I'm just trying to get a feel for whether or not there is interest in a little get-together when Golden Hills reopens. I'm thinking late-November (obviously not near Turkey Day) or early-December. Football season and holidays will be taken into consideration.
Golden Hills Golf & Turf Club is an interesting place. Designed about 40 years ago - the name of the architect is not significant - the golf course boasts an excellent routing over and through pleasant, undulating terrain.
Little attention has been paid to the club in recent years, even in Central Florida. This is all about to change as an extensive update over the last two summers is about to be completed. Open Doctor Rees Jones was brought in for a pretty simple renovation, but I'm sure subsequent marketing from the club will try to play up his involvement.
I played the course in April a few days before they ground up the front nine. From appearances, Jones' task is quite easy... like putting makeup on a pretty face. The strength of the core routing of Golden Hills is evident to even a novice golfer. An upgrade of conditioning and update to tee and bunker placement was needed because of the changes in course standards over the last 40 years.
The course operates as a private club, but has accepted some daily-fee play in the past. It might be presumptuous on my part, but I reckon they'll be open to a group of two or three foursomes this fall to show off their completed project. I could just have contacted Buckzowski, Felker, and Sarge, but I'm wondering if others might also live close enough to participate. (Lurker Dr. Andriole will be called if he doesn't see this!)
For those interested in seeing something else in the area, Golden Ocala (private) is across the street and El Diablo (very affordable daily-fee) is just 20 minutes away. Both are excellent courses. Also, the Gators host South Carolina on November 13th.
If we do pull this off, no one will be required to use PoDo balls, glass-shafted Golfcraft irons, or a Ping Eye 1-iron.