Lost Lake Golf Club (Hobe Sound, FL)

Lost Lake is a strong representation of Tom Fazio’s work in the 1990s. Many developers wanted his name on the course they were building for their residential communities, and his design philosophy was in vogue at the time. 

Big, wide flat fairways combined with helicopter pad greens is the product of  Fazio bulldozing the land and moving dirt. This sentence defines Lost Lake to a tee. Everything is elevated above the marshland and balls that miss the fairway are on abrupt slopes or out of bounds in people’s yards. The design is based more on execution than strategy. The hazards run parallel to holes with no perpendicular or centerline obstacles. 

(The 205/174 yard par three sixth is a beautiful shot over wetlands. The green is well bunkered on the left where a Sunday pin would clearly be placed.)

This type of architecture is enjoyed by many players however the best two holes both curve around hazards. The fifth is a reverse C shaped par five, and the second shot is semi blind over the corner of the wetlands. The other hole is the tenth where the fairway button hooks around the water, forcing the player to assess his ability and play a shot that will leave the easiest approach. 

(The 413/400 yard ninth has one of the few greens that will accept a low running shot.)

(The 388/366 yard fifteenth doglegs to the right. Water, sand, and trees guard the turn, adding to the excitement of the challenging drive.) 

Lost Lake is a beautiful course and Fazio did a great job tying the holes into the wetlands. I expected more exciting shots, but overall, the design kept the hazards to the sides. If you’re hitting the driver well then you’ll be left with plenty of easy shots. This is probably the main reason why it’s such a popular course among members and their guests. It’s in good shape and is a lot of fun. I give it a 5 (good)(worth driving an hour to play). 

(Looking back towards the sixth tee from the green.) 

Fountains Country Club South (Lake Worth, FL)

Fountains Country Club has three golf courses, West, North, and South all designed by Robert Von Hagge and Bruce Devlin. They are the cornerstone of the residential community. 

The South is the quintessential Florida course with water on nearly every hole. Many of the tee shots are forced to deal with it as Von Hagge/Devlin worked the fairways around them. There’s several tricky spots where local knowledge goes a long way. It’s the type of course where you have to choose when to be aggressive. 

(The 384/374 yard sixth hole doglegs left at an awkward angle that entices players to cut off the corner. Failing to do so brings the trees into play and ultimately the water as one tries to manipulate the shot into the green. Hit it straight and enjoy the big target for your approach.) 

The par fives are the best holes on the South. Each one has water guarding the left side and can be reached in two shots. At the fifth and twelfth, the green sits on the other side of the water. All the greens are well protected and are not easy to reach or hold. Getting a good angle for the third shot is a better strategy. 

(The 534/502 yard par five twelfth starts a nice stretch of holes. The long hitter who can get far right can achieve a superior angle compared to short hitter who has water and sand to carry for the third.) 

Von Hagge/Devlin covered the corners of the greens with bunkers that block the view when one gets out of position. There’s some great pin positions too that will make the player think twice even when one is in middle of the fairway. I found myself several times aiming away from the pin and trying to work it back. This is a strong players golf course.

(Looking back towards the thirteenth green, the 166/157 par three is simply water and grass. It’s a simple hole when the wind is down, but quite the challenge when it’s up.) 

(The 399/373 yard par four fourteenth doglegs left in a semi circular shape. Pick your driving line and commit...
....a good drive still leaves a challenging approach. Anything that finds the putting surface is a good shot.) 

Von Hagge and Devlin designed a lot of courses in Florida and Fountains South is a good representation of their work. I give it a 5 (good)(worth driving an hour). Being your A game because this is a tough one. 

Palm Beach Par-3 Golf Course (Palm Beach, FL)

Located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intercoastal Waterway, Palm Beach Par-3 enjoys a spectacular setting that will stir your soul in a way few places can. 

I remember when I first saw this place 4 years ago. I knew I had to play it. There’s something about seaside golf that’s captivating. I’m not sure if it’s the sound, the smell, or the view, but it’s unlike any other. 

(This is the fifteenth hole.  The first tee is to the left as you walk down the sandy path. The eighteenth is just right of the sand dune.) 

Palm Beach Par-3 was originally designed by Dick Wilson and Joe Lee in 1961. The routing has six holes on the water, three on each side so the player is engaged regardless of which nine he plays. In 2009, Raymond Floyd updated it by changing the grass to Paspalum. It’s drought and salt resistant plus it provides a firm and true feel. 

(The view of the Intercoastal is striking. A path connects 4-6 and each hole is flanked to the left by water. The fourth, as you can note from the sign, is the longest par three on the property. Into the wind, it might take all you got to reach it in regulation.) 

The holes range from 81 yards to 211 yards. This is not a pitch n putt par-3 course. In fact, the longest holes are on the water. The wind plays a huge part in how difficult this plays, though with the new turf, a low running shot is a possibility. 
(The pastel colored clubhouse has a popular restaurant on its second floor. The parking lot is busy during dinner for those coming just to eat.)

(The 18th plays along the beach. Note the high grass for those who turn it over just a bit. Enjoy the view!) 

Palm Beach Par-3 is recognized as one of the top par three courses in the United States. I would highly recommend a visit here. It’s a terrific way to spend a few hours. 

[Palm Beach Par-3 is on 36 acres of land. The value of this property is a staggering $350M dollars! In this day and age when everyone is selling out, it’s a blessing that the city holds on to this green space for all to enjoy.]

Westchase Golf Club (Tampa, FL)

Westchase is a daily fee Lloyd Clifton design course in Tampa. It plays among pines, cypress, and wetlands. 

(The ninth green is mostly hidden by the wetlands on this mid length par four. Locals know to aim at clubhouse and softly fade it.) 

(The long par three third is all carry over water.) 

(The par four seventeenth is well guarded. Not only do the trees protect it, but anything short left will find the marshland. It might be playable or it might not.) 

Westchase is a solid course. Holes move in a traditional way with classic doglegs. There’s a few holes that carry over water, but most have hazards to the sides. The greens are open in the front, and is playable for all levels of play. Westchase is considered one of the better courses in Tampa. I give it a 4 (above average)(worth driving 30-40 mins.) 

World Woods Pine Barrens (Brooksville, FL)

#35 Top Public (Golf Magazine)

#82 Top Public (Golf Digest)

#90 Top 100 USA (Golf Magazine)

#97 Top 100 USA (Golf Digest)

#46 Top 100 USA Public (Golfweek)

I can’t think of a better way to kick off the 2020 golf season than with a blog on one of best courses in the country. This Tom Fazio design rolls over sandy pine studded terrain and was nicknamed the poor man’s Pine Valley when it opened in 1993. 

(The opening hole whets your appetite for an exciting round.)

Pine Barrens is so different than anything one can play in Florida. The sandy waste areas have vegetation growing in them, and have a rugged unkempt appearance that makes them intimidating. There’s several heroic carries and exciting shots played over them. 

(The par five fourth can be played down the left as a three shot hole, but the long hitter who thinks he has the length to reach it in two can carry the waste area to the upper right fairway...

...this daunting bunker guards the front of the green putting pressure on the long hitter to hit a solid shot. Those who went down the left circumvent this hazard and should have a good view of the green.) 

This is my first Tom Fazio design which surprises me a bit considering his portfolio of courses. In fact, he is arguably the most prolific architect from the 80’s to 2000s with many of his courses opening to high acclaim.  

(The short par four eighth doglegs around a natural waste area with the right half of the green extending like a peninsula into the sand.)

(The par four ninth doglegs right before sliding uphill to this beautifully defended green.)

The key to Pine Barrens greatness is the wide variety of holes. The gambling par five fourth and the potentially driveable fifteenth get most of the attention, but the long par fours are equally impressive including the par four twelfth with its alternate greens. The par five fourteenth has its version of “hell’s half acre” crossing the fairway. 

(The lower green on twelve plays into a natural bowl tucked in the trees. Its the only putting surface not guarded by sand...

...while the upper green plays over this yawning waste area. Note there’s no pin in the picture.) 

There are three other things that make Pine Barrens great. First, there is not a single home on the property! It’s just pure golf! And considering this is Florida where every course seems to be part of a housing development, makes Pine Barrens a special place. Second, the course is in terrific condition. And lastly, the price point is very affordable especially given its ranking on the national list. 

(The fifteenth is a driveable par four with two routes to the green. The aggressive play is a carry over a waste area directly at the green. Coming up short in the fairway leaves a simple pitch...

...the conservative play that avoids the waste area leaves this demanding shot. It’s a terrific short par four that comes at the perfect point in the round. Anything from 2 - 7 can be scored here.) 

(The long par three sixteenth plays across  scruffy landscape to an elevated green with a pronounced left to right slope.)

Don’t let the Pine Valley references scare you. While the look may remind one of the famed New Jersey course, Pine Barrens is plenty forgiving. The fairways have ample room from the tee.  The greens however are well defended and these are the shots one will remember for a awhile. The waste bunkers frame each one very well. A few are pressed against the green but overall they’re at the base of a slope where a mishit inevitably finds itself. 

(The final hole doglegs left between pines and sand. Note how the waste areas surround the forward tees with the high grass edging them. The sense of being somewhere special is built with these details and ratchets up the cool factor.) 

Pine Barrens was one of the first courses to bring golfers to the sand based, rugged look architecture that has become prevalent in the past few decades. In fact, when describing it, I  said it reminded me of Tobacco Road. They’re pretty similar golf experiences.  And when I go to Raleigh to visit my friend, we always schedule a tee time there. This is how I feel about Pine Barrens. If you’re visiting Tampa, then this is a must play course. It would pair well with a Streamsong trip too. I give Pine Barrens a 7 (great)(worth driving 3-4 hours).