Backup Plan for Villages Golf
 

Hi, my friends are visiting mid-Jan and they want to play good championship courses of the villages. However, I heard a lot about non priority members not being able to get a decent tee time. The latest Outside the Villages thread is 8 months old and it only covers Harbor Hills. I want some recommendations for close by ( less than 25 miles ) but GOOD Condition golf courses that you have played lately ( December 2022 and on ).

Thanks and Cheers!

Don’t worry about not being able to get tee times on champ courses in TV. Courses are empty, at least in the afternoons. Plenty of tee times available. I think high prices are keeping people away.

Just looked at Wednesday , between 10AM to 2PM I counted 50 open tee times.
Do they want the Villages experience or are they looking for something else?

Plan on an afternoon tee time.

Mission Inn Golf Country Club

Golf
 

Eagle Ridge is nice (36 holes), Arlington Ridge, Black Bear

Black bear is a bear of a golf course

Juliette Falls
 

Went through your same dilemma last year. Didn't want to be without a tee time. Juliette Falls was recommended by a friend. It's a very nice course. The only downside is it's about an hour drive. About half of the drive is through some beautiful horse country. Everyone said to keep it on the list for this year.

Eagle Ridge

The Links at Spruce Creek, Stonecrest, Ocala Golf Club, Continental, Lake Diamond, Arlington Ridge, Monarch at Royal Highlands, Deer Island, CC at Silver Springs Shores, Eagle Dunes are all rated 3 1/2 to 4 Stars on GolfNow - Havent played them lately my guys are coming next month

Baseline is a great course. Owned by people who once owned a nursery and their expertise is on display throughout the course.

I'd vote for Del Webb Spruce Creek Golf & Country Club, but you should be able to get a reasonable tee time at the Villages Orange Blossom Hills, Hacienda Hills or maybe Nancy Lopez. But IMO, you'll have to drive too far to get anything better outside TV.

I played Continental once and it was in horrible condition. Baseline is a nice little semi executive course. It is green but the fairways, fringes and greens are kept very long. Higher handicap players that I played with loved. I was hitting flyers all day.
The Championships in The Villages are expensive and conditions are inconsistent. I have friends that play exclusively play outside The Villages because of the price. I’ve played some in good shape and some that are terribly and everything in between.

It is pretty, but it's a very short course.

OP, previous posters have mentioned Deer Island, Juliette Falls, Mission Inn and Harbor Hills. They are all worth playing outside the bubble and all will cost less than any Villages championship course with the exception of Juliette Falls. If you don't mind driving a little farther I would suggest Orange County National which has two exceptional layouts.

A note about Deer Island: I played it about 10 years ago and swore I'd never go back. I must have lost close to a dozen golf balls in the rough. You literally had to step on your ball to find it. No idea if they keep the rough that long any more.

If any in your group are members of a private club, at home, consider asking your pro to make a tee time for you at one of the private clubs in the area.