[Andrew Bertram]

Gentlemen.

I am at a conference in Fort Myers in June and I am simply not familiar with Florida Golf south of Orlando.

Could you pass on any recommendations?

Thanks

[Andy Troeger]

Andrew,
I imagine there are better courses but Eastwood in Ft. Myers is a reasonably priced course (Devlin/Von Hagge) that my father and I always enjoyed when in town. Somewhat typical Florida in that it has a lot of water, but no houses is a big plus!

[Mike Nuzzo]

What kind of course do you like?

Old Corkscrew was good - more on the challenging side.

[J_McKenzie]

We just recently opened a new course called River Hall CC for the LandMar Group about 15 minutes east of Ft. Myers .  LandMar also developed Sugar Loaf Mountain near Orlando.  Like Sugar Loaf Mountain, River Hall is private, but I believe they are accepting limited outside play. 

The course conditions are outstanding and the golf course has been well received by the membership.  It features wide corridors and a really good set of greens.  Here are a few photos taken by Tid Griffin at Elite Golf Courses:

River Hall #12


River Hall #13


River Hall #15


Hope you get a chance to play it.

John

[Brian Cenci]

Andrew,
       From my 1 visit to Naples three years ago on a spring break trip from Michigan to Florida I played 3 courses.   Let me first state that these recommendations, or non-recommendations, are based on the fact that golf courses in that particular area are beyond expensive (for what I'm used to in Michigan).  A $25 dollar 18 hole walking course in Michigan is equal to an $80 dollar 18 hole walking course in the Naples area.  So I don't know where you reside but keep that in mind.
      I played twice at Hammoch Bay.  Think it is a Peter Jacobson design.  I really liked the course and at the time we got out both times for $100 w/ a cart.  It is a residential layout but there are a lot of fun holes and all the waste areas are busted up sea shells.  They even had a hell's half-acre hole too.  Overall a very good and underated course.  highly recommend.
     I also played Naples South (or was called Boyne South) and it is a joke.  I heard they plunked some money into it but it was the biggest waste of $80 in my life. 
     I also played Arrowhead, which the entire course was closed because there was a monsoon but the pro let us out for $15 bucks to walk 18 holes.  I think normal price was $60-$80 range.  Again, a residential course, as is pretty much everything in the area, but not too bad.
     We stayed on the Lily course (think it is semi-private) and that is solid but it is in the $200 range.

-Brian

[Paul Carey]

Those bunkers at River Hall look great.  Has anyone played the golf course?

[Lou_Duran]

Played a couple of times at Fiddlesticks by Ron Garl 20 years ago.  Enjoyable course.

[Andrew Bertram]

Thanks Guys

River Hall looks very worthwhile.

I had looked at Hammock Bay and maybe tiburon in naples. I only have 2 free days flying in from Australia and back.

A very short trip of 5 days all up.

Thnk you all

[Patrick Hodgdon]

Skip Tiburon please. It is a huge waste of money unless it is down in the $80 range. I would try Naples Grande or Hammock Bay. Old Corkscrew is good but tough. River Hall looks good but haven't heard anything about it.

[Jeremy Rivando]

Olde Florida and Naples National are quite nice.  Could be worth a phone call, I think they're both private but the season ends for all the northern members around this time.

The Bonita Bay courses are all pretty decent as well.  I played Tiburon years ago, a few great holes but at the end of the day, too many Florida courses blend together.  A lot of water and sand.  Plenty of golf in the area. 

I'd try River Hall and try and get on to another private course.

[Patrick Hodgdon]

Yea Jeremy is right all of the courses are winding down and may accommodate more unaccompanied guests. I would also highly suggest calling Kelly Blake Moran's designed The HideOut. I would rank it slightly higher than Naples National but not by much.

[S. Huffstutler]

Naples National, The Hideout, Calusa Pines are the best...if....and that's  a big if.....you can get on.
Unless you know someone, you probably can't, but, it's worth a try.
 If you can't get on, try Twin Eagles (Nicklaus course....semi-private), Bonita Bay East (either course...private), Windstar(private), Hammock Bay(semi- Private, I think), Valencia (public), Palmira (private, but probably accessible), Heritage Bay (public?)

There's lots of good golf here and now is a good time to see if you can get out as most of our winter players have gone home.


Steve

Naples

[Andy Troeger]

I would think by June that they are in their summer rates which are likely a fair amount lower than the winter/spring ones? That would make some of the public fees more palatable. Anyone able to confirm/deny?

[Dean Paolucci]

I've heard Lely is fun!

[J_McKenzie]

Andrew,

River Hall is located just off of Hwy. 80 between Ft. Myers and Alva, Fl.  They do offer one day "memberships" for outside play and their phone number is (239) 313-Golf.  The course had a soft opening in 2007 and a grand opening this past February.  It has flown a little bit under the radar and we would love to hear what more people think of it.  It is a residential golf course, but as I mentioned earlier, the corridors are very wide and the homesites don't intrude on the golf at all.  A good mix of holes designed in a style somewhat unique for south Florida. 

John

[Andrew Bertram]

Thanks Justin

 

[Tim Pitner]

I've heard Lely is fun!

I wasn't too impressed with the Flamingo 18, which I understand is Lely's flagship course.  The $150 winter rate didn't help.  I couldn't help but think that I play better courses in Colorado for less than one-third of that price.  It wasn't bad, just standard Florida golf.  A summer rate would make it more palatable. 

[S. Huffstutler]

It's too hot to play golf here now. You all should go home and leave us alone for awhile.

Steve

Naples

[Mark Bourgeois]

I like the Mountain Lakish bunkering -- and is that a grass bunker or just a little ridge on 13? John McK, can you tell us what that is and its function?

Steve H, what's your address? Do you have a pool?

[John_Conley]

First off, Naples and Fort Myers are pretty far apart.  If you are from Oz they are all the same, but if you are staying in one there's no need to go to the other.

At the absolute top of my list if you can access private clubs are:
- Hideout
- Calusa Pines
- Bonita Bay's Bay Island (if you want tough) or Marsh (if you like it fun)

If you've never seen a Tom Fazio "Big Golf" course you owe it to yourself to see Bonita Bay's Sabal or Palm.

For daily fee courses you are doing well to play the aforementioned Eastwood, which is in North Fort Myers.

There are a TON of good courses in the area, but the only that holds up as world-class at the end of the day is probably Calusa Pines. 

I've heard good things about Old Corkscrew and actually hoped to play it this week.  I was in Ft. Myers today.

River Hall looks good.  LandMar is a class group.

Good luck.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

River Hall is a Davis Love design and is open for non-member play:

www.riverhall.cc/countryclub.asp

[J_McKenzie]

Mark,

That is a grass ridge and they were used throughout the course to create definition on a very wide and flat site, in lieu of using bunkers.  They mimic a tradition design feature that used to be created by grassing over rock or other spoil areas and serve a similar function as a bunker without the additional cost of having to build and maintain them.  Davis, Mark and the Love design team are somewhat conservative with their bunker strategy and typically only include them when they are serving a necessary purpose (Ricefields, a new private course opening this fall, may be a slight exception to this).

Interesting that you mention Mountain Lake because that is a course that both Davis and Mark visited prior to starting at River Hall.  The grass ridges are similar to design features that can be found at Yeamans Hall.  Davis and Mark are both big fans of the Raynor/Macdonald style of architecture.

John   

[S. Huffstutler]

Mark....as they say...I have a pool and a pond.....the pond would be good for you.

steve

[W.H. Cosgrove]

It's too hot to play golf here now. You all should go home and leave us alone for awhile.

Steve

Naples

From what I understand, real estate prices seem to indicate many have gone home and left you alone.   

[S. Huffstutler]

From what I understand, real estate prices seem to indicate many have gone home and left you alone.   
[/quote]

You are correct.....it's about time this overvalued highly inflated market bubble burst, In my opinion...but I predict that it will revive. The real estate market didn't really affect my club that much this year in spite of some foreclosures and some members not paying their dues, it was a great year to rent a place down here as many homeowners chose to stay in their homes up north and rent out their Florida property. We had more golfers this season than we have had in years.

Regards,

steve

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