As golfers we have a tendency to instinctively know when we are playing somewhere that is special, a treat, or possibly hallowed golf grounds.
That happened to us a few days ago, when the Dewsweepers Southern Division played an incredibly private golf course in Central Florida, Mountain Lake. Mountain Lake is in Lake Wales, Florida in the heart of Polk County. About the center of the state. It's a course and community that is off the radar, and lucky for us, we were privileged to play it. Our friend Ray works for Mountain Lake Corporation and he was the one that put the wheels in motion for all of us to step onto this work of art. An honor.
Mountain Lake, we decided as a group, may be the best golf course any of us have ever played. We have all played a lot of golf over 35 years, and we all were hard pressed to think of a better one. The weather was perfect, and the conditions were same. Mountain Lake is a magnificently designed and cared for course that has the feel of something more than golf. It's an experience as opposed to a round of golf. Golf Digest recently ranked private courses nationally. Mountain Lake came in number 8, Augusta National came in number 9.
Mountain Lake has a very interesting story. Built in 1916 and designed by a world renowned golf course designer named Seth Raynor. Raynor built some of the best golf courses in the country over a very short time, as he died at 51 years old in 1926. About a decade ago, Mountain Lake was redone to a degree, but was returned to he original specs taken from Raynor's own blueprints. With square tee boxes, and the greens made original again. In essence redoing some of the modifications made over the decades.
Mountain Lake is not a hugely long golf course, checking in about 6,300 yards and it can tip out about 6,700. It is not loaded with a huge amount of sand, but there is plenty, and it's placed perfectly for challenge. There is some water, but not a ton. The course is relatively driver friendly, and to stand on many tees you might be wondering how it is this course is so difficult. Because it's designed to perfection. Sand and water in just the right places. Greens that are sloped, and shaped by an artist, and rolling this day at about a 12.5. Lightning quick, fair, and fabulous. PGA quality, maybe beyond if that's possible. This place is perfectly pristine. From my view it is a second shot golf course. Approach shots are the key to scoring. Something most golfers have trouble with.
Fairways are generous, and manicured in an almost unbelievable fashion. There is nothing out of place ever. No cart paths, just a few Florida clay paths that actually add to the beauty of this place. Tight grass, with great give on the fairways, and tough Bermuda rough if you are off of them. On the fairways perfect lies every time. Like many great courses, if you drive it in the fairway, you are rewarded, if not, you pay. You can also leave yourself insanely hard short shots if you miss the green on many of these holes. These shots on public courses are generally not difficult. At Mountain Lake with the speed and slope of most greens and the way they are protected, short shots are really tough. Makes more sense to hit the greens in regulation. But we are amateurs. I hit more 60 degree wedges there than any round in my life, trying to get it stopped on short shots.
We all played pretty well, and showed amazing respect to the course all day long. Tim went 45/39 for a nice 84. Ray shot the best all day long, really locked in posting 41/42 for a real nice 83. I shot 44/42 for an 86 even with a terrible triple on number 10. And Beef rolled in a 47/47 for 94. Ray highlighted the round with 2 birdies on the front 9 on 3, and 7. Well done. Ray challenged the course more than the rest of us this day, and he was rewarded for it as he was hitting the ball well. Scores were fine, but secondary. The experience was rewarding in itself.
We always have a great time playing golf with whomever we play with, up north or down south. But after we added it all up, with the weather being perfect in February, and the shape of this magnificent course this may have been the best 18 holes of golf we have ever played. Not from a scoring standpoint, but a golfer standpoint. This is an incredible place. Quiet, serene, established, mature and so immensely private, you can't help but recognize you are doing something that all golfers wish they could. Play a course this good.
Mountain Lake. Astounding. Everything that is good about golf.
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