Sugerloaf Mountain Golf

[Bigheadgolf]

Just wondering if anyone has played recently and if so how were the conditions. Thinking about playing it on way home from World Woods heading South. I'm a big fan of C&C design but read they had issues recently condition wise.

 

Thanks

[sabram]

Here is a report on Sugraloaf from Jan 2012 (from Golf Club Atlas):

 

 

Quote from: Joel Zuckerman on January 27, 2012, 06:56:34 PM

"I thought Sugarloaf was excellent. Conditioning was good enough, greens were slow (maybe 7 ) but well grassed and rolled fine. The layout is eye-catching and unusual for FL..."

 

Sugarloaf is one of my favorites near Orlando. Here are links to photos:

 

Sugarloaf photo tour

 

#12 from tee

[JB57]

Enjoyed the photo's. I played there end of March 2011. I really enjoyed the course and it was in very good condition. The economy has really hurt the progress of the course and the home developement around it. The day I played there probably wasn't 20 rounds booked. Have they done anything to the driving range? The range was just a dirt field you hit into last year. Back to your photo of number 10 fairway with the little pot bunker in the middle of the fairway. I have a photo of myself standing in that bunker where my drive came to rest, only thing I could do was wedge it out. I love C&C courses and play them when ever I can.

[sabram]

[quote name='JB57' timestamp='1334524051' post='4727122']
... number 10 fairway with the little pot bunker in the middle of the fairway. I have a photo of myself standing in that bunker where my drive came to rest... I love C&C courses and play them when ever I can.
[/quote]

I also hit into that bunker once. I'm also a big C&C fan.

[Bigheadgolf]

Thanks for the replies. Looks like where going to play [i]Juliette[/i] Falls near Ocala on way home I here this is in good shape.


The lineup :

Southern Hills Plantation 18

World Woods Rolling Oaks 36

World Woods Pine Barrens 36

and the 18 at the falls on the way out . Leave in 5 sleeps let you know the condition of these tracks on my return. As for Sugerloaf it's still on my must plays.


Cheers

[HitTheStick]

Curious how you found Juliette Falls? I live in Ocala, and I have heard things have gone downhill in a hurry out there...

[tnord]

i just played sugarloaf on monday and the conditions really aren't very good. the greens are slow but roll fine, and that's really the only good thing i can say. tees are pretty bare, i ran into multiple bare dirt lies during my round, it didn't look like the place had been mowed in a while - hard to tell where the fairway and the rough was), i think there was a total of one guy working in the pro shop and one guy out doing maintenance. i ran into multiple rakes that were bent to hell from being run over, the backs of some of the bunkers were getting washed out in places (resulting in a truly ridiculous lie on one occasion), and i just generaly felt guilty for dragging my inlaws out there.

the layout is fantastic and it's a difficult course that i did enjoy.....but right now i wouldn't go back.

[78Staff]

[quote name='tnord' timestamp='1338471910' post='5004500']
i just played sugarloaf on monday and the conditions really aren't very good. the greens are slow but roll fine, and that's really the only good thing i can say. tees are pretty bare, i ran into multiple bare dirt lies during my round, it didn't look like the place had been mowed in a while - hard to tell where the fairway and the rough was), i think there was a total of one guy working in the pro shop and one guy out doing maintenance. i ran into multiple rakes that were bent to hell from being run over, the backs of some of the bunkers were getting washed out in places (resulting in a truly ridiculous lie on one occasion), and i just generaly felt guilty for dragging my inlaws out there.

the layout is fantastic and it's a difficult course that i did enjoy.....but right now i wouldn't go back.
[/quote]


Good to know, thanks. Heading down in July and this was on the list, but think we will pass for now. Right now we are most likely playing Red Tail or Deltona, Shingle Creek, Bella Colina, plus Bay Hill. Should be a good trip!

[bvmagic]

I posted a small review with comparison pics from a couple years ago to present time (was there in March). Check the 5th post.

http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/664018-i-got-a-hall-pass-for-orlandohelp-me-decide/page__p__4964260#

[tnord]

i remember that hole. i would say conditions aren't as bad as in your pic, but i still wouldn't play there again until they get it sorted out. the place was actually fairly busy behind our group.

[bvmagic]

[quote name='tnord' timestamp='1338480526' post='5005362']
i remember that hole. i would say conditions aren't as bad as in your pic, but i still wouldn't play there again until they get it sorted out. the place was actually fairly busy behind our group.
[/quote]

Well thats good to know, because out of all the holes that fairway was the worst. At the time of that pic that area probably hadn't had a drop of rain for a while. Hopefully these recent rain bursts have helped them out a bit. I do love the layout but just cannot recommend for anybody to go there when its in that bad of shape.

[tnord]

the course is playable right now, but lies are so tight you better be pretty good with your irons or else it's going to be a frustrating day. the slightest bit heavy and the ball isn't going anywhere. we paid $40/ea to play on a holiday which doesn't seem terrible, but i wish i would have booked the first tee time i found at deltona club instead.

[HitTheStick]

[quote name='tnord' timestamp='1338493743' post='5006746']
the course is playable right now, but lies are so tight you better be pretty good with your irons or else it's going to be a frustrating day. the slightest bit heavy and the ball isn't going anywhere. we paid $40/ea to play on a holiday which doesn't seem terrible, but i wish i would have booked the first tee time i found at deltona club instead.
[/quote]

Good to hear it's gotten a bit better. I paid $25 on a groupon deal and thought I got ripped off....

[bvmagic]

i paid 18 and my buddies who hardly play golf thought we got ripped off.

[moose557]

Has anyone played the course real recent? I wonder if the course conditions have improved since the daily summer thunderstorms started. I live in Orlando and have always wanted to play this track, but have been holding off since the negative reviews of the conditions on here. The course is on golfnow now and can be played pretty cheap, so Im wondering if its time to make the trip out there.

[kcmh]

Is this place even open right now? I tried to call but all I get is a fast busy signal.....

[HitTheStick]

Their online booking engine is showing nothing available also. It wouldn't surprise me if it finally went under. It appeared to be on it's last leg when I was there earlier this year...

[sabram]

Yes, it appears that the course has closed due to financial problems. What a shame. It is one of the best layouts in central Florida. Here is a post from Golf Club Atlas:

[color=#000000][size=1][i]
Apparently things have gone downhill at Sugarloaf Mountain- Golf Operations have CLOSED

This is pretty sad information in light of the fact that there are so many mediocre golfing options in Orlando. But, hey I guess those courses are strategically close to I-4 corridor where Mickey resides.

I think I am going to have to shlep up to World Woods, after all.[/i][/size][/color]

[color=#000000][size=3]Hi Everybody - As usual with these situations it is complicated (Note: I am a member of the course but otherwise not affiliated). Golf Operations are closed for the foreseeable future (through at least the end of the year), but it is due to the ownership structure and may or may not be permanent. The land and development has been in bankruptcy for some time but the golf operations had been funded by a potential buyer of the property. The main contribution was to cover the insurance on the land to allow the golf course to operate. That buyer has pulled out but there are other negotiations taking place. The operating and maintenance budget were extremely small since nobody actually owned the golf course. Hampton is just the management company. As a side note the course is still being maintained; but golfers are not allowed due to the insurance gap. [/size][/color]

[color=#000000][size=3]The course needs to draw the local market as well as snowbirds to be successful. It is pretty remote and the conditioning challenges are well documented. Ultimately though there were a few design features built in that the land could not support which lead to the course's decline. This was a combination of the general shape of the land and soil properties combined with the severe rainy climate. As an example the course opened with a lot of open sandy areas, most notably in front of 15 tee. The slope from 15 down to 14 fairway is severe, and when summer rains dumped 6 inches in two hours, a lot of the sand slid onto 14 fairway. This caused some asthetic issues to 15 (grassed over with grass that doesn't match) and major conditioing issues to 14, which has never recovered. Many of the C&C bunker faces have fallen in as well which were subsequently dumbed down for the worse.[/size][/color]

[iteachgolf]

Sad to see. I had the course record for a short time there and loved the golf course