I've got a few recent DFW area course reviews to post and I'll start off with Ridgeview Ranch.

Ridgeview Ranch is convenient to where I now live and a friend and I played on a holiday for $45, so not a bad price. The pace moved fine as well. Like most courses in the area (or so it seems) Ridgeview Ranch is surrounded by homes and takes up the land that couldn't be developed. While the design grew on me as things went along I didn't find much inspiration here. Part of that is the flat terrain I'm sure. Jeff Brauer designed the course I think he did as good as he could given what he had to work with.

A couple of the wooded holes are interesting (and look/are super narrow - watch out for the 4th and 15th) but everything else is fairly wide open and shouldn't cause much worry. I think the best holes are the par-3's, including both on the front nine. One of the greens is framed by some clever mounding and the other sits just over a hazard.

Conditions were mixed with the greens full and the fairways pretty good as the area recovers from a bad spring. The bunkers need some new sand as they were thin and rocky.

The Ocala area has some good golf and I wanted to see how Lake Diamond fits with the rest of the area’s golf scene. Technically, Lake Diamond has an Ocala address, but on the map it looks closer to Silver Springs Shores! The course is fairly convenient from where my parents live in The Villages, so I didn’t have to drive all the way into Ocala.

Lake Diamond is tucked in a community which backs up against the Cross Florida Greenway (a large natural area). While the course is still a community course, the whole area seemed fairly quiet. For a lower-budget design I found Lake Diamond to be a well-done community course! Lake Diamond opened in 1998 and was designed by Miles Christian Anderson, a designer that I haven’t heard about.

The front nine is more in line with what you might expect for a Florida course. There is some housing going up and you can certainly tell that the course will play through the homes. Thankfully, the homes will be set back and a lot of the natural vegetation has remained, which adds to the look and character of Lake Diamond! There are some really pretty green complexes here.

The back nine at Lake Diamond was my favorite, highlighted by the 10th through 14th. This stretch of holes heads out to the woods that border the Cross Florida Greenway. The 10th is the most interesting of these holes, but the other holes have a nice mix of angles and require some strategy.

The 10th is a 536 yard par-5 that has some quirk to it! I know some won’t care for its design, but I thought the hole was a blast. The green is almost straight ahead from the tee boxes, but if aren’t going for it in two then you’ll need to play it as a slight double dogleg. There is a water hazard short of the green and a couple groups of trees that affect the layup. If you aren’t careful you can end up being blocked out on the third shot.

The conditions at Lake Diamond were solid for my $37 green fee. The tees, fairways and greens all had a nice, full overseed! I was able to get under some shots which is always nice. Everything looked really green, except the dormant bermuda rough. The lighting was near perfect and the course’s colors were popping!

Definitely worth a look if you live within 30 minutes!

This was more of a convenience pick for me, as it is fairly close to my family. What caught my eye about the course is that it is a Gary Koch design! Koch has done some other work in Central Florida that I thought has been decent. Plus, I like him as an announcer!

Ultimately, there isn’t a ton to highlight about Arlington Ridge! The course is a very vanilla design and the cloudy sky didn’t add much luster on the day I played. Homes surround most of the holes and it seems the builder bulldozed everything and plopped the course in the middle of the development. If you’ve never played here I certainly wouldn’t go in expecting an elaborate routing.

While playing the course I kept thinking that some things could have been done to make it present better visually. Who knows, maybe leave a few more trees or create some sandy waste areas that snake back and forth!

If you can overlook Arlington Ridge’s average layout I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how the course plays. Koch did a nice job to design a wide and playable member’s-type golf course. There is very little trouble until you get to the 9th hole.

The 5th is probably the most interesting hole here. It is a 446 yard par-4 that plays along the edge of the property. Therefore, one side of the hole has a nice, wooded look it. The 5th also has a large oak tree that guards the right side. I drove it right and just decided to hit a 9-iron down the fairway! I ended up making par from 100 yards but hitting the fairway here will help a lot.

The conditions at Arlington Ridge were mixed with the fairways and tees mostly in nice shape. The overseed was functional and playable, but the lies were generally on the tighter side. The greens rolled well and at a medium pace. Off the fairways things were very thin and squishy, so I had to try my hardest not to chunk or blade it.

For those that may not know, Winter Park Golf Course is probably one of the most highly regarded and highly discussed nine hole courses in the country!

I’m happy to report that the course sure does live up to the hype. Winter Park just oozes with charm, thanks to its unique setting and a nice re-design in 2016. What makes the course’s setting so neat is that it is smack dab in the middle of town! The course works its way between city blocks, a cemetery and butts up against some railroad tracks. I even had a couple SunRail commuter trains go through while I playing.

While Winter Park (the course) dates back to 1914 its 2016 renovation put the course on the Orlando golf map. From what I’ve read the course was in disrepair until Riley Johns and Keith Rhebb renovated it in 2016.

I’m not exactly sure of everything that Johns and Rhebb did during their work, but they added some brilliant green complexes, fairly dramatic bunkering and seemed to increase that intangible “fun factor” that golf seems to be missing these days!

The conditions at Winter Park were nice. The turf still had that newer look to it and I’d guess the course plays firmer and faster without the buckets of rain that fell right before my round! There was some standing water but things seemed to drain well.

I loved every minute playing Winter Park!

My experience at Lake Bernadette was a positive one and consistent with what I’d read.

The course is only 6,484 yards from the blue tees but it offers a nice mix of yardages with a couple beefy par-4’s on the back nine. The par-4’s range from 310 to 450 yards while the par-3’s play between 150 and 215 yards. As long as you aren’t a big hitter I think you will get to hit plenty of clubs into the greens! For example, I hit four different clubs on the five par-3’s and had wedges to long irons into the par-4’s.

While I don’t think there is a signature hole at Lake Bernadette, the most memorable hole is probably the 14th, a 440 yard par-4. The hole is one of the longest par-4’s on the course and it is the #1 handicap. It is a tiny double dogleg with the fairway angling to the right before the hole moves left. It has an uncomfortable look from the tee with dense trees on each side. If you can find the fairway then you’ll need to strike the approach solid to carry water short of the green!

I think the toughest part about playing Lake Bernadette will be finding the small green complexes. You can hit some decent irons and end up chipping! The surfaces themselves are more gentle, with the occasional ridge to negotiate.

The conditions were also solid for my $30 green fee! Most of the fairways and tees had a nice overseed and were very playable. I won’t say the greens rolled perfectly, but much better than I expected for the price.

I had time for a morning round somewhere along my drive into Orlando. The Monarch at Royal Highlands is right off U.S. Route 27 so I figured what the heck.

If I’m honest, I didn’t plan on playing Monarch. I don’t mean that disrespectfully either. In a state with an overwhelming number of golf courses, Lake County lags behind many other Florida counties in that regards. Anyway, I hadn’t heard of Monarch even though I’d driven past the course and community countless times.

But, I’m glad I stopped to check it out! I found some recent reviews which indicated that Monarch was in good shape. That was my experience as well and I was pleasantly surprised by the conditions! The fairways were cut down and the greens were nice. For the $30ish green fee, Monarch turned out to be a good deal.

The design turned out to be more interesting than I expected. The course is set back into the community, well away from the highway and the front nine runs along the edge of some wetlands. The back nine at Monarch has a different feel to it, as it is more hilly.

Probably the one knock against Monarch is that it is a short course. From the “tiger” tees it is only 6,018 yards. Monarch won’t compete with the attraction courses closer to Orlando, but it has a bit of funk to it and is fairly playable! And, those two things add some value to the course.

Summerglen was a local pick for me. After 12 hours in the car I didn't want to drive very far to golf my 1st day in Florida!

Like many Florida courses, Summerglen Golf Club is associated with its own retirement community. The community sits between I-75 and Marion Oaks, to the west. The last couple miles of the drive are a bit odd, as you actually parallel the interstate on a frontage road to get to the community’s entrance.

The course layout at Summerglen is of the stereotypical Florida course, with homes surrounding it. Houses line every hole and you cross three or four roads, getting from the greens to the tees. If homes on courses aren’t your thing then you’ll want to stay away! The houses were closer than I prefer, but I’ve played much worse courses in that regards.

Even without the homes, most of the holes at Summerglen have a similar look, except the 11th. The 11th turned out to be the star of the show! Just about every hole here is flat and plays across (or along) one of those man-made drainage basins. There are a few interesting green complexes, long par-3’s and some uncomfortable dogleg left holes (for a fader!) which all add complexity to the round. However, the layout is fairly simple. The design varies the par-4 yardages nicely, as the par-4’s range from 311 to 430 yards! For $32, it was a good deal when you factor in the solid conditions.

The course was in good shape with the greens being the highlight of the maintenance! The greens were quick and rolled true, with just a few collars being sanded. The fairways were nice too, with good coverage while the ground had that firmer Florida feel to it. The way the edges of the fairways sloped, it was tough to keep an average tee shot in the short grass. The cart paths are only paved around the tees and greens, so I’m sure the turf can have some tough times from all the cart traffic when the course gets wet.

Summerglen isn’t a course that you’d build a golf trip around, but it offers a playable design that is good for the members. Even from the gold tees it only plays 70.1/122/6482. There should be enough birdie/par holes to keep you excited about the game.

This course is a bit difficult to get to, but well worth it. It is a Donald Ross design, although I've read that Ross didn't actually build it. That doesn't matter to me, as what you'll find is an old school charming golf course.

The course is only 5,800 yards but great fun to play! It has small, clever greens with many false edges. It takes a perfect shot to hold one of these greens, as they are like upside coffee cups. Bring a good short game as you will need it here.

The course has a good look to it as well with some waste areas and those beautiful, Florida oaks. Plus, there is some rolling terrain.

As a fader (slicer?) of the golf ball the course seemed to pinch on the left sides of the holes and had me uncomfortable. I think if you hit a draw it will be a more comfortable course to play.

The conditions were 100x better than what I expected. The course was in great shape with a nice "green" overseed. I believe the greens were overseeded as well and they rolled nice and at a medium pace.

Palatka is a great value (~$30) and worth the drive from Jacksonville or I-95 if you like golf course history.

The International was another on my list of partially played resorts. I played the National years ago and was back to complete the experience by playing the International.

ChampionsGate Golf Club is part of the Omni brand there are actually three courses here. There are two regulation courses (National and International) and then a short course called the Champions.

Just like at the other Omni courses that I’ve been able to play, ChampionsGate and the staff here worked hard to create a top-notch experience. Everyone from the bag drop attendants to the proshop staff to the on-course rangers treated me well. As an example, one of the rangers checked on me multiple times while I golfed as a single.

Greg Norman designed both of the courses at the Omni ChampionsGate. And, if you look through his design work he has created some high-profile courses. The Course at Wente Vineyards in California is a Norman design and it is one my personal favorites from when I was living in California!

Norman continues that difficult theme with the design of the International. The course is routed through natural wetlands so the setting is great, especially compared to most of the Florida courses that I’ve played. There aren’t any homes nearby, which is a welcome sight in Florida! The trade-off for the nice, natural setting is that water is in play on fourteen holes, which can grab wayward shots.

The long par-3 14th and short par-3 17th were my favorite holes on the International. The 14th has a pesky bunker short of the green while the 17th has water lurking.

Conditions were excellent.

If you are looking to play a high-level course close to Disney then I’d make sure to put the Omni ChampionsGate courses on your list. However, be prepared that pars and birdies will be hard to find on the International Course.

What caught my eye about Lake Jovita is that the two courses here can get ranked among the best public courses in Florida! The courses aren’t near the top of those in-state lists, but that speaks more to the quality options in Florida rather than as a slight against Lake Jovita.

The South was closed for a tournament so I played the North. Tom Lehman and Kurt Sandness were the architects involved with the property.


The best thing about Lake Jovita’s North Course has to be the land that the course sprawls across! The course works its way over some rolling hills. While there aren’t any massive elevation changes, I did get that “on top of the world” feeling while playing the 3rd and the 6th holes, as the land falls away behind each of those greens.

The par-3 4th is one of the holes on the North Course that features some elevation change! From the blue tees it is 160 yards and drops about a club down to a green that is guarded by water. The green is massive and gives you a chance to bail long or right, to avoid the water. If you do that, then you’ll be left with a slick, downhill shot!

The front is a bit "linksy" while the back requires more precision.

The conditions on the North Course were very nice. I paid $50 during peak season which was a good value! The tees and fairways had a light overseed which gave it that desirable “green” look in the winter. I still had those difficult, tight lies which required the perfect strike, so the overseed was functional, but I wouldn’t call it lush.

The greens were pure and quite speedy. The only area where the course looked to be struggling some were along some collars and edges of the greens, which were sanded.

While the North is a bit modern for my tastes, I'd still like to get back and see the South.

For whatever reason, The Deltona Club is a Central Florida course that you don’t seem to hear much about! I booked my round here mainly because it was convenient to Victoria Hills. But, somehow I stumbled across a brilliant course – one of those hidden gems!

The Deltona Club was originally designed by David Wallace in the 1960’s and was known as Deltona Hills Golf and Country Club for many years. Then, in 2008, the course re-opened after a renovation by Bobby Weed! Weed has done plenty of work in Florida, including some great stuff at Brooksville Country Club.

The bunkering at Deltona Club is incredible! The sand doesn’t come into play nearly as much as you’d expect, as many of the large bunkers are around the tees or set back from play. I don’t hit the ball particularly straight and only ended up in two greenside bunkers and one fairway bunker. None of them were difficult to play from!

Besides the eye-popping bunkering The Deltona Club lies on hilly terrain, which is the other element that makes the course unique! Throughout the round you get a nice mix of uphill and downhill holes. Not surprisingly, I found the holes with some elevation change to be the most interesting.

For $25 the conditions were outstanding! The fairways had good coverage and the ball sat up, with a little cushion beneath it. You’ll get some thin lies, but that is the nature of Florida golf this time of year. The greens were smooth and rolled with enough pace that I had to be defensive. The sand was good and I needed to swing hard to blast it out.

I doubt you'll be disappointed playing the Deltona Club.

Victoria Hills has always intrigued me and I've always heard good things about it! The course is located between Orlando and Daytona Beach.

Victoria Hills continually turns up on the lists of the best public courses in the state. I found articles from as recent as 2015 and 2016 (from major golf magazines) which put Victoria Hills among the top 25 public courses in Florida. So, from everything that I could find, the course had potential.

I’ll say the design is definitely above average, even with some homes being built! Victoria Hills has a beautiful, sandy look to it. According to the starter (who was awesome!) there are 104 bunkers on the course and many of them have steep faces and jagged tongues. You’ll want to avoid the bunkers for a good score! My personal opinion is that there are a few too many bunkers. I got tired of raking traps!

I really enjoyed the back nine. The back has more strategy and some uphill and downhill to it, highlighted by the 11th, 12th and 13th holes. The 12th and 13th are par-4’s that offer some options. They are well-bunkered and you can hit driver or lay up from the tee.

Unfortunately, I found the conditions to be only so-so. The greens were looking good and rolled well. The bunkers had good sand in them and were raked. Everything else left a lot to be desired. There were large thin spots and I had my share of sandy and chunky lies, even in the fairways. It didn’t cost a lot to play here ($40), but the course deserves better!

Is it worth the drive from Orlando? I'm not sure it is unless you read about the conditions picking up a bit or you pair the course with another for a 36 hole day.