I've never seen a "please watch for low-flying aircraft" sign on a golf course. Until now.
Designed by Bill Amick, Spruce Creek Country Club (par 72, 6,063 yards from the white tees), the links jewel in the Spruce Creek Fly-In Community, offers a unique challenge with tight, tree-lined fairways, water on the back nine, and the opportunity to make par in the backyard of the rich and famous.
NASCAR stars Mark Martin and Mike Skinner have homes here. It's only about 20 minutes from Daytona International Speedway, so that makes sense. Kevin Harvick had a home here. So did film star John Travolta.
You see, the Fly-In is a gated community where residents have aircraft hangars for garages, pull out of their house in their Cessnas, zip down the runway and fly to whereever duty calls. Planes take off above the eighth and second fairways, so be wary of high-lofted drivers.
For $30 for 18 holes, Spruce Creek is a steal. It's a decent, not pristine, golf course, located in a natural setting of woods, water, and yes, a handful of million dollar homes. It can be viewed on the Internet at http://www.sprucecreekgolf.com/golf.htm.
The course isn't overly demanding and there is very little undulation. Greens are of average size with average speed. It fits all styles of play, from power hitters to shot-makers. One interesting aspect is no water really shows up until the 11th hole. From there out, water rears its head on six of the remaining eight holes. There may be water on the eighth hole, but it's far enough out of bounds, so it shouldn't play into course management.
Spruce Creek tests your power right out of the box with a fairway bunker roughly 200 yards straight in front of the tee box. The hole doglegs to the right, so shots bouncing beyond the bunker are in perfect shape on this 475-yard par 5. Shots left of the bunker aren't as ideal. Shots in the bunker, well ...
The front nine is built for power, with few obstructions forcing the technical game and plenty of trees blocking the wind. When water comes into play on the back nine, it's time to pull the foot off of the gas and grab onto your steering wheel. There are also fewer trees, thus, the wind can become a factor. On a hot central Florida afternoon, it can also be a blessing.
Water pretty much runs the length of the fairway on the 338-yard par 4 11th hole, so you get a taste of what's to come.
The 12th hole, a 487-yard par 5, may be the most treacherous on the property. You must tee off at least 150 yards over a marsh, then snake your fairway shots around another lake that hugs the left side of the fairway all the way to the green. It might also be the prettiest hole on the course.
Rating (1 to 10)
Fun: Considering how the back nine and front nine are different, you get a feel that you've played on two courses, which is interesting. It's a mostly flat course, which can be a change for us who've dealt with pedestal greens and rolling hills. The only drawback is the marshal insists all players must play in a group. If you're a solo hoping for a three-hour round, forget it. Score: 7.
Value: For $30, this place blows many others out of the water. Nuff said. Score: 10.
Amenities: Well-stocked pro shop, restaurant on premises. It also has a driving range, putting green, chipping range and golf instruction on-site. Only drawback, there was no beverage cart the day I played. The only drink came from a refreshment stand at the turn. Carts were in good shape. So were the ball washers and cart parths. An interesting note, all carts have sand trap rakes on board. Score: 7.
Conditions: OK. Fairways were average. So was the rough. Some greens were being re-seeded or in need of repair. Traps were in good shape. Only drawback was the a couple of greens, but it wasn't a big deal. Score: 6.
Difficulty: Not the toughest course on the planet, but by no means isn't the easiest either. Place can throw you for a loop because it probably looks easier than it plays. Water on the back nine can kill your score. So can the trees on the front nine. The solution ... hit the ball straight. Score: 7.
Overall: Spruce Creek is one of the better courses in the Daytona Beach area. It's a positive the course, though in the heart of an exclusive community, is open to the public. The atmosphere is relaxed and folks are friendly. Watch out for that humidity in the summertime. Score: 7.4
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