of elevation change, although it ends up being neutral or beneficial off the tee. We played on a HOT late summer day, which I would expect to be the case through the bulk of the summer months. Due to this, the course played dry and fast. There's a great mix of holes and it's a very fair course. There aren't many (if any) blind shots and generally what you see is what you get. Overall, a great course and one I'd highly recommend.

Wachesaw Plantation Club golf course meanders through a beautiful residential neighborhood as part of a planned golf community. The houses surrounding the property were beautiful, and the golf course fits the bill. The property is heavily wooded and nearly every hole is framed with trees, however, it's mostly aesthetic as you have plenty of room to land tee shots. I played in mid-June and the course was perfectly green throughout. The greens were damp due to our weather but were running smooth and still about 9+ on the stimp. Overall, a beautiful property and highly recommended.