DAYTONA BEACH, Florida – Heading out to Daytona Beach Golf Club from The Villages required a trusted GPS system and some patience traveling county roads 81 miles across half the State of Florida. The Daytona Beach Golf Club is located on the east side of Rte 95 and is easily accessible from both Rte 92 and Rte 400. Situated on South Ridgewood Ave, it’s a golfer’s Oasis surrounded by busy city streets and Mini malls to the south and east.
A visit to the pro shop found a variety of golfing attire and equipment throughout the shop that is arranged in such a way that you just want to buy everything. The staff was courteous and helpful and are there to make your day an enjoyable one.
Today’s round was played on the 18-hole South Course from the white tees. The 18-hole North Course was closed for maintenance work which added a little more business to just this one course today.
The South Course at Daytona Beach Golf Club, designed by Donald Ross, is a classic layout highlighting the legendary architect’s famed turtle-backed greens. The greens complexes, small by modern standards, challenge players to hit the proper spots on the approach and gauge speed and break properly once they’ve arrived on the putting surface.
The layout, a par 71, is easy to walk and features only three par 5’s. The 4th, 5th, and 6th holes require a short trip across the railroad tracks that split these holes from the rest of the front 9. The 8th hole, a 424-yard par 4, is the layout’s toughest hole. There isn’t a surplus of water on the South Course, but the par 3 9th hole, which plays 155 yards from the tips, requires a carry over a pond.
The back nine has its own unique par 3 12th hole which plays 184 yards with water lining the front of the green. The 12th, 13th and 14thholes also have railroad tracks along their right sides. It’s not uncommon for a train to past by drawing your attention away from your next shot as you wave to the conductor.
The North Course was designed in 1956 Lloyd Clifton. Daytona Beach Golf Club’s North Course is a classic Florida design with fairways framed by oak and palm trees and a premium placed on accuracy off the tee. With water on 11 of 18 holes, trouble lurks but players that hit the ball well off the tee will score well. The course plays just 6,338 yards from the tips but offers plenty of challenge.
Two of the course’s best holes feature the type of risk-reward decisions golfers live for. The 5th hole is a 290-yard (white tees) par 4, that offers an outside chance for long hitters to drive the green, assuming they can clear the trees and cut a dogleg with water in the elbow. Hit a great shot and possible glory awaits, though an errant drive invites disaster. The choice is yours.
A short par 5 at just 444 yards from the white tees, No. 17 offers the opportunity to get home in two, but the hole features an island green, so there is no margin for error. With faster greens and tighter fairways, the experience at the North Course is different, but no less enjoyable than its Donald Ross designed counterpart.
Daytona Beach Golf Club is a true public course. Own and operated by the city of Daytona it’s testament to how well a public course can be maintained and operated to offer its patrons a challenging golf course for just $34.00 greens fee. There is a lot to do at Daytona Beach with its racetrack, beautiful beaches, and awesome restaurants but make sure you bring your golf clubs, you won’t be disappointed.
https://www.daytonabeachgc.com/
Leave a Reply