Southern Florida is not blessed with a lot of really interesting courses, unless you're into water hazards and impenetrable palmetto bushes. Venetian, designed by Chip Powell, and located near Venice, FL, certainly stands out for me. Despite the fact that it's a WCI housing development course, it looks like Powell was given a pretty free hand to create an atypical FL course.
It looks like a lot of dirt was moved to create a lot of movement in the holes and internal movement in the greens, yet it all ties together and looks to fit into the surrounds naturally. When first opened the focus was on the naming of the holes and their supposed homage to the ODG's of the golden age - Ross, Mackenzie, and Tillinghast. I don't think the homage features are necessarily very close to the original namesakes, but they are nicely integrated into the design and are for the most part more dramatic than the originals. So, you can find a valley of sin, Mackensian bunkers, Rossian greens, a dell green, a Biarritz, spectacle bunkers, a centreline bunker, a cape hole, driveable par 4's, and a so-called Elysian Field. All are tied nicely into the overall design which features relatively wide corridors on most holes that provide options for playing the hole. There are bunkerless greens and a lot of closely mown runoff areas around the green complexes to provide recovery options on missed greens. And, the greens show variety in movement, some quite dramatic without being goofy.
On the second hole, a par 5, there is a huge crossing Mackenzian bunker that dictates the strategy on the second shot.
On the 4th, a good Rossian push up green.
On the 5th, a centreline bunker with heavy eyelashes that really provides multiple options for playing the hole.
On the 9th, a so-called valley of sin, which is unlike the original, but will really get your attention. Distance control is everything.
And, on the 11th a man-sized Biarritz - the best I've seen personally.
