The Club at River Wilderness

Enjoyed lunch with our friends/members there. A lot of upgrade refurb done and continuing there. Excellent place.

Went to The Club for the first time yesterday. Had a great meal, reasonably priced wine and excellent, friendly service. Lovely atmosphere. Will definitely go again.

River Wilderness, compared to other Florida west coast golf courses I have played, is a gem. Playing at close to 7000 yards from the black tees makes it as competitive as any course in this area. Although the greens were a bit inconsistent - some playing very quick and some playing slower than average - the course, as a whole, is worth the cost. The bent grass greens force you to really utilize your putting skills. I absolutely love the dog legs - which allow you to place your tee shots and set up approach shots. The second hole on the course gives you a chance to bypass a dog leg and drive the green through a small opening of trees. That was fun. Play was fast compared to other area courses. (Starter allows for 15 minute intervals). Staff went above and beyond to accommodate my needs. Course is in very good shape for this time of year. Fairways are the best I've played aside from Copperhead. Par 3's are great - none under 195 yards (from blacks) and force you to think about long irons versus fairway woods to reach greens because of humidity and heavy air. I had to decide between 4 woods and 4 irons on most long par 3's and par 5 approach shots to avoid hazards. It's great to hit into a 220+ par 3 forcing accuracy and distance (with green side bunkers and water awaiting you). Fairways are in excellent shape as well as tee boxes being flat and well maintained. If you want the challenge of a course that makes you really think about club selection, River Wilderness is that course. As always, you need to hit straight shots to avoid water hazards on the course. Sand is firm and easy to recover from. All in all, River Wilderness is a great course that you should put on your golf tour schedule while visiting the St. Pete/Sarasota golf scene. I will definitely play this course again before heading North for the summer. 5 stars definitely deserved. Thanks for the experience.