Golf in Orlando

[Jungleland]

Good news is we are on the threshold of the rainy season so their fortunes should change soon.

[jerebear21]

first time back to shingle since the reno. absolutely adore it. a new set of greens that imho makes the course that much better. centrally located and tons of convenience, this one would be my prefer course for any visitors.

[RichieHunt]

My dad and I played Eaglebrooke yesterday. The course was in decent shape. I've seen the greens in much better shape, but they were having some issues with the greens prior to COVID-19. And they are not so bad as they are slow. They provided separate carts for everybody. They have a little plastic cylinder at the bottom of the cup, but I don't see how it works.

 

The restaurant was open as well.

 

 

 

 

RH

[Lefty_13]

Making a trip next week with some buddies. Our round at Bay Hill was scrubbed due to them punching the greens. We have OCN lined up for Thursday and making the trip out to Streamsong Black on Saturday. Looking at Waldorf / Ritz / Championsgate for the Friday round. Any stand out or are we just splitting hairs at this point?

[Jungleland]

Played the Ritz 2 weeks ago and the condition was pristine - best greens I’ve played on in a long time.

[bobbo621]

Just bumping an old thread here-  

We're heading back down for another golf trip in late January.  This will be our 3rd consecutive year going back. 

Between dirt cheap airBnBs's,  dirt-cheap flights, and great golf,  going back to Orlando is a no-brainer. 

We're in the process of trying to get a connection to play Bay Hill on the day we arrive.  Otherwise we'll be playing Championsgate CC for the first time.    

Also this year we'll be doing back to back days of 36holes at OCN.    Our 4some love both courses.  Very fun, great for our wolf game. And the house we rent is only 10min from there.  

 

Yet to be played on our Orlando list is Ritz, Southern Dunes, Reunion, Tranquilo, and Bay Hill.   

 

Can't wait to get back down there!

[sabram]

On 12/2/2020 at 12:38 PM, bobbo621 said:

Yet to be played on our Orlando list is Ritz, Southern Dunes, Reunion, Tranquilo, and Bay Hill.   

 That list would make a nice trip of seven rounds. Make sure you play Southern Dunes. Here are photo tours of those courses:

 

Southern Dunes Pix

Bay Hill Pix

Rittz Carlton Pix

Reunion Palmer Pix

Reunion Nicklaus Pix

Reunion Watson Pix

 

Southern Dunes

 

Bay Hill

 

Ritz Carlton

 

Reunion Palmer

 

Reunion Watson

 

Reunion Nicklaus

 

Tranquillo

[cma8516]

Looking to move to the Winter Garden/Windermere area around Orlando -- curious if anyone knows of any clubs that have younger memberships (under 40) that are reasonable or would i be better off just playing public courses around the area regularly.

 

My father in law is a member at a private course so ill play that fairly regularly but too expensive for me to hop on and join there lol.

Edited February 2, 2021 by cma8516

[jerebear21]

with so many great public golf courses in the area, unless you plan to do business, just stick with the public golf scene.  Just have to hound the tee sheets weeks in advance.  Orlando is growing. Probably the fastest growing city in america right now.  

[RichieHunt]

On 2/2/2021 at 8:12 AM, cma8516 said:

Looking to move to the Winter Garden/Windermere area around Orlando -- curious if anyone knows of any clubs that have younger memberships (under 40) that are reasonable or would i be better off just playing public courses around the area regularly.

 

My father in law is a member at a private course so ill play that fairly regularly but too expensive for me to hop on and join there lol.

 

Your best bets for private membership are at West Orange CC, Golden Bear Club or Orange Tree.  

There's initiation fees for all of them.  Golden Bear Club is the most expensive.  Orange Tree (where I'm a member) is a pure golf club with a great membership and money games available to everybody 3 days a week.  Lots of LPGA players there and mini-tour players as well and some Champions Tour players. 

 

Not sure what your budget is like, but you may end up just playing the public courses as there's a ton of them at usually affordable prices.  Problem is that come January they get far more expensive and the pace of play is horrendous.

 

 

 

 

 

RH

[cma8516]

On 2/3/2021 at 9:34 PM, RichieHunt said:

 

Your best bets for private membership are at West Orange CC, Golden Bear Club or Orange Tree.  

There's initiation fees for all of them.  Golden Bear Club is the most expensive.  Orange Tree (where I'm a member) is a pure golf club with a great membership and money games available to everybody 3 days a week.  Lots of LPGA players there and mini-tour players as well and some Champions Tour players. 

 

Not sure what your budget is like, but you may end up just playing the public courses as there's a ton of them at usually affordable prices.  Problem is that come January they get far more expensive and the pace of play is horrendous.

 

 

 

 

 

RH

Thanks for the insight! My in laws have a place basically right across the street from Orange Tree and we never even knew it was there over the last like 9 years lol. For my age the dues are pretty much in line with what i was paying up here but no initiation. Might be a good one for down the line after we've fully settled into the area.

[cma8516]

On 2/3/2021 at 9:34 PM, RichieHunt said:

 

Your best bets for private membership are at West Orange CC, Golden Bear Club or Orange Tree.  

There's initiation fees for all of them.  Golden Bear Club is the most expensive.  Orange Tree (where I'm a member) is a pure golf club with a great membership and money games available to everybody 3 days a week.  Lots of LPGA players there and mini-tour players as well and some Champions Tour players. 

 

Not sure what your budget is like, but you may end up just playing the public courses as there's a ton of them at usually affordable prices.  Problem is that come January they get far more expensive and the pace of play is horrendous.

 

 

 

 

 

RH

 

Any thoughts on West Orange? That and Golden Bear would be the closest to me but initiation at Golden Bear is up there right now after all the move expenses. Tried to reach out to WO to see if i could play the course, waiting to hear back, only initial concern is that it will end up being a bit short for me.

[RichieHunt]

I've never played West Orange.  I've only been there once and it looked like an okay place.  I'd give Orange Tree a look-see.

 

 

 

RH

[third-times-a-charm]

On 2/3/2021 at 9:34 PM, RichieHunt said:

 

Your best bets for private membership are at West Orange CC, Golden Bear Club or Orange Tree.  

There's initiation fees for all of them.  Golden Bear Club is the most expensive.  Orange Tree (where I'm a member) is a pure golf club with a great membership and money games available to everybody 3 days a week.  Lots of LPGA players there and mini-tour players as well and some Champions Tour players. 

 

Not sure what your budget is like, but you may end up just playing the public courses as there's a ton of them at usually affordable prices.  Problem is that come January they get far more expensive and the pace of play is horrendous.

 

 

 

 

 

RH

 

I would have said Bay Hill, too, but - membership is closed now.

[markheardjr]

Played Celebration and Eagle Creek on 4/17/21.

 

Celebration is a wreck right now. Literal dirt tee boxes. Weed grass sprits all over greens that knocked your putts significantly offline. Do not go there for MONTHs from now.

 

Eagle Creek was in immaculate shape, albeit very slow greens. The green speed sign said 9.003 on stimp, but they were more like an 8. Balls rolled true, but came to a sudden abrupt stop.  Tee boxes were good, maybe dry in spots. Fairways were perfect, uniform height and green.  I'd play there again. Possibly better in later summer when greens speed up.

[sabram]

On 4/20/2021 at 1:15 PM, markheardjr said:

Played Celebration and Eagle Creek on 4/17/21.

 

Celebration is a wreck right now. Literal dirt tee boxes. Weed grass sprits all over greens that knocked your putts significantly offline. 

I'm shocked to hear this. I played Celebration in Mid- March. It was in pristine condition. Greens were fantastic and there was nary a blade of grass out of place. Hard to fathom how it could deteriorate that much in less than five weeks. Here's a link to a photo tour that includes photos of each hole from last month.

 

 

 

[markheardjr]

On 4/22/2021 at 11:07 AM, sabram said:

I'm shocked to hear this. I played Celebration in Mid- March. It was in pristine condition. Greens were fantastic and there was nary a blade of grass out of place. Hard to fathom how it could deteriorate that much in less than five weeks. Here's a link to a photo tour that includes photos of each hole from last month.

 

 

 

I usually don't drag places down and give people the benefit of the doubt, but that course should be ashamed at the state of the tee boxes and greens.  Also they have some unnatural obsession with making 20 hole locations for each of the 6 spots on the greens they identify on the pin sheet. No matter what angle you were putting from you had to go through no less than 2 old cups. Maybe they were overly aggressive in cutting out those weed spots? But there was too many weed spots to count and the holes would also knock putts significantly offline.  (it may not be weeds, its a bright green grass that grows much faster than the dormant bermuda, perhaps bahia or zoisa?)

 

The putting green was bad. they had just verti-cut it so I asked the starter if the course was the same. He admitted they were struggling with a few spots on some greens. he said the tee boxes were in transition from overseeding before the bermuda took back over, but here was literally dirt on 90% of the 1st tee box. Not grass, not divots, just dirt. of like a cocoa power consistency and color. The 3rd tee box was dirt where the markers were in the far right corner, while the rest of the tee box was perfect and green. The 5th hole (par 3) was direct again. We teed off in the rough next to the tee box just to get on grass.

 

I paid $69.99 for FL resident with free $10 lunch credit. I played with a guy from Kansas City that was a member at a nice private club who paid $100. He was disappointed with the condition but enjoyed the camaraderie.

[hobbstc]

Anybody live at Eagle Creek?  Wife and I are moving down for work and was thinking about moving there. The in-laws are just south of the airport on Boggy Creek and we like the area. 

[RichieHunt]

Eagle Creek is a good area.  The traffic really isn't bad there and you're not too far from the Lake Nona area.  Short trip to the airport and to get to I-Drive or downtown will take about 20-25 minutes.   Good schools, safe, not too pricey, etc.

 

 

 

 

RH

[markheardjr]

49 minutes ago, RichieHunt said:

Eagle Creek is a good area.  The traffic really isn't bad there and you're not too far from the Lake Nona area.  Short trip to the airport and to get to I-Drive or downtown will take about 20-25 minutes.   Good schools, safe, not too pricey, etc.

RH

I would say that Narcoossee is a freaking nightmare of a road throughout the day. That area is exploding and they have 1 artery. Lots of great new food options, active community. There's a new mexican spot just outside Eagle Creek, Don Julios, it was PACKED a month ago when we wanted to try it. Like 200+ people outside. I think the entire community just walks there for afternoon drinks and stumbles home.

[sabram]

On 4/23/2021 at 3:48 PM, markheardjr said:

I usually don't drag places down and give people the benefit of the doubt, but that course should be ashamed at the state of the tee boxes and greens.  Also they have some unnatural obsession with making 20 hole locations for each of the 6 spots on the greens they identify on the pin sheet. No matter what angle you were putting from you had to go through no less than 2 old cups. Maybe they were overly aggressive in cutting out those weed spots? But there was too many weed spots to count and the holes would also knock putts significantly offline.  (it may not be weeds, its a bright green grass that grows much faster than the dormant bermuda, perhaps bahia or zoisa?)

 

The putting green was bad. they had just verti-cut it so I asked the starter if the course was the same. He admitted they were struggling with a few spots on some greens. he said the tee boxes were in transition from overseeding before the bermuda took back over, but here was literally dirt on 90% of the 1st tee box. Not grass, not divots, just dirt. of like a cocoa power consistency and color. The 3rd tee box was dirt where the markers were in the far right corner, while the rest of the tee box was perfect and green. The 5th hole (par 3) was direct again. We teed off in the rough next to the tee box just to get on grass.

 

I paid $69.99 for FL resident with free $10 lunch credit. I played with a guy from Kansas City that was a member at a nice private club who paid $100. He was disappointed with the condition but enjoyed the camaraderie.

Just to provide a more recent report on Celebration ... I played Celebration yesterday. The fairways and greens were in good condition. A few of the forward tee boxes were not in great condition, but that wouldn't matter to me as I use a tee. I played form the Silver tees which were fine. The greens were medium speed and very true. I had eight  1-putts and ten two putts. It was actually the fewest putts I've ever had in a round and three of them were bombs of 30 feet or more. There has been a lot of rain the past few days in Orlando area and the course was very soft, with Cart path only on holes 12-17. I would not hesitate to play here again.  

[ilikegolf26]

Coming up to the Kissimmee area in August from Sarasota for a few days at Disney and one day of golf. Can I get on Reunion without staying at the resort? Where would you recommend playing if you had just had one round to play around the Orlando area?

Edited July 12, 2021 by ilikegolf26

[sabram]

8 hours ago, ilikegolf26 said:

Coming up to the Kissimmee area in August from Sarasota for a few days at Disney and one day of golf. Can I get on Reunion without staying at the resort? Where would you recommend playing if you had just had one round to play around the Orlando area?

Depends on where you are staying and how far you are willing to drive. Look at Google maps to see distances from where you are staying

 

These are some of my favorites within 25 miles of Kissimmee:

Southern Dunes (always my first choice)

Orange County National (two courses)

Championsgate (Country Club or International)

Grand Cypress- New Course

Celebration

 

If you stay at Disney, or want to play while family is at WDW, the three Disney courses are good and not expensive in August

 

Click on a photo below to see a full photo album of the course

 

Southern Dunes

 

 

Orange County National - Panther Lake

 

Orange County National - Crooked Cat

 

Championsgate Country Club

 

Championsgate  - International

 

Grand Cypress - New Course

 

 

Celebration

 

[ilikegolf26]

5 minutes ago, sabram said:

Depends on where you are staying and how far you are willing to drive. Look at Google maps to see distances from where you are staying

 

These are some of my favorites within 25 miles of Kissimmee:

Southern Dunes (always my first choice)

Orange County National (two courses)

Championsgate (Country Club or International)

Grand Cypress- New Course

Celebration

 

If you stay at Disney, or want to play while family is at WDW, the three Disney courses are good and not expensive in August

 

Click on a photo below to see a full photo album of the course

 

Southern Dunes

 

 

Orange County National - Panther Lake

 

Orange County National - Crooked Cat

 

Championsgate Country Club

 

Championsgate  - International

 

Grand Cypress - New Course

 

 

Celebration

 

Any thoughts on Shingle Creek? Distance from WDW isn’t really an issue for me. 

[sabram]

2 hours ago, ilikegolf26 said:

Any thoughts on Shingle Creek? Distance from WDW isn’t really an issue for me. 

If I was going to go beyond five choices and the Disney courses, it would probably be my next choice in that vicinity

[markheardjr]

On 7/12/2021 at 8:55 PM, sabram said:

If I was going to go beyond five choices and the Disney courses, it would probably be my next choice in that vicinity

 

On 7/12/2021 at 8:55 PM, sabram said:

If I was going to go beyond five choices and the Disney courses, it would probably be my next choice in that vicinity

I would argue Waldorf Astoria for the vicinity to Disney and the conditions. Price may be slightly more than Shingle Creek but I think the course is better. And also more difficult challenge.

 

Hawk's Landing is across the freeway from Disney Springs. It is crammed into a small plot of land but was recently redesigned. Its probably worth playing, and more convenient than Shingle Creek for location.  Falcon's Fire & Celebration are close to Animal Kingdom & Hollywood Studios, south of disney complex. Each are ok but get a lot more play than Waldord or Hawk's Landing and you'll get long rounds there. Also the extra foot traffic can tear the conditions up a bit. Falcon's Fire is fairly generous design for visitors save a hole or two on back. Celebration gets narrow in spots on the back also and requires a bit more local knowledge on riskier lines IMO.

[sabram]

6 hours ago, markheardjr said:

 

I would argue Waldorf Astoria for the vicinity to Disney and the conditions. Price may be slightly more than Shingle Creek but I think the course is better. And also more difficult challenge.

 

Hawk's Landing ...  is crammed into a small plot of land...

Waldorf is definitely more difficult than the courses I listed, so is Hawk's Landing. I play Hawk's Landing fairly often because a group I belong to plays there. It is not one of my favorites. The fairways are very tight with water in play on almost every hole (in play twice on several holes). Hawk's Landing, and to a lesser extent Waldorf, are courses where players leave a lot of balls in the water especially players with double digit handicaps. Neither of those courses would be near the top of my list.

[ilikegolf26]

Thanks for all the input. I think I’m going to go with the Nicklaus course at Reunion. 

[RichieHunt]

I think the Watson course at Reunion is the best of the Reunion courses.  

 

Shingle Creek is kind of a disappointment if you have lived in the area for a while.  Shingle Creek used to be one of the very best courses in the area and the state.  Then they did a re-design that was inferior to the old design.  In fact, a couple of years ago my club had aerified the greens and we were looking for places to play our weekly scratch game and they settled on Shingle Creek and it basically got laughed at in our e-mail correspondence.  

 

But for those that never played the old design, Shingle Creek is a quality course.  Personally, it was a bit too expensive with the old design and now with the new design the pricing is an insult.

 

 

 

 

 

 

RH

[Golferpaul]

How would you rank the three Reunion courses?