Can you just, get, on Crystal Downs?
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Lol no. I was being silly since he asked
And it’s the best for sure and like 1/2 hour away
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I’d play the South again
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I work on the same road as this. I will have to try it!
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I pass it at least twice a week in the mornings, and I really need to stop in one of theee days
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Can’t go wrong with Wolf River Golf Park or Champion Hill
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Welcome aboard, sir. Come out to a flock event if you can make it happen!
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Post annual golf trip quick follow up on the Garland experience. I had very low expectations and was the one pushing against moving away from Treetops the hardest when it came to planning for this year, however it ended up being way better than I could have imagined. Just an absolutely perfect set up for our large group as far as lodging/hang outs post golf and the courses themselves were of a higher quality than I assumed. They are also building a 10 hole par 3 course (similar to what Forest Dunes had is what it looked like) that is supposed to be open next May so that was great to see. Resort staff were all wonderful and always making sure we were having a great time.
I received our quote from Treetops for 2025 while I was on the trip and the per guy cost was beyond laughable compared to what we have paid for from them in the past, and then we finish up at Garland and our rep there tells us we can lock in the same price for next year if we run it back. Treetops quote was 82% more than what we will pay for Garland next year for golf/lodging. Easy decision given how enjoyable of a weekend our entire group had!
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Thats absurd.
Would you mind disclosing a little more information on the 2025 quotes for both places (itinerary, cost, dates, etc)?
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Not at all. Garland package was $505 a guy this year, that included 3 nights in the double villas and 6 rounds of golf with 1 being on the Fountains which is their surcharge course. Treetops quoted us $920 a guy for 2025 for a package that included main hotel lodging, 5 18 hole rounds plus 2 loops of the 9 hole Threetops (so same total amount of golf holes), then additionally it had 3 breakfast vouchers and shuttle service for 2 of the days. So not quite apples to apples, but the shuttle rides/breakfast vouchers at Treetops per guy isn’t THAT much. And that same exact Treetops package quote for this year 2024 was $730 a guy. Nice year over year bump there too. We always go the Thursday-Sunday of Memorial Day weekend.
The Treetops package price quoted for us is extra disappointing as that same package was just $475 back in 2019. I get they’ve dumped money into the place, COVID golf boom, yada yada, but we have a relatively large group and had been going there 11 straight years and will spend at least that cost or more in food/on course beverages yet they didn’t seem like they wanted to give us any sort of loyalty deal while upping the anty year after year recently. One year at Garland and they already extended a good faith “come back to us” offer. Pretty easy choice.
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We went to Garland for our groups trip in 2020 and really enjoyed it except for the bugs. Worst bugs I’ve ever experienced anywhere every day of the trip.
I just got a treetops quote two weeks ago for 2025 (even though I’ve already booked 2025 elsewhere) that I didnt think was that crazy at all.
The price you received seems way out of whack.
Also: why do I have to wait an hour to make another post on this forum?
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I did hear numerous comments about the bugs leading into the weekend but honestly I didn’t have much of an issue or notice them much at all, even with the heavy rain leading into the weekend up there. Made sure to load up on the spray
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Might be a nest member paywall yippidy bippidy
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Did Garland last year. 3 nights lodging and 4 rounds of golf in the golf cottages was super affordable, and the courses were in great shape.
Did Gaylord two years ago, played on Treetops course the first day and it was 1. The worst of 4 courses we played and 2. The most expensive. Turned me off to the whole place. It was Traditions if I recall correctly and they had just taken out a ton of trees to make it more “links” style despite being inland. Hadnt filled really any of the stump holes, etc just a mess.
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That was the sole issue.
Lots of good: One centrally located clubhouse. Convenient lodging. Solid though not great golf.
Price. Lot of things to like if the bugs are no longer an issue.
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One of my main concerns looking at Garland, and probably part of the bugs factor, is why did they put so much damn water everywhere? I think one of the courses said something like 16 or 17 holes have water in play. Why do they think that is appealing?
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“Do you love golf? But hate when you play with the same ball the whole round? Well boy, do we have the course for you! Bring 3 sleeves and have yourselves a day!”
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Glad to hear this has improved. That was our group’s biggest gripe a few years ago. So much so that I was pretty much set on not going back. A few friends are going again in two weeks so I’ll have to get a report from them to see if this is actually a pattern of improvement.
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I’m a hack and I don’t think I lost more than 3 or 4 balls into the water over 4 rounds. Somehow…
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That course surprised me in that there was a lot more room off the tee than any overhead or GPS made it seem. There are absolutely some ridiculous holes on the property but we are talking about a place where the relative of the owner’s decided to be a golf architect. Would love a Fried Egg review 
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