Southern Hills Plantation Club

Southern Hills Plantation Club

Brooksville, Florida · Par 72 · 6,931 yards · Semi-Private

Southern Hills Plantation is the outlier in this destination pack, and that is precisely what makes it worth including. It is not a resort course. It is not part of Streamsong or Cabot Citrus Farms. It is a semi-private Pete Dye design in Brooksville, roughly five miles from Cabot Citrus Farms, that offers a quality round of golf at a green fee that starts where the resort courses' rates end.

Dye built the course in 2003 through rolling Hernando County terrain that provides more elevation change than most golfers expect from Florida. The hills here are genuine, not manufactured, and Dye routed through them with the characteristic creativity that defined his career across hundreds of courses worldwide. The design features his trademark elements: railroad-tie bulkheads, sharp-edged bunkering, greens with enough movement to demand precise approach play, and a few holes where the visual intimidation exceeds the actual difficulty.

At 6,931 yards from the tips with a rating of 73.8 and a slope of 138, the course presents a thorough test without the extreme length that characterizes many modern designs. The challenge is concentrated in the approach game and on the greens, where Dye's contours create pin positions that range from accessible to severe depending on the day's setup. Mid-handicap golfers will find plenty of fair scoring opportunities from the middle tees while still encountering enough Dye-style moments to keep the round interesting.

The semi-private format means that tee times are available to visiting golfers through platforms such as GolfNow or by contacting the club directly. Availability varies with the club's member schedule, but outside of peak weekend mornings the course is generally accessible. A cart is included in the green fee, which ranges from $50 to $100 depending on season and time of day.

For golfers visiting the Streamsong and Cabot Citrus Farms destination, Southern Hills Plantation serves a specific and useful role. It is the course to play on the travel day, the round that fills a gap in the schedule without requiring a resort commitment or a premium green fee. It is also, on its own merits, a legitimate Pete Dye design on interesting terrain. The pedigree of the architect, combined with the modesty of the price, makes it one of the better value propositions in central Florida.

The course sits close enough to Cabot Citrus Farms to combine with a round on Karoo or The Roost in the same day without a significant drive between them. For groups splitting time between the Streamsong and Cabot properties, Southern Hills Plantation provides a natural midpoint, both geographically and in terms of the intensity of the golf experience. It is not the reason to visit this destination, but it is a thoroughly worthwhile addition to the itinerary.