Mountain Lake?

[Bill McKinley]

Hey gents,

I thought I remembered seeing a profile of this course on the courses by country page.  Now it's obviously not there.  There's a good chance that I'm wrong, because well, it may have happened once before.

I will be heading down to Florida in the next few weeks and I've heard a little about this place.  Any insight anyone can give here?

This is not an access grab here, but I'm quite intrigued about a Raynor in Florida!

[Mike Sweeney]

Bill,

I just had an email update with the GCA.com management team and the back 9 was lost, but here is the front:

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/in-my-opinion/mike-sweeney-blending-old-and-new-in-renovating-a-classic/


John Mayhugh has some nice pictures here (may have to cut and paste the links):

http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php?action=printpage;topic=32894.0

[Ken Fry]

I'll be there at the end of February.  Can't wait to see the place in person.

Ken

[George_Bahto]

Bill:

There were originally five Raynor courses in Florida

Mountain Lake Club - Lake Wales
a nearby muni: Lake Wales CC - newly discovered
Everglades Club fo Paris Singer - Palm Beach
The Winter Club for Paris Singer became North Palm Beach CC - 9 holes long lost - rest, recently DEFORMED
Babson Park Golf & Yacht Club - Roger Babson of Standard and Poors fame - NLE

[John Mayhugh]

Photos should work in this one.  Hopefully Mike's profile gets repaired and put back up, as it includes a lot of the history as well.
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,32894.0.html

Mountain Lake is definitely worth seeking out if you're in central Florida.  Lots of fun and a pretty good Raynor.

George,
What is Lake Wales CC like these days?

[Dan Kettler]

On a recent post I did for Orlando golf recommendations, Mountain Lake was the only course where there was consensus of must play.  Going to be in Florida in mid April and pending access, plan to check it out.  Looking forward to hearing your report if you play next month.

[George_Bahto]

George,

What is Lake Wales CC like these days?

John - just a decent muni. I've not seen it but have a good friend who lives close by and she said it was pretty good for a muni

I have a newspaper fm 1925 talking about Raynor building the course but he may have only built 9 and a nine added by Ross - unclear

I have a scorecard that shows 18-holes but is the front nine repeated as the back nine

looks like a Biarritz-length hole on #3 and an Eden on #5

[Bill McKinley]

Gents,

Thanks for your replys.  This place looks great!

Mike,  Your writeup is very good.  I hope the back nine gets repaired. I do remember viewing it last year or so.  Sounds like you have a lot of knowledge and pride in the place and I'm glad that Silva did it justice during the restoration.  What's your favorite hole or 2 on the course?

[Jonathan Webb]

The front 9 at Lake Wales CC was designed by Donald Ross and the back 9 was added in the late 50s by a local, Bill Cambell.

[George_Bahto]

Ross was apparently there after Raynor

what info do you have for the date of the Ros 9??


excerpt from: THE HIGHLANDER (newspaper)                 ($2.00 per year)

January, 14, 1925
TOWN WILL HAVE  SPORTY COURSE  FOR GOLF FANS

Laid Out by Expert Engineer, It Is Said to Be One of State’s Best
           
     What experts say will be one of the best golf courses in the state will be open to the public at Lake Wales about Jan. 17. The course is on a beautiful 200-acre rolling tract of  land just one mile from the city limits, north of and on the Hesperides  Road, and was laid out by Seth Raynor, of New York, the golf engineer who laid out the Mountain Lake, course at Lake Wales, the Piping Rock Club, the Engineer’s Club, the new Yale Club, and other big courses around New York and in Florida. The city has been fortunate in having the services of R. H. Lindeman, Mountain Lake, who built the Mountain Lake course, at its command, and the result is that the municipal course will rank with the very best in the state, and it is said to be one of the sportiest courses around.
     Excellent work has been accomplished in the last few months in getting the ground cleared, the fairway and greens established and sodded and  everything in good condition the opening day. None of the holes are  alike and none flat, so the course is a sporty one and calls for every shot in  the bag. The sixth hole is one of the best, in the course, especially its water  hazard, with 180 yards carry, making a real hole. It lies at the top of a hill, and the fairway turns on approaching hole so that there is not only a water hazard, but a change in direction to be accounted for. The fairways are in good shape and one must hit them down the middle or he will surely get into trouble.
     It is a municipal course and is open to all lovers of the sport.         
     Twelve miles of water pipe have been laid and a splendid water system installed. An attractive little clubhouse stands on a wooded knoll at the entrance of the course from Hesperides Road. All the natural beauties of the course have been preserved as far as possible and there are many fine oaks and pines on the tract, making a beautiful frame for the course and club house.
     Dave Towns, from the Paris Country Club Paris, Ill. has been head professional.

[John_Cullum]

Lake Wales CC is a private club. It is quite good.

Any notion that it is a municipal course is entirely uninformed

[George_Bahto]

John - you are correct - I was speaking about it being public when first planned ( according to the article I sighted) - note, the first line in that article

but thanks for the correction

[Jim_Kennedy]

A few snips from their website:
http://www.lakewalescc.com/sites/courses/custom.asp?id=1009&page=58055

Lake Wales Country Club was founded in the early 1920's and was owned by the City of Lake Wales. The course was designed by the world famous "Grandfather" of American golf course architecht, Donald Ross.

the Lake Wales City Council applied for WPA funds for this project. On September 8, 1938, the President of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt, approved the project for $16,888.00 to build a new clubhouse. The City of Lake Wales supplemented the project with $5,818 and the total project was completed on July 12, 1939 for $22,706.

During World War II, the Country Club was sold to stockholder Country Club members

The Ross Society lists it, and says doucments are at the Tufts Archive. Interesting. 

[Robert Thompson]

I was anxious to see this around the merchandise show in Orlando (I've not been to FLA in a decade), but the club couldn't make it work given the year. I'm off to see Jupiter Hills instead, but I've always enjoyed the Raynor courses I've seen and wish I could have arranged it. Hopefully next time.

On a recent post I did for Orlando golf recommendations, Mountain Lake was the only course where there was consensus of must play.  Going to be in Florida in mid April and pending access, plan to check it out.  Looking forward to hearing your report if you play next month.

[Bill_McBride]

I was anxious to see this around the merchandise show in Orlando (I've not been to FLA in a decade), but the club couldn't make it work given the year. I'm off to see Jupiter Hills instead, but I've always enjoyed the Raynor courses I've seen and wish I could have arranged it. Hopefully next time.

On a recent post I did for Orlando golf recommendations, Mountain Lake was the only course where there was consensus of must play.  Going to be in Florida in mid April and pending access, plan to check it out.  Looking forward to hearing your report if you play next month.

Bummer, hope it works out next time.   It's not an overpowering or long course, but it is one of the few I've ever played where you cannot be out of position, off the necessary angle, and have any birdie chances.   It also has one of the all time great Short hole greens, the ninth, with a fabulous donut that can wreak havoc with a 15' birdie putt.   Ask me about my four putt sometime!

[Howard Riefs]

Hey gents,

I thought I remembered seeing a profile of this course on the courses by country page.  Now it's obviously not there.  There's a good chance that I'm wrong, because well, it may have happened once before.

I will be heading down to Florida in the next few weeks and I've heard a little about this place.  Any insight anyone can give here?

This is not an access grab here, but I'm quite intrigued about a Raynor in Florida!

I'll be there at the end of February.  Can't wait to see the place in person.

Ken

Bill, Ken -
How were your respective recent rounds at Mountain Lake?


On a related note, here's a new profile of the course from Links mag:

http://www.linksmagazine.com/golf_courses/mountain-lake-2-18-12

[Paul Jones]

I was looking at Mountain Lake website...  Can you play as a guest if you stay on the property?  Or do you still have to be sponsored by a member?

[J_ Crisham]

Played here on Sunday and I must say this was as good a classic course I have played south of St. Louis. The greens are fabulous works by Rayner. Talk about a quiet enclave! Conditioning was impeccable- would strongly encourage one to play here if you can find a friend to host you.

[Ron Csigo]

I was looking at Mountain Lake website...  Can you play as a guest if you stay on the property?  Or do you still have to be sponsored by a member?

Paul,

There used to be a seasonal offer where you could play the course if you stayed on property.  However, I don't think that offer applies year round.  Worth making a call to the Colony House to find out. 

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Paul I think you still need a member to introduce you. But as you know I have not been down this year. There are others who can give you the latest on access.

[Ken Fry]

Mountain Lake is the most enjoyable course I've played in the state of Florida.

What struck me most about the property were the quaintness, the intimate feel and how relaxed the atmosphere is.  Everything about the place screams tradition, but there's very little pretense from the staff and fellow guests/members.  Everyone was exceptionally welcoming.  The Colony House was like stepping back in time.  I felt like I was in the Great Gatsby.

The course was a treat.  Visually, there's not much "wow" factor.  No long ocean views.  No breath taking vistas.  People looking for fluff like that will be disappointed.  The course was great fun to play.  It's very forgiving in most spots so there weren't many lost balls, a welcome relief from most Florida courses.  A high handicap player can get around the course nicely while a low handicap player is challenged to score well against bunker placement off the tee and wonderful green complexes.  Bunkering and green contouring are very bold.  There's a ton of local knowledge on the greens, which are still old style bermuda I believe.  The course was playing quite firm and fast which allowed for shots to be played off the bold contours to reach tucked pin locations.

I played five rounds in three days and hope to get back to try Mountain Lake again.

Ken

[Bill McKinley]

Howard,

I agree completely with Ken about the atmosphere of the place.  Very relaxed and intimate indeed!  I was so excited to play this place when I pulled in past the guard gate and saw the full biarritz green to my left and to my right was a little sliver of a tee box with a long carry over a lake, which appeared to be a cape style hole, even though it was named Guard House.

The golf course was such a joy to play!  I'm not going to go hole by hole (but i could  )  but some of my favorite holes were #1, 4, 8, 11, 16 & 18. 

[Ken Fry]

What struck me most about the course was the appearance of simplicity.

It's not overly long (except a couple holes) and on first glance looks straight forward.  Then you realize the angles you need off the tee to get to pin locations.  Where you must leave approach shots to have a putt that won't be played completely defensive.  Certain contours and hazards can really get in your head.

The 18th holes is a great example.  The tee shot is played over a corner of Mountain Lake slightly diagonally into an uphill fairway which is about 50 yards wide.  Bunkers protect both the left and right edges of the fairway The pin location dictates everything.  Picture a bird with it's wings spread wide where the mid to top portion of each wing sits about 3-4 feet above the lower level which would be the bird's body.  Overall, the green is about 100 feet wide.  Standing in the fairway when the pin is either extreme left or right is an intimidating way to end the round!

Bill, you mentioned #11 being one of your favorite holes (the Redan hole).  I never felt comfortable on this hole.  I loved how the right side hill provided the opportunity to play tee shots (or even chip shots!) as a way to run the ball onto the green.  I struggled with the downhill nature of the hole.  Playing downhill into the prevailing wind into a step faced hill made playing the low right to left shot a bit awkward.  All the forces of the hole worked against that shot.  Can a redan style hole work when played so severly downhill?  While I appreciated the green complex, the hole still doesn't hit the right notes for me.

I'm hoping to get another few cracks at 11 and the rest of the course.  It's worth a special trip especially with such a famous neighbor about to open up this fall!

Ken

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Ken it is a great redan. that is not the prevailing wind. I still like it no matter the conditions unless I am in the front left  trap or for that matter the right trap. It is a tough up and down on a great hole.

[Bill_McBride]

Nobody has mention #9, one of my favorite "Short" holes anywhere.  The raised donut plays absolute havoc with even short putts.    Give me a few expletive-laden minutes to explain my four putt double from 15' in detail.