 WORLD WOODS GOLF CLUB PINE BARRENS COURSE (352-796-5500)
Florida Golf Course Review
World Woods Golf Club in Brooksville (north of Tampa and about 70 miles from Orlando) is simply put, one of the finest golf facilities in the country! The
property currently consists of two Tom Fazio designed championship courses, a 9-hole short course plus comprehensive practice facilities that include a
three hole practice course (with a par 3, 4 and 5), a 23-acre grass range with 2 adjacent short game areas featuring sand bunkers, and a 36-hole 2 acre
putting course. There also is an iron range and additional practice green near the opening hole of Pine Barrens.
Clubhouse facilities include a nicely stocked pro shop, restaurant/lounge, banquet/outing facilities, plus locker rooms with showers for men and women.
Future plans call for the addition of on-site accommodations along with meeting facilities that will expand World Wood's allure to the corporate world. A
third championship course is also in the planning stages. Currently the property boasts and outing capacity of about 240 guests. World Woods has a
wonderful website that features hole descriptions plus a program that allows visitors to view all 18 holes on both courses in virtual reality. Click here to access this website.
Tom Fazio has said that the World Woods designs represent "his best work"! Sports Illustrated Magazine's Tom Garrity considers the practice facility here
as one of the most pleasurable he has visited in the world. The awards for the golf courses are too many to mention...but here are a few: Pine Barrens - #
75 on list of America's Greatest Courses by Golf Digest (1999); # 38 on list of Top 100 Golf Courses in the Country by Golf Magazine; # 1 in Florida by
GolfWeek in 2000, # 76 on list of Top 100 Golf Courses in the World by Golf Magazine in 2001. The Rolling Oaks Course has been named #59 of
America's Best courses by GolfWeek; #10 Daily Fee Course in the Country by Golf & Travel; # 46 in the Top 100 Courses in the USA by Golf Digest. The
golfing public however will probably remember World Woods as the host to the 2002 Shell Wide World of Golf Tournament between Phil Mickelson and David Toms in 2002.
PINE BARREN Review
Both courses are well marked with yardage plates posted on the fairways at 100, 150 and 200 yards, plus sprinkler heads that are measured to the center
of the green. The Pine Barrens Course features 4 sets of tee boxes that play to distances and slopes measuring 6955 yards/138 slope, 6458 yards/123
slope, 6032 yards/119 slope, and 5301 yards with a slope of 124 from the forward tees.
This layout was rated as # 26 on GolfWeek Magazine's list of America's Best Modern courses, and features holes sculpted from pine forests with ample
manicured fairways framed by sprawling waste bunkers, with some dramatic elevation changes as well. Water comes into play on just two holes, but
counting the waste areas there are 61 sand hazards that golfers will encounter on this beautiful, challenging design. The abundant and often sprawling
sand features that define many of the holes will remind golfers of the famous Pine Valley Course on the East Coast - that is often considered to be the top course in the Country.
Nearly half of the course is covered with sand in the form of large waste bunkers and pine needles from the pine trees which sculpt the landing zones of
almost every fairway. With the exception of holes 4,5,14, and 15 (which are out in the open), every hole is tightly tree lined, creating the need for accuracy
off the tee and on the approach. The medium to large sized greens are guarded with more mounding and less bunkering on the Pines, and are mildly
sloping. Land in regulation and good scoring opportunities on these fine, true-rolling putting surfaces can be had.
World Woods is the most highly regarded golf facility in the area with 36 championship holes and a first class practice area which is considered to be the
best in Florida. This is a MUST PLAY - certainly worth the reasonable drive from either the Tampa or Orlando areas. For more info, visit our page for the
course, with direct link to their website by clicking here.
|
