In creating a Florida golf layout, a designer does not simply move earth and do as he pleases. No, sir. Florida’s natural topography and other natural features are too diverse, too interesting, and too beautiful to simply be interrupted without restrain. The designer must know how to blend well with whatever there is; a Floridan golf course that looks like a masterpiece both by nature and man is the mark of a true genius. One perfect example of this is the Oaks Course in Kissimmee. This is that one course that transforms a golf trip into a nature trip.

The Oaks Course is part of the 36-hole facility, the Stonegate Golf Club. The other one, the Cypress, is a Clifton, Ezell, Clifton. The Oaks on the other hand is a Ron Garl original layout, characterized by oversized fairway bunkers and waste areas, mounds, and rolling fairways. The greens are slightly elevated. All these features of the course are set on a backdrop of natural marshlands and wetlands, snaking through huge oak hammocks other native vegetation growing abundantly in the property. Beautiful, yes. Hazardous, even more so. If that is not interesting enough yet, then the water holes – eleven in total, will bring the extra to the ordinary golf vacations here.

The golf vacation destination has 4 sets of tees, ranging from 5,285 yards the shortest, par-72, and stretching to 7,011 yards the longest, par-72. Achieving the goal of creating a nature friendly course as the Oaks Course has got to be tough on the designer. But it was achieved. And the biggest reward has to be all the beautiful golf getaways spent here with a picturesque background of Florida’s natural flora and fauna. This is bringing out the best in both the designer and the environment.