superior skyline!
Delaware is just loaded. Most of the clubs are relatively reclusive. Nearby Bidermann is the class of the lot and would stand out anywhere in America, but Wilmington North is one of America's best shorter regulation courses.
Walt Disney World Osprey Ridge - Tom Fazio (and something extra)
No photos on this one from my recent 5th visit over the years it is easily the best in WDW. The only routing glitch (Usually a hallmark of Tom Fazio) is that 1-2 & 17-18 are separated from the remainder of a well-routed course by a nice, enjoyable ride through a large nature area. The overall quality of shaping is very good, but the green complexes are very tame and hold back the overall quality of the course. That notwithstanding, teh course is a solid test and is very beautiful, even the background shaping was given attention to create a serene and peaceful setting in the incredibly bustling setting that is the Mouse's House. I've been there at least 10 rounds playing there attending the PGA Merchandise show, going from Tampa to play when I lived there and also during family vacations, there is no better place to play golf in the Kingdom (of Walt, anyway).
Always at least as good as remembered, it is certainly a shame that by 2010 this course will be replaced by a Four Seasons Hotel for the wealthiest visitors to Walt Disney World who just can't get enough pampering. The course starts with the forgiving start that I particularily enjoy at any course and especially in the realm of the CC-FAD. The third hole is a wildly sculptured medium plus length par 3 that is a grand elevated setting in the cypress swamps of central Florida. In fact, the par 3's all pretty much require a good poke 4-iron, 19* rescue, 6-iron and 3-iron on this visit.
The par 4's are varied from drive pitch to Driver 4-iron and even more. They are a delightful variety. The ninth, 12th and 16th par fives all offer a multitude of options; the ninth rewards length and accuracy equally, the 12th really rewards the long hitter and if you are extremely precise number sixteen is for you. If you don't pull the perfect tee shot off, you still lay up with almost the same club you would have hit to the green to hit the lay up to 100 yards. This hole shaped like a question mark is always a joy to play. It has the best green on the course to boot!
One wonders after playing this course:
a) Why doesn't Fazio use angles like this all the time?
b) If this course were private with better greens would it be in Fazio's top 3 original courses?
c) What was The Disney Corporation thinking when they went completely against Walt's original intentions when they sold this 990 arcre plot (Including the now going-to-seed Dye Course Eagle Pines) to the Four Seasons for a reported $2 Billion? WDW's original announcement of the intent to build the park sent land-grabbers scramling some 8-10 miles to get land near the Magic Kingdon
Fazio closes with one of his usual versions of a closing hole - but done extremely well - a "cape" tee shot par four in which a well-calculated drive gains you as much as six clubs if you dare and then pull it off. A fifty-two yard green ensures a ball-buster of a closer. After gaining that six clubs off the tee by a bold drive against a similar-hitting player I was paired with, I still needed 5-iron to the back right near the water while he only got a 3-wood to the front third. (I just had to tell you, faithful Droogies.)
Play Osprey while you can and if you agree with me, give Disney a piece of your mind, too.
Short on time and want to play with the kids? Go to the Disney Miniature Golf facility just to the west of the Swan Hotel. These two courses are anything but Mickey Mouse. They are as good as they get for miniature golf. Sorry, no photos here either. Incredible contours stimulate the imagination of even the best putters. In fact, it was so hard they softened it, taking out most of the water and nearly every bit of sand bunkering just leaving hollows behind.
Nearby and adjacent to Sea World, Steve Smyers built on the footprint of a previously undistinguished layout the enormously fun Grande Pines. As always with his courses it is a bit skewed to the more talented player. He admitted to me that these were his most severe greens ever at that time. Purportedly each section of these greens has an intended area of fairway shaped to get you to where you need to go. This course is a short game wizard's paradise. I recommended it to a different Steve, a friend of mine who is a three handicapper or better via a +5 ball-striking and the short game of a ten from a Ross Course near Philadelphia. He "hated" Grande Pines.
Q.E.D.
Ah, Bermuda!
Just a weekend visit for the anniversary with Mrs. redanman. A tour around Southampton Princess by Ted Robinson is always a fun little treat and a twofer @ $78 after 1500 is a great deal. Lovely Bermuda weather and lots of short game practice and exercise. (Elsewhere iin archives find "In defence of Couch" (aka Bermuda grass). Nothing like playing the last hole after sundown and smelling the grass. Holes up to 210 yards and plenty of wind and variety (and a spouting fountain as expected from Ted.)
Mid-Ocean was unavailable for a number of reasons on the weekend and a Monday tone-a-mint. Will have to report on Tom Doak's Renaissance Golf crew's greens work later in the winter.
Port Royal - the last course I ever played with two natural ACL's.
I had forgotten just how good this course is/was (as it will close in less than three weeks for renovation). Hopefully "lengthening, more ponds and more hazards" does not make for a less interesting golf course and surely not for slower play. This course is tough enough as it is right this day 13 December, 2007 for 99% of the golfers. Some spectacular holes - of course the oft-photographed 16th and scenic, tough 11th, the equally beautiful views from holes 7-9 and superior holes such as the first, second, third, sixth, seventh, eleventh, fourteenth and eighteenth. The sevententh is a cunning short par 5 loaded with strategies, a wickedly sloped green and elevation changes that really make for a wonderfully thrilling shortie. With it and number 7 how many courses have that interesting a pair of par 5's?
I'll have a little more later ... and a camera phone photo of 16 just to be camp. (back to set-up!)
A shout out to British Solicitor Andrew and Scot James from the world of Re - two nicer and better companions for a round at Port Royal we couldn't have asked for nor picked from the lot that went round that day.
See you in London, Gents.
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