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4.2
835 Reviews (835)
5 Stars
406
4 Stars
305
3 Stars
78
2 Stars
29
1 Stars
17
Conditions
4.0
Value
4.2
Layout
4.5
Friendliness
4.4
Pace
4.3
Amenities
3.8
84.5%
Recommend this course
737 out of 835 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.1
53 Reviews (53)
5 Stars
21
4 Stars
21
3 Stars
7
2 Stars
3
1 Stars
1
Conditions
4.0
Value
4.1
Layout
4.5
Pace
4.2
Amenities
3.6
StaffFriendliness
4.4
83.0%
Recommend this course
44 out of 53 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.1
105 Reviews (105)
5 Stars
42
4 Stars
41
3 Stars
18
2 Stars
3
1 Stars
1
Conditions
4.1
Value
4.0
Layout
4.4
Pace
4.2
Amenities
3.7
StaffFriendliness
4.2
81.9%
Recommend this course
86 out of 105 reviews
Read Reviews

About

Holes 18
Type Resort
Par 71
Length 6273 yards
Slope 136
Rating 72.5

The Palmer Course is one of two championship courses designed by Arnold Palmer at the Saddlebrook Resort just north of Tampa. Although it is seemingly tame at 6,273 yards, it plays much tougher. The golf course features more elevation changes than the resort's other course, the Saddlebrook. The undulating, tree-lined fairways were designed to mimic a hilly New England course but the moss-covered cypresses, palm trees, and marshy swamplands are true to the Florida landscape. The layout features tight fairways framed with contoured mounding and the occasional water hazard but the most formidable challenge comes from the bunkers strategically placed along the undulating greens. The approaches to the tiered greens, which are often sloped from back to front, demand accuracy. Golfers should be prepared to use every club in their bag and employ a variety of different shots.

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Saddlebrook Resort - Palmer Course
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Course Details

Year Built 1982
Fairways Bermuda Grass
Greens Tif-Eagle Grass
Golf Season Year round
Architect Arnold Palmer (1982) Ed Seay (1982) Robert Walker (1982)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes - included in green fees
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Golf School Academy Yes - "Saddlebrook Golf Academy"
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard, Amex, Discover Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No

Food & Beverage

Snacks, Restaurant

Available Facilities

Clubhouse, Banquet Facilities, Spa

Available Activities

Swimming, Billiards

Available Sports

Fitness

Reviews

4.2
835 Reviews (835)

What Golfers Are Saying

The 19th Hole is Great For:
Drinks 7
Course Challenges Include:
Water Hazards 29
Bunkers 22
Undulating Greens 20
This course/club is great for:
A Weekend Splurge 18
Advanced Golfers 17
Playing Multiple Courses 12
This Course's Location is:
At a Resort 28
Convenient to the City 14
Worth the Drive 14

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

Reviewer Photos

Advanced Filters
Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 17
Handicap 25+
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Love4golf

Course was in good shape, some greens could use some TLC. I found the bunkers were needing some sand but overall i enjoyed the course

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Beginner
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 17
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Friday First

Enjoyed the course very much. 3 of the 4 some had never played this course before. All Enjoyed. We will be back. Did not like we had to valet park even though it was free. Drinks on course very over priced - $22.00 doubles.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 122
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 500 Contributor
Previously Played

Nice course

Great course. I love playing here. The greens are always great.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Played On
Reviews 7
Handicap 15-19
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Saddlebrook Palmer

Great track always in good condition. Staff is very friendly and helpful. It's a bit of distance between your car drop and the proshop. Sometimes a wait for a shuttle of you have to haul your equipment thru or around the pool area. Somewhat clunky.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 4
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

GOOD DEAL

Played the Palmer Course which was in very good shape. Greens were smooth and rolling well. Fairways in good shape. Rough punishing if the ball settled down. Only critique would be traps could be raked in the mornings to provide a more consistent playing surface. Very good value for the money until the fees get jacked up for the Snowbirds.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 10
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Go Play

The course is in excellent condition. Greens are perfect! Go play now!!!

Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Beginner
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played

New Home Course

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 37
Handicap 25+
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 37
Handicap 25+
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart
Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Fair
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 24
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played

Could Be Better

Played today. Staff very friendly! No water on the course at all. No bathrooms either. Prepare yourself accordingly in these exceptionally hot days! Most greens ok. Some greens had some big holes and crabgrass growing on them. Rough is extremely high and very hard to find your golf ball if you go off the fairway. Our group lost 10-15 golf balls in the rough. Just ridiculous! Not sure if we’ll be back anytime soon. Course needs water jugs set up on the course. Also, need restrooms.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Great Condition!

Golf course is tough, but everything was in great conditions what made it very enjoyable.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 10
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Not anytime soon

I don't think this course is worth playing until the renovations have been completed. From taking a shuttle to get to the resort to the pro shop not having my reservation to the rough being unplayable to the large crabgrass patches on the greens, it was a disappointment. Not the resort course I remember

Conditions Fair
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Mediocre Course

Played here with some friends who were in visiting. The course is in slightly rough shape and tee boxes are bad. Parking was horrible as it said valet was included, but then we were told we would need to go park in overflow parking and take a shuttle which took all of the time we allotted for the range to warm up. Asked staff where to go and it seemed as though we inconvenienced them. Cart guys were fantastic though and helped give us directions of where things were.

Conditions Fair
Value Fair
Layout Fair
Friendliness Fair
Pace Good
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 9
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Wet

The course overall was in good condition, 1st issue was we had to walk from the valet to the pro shop. When we loaded the cart we were not told it was cart path only. Twice the cart shut off and we had to push it back to the path. There was no drink cart and the concession area after the ninth wasn't open. We got caught in a bad storm and there was no shelter.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 29
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Excellent course

The Staff is very friendly and helpful. Course is in very good condition , greens are rolling welll not lightning fast but they rolll true. Great layout.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Beginner
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing

Super…except group in front of us.

Never having played here before, and I must admit I am not a good player, but I was very impressed with this course.
The conditions were fine considering it’s summer in Florida. Greens were fast, tee boxes could happen have been better, but hey…
Pace of play was terrible as group in front of us was very slow, hacking the ball all over the place, but that’s not on the course.
I really look forward to playing again in slightly cooler weather!
Plus this beautiful peacock on the 14th tee-

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
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Golf Packages
FROM $247 (USD)
PALM HARBOR, FL | Enjoy 4 nights' accommodations at Innisbrook Golf & Spa Resort and 4 rounds of golf at Innisbrook Golf Resort - North Course, South Course, Island Course, & Copperhead Course (site of the PGA Tour's Valspar Championship).
FROM $227 (USD)
PALM HARBOR, FL | Enjoy 3 nights' accommodations at Innisbrook Golf & Spa Resort and 2 rounds of golf at Innisbrook Golf Resort - Island Course & Copperhead Course (site of the PGA Tour's Valspar Championship).
FROM $107 (USD)
ORLANDO, FL | Enjoy 2 nights' accommodation at Tuscana Resort Orlando and 3 rounds of golf at Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course, Palm Golf Course and Lake Buena Vista Golf Course.
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ORLANDO, FL | Enjoy 4 nights' accommodation at The Fountains Resort Championsgate and 6 rounds of golf at Orange County Panther Lake, Orange County Crooked Cat, Omni International, Omni National, Celebration Golf Club and Falcons Fire Golf Club.
FROM $147 (USD)
ORLANDO, FL | Enjoy 2 nights' accommodation at Tuscana Resort Orlando and 3 rounds of golf at Bella Collina Country Club, Southern Dunes Golf and Country Club and The Country Club of Winterhaven.
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