Holes 10-18 of WW Rolling Oaks now up : my recent trip to Brooksville, FL

[Joe Bausch]

Here I'll post some pics with commentary from a recent trip I made with some of my buds to the Tampa area, specifically Brooksville (about an hour north of TPA).

My first round was with John Cullum at Brooksville CC.  The course was originally designed by William Mitchell, then a few years ago Bobby Weed came in and modified the back nine.  I'm not completely certain of all the details, but I think he kept some holes, then added 4 new holes involving an old limestone quarry.  Hence, the course really has an interesting feel as the two nines are fairly different.

Mitchell's front nine is lots of fun with smallish greens and I think a pretty neat Redan-like green at No 7.  Here are a pic from each hole on the front nine.

Here's the routing (and you can probably envision where some holes were taken out around the clubhouse near the top).  The 'quarry holes' are 12-14 and 17.



1.  par 4



2.  par 4



3.  par 5



4.  par 4



5.  par 3 (nice little hole with a devilish green)



6.  par 4



7.  par 5 (with a Redan-like green)



8.  par 4



9.  par 3 (another good 1 shotter with a neat green)



I'll add the back nine later, with the fascinating pics of Weed's quarry holes.

[Joe Bausch]

Here are the Weed holes:

#10:  par 4







#11:  short by yardage but plays steadily uphill par 5:







#12:  par 4 (first of the quarry holes)









#13:  par 4









#14:  par 3









#15:  par 4





#16:  par 4





#17:  par 3 in the quarry.





#18:  par 5

[Andy Hughes]

Hi Joe, thanks for posting.  I guess the obvious comparisons would be to the World Woods courses--there is a similar 'look'. Anything especially similar or dissimilar that struck you?

Where else are you playing?

[Adam Clayman]

Joe paints a favorable light on the CC, but on my recent visit there was no desire to return to the first tee after our round.

Comparing this course to World Woods? It's not even close. WW is hands down, leaps and bounds, higher, better in all aspects.

 

[Mike Cirba]

Joe,

The first quarry hole looks very cool, but that rock walled par three looks like Valhalla on acid.   

[Joe Bausch]

I also played WW (36 holes twice; I've played there many times before and obviously like it lots to keep returning) and played the Dunes at Seville.

One thing to remember though:  WW is still over 100 bucks per round, or I guess a little less than 100 when you play both courses in one day.

Brooksville CC was 31 dollars.

[Frank Sullivan]

Hey Joe!

Thanks for the great pics of Brooksville CC. 

Next time you are in the Brooksville area, you should play Southern Hills Plantation (Dye)...it is one of the best in the area IMO.

[Carl Nichols]

The quarry holes look a LOT like a Florida version of the quarry holes at Saucon Valley. 

[Joe Bausch]

Hey Joe!

Thanks for the great pics of Brooksville CC. 

Next time you are in the Brooksville area, you should play Southern Hills Plantation (Dye)...it is one of the best in the area IMO.

Frank, we tried to play at Southern Hills but apparently they won't let us northerners on the course.   

Or perhaps the only way the public can get on there is to also listen to a sales pitch for housing and my group was certainly not interested in that.

[Frank Sullivan]

Hey Joe!

Thanks for the great pics of Brooksville CC. 

Next time you are in the Brooksville area, you should play Southern Hills Plantation (Dye)...it is one of the best in the area IMO.

Frank, we tried to play at Southern Hills but apparently they won't let us northerners on the course.   

Or perhaps the only way the public can get on there is to also listen to a sales pitch for housing and my group was certainly not interested in that.

Next time you are in town, just let me know...I'll be happy to host you:)

[Andy Hughes]

"I also played WW (36 holes twice; I've played there many times before and obviously like it lots to keep returning) and played the Dunes at Seville."

Well, sounds like our trip next month is much like yours. We have 1 round at the Dunes, 2 36 hole days at WW and a round at Sugarloaf Mt.  Did the Dunes measure up in your mind?  I am eager to see it in between the WW days, and don't want the rest of the guys hollering at me!     Ready to commit to which WW course is 'better', and why?

Looking forward to the rest of your pics from the 2010 Bausch Florida Tour.

[Bill_McBride]

Joe, did anybody try to play up on the upper fairway on #12?  Would there be any advantage?

That 18th tee shot looks like Valderamma, trying to thread a driver through the cork trees!

[Joe Bausch]

"I also played WW (36 holes twice; I've played there many times before and obviously like it lots to keep returning) and played the Dunes at Seville."

Well, sounds like our trip next month is much like yours. We have 1 round at the Dunes, 2 36 hole days at WW and a round at Sugarloaf Mt.  Did the Dunes measure up in your mind?  I am eager to see it in between the WW days, and don't want the rest of the guys hollering at me!     Ready to commit to which WW course is 'better', and why?

Looking forward to the rest of your pics from the 2010 Bausch Florida Tour.

Well, I can probably predict what your group will think of Dunes at Seville.  My guys, a mixture of pretty good golfers and some older guys that are >20 handicappers now, were divided.  The better golfers liked the course, probably loved the par 3's, but found the dunes seemingly EVERYWHERE a bit tiresome.  But the bogey golfers tended to not like it, and that would be putting it kindly.  Too much sand for them, some forced carries, and for the most part elevated greens that can make the up and down game a challenge.  But I'll put extensive photos up on the Dunes sometime soon hopefully.  And I'll be curious to see what the gang here thinks of the Biarritz at the 17th.

I can honestly say that if both WW courses were conditioned the same, I would give a 10 round split 6:4 PB/RO.  It is that close for me.

However, both this trip and the one I made in March 2007 revealed the two courses not in equivalent condition.  Both times the greens at RO were inferior to those at PB.  RO greens were thin with grass in areas and simply do not roll nearly as nicely, nor as quickly, as PB.

[Joe Bausch]

Joe, did anybody try to play up on the upper fairway on #12?  Would there be any advantage?

That 18th tee shot looks like Valdemarra, trying to thread a driver through the cork trees!

Bill, yes, some of my guys played it on the upper fairway on #12.  They knew from John Cullum that there is more room up there than it appears.  Plus, it makes for some interesting options on the second shot, where you can just let the ball tumble down the last 20 yards or so onto the green if you wish..  Me, I tried to get my drives (played it twice) as far up the right side as possible.  Each time I was left with a short, but very uphill iron shot to the green.  Next time I'm there I have to try the left side.

[Joe Bausch]

FWIW:  I've been making a spring break trip to either Aunt Myrtle or the Tampa area for most every year for the past 14 years I think.  Many  years with 8 guys, and a few years 12.  None of us are really good golfers, but none are 30+ handicappers either.

In all these years we've had maybe 2 hole outs from the FW total.  Until this year:  three different guys holed out from the FW on par 4's for eagles.  For one of the guys, his first eagle ever.

Hard to believe, Harry (as Whitey Ashburn used to say).

[Joe Bausch]

Hey Joe!

Thanks for the great pics of Brooksville CC. 

Next time you are in the Brooksville area, you should play Southern Hills Plantation (Dye)...it is one of the best in the area IMO.

Frank, we tried to play at Southern Hills but apparently they won't let us northerners on the course.   

Or perhaps the only way the public can get on there is to also listen to a sales pitch for housing and my group was certainly not interested in that.

Next time you are in town, just let me know...I'll be happy to host you:)

Thanks for the offer Frank.  I will look you up, and hopefully your club could host all my guys when we come down again. 

I was also offered to play Feather Sound with another GCA member (thanks BK!), but the icky weather here in Philly made our travel the first day a long one.

[Mike Hendren]

Joe, thanks for the update.  Our goup of 8 will be checking into the  Chaz Hotel in two weeks, playing Brooksville CC off the plane, 36 at WW and a final round at Dunes.  Same group last year liked Dunes better than WW.  While I'd disagree, Dunes is underrated, particularly for the price.  I think it's really solid.

Mike

[John_Cullum]

I played 18 at Dunes on Sunday around 3:00. 2 bags of range balls, green fee and cart=$25.00

[Sean_A]

Joe

Thanks for posting.  Its good to see a guy able to adjust his expectations based on price rather than pure quality.  Its a balancing act for sure.

Ciao

[Joe Bausch]

Ok, now it is time to present the front nine at the Dunes Golf Club at Seville.

First the routing:



#1:  opening slightly uphill 533 yard par 5 from the back tees.  We started early right into the sun, so I give you a look back down the FW for the first pic.







#2:  dogleg left par 4 (441 yards).







#3:  dogleg right par 4 (408 yards).







#4:  long par 4 (478 yards).







#5:  a straightaway par 5 with interesting mounding and bunkers short and right of the green (535 yards).









#6:  the first of what I think are a nice set of par 3s (163 yards).





#7:  par 4 (444 yards) to a bunkerless green well protected with a large mound.







#8:  uphill par 3 (201 yards).





#9:  short slight dogleg left par 4 with a centerline bunker and a subtle 3-tiered green.







Back nine later (BTW:  Dunes was I think 50 bucks prime-time on a weekend).

[Tony Weiler]

I just returned (Feb. 23) from a trip to WW.  We played 36 a day, for two days, on each course.  Like Joe said, the condition of RO is not nearly as good as PB.  You can definitely tell the difference.  I enjoyed both, but I think PB is a much better course.  I liked how PB let you hit driver off almost every tee, but yet you needed to make sure you picked the right spots to get a good approach to the green.  I enjoyed the greens, but some were huge, and have a lot of slope, and contour.  If on the correct side, two putting wasn’t too bad, but if not, it was a chore.  I started out par, par, par, birdie at PB, so I thought I was the greatest ever.  It got worse, much worse, but really enjoyed it.  I had a lot of puts, but more me than the greens.  I struggled from the waste areas, but there is plenty of room to miss those!  I liked the range, but the hype may be a bit overblown.  It’s just a range, and while massive, it’s just a range!  We could only hit from one part of it, so that maybe took away some of the 360 degree feel.  Also, the two acre putting green is huge, but sort of goofy, IMHO.  I couldn’t find a flat spot on it at all.   

I also enjoyed RO, but it’s not as good a course.  Simply doesn’t have the appeal off the tee, and the greens are not as good.  A few holes that seem to just be placed on the course, to get the 9 in.  Never felt that way at PB.

Price was very reasonable.  $145 for 36, with cart, balls, and lunch.  $125 for same on weekday.  I’d go back again.  Didn’t hurt that we got 3 great days of weather, mid 70’s each day, and that wasn’t the case before we arrived. 

I wish I took better pics.  One things I’ve learned on GCA is the pics really enhance a review.  I took a few, but not worth posting. 

I’d give PB a 7 for sure.  RO, 4. 

[Ben Kodadek]

Tony,

If I recall correctly, they will be putting new greens in at RO after this season.  They desperately need it.  I believe that they have been testing a few different strains of bermuda in a couple of nurseries on the property.  Years ago, the greens on RO were superior to PB in terms of smoothness and speed.  This is not the case anymore.  It's a shame because there are some wonderful hole locations at RO that they cannot currently use because of the lack of grass. 

You were spot on when you said that you could hit driver on just about every hole.  Actually on both golf courses, there is ample room to swing away.  Especially, considering you're playing golf in FL. 

Also, agreed that the range is overhyped.  I've probably played 35 roudns at WW and seen two of the teeing locations in use.  Also, that putting green is indeed a joke.

You certainly got lucky with the weather while you were visiting.  This winter has been miserable. 

[Jim_Kennedy]

Joe,
I haven't been down to the Dunes in quite a few years, but it looks like they've cut back on grass and let more sand come into play. Great spot, thanks for the photos.


 

[John Mayhugh]

Joe,
Thanks for posting the pics.  I really wish I had made it to Brooksville CC.  That back 9 looks pretty wild.

[Adam Clayman]

Joe, Fwiw, I enjoyed the new Dunes course. Not a big fan of the stylistics in some of the feature shaping, but, Compared to some other AH's at least none if it was superfluous.

The somewhat Biaritz like green on 17 was a blast. I saw the pin both in the swale and on the front. I birdied it on the front, which according to one of the local pros, is almost impossible.
18 was also a solid hole.

The seventh green is too severe for some but I thought it cool.

As for the back nine at the CC, the holes are cool but totally disjointed from the rest of the course and a bit dangerous.