Florida Golf Course Reviews
Streamsong Blue Golf Course ReviewStreamsong, FL
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Streamsong Blue Golf Scorecard, as of the date of last review
Other Florida Golf Course Reviews:
Streamsong Black Golf Review | Disney's Magnolia Golf Course | Disney's Palm Golf Course
TPC Sawgrass, Dye's Valley Golf Course | TPC Sawgrass, Stadium Golf Course Review
Streamsong Black Golf Review | Disney's Magnolia Golf Course | Disney's Palm Golf Course
TPC Sawgrass, Dye's Valley Golf Course | TPC Sawgrass, Stadium Golf Course Review
Streamsong Blue Golf Course Overview: This is one of the two original golf courses carved out of former phosphate mines near (but not too near) Tampa Bay in Florida. Due to its location / genesis, some of the golf holes have a surreal quality to them. Tom Doak normally creates a lot of tough designs, but this golf course is one of his most fair, and while never reaching the highs of the neighboring Streamsong Red, it also provides a more consistently enjoyable experience from first tee to final green and has very few weak or boring golf holes. A very good use of the hills and mounding of the area create a great blend of uphill and downhill features along with plenty of shots near the plentiful water features. The most memorable golf holes are reviewed below:
Streamsong Blue Golf Course Hole 1: Although the first golf hole is in no way difficult, the experience of having to floor the gas cart pedal to make it up the dirt path to the first tee is certainly unique and the golfer is greeted with the most sweeping view on property. The short par four can be driven by long hitters but otherwise, a well positioned drive with even a long iron will still leave a wedge to the partially blind putting surface. Just miss bunkers and all will be well.
Streamsong Blue Golf Course Hole 1: Although the first golf hole is in no way difficult, the experience of having to floor the gas cart pedal to make it up the dirt path to the first tee is certainly unique and the golfer is greeted with the most sweeping view on property. The short par four can be driven by long hitters but otherwise, a well positioned drive with even a long iron will still leave a wedge to the partially blind putting surface. Just miss bunkers and all will be well.
Streamsong Blue Golf Course Hole 2: This slightly downhill par five offers a good scoring opportunity for those that hit a strong drive. There is a mile of room to the left, but that leaves a longer layup or approach to the green, and does bring a small grove of trees into play as well. Of course, there is more trouble right. The green is narrow and is plagued by a strategic bunker front and center as well as ones that hug the left and right side of the green as well.
Streamsong Blue Golf Course Hole 3: This picture is taken from the slightly more docile silver tees and the longer tees are back and substantially to the left, bringing even more water into play. The dogleg left par four has the obvious lake to avoid and the approach is uphill to a green that will certainly reject shots coming up short.
Streamsong Blue Course Hole 4: This strong par four doglegs left around a massive bunker complex. Only a huge drive can cover the bunkers at their furthest point, but the best line is to hit it over the right side of them to leave a shorter approach. The second shot is tough as it plays well uphill to a large green. There is more room right than one might think so the real place to avoid are the bunkers to the short and left of the green.
Streamsong Blue Golf Course Hole 5: The green on this short par three is long and very narrow, but pin placement can make a 40 yard difference and change the hole from fairly easy to pretty hard. Either way, the golfer will be heavily punished for missing the green in most any direction with very deep bunkers on all sides, leaving tricky up and downs pretty much wherever the pin is. If one finds a bunker, aim for a fat portion of green and take the bogey.
Streamsong Blue Course Hole 6: This short and strategic par four is a classic. The player can attempt to cut the corner of the slight dogleg right and might get a good bounce onto or near the green, but going right is a problem. More conservatively, the player can hit driver left but must avoid a series of bunkers. Layups are also a smart play, but will leave a slightly blind shot to an undulating green framed nicely by the "dune" behind the hole.
Streamsong Blue Golf Course Hole 7: The signature par three has an elevated tee shot to a large and tiered green sitting in a little hollow between massive dunes and the lake, with three bunkers added in for more fun. There are definitely alligators in the water so any shot near water should be approached carefully.
Streamsong Blue Course Hole 8: This difficult par four has a drive where challenging the bunker and water to the left is almost necessary. The second shot is going to be to a slightly elevated green sitting between water to the left and a deep bunker right. The drive that stays too far right or lays up will leave a very long approach, which will certainly be one of the hardest on the course with anything more than a mid iron in hand. Thus, the player has to definitely hit one very solid here either way.
Streamsong Blue Course Hole 12: This par four has an interesting drive with bunkers and mounding in play as well as a reachable lake for big drives. Thus, the golfer needs to commit to a line and distance and trust it from the tee. The approach will be over water and a big fronting bunker to a green with a couple of levels to it as well.
Streamsong Blue Course Hole 13: This hole is listed for more of a debate than homage. A short par four for sure, some might call it a risk/reward hole, but there really isn't much reward for risk here due to the green complex. It is very elevated, narrow and firm, with drop-offs to the left, right and long. Thus, if the player goes for the green, unless they hit it or stay right online, short, they will have a 2nd shot that is likely played either uphill or at least level to a firm green that is very narrow. This can lead to some ping-pong action for all except the most skilled short games. In other words, playing safe with two irons is probably the play here and if Doak wanted a risk/reward hole, he might have missed the mark a little bit. For the record, I layed up and made two pars here, so this is not sour grapes.
Streamsong Blue Course Hole 14: The par five 14th has a tee shot over water with deep bunkers to the right. That is the straightest line to the green but any golfer can hit their tee shot a mile left and be very safe and dry. The green has a large bunker short that has to be avoided but otherwise, the hole is fairly easy after the drive is accomplished.
Streamsong Blue Course Hole 17: This par five is very long and requires two really strong shots to clear the ridge of cross bunkers. This is important as crossing those bunkers will leave a short iron to the green for the approach that is fairly flat and brings birdie easily into play. However, a bad drive or second will lead to being in those bunkers or having to stay short of them, making for a long, uphill, nasty approach.
Streamsong Blue Course Hole 18: The finishing hole is a long par four where a big, accurate drive is needed. The second shot is really cool as it will be played from a high area down to an expansive green complex with great bunkering and slopes where all sorts of shot types can be played. The green is heavily sloped from left to right.
