Could someone tell me the deal with Sugarloaf Mountain?

[Brad Tufts]

I received a FL golf weekend for xmas from my brother, and was considering incorporating a round at Sugarloaf Mountain for me and two others.

What is their deal regarding stay and play, or just regular play?

Is there a presentation or tour required?

Thanks!

[Joe Hancock]

866-936-4455

They have a link on their website as well re stay and play.

http://www.themountain.cc/stayplayexperience2008.asp

Joe

[Mike Demetriou]

Brad, I was there in November - we simply called up a week prior and booked a tee time.  I loved the course, but it has some problems with the consistency of the greens. One of the grounds crew told me that they have aluminum, or some other metal in the soil there, which makes growing grass difficult. Some of the greens were in terrific shape, and some were just a disaster, but the course is essentially brand new, so you have to cut them some slack.

Forgetting conditions for a moment, it was a wonderful course to play, though it seemed like they wouldn't let you walk, and I'm not sure it is really very walkable anyway.  Has a couple of forced carries, which are unusual to see on a C&C layout, but overall I thought it was a wonderfully designed course.

I'm curious to hear what others on this site think of the layout.

[Brad Tufts]

Thanks guys!

[Kenny Baer]

Was there a week ago; cost me $27 and I didn't have to take a tour; I am sure that is not normal though.

I was able to walk without a problem; in fact the pro told me the course was meant to be walked.

Great layout that conditioning is just so so...

[Cliff Hamm]

Called a few days ago.  Told $109 before 11; $99 from 11 until 2; and $49 after 2.  Tee times 7 days in advance.  From the website I too thought a tour might be required but it is not.  Hoping to play in February along with Deltona....Kenny, how poor was the conditioning?

[Brian Cenci]

So is the concensous that the greens are in bad shape?  Compared to a muni in bad shape or compared to the local country club in bad shape?

[John Mayhugh]

I played Sugarloaf for the first (and only) time in late December.  The greens had been top-dressed fairly recently and there were rough spots on some, but I wouldn't call them a disaster especially given the newness of the course.  While the greens were somewhat slow, it's not like they were really patchy. The rough spots I saw were mostly around the collars and didn't affect play.  Aesthetics would be the only issue.

I look forward to playing Sugarloaf again.  It's great to see a course like that in Florida. 

[Jonathan Cummings]

Sugarloaf about 90 minute drive from JAX airport??

Thanks,
JC

[Sam Morrow]

Sugarloaf about 90 minute drive from JAX airport??

Thanks,
JC

I thought is was closer to Orlando?

[Doug Sobieski]

Sugarloaf about 90 minute drive from JAX airport??

Thanks,
JC

JC:

Closer to three. You are talking about 2.5 hours to Orlando, and about 30 minutes more out west to Sugarloaf with minimal traffic.

Regards,

Doug

[David_Madison]

I played the course the last week of December. The course was in very good shape, especially for such being so new. For the most part the greens were fine, although there were a few areas along some edges that had been patched or otherwise looked pretty rough. The greens were not terribly fast, but not deathly slow either, consistent and smooth enough that you could certainly make putts and still had to be careful on downhill putts not to let the ball get away. From what I could tell the course was open to the public. Definitely worth playing, a very enjoyable golfing experience for my 16-year old son and myself.

[Andy Doyle]

My March Orlando group trip books through GolfPac.  They booked us a 36-hole day at Sugarloaf Mountain for < $100.  Can't wait to see this course.

Andy

[Mike Sweeney]

Sugarloaf about 90 minute drive from JAX airport??

Thanks,
JC

I thought is was closer to Orlando?

I think JC may have switched Deltona and Sugarloaf locations accidentally. Deltona is east of Orlando close to Daytona Beach and it may be 90+ minutes to JAX.

Both are certainly worth seeing.

[Nick Pozaric]

Im playing there next week.  Anymore updates on the course conditions?

[Brian Cenci]

Im playing there next week.  Anymore updates on the course conditions?

Nick,
     Did you get to play the course and I was wondering what you thought about the conditioning.

-Brian

[Jim Thornton]

Nick-

I spoke with a friend of mine who played SM on Thursday and in his words the condition of the greens was "terrible".  Since that would qualify as second hand information, you need to take that with grain of salt, although I will say I respect his opinion as he works in the golf industry.

Jim

[M. Shea Sweeney]

I played Suglarloaf on Thursday and the greens were fine. They aren't in their best condition, however there wasn't a putt I missed that was because of the greens. I was acctually was quite pleased with the greens.

I thought the golf course was awesome. What a fantastic routing. Very interesting holes. and finally some interesting par 3s. I am sick and tired of hitting the 190-210 shot on every par 3.

Great variety in the par 4s, a coulple centerline bunkers (9th hole) that make you think.

Two short 4's come to mind that have tough greens as the defense.

Very short walks from green to tee.

Great temp clubhouse. I think there are some of us out there that would like to see these "temp" clubhouses as permenant.

Staff was great, beers were cold and the BLT was good.

If your in ther area, go for it.

[Nick Pozaric]

I played there last Wednesday.  The greens were in very bad shape.  Many bare spots and many areas that have been resodded and worked on.  The rest of the course was in very good shape.  The homes that were talked about are at the entrance to the complex and cannot be seen from the course.  Staff was super friendly and very welcoming.  After hearing some people warning about the greens I called several days before and was told the course was in very good shape.  While I was in the golf shop I heard them telling people that they were having problems with them.  If you play out there get directions from them as Mapquest has a road on there that doesnt exist.

[Brian Cenci]

I played there last Wednesday.  The greens were in very bad shape.  Many bare spots and many areas that have been resodded and worked on.  The rest of the course was in very good shape.  The homes that were talked about are at the entrance to the complex and cannot be seen from the course.  Staff was super friendly and very welcoming.  After hearing some people warning about the greens I called several days before and was told the course was in very good shape.  While I was in the golf shop I heard them telling people that they were having problems with them.  If you play out there get directions from them as Mapquest has a road on there that doesnt exist.

Nick,
     Hypothetically if you had to pay less than $100 to play 36 holes there would you or would you play somewhere else?  From the posts it is definetly mixed reviews.  The reason I am inquiring is I am stuck in Michigan and in my 3 days down in Florida at the beginning of March I don't want to waist a whole day on a course with bumby greens and such.  Let me know what you think.

-Brian

[jeffwarne]

Brian,
I played there Thursday. the greens putt fine even if not in great health.
No doubt they are a bit thin , but they weren't bumpy.
They were brown also, but I'd say partly as a function of no overseeding and some recent cold weather-.
Had they overseeded, you wouldn't even notice until May(unless you were a super)

There's so much garbage in Florida, I'd play there again even if they were bumpy (which i didn't think they were)
More variety in the 4 par 3's than the other 3 courses I played combined (which are highly regarded here)

Played moments after a huge hour long downpour-still firm and fast.
Excelllent course and pretty area of Florida.

[Brian Cenci]

Well now I am really flustered.  It sounds like they may look bad but perform alright.

[Bryan Izatt]

Played today for $49 starting at 3:30 and finishing in 2 and 3/4 hours.  There wasn't a lot of traffic.  Access was no problem;  I think they're happy if anyone comes out.

As to the conditions, the fairways and tees are dormant and quite brown, hard and fast.  Very playable if you don't mind the color.  It kind of reminded me of Apache Stronghold.  The greens were, well, different.  By my count there were two that were partially resodded on the front and maybe five more on the back.  Only a couple, 11 and 16 were really bad.  They were top dressing the greens today; very heavy top dressing; it looked like very coarse grained white sand that was being applied by a large rotary spreader.  The effect was a look like heavy frost that tracked like frost.  You could read the lines from previous player's putts.  The ball bobbled quite a bit on the top dressing, so I couldn't say they putted OK.

The guy working the shop, and the bar, and the backshop, was apologetic about the greens and blamed aluminum in the soil for causing the grass to die.  It wasn't clear if the super had figured out a fix yet.  Any of the supers have any idea what this aluminum issue would be about and how to fix it?

Some pictures below.  The first showing the tracking.  The second, some peripheral resodding.  And, the third, a section of the 16th green that was stripped (hopefully for resodding).