#82 Top Public (Golf Digest)
#90 Top 100 USA (Golf Magazine)
#97 Top 100 USA (Golf Digest)
#46 Top 100 USA Public (Golfweek)
(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.)
(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 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.)
(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.)
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).
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