This course is a bit difficult to get to, but well worth it. It is a Donald Ross design, although I've read that Ross di... » More

This course is a bit difficult to get to, but well worth it. It is a Donald Ross design, although I've read that Ross didn't actually build it. That doesn't matter to me, as what you'll find is an old school charming golf course.

The course is only 5,800 yards but great fun to play! It has small, clever greens with many false edges. It takes a perfect shot to hold one of these greens, as they are like upside coffee cups. Bring a good short game as you will need it here.

The course has a good look to it as well with some waste areas and those beautiful, Florida oaks. Plus, there is some rolling terrain.

As a fader (slicer?) of the golf ball the course seemed to pinch on the left sides of the holes and had me uncomfortable. I think if you hit a draw it will be a more comfortable course to play.

The conditions were 100x better than what I expected. The course was in great shape with a nice "green" overseed. I believe the greens were overseeded as well and they rolled nice and at a medium pace.

Palatka is a great value (~$30) and worth the drive from Jacksonville or I-95 if you like golf course history.
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The International was another on my list of partially played resorts. I played the National years ago and was back to co... » More

The International was another on my list of partially played resorts. I played the National years ago and was back to complete the experience by playing the International.

ChampionsGate Golf Club is part of the Omni brand there are actually three courses here. There are two regulation courses (National and International) and then a short course called the Champions.

Just like at the other Omni courses that I’ve been able to play, ChampionsGate and the staff here worked hard to create a top-notch experience. Everyone from the bag drop attendants to the proshop staff to the on-course rangers treated me well. As an example, one of the rangers checked on me multiple times while I golfed as a single.

Greg Norman designed both of the courses at the Omni ChampionsGate. And, if you look through his design work he has created some high-profile courses. The Course at Wente Vineyards in California is a Norman design and it is one my personal favorites from when I was living in California!

Norman continues that difficult theme with the design of the International. The course is routed through natural wetlands so the setting is great, especially compared to most of the Florida courses that I’ve played. There aren’t any homes nearby, which is a welcome sight in Florida! The trade-off for the nice, natural setting is that water is in play on fourteen holes, which can grab wayward shots.

The long par-3 14th and short par-3 17th were my favorite holes on the International. The 14th has a pesky bunker short of the green while the 17th has water lurking.

Conditions were excellent.

If you are looking to play a high-level course close to Disney then I’d make sure to put the Omni ChampionsGate courses on your list. However, be prepared that pars and birdies will be hard to find on the International Course.
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Was invited out by cthuyen and his friends to play GC on 3/22. Appreciate the invite and had a thoroughly enjoyable tim... » More

Was invited out by cthuyen and his friends to play GC on 3/22. Appreciate the invite and had a thoroughly enjoyable time. On a cool and very busy day, there wasn’t much wind which was appreciated as we all know the wind can blow pretty good out here. Played in just under 4.5 hours but it really didn’t seem that long.

Cannot really add a lot to the cthuyen’s previous review only to agree on how nice this course is. It is in great shape right now at all levels. Guys in the clubhouse were all great. I told them I should be getting the senior rate but one guy said he didn’t believe me. He was kidding I think . lol. Anyway we joked about being senior and had a good laugh.

The greens were exceptional. Rolled perfectly and were fast. They were not holding unless you clipped it clean. Fairways were fast as well and you can get some good roll out here. They are going to be aerating the greens very soon which will impact play but once recovered, the greens should be nice again. Go play!!
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What caught my eye about Lake Jovita is that the two courses here can get ranked among the best public courses in Florid... » More

What caught my eye about Lake Jovita is that the two courses here can get ranked among the best public courses in Florida! The courses aren’t near the top of those in-state lists, but that speaks more to the quality options in Florida rather than as a slight against Lake Jovita.

The South was closed for a tournament so I played the North. Tom Lehman and Kurt Sandness were the architects involved with the property.


The best thing about Lake Jovita’s North Course has to be the land that the course sprawls across! The course works its way over some rolling hills. While there aren’t any massive elevation changes, I did get that “on top of the world” feeling while playing the 3rd and the 6th holes, as the land falls away behind each of those greens.

The par-3 4th is one of the holes on the North Course that features some elevation change! From the blue tees it is 160 yards and drops about a club down to a green that is guarded by water. The green is massive and gives you a chance to bail long or right, to avoid the water. If you do that, then you’ll be left with a slick, downhill shot!

The front is a bit "linksy" while the back requires more precision.

The conditions on the North Course were very nice. I paid $50 during peak season which was a good value! The tees and fairways had a light overseed which gave it that desirable “green” look in the winter. I still had those difficult, tight lies which required the perfect strike, so the overseed was functional, but I wouldn’t call it lush.

The greens were pure and quite speedy. The only area where the course looked to be struggling some were along some collars and edges of the greens, which were sanded.

While the North is a bit modern for my tastes, I'd still like to get back and see the South.
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For whatever reason, The Deltona Club is a Central Florida course that you don’t seem to hear much about! I booked my ro... » More

For whatever reason, The Deltona Club is a Central Florida course that you don’t seem to hear much about! I booked my round here mainly because it was convenient to Victoria Hills. But, somehow I stumbled across a brilliant course – one of those hidden gems!

The Deltona Club was originally designed by David Wallace in the 1960’s and was known as Deltona Hills Golf and Country Club for many years. Then, in 2008, the course re-opened after a renovation by Bobby Weed! Weed has done plenty of work in Florida, including some great stuff at Brooksville Country Club.

The bunkering at Deltona Club is incredible! The sand doesn’t come into play nearly as much as you’d expect, as many of the large bunkers are around the tees or set back from play. I don’t hit the ball particularly straight and only ended up in two greenside bunkers and one fairway bunker. None of them were difficult to play from!

Besides the eye-popping bunkering The Deltona Club lies on hilly terrain, which is the other element that makes the course unique! Throughout the round you get a nice mix of uphill and downhill holes. Not surprisingly, I found the holes with some elevation change to be the most interesting.

For $25 the conditions were outstanding! The fairways had good coverage and the ball sat up, with a little cushion beneath it. You’ll get some thin lies, but that is the nature of Florida golf this time of year. The greens were smooth and rolled with enough pace that I had to be defensive. The sand was good and I needed to swing hard to blast it out.

I doubt you'll be disappointed playing the Deltona Club.
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Victoria Hills has always intrigued me and I've always heard good things about it! The course is located between Orlando... » More

Victoria Hills has always intrigued me and I've always heard good things about it! The course is located between Orlando and Daytona Beach.

Victoria Hills continually turns up on the lists of the best public courses in the state. I found articles from as recent as 2015 and 2016 (from major golf magazines) which put Victoria Hills among the top 25 public courses in Florida. So, from everything that I could find, the course had potential.

I’ll say the design is definitely above average, even with some homes being built! Victoria Hills has a beautiful, sandy look to it. According to the starter (who was awesome!) there are 104 bunkers on the course and many of them have steep faces and jagged tongues. You’ll want to avoid the bunkers for a good score! My personal opinion is that there are a few too many bunkers. I got tired of raking traps!

I really enjoyed the back nine. The back has more strategy and some uphill and downhill to it, highlighted by the 11th, 12th and 13th holes. The 12th and 13th are par-4’s that offer some options. They are well-bunkered and you can hit driver or lay up from the tee.

Unfortunately, I found the conditions to be only so-so. The greens were looking good and rolled well. The bunkers had good sand in them and were raked. Everything else left a lot to be desired. There were large thin spots and I had my share of sandy and chunky lies, even in the fairways. It didn’t cost a lot to play here ($40), but the course deserves better!

Is it worth the drive from Orlando? I'm not sure it is unless you read about the conditions picking up a bit or you pair the course with another for a 36 hole day.
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I've spent some time in Florida this winter and thought I'd leave some reviews. These aren't in any particular order. » More

I've spent some time in Florida this winter and thought I'd leave some reviews. These aren't in any particular order.

I lived in Florida years ago and managed to play the Panther Lake course while living there. However, I never made to Crooked Cat. Orange County National has to be one of the top public facilities in Orlando and I loved my round on Crooked Cat! The course is probably best known for hosting the PGA Tour Q-School Finals.

The layout is open, the driving areas are large and there isn't a ton of trouble - just on a few holes. The wind was howling when I played and I never thought it was too tough like some modern designs can be.

The par-3's are difficult here and the par-4 12th is one of the better par-4's that you'll find in Florida. It is a really solid hole that plays somewhere around 400 yards from most of the tees and has a wetlands feel to it. The tee shot is downhill to a fairway that is guarded by water to the right. The water cuts across the fairway so ideally you will want to hit the tee shot as close to the edge of the fairway as possible! From there it is a nail-biter approach into the green, with more water lurking.

The conditions were top-notch, just what you'd expect for a premium course in Orlando during peak season. Put this on your list of courses to play on your Florida golf vacation! It is well worth the $100ish green fee.
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I played here yesterday morning. Paid $28 (add $2.49 GN service fee), plus $6 for their Riksha big wheel pull cart. If y... » More

I played here yesterday morning. Paid $28 (add $2.49 GN service fee), plus $6 for their Riksha big wheel pull cart. If you have not seen or used this type of pull cart you’d be amazed at how easy it is. There were a few other golfers but I got out between groups and a half hour before my 8:57 tee time. I was able to complete 18 in under 3 hours. There was a little maintenance going on, mostly on the back nine (sand pro/ trap raking and fairway mowing).

Greens looked and putted well. A few were partially aerated and all recently had a very light sand top dressing. That sucked because my putts would gather a fair amount of sand and either not make it or roll off line if the stroke was not perfect. It wasn’t horrible and overall they were nice to look at and held shots.

Fairways were good. Lots of good coverage and great to hit from. The low areas could be wet due to all the recent rain. With that said, you are not going to get much roll out on your drives. After I got to hole 15, the fairways were mowed and roll out got a little better.

Rough was not too deep. It was wet and hadn’t been mowed yet. Still, it was fairly easy to hit from. If you miss badly, you could find yourself in bare ground/tree litter; however, those areas were not too penal.

Bunkers were getting turned and raked. The sand was very damp and the bunker to the right of hole 2 was mostly a water feature. I was in a couple of bunkers and had no trouble getting out.

Tees (I played the white tees) were level and lush. No issues there. There are 5 sets of tees and the yardage varies from 7098 on the blacks down to 4107 on the yellows.

Overall the course is interesting and challenging. Hole 7 is a monster uphill par 5 with a second shot over water. If your drive is short consider a lay up because it’s a long carry. A couple other holes will challenge you with carries as well. There are many trees just budding out or flowering now making this a pretty course to look at. All in all, it seems like a great course and the rates are reasonable. I did not use them, but they do have a great looking practice facility.
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Had 10:24 am tee time with Larryq2001 and my brother otonitoni. Pop was 4.5. Course is in great shape. Tee boxes level. ... » More

Had 10:24 am tee time with Larryq2001 and my brother otonitoni. Pop was 4.5. Course is in great shape. Tee boxes level. Fairways and rough in great shape. Traps had good amount of sand and raked. Greens were super firm and in great shape running at 10/11. Great customer service and awesome practice facility. Really miss playing here and had a great day. Worth the trek from Monterey Park.
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Took the 45 minute drive to Palmdale on a group golfer member for a day for $39. Practiced on the grass chipping area an... » More

Took the 45 minute drive to Palmdale on a group golfer member for a day for $39. Practiced on the grass chipping area and sand trap prior to our round. Staff in the Proshop was fantastic, best I’ve had. Our tee time was 10:00, members gets first dibs, but we were able to get off a little early. POP 3 hours as a twosome, we were flying. Course was busy, but country club dudes play fast. I always wondered who pays $13,000 for the Costco golf cart, well AVCC members lol, they had some tricked out carts.

Tee boxes were mostly level and cut. Some areas of the fairways were dormant, but good lies could be found. All traps had been turned and were well maintained. Not much rough to speak of. The greens were the real star, they were boarderline perfect. I really enjoyed my rounds even though at one point a wanted to slam my putter into my bag and break all my shafts lol, a quadruple will do that to you. Group golfer has the member for a day for the next couple of days. According to the bartender they are going to do it every quarter, I highly recommend it if you live in SCV or AV.
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FINALLY!! The first round of golf since November 2017 is in the books, and it was a mixed bag on all levels. Shot 77 aft... » More

FINALLY!! The first round of golf since November 2017 is in the books, and it was a mixed bag on all levels. Shot 77 after nearing jarring a 240 3w for albatross (only pulled off a birdie thanks to the greens which will be reviewed later), and I have 2 deep nicks in my relatively new wedge (3 rounds) thanks to the bunkers (foreshadow).

GolfNow deal for $16 brought me out of work imposed retirement to play on a clear blue sky day with tons of wildflowers blooming all over the region. Great way to escape the city/suburbs and see if I still had any golfing ability left after over 450,000 air miles in the past 14 months.

Checking in with the shop has always been easy and pleasant. However, this time I noticed a new sign at check in. There is now a $1.50 "GPS fee" you are required to pay regardless of whether you want the GPS or not. IF you choose to decline use on the course when asked on the 3rd hole, you can go back in the pro shop after you finish to get a refund. You cannot tell them to turn it off in the pro shop and not pay the fee. This really rubs me the wrong way, and since it was not disclosed until checkin I feel it is a really cheap way to get an extra $1.50 from people who don't want to bother going back in the pro shop for a refund (like myself).

Off to the course, which the last time I played it (mid 2017 I believe) looked like a dirt outline of a once great course. Well, there are a few holes where the grass is back and looks close to what it used to. However, most of the course is still in a serious need of additional remediation and repair. I would have thought that after the past rains the grass would have returned. I was wrong. Bare ground galore, and since it rained yesterday even the dirt was playing slow. Drives stuck and didn't run like they should on a links course.

Bunkers... where do I begin with this one. My number one pet peeve with bunkers in courses the past few times I have played was the lack of sand and a ton of pebbles. However, here there are rocks... not small rocks but some up to an inch and a half. Some are on the surface and some are under the surface enough to not see them until ... well, let's say my beautiful forged wedge now has 2 pretty deep channels in the bottom (not surface scrapes). That's inexcusable in this day of rakes, sieves, and proper upkeep of the bunkers at some courses.

Greens: Greens used to be the best part of this course, if a bit vexing. I am used to the ball never taking the same exact route here as the greens are not rolled and there are little breaks that give them character. However, it looks like they have 3 different grasses growing in the greens now and the mottled surface kicks the ball wherever it wants. Probably doesn't help they were bumpy and slow from the rain the day before to begin with. However, looking at the tee sheet I am wondering if the bumps are from previous days and very little upkeep is being done daily to keep the surface up?

Overall: In the past this was my course to get away from everyone and just head out and enjoy myself on a fun layout. However, given the new "GPS fee" and the fact the course has not come back I think I am done playing here until there are major changes. Damaging my $150+ wedge with rocks in the bunker, the lack of care for the greens, and the inability to get grass to grow and take hold tells me a lot. I want this course to return to what it once was, but I just don't see it happening. I will miss playing here, but I cannot justify the drive for the conditions when there are over 15 courses within the same drive time with far superior conditions. Additionally, if I drive another 20 minutes you get to Temecula and even more amazing courses with great upkeep.

I don't want to say this course is done, but given what they charge for rack rate and what the course condition is ... they're done. RIP to a great Cal Olsen design that just isn't being treated as it deserves to be.
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3/22 using Under Par $45 2some on a really nice SC spring day paired with a couple of nice golfers from OC area. Most a... » More

3/22 using Under Par $45 2some on a really nice SC spring day paired with a couple of nice golfers from OC area. Most areas of the fairways were lush with good cover and excellent lies, nicely cut with good cushion. Some lower areas were still wet and some slopes showed evidence of run off. #11 had some thin areas along the lake which appeared to have been caused by over flow. Fairways are generally wide, however that did not keep players in our group from finding the abundant and deep rough which was an eclectic collection of grasses and other plant forms which made for difficulty in locating the ball and the having to play it all of which contributed to our plodding 4 1/2 hr POP.
Tees were overall lush and level. Bunkers looked good but played poorly as the well groomed mix of sandy mud often his the thinness of the lie.
Greens are very healthy.but were a little grainy due to the composition of the grasses. Rolled at medium speed and tended to take some adverse breaks as the ball slowed.
Greens are scheduled for punching 3/25.
Friendly staff, grass driving range(small bucket per player included in price) and large practice green that provided about the same pace as on the course.
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