(Pine Barrens & Rolling Oaks)
REVIEW: The Pine Barrens course, the focal point of this great venue, has many, not just one or two signature holes. The first two that come to mind are holes three and four. The third is a short par-3 of just 157 yards, however water guards the entire left side through the green and with a left pin placement, this hole can tear your heart out. The fourth is a risk-reward type par-5. Only 494 from the tips, the player has a couple of options as he stands on the tee. The hole swings from left to right with a waste area bunker beginning at the tee on the right and ending at the front of the green. Play left with a three-metal and play conventionally, or bombs away down the right side and you'll have a shot at reaching the surface in two. Another outstanding hole on the front side is the par-4 eighth at 402 yards. Although not long, the eighth requires an accurate tee ball, as trees left and much sand right come into play. The green, 34-feet deep, is once again fronted by sand, making club selection a key. On the back side, the 12th ranks as the hardest hole on the course. At 470 yards, this monster requires a long tee shot and depending on which green is being used, an equally difficult approach
The fourth hole swings from left to right with a waste area bunker beginning at the tee on the right and ending at the front of the green. | shot. The left green is long and narrow with no sand coming into play, while the right putting surface is only 20 yards deep and plays uphill with sand and scrub guarding the entrance. Making par on this hole could save your round. The final five holes could be the toughest stretch in the South. The 14th is a difficult, dogleg left par-5 of 547 yards. Teeing off out of a shoot of trees, your first shot must favor the left side of the fairway, as a huge oak on the right will block your approach shot. Going for this green in two not only requires a huge tee shot, but an even longer second which must thread sand left and right of the long narrow and undulating green. Laying up right is the prudent play, leaving a sand wedge to the surface and possibly setting up a birdie try. If you failed for birdie at 14, the 15th gives you another shot. This hole also gives the golfer a pair of options with a split fairway. Just 330 yards, the player can go left with a medium to long iron to an elevated plateau, leaving a simple pitch to a relatively easy green. Your other choice is to go for the green with driver. But beware, sand once again can play havoc as the right fairway is guarded by a large waste area of the white stuff. The most difficult par-3 on the course is the 16th. Out of a shoot of trees, the 16th requires a long iron or fairway wood from the tee. This one shotter features a 38-foot long green that slopes from left to right towards a trio of bunkers, so hitting this surface does not guaranty par. Talk about a difficult green, the 17th has just that as it slopes away on all sides.
The 15th hole gives the golfer a pair of options with a split fairway; go left with a medium to long iron to an elevated plateau, leaving a simple pitch to a relatively easy green, or go for the green with a driver. | To make matters worse, getting to the green is just as difficult. Your tee shot must favor the right side, as stately oak trees guard the left and will come into play depending upon pin placement. Sand once again is the main obstacle, as your tee shot must carry well over 200 yards to safety. Your not done as you reach the 18th tee as you'll need to take a deep breath before striking your final tee ball. The 446-yard finisher is a dogleg left with a long sand bunker guarding the corner 100-yards in length. Cutting the corner is risky with stands of trees and sand, however its a must or else you'll have 200 plus to the green. The putting surface is wide and deep but very undulating and is guarded by, you guessed it, more sand. Par is great, but bogey is not a crime.
In complete contrast to Pine Barrens, the Rolling Oaks course is a traditional venue featuring rolling hills and majestic Oak trees with Spanish moss draping the limbs. The third hole is a beauty of a par-5 stretching 542 from the black tees as it bends to the right.
One of the most picturesque holes on the course is the par-3 eighth. | Four of the five fairway bunkers guard the right side while stands of trees flank the left. Ample area awaits your layup shot, however the closer you get to the green, the narrow your target gets. The putting surface is long (40 yards) and slopes from back to front, making approach putting very difficult. One of the most picturesque holes on the course is the par-3 eighth. This downhill one shotter of 174 yards requires pinpoint accuracy, as the putting surface is guarded by a pond in the front and a stream to the left. Club selection will be key depending upon flag placement. The green is 44 yards deep and slopes from back to front and to the right. The front nine closes out with an outstanding four-par at 458 yards. The tee shot must carry a lake on the left side as well as a bunker some 240 yards from the tee. Your left with an intimidating medium length iron uphill approach to a long sloping green. The par-3 13th is another hole that exemplifies this course. Completely surrounded from tee to green by large Dogwoods, Magnolias and Oaks, this hole requires a long iron to a relatively small target with a grass bunker and rocks fronting the putting surface. The hardest hole on the course is the par-4 15th. As with most holes on this course its carved out from the trees and requires extreme accuracy off the tee. Length is also an issue as a bomb off the box is needed.
The 18th hole is an outstanding finishing hole. | To make matters worse, the hole usually plays into the wind and features an uphill second shot to a back-to-front sloping green. Be thankful if you make bogey or better. The 18th hole is an outstanding finishing hole at 503 yards. Don't get fooled by the distance thinking that this hole can be easily reached. Your second and third shots will be uphill to a narrow landing area and a small plateaued green. Birdies can be had depending upon pin placement.
OVERALL: Your experience at World Woods Golf Club is not to be believed, it must be experienced. Most people don't have the time to practice when they come to the course, it's just rock and roll, however that's a mistake at World Woods. The practice park is the best in the country, maybe the world with every possible option afforded to the golfer, including multiple greens for chipping and pitching along with three full length practice holes. After tuning up, you have two courses to choose from, so why not play both, make it a day or two. There's not doubt that the Pine Barrens course is the creme de la creme. The signature course is a venue reminiscent of Pinehurst #2 and Pine Valley with rolling fairways, tall pines, barren waste areas and sandy scrub. Fazio utilized the natural lay of the region to enhance the beauty of the land. No wonder why he called this "my best work." Although very difficult, the Pine Barrens course offers four sets of tees, from 5,300 yards to 6,900 yards, so choose wisely to enjoy one of Fazio's masterpieces. "We did not start by designing golf holes. We began by viewing the big picture, the overall land mass, the scale and the concept. We allowed the land to tell us what to do." Rolling Oaks is a fine compliment to Pine Barrens. The course has some dramatic elevation changes with stands of Oak trees from years gone by with beautiful flowering vegetation. It boasts large, tiered greens and deep bunkers as it traverses through Florida's rolling hills. Directions to the course are simple from Orlando, Tampa and Clearwater, although it might take as much as $4.25 in tolls each way on Veterans Memorial Expressway or two hours in time from Disney. Whatever it takes, whatever you have to do, World Woods Golf Club is a must for any golfer, not just the serious player.
By Phil Sokol - Director of Operations (TSN)
| Pine Barrens Hole-by-Hole |
Rolling Oaks Hole-by-Hole
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1 - Par 4 406 Yds
2 - Par 4 453 Yds
3 - Par 3 157 Yds
4 - Par 5 494 Yds
5 - Par 4 383 Yds
6 - Par 5 532 Yds
7 - Par 3 207 Yds
8 - Par 4 402 Yds
9 - Par 4 424 Yds
|
1 - Par 4 422 Yds
2 - Par 3 204 Yds
3 - Par 5 542 Yds
4 - Par 4 374 Yds
5 - Par 5 503 Yds
6 - Par 4 341 Yds
7 - Par 4 440 Yds
8 - Par 3 174 Yds
9 - Par 4 458 Yds
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10 - Par 3 191 Yds
11 - Par 4 403 Yds
12 - Par 4 470 Yds
13 - Par 4 429 Yds
14 - Par 5 547 Yds
15 - Par 4 330 Yds
16 - Par 3 224 Yds
17 - Par 4 404 Yds
18 - Par 4 446 Yds
|
10 - Par 5 566 Yds
11 - Par 4 409 Yds
12 - Par 4 378 Yds
13 - Par 3 208 Yds
14 - Par 4 412 Yds
15 - Par 4 457 Yds
16 - Par 3 234 Yds
17 - Par 4 360 Yds
18 - Par 5 503 Yds
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| Par 36 3,458 Yds |
Par 35 3,444 Yds |
Par 36 3,458 Yds |
Par 36 3,527 Yds |
Architect: Tom Fazio
Year Opened: 1993
Location: Brooksville, Florida
Slope: 140 Rating: 73.7
Par: 71
Yardage: 6,902
Key Events Held:
Shell's Wonderful World of Golf (Mickelson vs. Toms), 2002
PGA Tour School Tournament (2002)
Awards Won:
Named America's Greatest Golf Courses (#75) by Golf Digest (1999)
Named Top 100 Golf Courses in USA (#38) by Golf Magazine (1999)
Named number one course in Florida by Golfweek (2000)
Ranked #76 Top 100 Golf Courses in World by Golf Magazine (2001)
Named Best Daily Fee Course USA by Golf & Travel Magazine (2001)
Ranked #10 course - USA Top 100 You Can Play by Golf Digest (2002)
Ranked #11 in America's Best Modern Courses by Golf Week (2002)
Named best new golf course in USA by Golf Digest (1994)
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Architect: Tom Fazio
Year Opened: 1993
Location: Brooksville, Florida
Slope: 136 Rating: 73.5
Par: 72
Yardage: 6,985
Key Events Held:
Senior PGA Tour School finals (2002)
Hooters Tour event (2002)
Awards Won:
Named to America's Best Modern Courses (#59) by Golfweek
Ranked #10 Daily Fee Course in the USA by Golf & Travel
Ranked #73 Upscale Daily Fee Course in the USA by Golf Digest
Named #8 new golf course in USA by Golf Digest (1994)
Ranked #46 course - USA Top 100 You Can Play by Golf Digest (2002)
Ranked #83 in America's Best Modern Courses by Golf Week (2002)
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