Just started playing again after a long hiatus. Actually in Orlando now, but Original Westside from Jax. I am an attorney with Farah and Farah, and moved down here May 2017 to handle our Central Florida litigation. Lived in Eagle Landing and played many courses in Jax through the years. Still up there periodically for work and all family still there. Soooooooooo many courses around Central Florida that I felt compelled to start playing again.
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I’m playing Royal St. Augustine this weekend, and get the feeling it’s the type of course the Width and Angles folks would hate. I also get the feeling it’s the type of course I would hate.
15 years later and I still have PTSD from Royal St. Augustine. They had a sign about how the course was built around the concept of “Target Golf” and there were poles in every fairway you were supposed to aim at.
I don’t even know what to say because you’re playing it in 36 hours. Embrace how miserable it’s going to be and don’t keep score?
It’s a charity scramble… So I am just going to use some ultras and some Top Flites I still have laying around and just enjoy the day.
Oh nice. Yeah you can have some fun with the course in that environment. Just promise us you’ll aim at the pool on the island fairway 13th.
250 or so to carry the water on that line? May as well!
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I’m in town for work this week and have time both tomorrow and Saturday to play some golf.
There’s a 7:45am tee time at Jax Beach Golf Club for 2 guys tomorrow morning, anyone interested in joining me? The next tee time isn’t until 9:30am, and that’s too late for me, so I’d have to get out early.
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@alexshreff: Wish I could make it. Feel free to reach out to me next time you’re in town. I’m always up to play Jax Beach!
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Jax Beach today was a pleasant surprise! Place was in pretty incredible shape for a muni @ $42 on a Friday morning.
The routing was definitely cramped with some seriously wacky tee boxes, and from the blues it’s still extremely manageable, but some great bunkering and great green complexes. 10 was a really fantastic hole. I played like crap but I feel like after a few times around I’d get used to the odd angles and it would be a great mix of fun with your hack buddies but still quite challenging. I dig it!
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Playing Hyde Park tomorrow for the first time in a few years… I’m assuming it’s in rough shape. While the pros are playing Hogan’s alley, I’ll be playing Hogan’s alley.
Anywho, somewhat inspired by the NLU birdie contest, I think I’m going to track all my Jax birdies. Unfortunately, despite the 100 or so rounds I’ve played here, I can only remember a few off the top of my head, so this list is hardly conclusive: #2 at Jax Beach, #13 at TPC Stadium, #8 at Ocean Amelia Island, #1 at Windsor (chip in that hit a dead spot and deflected in), #12 at Windsor (most recent round), #13 Julington Creek
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Hyde Park was in good shape. Played a Donald Ross course in 3 hours for $30 today: would have walked for $20 if my playing partner was up for it. Tree lined, but has the width and angles that many love. I forgot how enjoyable the track was.
Also, I shot a 97 despite probably having positive strokes gained putting and driving. If anybody has any iron recommendations, might be in the market soon.
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I put this on my social media to share with some newcomers to the area, but decided to try to rank the courses in the Jax area I’ve played. I’ll put it here and let you guys pick it apart… Criteria were condition (obviously it’s variable), architecture (why the course that is DFL is DFL), playability (Kinda overlaps with the other two), and aesthetics. Still some I haven’t played out there.
- TPC Sawgrass - Stadium
- Atlantic Beach
- TPC Sawgrass - Valley
- King and Bear
- Slammer and Squire
- Amelia Island - Oak Marsh
- Amelia Island - Ocean Links*
- North Hampton
- St. Johns
- Eagle Harbor
- Eagle Landing
- Hyde Park
- Palencia
- Jax Golf
- South Hampton
- Jax Beach
- Cimarrone
- Fleming Island
- Amelia River
- Hidden Hills
- Queens Harbor
- Orange Park*
- Julington Creek
- Windy Harbor
- Windsor Parke
- NAS Jax
- Oak Bridge
- Blue Sky
- Royal St. Augustine
*Currently Closed
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Couple thoughts:
- Dye’s Valley might be #1. Legitimately.
- Eagle Harbor/Landing cost $30 less than St. Johns Golf & Country Club, might be enough to push them over for me. Never mind the “$50 for golf, breakfast, lunch, and two draft beers” deal at Eagle Landing.
- Bless you for putting Hyde Park above South Hampton, that warms my soul.
Also, while Ocean Links is closed now, I’ll be fascinated to see how it looks when it is (forcibly) re-opened this fall:
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- Palatka Golf Club
I intentionally did not factor cost. Otherwise Hyde Park is #1… It is intended to be a list to compare two courses to the price available for newbies to town.
Relatively new to the Florida area. Currently live in Gainesville, so kind of a lone-wolf with location. Have played St. John’s Golf and Country Club twice under $50 in the last 2 months. Heard good things about Cimarrone and Hampton. Also tried to get on Jax beach twice, but it was booked both times (I did hit balls there though so that counts, right?).
Any other “strapped”/mid-priced courses good for a young professional new to the state? Being in Gainesville though, there are some good courses around here if anyone makes the trip down. I’m always looking for a wolf-hammer (or some variation of game) and can get on UF Mark Bostick Course and then have checked out Julliette Falls.
Hopeful to see the next update on the Jax Beach Putting Society and possible out-of-town memberships. Crack-on!
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Long time listener, first time caller… I’ve lived in St. Augustine for about 2.5 years now. In that time, I’ve played the following courses:
- Cimarrone Golf Club
- Palatka Golf Club
- St. John’s Golf Club (not St John’s Golf and CC)
- Royal St. Augustine
- Grand Reserve Golf Club
- Palm Harbor Golf Club
- Jax Beach Golf Club
- Marsh Creek Country Club
I’d say my top three out of that list so far would be:
- Jax Beach Golf Club
- Marsh Creek Country Club
- Palatka Golf Club
I work over in Palatka, so the Palatka Golf Club has become a staple for me.
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I made it clear up-thread how much I love Palatka, and it has its shortcomings, but damn is it fun to play. The place is just perfect for a post-work 3.5-hour round finishing in the twilight
Tee shots galore that challenge and interest you. Blind uphill, blind downhill, cuts, draws, hooks. I’ve also come to love the OB right on 14 holes because it’s pretty far right on most and there’s almost always a miss left. In some ways golf can best be summed up by the feeling of watching your ball sail out of bounds right only to pan left and see hundred of yards of course that’s in play. The architect didn’t force you to hit it over there, you just decided to challenge yourself and it came back to bite you. That said, play that shit as a hazard.
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If you’re in St. Augustine, you should definitely be playing St. John’s G&CC and South Hampton before you even consider Cimmarone and RSA.
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As of now I’m planning to meet @JCO at Palatka GC Sunday morning for a round. Some time around 9:30. Would love to have others join!
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