Saw a blurb that Cabot Group bought World Woods and a couple other courses in FL. Pine Barrens to be renovated. Great news as Cabot really knows how to get it done.
World Woods being acquired by the Cabot Links Group
- Admin
- #2
In December, They purchased the same portfolio that Japan company did a while back.
World woods. Southern Woods and Sugarmill Woods Country
World woods. Southern Woods and Sugarmill Woods Country
I would love to go back once it is redone. Loved it when we were there many years ago
I saw this a couple of weeks back but never got around to posting it. Hopefully it means positive things for World Woods; it's a great facility but could definitely use a refresh.
I just hope they don't start charging what they do at Cabot.
I just hope they don't start charging what they do at Cabot.
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2016
- Messages
- 3,626
- Reaction score
- 2,202
- Location
- The Land of Steady Habits
- Handicap
- 13.4 GHIN
Very interesting. The courses at World Woods are among two of my very favorites. Hoping for great things in the future.
I imagine this was driven solely by my thread here and the responses, they had to finalize before interest grew and the price increased. I hope good things happen.
- Thread starter
- #8
I recall paying around $125 to play there 20 years ago. And 20 years ago not many charged that much. So.....
I chose it as our "partway" course probably 8 years ago while driving to Florida. The guys rode me like a mule because it was so far off the main road - once we played the course as was forgiven (almost). I can't remember exactly, but it wouldn't have been more than $75 otherwise they would have crucified me.
While I hope good things for the facilities, I don't think there's any way that they will be able to command Cabot prices, because World Woods doesn't have the same real estate value that a course built on a cliff does.
- Thread starter
- #10
Just around the corner from World Woods is Streamsong and they command Cabot prices. Right up the road from World Woods is also Black Diamond which does stay and plays at Cabot prices. My guess is once they get Pine Barrens in prime shape and they are redoing Rolling Oaks they will command Cabot prices. I've been to Cabot twice and it's no easy commute to get there. Golfers pay top $ for the high quality accessible places. World Woods Pine Barrens shall come back and be a Top 100 course. That's my guess. It's a better layout then any of the Streamsong courses.
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2016
- Messages
- 3,626
- Reaction score
- 2,202
- Location
- The Land of Steady Habits
- Handicap
- 13.4 GHIN
^^^ what GolfTravelDude said.
I didn’t know what to expect the first time I played at World Woods about 7-8 yrs ago but was blown away by the course layouts and conditions. Pine Barrens is among my Top 5
Hoping with the expected renovations, it doesn’t put the cost into the “only for special occasions“ sort of golf experience. My wife and I just bought a home, in that general area, and I am looking to play there more than once in a blue moon.
I didn’t know what to expect the first time I played at World Woods about 7-8 yrs ago but was blown away by the course layouts and conditions. Pine Barrens is among my Top 5
Hoping with the expected renovations, it doesn’t put the cost into the “only for special occasions“ sort of golf experience. My wife and I just bought a home, in that general area, and I am looking to play there more than once in a blue moon.
- Thread starter
- #12
The official notice of purchase will be released tomorrow. Right now it is anyones guess as to why Cabot bought the Sugarmill and Southern Woods courses but as all were owned by the Japanese Co it's a good bet it was all or nothing. The World Woods land is 2100 acres. Initial whispers are that the Rolling Oaks course will be revamped by a Canadian Co. As Mike Keiser aka Bandon Dunes is part of the ownership of Cabot. It would seem highly likely lodging will be built. I'd also bet they spin off Sugarmill and Southern. But more to come shortly.
- Moderator
- #13
They should sincerely sell off sugarmill woods. It was 27, they let 9 of it go and closed it. The remaining 18 could use a little love. If they sold it, you could now renovate PB and not really have the massive loss of income. A year shut down to fix? Uhh, worth every penny. If Streamsong could re-do their greens in a year, PB could do the same no problem.
589 will eventually be extended to Georgia, and the entrance to World Woods being a half mile from the exit will make it much more accessible.
- Moderator
- #15
That’s a hell of an extension based on it running out of 589’ness right into Brooksville.
Its being extended to 44 right now, and legislature approved extensions up through Jefferson County in 2019, but that's been fought to move the endpoint from Jefferson County, with no replacement named. Until the next phase, the end of 589 will be near Black Diamond Ranch.
- Thread starter
- #17
I recall when I first played WW and it was a bit of a pain to make way from Tampa Airport....Then they put the highway in which basically ended at WW and my thought was WW would explode. But the owners were always cheap. Never followed thru with the plan. So much land....Cabot realized the opportunity and they have a cult following. That area is gonna explode now.
- Admin
- #18
they should be able to return the course to something solid, but they don’t own enough around it to have the area explode.
- Admin
- #20
There is. That’s not enough to make Brooksville explode, when you consider what else is around. They can fix the course which is flat out average at best currently, but Brooksville isn’t on the cusp…
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2018
- Messages
- 1,652
- Reaction score
- 1,390
- Handicap
- 9
Good news , I enjoyed both courses but they were looking neglected in 2019. I preferred the layouts to Streamsong, especially Black. If they do go the hotel/resort route, they should retain better staff than Streamsong as the catchment area is wider. They should pull business away from Streamsong and Innisbrook, so there could be a big upside.
Just read that Innisbrook is closing their Osprey course and developing into housing. Wouldn’t shock me to see them with just Copperhead and the Islands long term.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
- Moderator
- #23
I mean.. There are worse courses to end up near. Such a pretty piece of property. The ranch course I’ve only drove by but it looked spectacular.
- Thread starter
- #24
Agreed. Have gone there a few times and yet have never played Osprey....
- Thread starter
- #25
One of my all time best How to play a golf course stories....So about 20 years ago I was really itching to play Black Diamond but just couldn't find a way. I'm on eBay and I see an electronic devise for sale. Ad says he'll program the devise for gps at a really nice course. This was before gps devises. I see the item is in Lecanto, FL. So I write to the seller. He writes back. He's a member at Black Diamond. We arrange for me and my son to visit. My son and I arrive at midnight to his house in Black Diamond and he meets us in driveway. We stay at his house for 3 nights and play our brains out at BD. 6 rounds and the little 4 hole practice course a few times too. The previous few years I had taken same son to World Woods. Stayed in Weeki Wachi. What I paid the guy to stay/play BD was less than what I was forking over for that...Ha