EAGLE CREEK GOLF CLUB (407-273-4653)
Florida Golf Course Review
Eagle Creek Golf Club, opened in early 2004, is a Ron Garl/Howard Swan collaboration that has developed into one of the Orlando area's top golf destinations. This par 73 7,198
yard championship course blends the best of European traditional design with state of the art American technological innovation. As part of an elite group to be designated with
"Audubon International Silver Signature" status, Eagle Creek provides pristine surroundings and features over 90 soft white sand bunkers and numerous water hazards. Uniquely,
this property is the first in Florida to use the technologically advanced Mini-Verdi grass, which results in exceptionally fast and vibrant greens.
The clubhouse at Eagle Creek is a center piece in itself with a spacious, full service pro shop, wonderfully appointed dining and lounge area with outdoor patio, plus luxurious
locker rooms with showers for men and women. The restaurant can seat 120 people comfortably, and offers full breakfast and lunch menus, plus dinner items until 7 PM. There
are also meeting rooms and separate banquet facilities. A grass range is available, and there are two putting greens plus a short game area with practice bunker on property.
Five sets of tee boxes allow all levels of golfers to choose a distance that matches their game, with the tips measuring 7198 yards with a slope rating of 130. The white tees play to
6857 yards/128 slope, the yellows 6407/122 slope for men and 143 for women, the blues measure 5929 yards with a 115 slope for men and 141 for women, and the red tee areas
play to 5324 years with a 124 slope. Tees, towels, ball and club washers, ice chest and weather covers are standard. Sprinkler heads on the fairways are measured to the center
of the green, and yardage plates are posted at 100, 150 and 200 yards. All that is left is for you to do is to strike the ball, and enjoy the wonderful conditions and scenery. The
beautiful landscaping at Eagle Creek is not restricted to the clubhouse, as tropical foliage, flowers and shrubbery line the cart paths from tee to green.
The golf course provides generous fairways and landing areas off the tee, and there is generally plenty of room greenside to recover from short or slightly mis-hit approaches. The
90 + bunkers are a work though...many are high lipped, which especially affects shots from fairway traps. Land on the fairways and good scores can be had here - end up in the
fairway bunkers and wedges and short irons will frequently be necessary to get out satisfactorily. In addition to the plentiful bunkers, 12 holes feature water in play, and a few more
have sand waste areas that need to be negotiated. The good news is that the Mini-Verde putting surfaces are wonderful to put on, and the undulations here are mild. If you enjoy
quick, true rolling putting surfaces, you will consider those at Eagle Creek a treat.
The yellow or blue tee boxes will be the choice for most golfers - there are no par fours in excess of 400 yards from either tee. The front nine is the shorter of the two sides, and it
begins with a set of three score-able holes rated as the 15th, 17th and 13th handicaps. On the fourth hole, golfers can pretty much take the water out of play by staying right of
center, although this will make this par five play a bit longer. On the #1 handicapped sixth the first three tee boxes present carries over water, while the two front tees are pretty
much free and clear of the hazard. Generally speaking, this is true of the front tee boxes throughout the layout - the hazards are mush less intimidating from the forward tees. The
eighth is a pretty par three which is beautifully bunkered. The front left sand trap is an obvious one to avoid, but the back right pot bunker may be even more lethal.
The back side is longer - a whopping 3708 yards from the black tees! The Fairways continue to be wide, and the pot bunkers continue to be pesky. This is especially true
greenside on the par three 11th, and the par four 14th, which is fronted by 4 of these revetted hazards. On 13 a row of three high lipped sand traps near the landing zone of the
second shot (about 100-130 away make recoveries for par a tough proposition. The par three 17th is a beautiful golf hole over a water hazard, with a green fronted by a wooden
retaining wall. Palm trees form a nice backdrop. The par five 18th is a great finishing hole. A tee shot aimed over the fairway bunkers will cut some distance, and only those with a
lot of length should be tempted to approach the green in two. For most golfers, the prudent move is a lay up to the 100 yard area - followed by a wedge approach over water to a
green fronted this time by a rock retaining wall.
Eagle Creek is a top notch golf experience. Choose the correct tee and enjoy a wonderful round. There is plentiful sand here, but the course can be played well if played cautiously.
There are ample opportunities for a grip it and rip it mentality, but shot placement off the tee is more important on many holes. With the long distances from back tee areas, golfers
will find they will need a balanced combination of both psyches. For more info on Eagle creek, visit out page for them, with direct link to their website by clicking here.
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