Thanksgiving morning found me back at Lake Jovita Golf & Country Club. I say “back” because I was here in February and played the North Course. This time though I was here to try the South Course!

The South Course is the original course at Lake Jovita, opening in 1999. In comparison, the North Course opened in 2002. The South Course was designed by Tom Lehman and Kurt Sandness while Golf Advisor shows only Kurt Sandness’ name with the design of the North Course.

Even with those minor differences, I thought both courses at Lake Jovita were fairly similar. Both courses have some elevation change, dramatic bunkering and wildly contoured greens. The golf courses are a good example of tough, modern courses. The South played 71.7/136/6690 from the blue tees.

The South’s 1st hole is the #1 handicap and if you can walk away with a par on it you’ve accomplished something special! It is a long downhill par-4 where a draw is the preferred shot shape. Then, you’ll need to hit a straight approach through a group of trees, all while carrying it over a hazard.

After the 1st you’ll get a few lagoon-style holes, including the clever 3rd. The 3rd is a 333 yard par-4 with a lake to the left and plenty of options. I spotted a large alligator up by the green, but it slipped into the water before I could snap a picture!

I preferred the South’s back nine as it allowed me to play my fade/slice. The front nine seemed to set up better for right to left shots, at least from the tees. The back also has the cool par-5 11th, which is a bit of a roller coaster down a hill.

The tee shot on the 11th plays from a high point (semi-blind landing area) and the fairway steps down to the green. Once you get halfway down the fairway you’ll have a great look at the remainder of the hole, which is framed by mature trees. The South’s 11th is my second favorite hole at Lake Jovita, behind the 4th hole on the North Course.

I paid $55 which made the round a good value. The conditions were solid, with the fairways and greens being the highlight of the maintenance. They rolled great and were quick. The fairways had a lush overseed and were still a bit soft with the overseed finishing its growth. The bunkers were mixed, some had heavier sand while others were thin and muddy.

Ultimately, it will probably be personal preference which course someone prefers at Lake Jovita. Both are a great value and worth checking out if in the Tampa area for a golf trip. For me, I’d give the slight edge to the North Course because of the awesome par-3 4th and the general openness of the North.

Course Pictures (click any picture to scroll through the gallery):