This episode sees the team head to Streamsong Resort which is very isolated almost halfway between Tampa, Sarasota, and Orlando. Streamsong has only been open since 2013 but has quickly proven itself as one of the hottest golf properties in the world during the time since. There are three courses on site, Red, Blue, and Black course. The Red and Blue courses are the original two, and the Black course was opened in 2017. It really is a golf experience unlike anything you typically see in Florida, where there are no palm trees in sight, and severe elevation changes on almost every hole. This was a trip we had been looking forward to for a while.
Streamsong Part 1
Streamsong Blue Course
First up we take on the Blue course. Our tee time was 7.30am and we arrived to the first tee as the sun was rising over the dunes and it was absolutely stunning. Joining us for this round was Scott Wilson, the Director of Golf at Streamsong. We also had a caddie, Kelly, who used to play his trade on the Korn Ferry Tour a few years back now. Lots of stories were told during our round and Scott shares with us why he feels Streamsong Resort is such a unique and incredible place. The bunkering was quite exceptional, in some places they were so deep and vast that it replicated the sorts of dunes you would expect to see in the desert. Wade and Patrick both found one of these monstrosities during the round, and with very differing techniques, managed to hit somewhat similar shots…. We’ll let you imagine what the outcomes were!
Golf Challenges
We spiced things up a little bit with some challenges throughout the round. First up we had the putter challenge. The 5th hole on Streamsong Blue course is a par 5 that plays all downhill and has a green that is unprotected at the front, meaning you can run a ball all the way down there from the tee. We saw a few interesting shots here and Scott actually managed to save par which was an incredible feat using just a putter. Some green reading by Kelly from over 100ft was necessary to give Wade a chance of staying in the vicinity of the hole…..
This challenge was followed up on the signature hole, the par-3 7th hole. It’s a beautiful golf hole playing over a lake to a green that sits well below the teeing area which is also strongly protected by steep and severe banks some 50 feet tall. Did we mention the challenge was we had to hit a 1-iron off the tee?! A few different strategies were taken here as the hole played around 210 yards on the card, so a bit of creativity was necessary from the longer hitters. Luckily we didn’t have to play the hole out using 1-iron as we may have made a real mess out of it. There is a unanimous loser to the challenges and they were burden with the task of cleaning everyone’s clubs as punishment.
Bass Fishing
Next up was a trip to the lake directly opposite the hotel. Streamsong offer various other outdoor activities besides golf and this is just one of the options we opted to try out. Wade was in his element here and is an avid fan of ‘ripping lips.’ Our guide Trey was awesome and taught us a lot of local knowledge, plus assisted us with virtually everything out on the lake. We managed to reel a few in, or Wade did, pulling in about five whilst the rest of us casted our lines out more in hope than anything else. All bass fishing at Streamsong Resort is catch and release to minimize the impact us humans can have on the environment here. After a few hours on the lake we headed back to the resort and looked back on what a fabulous day we’d just had.
Streamsong Part 2
Archery & Shooting Skeet
Streamsong Resort had so much to offer we had to split the trip into two episodes. We start this episode in a similar fashion to where the last episode left us, with our guide Trey. Except this time, we try our hand at some archery. None of us had any real experience with archery so we were expecting to see mixed success. Things became a little more interesting when we brought out some secret targets. Gabe and Wade had to fire at the European Ryder Cup team, and Pat was firing at US Ryder Cup talisman Patrick Reed. For the record these were just pictures not the actual people….
After an eventful bit of Ryder Cup Archery, Trey took us on to the skeet shooting stations. Streamsong have a number of different shooting stations that allow you to try out different sorts of shots. Again we were all at the beginner level when it came to this so we saw some very mixed success. For the most part the clay targets remained intact from our shooting…. It did however turn out that there was a clear winner among us and it is definitely not who you would first think!
Lunch Time
We headed back to the resort and hotel to indulge in some lunch. Gabe meets with head Chef Michael Ford who prepares a beautiful scallop dish, talking us through every step of the action. We learn about his influences and the co-ordination between the restaurants at Streamsong. In fact, every restaurant is independent of one another so you can visit each one and have a different culinary experience. When we sat down for our lunch we were presented with an incredible array of dishes; We had everything from dry aged steak, to lobster mac and cheese, to the most incredible bag fried chicken. Everything was to die for and so exceptionally well crafted.
Back to The Golf Course
After that monstrous lunch we had little time to rest before heading back to play a few holes on Streamsong Blue. The featured hole here was the par-4 6th hole which didn’t play long at all. In fact, we all took driver out and went for the green unbeknownst to us. From the tee you have no clue where you’re going but it turns out we were all in pretty good shape, with one of us even hitting the green! A series of chips and putts ensued and one of us walked away with a birdie at least.
Closing Notes
Streamsong Resort is truly one of the most incredible you will ever get the chance of visiting. From a golfer’s perspective it should absolutely be on your bucket list. All three courses are unique and beautifully memorable, and it is an experience unlike anything you will typically experience. We will definitely be planning our trip back to play the other courses on site. The resort itself is comfortable and luxurious, and you are very well looked after. Don’t be deceived though this is not strictly a destination for golfers only; They do also have a spa, pool, other recreational activities that the non-golfer can partake in to keep you busy. Whether going for one night or a long weekend, you will leave Streamsong Resort having had a wonderful experience.
All filming was conducted at Streamsong Resort, check it out for yourselves here: https://www.streamsongresort.com/