The Best 18 at Streamsong
In this post, I will attempt to identify the best 18 holes among the three excellent courses at the Streamsong Resort in Bowling Green, Florida. I will do this by comparing each hole against the same numbered hole on each course. For example, the first hole on Coore & Crenshaw’s Red vs. the first hole on Tom Doak’s Blue vs. the first on Gil Hanse’s Black. This system is not perfect, but it’s fun. It may not be fair to compare a long par four with a short par three. I will start by comparing the adjoining Red and Blue to find the best 18 holes on the Red/Blue property. Then, I will compare the best holes on Red/Blue to the same numbered holes on the Black. I have played each of the Streamsong courses more than ten times. The Red and Blue courses are very closely ranked in my mind and practically tied with a slight lean towards Blue. Black is the more controversial of the three courses, with some of the biggest greens in the world; some are just too big; 100 plus foot putts are routine; some can be 200 feet. The flatter Black property is also not as interesting as the Red/Blue property, which were built over big dunes reminiscent of Ireland. With all of that understood, let’s begin.
Red/Blue1. Red one is a gorgeous, long par four that is well bunkered. There is water on both sides of the fairway. It’s a tough opener. Blue one is more of a strategy hole. The tee shot is from the top of a tall dune. It’s a short par 4 with a beautiful green and great bunkering. My vote is Blue.
2. The Red second hole has the better tee shot, over a beautiful pond, but is a relatively straightforward hole after that. The second hole on Blue has more options on the approach and the more interesting green. My vote goes to Blue.[/font][/size]
3. This one is tough. Red 3 and Blue 3 are both great holes. Red 3 has a beautiful tee shot over water and then a great natural green with a bunker that looks close to green, but is actually about 20 yards short of the green. Blue 3 has a beautiful tee shot over water and shares similarities to the cape template. It is also a great hole but Red’s 3rd hole is simply better. My vote goes to Red.[/font][/size]
4. Red 4 is an interesting short par 4, but the Blue is superior in terms of shotmaking diversity and the challenge of hitting to a bunkered elevated green perched on the top of a hill. This hole can be a short iron downwind and a hybrid or wood into the wind. My vote is Blue.
5. The 5th hole on Red is a nice short dogleg along the water, but the Blue hole is a world class par three. It reminds me of “Short” at National Golf Links. My vote is Blue.
6. The 6th on Red is a nice little “connector hole” par three. The Blue is a short par 4 that is world class, with a bunker in the middle of the fairway and many options when approaching the green, including a low running shot. It also helps that the hole is gorgeous, with a beautiful dune behind the green. It looks like a hole in Ireland. My vote goes to the Blue.[/font][/size]
7. This one’s tough, the Blue hole is a spectacular par 3 across the water. It is the hole that is often in ads for Streamsong. But Red 7 is a fantastic par 5 running along water with a dune blocking the approach into the green. The Red simply has more options and is a superior hole, although this is an example of where comparing a par 3 to a par 5 may be biased in favor of the longer hole. My vote is Red.[/font][/size]
8. Red 8 is a short “connector hole,” while the 8th on Blue is a fantastic par four with a great tee shot around a bunker in the middle of the fairway, risk reward style. My vote goes to Blue.[/font][/size]
9. The 9th on Blue is a good par 5 with a great tee shot up a hill and over bunkers. The 9th on Red is a short driveable par four. The Red 9th hole has more options and has a tougher green. My vote goes to Red.[/font][/size]
10. The 10th on Blue is a short “connector hole” par 3. The 10th on Red is a good par four with a great sloping green. My vote goes to Red.[/font][/size]
11. This is a hard one, Red 11 is a great hole with many options. It is well bunkered and plays difficult up a hill. Blue 11 is a great longish par 4 with one of the best greens on the property. It looks like the Old Course with much undulation in the fairway, but still fairly flat. This one’s close, but my vote is Blue.
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12. Another close one, Red 12 is a beautiful dogleg left par 4. With a speed slot and a tricky and large green. The Blue 12th is a fantastic hole, it’s downhill and then uphill over a pond, to a tough sloping green. My vote is Blue.
13. The 13th on Blue is a good short par 4 with many options. It is drivable for some depending on the wind, the green sits on top of a bunkered dune. The 13th on Red is a longish par 5 with a large dune protecting the green. Shots must be hit over the dune to hit the green in two. It has more options and is a more memorable hole for me. My vote is Red.
14. Again a close one, Blue 14 is a good par five over water up a hill with many options. But the 14th on Red is a stellar par three. The green is perched on a dune and is a great natural looking hole. This could go either way, and I might get some pushback for this, but my vote is Red.
15. The 15th on Blue is superb. It’s a great hole with an interesting green complex that can be approached in many ways. The Red is a beast, straight uphill par 4. Protected by a natural looking bunker on the left side of the fairway and bunkers on the right. It has a tricky green complex and is the hardest hole on the whole property in my mind. This is another signature hole at Streamsong. My vote is Red.[/font][/size]
16. The 16th on Blue is a nice longish par 3 up a hill with a green that feeds right to left. The 16th on Red is a beautiful Biarritz hole — probably on a par with the great 9th hole at Yale. The tee shot is scary with a large body of water in front of the green and a big dune on the right. There is a runoff area to the left for the less courageous. This is a world class par 3. My vote is Red. [/font][/size]
17. The 17th on Red is a nice short par 4 with great fairway bunkering. The 17th on Blue is a beast. It’s a long, and I mean long par five. From the tips it plays 690 yards, it’s downhill and then uphill and has cross bunkers in the fairway reminiscent of the 5th hole on Bethpage Black. My vote is Blue. [/font][/size]
18. Both finishing holes are great on Red and Blue. The Red is a nice par 5 running along a beautiful sand dune. The Blue is also stunning, uphill and then downhill with a large undulating fairway running towards the Red/Blue clubhouse. The Blue par-4 finisher has a better piece of property making it a better hole. My vote is Blue.[/font][/size]
Now for my final ranking of the Best 18 at Streamsong, this time including the newer Black course.[/font][/size]
1. Blue
2. Black (great hole up a steep hill, beats out the Red/Blue No. 2).
3. Red
4. Blue
5. Blue
6. Blue
7. Red
8. Blue
9. Red (the punchbowl green on Black 9th is massive, but not in a good way; the 16th at National beats it hand’s down).
10. Black (The 10th on Black is a great par 5 with plenty of options and lots of sand).
11. Blue (This one’s close as the Black’s 11th is also fantastic, but I prefer the Blue’s Old Course feel)
12. Blue
13. Red
14. Red
15. Red
16. Red
17. Blue (I like the Black 17th but the 17th on Blue is a world-class hole).
18. Blue
The Red/Blue share the better property, and that’s why more holes on Red/Blue win than on the Black. Streamsong is a great golf destination, and I highly recommend it. Also I welcome those who have also played Streamsong to provide their own rankings if they wish below this post.