What’s the hottest you’ve ever been? I ask this (relatively) sincere question, because I had yet to experience my personal threshold of borderline heat stroke until I traversed the beautiful, rolling knolls and sand dunes of Streamsong’s Blue and Red Course. And before I continue, let me be clear, I am no stranger to the sun and all it provides. As native of Georgia, and a frequenter of Middle Georgia, I’ve often experienced days where I felt as if I was standing barefoot in a field of lava. I’ve combated and embraced heat in its myriad forms, from “it’s a little toasty out here” to “If I’m out here one more second, I may have a conversation with our Creator much earlier than anticipated.”
However, nothing had prepared me for that faithful July day where my body was essentially reduced to a deflated balloon, while walking on turf that was hot enough to fry an egg. Now, I realize that this diatribe against the Sun’s rays is making it sound like I had a subpar experience at Streamsong, and I can assure you that couldn’t be further from the truth. So, personal gripes about my condition aside, let’s dive into the golf portion of this post, specifically the Coore/Crenshaw designed track that may have been one of my favorites to date……
Built from a reclaimed phosphate mine, Streamsong resort is an exceptional example of creating commercial recreation in a manner that factors in both its economic and environmental expectations. The complex contains three 18-hole courses, and a Par 3 track entitled “The Chain”, that we unfortunately were not able to experience due to maintenance. However, our group did tackle both Streamsong (Tom Doak design) and Streamsong Red (Coore/Crenshaw design).
Streamsong Blue was undeniably well manicured and contained several staples of Tom Doak’s “minimalist” style, which included sweeping fairways around vertical water features and large, punitive bunkers. Blue had an exceptional Par 3 that was visibly cultivated around the drastic elevation changes of the mine itself, and the 18th finisher is one of the better closing holes that I have experienced in Florida. Overall, an enjoyable round of golf and an aesthetically pleasing 18 holes.