In 1990 Clifton's firm was hired to add a second nine and to do so they had to rework three existing holes. Green Valley's original nine holes were designed in the late 1960's by an old Scotsman according to Lloyd Clifton, who worked as a consulting agronomist and rebuilt several of the early greens. If Swiss Fairway's rugged appearance exudes international flavor then Green Valley Country Club, located just north of Highway 50, is prototypically American. Overall Rating: 2.5 Green Valley is the Place For Me
The only real drawback is that the course is probably unwalkable since the second nine is about a half mile from the clubhouse, and until they start a ferry service, there is another long ride around a sliver of lake between the 12th tee and fairway. The price is right too since they don't charge for attitude, with green fees starting at $20 and not going much higher.
Swiss Fairways gets high marks for originality and quirk, but make no mistake, there are very solid golf holes here (16 and 17 come to mind) and an interesting set of greens. Just look to make sure there are no skiers coming down the pike before you drill that low liner 3-iron across the lake. As if the course's daring appearance and variety weren't enough to draw it attention, several holes play across the watery ski school runs, including the 204-yard, All-Orlando par three 2nd. The address of the course, located southwest of Clermont major, is Skiing Paradise Boulevard, named for the Swiss (Water) Ski School. The bold, sweeping style of the first nine is effectively emulated on the second. Steve Newgent built the first nine in 1988 and six years later, in 1994, he returned to construct the second nine on land purchased across State Road 565 using plans drawn by Clifton, Ezell & Clifton. The isolated property, small-scale hills, and naturally sandy soil make for an ideal golf setting. Though much of this look has to do with a limited maintenance budget, it's quite appropriate, and the green keeper gets it right on the greens where it matters. Long grasses line the fringes of fairways and bunkers and lend them real character, especially at two superlative stretches of holes, 2 through 5 and 14 through 17, where the course loosely resembles something from the south of England perhaps. It blends well, however, with the eclectic mixture of holes and frequently brash presentation of hazards. The rather unkempt rough edges of the course give it a rustic charm that may be overlooked by those accustomed to perfectly groomed fairways and tees. Both courses showcase a similar style of flamboyant bunkering - irregular and gaping, filled with indigenous reddish sand - and plenty of small-scale movement in the earth. Physically, Swiss Fairways could best be described as a poor man's Southern Dunes (or is it the other way around since the first nine of the former was built in 1988, predating the latter by five years). Golf with no frills is all that matters here, and Swiss Fairways packs more of it into nine holes (either nine) than many area courses do in a 54-hole weekend.
The operations are so nonchalant that they're run out of a temporary clubhouse, except that it's not temporary. The parking lot here is gravel and the bag drop is wherever you happen to set your clubs when you get them out of the trunk. The attraction certainly isn't a posh, "wipe-your-clubs-down-and-ask-you-where-you're-from" type of curbside service that has become the norm for Orlando. The atmosphere at Swiss Fairways is so relaxed and casual it may seem the staff doesn't care if you play there or not, if they notice you at all. Both courses are off the beaten path but well worth a visit for those who've grown weary of the often penal and always high priced resort courses that gobble up the headlines. Most savvy Orlando-area players know that there is fun golf at affordable prices at places like Diamond Players Club of Clermont, but fewer are familiar with Swiss Fairways and Green Valley Country Club, two courses that exemplify the charms of this area perfectly. Whatever, there's no denying that the golf courses around Clermont are a unique bunch for Central Florida and has been singing their praises for some time now (see: Highway 27). Perhaps it's just that the relatively wide open and hilly terrain is polar opposite from most of the state, which is ironic because if it were Oklahoma or the Front Range of Colorado, this would be about as standard as it gets. CLERMONT, FL - There's something about the country landscape in central Lake County, 25 miles west of downtown Orlando, that makes for some of the most exciting and interesting golf in the entire Sunshine State.
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