Falcon’s Fire ups Orlando golf ante

KISSIMMEE, Fla. When Falcons Fire Golf Club opened in 1993, the Orlando golf scene looked a lot different than it does today behemoths Reunion Resort, ChampionsGate and Orange County National simply didnt exist yet.

Fast-forward to today and there are about 75 golf courses in Orlando.

For more golf in Orlando, or to plan your next trip, visit OrlandoGolf.com

Recognizing the old adage, if youre standing still youre falling behind, Falcons Fire completed a renovation in Oct. 2009 that included new greens, which were resurfaced with TifEagle turf. Bunkers also were reworked to make the course more visually intimidating. The result is Falcons Fires reemergence as one of Orlandos elite daily-fee golf courses.

Utilize the run-up shot

Designed by Rees Jones, the course features plenty of water particularly on the back nine but most holes dont have any short of the green. This design characteristic gives the course flexibility by allowing the weekend hacker to enjoy the course without losing a million golf balls, while still challenging the better ball-striker by making him or her consider trajectory on approach shots.

About the only holes where the run-up shot cannot be used is on the par-3s, which are diverse in distance but require an aerial attack.

Creating virtual movement

If you look at Falcons Fire on a scorecard it appears as though most holes are straight, but fairway bunkers frame the holes in such a way that careful thought should go into the placement of your tee shot.

No. 2, for example, is a simple short par-4 but a drive down the right side flirts with a bunker, and gives players a tough angle into the green even if he or she is in the fairway. The proper play is a left-to-right shot down the left side of the fairway.

No. 12 has the opposite effect, where tee shots left feed toward a bunker and leave you with a narrow angle into the green.

Nos. 2 and 12 appear straight but require a dogleg-type tee shot. If you miss it on the wrong side of the fairway, be prepared to hit your approach shot into the skinny part of the green.

New greens are faster, more undulating

Just like a steak knife, green contours get duller over time, so the renovation at Falcons Fire included a fresh sharpening. While the increase in undulation isnt drastic from a visual standpoint, when you add fast greens to the mix its a tricky combination.

And while were on the subject of green speed, youll want to pay attention to the new TifEagle surfaces. Speed and smoothness of greens is arguably the most important characteristic in determining the overall quality of a golf course, and the new surfaces at Falcons Fire are some of the purest in town.

With the combination of speed and undulation at Falcons Fire, putts from above the hole require a surgeons touch.

Factor the wind

If youve played golf in Florida you know that the terrain is flat and exposed, and its not uncommon for the wind to blow 20-25 mph on any given day, no matter the season. Falcons Fire is no exception to this rule, and if the greens are running fast the wind can play an even larger role.

The green at No. 13 is particularly tricky because of its tiered design and position along a lake that sits exposed to the elements.

The verdict

With the recent renovation at Falcons Fire you can bet that conditions are some of the best in the area, and its close proximity to Disney (3 miles) means its convenient for the Mickey-goers.

With a rack rate of $129 Falcons Fire is right on par with the areas other high-end daily-fee courses. One aspect that makes it stand out amongst some of the resort courses in its price range is that its a stand-alone golf course with no hotel, so you dont have to book a stay-and-play to get the best rate all golfers are treated equally.

If youre considering a trip to Central Florida for MLB spring training, check out Falcons Fires Hats Off promotion, which offers golfers $30 off green fees between March 4 and April 3, 2010 if you play in your favorite baseball teams hat.

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Falcon’s Fire ups Orlando golf ante