Golden Eagle Country Club

I have played several Fazio designed courses (World Woods, Barton Creek, Red Sky Ranch, Amelia Island, The Farm, Reynolds, and others). He is prolific and he is good. This is an earlier design just around the time he was getting very popular. The course is well maintained and the holes are challenging but fair. It is a pleasure to play. Also, spend some time at the practice facilities which are also worth a visit.

I belong to Christian Golf Fellowship here in Tallahassee, and we play Golden Eagle once a week on Tuesday evenings at 5:30 pm. We pay $30 to play in a Captains Choice shotgun scramble that includes range balls, 9 holes of golf, dinner and devotional. Anyone who would like to play with us is welcome. Simply sign in in the pro shop around 4:45 - 5:00 pm and we'll get you in a foresome. The course itself is always in great shape, and we always have a great time of fellowship. Tim in the pro shop is the best, and always takes great care of us. So if you live in the Tallahassee area, and would like to play Golden Eagle, just come on out on Tuesday nights. We'd love to have you.

Tom Fazio is a great golf course designer and certainly one of the more prominent from the latter half of the twentieth century. His work has been showcased on the most major of stages in the golfing world. I have seen Fazio's work on a number of golf courses and have found it impressive in many ways. Golden Eagle is a course that showcases some of his best design elements and shaping skills, but it also has some holes that leave you wanting more.

Golden Eagle is nestled in Northeast Tallahassee in Kilearn Lakes Plantation. Its about a twenty five minute drive from Downtown Tallahassee. The club is private, but with a member or one of their plentiful guest passes they offer for participants in charity events, it is not too hard to get on. Typically a guest pass will get you on the course for about $55. Certainly call ahead and get a tee time if you do decide to take that route. Head Pro Tim Lawson is very nice and accommodating.

The practice facility is above average and provides some nice views of the lakes that dot the course map. Go early enough to hit some balls and putt.

The course has a number of outstanding golf holes. I usually describe it by saying there are six great holes, six good holes, and six holes that were put there because they couldn't go anywhere else.

Let's start with the great holes because that is what you will remember.
#7 - Beautiful par 3 that once was the toughest on the web.com tour in the early 90's
#11 - Lake hole that demands accuracy and a smart play on the tee
#12 - wedge length par 3 with a peninsula green that always plays tough in the wind
#15 - A truly great risk reward par 5. Creek in front of green and a long iron or hybrid in hand makes for an outstanding moment in the closing stretch.
#17 - Long par 3 with the lake as the backdrop. Tough hole with a great view.
#18 - The signature hole with the lake running the entire length. Two good shots can get you home but the lake is in your head the whole way.

Then there are the holes that are pretty good. These are holes you may remember and will certainly enjoy. Good tests, but not on the same level as the great ones.

#1 - Good starting point. Looks like North Carolina. tough green to putt.
#3 - Tough one shotter with interesting green complex
#4 - Compelling par 5 with a very unique fairway slope and tough angles.
#5 - Good par 4 with tough shot to the green
#9 - The first lake hole. Could be an all timer if it was a bit shorter bringing the green in play in two.
#13 - Fine hole. Par 4 with a good green complex.

Then there are the ones that I'm just not in love with. Each of these has some interesting quality, but I'd say its highly likely you won't remember much about them other than they are all dogleg lefts.

#2 - Odd tee shot with an odd approach and deceiving green complex
#6 - Tee shot is pretty, but hole doesn't bring much to the table compared to others.
#8 - Driver and a short iron, not much to see.
#10 - Short par 4. Would be better if green was in play off the tee.
#14 - Just an awkward hole, tough, but awkward
#16 - Worst hole on the course by far. Crammed in the middle of some of the best.

I am a big fan of Golden Eagle. I have played it enough times to tell you that it is a great course with some outstanding golf holes. Fazio crafted six of the best holes you can play in Tallahassee out there. I think the holes that lack are mostly due to the fact that the course was built to sell homes in an upscale development and that affected the routing. Make no mistake though, if you can get a tee time, go play Golden Eagle. It is a beautiful course with some great shots available. The course is generally friendly to all levels, but the skilled player will enjoy it most.