Off-Campus Golf Course Conditions
 

Jebartle posted the following rates for off-campus golf courses. Has anyone played any of these courses recently and could you comment on their condition? I understand Juliette Falls is in really nice shape. I haven't played any of the others recently. I played Continental about 5 years ago, and it was beautiful, but I hear they almost lost their greens last year. I guess if their greens fees are only $20 including lunch, that the course isn't it too great shape. Has anyone played there recently? In the past, Arlington Ridge and Harbour Hills have been nice - those are a couple I'd be curious about. Thanks in advance.


Stonecrest Country Club 352-245-0565 $22 with drink voucher 5.2 miles

Baseline 352-245-4414 $22 - $27 with cart
(13.7 miles)

Harbor Hills 800-822-5558 $39 b4 12
(6.9) $29 w/coupon Daily Sun
$29 after 12:00

Deer Island 352-343-7550 $35 weekdays b4 12:00
(45 min) $30 after 12:00
$40 weekends b4 12:00
$25 weekends after 12:00

Juliette Falls 352-522-0309 $45 b4 noon
(31.5) $35 after noon

Continental - Wildwood 352-748-3293 $20 which includes
(7.1) hotdog, beer or soda

Eagle Ridge (Del Webb) 352-307-1668 $28 b4 12:00
(10.3) $25 after 12:00

El Diablo 352-465-0986 thru Oct. $25, after 1:00 $20
(1 hr.) Nov. $37.50, after l:00 32.50

Stone Creek (Ocala) 352-854-1272 b4 11:00 $27
(33 mi) after 11:00 $24

Water Oaks 888-542-1272 b4 10:30 Oct. $22
(1.6) after 10:30 2 people $22
after 12:00 2 people $16

Miona Lakes Golf 352-748-4200 b4 12:00 $18
(4.4) after 12:00 $15
bring foursome $60

Plantation Golf 352-365-0526 $23 b4 11:00
(17.7) #20 after 11:00

Arlington Ridge 352-728-2186 b4 10:30 $27
(15.6) after 10:30 $22

Monarch Golf Club 354-314-9000 B4 12:00 26
(21.7) after $21

Our foursome played two of the four nine hole courses at Eagle Ridge this past Saturday and both 9 hole courses were in tremendous shape including T boxes, fairways and greens. Plan on returning this Saturday to play the other two 9 hole layouts.

I played one of my favorite outside courses last week; The Preserve in Dunnellon. The greens were 50% grass, 50% sand. Very disappointing. I think I know why they reduced their price to $20 from $27 the next day.

I would not recommend Harbor Hills at this time. Played it today and to say the least, the course is not in very good conditiom. The overseed in both fairways and greens does not seem to have "taken" very well.There were also several greens with "diseased" spots on them. Very nice challenging layout but just not in very good condition at this time.

Can anyone give a condition report on some of the Off Campus course as of today? I know Baseline is in good shape but how about any of the other OC championship courses? I will be arriving in a couple of weeks and want to get my courses lined up. Thanks for the help.
Irish

I'm with Irish Rover. Coming in Feb.1 for 2 months and also would like to know which courses are good including those on the Villages properties.

Spruce Creek Golf Course (not Del Webb - Eagle Ridge)
 

is in excellent condition....Best of off-campus courses....Incidently, the rates I originally posted were good thru lst of December, so probably obsolete now...Will have to do an update...

is the Spruce Creek you are talking about in Port Orange FLA.? And how much and how long to get there? Thanks

Played Stonecrest on Jan 7 and it was in good shape, overall. Always enjoy the elevation changes on the back 9.

Played Water Oaks on Jan 14. Not sure what shape it was in, was too busy dodging errant golf balls. They ought to issue helmets with greens fees at that place. Not going there again, ever!. Kinda looks like they had room for a 9 hole tract and worked in 18.

We also played Water Oaks a couple weeks ago and you have described it to a T. Never again. Courses designed like it are an accident looking for a place to happen.

I'm sure he must have been talking about the Links of Spruce Creek, adjacent to TV on Hwy 441.

Travel time from Spanish Springs to:

Links at Spruce Creek on 441 just North of Wally World = 10 minutes (without winter traffic)

http://linksatsprucecreek.com/golf/p...atsprucecreek/

Spruce Creek CC in Port Orange, FL = 1 hours, 45 minutes

http://www.sprucecreekgolf.com/club-info/golf/


.

Played The Links at Spruce Creek South today and I have to say that the fairways there are head and shoulders better, greener and fuller than any inside The Villages or off campus that I have played so far. Greens are also nice but slow. Windy ,rough day but still enjoyable due to the wonderful cobition of the course. $32 after 12 noon.

A very Unprofessional opinion
 

Ive been an Ocala resident for 10 years and have spent most of that time playing golf. I'm on a 30-day break from the game I love in order to pack up my belongings and move to The Villages.!!! YAY me!!!

I'm a 9 handicap, so it is my belief that courses and conditions are relative to a golfer of like ability. A 24 handicap has a different impression of the same course that a 15 or a 6 handicap will.

The Country Club at Silver Spring Shores - a classic old Florida style course. Nicely appointed, priced accordingly, about $42.00. Zach Johnson holds the course record during a Hooters Tour event held there. VERY busy, a great skins game for the single digit group. I'd give it a three and half ball (out of 5) rating.

Lake Diamond is parked next door and is an 18 hole layout very reminiscent of northern courses, as it is literally carved out of the woods. It boasts the most difficult hole in the county, a par 4 beast that measures out at 445 yards from the middle tees. NOT an easy course, expect to shoot 5-7 strokes over your normal. $25.00 at last look. 3 balls.

Ocala Golf Club, known locally as "Muni". Owned by the city of Ocala it is up on E. Silver Springs Blvd (State Rd 40) in Ocala. It IS close to the Wing House, a Hooters knock-off. Elevation changes, (pretty uncommon in Central Florida), make this course a fun play. Even though its a city-owned public course, its worth the trip. Probably about $35-40. 3 1/2 balls.

Pine Oaks. Another "Muni" course in Ocala. Difficult to tell the difference between the fairway and the rough. It gets a lot of play moreso because the price is in the 20s. T-shirts and jeans if that floats your boat. Two balls.

Stone Creek. A little too easy for me, but that's just me. Expect to improve your norm by 2-3 strokes. Well manicured, extremely wide fairways and rough, very nice greens. Its a bit of a hike to get there, maybe 45 minutes, but all in all, I'd make it there at least once a season. Figure in 35-40 bucks. four balls.

Golden Hills. A tough, hilly golf course. Do yourself a favor. There's a Hooters Tour event there in March. Plan a trip there right after. It'll give you a chance to experience the "pro feel" of a tournament ready course. A bit more pricey, but you get what you pay for. Up I-75 to US-27 north. 3 1/2 balls.

There's more, but heck, there's football too ya know!!!

"P"

"Played The Links at Spruce Creek South today and I have to say that the fairways there are head and shoulders better, greener and fuller than any inside The Villages or off campus that I have played so far. Greens are also nice but slow. Windy ,rough day but still enjoyable due to the wonderful cobition of the course. $32 after 12 noon. "


Sounds good except for the slow greens part. We've been disappointed with the course conditions in The Villages since the overseeding last fall. About half of the courses are in decent shape (Palmer, OB, Lopez and Havana), but the rest of are really not very good. Mallory has had problems off and on with the greens - I played there a couple of weeks ago and the greens had been top dressed, and were very bumpy. Played Glenview last week and the fairways were okay, but greens were slow and bumpy. This was after a heavy rain, so perhaps they are better now. Cane and Mallory fairways are like concrete; Hacienda fairways weren't overseeded - hard to tell from the tee where to aim - everything is brown. Tierra is marginal. With the money we spend and the large numbers of people playing (i.e. income they are raking in that could be used on course maintenance) I don't get why all the courses here are not as good as those outside The Villages. I guess I just answered my own question. With all the people playing them irregardless of the conditions, they really don't have to try very hard.

But they should try hard. No excuses.

update on off-campus courses
 

Don't shoot the messenger but here is the update:

Water Oaks $28 $22 May
352-753-3905 (1.6 miles) b4 12 $30 w/$4 lunch

Stonecrest CC $37 $32 2/15
352-245-0565 (3.5 miles)

Miona Lakes Golf b4 8 $22 after $25 1/31
352-748-4200 (4.4 miles) After 2:00 $18

Penbrook 36.45 (b4 1:15)$19.63 aft
352-728-3200 (4.6 mi 4-some $89.72 +tax $28.03 ea.
9 & dine Wed & Fri. $24.50
Sun Brunch + 9 is $19.50
Sat. 11-12, 9 +lunch $18.59

Harbor Hills 49 39 4/15
352-753-7711 (4.0 miles) $35 group rate

Continental 33 b4 3:00 4/1
352-748-3293 (7.1 miles) 15 (AFTER 3:00)
Sun. & Mon $22

Links of Spruce Creek $30 all day 1/31
352-347-6172 Sun. $22 Morn.
Across from Walmart on 441 $25 Aftn

Eagle Ridge (Del Webb) b4 11 $32 1/30
352-307-1668 (10.3 miles) After 11 $39

Arlington Ridge b4 9 $28 1/31
352-787-7414 (15.6 miles) After 9 $35

Plantation Golf b4 11 $32 1/31
352-365-0526 (17.7 miles) Aft. 11 $24
Aft. 2 $17

Monarch Golf Club M-Th $27 $25 UFN
352-314-9000 (21.7 miles) F-Su $29 $27

Juliette Falls b4 11 $46, Aft 11 $36 UFN
352-522-0309 (31.5 miles)

Stone Creek b4 10 $28 aft $32 1/31
352-854-1272 (33 mi) Tues. 4 some $100

El Diablo 352-465-0986 (60 mi) $45 $37.50 4/30

phone number for Links of Spruce Creek appeared to be FAX, changed number

.

Don't play water oaks or Miona. They are both disasters - El Diablo and Juliette Falls are excellent courses - a bit pricey at this time but guess no more so that TV. In fact, they are both cheaper to play than Arnold Palmer in the Villages. When you go to set up your tee times, be sure and mention that you are coming from The Villages - a lot of the courses have "special" rates for "The Village People". Not saying they all do, but it doesn't hurt to mention that. Deer Island is a great course - but take plenty of golf balls with you. Stone Creek in Ocala is an awesome course. Haven't played it lately but Summer Glen is another course that is usually in pretty good shape and they at times offer "discounts" to villagers. Hope this helps.

Played Stonecrest today and I must say, it is a very nice course with many elevation changes and uniquely designed holes, Course was in very good condition from T to greens. You need your A game for this course. $37 + free drink voucher for a morning T time

Played Baseline last week - course in great condition but the price with tax is $36.04.

with such a wonderful community, that i viewed for the first time last week, some questions.
why arent all the courses fully overseeeded?
is it only a financial matter?
with so much golf here, why are people interested in playing off campus as soon as they get here?
is it difficult for people even with a priority membership to get good tee times on the champion courses in the prime time and prime seasons?
thank you

Water. There's no point in overseeding if you can't put enough water on the course to get the seeds t germinate. If I remember correctly, as of January we were about 19" short of the rain we had the year before. Also, much of the water for the courses is reclaimed water which is also used for home irrigation. More homes=more water required for home landscape irrigation=less water for golf courses. Some of the courses have built-in retention ponds for irrigation, but some do not. We are limited in how much water we can take from the aquifer.

I don't think priority members have problems getting times on the courses. But remember, if one member is not priority, they have a lower chance of their preferred course/time. And we are seeing more homes built and occupied, so more demand for times on the courses.

As for playing off campus, all I can tell you is that I have met some people who find that off campus rates are lower than those in TV. I met a resident who has a priority membership only during the summer, and only plays off campus during the high season. Add to that the posts above that tell about better conditions elsewhere.

Has anyone played Harbor Hills in the last week or two? If you have, what kind of shape is it in? Thanks
Irish

Last time we played it was 12/18/10 and it was not in very good shape at all.Of course that was almost two months ago and we have had some rain since then so maybe it is better. Love the layout of the course

Article in today's 2/3 Daily Sun sports section under Golf. Discusses course conditions.

All about budgets and water restrictions....

Played Arlington Ridge today and the course was in very good condition from T to greens. The fairways were in very good condition but if you missed them , the rough or lack of it made your next shot very difficult. The greens were as good as Palmer in their prime and were nice and fast. Nice course.

Played Baseline Monday
 

Course was beautiful and great for new golfers, all par 3's, except 6 par 4's, NO par 5's...Cost $22 with cart.....On a scale from 1 to 10, I'd give it a 7

Played Eagle Ridge today and course is in really good condition. $15.00 +Tax =$16.90 for 18 holes after 9:30 AM. Great deal.

where is Eagle Ridge? And if you could reccomend one off course what would it be?

just played World Woods -- excellent as always

Our gang played Hacienda Hills today (Oaks/Palms). Would not have the nerve to call myself a country club with the deplorable bunkers there. We are talking about going off campus (Continental) next week, since we keep getting hosed on tee times. If you don't spend the money on a priority membership, The Villages don't want you playing the "championship" courses. They have gotten the last priority membership out of me!

Gee, is it that busy now in The Villages so it is difficult to get a tee time?

Or maybe its due to the overseeding and some courses closed for awhile?

Is it that busy already? It's only late September.

overseeding starts in Oct. according to www.golfthevillages.com (Might have to cut and paste)......Our group has had no trouble with t-times all summer through today....Hmmm.........:popcorn:

Harbor Hills in great condition
 

Played it yesterday - my first non-Villages course. Thought it was in very good condition, and lots of shade also. Hot, but not opressively hot, day.

Not all of our guys are priority members. That is my point. Unless ALL are priority members, you struggle for preferred tee times and courses. Been happening all summer.

Even if all members of your group are Priority Members ,don't count on getting your preferred choice on your request. We have a group of 16 golfers all are Priority Members that plays in the early morning hours each Friday and I sometimes am resposible for making the request. On several occassions lately on our request we have received Hacienda Hills , yet it was the very last choice on our list. This happened 3 weeks in a row. It almost appears that enough golfers are not requesting that course so they will send you there even iif it is the last choice on your list. Most of our group do not accumalate alot of points so that is not the reason. The only way to assure you do not get stuck with a course you don't like is not include it on the request

I must of missed something. I moved here in July and have played each of the four Championship courses south of 466 twice. Everytime I got the course I wanted and within an hour of when I wanted.

I'm playing Palmer Legends tomorrow, I wanted Laurel Valley/Riley around noon and I had to settle for 12:55. I don't get your gripe. You do make your reservations online? I just go to the website a couple of days before I want to play and generally looking for the discount rate after 11:00, and I can find the time and course with no problem. Granted I'm a single, maybe your a threesome or foursome, then maybe start putting in requests 7 days in advance. I'm happy with this $8 a month teetime system online. I'm not happy rates are going up Oct. 15th and then again January 1st, especially at Palmer my favorite course.

If you are a foursome, maybe break your group into two twosome, or if a larger group break it up into smaller groups, be creative.

world woods
 

I played there many years ago before i ever heard of TV. It was awesome. How much of a drive is it from TV?