Roosevelt
Par 29 - Level 4 - 84 Slope Rating
Plays from 1,080 – 1,751 yards
Teddy or Franklin? This golf course is probably named after Franklin, but I’m going with Teddy. Afterall, he’s famous for his appreciation of outdoor beauty - and the Roosevelt course is surely that! And his face is on Mt Rushmore - a fitting analogy given the high esteem I place on this course - it’s one of my top five! And like Rushmore, the Rosevelt course is all about the elevation. Nearly every shot will be affected and how you manage that challenge - not raw power - determines your success here. Taking all of that into account, it’s no wonder I have such respect for this course, worthy even of reverence.
So, when departing the starter shack, be sure to speak softly, but carry a big stick! This is a course that rewards patience, restraint, and commitment. When I finish my last putt here, I feel like I’ve accomplished something meaningful - like I took on a force of nature. Regardless of my score, Roosevelt delivers a test worthy of my best effort. Maybe next time I play I’ll wear some vintage Rough Rider gear instead of a silly golf shirt. Bully!
The first hole is the only one on the course without a significant elevation change - but don’t tell that to the big lip on the front trap. It still takes a confident opening shot to stick this green. #2 begins the elevation fun with a gorgeous uphill landing green featuring a subtle valley in the center that makes for challenging putts. #3 starts a gentle descent - it's a controlled shot with sand on the right and a wide, flat green. It's as if Teddy is easing you in before asking more of you. #4 adds a little more drop with sand guarding the left, continuing the lesson.
Then comes #5, the main event - one of the Hardest Holes in The Villages (pictured above). The gold tees usually play about 140 yards, but with a dramatic Rushmore-like elevation change, you’ll need at least a club less. The green is tight, with two traps front left, and anything not struck cleanly can roll into the pond or finish left under the tree. This is a hole where commitment matters. Trust your club and your swing. Like Teddy’s ride up San Juan Hill, this will be your roughest ride of the day.
At #6, you turn back uphill to one of the most unique par fours in The Villages. It’s under 300 yards, but the fairway slopes hard right into trees and is protected by two fairway traps on the left. You can try for the perfect center drive, blast it over the traps, or play the smartest option and lay up with a long iron. Roosevelt doesn’t always demand heroics. The green slides away to the right, so land your second shot on the far-left fringe. It’s a hole that tests you mentally as much as physically - Teddy would be all in on that!
#7 climbs out of the valley for another challenging par four. Aim your drive right to avoid the traps on the green’s left. Saying the green is elevated is like saying Teddy had a strong will - a huge understatement! Take an extra minute and drive to the top before you hit your 2nd shot so you know what you're getting into!
The 8th hole aims back south - a cool looking downscape shot - sand to the right of a green full of tiers. If The Villages had a golf simulator, this would be an ideal golf shot to shoot over and over! It's one of my favorite shots!
#9 is a stern closing hole, back uphill - often into the sun - to a green that slants hard right. It’s a final test of strength and resolve and will take everything you’ve got to climb this hill.
When you finally tap in, you will have finished the round exactly as Teddy would’ve liked - earned, not given. It's one of my Top Five.
Toughest to Easiest:
5, 9, 7, 8, 4, 6, 2, 1, 3 – toughest green 5
From the blacks!
Any level 4 course is going to be more difficult from the black tees. For Roosevelt, you’re gonna really need that Big Stick! Especially for #9 that goes off at 194 yards uphill. #4 becomes longer and a more challenging downhill shot than #5. Oh and #5 from an additional 25 yards is no picnic either. The only good news is that neither of the par fours changes much. Give it a try for a real test!
And speaking of tests, one of Teddy’s most famous speeches fits well into our collective desire to compete, which seems fitting when playing from the Black Tees. He wrote.....
"It is not the critic who counts.... The credit belongs to the one who is actually in the arena, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who at the best, knows in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."
----Teddy Roosevelt, May 7, 1918
Go Green!
Four of the par three’s play downhill at Roosevelt – playing those types of shots from the forward green tees is a big benefit. This will be especially helpful on #5. The whole course plays 50% shorter than from black. You’ll still have two par fours to deal with, but they're both just a little over 200 – you can do it - don't be with cold or timid souls who don't play Roosevelt!!
What’s nearby?
Given my appreciation for Teddy Roosevelt or anything historical, it makes sense to highlight something similar nearby. Did you know The Villages has an Enrichment Academy, with hundreds of course and lecture offerings? In the most recent course catalogue, I found nearly 50 offerings in the History Section alone - that's amazing! There's so much more - from A (Aquatics) to W (Writing). Here's the most recent catalogue and the Academy's website with info on how to enroll. Most of the History courses were taught nearby in the Eisenhower, Lake Miona or Rohan Rec Centers.
It's a little farther away, but still in honor of Teddy Roosevelt’s impact and passion for National Parks, drive to the Everglades Regional Recreation Center south of the Turnpike to see an amazing collection of National Park photographs. Count how many you’ve been to! Is that more than Teddy did?
Everglades Rec Center
Some More Teddy Talk:
<<<< Your emotions tell you to bomb away on Roosevelt 6, but the smart play is to lay up to the 100-yard red stake and get an easy par.
>>>>> This is what's behind the 8th green. Don't go long - this looks like what Teddy and Rough Riders climbed out of in the San Jaun Heights fight!
Roosevelt 8 from the front side looks way more appealing - easily one of my favorite shots in The Villages >>>>>
My impressions are based on playing from the Gold tee boxes. The Black and the Green tee boxes pose different challenges or benefits described as well. The rankings of the toughest to easiest holes are just my opinions - yours will be far different, as will your favorite courses and most difficult and attractive holes. I welcome your opinions or thoughts on any of this - click to leave a comment.
Create Your Own Website With Webador