After finishing up at Stone Creek last month, I headed over Ocala National for the only 36 hole day on my vacation. I didn't have a tee time and just showed up, paid my $30, and headed to the 1st tee ... Continue »

After finishing up at Stone Creek last month, I headed over Ocala National for the only 36 hole day on my vacation. I didn't have a tee time and just showed up, paid my $30, and headed to the 1st tee so it wasn't terribly busy. I played through a couple foursomes and made it around in 3 hours and 15 minutes. I kinda lucked into finding this course as only Google Maps had it listed by its new name. A local might be able to give the full scoop, but I believe the course recently changed ownership and they renamed it. I found out that it was originally designed as "Golden Hills" and is virtually across the street from the course where the LPGA recently played. Neither the GPS in my car nor my Garmin found the course under its new name. Apparently, Rees Jones re-designed it too, but before the ownership change. I don't know what it was like before all these changes, but I left very impressed. Ocala National is located in an older housing community but the homes are set back from a lot of the holes. The course has plenty of mature trees and some unexpected elevation changes! Moss-covered oaks and pine trees line many fairways. It can stretch up to ~7400 yards but it flowed very well from one hole to the next. I played the blue tees which play 6870/73.8/134. I liked the front nine a bit better as I thought it was easier, had more elevation change, and the homes weren't as noticeable. There is plenty of room to miss off the tee and still find the ball. I wouldn't be worried about one banana ball off the tee ruining a round here! There were only a couple tee shots that I was concerned over. Elevation changes, slopes in the fairways, and fairway bunkering make straight tee shots important, but not always needed. Like some other Rees Jones courses that I've played, solid and straight iron shots seem to be more important than good drives. There are plenty of elevated greens with deep bunkers, fall offs, and chipping areas around them to catch wayward irons. If someone isn't hitting good irons then making a bogey from the fairway is going to be way too easy. There are some long par 4's which add to the difficulty because it takes a high, soft long iron to hold those greens. The course was in really nice shape too. My only gripe would be a couple thin lies and patchy spots, but for $30 I'll easily overlook those imperfections. The greens weren't cut as tight as Stone Creek, but they still rolled just as smooth. Maybe a touch slower though. The fairways were cut short enough to get some spin and both they and the tees had grown in nicely. Its not going to win any awards for best in state because of the competition, but I'd say it is worth a 30 minute drive to play in its current condition.