Mountain Lake?

[Mike Sweeney]

Ken it is a great redan. that is not the prevailing wind. I still like it no matter the conditions unless I am in the front left  trap or for that matter the right trap. It is a tough up and down on a great hole.

That photo is probably 8 years ago and that little kid is now 6'2" tall !

That was the season after three summer hurricanes. Someone needs to updates this course review as the back got lost when Ran transferred to the new platform:

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/in-my-opinion/mike-sweeney-blending-old-and-new-in-renovating-a-classic/

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Mike somehow 5 is in the picture. Ii had a hole and one there so nice picture. Your redan pictures are wonderful though in the writeup. I am homesick to see this wonderful course.

[Mike Sweeney]

Mike somehow 5 is in the picture. Ii had a hole and one there so nice picture. Your redan pictures are wonderful though in the writeup. I am homesick to see this wonderful course.

Oops, too much hoops watching, here we go via John Mayhugh:

[J_ Crisham]

Mike as pretty as John's picture is of #11, it fails to show how severe the left bunker is. We had 3 balls in it and noone got within 8 feet of the front right pin placement. Not sure if I have seen a better set of par 3s on the 6 Rayner courses I've played. Very nice place to grow old! Last Sunday the greens were running an easy 12 plus.

[Howard Riefs]

Bill, Ken --

Thanks for he detailed insight on the course. Definitely sounds like a special lace.

I'm hoping to get another few cracks at 11 and the rest of the course.  It's worth a special trip especially with such a famous neighbor about to open up this fall!

Ken

Perfect idea.

[Sam Morrow]

Looking at pictures this seems like one of the coolest courses anywhere, how far is the drive from the airport in Orlando?

[John Mayhugh]

Mike as pretty as John's picture is of #11, it fails to show how severe the left bunker is. We had 3 balls in it and noone got within 8 feet of the front right pin placement. Not sure if I have seen a better set of par 3s on the 6 Rayner courses I've played. Very nice place to grow old! Last Sunday the greens were running an easy 12 plus.

Best bet is to hit it way past the hole and let the slope bring it back. Well, actually best bet is to use the slope on your tee shot!

[Mark Hissey]

Brad Klein and I had an absolutely stellar day there at the end of January. 17 holes in three hours and it wasn't rushed at all.

I highly recommend it to anyone.

[Ken Fry]

Ken it is a great redan. that is not the prevailing wind. I still like it no matter the conditions unless I am in the front left  trap or for that matter the right trap. It is a tough up and down on a great hole.

Tiger,

Why is this viewed as such a great hole?  This is the first redan style hole I've played with such a severe drop from tee to green.  Don't you view that as hampering what many perceive as "the proper strategy" to play the hole?  Each day we played it, the wind was directly into our faces.  That's not the prevailing wind direction?

I'll also echo Jack's comment about Mike's photo of the 11th green.  The face of that left bunker is about 10 feet high.  That is one heck of a climb to splash out to the putting surface!!

Ken

[Bill_McBride]

Looking at pictures this seems like one of the coolest courses anywhere, how far is the drive from the airport in Orlando?

About an hour IIRC.

[Tom_Doak]

I was surprised to hear that Mountain Lake is working out some sort of reciprocal arrangement with Streamsong.  [They're about 45 minutes apart -- maybe less if you knew all the back roads.]

[Howard Riefs]

I was surprised to hear that Mountain Lake is working out some sort of reciprocal arrangement with Streamsong.  [They're about 45 minutes apart -- maybe less if you knew all the back roads.]

Very interesting. Hopefully, this takes effect in conjunction with Streamsong's opening.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Tom I am surprised to hear that as well. I would think they are after complete opposite ends of the spectrum. and as you noted not exactly close to each other in real life terms. Bill, I love the downhill version as well as knowing exactly where to go and where not to go. The traps are bad news and one must take that into consideration if one wants to challenge the pins in certain locations. Regardless of wind the hole plays as a redan should and the ball feeds beautifully through the green and makes for very exciting moments. As Sweeney knows, this was the hole on my second pass where I asked him about what the membership deal was.

[Nigel Islam]

Ross was apparently there after Raynor

what info do you have for the date of the Ros 9??


excerpt from: THE HIGHLANDER (newspaper)                 ($2.00 per year)

January, 14, 1925
TOWN WILL HAVE  SPORTY COURSE  FOR GOLF FANS

Laid Out by Expert Engineer, It Is Said to Be One of State’s Best
           
     What experts say will be one of the best golf courses in the state will be open to the public at Lake Wales about Jan. 17. The course is on a beautiful 200-acre rolling tract of  land just one mile from the city limits, north of and on the Hesperides  Road, and was laid out by Seth Raynor, of New York, the golf engineer who laid out the Mountain Lake, course at Lake Wales, the Piping Rock Club, the Engineer’s Club, the new Yale Club, and other big courses around New York and in Florida. The city has been fortunate in having the services of R. H. Lindeman, Mountain Lake, who built the Mountain Lake course, at its command, and the result is that the municipal course will rank with the very best in the state, and it is said to be one of the sportiest courses around.
     Excellent work has been accomplished in the last few months in getting the ground cleared, the fairway and greens established and sodded and  everything in good condition the opening day. None of the holes are  alike and none flat, so the course is a sporty one and calls for every shot in  the bag. The sixth hole is one of the best, in the course, especially its water  hazard, with 180 yards carry, making a real hole. It lies at the top of a hill, and the fairway turns on approaching hole so that there is not only a water hazard, but a change in direction to be accounted for. The fairways are in good shape and one must hit them down the middle or he will surely get into trouble.
     It is a municipal course and is open to all lovers of the sport.         
     Twelve miles of water pipe have been laid and a splendid water system installed. An attractive little clubhouse stands on a wooded knoll at the entrance of the course from Hesperides Road. All the natural beauties of the course have been preserved as far as possible and there are many fine oaks and pines on the tract, making a beautiful frame for the course and club house.
     Dave Towns, from the Paris Country Club Paris, Ill. has been head professional.

I was looking at some old Raynor posts after finding an article about Raynor designing Lake Wales Muni eventually CC, but I found this post that mentions ENGINEERS CLUB as having been designed by Raynor. That is the first I have heard about any involvement there?

[Jon Cavalier]

I played Mountain Lake in January and stayed in Colony House. Absolutely loved the place and the course. It's a 100% must for any MacRaynor fan (which includes me, so I may be biased) and for anyone who loves to see classic golf architecture and to play position-based golf. Just a wonderful place with a great vibe to it.  I recommend it to anyone heading to Orlando or Tampa and have never heard anything but positive reviews from those who have listened.