Streamsong , allround the best golf destination I have visited in the US

[Marrrk]

[quote name='BrianL99' timestamp='1393114041' post='8724494']
[quote name='Marrrk' timestamp='1393111607' post='8724278']
Brian, I humbly admit that I may have overstated the case, especially with regards to the Red course. I am far more familiar with what was done on Blue, including everything mentioned by Tom. I am actually a frequent contributor on GCA and enthusiastic student of golf architecture, and in that spirit, and when compared with the vast majority of major modern courses, Blue (and Red, for that matter) moved little earth beyond what was necessary to make it at all playable (like creating favorable drainage, and filling in the many ponds left behind by mining, which... thank god they did). The bulk of what creates the strategy of the holes, particularly the green sites, is extremely close to what was there and my only real interest. So I do apologize for conflating the two.

If you'll allow me to clarify a bit further. I suppose my original curiosity about the OP's statement was to determine if he was speaking about SS not looking natural in the sense that the courses were highly manicured to make them appear more natural (which i contend they were not), or if he was purely speaking about the site itself being completely tossed over by man (which I concede it was).

One thing we can agree on: Sergio is all right.
[/quote]

No need to be humble, most of the rest of us aren't

Have you played the courses? There's nothing "manicured" about them, in my opinion. They did a good job at recreating a "natural" (for lack of a better word) landscape. I believe most of the surrounding vegetation is reasonably native to the area, although not necessarily to that site. Then again, considering it was a "mine", it's hard to determine what was ever native at that site.

They did a fabulous job on the courses, with what they had to work with, in my opinion. I don't love either one of them, I think they're over-priced. I don't really like the architecture of the hotel or clubhouse, but I can't really fault the courses for what they are.

When I used the word "manufactured", I mean that it was "created", not sketched out of native topography as Donald Ross may have done. That doesn't make it bad or good ... it is what it is. I happen to know a lot about earth moving, so I look at a site and have some clue what it was in the recent past, others may not view it that way.

As for the current crop of golf courses, there doesn't seem to be as much earth moving as in the 80's & early 90's, it's simply too expensive.
[/quote]

i was there for a few days a couple weeks ago. provided a small review above. as you know, i was in this thread prior to going there and, leaving the golf courses aside, found myself agreeing with some of what you had said about the overall experience. like you, i am also in the hotel game and was quite surprised by the tone and tenor of the lodge. while i'm completely fine with the golf pricing, the hotel was quite far beyond reasonable. we actually figured out (after the fact, sadly) that we paid about $125 more pp/pn for the Stay & Play than had we booked golf and accommodation separately. out of pure principle, i was embarrassed to have missed something like that. you may also be interested to know that at night, we only saw two or three other groups in the hotel or at the bar/restaurants. this coming in mid-february only weeks after opening.

i think the place i disagree with you most is when you said earlier that the climate doesn't improve the courses or the value. being able to get a taste of Doak/C&C in the middle of winter is extremely valuable for us northeasterners, especially since it's in a place as convenient to travel to as Florida. also different from your experience, we actually only saw one group use a cart in the entire time we were there. and they were older couples. again, i was surprised by that, as it was pretty packed.

but forget all this talk about Streamsong. the best part of this year's Florida trip was when we ate gator tail. yes, tasted just like chicken but i wonder if that's because it was fried. anyone ever eat it grilled or sashimi style?

[gr8blueheronbird]

Great insights here by both of you guys. All I know is that I enjoyed playing both the the red and the blue. Preferred Red. If you are going to walk 36 in one day, make sure to bring some goldbond. This could be the best piece of advice needed.

[BrianL99]

[quote name='Marrrk' timestamp='1393115923' post='8724658']


but forget all this talk about Streamsong. the best part of this year's Florida trip was when we ate gator tail. yes, tasted just like chicken but i wonder if that's because it was fried. anyone ever eat it grilled or sashimi style?
[/quote]

Everything tastes the same, fried. Never tried gator tail, I'm all set with that.

[Loodle]

I guess what I was trying to say is that at times you could believe you were in a seaside links, or some other area found in nature with a similar topography. And then you remember you are in a reclaimed mine in the middle of nowhere flat Florida. Some of the world's best destination golf courses are on pieces of land possessing tremendous natural scenery, not sure that would apply here.

I certainly don't think the golf experience felt manufactured however, it just is a very unique piece of property. Leaving it rough around the edges (so to speak) it made it feel less contrived, no matter how much dirt was moved.

[duffer987]

Interestingly I just called them up (took 3 separate calls to finally get someone in the pro shop to pick up) to see about getting on as a single this Friday (I am flying down and playing with friends in Jax on the weekend) and they had NOTHING available until after 2pm.

I said, I didn't mean for myself, but to join an already booked twosome or threesome and he said no availability until after 2pm. They have 330 people playing Friday and were 'slammed'.
More exclusive than Pebble or Bandon indeed.

Maybe Spring training brings more people the way it does in Arizona? Either way I was pretty darn surprised. I'm not a Florida fan and doubt I'll be back anytime soon, if at all, so too bad I guess. I'll be playing in Jacksonville on Friday now, as well as the weekend it seems