Streamsong Resort
When it comes to U.S. golf resorts and courses you should strive to play in your lifetime, the list would include the likes of Bandon Dunes, Pebble Beach, Sand Valley and one we just visited, Streamsong Resort in Florida.
If you’ve never been to this unique resort just south of Tampa and west of Orlando, you should plan a trip soon, especially after the recent additions of its new short course and putting course.
The Chain, a 19-hole short course designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, as well as The Bucket, a 36-hole putting course, are the latest touches to this special place, which already includes three of the best championship courses not only in Florida, but in the entire United States (all are ranked on Golf Digest’s list of best 100 courses open to the public).
The new short course and putting course are located right next to the Streamsong’s magnificent lodge. You could certainly play them in tandem with any of the other courses — the Blue, the Red, and the Black — or simply enjoy The Chain or The Bucket or both in a single day. They are good enough to stand alone, but certainly round out the whole experience at Streamsong, which is operated by KemperSports.
We recently had the opportunity to play all the courses at Bandon Dunes over three days and can attest that Streamsong Resort, which opened in 2013 with 36 holes, is better than ever and one of our favorite destinations in the world.
The lowdown on The Chain and The Bucket
Designed by the same team that also created the Red Course at Streamsong, Coore and Crenshaw know a few things about designing great short courses. They built The Preserve at Bandon Dunes in Oregon. It’s a spectacular par 3 course with Pacific Ocean views from all 13 holes. And they are also responsible for The SandBox, a 17-hole par-3 layout at Sand Valley in Wisconsin.
The Chain isn’t really a par-3 course since there are no par designations on the scorecard. While most of the holes can be reached off the tee, the idea is that it’s just about getting around in as few strokes as possible. Also if you don’t feel like playing all 19 holes or don’t have time for it, there is a six-hole loop as well as a 13-hole loop. But you definitely want to play all the holes if you can get them in.
The holes can range from about 50 yards to nearly 300 yards, the latter of which is the eighth hole. Most players carry a light bag with less than the usual assortment of 14 clubs, so the way to play the eighth might be 7-iron-wedge, depending on how far you hit the ball.
Match play is a great way to play the course, with the winner of the previous hole picking the tee area since there are no tee markers.
Coore and Crenshaw were able to take advantage of the property’s unique characteristics to maximize their creativity. Streamsong sits on the former Mosaic phosphate mining site that was covered by ocean water not too long ago, relatively speaking. What’s left is a very sandy site, perfect for links-like golf. The area is known as Florida’s “Bone Valley,” because of the abundance of prehistoric fossils there, including the Megalodon, an ancient sea predator with teeth the size of Bowie knives.
The Chain, by the way, is named for the property’s dragline chains that were used during the mining operation back in the day. Those chains were used to pull a giant bucket, hence the name of the putting course. A 22,000-pound dragline bucket sits at the center of the property.
“We’re quite fond of these shorter courses,” Bill Coore said. “When you take strength and length out of the equation, golf becomes much more fun for a vastly expanded group of players. And from an architectural perspective we can do more quirky and interesting things with short holes because we’ve removed the strength and length equation from play. We can do more interesting things on the greens and around the greens and build some greens you might not feel comfortable building on long regulation length holes.”
Interesting is an understatement. Some of the greens are quite large with false fronts or sides. A long putt can have several breaks, and there are plenty of imaginative bunkers around most of the greens. There are falloffs, water that comes into play, and even a punchbowl green, where if the pin position is right, could yield an ace or two.
“This is not like a pitch and putt,” said Crenshaw, adding that it’s “real golf.”
While the Chain is a pretty good test of golf, The Bucket is challenging in its own right, to say the least. While it’s certainly meant to be enjoyed in a casual atmosphere — there are drink holders on every tee, and a trailer where you can get cocktails and craft beer — the putts have plenty of break and elevation change.
The Chain
Championship layouts and everything else
Of course, the main draws are the three championship courses at Streamsong. The Red and the Blue courses were the first two to open. Tom Doak designed the Blue, which has some of the most difficult greens on the property. The Red is very challenging off the tee. And the Black, which opened in 2017, was designed by Gil Hanse. All three are among the world’s most sought-after design teams in the world.
The Black has the most wide-open spaces and 11 acres of greens. This is the course where you can spray it the most and still have some success.
“Black is the most fun. If you drive it well on Red, you’ll have success. And iron play is key on the Blue,” said Kevin Kennedy, general manager at Streamsong.
While golf is the star, Streamsong offers much more, including beautiful accommodations.
The rooms and suites, created by the innovative design firm of Alberto Alfonso, feature floor-to-ceiling glass windows with custom louvers, water views and comfortable beds with a modern, minimalistic, yet luxurious look.
In addition to golf, guests can also enjoy guided bass fishing, clay shooting, archery, and tennis. There’s also a European-style spa that features services all inspired by Streamsong’s natural surroundings.
The seven restaurants at Streamsong are also top notch. They include clubhouse restaurants like Pub 59 and the Bone Valley Tavern. The latter is located at the Black Course, with 360-degree views of the course and surroundings.
At the Red and Blue clubhouse is the Canyon Lake Steakhouse, which meat-lovers dream about. Streamsong’s newest epicurean experience offers an elevated steakhouse menu featuring DeBRAGGA USDA Prime and dry aged beef served in an upscale dining atmosphere. You can also get venison, ahi tuna and a delicious lobster bisque or wedge salad, just to name a few examples.
And finally, to top off the new offerings at Streamsong, there’s the new Rooftop 360 at the top of The Lodge. It offers incredible views of The Chain to the east and the Red and Blue courses to the west. There’s a great selection of tapas-style food, and craft cocktails and beer.
It’s the perfect spot to cap off a day of golf or other activities.
With all of the above, it’s no wonder that Streamsong has sometimes been referred to as the Bandon Dunes of the East. But now after more than two decades, it seems the Streamsong name carries plenty of clout on its own.
“It’s a compliment, no doubt,” Kennedy said of the comparison.
“But eventually we want people to compare Bandon to us,” he said with a laugh.
