Pros:
(2.167 Rating) An improving sports complex course that still needs a lot of work.
- UPGRADES - High Springs first nine was redesigned after the first review on DGCR. The locals wisely incorporated the big dry sinkhole and it now features a pair of really cool shots. Hole (5) is flipp'n awesome, which for Florida, is a rare 25 foot down and up valley shot. I really liked the pair of large limestone rock outcrops on (7). Hole (9) was a great way to finish the front nine, even with its 900-foot walk back to tee (1). (9) is a shot towards the bottom of the sinkhole. Perhaps that should have been (8) and a different hole (9) should have gotten play closer back towards tee (1)
- HOLE VARIETY - The gameplay dynamics felt on par with my standard 2.5 rated course. I think it's a par 54 course. Hole (2) had two placements, with the far one at 450 feet. Perhaps a local MA3 par 4. I liked the mix of wooded and open. Some holes brake right, while other brake left. On the back nine, hole (16) stood out being a blind play over a 20-foot tall man-made mound with one tree. The elevation change was even a factor a couple times, which is rare for Florida.
- TIME PLAY - I logged 54 minutes, which included a 5 minute drive to the back nine. A majority of the holes are simple and only a couple were over 300 feet long.
Cons:
Back nine blues
- THE NEW NINE - High Springs appears to have added a second nine in the last year or so. In concept, it's ok. It's more open than the front nine, has two tees and has much less multi-use conflicts. It does have a hoard of issues however, although many of them can be fixed. The biggest unfixable issue is the gap after basket (9). Not only is it a long walk back to tee (1), there is also likely a closed off tall fence with locked gates from the BMX course separating the two loops. Signs are prominent every 50 feet stating to not jump the fence. To get to the second nine, it requires driving out of the park and around the cemetery. If I hadn't driven it, the walk may have taken 20 minutes, or so. Fixable issues include no signage, terrible carpet tees, shaggy fairways and lots of trash. I had a good chuckle from seeing the half-destroyed outhouses inside circle one for basket (12). The recent addition hasn't really improved the course overall. Perhaps with time, it will. I have a feeling that many locals would opt to throw the front nine twice, over throwing both nines.
- AMENITIES - The baskets are good, Dynamic Patriots. The rest of the amenities are not present, partially present or bad. Tee signage is good on the front and absent on the back. No course map. Tees are mostly carpet and sometimes sorta level on the front, and not level on the back. There are a handful of benches and there are two baskets on hole (2). Off the course there are shelters with picnic tables and I saw a porta-potty in the locked adjacent BMX area.
- LACK OF CHALLENGE - Perfect for MA4s and MA3s. Local MA2s I assume will often skip town to throw Alligator Lake, Jonesville, or even Northside. I played terrible as an MA2 and shot 4 down. I only felt intrigued on holes (4), (5), (6), (7), (9), (12) and (16). The rest were bland or blandish.
- NATURAL BEAUTY - Had I just seen the front nine, I would have scored the beauty a hair south of average. Only the stretch of holes from (4) thru (9) were worthy of an above average ranking on this aspect IMO. The rest of the course brings my score back on beauty substantially. As noted, the back nine is full of trash and hole (1) is a bland short open field shot.
Other Thoughts:
High Springs is good enough to get routine local league play. Beginners won't be overwhelmed on the front nine and there is enough intrigue for local veterans that they'll often opt to play here, over making the 25-minute trip to nearby Jonesville. No need for anyone beyond a 30-minute drive to come check it out unless they enjoy exploring courses. Both Gainesville and Lake City have superior set-ups as goto courses IMO. Overall, a 2.25 ratings tweener to me. I'm not sure the new back nine adds any value currently. I probably would have scored the course the same had I not seen the back. The course reminds me of regional places like DeFunk Disco in Defuniak Springs Florida, Creola in Mobile and The Bulldog in Perry Florida.