Review Date
July 31, 2006

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Reviewed by: jorruss, Scratch Golfer

Summary:
Halifax Planation is located in Ormond Beach near the Flagler county line. The property is dotted with hug oak trees and scrub pines, and the drive to the clubhouse from the main entrance will impress and gives it a private club feel. The course is open to the public and also offers memberships. The clubhouse is just the right size, and features a sports bar, a casual dining restaurant and the pro shop. The cart and club storage facility is directly accross the breezeway from the pro shop.

The pro shop staff are always very friendly and helpful. Don't expect an extensive selection of equipment, and bring your own golf balls because the selection is not very wide.

The sports bar is a great place to end your round with a few drinks and something to eat. I recommend the boneless chicken wings. It gets a bit loud in there, especially when the local members start arriving, but it's not unbareable.

The golf course is usually in good shape, and the design, although many would call it plain jane, is challenging. Most courses add difficulty by placing bunkers and water all around, but Halifax Plantation is not like that. The course has no gimmicks, it's all right there in front of you. It is fair and spacious off the tee. The greens are large and receptive, and there is not many bunkers and very little water in play. What makes this course difficult is the undulation of the greens and the conditions of the rough and other areas around the course. If you hit the ball in the rough, in most places it sinks to the bottom, and there is not much you can do to control the ball. To compound this most of the holes have mounds lining the fairways to help keep balls on the course. This makes for some sidehill lies. If you hit it wide of the rough near the woods, you are most likely going to be faced with a shot from soft sand or hardpan and you'll be forced to negotiate tree limbs or trunks. The greens are the great equalizer at this course. You very seldom have a flat putt, and the grain of the grass during the summer months is very pronouced. The greens play to about a 9 on the stimpmeter. To play well here, you must keep the ball in the fairway and keep your approach shots below the hole. The course plays very long from the blue and black tees, but you cannot overpower it. Stay patient and hit some extra practice putts before your round.

Overall, it is a good value and the course is always is good shape. Pace of play on Saturday morning is about 4:15. Halifax is a nice change from the typical florida course. I recommend it highly!

Review Date
November 10, 2000

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5