Went to Tavistock on Tuesday. Beautiful course. Walked the fairways and some greens. I have to say that Palmer/Lopez fairways are very close in quality to Isleworth where Tiger, Els and the top pros played Monday. Difference one: their caddies replaced their divots like master groundskeepers. I took a hard look in comparing course conditions by playing the next day at Palmer. Palmer greens were excellent, Isleworth....flawless. I took special note of the rough short grass areas at Isleworth and frankly didn't see a big difference from any Villages courses. Same type of hard, spotty, burned out surface.
I guess the 20 million dollar homes set back from the fairways might impress some golfers, the course itself and playability...very nice...but not a quantum improvement over premium Villages courses. The park like ambiance and landscaping are also impressive.
Remember, I'm the same guy that says I haven't found any Florida course that compares with the thick, lush green courses of the northeast in the late spring through autumn. Your irons slide so nicely under the ball off those dense, plush fairways....assuming of course that you hit the fairways with some frequency. Finding your ball in the long rough can be a nuisance not encountered on the Serengeti plains of Havana CC. Of course down here we don't deal with frozen water hazards, orange golf balls in the snow and 8 foot snow drifts in the bunkers.
Just my opinion.
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