FLORIDA RESORT’S COURSES DARE TO BE DIFFERENT
Site of former phosphate mine transformed into a extraordinarily contoured spread
Eight of us, plus our caddies burdened down by our golf bags, marched down the 18th fairway of Streamsong Black’s beautiful 18th hole, the light being swallowed up by the darkness of night.
The whipping winds had died down and there was a calmness on one of three much-talkedabout courses (Red and Blue are the others) surrounding the Streamsong Resort complex.
It was a day that couldn’t be dulled by the high numbers that were stacking up on my scorecard. After a couple of long days at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, it was a welcome walk on the wild side — at a middle-of-nowhere Florida resort (an hour and a half from Orlando and an hour or so southeast of Tampa) where the hustle and bustle is left behind. It’s not a course everyone will love, but major golf publications have given it rave reviews and it has become a bucket-list course for many.
The resort’s courses dare to be different. What has happened at the site of a former phosphate mine is pretty incredible. Sand dunes were created, allowing for dramatic rises in elevation and plenty of contour.
One of the visionaries behind Streamsong’s golf courses was Rich Mack, CFO and executive VP of The Mosaic Company. Speaking of his inspiration for Streamsong, Mack said: “I was inspired most by Sand Hills in Nebraska. I was there in the mid 1990s — the topography, the solitude, the peacefulness and the wildlife that you experience. Playing golf at 5:30 with the shadows and sun was very analogous to what I thought could be accomplished on the property we have. It looks so much more like a Sand Hills or something you would find in Long Island or Oregon versus anything you would ever find in Florida. If there is a tree or any sort of vegetation that gives you any hint you might be in Florida, I have it whacked by our maintenance team — I don’t want it. Palmetto bushes, palm trees, you’re not going to see any of that.”
Along with the three courses, there’s a two-acre putting complex (The Gauntlet) and a shortened six-hole practice course (The Roundabout). Multi-tiered putting surfaces ratchet up the difficulty factor. The ground game is important on Black and its links style. A windmill you can see during many of the holes is a nice touch.
“If you love golf, you’re going to like the vibe you get at Streamsong,” said Mack.
A day later, we headed east to Sebring, truly a hidden gem, for a couple of rounds of golf before returning to the homeland. While in Sebring, we stayed at Inn on the Lakes, with its terrific Chicanes restaurant where I had the most awesome French onion soup ever. One key word for the inn, along with pretty well anywhere else in the area: Value. You’re still getting quality, but the price is great — on and off the golf courses — much less expensive than you would pay on either coast. Another three key words: People, personality, hospitality. We got a good dose of all three at the inn. But back to the golf. We played both of Sun ‘N Lakes Golf Club’s layouts — Turtle Run and Deer Run — and found them to be terrific courses. You can play a round of golf for under $50 and they’re offering six packs of beer for $12. Turtle Run starts with a Par 5 that offers riskreward on a second shot over water into the green. The second hole is a Par 3 that is a 150-yard carry over water. One of our playing partners was golf designer/ architect Ron Garl, who has his name attached to 250 or so golf courses, including Wooden Sticks near Toronto and Taboo in Muskoka.
On Day 2 of our Sebring stay, we teed it up at Deer Run, with its spectacular Par 3 island-green 18th hole. On a blustery day, with the wind turning a 130-yard shot into something probably closer to 150, I hooked an eight iron into the water. No matter.
Sun ‘N Lakes is part of the area’s Citrus Golf Trail. The area has great value in accommodation, golf and dining. Plus, there’s the Sebring International Raceway, great fishing and much more.
In Sebring, it’s much more than just the golf that has made this a place a favourite destination for Canadians. Twenty-five per cent of Sun ‘N Lakes membership is made up of Canadians — the Canadian flag is flying high in front of the clubhouse through January.
Seeing is believing: With twotime Masters champ Bubba Watson as a poster boy, Oakley has gotten plenty of recognition along the way. If he wears something with the Oakley name on it, well, golfers want to wear that style. Oakley is also a pretty big deal in the world of sunglasses. These days, they’re front and centre with their impressive Prizm Dark Golf lens, which makes fine details pop out. The glasses are specifically made for the golf environment, enhancing virtual contrast. The tag line for Oakley’s clothing line is, “Defy convention. Respect tradition.” There’s a Bubba Watson Capsule Collection available starting in the spring.
Stick it: Monument Golf has a solution for a common problem on the golf course: A magnetic golf towel. Explained Brent Steffens, Director of Marketing for Monument Golf: “What started for us as a magnetic rangefinder strap evolved into the magnetic towel. It sticks to the cart posts, it also sticks to clubs so it won’t fall off in the bag as you’re driving up the fairway. This promotes taking the towel to the green. When you’re done, you don’t have to bend over to collect everything. You just pick the towel up (with your club) and go.” Expected to be in retail stores in April, the towel has a removable patch. Said Steffens: “This is really important for washing and drying — you wash the towel only, not the patch.”