scottlilly

Once a PGA stop in the ‘50s-‘60s, Rio Pinar is a bit of a faded star. While the clubhouse is clearly mid-century modern and appears to have been recently restored, the course has some issues. The good news is the layout is a real gem with strategically placed bunkers, well designed greens that require a deft touch, and landing areas that favor the player that can work the ball both ways. However, the fairways are sparse with large barren areas and many of the tees are in bad shape. Even so, the greens are in pretty good shape, roll smooth, and are a decent speed. In sum, the course simply needs some some TLC and an opportunity to grow some grass which, given the time of year and business reality, is not going to happen. Indeed, the day I played (a Thursday) the course was packed and pace of play was marginal, at best. Overall, if you can snag a GolfNow Hot Deal like I did, Rio Pinar is worth a try especially given it’s historical significance as the direct ancestor of this week’s Bay Hill Classic!

Not much to say other than “excellent”. The only issues with El Campeon are caused by the morons that play it and fail to fill divots, repair ball marks, or rake bunkers. With great conditions from tee to green, it is unbelievable to me that players won’t take the time to reward the hard work of the staff by taking a few seconds to fix their divots, ball marks, and bunker prints/shots. Anyway, El Campeon is a fabulous track that is a mere 40 minute drive (at most!) from the Orlando area. If you love golf, you will thoroughly enjoy El Campeon but you better bring your A game as it will test every aspect of your skills. Unlike most FL courses, this course has some serious elevation changes and some extremely tricky and FAST greens. Well worth the trip and a great value for your golfing dollar!!

I’ve always enjoyed the Disney courses (especially the Palm) which are operated by the Palmer group. The Palm is in good shape with quick greens, lush tee boxes, and uniformly healthy fairways. However, for the price they charge (up to $150!) such conditions should be expected. According to the GPS, expected pace of play is around 4:20 which is reasonable for a weekend round. Our group was right on it even though we waited on a number of holes. One thing I appreciate about The Palm is that they have strategically placed restrooms/water stations that have ice/water dispensers unlike most courses that simply have unsanitary water fountains. Bottom line is if you don’t mind paying a premium for a round of golf, you won’t be disappointed with The Palm.

Having played here a number of times, I can promise you Panther Lake is a great test of all your golfing skills. It’s a tough but very fair course that’s in very good condition. A few tees are a bit worn in places and the fairways have a some really thin spots but overall PL is in good shape. The greens are smooth and consistently quick but not unfairly fast given the noticeable undulations in many of them. Although our threesome waited on most shots, pace of play (4:20) was not unreasonable for a weekend round in this area. Overall, I don’t hesitate to recommend Panther Lake for a challenging and enjoyable round of golf.

For a course that has hosted the PGA Q-school, a Korn Ferry tour stop, and multiple state-wide tournaments, Crooked Cat was a bit of a disappointment. Having played here many times in the past, the course conditions were not up to the superior standards of my past experiences. However, it is only fair to note those past experiences have spoiled me and may have caused my current expectations to be a little unreasonable given the recent FL weather patterns while I was up north. So, overall, I would say the course is in good, but not great, condition with the greens rolling true and at a decent speed. The tees, for the most part, are in good shape with a a few suffering some sparse growth. Bunkers are consistent and well maintained. As for the rough, it is fair and not intimidating. My main criticism is that the fairways are unusually thin with some bare spots, especially the first hole. Even so, the Cat is a solid track worthy of recommendation and well worth the current reasonable fees.

The reason Disney’s courses are so successful is due in large part to Arnold Palmer Golf Management (APGM) which operates Disney’s courses. While I enjoy all three championship courses and the executive course, Oak Trail, I think that the Palm is the crown jewel of the Disney courses and evidences APGM’s deft management abilities. The Palm’s greens are smooth and speed consistent. Fairways are healthy with very few thin or bare spots. Tee boxes were a bit hairy the day I played but I prefer that to spotty, worn surfaces. The rough is certainly not overwhelming and very playable. The layout is very straightforward and a joy to play. Most of the length is in the 4 pars and the 3’s are well protected by sand and water. The 5 pars are not that difficult. In sum, if you’re visiting Disney and have the time, I recommend you test your golf skills at the Palm!

Several playing partners at other courses had recommended Black Bear to me but I had been reluctant to play it because I’m not a big fan of Dye courses (father’s or son’s). I have found the Dyes have a tendency to use unnecessary “gimmicks” to increase the difficulty of their courses such as unnecessarily deep green side swales, strategically placed but artificially high mounds, weird shaped greens, etc. In any event, I decided to give Black Bear a try and I’m glad I did. Although Black Bear has a couple of holes that evidence the Dye trickery, overall it is a very enjoyable track. The greens were fast but not unfairly so. Fairways and tees were in relatively good shape but the rough was thin and spotty at best. Pace of play was excellent (3:45!). I intend to go back soon so I can try some different strategy on the tricky holes!

In the past, I have praised OCN’s two excellent courses despite some minor problems but recently there have been some issues that have caused me to reconsider my previous five star reviews. My recent experience at Panther Lake evidenced staff and course management problems that require immediate attention. Last Thursday, I played Crooked Cat and there were no issues but yesterday was a completely different experience.. First, OCN no longer provides two courtesy bottles of water on ice even though the did last Thursday when I played Crooked Cat. The reason I know this is the cart staff so informed me when they literally repossessed the two bottles already in my cooler when I asked for some ice to keep them cold! While the water repossession issue is simply a rude staff issue, pace of play is a far more serious problem. According to my cart’s pace of play timer, our round took 5:14 due to the incredibly slow group(s) ahead of us. That is a totally unacceptable pace ANYWHERE! We never saw a ranger (player assistant?) on the front nine but did see one parked at the halfway house at the turn. When I informed him the front nine took 2:36 to play his only response was “Really?” and we never saw him again as we suffered through a 2:38 back nine. This is not the first time that I and many others have experienced this problem at both OCN courses and the shame of it is both courses are now in tremendous shape. Even so, the experience of a well maintained and excellent layout is ruined by OCN management’s failure to police pace of play. I hope OCN addresses this issue because I really would hate to avoid playing them or be afraid to recommend them to my northern friends visiting the area.

Crooked Cat weathered the hurricane quite well and there was little evidence of the storm’s impact. The greens were running quick and true. Fairways and roughs were in good shape as were the tees. As always, the staff was friendly and helpful!

Hawk’s Landing is appropriately named since we saw several hawks and an osprey during our round. Even though the greens had been recently aerated as noted by Golfnow, they rolled true albeit a tad slow. Overall, the rest of the course is in pretty good shape. While we were cart path only on a number of holes, the course was not that soft and the lies were good. The layout is terrific with the exception of the 18th hole which is a par 3. I’m not a big fan of par 3 finishing holes. As a stand alone 3 par, however, the 18th is very challenging with a forced carry over water to an island green similar to the 17th at TPC Sawgrass. Anyway, despite my aversion to par 3 finishing holes, I look forward to playing HL in the future and would recommend it to other golfers.

I’ve played here several times in the past but not in the last couple of years. To be honest, during the spring break months (March-April) when I’m here the most, the Disney courses are overpriced. By the end of spring break , however, the courses are in great shape and the prices drop significantly. The Palm was in excellent shape in all areas; tees, fairways, roughs, and greens. Greens were quick without being unfairly fast. Pace of play was great at about 4:15. Well stocked pro shop, helpful starter, and attentive cart attendant. Overall, a “magical” experience at “the happiest place on turf”.

I always enjoy Deer Island because the layout is so challenging. While course conditions can vary based on seasonal issues, I have never known Deer Island’s condition to fall below “above average”. Yesterday, tees and greens were in great shape with greens being fairly fast. The fairways were a bit thin in a few areas but were eminently playable. The rough really wasn’t very difficult nor should it be because the layout provides all the difficulty that is necessary! Bring extra balls because water is in play on practically EVERY hole, especially 2 of the par 3’s. However, there is nothing unfair about DI and if you choose the right set of tees for your talent level, you won’t find a more fair, fun, and challenging track in this area!!

Deer Island is a terrific layout through a residential area that never really intrudes on the serenity and aesthetics of the golf course. In this day and age, that is a rare feat. Not only that, but I seriously doubt there is another course within 100 miles where you will see as much native wildlife as you will at Deer Island. Moreover, the course is in superb shape from tee to green with only a few intermittent trouble spots that break up the uniform excellence of the conditions. Bring your “A” game, because water is in play on almost every hole! While the greens may not be that pleasing color that gives them their name, they are perfectly smooth and pleasingly quick. To say the least, downhill putts will test the skill of even the best players. My only minor critique was the pace of play. The group in front of us, to say the least, was “deliberate” and played in a snail-like 4:20 with no other group within sight. We waited EVERY shot! So, a Players’ Assistant (i.e. a “Ranger”) would have been beneficial. Other than that minor inconvenience on a beautiful day, Deer Island was a thoroughly enjoyable golf experience well worth the money.

Full disclosure, I have a bias for Crooked Cat as it has long been one of my favorite layouts in the area. However, that bias is well deserved as OCN always maintains BOTH its courses in superb condition. This round was no exception. The greens were quick and firm which is as they should be for a true test of your iron play and short game. Fairways had a reasonable amount of grass and consistently provided good lies. The rough was certainly not unfair and, if anything, may have been a bit too easy. Anyway, I had an entirely enjoyable round as a single paired with two other great playing partners. If you come to Orlando, I heartily recommend Crooked Cat as a “must play” course!

I have played here many times over the last 6 years and I have never been disappointed by the conditions or the speed of the greens GIVEN THE TIME OF THE YEAR. The last emphasis is important because many tourists don’t understand the concept of overseeding right before the cooler months for the benefit of course health and playing conditions. Anyway, overseeding has gone well, the course is in great shape, and the greens are smooth albeit a bit slow. By now, they should be excellent! Great layout, great staff, and a real pleasure to play.

I was disappointed with Legends after reading the glowing reviews. Instead of the hidden gem I expected, I found it a mixed bag of good, bad, and ugly characteristics. First, the good. The cost was reasonable. The greens were smooth and quick but not unduly fast. The overall layout was fair, interesting, and topographically varied with hazards strategically placed. The tees and fairways, for the most part, were in good condition although the fairways were pretty sparse in several areas. The bunkers were uniform in consistency and depth of sand. Now, for the bad. The green collars and rough were practically weed farms making chipping and recovery shots unfairly punitive. The par 3 fourth hole has tall trees which make it practically impossible to hit the right 1/3 of the green from the blue tees and that is where the pin was on the day I played. As for the ugly, one issue is subjective and the other intolerable. Personally, I’m not a big fan of courses like Legends that wind through residential areas where houses are in danger of wild shots and cart paths going from greens to tees come within 15 feet of houses. Finally, there is absolutely NO excuse for a five hour round which, in my case, was caused by a foursome two groups ahead. All three of my playing partners had to leave by the 17th hole! Thus, there is a lot of potential to Legends but there are some fixable issues that need to be addressed.

Panther Lake is a terrific layout that gives no quarter. Although the greens had been lightly top dressed, they were quick and rolled smooth. Tees and fairways were in good shape and the rough was thick and sticky as it should be.The pace of play was just OK as I suspect there was a group playing a set of tees beyond their ability. Many tourists forget/don’t know that they lose distance at sea level so they play the tees with the yardage closest to their home course when they actually should move up one set of tees to factor in the loss of yardage at sea level. Overall, it was a great day of golf especially since I was fortunate enough to hook up with Bob, a Disney buddy I met last year. See you and Marie tomorrow, Bob!

Both of the CG courses are some of my favorite places to play. This time, National had some thin spots in the fairways and tees but, overall, was in pretty good shape. Apparently, they had experienced some significant rain because a couple of fairway bunkers were like quicksand and unplayable. One of the green side bunkers on #8 was like concrete and, again, really unplayable. On the positive side, the greens rolled true and were a decent speed. Staff was uniformly friendly and helpful. Practice facility was excellent but be aware the putting and chipping greens are closed due to required maintenance. Believe me, these minor inconveniences should not deter you from playing this track as it is both fun and challenging!

CG Intern’l is a superior links layout that will challenge every aspect of your game. Tees, fairways, and greens are in superb condition. Greens are not overly fast but roll extremely true. Only downer to the day was the slow play due to vacationers from a far away northern state who were oblivious, or just didn’t care, about the pace of play reminder on their GPS. Five hour rounds only happen here this time of year. Oh well, once the weather warms in the north, FL golfers will give a sigh of relief to be rid of insidious slow play!

Tees were immaculate. Fairways were immaculate. Greens were immaculate and a perfect speed. Enough said!