North Florida/Southern Georgia

[RocIsCookin]

Hey all! Long time lurker, first time poster.

Friends and I are planning a camping trip to Live Oak, Florida for a few days and we want to play some good courses while in the area. We are definitely playing the course at Spirit of the Suwannee but looking for some courses within a couple hours from there that are worth the trip.

Ideally we would be looking for some type of elevation change since we are Floridians but in my quick looking at far, it doesn't seem like there's much in the Southern Georgia area and what is there, around Valdosta/Thomasville seems to be relatively flat.

Tallahassee/Jacksonville are also getting looked at, so really anything within 3 hours of Live Oak would be considered. Been looking on the course map here but wanted to see if y'all had any other suggestions I may have missed.

Thanks!

 

[thrembo]

What part of FL are you coming from? Some of the best elevation courses in FL are in Lake County (Palmetto Trails for starters) and North of Tampa. Lake County is within 3 hours of Magnolia. Sawmill in Ocala is nice. Jonesville by Gainsville is nice. New World is a must-play, nearby, and has some elevation changes. Also, Valdosta js nice but mostly flat. The better GA courses are around Atlanta and Augusta (generally).

 

[BogeyNoMore]

Elevation's a rare commodity in the Sunshine State. Not all that much if it in southern GA, either. :\

New World in Jacksonville is the best elevation you'll find in north FL. It's pretty well rounded course if you plan to go that far east.

There's also Ocala Greenway. You can read my review of it, but I suggest you also look at more recent write-ups because it's been years since I played it. But I recall it being very good, with enough elevation on about 4-6 holes to make things interesting.

Sawmill is pretty close to Ocala Greenway. No elevation either, but it does have 1-2 decent water holes, and is a very good course as well.

The Ocala courses are about a full 2 hrs from Spirit of Suwannee Music Park, which has a fun course itself (but zero elevation). Great place to stay if you like country music.

I don't recall much elevation at Freedom Park in Valdosta, but it was a pretty solid course.

If you ever make it closer to the ATL, things get much more interesting. Etowah (north of Atlanta) is all about elevation. Spectacular hilly terrain and mature trees keep you on your toes the entire round. Very much a course that favors the finesse game.

 

[thrembo]

Elevation's a rare commodity in the Sunshine State. Not all that much if it in southern GA, either. :\

New World in Jacksonville is the best elevation you'll find in north FL. It's pretty well rounded course if you plan to go that far east.

There's also Ocala Greenway. You can read my review of it, but I suggest you also look at more recent write-ups because it's been years since I played it. But I recall it being very good, with enough elevation on about 4-6 holes to make things interesting.

Sawmill is pretty close to Ocala Greenway. No elevation either, but it does have 1-2 decent water holes, and is a very good course as well.

The Ocala courses are about a full 2 hrs from Spirit of Suwannee Music Park, which has a fun course itself (but zero elevation). Great place to stay if you like country music.

I don't recall much elevation at Freedom Park in Valdosta, but it was a pretty solid course.

If you ever make it closer to the ATL, things get much more interesting. Etowah (north of Atlanta) is all about elevation. Spectacular hilly terrain and mature trees keep you on your toes the entire round. Very much a course that favors the finesse game.

You really need to come on down and play the Lake County courses! Some parts of central FL are surprisingly hilly. Ocala and Sawmill have a smidge of elevation. Whispering Pines has some el, but I wouldn't recommend it for a casual round (That's the course that the Valkrie Kid got lost on and a little worried lol).

 

[BogeyNoMore]

You really need to come on down and play the Lake County courses! Some parts of central FL are surprisingly hilly. Ocala and Sawmill have a smidge of elevation. Whispering Pines has some el, but I wouldn't recommend it for a casual round (That's the course that the Valkrie Kid got lost on and a little worried lol).

I gotta hook up with you on one of my trips over the next couple of years.

 

[thrembo]

Yeah. My plans to move back up north are on hold for now. But I would like to at least come up for a vacation later this year. If you make it back down here lmk. We are getting better courses down here now and new ones are popping up all the time now.