Naples Florida Course Recommendations

[highscoreinky]

Headed to Naples the 1st week of September and would love to whittle down my list of possible courses to play. If you have any input on my list or have another course you would recommend please let me know. I can play get in 10 rounds on this trip, maybe a few more if I play 36 a day or two. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

Bear's Paw Country Club

Bonita Bay Club Naples

Eagle Creek Golf and Country Club

Foxfire Country Club

Golf Club of the Everglades - I'm a fan of Rees Jones designs

Hammock Bay Golf and Country Club

Kensington Golf and Country Club

Naples Grande Golf Club - Rees Jones again

Old Corkscrew

The Club at Olde Cypress

The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club

The Quarry Golf Club

The Rookery at Marco

The Club at the Strand

The Vineyards Country Club

Tiburon

TPC Treviso Bay

Vanderbilt Country Club

Windstar on Naples Bay

 

Now you see my dilemma, nineteen courses and can play a dozen at most. Thanks in advance for any guidance.

[GolfNuts4]

I suggest contacting some of these as many are private and unless you have a contact or some form of approved PGA pass, you won't be able to play them. So your 19 will be much less and your decision will be easier.

[Spaulding S.]

You should be pretty good to get on most of these the first week of September as that is still our offseason. I agree with the above comment though. Get a South Florida PGA Pass and you will get better rates at the courses you can get on (including a bunch you listed). See below and look for Collier courses. Only Old Corkscrew is in Lee county. I wouldn’t play there unless you want a shotmaking challenge though.

 

https://www.sfpgagolf.com/sites/sfpgagolf.com/files/52919_by_county.pdf

[Baitkiller]

Take windstar and foxfire off and maybe the Quarry as well. That should help. Nothing wrong with them, just nothing special. I wouldn't drive past Lely Flamingo to play any of them.

[highscoreinky]

> @GolfNuts4 said:

> I suggest contacting some of these as many are private and unless you have a contact or some form of approved PGA pass, you won't be able to play them. So your 19 will be much less and your decision will be easier.

 

Thanks, I purchase a South Florida Golf Pass every year. Just like to get local input on areas I haven't played in or at least opinions of others who have played those courses.

[highscoreinky]

> @"Spaulding S." said:

> You should be pretty good to get on most of these the first week of September as that is still our offseason. I agree with the above comment though. Get a South Florida PGA Pass and you will get better rates at the courses you can get on (including a bunch you listed). See below and look for Collier courses. Only Old Corkscrew is in Lee county. I wouldn’t play there unless you want a shotmaking challenge though.

>

> https://www.sfpgagolf.com/sites/sfpgagolf.com/files/52919_by_county.pdf

 

Spaulding S, I have the golf pass. Are there other courses I didn't list in the area that you would recommend?

[highscoreinky]

> @Baitkiller said:

> Take windstar and foxfire off and maybe the Quarry as well. That should help. Nothing wrong with them, just nothing special. I wouldn't drive past Lely Flamingo to play any of them.

 

Thanks Baitkiller. I didn't have Lely Flamingo on my list though the course is in the golf pass book. I'll take a look at it and appreciate you helping me get my list whittled down.

[Baitkiller]

When you get to the Strand, make sure the starter gives you the Preserve for the second nine. You want to be good and warm when you tee off on that Ba$tered. LOL. Very good buddy of mine is the super at Strand.

[highscoreinky]

> @Baitkiller said:

> When you get to the Strand, make sure the starter gives you the Preserve for the second nine. You want to be good and warm when you tee off on that Ba$tered. LOL. Very good buddy of mine is the super at Strand.

 

Thanks Baitkiller, got it. Savannah or Sable for the 1st 9 and the Preserve at the turn.

[Bnelly428]

> @highscoreinky said:

> Headed to Naples the 1st week of September and would love to whittle down my list of possible courses to play. If you have any input on my list or have another course you would recommend please let me know. I can play get in 10 rounds on this trip, maybe a few more if I play 36 a day or two. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

>

> Bear's Paw Country Club

> Bonita Bay Club Naples

> Eagle Creek Golf and Country Club

> Foxfire Country Club

> Golf Club of the Everglades - I'm a fan of Rees Jones designs

> Hammock Bay Golf and Country Club

> Kensington Golf and Country Club

> Naples Grande Golf Club - Rees Jones again

> Old Corkscrew

> The Club at Olde Cypress

> The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club

> The Quarry Golf Club

> The Rookery at Marco

> The Club at the Strand

> The Vineyards Country Club

> Tiburon

> TPC Treviso Bay

> Vanderbilt Country Club

> Windstar on Naples Bay

>

> Now you see my dilemma, nineteen courses and can play a dozen at most. Thanks in advance for any guidance.

 

I have played: Bonita Bay, Eagle Creek, Old Corkscrew, The Quarry, The Rookery and Tiburon on your list. I would say Tiburon is the best of that lot. Rookery is second. Agree with BaitKiller, Quarry is nothing special, nice course but straight forward. Old Corkscrew is very much a shot makers course. Can be really fun or really frustrating.

 

Beautiful course in Collier is Collier's Reserve. Again, not terribly challenging, but gorgeous scenery. Bonita Bay was not in good shape at all when we played in May. Not sure if they've turned it around since.

 

Twin Eagles is another course if you can get on I would recommend. Challenging.

 

Other courses on the list your provided that I played but either cannot remember because it was a while ago or just not that memorable: Esplanade, Gateway, Panther Run.

My golf trip each year is held at Heritage Bay. Not a challenging course, but 27 holes and always in pretty good shape. They rotate which 9 is closed during the season. Now I'm going to be a homer :) My parents have a place at Forest Glen. I love the course. Decent practice facility. It's not a long, but it challenges all parts of your game. Would recommend if you can get on. Also interested in what other people have to say about it. Of all the courses I've played, I'd say Forest Glen is always top 5 in quality and upkeep.

[Baitkiller]

Forest Glen is nice to the eye and fun to play but I do have two gripes: Little Miss Wackenhut at the gate would not let us on property until 30 minutes before our T time so no warm up possible at all. Then the desk jockey wanted to charge me full rate for my junior. I had to do some name dropping to the head pro as per who my boys coach is to get the members junior rate.

That and what is the fairway grass there? I found the rough quite punishing. It seemed like it would grab a club head more than I'm used to.. felt sticky if that makes sense?

Im sure its an awesome place for members, great location.

[mcputter]

Eagle Creek is nice- if you do play there do not try to cut the corner on the doglegs or even take the inside line- play down the middle. First hand knowledge- LOL.

[derekthomas14]

I've played most of these courses and all are great but I'm a huge fan of the quarry. Old corkscrew is great but it's really just there to kick your teeth in if you play from too far back. We played it on a day that is had rained the day before and I've never hit so many 3-woods into par 4 greens.

[highscoreinky]

> @derekthomas14 said:

> I've played most of these courses and all are great but I'm a huge fan of the quarry. Old corkscrew is great but it's really just there to kick your teeth in if you play from too far back. We played it on a day that is had rained the day before and I've never hit so many 3-woods into par 4 greens.

 

Thanks derekthomas14, I will add the Quarry to my list for later this year or next year. I was able to play Tiburon, Naples Grande, Bear's Paw, Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club and Lely Mustang course. Will have reviews shortly.

 

 

[Bnelly428]

Hope you had a fun trip. We are planning our May trip and I'd love to hear your feedback on Naples Grande, Bear's Paw, Beach and Lely.

 

Also, that is good feedback about FG. I've been a "member" so it's good to get an "outsider's" perspective. Aligns with what some courses we've gone to under reciprocals.

[highscoreinky]

worHey Nnelly428, you have actually listed those courses in the order I would rank them. Naples Grande is a course I could play every day. Nothing outstanding about the course but the conditions were excellent, great green speeds and the staff was terrific. Nothing tricked out about the layout or greens. Good, solid track.

Bear's Paw at one point probably one the better tracks in the area. Good practice area and plenty of water on the course but more for looks than to create problems except for a par 3 on the back side. Par 3's can play long on this course especially with wind. I believe the new clubhouse should be completed by now. IIRC it underwent a $6,000,000.00 remodel. The pro shop was still operated from a trailer on site when I was there in Septembere.

May want to call Naples Beach before you go to make sure they have the course open. Owned by a family for 3 generations but they sold the property to a developer/management company with 2 years remaining on the original ownership. The hotel is across the street and on the beach and is undergoing renovation right now. The front access Gulf road is only two lanes and the city limits construction vehicle traffic so they are going to let heavy equipment have access via the golf course. Will be interesting to see what may be taking place now and what the final result will be. The course conditions were not great in September. I did like the layout though. Would have loved to play there during it's glory years. Maybe new ones to come? Time will tell.

I played Lely Mustang and won't be going back to the facility any time in the near future. I booked the Flamingo online but the starter decided to send me out on Mustang even after showing my reservation for Flamingo and verifying that the pro shop directed me to the 1st tee box of Flamingo. Instead of being the ass I can often be I agreed to play Mustang. Big mistake. I was the only on that course. I waited on the grounds crew every shot for the first 8 holes. I actually picked up on number 1 which is a par 5 that I could be on in two from where my tee ball was. There were 9 crew members around the green with several gators and a couple of carts who saw me waiting in the fairway but never moved off the green. Every collar around the first 8 holes were being replaced along with regular maintenance. I waited on 3 holes to have a crew member turn off the sprinklers on the greens on the back side. I skipped the first par 3 after a 12 minute wait on the tee box. Decided that I didn't want to have to time putting with the sprinkler rotation on that green. Finished the round and was hoping to have a chat with the starter but he was already done for the day at that time. I did relate my disappointment to the pro shop and go the obligatory apology and please come back and give us another chance. Won't happen. Too many other courses in the area.

Have a great time. Weather should be beautiful!

 

[Bnelly428]

Had a similar experience at Colonial few years back. The Group well in front of us was slow, so they made our entire group, 3 4somes skip holes. Made the skins much more lucrative though :)