Oakleigh  

Par 28

Level 3 playing from 1,005 – 1,517 yards

Some say Oakleigh is the ugly stepsister to its neighboring Amberwood course. That’s a bit harsh - and maybe a little too fairy tale. Sure, Oakleigh doesn’t have the same sparkle, but like the frog hoping for his kiss, you might have to just close your eyes to imagine it. But you need to keep your eyes wide open for holes 2 and 9 as both bring some wicked stepmother energy.

Ok, enough of the One Upon A Time prelude, let’s step up to the first tee and see who’s ready for the ball!

 

#1 starts off easy with a green that slopes forward – just leave your approach short of the pin for an uphill putt. Oakleigh 2, the first difficult “stepmother” hole, greets you with a frustrating amount of sand covering the entire front of the green. A perfect drop shot is your only escape from turning into a double bogey pumpkin. The 3rd may be really, really short, but its rolling green makes it a sneaky challenge. A wicked groundskeeper could easily make the cup placement impossible.  And let’s be honest—nothing deflates the ego like a bogey on an 80-yard hole!

 

Holes #4 and #5 dance around a pond as you make the turn.  Oakleigh 5 is my favorite – it’s picturesque but can be punishing with the toughest green on the course. The good news? Most putts funnel toward the center crown. Stick to the left side for the safest landing zone.

 

The 6th is a par four that rewards precision off the tee to dodge fairway sand, but at 250 yards, an unprotected green makes this your best shot at birdie. The 7th hole is another wedge-shot shorty and the 8th features a trap on the right that seems to have a personal vendetta against me. Then, as the clock nears midnight, you’ll face Oakleigh’s grand finale, but it might not be your "happily ever after".  It's 181 yards uphill to a long, narrow green, flanked by bunkers front and back. It’s not just the toughest hole here; it’s one of the hardest in town. Talk about saving the best for last!

 

So, after playing Oakleigh, and comparing it to Amberwood, does “ugly stepsister” feel a bit too “Grimm”? Or is Amberwood’s “Cinderella” status too generous?  I’d say you need to play both a few times to see if the shoe really fits!

Toughest to Easiest:

9, 2, 4, 5, 6, 3, 8, 7, 1 – toughest green 5

From the blacks!   

Oakleigh should be played from the black tees – period.  You may even use 7 different clubs off the box.  #9 is already the hardest hole on the course, but from blacks it’s over 200 – wow!  And three of the shortest holes, #3, 6 & 7, play like regular par threes from the back tees.  #2 requires your most precise shot to hit over the trap onto the narrow green.  And #5 plays from a fun new angle shooting over water to land onto Oakleigh’s most difficult green.  From the black tees, Oakleigh is certainly striking midnight at the ball!

Go Green!

All but two holes play really short from the green tees.  Just the par four 6th and the closing par three 9th hole are still pretty long.  You’ll also like that the angle to the green is more advantageous around the pond on #4 & 5.  In fact, you may just find the whole course a bit more Charming from the greens!

What’s nearby? 

The First Responder Recreation Center is just a mile north of Oakleigh.  It’s one of the newest rec centers in The Villages complete with a huge pool, lawn croquet and all the standard outdoor amenities and games.  But the reasons it’s worth every foot of the one mile to get there are these three things:  1) a new 18 hole putting course – the Stars and Stripes; 2) the largest game room in The Villages including darts, ping-pong, pop-a-shot, table shuffleboard and hundreds of familiar video games; 3) most importantly, an amazing collection of memorabilia from all branches of First Responders presented in a patriotic theme.  Check this video out: First Responders Recreation Center.  You better go after you play Oakleigh or my guess is you’ll get so immersed you’ll miss your tee time.  It’s that worth it – as is every First Responder in our nation!

My impressions are based on playing from the Gold tee boxes.  The Black and the Green tee boxes pose different challenges or benefits described as well.  The rankings of the toughest to easiest holes are just my opinions - yours will be far different, as will your favorite courses and most difficult and attractive holes.  I welcome your opinions or thoughts on any of this - click to leave a comment.