|
Spring
is the perfect time for golfers to get back into their game. And
Florida is the perfect place, thanks to its 1,300+ courses – more
than any other destination in the world. In this issue, we head to
Central Florida's Polk County to check out the beautiful fairways,
well-bunkered greens and challenging layouts of two famous area
courses.
Central
Florida in Full Bloom
Golf
Central
Step
up to the plate and experience some of Central Florida's most
challenging fairways, Major League-style
by
Doug Kelly
|
|
|
|
At Eaglebrooke, every hole reflects the beauty of
Florida's resources with a challenging flair
|
|
I spent most of the day watching balls being whacked by the
Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians. It certainly was exciting, but
no one cheered, I didn't see a soul selling peanuts and Cracker
Jacks, and not a hint of organ music could be heard.
Then
again, this "ballpark" was all about golf balls, not
baseballs. I teed it up in the 12th Annual Major League Scramble for
two reasons: To get a chance to hang out with the Boys of Summer, and
to finally swing my clubs on a course I'd been hoping to play for
years – The Club at Eaglebrooke in the Central Florida city of
Lakeland.
To see what I mean about how good this layout really
is, check out a few select holes as I played them:
Hole 6. Ah yes,
this gorgeous par three has the beauty of Spanish moss trees, a
lovely bass-filled pond and sunny skies, and I hit a rotten 5-iron
that flew the green. Nice chip, but my putter didn't behave on a
four-footer.
Hole 10. It's a
par five with water all along the right side and a well-bunkered
green. Gorillas can bite off the corner, but being more of a
chimpanzee, I opted left of center to keep dry. A nice 3-iron left a
short pitch and two putts for an easy par.
Hole 13. A short par four, maybe, but the
drive's landing area is an island with water left, right, short and
long – to a green that's a peninsula. I hooked left into the
water, dropped a ball and hit a career 8-iron inches from the cup.
Just a routine par!
|
|
|
|
Southern Dunes has been ranked Florida's sixth
best course
|
|
Designed by Ron Garl, The Club at Eaglebrooke reflects the
beauty of Florida's natural resources with every hole, plus it has
some challenging flair. The course is fair, beautiful and a joy to
play.
Getting a taste of The Club at Eaglebrooke whetted my
appetite for another course in the area: Haines City's Southern Dunes
Golf & Country Club, with its 4-1/2-star rating by Golf Digest
and Golfweek designating it the state's sixth best course. And I
wasn't a bit disappointed.
"We've got 183 bunkers,"
said Kevin Woodard, the head pro, and that leaves little doubt as to
why the word "dunes" is part of its title.
You'll
love the greens at Southern Dunes – they're quite remarkable,
featuring huge undulations (especially the 6th and 16th holes). Built
upon the rich soil of a former orange grove, course architect Steve
Smyers must have studied desert warfare, because the sweep and angles
of the fairways through the bunkers is absolutely brilliant. And
formidable, per the following examples:
Hole 3. After two
easy starters, this one slaps you awake. A par three that's 235
yards with mega-bunkers right, left and in front. My 3-iron dived
into the left bunker, left it in again and then spanked it 12 feet
for a one-putt bogey.
Hole 7. A dogleg
left that leaves a severe uphill approach shot that's more akin to a
mountain course. I looked up on the drive and caught half the ball,
sending the sorry spheroid into a (what else?) bunker. A good shot
fell just off the edge of the green for a two-putt par.
|
|
|
|
Central Florida is an ideal place to up your game
|
|
Hole 11. A zillion fairway bunkers but most players will fly
them with a 4 or 5 iron to this par three's green. Don't hit it over
as the back mound of the green drops at a steep angle. My 5-iron
went so far left I stayed in the cart and watched Kevin putt out.
Take my word for it: If you're planning a golfing vacation or can
get away just for a couple of days, put The Club at Eaglebrooke and
Southern Dunes on the itinerary – like me, you'll be back for
more.
Make Contact... and Go!
Take
everything you know and love about Florida golf – lush courses,
abundant wildlife and year-round sunshine – and learn how Central
Florida's Polk County fits the bill.
The area boasts more than
30 golf courses offering 500-plus holes of golf. Here you'll find
historic courses designed by the game's greatest architects,
impeccably manicured resort tracks and some of the state's top-rated
championship layouts.
To find out more about Central Florida
courses, go to www.visitcentralflorida.org
and click "Things to Do." Select the "Golf" link
to find information on specific course offerings, club rentals,
lessons, driving ranges and even USGA ratings.
|
