After my round at Water Oak Country Club I grabbed some lunch and looked at the weather. It still looked less than ideal for golf but I decided to chance it and headed over to the Red/Gray Fox courses at The Villages. I ended up getting out right away on the Red Fox Course!
I’ve heard stories about how tough it is to get a tee time at The Villages, but haven’t experienced that myself. I guess I’ve had good luck because I always call as a single.
The Red/Gray Fox courses are some of The Villages newest courses, opening in late 2017. They are located in The Village of Fenney, which is on the south side of the Florida Turnpike – so the area isn’t the most convenient to get to! I’m pretty sure that as things stand currently this area cannot be accessed by golf cart.
However, I walked away impressed with both of the courses. Red Fox is the shorter of the two courses, playing as a par-28 and topping out at 1,566 yards. The 2nd hole is the course’s only par-4 and slides to the left, around a natural area. From the back tees, the yardages on the par-3’s were mixed nicely.
The par-3 3rd was my favorite hole on Red Fox. It plays 182 yards to a well-guarded green. The left side of the green is raised above a hazard so the miss is definitely to the right!
Overall, Red Fox has a wetlands feel to it and the surrounding area is much less developed when compared to the other executive courses I’ve played at The Villages. You’ll have views of the woods and there are some hazards that come into play. Also, there seemed to be less bunkering on Red Fox compared to the older Villages courses.
The conditions were good, like what you’ll find at all The Villages courses. The turf still has a bit of a shine since it is newer, but the greens have softened and were receptive. The greens were quicker and had less break than most at The Villages (yes!).
Personally, I thought Red Fox put a fresh perspective on golf at The Villages! I know some may not care for the course because of the forced carries, but if that doesn’t bother your game then I’d recommend checking out Red Fox.
Course Pictures (click any picture to scroll through the gallery):