A view of green #5 at Palmer from Saddlebrook Golf & Tennis Resort.
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4.2
908 Reviews (908)
5 Stars
444
4 Stars
335
3 Stars
78
2 Stars
33
1 Stars
18
Conditions
4.1
Value
4.2
Layout
4.5
Friendliness
4.4
Pace
4.3
Amenities
3.9
87.2%
Recommend this course
804 out of 908 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.4
75 Reviews (75)
5 Stars
39
4 Stars
31
3 Stars
0
2 Stars
4
1 Stars
1
Conditions
4.3
Value
4.3
Layout
4.5
Pace
4.3
Amenities
4.0
StaffFriendliness
4.5
92.0%
Recommend this course
69 out of 75 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.3
129 Reviews (129)
5 Stars
60
4 Stars
53
3 Stars
7
2 Stars
7
1 Stars
2
Conditions
4.2
Value
4.2
Layout
4.5
Pace
4.3
Amenities
3.8
StaffFriendliness
4.5
88.4%
Recommend this course
114 out of 129 reviews
Read Reviews

About

Holes 18
Type Resort
Par 71
Length 6273 yards
Slope 136
Rating 72.5

The Palmer Course is one of two championship courses designed by Arnold Palmer at the Saddlebrook Resort just north of Tampa. Although it is seemingly tame at 6,273 yards, it plays much tougher. The golf course features more elevation changes than the resort's other course, the Saddlebrook. The undulating, tree-lined fairways were designed to mimic a hilly New England course but the moss-covered cypresses, palm trees, and marshy swamplands are true to the Florida landscape. The layout features tight fairways framed with contoured mounding and the occasional water hazard but the most formidable challenge comes from the bunkers strategically placed along the undulating greens. The approaches to the tiered greens, which are often sloped from back to front, demand accuracy. Golfers should be prepared to use every club in their bag and employ a variety of different shots.

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Saddlebrook Resort - Palmer Course
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Course Details

Year Built 1982
Fairways Bermuda Grass
Greens Tif-Eagle Grass
Golf Season Year round
Architect Arnold Palmer (1982) Ed Seay (1982) Robert Walker (1982)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes - included in green fees
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Golf School Academy Yes - "Saddlebrook Golf Academy"
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard, Amex, Discover Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No

Food & Beverage

Snacks, Restaurant

Available Facilities

Clubhouse, Banquet Facilities, Spa

Available Activities

Swimming, Billiards

Available Sports

Fitness

Reviews

4.2
908 Reviews (908)

What Golfers Are Saying

The 19th Hole is Great For:
Drinks 7
Course Challenges Include:
Water Hazards 29
Bunkers 22
Undulating Greens 20
This course/club is great for:
A Weekend Splurge 18
Advanced Golfers 17
Playing Multiple Courses 12
This Course's Location is:
At a Resort 28
Convenient to the City 14
Worth the Drive 14

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

Reviewer Photos

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Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 6
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Palmer Fun

I have played both courses now and
was greatly impressed with EVERYTHING!
Soooo easy to give five star rating for every category

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 5
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 6
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Absolutely PHENOMENAL track! Mint condition!

What a gem! Worth the 50 minute drive from
Westchase area I was visiting in Tampa. Planning on coming back again for sure! Greens were
Incredible. I lost quite a few golf balls, but that’s on me!🙂

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 18
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Saddlebrook gc

Nice course but could use the water on to turn it green
Playable and nice holes

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 15
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 12
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Play elsewhere

The Palmer course is in terrible shape.

They are letting the front nine to go fallow as we were told they will be tearing it up in April for a new practice range. Good thing as the range is bad as well.

Find another venue.,,.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Poor
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 15
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 15
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 10
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart
Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Poor
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 23
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Used cart
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
2.0
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Used cart

Terrible Staff

This course is inside a resort that you have to drive over two miles, once you get into the resort, to get to the front of the resort hotel,. You then have to valet your vehicle. You pull up to the front of the hotel entrance drop off your car to a valet, put your golf shoes on in the entrance, and then have to carry your clubs at least 400 yards to the golf shop. You then have to drive your golf cart all through the resort to get to the first tee. This course has a lot of blind tee shots and trouble in front of you. The carts are equipped with much needed gps, especially playing the course the first time. It's impossible to know how far to hit it on some occasions or where to hit it on others. After being told our gps would work once we got to the course, again driving forever through the resort to get to the first tee, our gps wouldn't work. At this point we couldn't drive back to the pro shop because people were stacking up behind us. We call the pro shop, no answer. We called during the whole round, no answer. We finally called the hotel and got a really nice person who actually got a hold of someone in the golf shop, after a long wait on hold, who said they would bring us a new cart. They never did. We called back, having to go through the resort hotel operator again who got us in touch with Raj, the golf manager. He didn't do anything. No apologies, no percentage off our next round, nothing. Nobody but the receptionist for the resort acted like they really cared. The funny thing is, I read where the resort and hotel were closed before, we went. They are open but should be closed for lack of caring and the goofy set up they have to actually get to the golf course once you arrive.

Conditions Average
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Poor
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Course is in good shape. Pace of play right at 4 hours. Will definitely play here again

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 25
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 83
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 25
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 83
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once every three months
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Healthy greens

Staff was ready and very helpful..course was receptive to big hits and approach...green were fun...

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 5
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Wet weather
Used cart

Great course. Good times

Had a nice time playing this course despite it having rained heavily the day before and it was cart path only. The pace of play was slow because of that. One group let us play through but then we got stuck behind another group that had an old timer who could barely walk. It took him 5 minutes to walk from the cart to his ball and back after hitting it 30 yards. We ended up skipping a hole to play through as they didn't bother offering to let us. Would like to come back and play again with better conditions.

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
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