Orlando buddies trip in late April

[Marrrk]

is World Woods worth the drive?

Staying at Grand Cypress for 4 days so playing all those, as well as both OCN Panther & Cat. We have one day that's wide open and we're looking for two more courses. Trying to keep the driving to a minimum, unless there are courses outside the city that are DEFINITELY worth the drive.

Is World Woods worth the trip? My hesitation is that I keep reading many dubious things about the conditioning and maintenance. So, conditions, the drive, and the fact that they require full, non-refundable pre-payment for bookings more than 30 days out have given me pause. Thoughts?

Otherwise, need 2 more courses (excluding Bay Hill, Championsgate, Falcon's Fire, or the Disney courses) that we could package together for a convenient 36. Southern Dunes seems to be a good pick for one of them. What do you guys think?


Thanks in advance.

[jnier75]

Hey Marrrk,

In my opinion, World Woods is worth the drive. My thoughts are that it is similar to OCN in that all it is is golf. The amenities are nicer at OCN but the courses at World Woods blew away OCN's. I believe most of the reviews you read were around last winter when Florida had a very rough winter and as a result most courses were in rough shape. I have been to Woods as recently as last September after an overseeding. Even with the greens a little sandy Pine Barrens was amazing. Truly picturesque and difficult, it is a great track. That being said, this is Florida and I would never pre-pay for a course outside of a few days. We get storms at the drop of a hat between April and November. My suggestion is to wait it out and book when you get down here. It's not a terribly busy place due to it's remoteness.

As for your alternatives, Southern Dunes is great and they play a few qualifiers for state tourneys there. If you go that route I'd pair it with Diamondback(right down the road), Orange Lake Legends or a Reunion Course.

[Marrrk]

[quote name='jnier75' timestamp='1330006971' post='4357639']
Hey Marrrk,

In my opinion, World Woods is worth the drive. My thoughts are that it is similar to OCN in that all it is is golf. The amenities are nicer at OCN but the courses at World Woods blew away OCN's. I believe most of the reviews you read were around last winter when Florida had a very rough winter and as a result most courses were in rough shape. I have been to Woods as recently as last September after an overseeding. Even with the greens a little sandy Pine Barrens was amazing. Truly picturesque and difficult, it is a great track. That being said, this is Florida and I would never pre-pay for a course outside of a few days. We get storms at the drop of a hat between April and November. My suggestion is to wait it out and book when you get down here. It's not a terribly busy place due to it's remoteness.

As for your alternatives, Southern Dunes is great and they play a few qualifiers for state tourneys there. If you go that route I'd pair it with Diamondback(right down the road), Orange Lake Legends or a Reunion Course.
[/quote]

thank you very much for the info. i can book normally within 30 days with a 48 hour cancel policy so i'll probably wait for that. just want to make sure we get ideal times for 36 considering the drive.

any advice for the best/quickest driving route out there from Grand Cypress?

[jnier75]

Really only two options, turnpike which costs tolls and takes you out of the way but is high speed or a more direct route on state road 50 which is about 50 mph speed limit. Google maps says they'll get you there in the exact same time, roughly 2 hours. Turnpike will probably get you there a little quicker depending how you drive. Sorry I can't help more, I've been coming from St. Pete when I've gone.

[mckennwa]

I was just there a few weeks ago and MetroWest was in fantastic shape and is a fun course to play. It's open and challenging without being too much of a "resort style" course. A lot of folks on here say Shingle Creek is a must play. We played it and it was a nice course, but with 20+ sustained winds we didn't get to truly enjoy it. Both are fairly close to Grand Cypress too and could accommodate a 36 hole day.

[Marrrk]

well, looks like the World Woods day may not be happening after all. so we've got all the courses at Grand Cypress, both at Orange County National, and need two more. Southern Dunes will most likely be one of them. The other doesn't have to be near Southern Dunes or anything, it will be on a different day.

Would love to do Reunion Independence. What's the best way to get a time without being a guest?

Are any of the courses to the North worth the drive? Victoria Hills? Sugarloaf Mountain? Mission Inn?

How does one choose between the rest, like Mystic Dunes, Celebration, Shingle Creek, Harmony Preserve, etc?

[jnier75]

Just call up Reunion, the Orlando market is so saturated that they will allow non-guest play.
Victoria Hills is a good, challenging, different layout but not in tip top condition, have not played the others but only hear good things about them. As far as the rest of the courses in the area, read up on some, and go with a course designer you have enjoyed. Most attractions area courses will have the same conditions, it will just be about what track sounds best to you. A ton of people on here and other sites like Shingle Creek, I thought it wasn't special and doubt I'll be back to play. Harmony is really far away and when I went in the summer, poorly conditioned. I would opt for Eagle Creek as the best "new subdivision" course category, which would include Harmony and Providence.

If you got some more money in your pocket, Ritz and Waldorf Astoria have outstanding tracks. They are also on golfnow and ezlinks which can provide a great discount to rack rates.

[cbehan]

Reunion Watson and Palmer are both great courses....Watson being the better of the two.

Didn't get to play Nicklaus, but someone I was paired with on Palmer said it's every bit as good as Palmer.

[moose557]

If your playing Southern Dunes I would look at Celebration. Its right off I4 between Southern Dunes and Grand Cypress. Really like the course. Played it about a month ago and it was in fantastic shape. All brand new greens too Mystic Dunes is right in that area, but I enjoy Celebration a lot more. Other then that Shingle Creek and Hawks Landing are both great courses and their real close to eachother. Both would work too as the second round after Southern Dunes.

[NewbieGolfer77]

Champions Gate is crap IMO.

Falcon Fire is a nice course.

Hawks Landing is one of my favorite.

Disney courses are overated.

Shingle Creek I heard great things about.

And playing Mystic Dunes for the first time tomorrow so i'll give a quick review tomorrow night.

[Marrrk]

We've decided to save World Woods for another time. Trip is set, though. Playing everything at Grand Cypress, both at OCN, plus Southern Dunes and Harmony Preserve. Got great times at great prices, so feeling pretty stoked.

[NewbieGolfer77]

Just wanted to add that I played Mystic Dunes today and it was a great course. The greens were a bit to soft for my liking, but the layout was fun and the course was in great shape. The driving range and practice greens weren't too fabulous though.



-Dan

[rufus mangler]

[quote name='Marrrk' timestamp='1330791265' post='4425813']
We've decided to save World Woods for another time. Trip is set, though. Playing everything at Grand Cypress, both at OCN, plus Southern Dunes and Harmony Preserve. Got great times at great prices, so feeling pretty stoked.
[/quote]
Good choices. Enjoy.

[67VIP]

If you can squeeze in one more round, try Osprey Ridge at Disney. Awesome course, atypical Florida layout. Will not be open much longer as it is scheduled to be taken over by the Four Seasons once it's completed and will be an exclusive guest only track. You will love Southern Dunes, OCN, and Grand Cypress New Course. Three of my favorite courses I've played around Orlando. April weather should be perfect, enjoy your trip.

[Marrrk]

[quote name='67VIP' timestamp='1331019593' post='4446287']
If you can squeeze in one more round, try Osprey Ridge at Disney. Awesome course, atypical Florida layout. Will not be open much longer as it is scheduled to be taken over by the Four Seasons once it's completed and will be an exclusive guest only track. You will love Southern Dunes, OCN, and Grand Cypress New Course. Three of my favorite courses I've played around Orlando. April weather should be perfect, enjoy your trip.
[/quote]

One of the guys already played the Disney courses so we're skipping that.

Another question though, how would you guys rank OCN-Crooked Cat, Southern Dunes, and Harmony Preserve? We may have to drop one of them and I'm trying to figure out which. Is Crooked Cat tops no matter what?

[jnier75]

[quote name='Marrrk' timestamp='1331056199' post='4448515']
[quote name='67VIP' timestamp='1331019593' post='4446287']
If you can squeeze in one more round, try Osprey Ridge at Disney. Awesome course, atypical Florida layout. Will not be open much longer as it is scheduled to be taken over by the Four Seasons once it's completed and will be an exclusive guest only track. You will love Southern Dunes, OCN, and Grand Cypress New Course. Three of my favorite courses I've played around Orlando. April weather should be perfect, enjoy your trip.
[/quote]

One of the guys already played the Disney courses so we're skipping that.

Another question though, how would you guys rank OCN-Crooked Cat, Southern Dunes, and Harmony Preserve? We may have to drop one of them and I'm trying to figure out which. Is Crooked Cat tops no matter what?
[/quote]

Drop Harmony, definitely the weakest.

[67VIP]

I haven't played Harmony Preserve, but Crooked Cat was very nice. If you're going out to OCN, play both...well worth the trip. I have played Waldorf astoria and it was a great track, might be alittle pricey, depends on what kind of deal you can get. I would second Metro west as well, very nice course near Grand Cypress. Diamondback is just down the street from Southern Dunes and is a wonderful golf course, played it many times but not in the last few years. If you can swing it and get on, the Nicklaus course at Reunion is great, better than Palmer course. I didn't care for the watson course, fairways are like a plate of scalloped potatoes...not a flat spot in site.

[sabram]

[quote name='Marrrk' timestamp='1331056199' post='4448515']
Another question though, how would you guys rank OCN-Crooked Cat, Southern Dunes, and Harmony Preserve? We may have to drop one of them and I'm trying to figure out which. Is Crooked Cat tops no matter what?
[/quote]

Those are three solid courses. If you have to drop one, I'd drop Harmony. If Southern Dunes didn't have housing it would be my favorite of the three. It is a very good layout.

Here's a link to favorite Otlando courses with links at the bottom to photo albums of almost all of the courses mentioned on this thread. [url="http://golfcourses.weebly.com/orlando-fl.html"]Orlando Golf Courses[/url]

[sirparalot]

Drop Harmony for sure. OCN is the best public facility in Central Florida, hands down(play both, Crooked has tougher approaches but the new Champion greens on Panther really make it a tough test). Southern Dunes is a nice treat, hope your sand game is good