Flying under the Florida radar: World Woods Golf Club
Florida is one of the great states for golf in the continental United States. Just for starters, it contains one of the premier private courses in the county in Seminole Golf Club. To pair with that, a public course option in TPC Sawgrass that is host to what is considered the fifth major in golf with its famed 17th hole island green. In recent years, Streamsong has become one of the top golf destinations in the country and consistently has its three courses ranked within top 100 lists across the board.
In 2021, I had some time off between jobs and saw Florida as a great target to plan a trip with several rounds of golf across the state. Streamsong and TPC Sawgrass are both high on my course list to play one day, but they did not make the short list for this trip. As I researched where to play around the state, one of the places that kept coming up was World Woods Golf Club. As I mulled on this location, I found it high on many state ranking lists, but really had not heard much about the location from a word of mouth standpoint like some of the other great courses in the state of Florida.
As I began to do some research to write this course review several years after playing World Woods, I came to the realization that the facility had since closed and been purchased by The Cabot Collection. The Cabot Collection is the developer and operator of four premier golf course locations across the world. The fifth will be Cabot Citrus Farms, formerly known as World Woods. As I learned about the closure of World Woods which will re-open under new ownership and management, I could not stop thinking of the massive upside from a money infusion and golf renovation to this property. Based off the courses and property I played and experienced pre-renovation, I quickly expect Cabot Citrus Farms to become one of the more sought after golf destinations in the state of Florida and gain national recognition. Streamsong will have some competition for Florida golf destinations. My view of this property and course in this write up is under the context of the course operating as The World Woods Golf Club.
The World Woods Golf Club, pictured above, will re-open in 2024 as Cabot Citrus Farms
The World Woods golf facility sits around sixty miles directly north of Tampa. It is smack dab near nothing in Brooksville, Florida. The property opened for business in 1991. At the time, it was one of the largest golf facilities I have ever been on. The property consists of a relatively small and simple clubhouse. There is a massive driving range of a size and scope I had not ever seen that has four sides and spans 22 acers. The day I was there was relatively quiet and they had a very small portion of the range open. In addition to a massive driving range, the property consists of a three hole warm up course, nine hole executive course, and an expansive putting course. On top of this, there are two full golf courses, Pine Barrens and Rolling Oakes. There are no homes or business remotely close to the property which always makes for a peaceful round of golf. The greens fees at World Woods are very reasonable for the quality of golf available on the property; I think I paid around $60 for Pine Barrens and then a replay rate in the afternoon for my second round.
Pine Barrens is lined with tall pines, rugged sand traps, and has a great variety of hole design and character
Both course are Tom Fazio designed with Pine Barrens being the crown jewel of the two. I had the chance to play both courses on the day, but given the opportunity to only play one course would certainly choose Pine Barrens. Pine Barrens is most well known for it’s striking resemblance to one of the most well known courses in the country, Pine Valley. The course name comes form the Pine trees that line the course. Expansive waste bunkers come into play on nearly hole. I have not been to Pine Valley believe it or not so the closest course or courses I felt that I could compare it too is Pinehurst. The feel of the course with it’s tall spine trees make it feel like a course you might play in the Carolinas, not central Florida. The course aesthetics were wonderful and unlike anything I had ever played before. The signature hole on the course is the par four fourth; a intimidating layout with sand lining the entire right side of the hole , pictured below. The fairway is divided by sand a few hundred yards out and then plays to a elevated green surrounded by sand.
The par five fourth is the signature hole on Pine Barrens and is a memorable designed golf hole
Approach shot view to the elevated fourth hole at Pine Barrens
The second on property course, Rolling, Oaks plays pretty open and it has a totally different feel from Pine Barrens. The course is more of a traditional design and has sprawling fairways filled with large trees with hanging Spanish moss; it lives up to its course name. Rolling Oaks holds much less sand than Pine Barrens and feels much less rugged. There is a fair amount of elevation change for a Florida course and there were some nice holes but nothing stood out to me quite like the course layout and design of Pine Barrens.
Green to fairway view of the Rolling Oaks course
In Summary: I was intrigued and impressed with World Woods but found myself thinking throughout the round what some extra TLC may do to the place. There were obvious areas throughout the property where some work was needed from areas as simple as signage to the overall upkeep of the property and courses. I cannot imagine the amount of personnel and money it takes to keep up a property like this, but that’s exactly what Cabot is planning to do as they close down and give it a large money infusion that it needs. The bones of this property have potential to make it an incredible property that will be quickly sought after from golfers far and wide. I hope to get back and be able to see what the newest Florida golf destination will be all about having seen the potential and upside from its predecessor World Woods Golf Club.
Course Rating:
Pine Barrens: B +
Rolling Oaks: C -