Alright, so I decided to head out and play Harmony Golf Preserve the other day. Heard about it, figured I’d check it out myself. Woke up, loaded the clubs into the car, you know the drill. Made the drive out there, east of St. Cloud. It’s a bit of a trek, feels kinda removed from everything, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Pulled in. The entrance leads you through the community, typical Florida golf setup. Found the clubhouse, parked the car. Walked into the pro shop. Standard stuff inside. Paid my green fee. The guy at the counter was efficient, got me sorted out pretty quick. Didn’t chit-chat much, which is fine by me some days.
Grabbed a cart – the usual electric model, seemed charged up, good enough. Didn’t have a tee time booked solid, so they told me they’d pair me up. Okay, happens all the time. Went over to the driving range first to hit a few balls, loosen up the old back. Range was okay, grass tees were a bit chewed up, but found a decent spot. Hit maybe half a small bucket, just to get the feel.
Getting Started on the Course
Met the guys I was playing with on the first tee. Two older fellas, seemed friendly enough. We introduced ourselves, usual golf talk. Then it was time to hit. First hole is a par 4, fairly open to start. Got my drive away okay, just happy to be playing.
The course itself, well, it’s spread out. Lots of natural areas around it, which they make a big deal about. Supposed to be an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. Saw plenty of birds, that’s for sure. The layout winds through wetlands and woods. It’s a Johnny Miller design, apparently. You can tell it wants you to think, not just swing wildly.
Playing Through
- Bunkers: There are a lot of them. Big ones, small ones, deep ones. Found a couple myself. Sand was… well, it was sand. Some spots better than others.
- Water: Yep, plenty of water hazards too. This is Florida, after all. Gotta be careful with approach shots on several holes. Lost one ball to the drink, maybe two.
- Greens: They were rolling pretty good, actually. A bit quick, had to adjust my putting speed. Mostly smooth though.
- Fairways: Generally in decent shape. Some patches here and there looked a bit worn or dry, but mostly fine to hit from.
Made my way around the front nine. Scored okay on some holes, messed up others. Pretty standard round for me. The course definitely makes you manage your game. You can’t just overpower everything. Saw a couple of deer wander across a fairway way ahead of us. That was nice.
The Back Nine and Finish
Made the turn, grabbed a quick drink. Headed to the tenth tee. Back nine felt similar in character to the front. Still lots of nature around. More bunkers, more water waiting to grab errant shots. Saw a pretty decent sized alligator lounging by a pond on number 15, I think it was. Gave him plenty of space. He didn’t seem bothered by us at all.
Finished up on 18. It’s a long par 5 to end the round. Managed a par, which felt good. Shook hands with the guys I played with, wished them well. Drove the cart back to the clubhouse area. Dropped off my clubs at the car.
Didn’t hang around the clubhouse or restaurant this time. Just wanted to get back on the road. The whole round took maybe four hours and twenty minutes. Pace was fine, didn’t feel rushed, didn’t wait much either.
So, that was my day at Harmony Golf. It’s a solid track, decent conditions, lots of wildlife. Definitely a ‘natural’ Florida golf experience. It tests your game a bit. Worth playing if you’re in the area, I’d say. Just another golf course played, another day spent chasing that little white ball. It was an okay experience all told.
