With the PGA Tour at Bay Hill this week, there’s no better time than the present to finally post the photos from my December visit to Arnie’s Florida home.
For the set-up: I met my dad in Orlando for our 2nd annual father-son golf trip. I flew in on a Thursday night and we drove the 75 miles west to Brooksville to play Friday at World Woods. Actually, I played 36 while dad was only a spectator on Rolling Oaks (and at a cost of $14 to ride shotgun in the cart). It's tough to imagine a better value than Wood Woods, especially in the off-season: $104 on Friday/weekends to play 36 holes. Plus, I’m convinced Pine Barrens is the best public/resort course in Florida. Better than Sawgrass.
Then we doubled back to Orlando, checking into the lodge at Bay Hill. The lodge recently underwent an apparently much-needed renovation to the rooms and public spaces. During the off-season, it’s reasonable at $150/night. Just make sure you request a room that faces the course; otherwise, you’re overlooking the parking lot. Turn on the TV in the room and up pops a documentary on Arnie’s famed career. The service in the lodge, restaurants and course were very good and better than expected.
Friday we played at Grand Cypress – New, Jack’s homage to the The Old Course. This was the one round that was up-in-the air until the week before the trip. I was leaning toward Sugarloaf Mountain or Southern Dunes thanks to the recommendations provided by the board. But, I decided on the New course as I anticipated that my dad would appreciate something “unique.” And he loved it. It’s his new definition of a “fun play.”
On Sunday, we had an early tee time at Bay Hill and were incidentally paired with another father-son who were on their own annual trip. Bay Hill also requires resort guests to have a forecaddie, and ours (Daniel) was quite good.
I joined the two-some playing from the yellow tees (6,437 yards) while my dad moved up to the “red” tees (5,788 yards) after reassurance that it was a misnomer: they weren’t in effect the women’s tees; rather, those were confusingly called the white tees.
All in all, Bay Hill is a tough but fair challenge. Good shots are rewarded and poor shots are appropriately penalized. Plentiful water hazards (half the holes), deep bunkers, unfriendly Bermuda rough eagerly await misses.
The routing is not inspired. There’s lots of repetition in holes routed counter-clockwise around large lakes. As a result, there are too many examples of water on the left side of a green. There’s also the opportunity to experience déjà vu in playing #3 and #11 – a pair of par 4s with water all left, bunkers on the outside of the dogleg and a bunker fronting the green. The yardages are even similar:
#3: 434 / 406 / 371
#11: 438 / 409 / 396
Though, moving away from the lakes, the inland holes – particularly #1, #9, #10, #15 – are simply mundane.
The green complexes are interesting, strong and demanding. The greenside bunkers are also quite intimidating, raised to the edge of the greens and packed with soft, white sand.
The course itself was in pristine shape and conditioning was very good, though the greens were a tad slow.
All that being said, I did enjoy playing it but wouldn’t rush back. Well, maybe if I was ensured to meet Arnie. Unfortunately, we missed him that weekend.
A few photos …
Putting green at dusk RangeCourse map#1 (461 / 438 / 416) #2 (231 / 220 / 200)#3 (434 / 406 / 371) Small home off #3 fairway#4 (561 / 491 / 461)#5 (390 / 366 / 350)#6 (555 / 528 / 493)Fairway
#6 approach #6 green#7 (199 / 184 / 159)#7 green, left#7 green, behind#8 (460 / 408 / 371)#9 (474 / 446 / 410) #10 (400 / 383 / 360)LZ
#10 green#11 (438/ 409/ 396)#12 (574 / 562 / 536)#13 (370 / 356 / 335)#14 (215 / 179 / 161)#14 green (my ball in the bunker; “it spun off the lip of the cup on the fly,” claimed the caddie…)
#15 (429 / 415 / 392)#16 (511 / 490 / 457)The most obtrusive housing on the course; very good rebuilt green complex, though.
#17 (221 / 177 / 166)The beach bunker tripled in size with a renovation in 2009.
#18 (458 / 437 / 403)Robert Gamez plate commemorating his holing out from 176 yards with a 7 iron to win in 1990.
#18 approach, rightBlue Heron watching over #18 green Father & son