Saddlebrook Resort - Cypress/Pine

First time here at the course/resort. Got a little lost on the way in…it’s about 2 miles in from the gate to get to the hotel check-in/valet desk. You still have to go around the pools to get to the course, but they will shuttle you there. The course is under renovation/construction currently and as can be expected, a bit chaotic as they are blending in 3 Nines from a 36-hole layout. We got lost a couple times but didn’t hold up play at all. We’ll be back to see how it is when it’s renovated and completed.

Worst experience I’ve ever had booking a round on Golf Now. No notice when booking that the course is going through renovations. Several holes had temporary tee boxes. Club carts would shut down to a crawl when transitioning to temporary holes giving notifications to return to the cart path. Voiced my displeasure with the Asst Pro on duty, who repeatedly told me that they are asking for patience and understanding while the course is being renovated. He just didn’t seem to “get it” that I’d never had booked there in the first place had I known the course was under renovation. Waste of time and money. Drove an hour from where I was staying in Ruskin specifically to play the course only to be very disappointed.

Complete waste of time and points.

I’m not sure how this place got the rating it got but they should be ashamed.

1. The golf now rate was $88 and this place isn’t worth $40.

The valet parking was cool until you find out you have to walk across the entire resort to get to the pro shop.

2. We showed up 40mins early to use the range. What they don’t tell you is that the range is on the complete other side of the resort all by itself and it’s 2.5 miles thru the neighborhood to get there.

3. By the time we got checked in and to the range we had time to hit exactly 11 golf balls then had to drive 2.5 miles back.

4. The golf balls on the range looked and felt like they had been in a swamp for 3yrs.

5. No signs or directions to 1st or 10th tee anywhere so we had to ask a resident where to go.

6. I don’t drink but my buddy does. We walked up to the bar and we were charged $35 for a 6 pack of Mich Ultra.

7. The layout was cool but the conditions were terrible.

Burned out fairways, greens were full of crabgrass, pitch marks and craters.

8. The water hazards were full of trash and stink of sulfur.

This place is not good. We wasted our time and drove 3hrs to play here. Go somewhere else, this place is trash

I live a couple miles away from this place so just play here out of convenience. For some reason they have a starter most of the time on the Palmer course but have never seen one on the Saddlebrook course. They’re just letting groups of any size go off. I finish hole 4 and drive past 1st tee while driving to hole 5 and a group of 6 are teeing off in 4 carts. Next hole I catch up to a five-some in 3 carts. Im parked behind them on 3 consecutive tee boxes and they don’t let me play through. I eventually just skip a 8 and go straight to 9. I also try calling the pro shop twice to see if there’s a ranger or why they’re letting groups of 5-6 go off and it’ll basically ring forever, no one answering. For the prices they charge it’s not enjoyable. I’d just save your money and go somewhere else.

I live a couple miles away from this place so just play here out of convenience. For some reason they have a starter most of the time on the Palmer course but have never seen one on the Saddlebrook course. They’re just letting groups of any size go off. I finish hole 4 and drive past 1st tee while driving to hole 5 and a group of 6 are teeing off in 4 carts. Next hole I catch up to a five-some in 3 carts. Im parked behind them on 3 consecutive tee boxes and they don’t let me play through. I eventually just skip a 8 and go straight to 9. I also try calling the pro shop twice to see if there’s a ranger or why they’re letting groups of 5-6 go off and it’ll basically ring forever, no one answering. For the prices they charge it’s not enjoyable. I’d just save your money and go somewhere else.

Teed off at 7:45am and was done by 10:30am. First round I have played in under 3 hrs in a LONG time. Just 2 of us.

Course in good shape overall. Bunkers in good condition. Greens were good not great. Overall good value for the money.

Fantastic experience. Layout is interesting without being so tight that you worry about loosing your golf ball on every 3rd shot. Tidewater, Heritage Club, Phoenician and now Saddlebrook are my most favorite courses to play around the country. People were really nice! Only complaint, they could invest in a few road signs inside the gate to help find the course.

The course was nice and staff was friendly. A huge resort community. It seemed most people were there for other amenities. The property has a magnanimous amount of tennis courts and resort style pool. We didn’t use the amenities and not sure what additional costs (if any) would be incurred.

Positives: The course was in decent condition. The pace of play was great. It was just me and a friend and we were not paired with anyone else. The first 4 holes we had no one in front of us, but we eventually ran into a foursome. As to be expected, the pace slowed down slightly given that there were just 2 of us. But it was still not a terrible pace. It’s possible there was a tournament in the morning that we caught the tail end of. Not sure.

Negatives: The access to drinks around the course was terrible. Especially given that it was early Sunday afternoon. There was not a cart path attendant and limited stations for water, ball washing, etc. NOTE: IF YOU WANT TO HIT THE RANGE, GET THERE VERY EARLY. The range is nowhere near the clubhouse or first tee box. You must drive through neighborhoods on a golf cart (about 10 mins).

Overall, a good course with abundant wildlife. Course was not “premier”, but definitely playable conditions. I would play again.

Good pace, greens well maintained, and felt like only ones on the course.

Enjoy this great layout, either 18 is enjoyable to play! Greens are not easy to putt, but a fun challenge. Easy check in, great starters and cart personal every time I play the course!

Highly recommend enjoying a day at the Daddle!

Need Some more communication for us first timers there. Couldn't fund 1...lol...Driving around the pool was fun though. Had a blast. Fun course. Greens could be rolled.

I have played both courses now and

was greatly impressed with EVERYTHING!

Soooo easy to give five star rating for every category

An absolute gem! Phenomenal layout and incredible greens. Truly a slice of heaven! Am coming back again to play the Palmer TODAY (March 5th 2024). Almost too good to be true type of place. My brother from Massachusetts said the same thing!

The course is good could be a little bit better for the money you pay and for them having a true golf school. Definitely will go back and play again.