Arg's Travel Log

[hammergolf]

2 hours ago, Argonne69 said:

 

I'll be in Ocala for a week, so a little filler material is probably going to be needed. 

 

My dad lived in Ocala my last year of college. There was some pretty good public golf to be had there. Ocala National is a good one, Rees Jones redesign and Ocala Golf Club as well. They were both reasonably priced when we played a few years ago. I’m guessing they are in the $50 - $70 range but not sure. If Golden Ocala is still public, that’s the best one in the area. It’s really good but will be much higher price.. Has 9 tribute holes from famous courses. They played an LPGA event last year. 

[hammergolf]

2 hours ago, Argonne69 said:

 

I was told they would call me back today. Silence. Pretty much sums up the booking experience. 

 

Trust me, Black Diamond ain’t all that… A few good holes in an old limestone quarry. Not even in the same caliber as “Top 100 Courses” in my opinion. Save your money and see if you can get a time at Golden Ocala…. You got three good options in Ocala. Not much good public golf in Gainesville though unfortunately.

[jerebear21]

I wouldn’t pass on the UF golf course at all. It fulfills your requirement of a good walking course. Very good routing from tee to green. Good elevation. And as an alumni, very easy on the wallet. There is a walking rate. 
 

golden Ocala post renovation has gone completely private. Condition wise Ocala golf club is much better than Ocala National.  

[Argonne69]

A very enjoyable morning at Brooksville CC. They did manage to give me my own cart, but it just doesn't compare to walking. Lol. I was paired with another single, a young head pro from a country club in New England, and we had a great time out there. After playing through a group on the 4th hole we had a wide open course. 

 

Very nice layout. The three canyon holes on the back are indeed special, but I thought the rest of the course was fine. Could use a few more short 4s. The mature trees really helped frame the holes. Bunkering was decent, but by now you know that I'll always ask for more. Green complexes were very good. Moderate size with some good undulation. More than a few had me scratching my head. Par 3s were a little benign, other than the "canyon" 17th. The par 5 18th was a good finishing hole. 

 

Conditions were unfortunately not up to par. Tee to green was thin. Bunkers had heavy wet sand that looked more like dirt than sand. The greens were bumpy and slow. No more than 9 on the stimp. Many had dead spots. My poor playing partner played Black Diamond Ranch yesterday where the speed was close to 12, and I think he managed to get 3 putts to the hole today. 

 

Ugh. I was due for a blowup round, and this one detonated in spectacular fashion. I couldn't find a fairway, and the trees did me in. I stopped keeping score, but mid-80s would be generous. No birdies, numerous bogies, and a few others. Didn't dampen the fun, though. 

 

For $49 one can't get too worked up about the conditions tee to green, but the greens have to be reasonable. Again, Chi Chi Rodriguez GC had wonderful greens for $29. I'd give the course 5 cows, but I have to take away one for conditioning. 

 

[Argonne69]

Brooksville CC, Brooksville, FL 

 

 

 

 

Full photo set: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/bmgcnfk1mr15qof/AAAEYNQnZ2OfPJQXSbh9fMBPa?dl=0

 

[Argonne69]

A rather unpleasant morning. Let's start with the weather. Sunny and cold is one thing, but cloudy, breezy, and cold is another. After more than a month in Florida I'm obviously getting soft. Lol. A front blew through last night, and brought with it a little rain. The forecast called for rain late this morning, and a 50 percent chance mid morning, so I figured I'd get to the course early and beat the crowds. Apparently the locals don't play in this type of weather, because I didn't see another group until I was on the 15th hole, and they were on the 3rd. 

 

I'm having difficulty trying to understand why the answer to a simple question is so difficult in this state. I called 6 courses yesterday trying to find a course that would let me walk, and I stumbled upon Plantation on Crystal River GC. They said I could walk. I asked, "Are you sure I can walk?" They said "yes" a 2nd time. OK, great. I arrive at the course today and they tell me that I can't walk. Doesn't matter that I'll be the first one out as a single, and can play in 2:30. Nope. They have no idea why the person I spoke with yesterday would tell me I could walk, as it's reserved for members only. Grrrr. 

 

The only upside to riding was that I was able to get off this goat track in under 2 hours. Froze to death riding, but it was a quick death. 

 

The course was about as mundane as they come. Flat as a pancake. Few elevated greens. Little undulation on the putting surface. Few fairway bunkers. Not much water in play. The only positive was that there were enough trees to be forced to work a handful of shots. Par 3s were boring. 5s were a little better. For $60 it was basically a rip off. I'd play Brooksville CC 10 out of 10 times, even with the poor conditions. 

 

Conditions here were poor as well. Tee to green was thin and muddy. Bunkers were hardpan with a light dusting of sand. The only thing good was that the greens were halfway decent looking, but only rolling 9. 

 

Driver was much better behaved today. One birdie and five bogies. Highlight of the day was driving away from the course, and avoiding the coming rain. 

 

I'll give this one two cows. You couldn't pay me to play it again. I'll take off one for the fact that their staff doesn't know the walking policy. 

 

Edited January 22, 2022 by Argonne69

[Argonne69]

Plantation on Crystal River GC, Crystal River, FL 

 

 

 

 

Full photo set: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/226ccjnzmttd6os/AACope9Tj3_E55W5_8aj-eiYa?dl=0

 

[Bonneville85308]

I haven't played much golf in Florida since the 2000s, but I do remember the strong anti-walking sentiment that every course I visited seemed to have, even if they were flat as a pancake with all the greens/tees close to each other. I recall at a course near Ft. Lauderdale (that has since been plowed over for a housing development), I pulled my bag off the cart on the third hole and started walking/carrying while the other guy drove the cart. Two holes later, the ranger spotted me, told me no walking is allowed, put my bag back on the cart or leave.

 

I never experienced that level of walker discrimination in any other state I've visited, it's almost like it's a law in Florida or something. 

Edited January 23, 2022 by Bonneville85308

[Argonne69]

Looks like I'll have a slight shift in plans this week. I'll be heading to Ocala tomorrow for a week. Tuesday's forecast looks extremely wet, so I'll stop at Juliette Falls tomorrow rather than tee it up on Tuesday. I called JF, and of course there's no walking allowed until after 2 pm. If I want my own cart it's a measly $25. Oy. Hopefully I arrive to find an open slot, or join a twosome to avoid the fee. The early morning temps are going to be in the low 30s, but should be in the low 40s when I arrive. That should thin things out I would guess.

 

 

[Argonne69]

On 1/20/2022 at 10:49 PM, jerebear21 said:

I wouldn’t pass on the UF golf course at all. It fulfills your requirement of a good walking course. Very good routing from tee to green. Good elevation. And as an alumni, very easy on the wallet. There is a walking rate. 
 

golden Ocala post renovation has gone completely private. Condition wise Ocala golf club is much better than Ocala National.  

 

Does the UF course go by another name? 

 

I booked Ocala National on Wednesday, and Ocala GC on Thursday. Reasonable rates, and no issues with walking. 'Nice.

 

Edited January 23, 2022 by Argonne69

[stevopagolf]

59 minutes ago, Argonne69 said:

 

Does the UF course go by another name? 

 

I booked Ocala National on Wednesday, and Ocala GC on Thursday. Reasonable rates, and no issues with walking. 'Nice.

 

Mark Bostic Golf Course is the U of F golf course

 

https://markbostickgolfcourse.com

[jerebear21]

Yep that’s it.  It’s the only golf course worth playing in Gainesville.  Tell them you’re an alum and visiting some friends for the weekend and want to play a quick round.  When they ask for your gator1 card, tell them you don’t carry it around but you’re also a gator booster.   Walking is the preference there.  

[jerebear21]

They honestly don’t check and if they do; just pm me and I’ll send you a copy of my gator booster email for 2022.  

[golfortennis]

Hey Arg,  not sure how easy this would be, and I will admit to laziness in not going back through 19 pages, but have you compiled a list of those course that allow walking?  If I'm somewhat nearby, I would personally go to those courses and indicate they are getting my business for that very reason.

[rooski]

An enjoyable thread to visit as always.

 

Just went through the last month or so of updates and the one thing I can say is that I'm never moving to Florida 😆

 

I legitimately cannot tell the difference between any of the courses you posted. They also all look like they smell like sulfur

[mci711]

19 minutes ago, rooski said:

An enjoyable thread to visit as always.

 

Just went through the last month or so of updates and the one thing I can say is that I'm never moving to Florida 😆

 

I legitimately cannot tell the difference between any of the courses you posted. They also all look like they smell like sulfur

 

Not everyone is lucky enough to live in Oregon! 😂 Couldn't imagine going to FL from OR. 

Edited January 24, 2022 by mci711

[Argonne69]

7 hours ago, golfortennis said:

Hey Arg,  not sure how easy this would be, and I will admit to laziness in not going back through 19 pages, but have you compiled a list of those course that allow walking?  If I'm somewhat nearby, I would personally go to those courses and indicate they are getting my business for that very reason.

 

I'll post the list later this afternoon. 

 

Edited January 24, 2022 by Argonne69

[Argonne69]

A very enjoyable morning at Julliette Falls GC. Early morning temps were near freezing, but by the time I packed up Bessie and drove to the course it had warmed considerably. With light winds and plenty of sunshine it felt 10 degrees warmer. I was paired with a senior from South Carolina that had a solid game. He starts training this week as a caddie at Augusta National. One of 10 new hires this year. Wow. Plenty of good stories to swap. 

 

The course was excellent. Pity I wasn't allowed to walk, as it would have been a nice stroll. The course sits in the rolling hills of horse country just southwest of Ocala. Plenty of trees to give it a parkland feel. Like World Woods, it felt more like a Carolina course than a Florida course. Very nice elevation changes. Bunkering was excellent. Green complexes were challenging without being punishing. A few pins were in tricky spots, and combined with firm greens, required precise approaches. 

 

Very good mix of holes. Par 3s played long, but the 5s were gettable Very little water on the course, but there were a few holes where an errant shot could get wet. 

 

Conditions were excellent. Fairways had a few spotty areas, but were generally good. Bunkers had plenty of sand, but needed grooming. We actually passed the bunker gang on the 2nd hole. Greens looked great, and were rolling 10 or so. 

 

A few errant shots spoiled an otherwise solid day. Four bogies and two doubles. A few nice up and downs couldn't save me. 

 

I'll give this one six cows. I'd say it's a borderline destination course. Definitely worth a play if you're in the area. 

 

[Argonne69]

Juliette Falls GC, Dunnellon, FL 

 

 

 

 

Full photo set: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/zrou35kmfdpzmhy/AABj14ZO6_HTA0p1_IvAPwiLa?dl=0

 

[Argonne69]

Amazing how quickly a nice day can turn. I stopped for gas on the way to Ocala, and on the way out of the gas station there was a big dip near the curb. Bessie's rear scraped the ground, or so I thought. Got to the RV park and found that the electrical connector for the Honda that is mounted just under the bumper had hit the ground and bent. I couldn't disconnect the umbilical. I spent an hour on my back in the dirt disconnecting the plastic housing so that I could get a crow bar on it and bend it somewhat back into place. Oy. 

 

Now I'm sitting under one of the few sites that has a large tree overhead. Looks like another week without satellite or the DVR. Grrrr. I called the office to see if there's a different site available, but I'm not holding my breath. Dish is absolutely awful. The inability to access recordings on the DVR when there is no satellite is the worst design in the world. 

 

Edited January 24, 2022 by Argonne69

[hammergolf]

55 minutes ago, Argonne69 said:

Amazing how quickly a nice day can turn. I stopped for gas on the way to Ocala, and on the way out of the gas station there was a big dip near the curb. Bessie's rear scraped the ground, or so I thought. Got to the RV park and found that the electrical connector for the Honda that is mounted just under the bumper had hit the ground and bent. I couldn't disconnect the umbilical. I spent an hour on my back in the dirt disconnecting the plastic housing so that I could get a crow bar on it and bend it somewhat back into place. Oy. 

 

Now I'm sitting under one of the few sites that has a large tree overhead. Looks like another week without satellite or the DVR. Grrrr. I called the office to see if there's a different site available, but I'm not holding my breath. Dish is absolutely awful. The inability to access recordings on the DVR when there is no satellite is the worst design in the world. 

 

Dish is AWFUL! I finally kicked them to the curb and went with roku. Best $30 I ever spent. If your campsites have Wi-Fi or you have a hot spot that’s all you need. 

[Argonne69]

11 minutes ago, hammergolf said:

Dish is AWFUL! I finally kicked them to the curb and went with roku. Best $30 I ever spent. If your campsites have Wi-Fi or you have a hot spot that’s all you need. 

 

I have a Roku in addition to Dish. I've found that the RV Parks' wi-fi is just as bad as hotel wi-fi. OK for browsing, but almost unusable for streaming. I have a Verizon wireless gateway in my RV. I've been paying $60 a month for 100 Gb of high speed data. With 10 days to go in the billing cycle I've used 85 Gb. I just upgraded the plan to 150 Gb for $80 a month. Ugh.

 

[Argonne69]

Here's the list of courses that I've walked on this trip. Of the 57 rounds, I've walked 50.

 

Eagles GC Lakes, Dunedin GC, Chi Chi Rodriguez GC, Disney Lake Buena Vista, Highlands Reserve GC, ChampionsGate GC International, Waldorf Astoria GC, ChampionsGate GC National, Legacy GC at Lakewood Ranch, Manatee GC, IMG Academy GC, The Preserve GC, River Run GL, Streamsong Black, The Dunes Golf and Tennis Club, Sanibel Island GC, Fort Myers CC, Hammock Creek GC, PGA Golf Club Wanamaker, PGA Golf Club Ryder, PGA Golf Club Dye, Indian River Preserve, World Golf Village Slammer and Squire, World Golf Village King and Bear, Sea Island Seaside, Sea Island Plantation, Palmetto Dunes AH, Atlantic Dunes, Hilton Head National, Kiawah Island Ocean, The Links at Stono Ferry, Myrtle Beach National Kings North, TPC Myrtle Beach, Barefoot Resort Dye, True Blue GC, Mid South, Tobacco Road, Mid Pines GC, Pine Needles GC, UNC Finley, Duke University GC, The Grove Park Inn, Sweetens Cove GC, The Course at Sewanee, Hermitage GC Generals Retreat, Eagle Creek CC, Lassing Pointe, Hickory Stick, Bent Oak GC, The Ridges at Village Creek NW
 

Edited January 24, 2022 by Argonne69

[hammergolf]

1 hour ago, Argonne69 said:

 

I have a Roku in addition to Dish. I've found that the RV Parks' wi-fi is just as bad as hotel wi-fi. OK for browsing, but almost unusable for streaming. I have a Verizon wireless gateway in my RV. I've been paying $60 a month for 100 Gb of high speed data. With 10 days to go in the billing cycle I've used 85 Gb. I just upgraded the plan to 150 Gb for $80 a month. Ugh.

 

Well you can drop Dish to make up for the additional $20 per month. My buddy has an unlimited hotspot service for his rv that I think he pays around $100 a month for but I’m not sure who it’s with. He had satellite before and said it was useless most of the time. I was with him at his camp over New Years and we watched all the ball games with no issues.

Edited January 25, 2022 by hammergolf

[Argonne69]

47 minutes ago, hammergolf said:

Well you can drop Dish to make up for the additional $20 per month. My buddy has an unlimited hotspot service for his rv that I think he pays around $100 a month for but I’m not sure who it’s with. He had satellite before and said it was useless most of the time. I was with him at his camp over New Years and we watched all the ball games with no issues.

 

Golf is probably the biggest reason I pay for Dish. I watch the LPGA broadcasts on The Golf Channel, and they're generally not available on Peacock. 

 

[hammergolf]

1 hour ago, Argonne69 said:

 

Golf is probably the biggest reason I pay for Dish. I watch the LPGA broadcasts on The Golf Channel, and they're generally not available on Peacock. 

 

I have YouTube tv and it has the golf channel. It’s $60 a month which is a $100 less than I was paying for dish.

Edited January 25, 2022 by hammergolf

[sabram]

4 hours ago, hammergolf said:

went with roku. Best $30 I ever spent.

+1 for Roku

[Argonne69]

9 hours ago, hammergolf said:

I have YouTube tv and it has the golf channel. It’s $60 a month which is a $100 less than I was paying for dish.

 

The bigger problem is the data caps on the 4G hotspot plans. The largest Verizon plan is the 'Pro' plan with 150 Gb of high speed data. After that they throttle the speed. I generally watch 3 hours of TV a night, with 1 hour of that on the Roku. With golf season underway that's going to be another 3 to 5 hours a day on tournament days. Twenty days into my currently billing cycle I've already used over 80 Gb. If I went 100% streaming I'd probably need 500 Gb a month, so after a few days the speed would drop to unwatchable levels.

 

[stevopagolf]

Arg can you give us the top 5 you have played on this great adventure?

 

[Argonne69]

5 minutes ago, stevopagolf said:

Arg can you give us the top 5 you have played on this great adventure?

 

 

Kiawah Ocean, Tobacco Road, Streamsong Black, Mid Pines, and Sea Island Seaside.