FL trip courses

[Ivan Lipko]

Don't really know how to name this thread...  
I'll be in FL end of the month. This time the goal is to play as many tour courses as possible. The list includes the following: Blu Monster, PGA National Champion, Innisbrook Copperhead, Bay Hill, Reunion Watson.
Where would you place those on the Doak Scale or for instance on your personal scale of 1-10 ( 1-worst possible course, 10 - architectural masterpiece providing a life changing experience)?

[Mark Saltzman]

Doral (4)

PGA National (6)

Innisbrook (6)

Bay Hill (4)

Haven't played reunion.   Unless you really just want to play 'tour' courses, there are better courses in each area than the ones you've chosen.

[Ivan Lipko]

Thanks, I know. Would you be so kind to name a few of the better options in the WPB/ Miami area?

[Mark Saltzman]

I played Crandon near Miami last week. Worth a play but a bit pricey. My review: http://onegolferstravels.blogspot.com/2012/01/crandon-golf-course-review.html

Also definitely worth playing is Donald Ross' Biltmore about 20 minutes from Miami. Some good deals to be had on Golfnow, too. My review: http://onegolferstravels.blogspot.com/2011/12/biltmore-resort.html

As an international, I suspect you would have some success with access to some private courses in the area, if you wanted to go that route.  Many clubs are somewhat restricted with outside play as this is their busy season, but a few to consider that may be a bit more welcoming:

http://www.rivieracountryclub.org/ - a Ross that is reasonably close.  No personal experience but I have heard good things.

http://www.coralridgecc.com/ - RTJ Sr's home course.  Really interesting set of greens.

http://www.delraydunes.org/ - A very early Pete Dye.  Worth seeing for any architecture junkie


I cannot, in good conscience, recommend the Doral courses.  Always fun to play a course you see on TV, but at the price they charge I cannot justify recommending it.

Other options:

http://www.golfjacaranda.com/ West - DO NOT PLAY THE EAST - Was a boring RTJ Sr. design, but the Bobby Weed renovation has made it a very enjoyable golf course.

I have heard good things about http://www.golfcolonywest.com/.  Ditto http://www.hillcrestgcc.com/index.php

A bit farther away I really enjoyed:

West Palm Beach GC: http://onegolferstravels.blogspot.com/2012/01/west-palm-beach-golf-club-review.html -- At $24 on EZLinks.com it is one of the best values anywhere.  Recent restoration has made it very interesting.

http://www.presidentcc.com/ is a recently renovated RTJ Jr. course that has a great set of greens.

http://npbcc.org/ renovated by Nicklaus 5 years ago.  Hillier terrain than most FL golf.  Extreme greens -- love it or hate it kind of thing.

http://madisongreengolf.com/ - A CCFAD.  Better than average but not great.

[Ivan Lipko]

Thank you, that is really helpful. I absolutely love Ross's courses so will definitely try Biltmore.

[Anders Rytter]

Played Biltmore, Crandon and Hillcrest. Biltmore and Crandon clearly the better of the three.

[Howard Riefs]

If you're already planning to be in Tampa and Orlando, I highly recommend you venture to Brooksville to play both courses at World Woods (http://www.worldwoods.com/). It's only 45 miles north of Innisbrook and has two of the top public courses in the state.

[Ivan Lipko]

Have played both several times. Really, really like Rolling Oaks; absolutely LOVE PB - this one definitely makes my TOP10 - for me it is better than the Harbor Town and dare I say TPC Sawgrass.
Anyways, thank you for the recommendation.

[Ivan Lipko]

Hello, dear sirs!

I have just finished playing4 courses and the Copperhead is head and shoulders above the rest (Doral, PGA National and Bay Hill) in my humbled opinion.

Do you think it can make a TOP100 World or at least TOP100 US? The design is great and visually inspiring. I really felt like i could play 18 more the same day which really happens rarely to me. Had that much fun on it!

[cary lichtenstein]

It was in the top 100 Golf Digest at one time

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