[Rob_Waldron]

I have heard that several new courses have opened in Florida during the past year. These include:

Ritz Carlton GC - Orlando
Walkabout G & CC - Mims
Eagle Dunes GC - Sorrento
Venetian G & RC - N. Venice
Shigle Creek - Orlando
Grand Pines - Orlando

I would appreciate any information or feedback about these courses or any other new courses from those of you who have had the opportunity to them. Thanks

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Rob:
I will be playing Venetian in Venice and Old Orange in Ft. Myers later this month and will report thereafter.

Steve

[grandwazo]

I will be playing the new Ritz Carlton course, Grande Pines and Isleworth the first week of February.  I'll be happy to let you know what I find.

I have a friend who just came back from a week playing Old Marsh, Loxahatchee, Seminole, Mirasol Fazio and the new Ritz course in Palm Beach and found them all to be in superb condition.  I was thinking about the thread here recently downgrading Florida golf when he was describing to me in detail the 7 rounds he played in 8 days and how many other states such a golf experience could be attained in.  

Of course he was telling me about his little trip while I was beating him on our home course in 50 degree sunny weather during my 3rd round of play since October and his 20th.  

[Joel_Stewart]

Ray Floyd has a new course called Old Palm in Palm Beach but I am not sure if its open yet.

[cary lichtenstein]

Old Palm will not open for about a year

[Daryl "Turboe" Boe]

On a recent trip down to FL, I got a chance to get out to the Ritz Carlton - Orlando, which was good as you can imagine.

I also got out to the brand new Shingle Creek GC (just opened the week before) which was a surprise as I it was right there in civilization (very near the Orlando Convention Center), and I had not heard anything of it ahead of time.

I also got done working over in Titusville area one day to get out and ride around Walkabout (didnt have enough time to play and I wanted to see all 18 holes before dark).  I was quite impressed, I had not heard much about it, I just knew it seemed to go through unending delays before it finally opened.  I didnt know if they were financial, environmental or what, but the final product is good.

In addition to the ones mentioned above, there are two new courses opening south of Orlando on the same exit as Champions Gate.  I think the development is called Reunion, and they have two courses opening soon.  A Palmer course, and I think a Tom Watson course.  They are currently playing 9 holes of each as a composite 18 hole course until the other 9's are open.

I have heard that Palmers group (I think) has also come in and added 9 holes to an existing older 9 hole facility up near the FL/GA border aroud Ameila Island area.  I am not sure but I think I heard the name is like White Pines, or something like that?

[Andy Silis]

Turboe!

Is Shingle Creek the old International that was redone by ( I believe ) Steve Smyers? It's just down International Dr. across from the Marriott Faldo institute. Did you get a chance to play it? Your thoughts? I'll be down there end of Jan. for the PGA Show.

Thanks,
             Andy Silis

[grandwazo]

Andy,
You're thinking of Grande Pines.
Jeff

[Daryl "Turboe" Boe]

Andy,

As Jeff said, this Shingle Creek I think is brand new property.  It is a decent golf course, nothing earthshattering architecturally, but decent.  It is on a dead flat piece of ground, and has a coupe of holes that run along the Bee Line Tollway.  It is a good golf course, and I think will do OK in the Orlando public market, but what Shingle Creek really has going for it is that it is right behind the Orlando Convention Center.  I mean RIGHT behind the new annex section (which is on the other side of I-Drive from the original area).  You can get there by either taking a back road from I drive, or getting on the Beeline and getting off the new exit just to the east of I-drive (I cannot remember the name), and the course is just north of the Beeline.

The Smyers redo of the Mariott Course you are talking about I think might be called Grande Pines as Jeff mentioned.  I saw it but it was not open to play it.  I stayed at a friends timeshare right there at the Mariott Grande Harbor so I got to see the course every day.  It looks like it is going to be interesting.  I think it is scheduled to open this spring.

[cary lichtenstein]

The Tom Fazio course at Mirasol  is open for play. The Honda Classic is home there for 5 years.

[Andy Silis]

Turboe!------Thanks! Got on their website, and you're right. Dead flat property and a design with minor interest at best ( based on their website pictures ) That close to the convention center though it should get major play. Having played the overpriced and just OK Joe Lee "Original International" I am looking forward at some point to seeing what an architect as good as Steve Smyers has created there!

Andy Silis

[yogi_barry]

The Palmer project near the FL/GA border is White Oak Plantation - the former private enclave of Henry Gilman.

Reunion is good - IMO the Watson 9 is superior.  Construction is underway on the Nicklaus Course.  It will eventually have 18's by Watson, Nicklaus & Palmer.

Amelia National - just west of Amelia Island is a new Fazio - currently under construction.  It's part of a real estate community, but without the conventional intrusion of homes and streets.  It's going to open late this year/early next year and may be quite good.

[John_Cullum]

White Oak Plantation? I heard of a course in that area owned by the one of the paper companies that was exclusively for the owners use. I heard they had african game roaming about the property. Is this the same course?

[John_Conley]

Ritz Carlton course, called Grande Lakes, is better than I thought it would be.  I really like Walkabout.  Eagle Dunes is great; a real low-end gem.  (Mike Dasher has done three nice courses in our area.)

Will play Grande Pines - the old International - this weekend.  Opened January 2004.  Shingle Creek opened December 2003 and I have not yet played it.  Looks flat and nondescript from the road.  I have heard it is fair.

JOHN

P.S.  As mentioned, Reunion is playble.  Hard to gain access.  The Watson course is really special.

[Rob_Waldron]

Does anyone know if Smyer's new and improved Isleworth has re-opened? I understand that this was not just a renovation, but a completely new course. What is  the poop?

[John_Conley]

Rob:

Isleworth has reopened.  I have talked to two people that have played it.  Long.  Not sure if there was much rerouting.  Greens were elevated and it was regrassed, but I think it uses the same corridors.

[yogi_barry]

Sarge,

Yes, that is the White Oak Plantation you are familiar with - owned by the late Howard Gilman of the Gilman Paper Company.  

The site is located on the St. Mary's River, with views across to Georgia.  I know little about what is planned - or what will become of the property, but I'm assuming it is still in the control of the Gilman Foundation.  

[John_Cullum]

Steve
I just read an article about White Oak today. It is an original 9 hole design and Palmer is adding 18 more. It is being opened up to memberships by invitation at $125000 individual and 150k corporate.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

I played and have practiced at the Ritz Carleton course a lot. I really do not think the course itself is very strong. I love the facilty and the practice area. There is a run of good holes early in the back nine. I found the par 5's to be very average to poor and the par 3's to be not very imaginative as well. I wrote about it a few months back. I would play there again and love to hang out there because of the high quality of service. But I would not tell someoen to make a special trip there. I did not think it was in the Lake Nona class at all.

[John_Conley]

John:

Congrats to the Tigers.  That's great.  Now on to Grande Lakes.... is the course better than you thought it would be?  I was impressed, but must admit that my expectations weren't real high.  I don't care for Lake Nona, so your comparison to that misses the point with me.

Playing Grande Pines Saturday.

[Rob_Waldron]

I just spoke to the GM at Eagle Creek who told me the course is expected to open for play in mid-February. This Ron Garl design is located near the Orlando Airport. Eagle Creek will be a high end daily fee course adjacent to a residential development. The website is: http://www.eaglecreekgolf.info/

[John_Conley]

Rob:

You must have talked to Gary.  I spoke with him once and asked what to wear.  A course in Florida designed by Garl, a Florida architect.  There's also a U.K. architect to give it a Scottish flair.  And the clubhouse?  New England style Colonial or something like that.  Talk about a mottled pedigree!

[A_Clay_Man]

Who knows about Skyview?
or Terry Legree(sp?)

[Mike Benham]

I played the Couples/Bates course, Southwood, up north in Tallahassee in December.  Good mix of short and long par 4's, a few cross bunkers and some nice green complexes ... it is the best course that I have played in the Tally area.

Mike

[Daryl "Turboe" Boe]

I just spoke to the GM at Eagle Creek who told me the course is expected to open for play in mid-February. This Ron Garl design is located near the Orlando Airport. Eagle Creek will be a high end daily fee course adjacent to a residential development. The website is: http://www.eaglecreekgolf.info/

Man I cant believe I totally forgot about Eagle Creek.  When I was down in FL in December we drove out by the property and talked with someone in the sales office.  They told us the same thing you stated above.  It looks like an interesting layout from the topo map they have in the office, but it appears that it will eventually be pretty much completely surrounded by houses, and some office complexes in a planned community.  So it might be at its best when it is young and still relatively undeveloped.

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