Resort review: Streamsong, Florida

You need the tracking skills of a Seminole scout to find it but within the wilds of central Florida lies a new golfing mecca – Streamsong Resort, writes TravelMole MD Graham McKenzie

Located 80 miles southwest of Orlando and about 50 miles southeast of Tampa the new facility has been hewn from what was old phosphate mining grounds. The geology of the area and the scars left by years of heavy ground work seem to be the perfect ingredients for what can only be described as a very non-Florida set up.

Made up currently of two courses, the Red and the Blue (a third imaginatively called the Black is under construction) look and feel more like the west coast of Ireland but without the sea water. Streamsong definitely has water in the form of slender lagoons created from the huge troughs of phosphate mining, creating what are tantamount to finger lakes.

It also has lots of sand swept into dune-like mounds with  associated high Marra, Bent and Beach grass, fashioning the seaside atmosphere. The final Irish component is the flat nature of the land, locally referred to as Bone Valley, giving rise to wind speeds that can be higher than is the norm and therefore offer a significant defence of the courses.

So a central Floridian course with not a palm tree or a holiday home in sight but panic not there is plenty else to ensure you don’t feel as if your trip to the sunshine state has been wasted. The Blue course has wide fairways, deep bunkers and large greens whilst the Red has green run offs plus daunting carries over water on par threes. The funny thing is that despite the two courses being designed by different architectural outfits (Blue – Tom Doak; Red – Coore and Crenshaw) they feel like twins displaying  many commonalities yet offering different control challenges. Oh and there are plenty of large alligators hanging around !

The clubhouse had a definite macho service theme going with a three meal a day service,  12rooms, outdoor terrace, some conference space and a ‘man cave’. Take all dozen rooms and the club throw in use of the club room with pool table, dart board, a  vast TV with sports channels and a putting green sunk into the carpet and I see no reason why this could not be a ‘woman cave’.

The clubhouse as well as the ‘lodge’ ( a 216-room one !) has been designed by Florida-based Cuban American architect Alberto Alfonso with the four elements of earth, water, air and fire running throughout almost every aspect of the project. Leaf-shaped roofs, root like foundations, natural wood shutters and fabulous water views from almost every window all go to make a very innovative and fresh design. With approximately 24,600 square feet of flexible meeting space the focus can be on golf or business. Either way Streamsong has a good chance of satisfying both needs.