Hi Everyone, was hoping for recommendations for a golf weekend in early December from any Florida members out there. I am looking for a stay and play type place. Is Lauderdale/Miami my best bet that time of year weather-wise? If so, any recommendations on places to stay/play. Thanks for everyone's help!
Early December recommendations in Florida
- Admin
- #2
Most of the state is pretty solid. It will really depend on what you are looking for.
Naples has some great items.
Orlando has some incredible places.
West Palm has PGA National (THP Event there this weekend).
Tampa Bay Area has less, but has Innisbrook.
North FL has great areas and my favorite being Hammock Beach Resort.
- Admin
- #4
Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress for resort
Play at Grand Cypress
Many other options, but for Orlando, this to me is best resort/golf combo around.
Check out THP Event Love Is In The Air for resort pictures.
- Admin
- #6
There are so many. For me its the Grand Cypress New Course. But thats because its different than anything out there. Its Jack's take on St Andrews Old course.
of the courses i'm going to mention, the only one that i would say is a "must play" is orange county national, and of the two courses i prefer panther lake over crooked cat.
there's resort golf, and of the resort courses i think jb nailed it: grand cypress. it's almost always in really good shape, and it's a very fun layout. i think the 3 9-hole courses are ok if a goofy at times, but the new course is cool. in the kissimmee area is celebration (just ok imho) and falcon's fire (a little easy but that's a good thing for me!). just a bit farther down i-4 toward tampa is champions gate. i really like their courses. i've played most of the public courses near the resorts except the disney courses and the course at the waldorf-astoria.
then there's hilly golf on the outskirts of town. north and a little west, about an hour from downtown orlando are the courses in eustis and sorrento. black bear golf club used to host mini tour events. its quality has suffered recently, but it's a fun track at a great value. eagle dunes is near black bear and a little closer into town, and while a little more expensive, it is usually in better shape. both those tracks are challenging. a little closer into town in sorrento is red tail golf club, which is beautiful and also challenging. its quality has unfortunately suffered as well, but it offers great value and requires quite a bit of precision, especially off the tee. west of town, about 40 minutes is orange county national where they have two great 18 hole courses and used to host q school. always great quality, though it can be expensive for nonresidents. farther west in clermont is bella collina. they had high hopes for this neighborhood, and the golf course is beautiful and really challenging.
then there's the swampy, marshy golf. the two courses i think typify this category are eagle creek in orlando near the airport, and farther east harmony golf preserve in harmony, fl. if you can stomach the hour+ drive from downtown, harmony is a gem when it's in good shape.
a short list of courses to avoid:
- dubsdread
- winter park pines
- casselberry
- ventura
- mystic dunes
- timacuan
- alaqua country club
- stoneybrook east and west
- hunter's creek
- eastwood
- mayfair country club
- country club at deer run
- sweetwater country club
- wedgefield
Excellent info. Honestly this is probably going to be one of those "once in a decade" type trips so we're going to probably have to be tourists, along with driving up to Jupiter to see family. As it will be winter I will demand golf be played as my buddy we will visit doesn't get to play much since moving down. So this is all great info.
liquidcowboy
Member
Celebration and Shingle Creek are 2 of my favorite courses to play when I come home to visit. Disney Magnolia is also really nice.
I don't have a lot of Florida experience but it would be hard to pass up any of the locations that are more beachy/watery for Orlando.