WORLD WOODS GOLF CLUB ROLLING OAKS COURSE
(352-796-5500)
Florida Golf Course Review 12/06/07
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 greens near the opening hole of both courses.
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. The property
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.
ROLLING OAKS 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 Rolling Oaks Course features 4 sets of tee
boxes that play to distances and slopes measuring 7032 yards/132 slope, 6520 yards/125 slope, 6069 yards/119 slope, and 5245 yards with a slope of 123 for women from the forward tees.
Rolling Oaks, as the name implies, features a rolling topography that is highlighted by an abundance of towering
oaks draped in Spanish Moss. This is a more traditional design than that of the Pine Barren Course, with
generous sloping fairways leading to undulating greens that are often framed by deep sand bunkers. In total
more than 70 sand traps line the landing zones off the tee or are situated greenside, with a lake alongside the
8th and 9th holes providing the only 2 water hazards. The rich green fairways contrasting with the white sand
bunkers and abundant azalea bushes that are featured near the tee and green complexes, provides an environment reminiscent of the landscaping of Augusta National.
The front nine consists of a fairly even terrain while the back nine is considerably more mounded with a mixture
of uphill and downhill lies. Bunkering plays a significant roll in challenging golfers of any skill level from any
position on the course. The greens are protected well by these bunkers but they are otherwise approachable
with not much mounding in front. This course presents something for everyone - challenge from the tips, scoring
opportunities from the middle tees, and a player friendly experience for ladies playing from the forward tees.
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 - and certainly worth the
reasonable drive from the Tampa or Orlando areas. For more info, visit our page for the course, with direct link to their website by clicking here.
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