 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.
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