Windsor Parke Golf Club Review

Windsor Parke Golf Club is a semi-private, 18-Hole championship golf course designed by Arthur Hills and has been recognized as one of Florida's top 100 courses. Over the years, Windsor Parke has hosted more USGA qualifying events than any other course in the city of Jacksonville; qualifiers for such tournaments as the US Open, US Amateur, US Publinks and US Senior Amateur. It's also recognized by the NGCOA as a "Beginner Friendly" golf course.

There are four sets of tees that play anywhere from 5206 yards for the ladies to 6765 yards for accomplished players. Average players will find the White Tees (6,003) yards a fitting challenge. In the clubhouse, you will find a well-stocked pro shop with a plethora of logoed apparel and a restaurant/lounge area that offers all your favorite clubhouse foods and adult beverages. Windsor Parke is also a good place to tune up your game with great practice facilities, including a targeted grass range that lets you hit every club in the bag as well as putting and chipping greens.

This championship layout has Arthur Hills written all over it with its rolling fairways, elevation changes and strategically placed bunkers. Several holes feature forced carries over water, including 3 of the 4 par 3 holes and a couple of par 4s. That doesn't include carries that macho golfers will encounter when they try to reach the par 5 greens in two.

Off the tees, the fairways are fairly easy to find, however several approach shots leave little room for error. For the most part, greens are fairly level with subtle undulations. As always, greens in regulation often equate to good scores. Hills also had some fun with green complexes, as can be seen from the devilish little pot bunkers around the 8th green. Here are a few of the favorites:

Pro's Pick: Number 4: Par 4, 388 yards (Blue Tees). A dogleg left that plays 388 yards from the Blue Tees and features water all down the left side and strategically placed bunkers on the right in the landing area. If you're not overly long off the tee, these bunkers are a great aiming point. A decent drive will leave you about 150 yards downhill to a green protected on the left by water.

Member's Favorite: Number 6: Par 5, 533 yards (Blue Tees). This long, straight par 5 has trees framing both sides of the fairway. The creek that crosses the fairway just in front of the green makes this a three-shot hole for most players. Par is a good score here.

My Favorite(s): Three finishing that will really test your mettle. Number 16 (par 4, 426 yards) features a narrow fairway with water all down the left side and trees lining the right. The green is protected by a large bunker on the left. Number 17 (par 5, 531 yards) is a carbon copy of 16, only 100+ yards longer and has more bunkering around the green. Number 18 (Par 4, 351 yards) requires a tee shot over water to a wide-open fairway and then an approach shot over more water to an awaiting green protected on the left by water. Par or better on these last three holes usually means a good score.

Windsor Parke is one of the best values I came across during my visit to the Jacksonville area, especially when you consider it's an Arthur Hills layout. Members I spoke with had nothing but good things to say about what Brown Golf has done with the facility since acquiring it in 2015. They continue to make improvements to both the course and the clubhouse.

Memberships are available at Windsor Parke and include unlimited golf and use of all practice facilities with a discounted range plan, reciprocal play at all other Brown Golf facilities and a reciprocal membership at Julington Creek Golf Club. To book your next tee time at Windsor Parke, give them a call at (904) 223-GOLF (4653). You can also book online at www.windsorparke.com.