August. Three in the afternoon. The kind of heat that makes the greens shimmer like they're wavering, though they are not. My old friend Walt and I had not seen each other in eleven years, and we had agreed, wordlessly, to settle everything on the seventh hole.
An uphill putt onto the top tier. Twenty-two feet. Walt read it from both sides and declared it straight. Walt has never once in his life been right about a putt.
Then, a small miracle: a server crossing the course with a tray, ice clinking like distant wind chimes. We had ordered from the course, as one is permitted to do here, and our drinks had found us.
Tin Cup rye whiskey, with a backbone you could lean a ladder against. Blackberries, deep and dark as a late-summer bramble behind my grandmother's barn. Simple syrup, smoothing every sharp corner. Fresh lemon juice. And lemonade, cold and bright, the color of a porch light coming on.
I took one sip of that rye whiskey cocktail and the heat surrendered. Not entirely. Enough.
Walt missed his putt left. I missed mine right. We stood there on the tier, the scorecard forgotten in my back pocket, telling each other things we should have said a decade ago, glasses sweating in the sun.
We parred the next three holes. Neither of us remembers how.
Customer reviews
Don’t take
our word
Came for the putting, stayed for the food. The double smash burger is unreal, crispy edges and that bacon jam. We ended up sitting on the patio for two hours after our round.
Jessica M.
Winter Garden
Ordered a round of BarTender's Choice cocktails from the course and they found us on the 11th. The Birdie Juice is dangerously good. Already planning our next visit.
Marcus T.
Nashville
The kids ran between the playground and our table the whole time. Tenders were hot and crispy, and they were thrilled with the chips. Easiest family night we've had in months.
Alicia R.
Dallas @ The Colony
Honestly didn't expect a golf spot to have food this good. The ahi tuna nachos and miso salmon were both a hit. The course itself is legit too, real breaks and tiers.
Dan P.
Palm Beach
Brunch on the patio before an early round is our new Sunday thing. Chicken and waffles with Mike's Hot Honey, a Hair of the Bird, and a lag putt I'm still bragging about.
Priya K.
Orlando
Lost at cornhole, won at ping pong, and the wings made up for both. Staff kept checking on us without hovering. Great spot for a group.
Chris L.
Tampa
The Tequila Creamsicle tastes like summer camp for adults. Paired it with the Korean steak tacos after our round and watched the sunset from the patio. Perfect night.
Morgan B.
Winter Garden
More from the bar
Play through
the menu
Coconut Espresso Martini
1800 Coconut tequila, coconut syrup, freshly brewed espresso, garnished with espresso beans and toasted coconut
$16
Birdie Juice
New Amsterdam gin, cucumber, basil, strawberry monin, simple syrup, lime juice, sprite
$13.50
The Island Chick
Bacardi Rum, Gosling's Dark Rum, Disaronno Amaretto, grenadine, mango monin, orange juice, pineapple juice
$15