Timberland and The Lakes

The two newest executive courses in town look to be named after my home state of Minnesota: Timberland and The Lakes.  And I have two words that sum that up: You Betcha!

Minnesota is full of trees and water, green and blue in every direction. And even though trees and water aren't particularly conducive to my golf game, I'm very happy to see them on our new golf courses here in The Villages. Even my Minnesota hometown is named Lakeville, so I'm all in on the new Lakes course.  

The Lakes 

We have 10,000 lakes in Minnesota – it says so on my license plate - so I'm all too familiar with water. The truth is, 10,000 is actually an undercount. We have 11,842 lakes, but that doesn't roll off the tongue quite as well.

Speaking of rolling, the greens at The Lakes are large and full of waves. You'll love the challenge of navigating these surfaces, although you might wish you'd brought a depth-finder to measure some of the drops. You’ll not find any better greens on an executive course. 

In Minnesota, I've spent much of my life trying to get closer to lakes. In Florida, I've spent much of my golfing life trying to avoid them. Going to a cabin up north is one of Minnesota's greatest traditions, where the lakes are destinations rather than hazards. Here in Florida, I've learned the best way to enjoy a lake is to admire it from the fairway, watch for any eyes floating on the surface, and most importantly, to bring lots of water balls.

But you can leave the water balls in the bag for the first half of the round.  I expected to see a splash pad on every hole, but the starting holes are completely dry - and maybe that's a good thing.  

Just like in Minnesota, your trip to The Lakes begins with a comfortable drive - an easy par four.  But the course really wets your whistle on the 2nd hole - the toughest shot of the day - 170 yards from the gold tees with a large bunker guarding the right side.

From there, things level off with a series of easier par threes. When you get to #6, the water finally comes into play. And the 6th in particular plays perfectly with my fade. It felt like I was casting a line toward a gently sloping green with a picturesque backdrop.

That lakeside atmosphere is amplified on the 7th, with wetlands to the left, bright blue water to the right, and some fabulous lakefront homes behind the green. The view from the tee is as good as it gets.  Truly a Grandview!

The 8th is another par four and easily the most fun shot of the day. It reminds me of the closing hole at Shallow Creek. See how close you dare cut the corner on this one! I'd play this tee shot over and over again. Kudos to the designers.

And the 9th is the perfect finishing shot.  It’s like closing your day on the lake with a sunset on the dock.  It plays slightly uphill and a bit over water and looks great. The closing sequence of holes from 7-9 is one of the best stretches of golf in any of our executive courses.  It's easily one of my top five.

I hope you'll make the drive to The Lakes and enjoy it as much as I did.  Maybe bring a cooler full of Hamms!