I was fortunate to join Tom's merry little band that had a go at his fine effort at Streamsong. Tom, I'd have stayed for the RED Tour, but my ride had to get back to Orlando. I found myself peeking frequently over humps and mounds, both to see what was on C&C's ground AND to find more than a few of my wayward tee shots. Tom Doak is an excellent bird dog when it comes to marking and finding errant shots...thanks Tom!
Despite my generally wretched play, and VERY Scottish weather for significant portions of our play, I and the others REALLY enjoyed ourselves. The movement of the ground, neat greens, variety of options around the greens and natural feel throughout most of the routing all made for a quality presentation even though the course is still healing in.
Rusty, the affable and insightful superintendent there, was with us for most of the round; it was great to hear his views and experiences during the grow-in and what is hoped for as the property evolves. Seeing and learning that our own Kyle Harris was on the team down there was a welcome bonus. He's certainly fond of the place and his dedication to quality presentation is well known from his time in Philly. The courses are in great hands, that's for sure.
Overall, the turf was quite good for being in a newly planted, tender state. Rusty explained that all of the fairway grass was hand planted and the process, while time-consuming, seemed to be yielding an excellent sward. I believe he said it was 419, but I'm no turf-head, so Tom or others can correct me if I'm off there.
There were some significant carries on several holes for the shorter hitters from where we played. As Rusty was quick to mention, playing from the "proper tees" will be a wise move on these courses. You can struggle out there, but it wasn't unfair in the least. You just have to play golf.
The greens rolled EXTREMELY well! The was also good release on most of the holes when coming in from a distance(as many of mine were!) and this bodes well for the firmer, random bounces that we associate with linksy playing characteristics.
While not a difficult walk, it isn't a stroll. As the climate will deem carts as a necessary part of the dynamic, varying where they go will be important to ease turf wear. A quality caddie program, having well-trained forecaddies in particular, will be a valuable asset...the golf will not be easy here and the quality of the courses demands it from my view. Both Tom and Rusty confirmed the site is a breezy one, so the challenges should be exhilarating and varied.
The Streamsong team has just started setting the piling for a well-sited club house, having if I recall correctly, 12 upper floor rooms/suites. It will overlook a couple of smaller, interesting lakes and should have a wonderful setting around which the golf will sit. The larger hotel complex is planned to be well away from the golf. While it may be visable from the courses, it shouldn't detract too much from the atmosphere.
To sum it up, the potential for this property is impressive. While in a rural location, it's about 1 hour from Tampa and an 1 1/2 from Orlando, and both drives are fairly easy. If the amenities are complimentary, and the golf property service/staff has a non-corporate feel... elements reflected in the natural, inviting presentations that Tom and C&C have created...they should be quite successful. Getting that meld right will be the key, as there are a lot of options out there for the "retail/corporate golfer".
Tom, Rusty, Kyle and the rest of the team were superb hosts during our visit. Thank you gents for what was a memorable day!
Cheers,
Kris
