MISSION INN GOLF AND TENNIS RESORT (352-324-3101)
Florida golf course review
OVERVIEW
Mission Inn - located just 1/2 hour NW of Orlando in Howey-in-the-Hills, is a remarkable golf destination, featuring two championship golf courses developed in Florida's most
beautiful terrain. In a setting adorned with Spanish architecture, spring fed lakes and historic oaks, The El Campeon and Las Colinas Courses provide 36 holes of golf
unparalleled in Central Florida. A review of El Campeon is featured below.
This privately owned and operated estate sprawls over 625 acres that are nestled in the hills, and includes upscale accommodations along with amenities expected at a top scale
resort. A variety of standard rooms and suites (200 total) are located in prime location to the pool/Jacuzzi area, and within walking distance of the hotel's main dining area and
meeting facilities. Additionally, gorgeous villas that are privately owned are leased back to Mission Inn for rental - and are available to the public. The El Conquistador Restaurant is
under new management, and serves impeccable meals (dinner only) in a beautiful setting - at affordable prices with extraordinary service, and is complimented by the Hacienda
Café which is open daily for breakfast and lunch. Sunday brunch is also served at Hacienda, and Nickers at the clubhouse serves a great lunch/dinner menu, as well as a
spectacular Saturday evening seafood buffet. Meeting and banquet rooms are abundant, and one can spend hours walking the manicured grounds, admiring the ornate
architecture and serene beauty of Mission Inn. For more info on the resort, visit our Florida or Orlando resort listing sections and visit the page we have developed for Mission Inn
Golf and Tennis Resort.
The golf courses feature terrain unique to Central Florida, with rolling hills and frequent elevation changes. Also present are abundant cypress trees and tropical foliage, with lakes
and natural areas. Players will find wonderful conditioning from tee to green, and ample informational systems on each course. Each tee area provides measurements to the
center of the green, 100/150/200 yardage blocks are present on the fairways, and 150 yard stakes are also visible. Pin placement sheets are posted on every cart, with the 3 hole
locations on the small greens rotating on a daily basis. The practice facility includes a grass range and spacious putting green that services both layouts.
LAS COLINAS REVIEW
Las Colinas (the Hills in Spanish) is a Gary Koch design that was added to the Mission Inn property in 1992. This course was nominated by Golf Digest as" Best New Resort
Course" upon opening, and has since earned 3 1/2 stars in Golf Digest Places to play. We were told that El Campeon is the premier layout on property, but quite frankly we found
that Las Colinas held up just as well. Water, in the form of ponds, creeks or wetlands comes into play on this rolling terrain on 15 of the 18 holes. 62 finely sculpted bunkers also
add to the allure and difficulty.
Slope rating wise - this is the more player friendly of the two layouts here. The four sets of tees measure 6897 with a 132 slope rating, 6205/125 slope, 5606/113 slope for men,
122 for women, and 4652 with a 110 slope. The fairways are quite generous with very few forced carries, enabling the resort golfer to enjoy his or her day. As with El Campeon, the
marking system is great - with additional 150 yard stakes in the middle of the fairways doubling as directional aids. Yardage booklets are available for each course for a $5 fee - a
worthwhile investment for first time visitors. Note - if you have an early morning tee time scheduled (before the sun breaks through), be sure to lather up with insect repellent as the
mosquitoes can carry you away in the early AM hours.
The opening hole is a straight away par four that affords an opportunity for a good start. The water that runs along the right side can be avoided. The par 3 second is a beauty over
water, with bail out room short left. Three presents a tight fairway with trouble in the form of wetlands to the right and trees and out of bounds stakes to the left. Pay attention to the
pin placement and keep the ball below the hole on this back to front sloping putting surface. The par four 4th is the first real test on Las Colinas, as the second shot must be
played to a long, narrow double-tiered green protected by bunkers left and a grass swale left. A beautiful par five follows. This dogleg right demands accurate placement of the
second shot, as trees flank the entry to the green, which is also guarded by a wide canal about 60 yards in front. Pin placement info is important here as well, as the putting surface
is ridged into 3 tiers. Another water hazard protects the front and bunkers are waiting behind the green on the par three 6th. The front trap may actually assist short shots from
falling into the hazard in front of the steep banks. A tee shot hit over the 150 yard marker will leave an easy approach on 7 - long hitters should be aware of the hidden pond on the
left that comes into play about 130 out. The wide fairway on eight narrows about 100 in, with water left and room short right on the approach. The finishing hole on the front begins
with a carry over a narrow wetland area located about 215 yards from the green. The approach to an undulating putting surface is one of the tightest on the course - anything long
right is trouble.
The back nine begins with a challenging dogleg right par four with out of bounds running the length of the hole on the right side. Bunkers along both sides of the fairway and right
and behind the green complicate the approach. Eleven is a short and simple par four that is very score-able - as long as you avoid the pond just left of the undulating green
complex. Twelve is the men's number one handicap - even though it is quite short for a five par. Titled "Alligator Alley", this extremely tight hole invites a lay up to the right center off
the tee. Oak trees will be in the way of anything hit too far to the right on the second shot, and a raised green complicates matters. Played cautiously as a three shot hole, it is
possible to achieve par here. The dogleg left par four 13th is tough from the tips at 441 yards, but can be managed from the white (363) and forward tees. The dogleg is 90
degrees, and invites one to cut the hole by hitting over the marsh about 10 yards left of the corner. A canal crosses about 100 yards out. The elevated green on 14 demands 1 extra
club - pay attention to pin placement and go for the flag - as this green has many different slopes. The right side of the fairway is best off the elevated tee on 15. There is a marsh
crossing about 100 yards out and more wetlands and trees protect the left side. Bail out right if you must. The last par three on 16 is made difficult by the nature of the putting
surface - easily the smallest at Las Colinas. The par four seventeenth is one of the prettiest holes at Mission Inn, with the preferred landing area on the top of a large hill. Long is
gone on the approach, as a water hazard rests immediately behind the green. Golfers will have their work cut out for them on 18, as this par five narrows with a wetland crossing
the fairway about 240 yards from the green. A hidden pond sits far left past the fairway bunker, and the green is protected on 3 sides by more sand traps.
Las Colinas is a fine addition to the Mission Inn repertoire - and makes the one half hour drive from Orlando a worthwhile trip. 36 holes of great golf and a wonderful, peaceful
environment are the rewards. If you are looking for a quiet place away from the hustle and bustle of Orlando's popular attractions and resorts (and traffic) - then Mission Inn fits the
bill and is highly recommended!
Click here to visit the Two Guys Who Golf Detailed Information page with a link to this course's web page (if available).
Click here to visit the Two Guys Who Golf information page for Mission Inn Resort with a link to its website.
|
