Taking a break in our schedule between Califronia Trade Show and the Southern golf show trade show in Fort Myers, we stopped into the highly recommended Cabot Citrus Farms.
... full of fun and drama, that virtually any golfer can complete, thanks to the diversity of holes and course experiences.
Nestled in the landscape of Brooksville Florida, just north of Tampa, Cabot Citrus farms boasts 4 courses in one prime location. Cabot Citrus Farms features two revitalised 18-hole golf courses, one 9-hole course, an 11-hole par 3 course.
The Karoo, The Squeeze and Wedge are open for Preview Play, with a property grand opening expected for September 2024.
Currently under construction the drive into the club is flanked by a number of properties, all sold for over $3m and this sets the scene of what is to come. No stone is unturned when it comes to attention to detail but more of that later!
Cabot is indeed a world-class golf course. Located in the central west region of Florida, Cabot Citrus Farms is set across 1200 acres of natural, undulating beauty. When I say undulating, start thinking of Atlantic voyages in wild seas—I have never seen so many rolls and curves on a fairway! Mike Nuzzo who designed the 20 holes of The Wedge (11 holes) and The Squeeze (9 holes), has created them full of fun and drama, that virtually any golfer can complete, thanks to the diversity of holes and course experiences.
At Cabot Citrus Farms, it's all about the terrain and maximising what might be the best piece of natural, rolling land. At times, it echoes the choppiest dune-traversing fairways of Scotland and Ireland.
The unique landscape is enchanting—wildflowers flank the fairways in oranges and yellows and the occasional purple. Being a golf apparel designer, I found the colours to be intoxicating and reminded me of the vibrant and fiery colours found in Spain, where my heart is.
However, don’t be fooled for as many flowers that are flanking the fairways, there is more sand than Miami beach surrounding the greens, providing only a narrow slipway in which to land your ball and only with the required precision that will stop it rolling off the back of the undulating green into another bunker!
Every hole was a challenge, but one that still enabled me to achieve a good score—however daunting it was certainly enjoyable.
We played a 3 ball with one player off the black tees and myself and my daughter off the blue tees. There are 5 different Tee Box options apparently but on the Squeeze which we played, there were only 3. Black. Tangerine. Navy.
The ladies tees are at an extraordinary advantage with par 3’s often only shooting 67-90ft!
The Squeeze was meant to be a 10-hole experience but now at 9 holes it’s a thoughtfully crafted addition to the 18 hole Karoo.
Noteable holes: 6th is the most notably undulating fairway that it’s hard to describe, but traversing the ripples in the cart was a rollercoaster—with the fairways rolling up and down as well as left and right, lots of sand and very deep bunkers—it’s certainly got a fair share of challenges to counter!
Holes 7 and 8 are both par 3, but very different with the 7th being a short carry to the elevated green, and the 8th wide and undulating fairway and a flat lie to the green. A long bunker runs from tee to green on the 8th so you don’t want to be playing right on this hole!
9 has a very narrow approach to the green, deep sided bunkers all around the green but thankfully I got it over the green for 2! Thank you Katie Dawkins for the chipping lesson recently! (See Episode 1 of our podcast.)
My only thought was that the colouring of the edges of the cute “orange” tee box markers are not really clear. The navy edge looks somewhat like the black edging so we had to double check before we tee’d off—but that’s about my only criticism of this gorgeous course and it it certainly doesn’t disappoint!
The high-tech driving range is computer driven, and maps your shots, giving you a taste of what’s to come out on the fairway—but nothing can compare you to the undulations and driving a buggy is like riding the Atlantic in the Fastnet Sailing Challenge on a stormy day!
Our Rating: 5/5
FOR GOLF ENQUIRIES
+1 352-796-5500
reservations@cabotcitrusfarms.com
cabotcitrusfarms.com
17590 Ponce De Leon Boulevard
Brooksville, FL 34614