Our final round in the Jacksonville area was at Windsor Parke Golf Club. After playing Jax Beach yesterday we drove by Windsor Parke to check it out. From what we could see from the road it looked tight. And, it turned out to be just as tight as it looked! More on that in a moment though.

After heavy thunderstorms last night it turned out to be a beautiful, but chilly morning. Windsor Parke is a pretty course and it ended up sparkling in the sunlight. Ultimately, the course’s awesome presentation is what I’ll remember the most about the morning. If you enjoy golf course pics then make sure to scroll through the gallery, as they turned out great!

Even though Windsor Parke is in the middle of town it has a natural feel to it. The course is routed through homes, a business park and one hole ends up next to a school. As I type that out, I never would have thought the course’s best quality would have been its aesthetic appeal. Arthur Hills designed Windsor Parke and he used plenty of imagination when routing the course.

When I think of Florida golf I think plenty of sand, water and trees. That is exactly what you’ll find at Windsor Parke and I mean that in a good way. The course is nicely landscaped and many of the natural elements were left in place. That created some separation between the development and the course. Plus, a number of beautiful trees line the fairways.

I played the blue tees which are 71.1/130/6415 and from there I found the course to be quite difficult. If you hit it straight then you’ll be fine – and likely take your group’s money! However, if you hit it crooked (as I do) then be prepared for a long round. There are narrow driving areas, plenty of water and mounded green complexes to challenge even the best players.

To me, Windsor Parke felt like one of those courses that requires the ability to shape the ball just to survive. I’m a fade/slice player and I had a couple decently struck shots get caught up in the trees to the left of the tee boxes. There are very few “easy” pars with the tree-lined fairways and other trouble.

Each nine has some very good golf holes. I thought the 4th and the 7th were the best holes on the front. The 4th is a 388 yard par-4 with water down the left side. The green is tucked just over the water so if you want a birdie putt you’ll need to take a line over the hazard. The 7th is a mid-length par-3 which has another forced carry over water.

On the back nine the 12th was my favorite hole. It is a short par-5 where you fire the tee shot out of a chute and then need to negotiate a group of pine trees that guard the small dogleg. My 3-wood from 230 yards out smashed into those pines and I was lucky to escape with a par!

Overall the conditions were nice – we paid $50. Out of the four courses we played in the area, Windsor Parke was the greenest and most lush. There were some soft spots after the rain, but the fairways were full and the ball sat up. The greens were longer and slower, but smooth. Off the fairways things were mixed, especially in the wooded areas where the sun struggles to reach.

Like most Hills designs Windsor Parke is a tougher course than I’d prefer to play on a consistent basis. However, it is an above average residential course, a solid value and one I’d recommend. If you are looking for a public course near the beaches then Windsor Parke (with its surprisingly good scenery) gets my vote.

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