Area golf course location # 6 on our golf map
Highlands Ridge North
4100 Carter Creek Road, Avon Park
Year built: 2002
Course designer: David Harmon
Head Pro: Mike Lamere
Hours of Operation: 7am-5:30pm
Course description: The newest course in Highlands County. Highlands Ridge North is also known as the toughest and is the longest when played from the back tees. A true test for all golfers, the North course has very little flat ground, and the swales can make ever a shot from the middle of the fairway a challenge. The greens are large but are very fast and sloped, and are also well guarded by bunkers. The course weaves through a wetlands conservation area, which is marked by green-topped red stakes and is totally off limits.
Course length: 5,000 yards (front tees), 7,234 (back tees)
Rating/slope: 76.1/140 (black), 73.2/137 (blue), 70.5/127 (white), 67.4/118 (gold), 71.2/119 (red)
Amenities: putting green, driving range, snack bar
High-handicapper tip: Spend a lot of time on the putting green before your round to get used to the speed of the greens.
Low-handicapper tip: Course management is a big key here. Place your shots well.
Area golf course location # 5 on our golf map
Highlands Ridge South
3455 East Fairway Vista Drive, Avon Park
Year built: 1983
Course designer: Steve Smyers
Head Pro: Bill Newman
Hours of Operation: 7am-5pm
Course description: The original Highlands Ridge layout, the South course is a different golf experience from its big brother to the north. The front side is short and very tight, making accuracy a priority. Venture just a little off the fairway, and it’s time to take a drop. The back nine opens up and lets golfers breathe a little easier, but is still a challenge. The course is dotted with deep and soft bunkers that make ever the short holes a challenge. There are also well-placed mounds on most holes that can lead to some challenging lies.
Course length: 4,469 yards (front tees), 6,176 yards (back tees)
Rating slope: 69.8/129 (blue), 67.3/123 (white), 64.0/117 (gold), 65.6/118 (red)
Amenities: putting green, driving range, restaurant
High-handicapper tip: Use whatever club you need to hit it straight, especially on the front side where there is very little room for error.
Low-handicapper tip: Leave the driver alone on most holes, but be aggressive when you can.
Area golf course location # 4 on our golf map
Sun N Lakes Turtle Run
5223 Sun’ N Lake Boulevard, Sebring
Year built: 1991 (first nine), 1999 (second nine)
Course designer: Charles Ankrom
Pros: Mary O’Hara and Andy Kealing
Hours of Operation: 7am-5:30pm
Course description: The newer of the two courses at Sun ‘N Lake. Turtle Run is a totally different golf experience than Deer Run is a totally different golf experience than Deer Run. The course is very player friendly in the fact that it is not very long and the greens are fairly large, but it’s also much tighter than Deer Run. The course is cut through old Florida scrub land and the palmettos and oak trees than line almost every hole can grab many an errant shot.
Course length: 5,098 yards (front tees), 8,496 yards (back tees)
Rating/slope: 71.5/133 (blue), 69.5/126 (white), 67.9/122 (gold), 69.0/123 (red)
Amenities: restaurant, pool, driving range, tennis courts, putting green
High-handicapper tip: Be sure to focus on keeping the ball in play, especially off the tee. Shots that stray off the fairway can easily be lost in the brush.
Low-handicapper tip: Keep the driver in the bag on most holes. You won’t need it and you’ll stay out of trouble.
Area golf course location # 3 on our golf map
Sun N Lake Deer Run
5223 Sun’ N Lake Boulevard, Sebring
Year built: 1976
Course designer: Don Dyer
Pres: Mary O’Hara and Andy Keeling
Hours of Operation: 7am-5:30pm
Course description: Deer Run is a traditional, old style Florida course, cut through towering pine trees, which come into play on virtually every hole if golfers stray too far off the fairways. Deer Run is one of the longer courses in the county, but is also forgiving, with plenty of room for error off the tees, as long as you don’t end up behind one of those towering pines.
Course length: 5,357 yards (front tees), 7,023 yards (back tees)
Rating/slope: 74.4/133 (black tees), 73.2/128 (blue), 71.4/125 (white), 70.0/123 (gold), 71.1/123 (red)
Amenities: restaurant, pool, driving range, tennis courts, putting green
High-handicapped tip: Be able to hit driver off the tee because most holes are lengthy and short too shots may leave golfers needing a fairway wood to reach the green in regulation.
Low-handicapped tip: With room for error off the tee, the most important part of a round at Deer Run is the approach shots. Concentrate on getting the ball close to the pin if you want to score well.
Area golf course location # 1 on our golf map
River Greens
Year built: 1969
Course designer: George and Rodney Davis
Head Pro: Jason Beatty PGA
Hours of Operation: 7:00am-5pm
Course description: Highlands County’s northernmost course is also one of its more unique. The layout is beautiful with holes 7, 8 and 9 bending around Lake Tina. The back nine opens up and features three par 5s in the final four holes. Shot placement is a key at River Greens, both off the tee and on approach shots. The greens are some of the fairest around with plenty of slope making it important where golfers place their ball on the greens. Service is a premium at this locally owned and operated golf course.
Course length: 4,978 yards (front tees), 6,092 yards (back tees)
Rating/slope: 68.8/1119 (blue), 67.4/1146 (white), 69.5/109 (red)
Amenities: putting green, driving range, bar/restaurant
High-handicapper tip: Be smart off the tee and around the greens. Keep the ball below the hole and high handicappers can score well here.
Low-handicapper tip: Leave the driver alone on the front nine, then let it rip on the back. Take advantage of the reachable par 5s.
Area golf course location # 9 on our golf map
Country Club of Sebring
4800 Haw Branch Road, Sebring
Year built: 1979 (first nine), 1993 (second nine)
Course designer: Ron Garl
Head PGA Pro: Joe Stafflert
Hours of operation: 7am-5pm
Course description: Carved through a natural setting, the Country Club of Sebring borders the Hammock State Park with beautiful oaks and pines framing most of the holes. The Club is regarded by many as the best layout in Highlands County. With four different sets of tees, a great and fun test of golf for players of all abilities is provided. Strategic mounding and bunkering will place a premium on course management, accurate approach shots and efficient short game. With a new irrigation system installed in the summer of 2007, conditions and playability are improving daily. Summer of 2009 all 18 greens were renovated. The greens are no longer small as they have expanded 40% larger than before.
Course length: 4,938 yards (forward tees), 5,604 yards (white tees), 6,221 yards (blue tees), 6,714 yards (champ tees)
Rating/slope: 71.1/123 (gold), 69.3/119 (blue), 66.4/111 (white), 67.4/118 (red)
Amenities: restaurant/bar, putting green, driving range, tennis courts, pool
High-handicapper tip: Be sure to select the appropriate set of tees to suit your ability. Keeping your tee shot in play, away from rough and bunkers will leave you with many manageable approach shots. Efficient lag putting becomes very important in negotiating our large greens.
Low-handicapper tip: Our championship tees measure a very challenging 6714 yards, and is regarded by many low handicap players as one of the best tests in the area. Strong driving, accurate approach shots and managing our large greens will all be necessary in securing a good score.
Area golf course location # 12 on our golf map
Harder Hall
3600 Golfview Road, Sebring
Year built: 1954
Course designer: Dick Wilson
Head Pro: John Phillips
Hours of Operation: 7am-7pm
Course description: Harder Hall has hosted some of the biggest names on golf in the past and continues to attract the top female amateurs every January. Many current LPGA stars such as Morgan Pressel and Natalie Gulbis are former Harder Hall Women’s Invitational champs. The old-style course is well-bunkered with generous fairways and relatively flat greens. There is very little hidden trouble since most holes have only a slight dogleg.
Course length: 4,900 yards (front tees), 6,300 yards (back tees)
Rating/slope: 70.5/125 (green), 69.3/123 (blue), 64.9/114 (white), 69.0/106 (red)
Amenities: executive course, putting green, driving range, bar
High-handicapper tip: Leave your approach shots where you have a good look at the pin.
Low-handicapper tip: Be aggressive when the hole allows it since some holes reward risk takers.
Area golf course location # 2 on our golf map
Pine Crest
2250 South Little Lake Bonnett Road, Avon Park
Year built: 1925
Course Designer: Donald Ross
Hours of Operation: 7am-5pm
Course description: Highlands County’s oldest and most storied course. Pinecrest was home to the first nationally televised golf match. “World Championship Golf”, on NBC in 1959 and was home to the Haig and Haig tournament, which featured Sam Snead and Arnold Palmer, among others. Planked by orange groves, the course features an open layout with some long par-4s balanced by short par-5s. The greens are large and open, but have subtle breaks and can be tricky.
Course length: 4,723 yards (front tees), 6,665 yards (back tees)
Rating/slope: 71.5/118 (black), 70.0/1114 (dark green), 67.2/109 (white), 69.7/111 (teal)
Amenities: putting green, driving range, bar/restaurant
High-handicapper tip: Play the white tees and be able to chip since some of the greens can be hard to reach in regulation.
Low-handicapper tip: Concentrate on hitting it straight (and far) off the tee.
Area golf course location # 8 on our golf map
Sebring Municipal Golf Course
3129 Golfview Road, Sebring
Year built 1928
Course designer: unknown
Head Pro: Kim Darrow
Hours of Operation: 7am-6pm
Course description: One of the oldest courses in the county, the first nine holes of “the Muni,” as it’s known to locals, was the original Harder Hall course and was turned over to the city in the 1950s, when the second nine was added. A true old-style course with small, elevated greens and a ton of doglegs. Sebring Golf Club is enjoyable for both men and women. There is a good mixture of short and long holes and the course offers a good round of golf in a relaxed atmosphere.
Course length: 4,909 yards (front tees), 6,204 yards (back tees)
Rating/slope: 69.4/120 (blue), 68.8/118 (white), 66.0/109 (red), 63.0/101 (yellow)
Amenities: restaurant, bar, putting green, driving range
High-handicapper tip: Keep the ball in the fairway off the tee. With small greens, it’s important to have a clean lie in order to hit it close.
Low-handicapper tip: Don’t be afraid to cut the corner on the doglegs, which can turn a 150 yard approach shot into a 50 yarder.
Area golf course location #10 on our golf map
Spring Lake Cougar Trail
100 Clubhouse Lane, Sebring
Director of Golf: Shane Riley
Hours of Operation: 7am-5:30pm
Course description: The shorter of the two Spring Lake courses, Cougar Trail are also tighter and have more doglegs than its sister course Panther Creek. There are a lot of short holes. Including some par 4s that can be driven and par 5s that offer a chance for eagle. The greens are relatively flat, but are small and can be hard to hit. Five sets of tees offer a challenge to all golfers and there’s also the bonus of getting to play a hole that’s in the “Guinness Book of World Records” for having the largest green on the planet.
Course length: 4,858 yards (front tees), 6,217 yards (back tees)
Rating/slope: 69.7/121 (blue), 68.0/118 (orange), 66.6/115 (white), 65.3/111 (gold), 68.7/115 (green)
Amenities: restaurant/bar, putting green, driving range, tennis courts, pool, villas, executive course, spa
High-handicapper tip: Don’t be afraid to resist the urge to go for the green. Lay up when you need to, and you can still score well.
Low-handicapper tip: Place your tee shots to leave the most makeable approach shots.
Area golf course location # 11 on our golf map
Spring Lake Panther Creek
100 Clubhouse Lane, Sebring
Director of Golf: Shane Riley
Hours of Operation: 7am-5:30pm
Course description: The longer of Spring Lake’s two courses, Panther Creek offers golfers a serious challenge. The course is fairly open with plenty of room for error, as long as your ball doesn’t find the water, of which there is plenty scattered around the course. Panther Creek is well bunkered, especially around the greens, most of which are undulating. The course has very little elevation change and also has the longest hole in the state in the par 6 No. 6.
Course length: 5,254 yards (front tees), 7,017 yards (back tees)
Rating/slope: 73.2/130 (black), 71.7/124 (blue), 60.6/123 (orange), 68.6/118 (white), 66.4/110 (gold), 70.7/118 (green)
Amenities: restaurant/bar, putting green, driving range, tennis courts, pool, executive course, spa
High-handicapper tip: Pick a set of tees you’re comfortable with and concentrate on shot placement.
Low-handicapper tip: Grip it and rip it. There’s plenty of room to hit driver.
Area golf course location # 7 on our golf map
Golf Hammock
2222 Golf Hammock Drive, Sebring
Year built: 1978
Course designer: Ron Garl
Head Pro: Nel Hayes
Hours of Operation: 7am-6pm
Course description: A layout of four loops makes Golf Hammock unique. Golfers will be back at the clubhouse after playing No. 5, No. 9, No.14, and No.18. Each hole is different from the one before, with most having a dogleg in one direction of the other. The numerous pine trees can come into play on almost all of the holes if golfers don’t put their shots in the fairway. There are five sets of tees, giving golfers of every skill level a chance for an enjoyable round.
Course length: 4,751 yards (front tees), 6,431 yards (back tees)
Rating/slope: 70.7/126 (blue tees), 68.6/121 (white), 68.0/115 (silver), 70.5/119 (red), 67.4/108 (yellow)
Amenities: A newly installed quick shot yardage system, restaurant, pool, driving range, tennis courts, putting green.
High-handicapper tip: There are multiple tees to choose from, so pick the set that is right for you. Keeping the ball in the fairway is key from any of the tees, however.
Low-handicapper tip: Be able to work the ball both left and right, since most holes feature a dogleg.
Area golf course location #13 on our golf map
Placid Lakes Country Club
3601 Placid Lakes Boulevard, Lake Placid
Year Built 1968 (redesigned in 2005)
Course renovated: Highland Golf
Head Pro: Greg Kramer
Hours of Operation: 7am-6:00pm
Course description: The course layout is the same, but almost everything else about Placid Lakes is new since the recent facelift. The course is a tight one with water on 14 holes. Several fairways are bordered by the wet stuff on either side, so accuracy is a key. The all-new greens are Tiff-Eagle grass and large, but very sloped, very fast and very well protected. One of the county’s more challenging courses. Placid Lakes worth the drive south just see all of the improvements that have been made.
Course length: 5,327 yards (front tees),6 ,911 yards (back tees)
Rating/slopes: Black 73.7/128 (blue), 70.9/126 (white), 68.2/120 (men’s gold), 66.1/113 (red), 69.1/113
Amenities: putting green, driving range, bar/restaurant
High-handicapper tip: Pick the right set of tees and remember that coming up short of the green is better than going over on most holes.
Area golf course location 10.8mi.
Lily Lake Golf Course
9 Holes
Lily Lake Resort Homes
6603 Hwy 27
Frostproof, FL 33843
9-hole golf course, plus pro shop, putting green
9-hole, par 32 course with 5 par 4's and 4 par 3 holes that will challenge you every step of the way.
Located just outside the quiet city of Frostproof
Open to the public
Course hours are from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. 7 days a week
