Average Florida Golfers Make Up Main Market at Expanded Layout
Bramble Ridge Golf Course won't win any awards for course design. It doesn't pretend to be one of Lakeland Florida's top layouts. But with 27 holes and much-improved greens, Bramble Ridge Golf Club has become a popular alternative for golfers on a budget. "We're not trying to be a high-end golf course, but we are trying to be a quality, daily-fee golf course that people can afford," said Ed Holloway of Lakeland, course owner and designer.
"Our market is the average citizen, the retiree and the young businessman," added Holloway, who projects a laid-back, friendly atmosphere.
The modest layout at Sanlan Ranch Campground near the Polk Parkway will officially open its third nine holes on Dec. 1, making Bramble Ridge the second 27-hole course in Lakeland along with Cleveland Heights Golf Course.
Like the original 18 holes at Bramble Ridge, the new nine, a par-35 called the Coyote Course, measures about 3,000 yards.
"We have about 6,000 yards (per 18) because we're catering to the retired senior citizen," said Holloway. "We didn't want to make it so long.
"Just because a man is retired and in his 60s or early 70s, if he's a good golfer, he should be able to shoot par. It was our intent to not make it too long and too hard."
John Creighton, the course superintendent hired three years ago to upgrade the quality of the greens and turfgrass, said the new nine holes are a combination of the old B Course and new holes built on the south side of the property near Banana Lake.
"There isn't actually a `new' nine holes. There's three new holes on the B Course, and seven new holes on the C course, because one of them was redesigned into two new holes," said Creighton, referring to the old par-5 15th hole that is now two par-3s.
The 3,156-yard C Course, which has been open since Labor Day weekend, includes parts of the old 16th, 17th and 18th holes, with the toughest new hole the par-5 seventh hole. The dog-leg left hole is 562 yards from the blue tees.
"I'll put a plaque out there if anybody reaches it in two," said Creighton.
On the 2,910-yard Bobcat (B) course, the 13th-15th holes are new. There are no changes on the 3,001-yard Alligator (A) Course at Bramble Ridge, home to an array of wildlife including bobcats, foxes, coyotes, wild hogs, raccoons and otters along with owls, hawks and eagles.
"You wouldn't know you're so close to town, would you?" said Holloway while providing a tour of the campground and course.
The campground adjacent to the course is packed during the winter months, with 50 percent of the residents Canadian, said Holloway.
Bramble Ridge, which also offers an expansive, lighted natural grass driving range and a golf school with teaching professional John Koestner, also caters to a number of golf leagues in the winter.
Although greens fees, including carts, at the Bramble Ridge Florida golf Course went up to $25 weekdays and $29 weekends effective Nov. 15, that is less expensive than most 18hole courses in the area. There are discounts after noon and even lower twilight rates. Junior fees are half-price.
Located between the Polk Parkway and Banana Lake just south of the Lakeland city limits, the 15-year-old Florida golf course enjoyed its busiest winter season ever a year ago, with 350 rounds a day on weekends in February.
"During the winter last year, I think we were doing close to 300 rounds a day," said Creighton. "There's a good bit of traffic through the winter here."
The rate of play has increased significantly over the past three years at Bramble Ridge, which has a course rating of 69.0 on the original 18 with a slope rating of 129. "It took a while to get over our bad image from the weeds in the greens, but we're working out of that and people like it," said Holloway.
"I tried for too long to raise grass without using chemicals," said Holloway.
But that has changed.
"Our market is the average citizen, the retiree and the young businessman," added Holloway, who projects a laid-back, friendly atmosphere.
The modest layout at Sanlan Ranch Campground near the Polk Parkway will officially open its third nine holes on Dec. 1, making Bramble Ridge the second 27-hole course in Lakeland along with Cleveland Heights Golf Course.
Like the original 18 holes at Bramble Ridge, the new nine, a par-35 called the Coyote Course, measures about 3,000 yards.
"We have about 6,000 yards (per 18) because we're catering to the retired senior citizen," said Holloway. "We didn't want to make it so long.
"Just because a man is retired and in his 60s or early 70s, if he's a good golfer, he should be able to shoot par. It was our intent to not make it too long and too hard."
John Creighton, the course superintendent hired three years ago to upgrade the quality of the greens and turfgrass, said the new nine holes are a combination of the old B Course and new holes built on the south side of the property near Banana Lake.
"There isn't actually a `new' nine holes. There's three new holes on the B Course, and seven new holes on the C course, because one of them was redesigned into two new holes," said Creighton, referring to the old par-5 15th hole that is now two par-3s.
The 3,156-yard C Course, which has been open since Labor Day weekend, includes parts of the old 16th, 17th and 18th holes, with the toughest new hole the par-5 seventh hole. The dog-leg left hole is 562 yards from the blue tees.
"I'll put a plaque out there if anybody reaches it in two," said Creighton.
On the 2,910-yard Bobcat (B) course, the 13th-15th holes are new. There are no changes on the 3,001-yard Alligator (A) Course at Bramble Ridge, home to an array of wildlife including bobcats, foxes, coyotes, wild hogs, raccoons and otters along with owls, hawks and eagles.
"You wouldn't know you're so close to town, would you?" said Holloway while providing a tour of the campground and course.
The campground adjacent to the course is packed during the winter months, with 50 percent of the residents Canadian, said Holloway.
Bramble Ridge, which also offers an expansive, lighted natural grass driving range and a golf school with teaching professional John Koestner, also caters to a number of golf leagues in the winter.
Although greens fees, including carts, at the Bramble Ridge Florida golf Course went up to $25 weekdays and $29 weekends effective Nov. 15, that is less expensive than most 18hole courses in the area. There are discounts after noon and even lower twilight rates. Junior fees are half-price.
Located between the Polk Parkway and Banana Lake just south of the Lakeland city limits, the 15-year-old Florida golf course enjoyed its busiest winter season ever a year ago, with 350 rounds a day on weekends in February.
"During the winter last year, I think we were doing close to 300 rounds a day," said Creighton. "There's a good bit of traffic through the winter here."
The rate of play has increased significantly over the past three years at Bramble Ridge, which has a course rating of 69.0 on the original 18 with a slope rating of 129. "It took a while to get over our bad image from the weeds in the greens, but we're working out of that and people like it," said Holloway.
"I tried for too long to raise grass without using chemicals," said Holloway.
But that has changed.
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