Pennbrooke Fairways

Located in Leesburg, Florida, The Club at Pennbrooke Fairways is just east of  Brownwood Square in The Villages on SR 44.  With its three distinctive nines, natural beauty, and friendly atmosphere Pennbrooke Fairways is a ‘must play’ for golfers in Lake County, Florida. Affordable rates are the icing on the proverbial cake.

The course offers golfers two executive nines and one regulation nine to appeal to all skill levels while offering a fun, challenging, yet fair, golf experience. The courses offer large, manicured greens, lush, undulating fairways, and an attentive staff who will make your day special.

Pennbrooke Fairways consists of three nine-hole courses, The Oaks (par 30) and Meadows (par 32) are fun, sporty executive courses, while The Sanctuary (par 35) is a challenging full-length nine.

The Meadows: 9 executive

The first hole of this course is the signature hole. A par 4 of only 213 yards may not sound like much of a challenge even for the average golfer, but square in the middle of this narrow fairway is one of Florida’s beautiful, old, moss-covered oak trees. The golfer must be able to carry a shot over this tree or fashion a low shot around or under it.

The Meadows boasts five par-4 holes, but the most difficult for most golfers is the par-3 fourth hole that ranges from 96 yards from the yellow tees to 193 yards from the black tees. Hitting into this sloping green requires a tee shot that must stop on the green to give the golfer a chance at par.

The Meadows puts putting skills to the test. It is an easily walkable course for those who want the exercise, but riding carts are permitted. On par-3 holes, cart paths-only are used.

Bounded by wildlife preserves and stately old oaks, this course offers a view of some of Florida’s beautiful wildlife. It’s a favorite nesting area for red-tailed hawks and an occasional bald eagle.

The Oaks: 9 Executive

The nine holes of the Oaks wind their way through the beautiful Pennbrooke Fairways community.

The par-30 Oaks appears on the scorecard as a benign nine-hole course tucked neatly among homes, ponds, and the occasional bunker. However, the fairways are often tight and pose an accuracy challenge to many golfers.

Those tight fairways require accurate shots to attain par. The Oaks is ideal for developing and honing a golfer’s short game. It offers five tee placements on each hole and six par-3 holes ranging from 56 yards from the yellow tees to 205 yards from the black tees; three par-4 holes that range from 215 yards from the yellow tees to 311 yards from the black tees; and tight fairways that will challenge all golfing levels. Errant tee shots on this course will find out-of-bounds areas on either side of the fairways on eight of the nine holes.

Like the Meadows, the Oaks is a very walkable course, providing golfers with over a mile of walking exercise. Riding carts are permitted, but restricted to cart paths only on par-3 holes.

The greens are well-bunkered and water comes into play on five of the nine holes. The Oaks is a great course for beginners to develop sound skills and for accomplished golfers to refine their games.

The Sanctuary: Regulation 9

The pride of Pennbrooke Fairways, the longest course offers every challenge one might expect from a par-35 layout.

Like the Oaks and Meadows, this course also offers five tee placements to accommodate any individual’s skill level. With two par-5 holes ranging from 442 yards from the yellow tees to 540 yards from the black tees, these holes challenge the long-ball hitters. Each of the par 5’s has its own set of danger areas. The first par 5 narrows severely at the landing area, which requires a safe lay-up or a booming drive to get beyond it.

The second par 5 is well-bunkered at every critical point along the fairway, with a water hazard and a lateral hazard on the left, forcing dead center or slightly right hits as you approach the green (yes, the “slightly right” shots are into bunkered areas).

Four par 4’s, all protected by strategically placed bunkers and ponds, round out the longer holes. Three par 3’s, all of which bring water or marshland into play, complete the line-up.

The Sanctuary is a rigorous test of every golfer’s distance, accuracy, and putting skills.

The signature area of this course is a 500-foot bridge that spans a protected wildlife area and swamp. Unlike the Meadows and Oaks, the Sanctuary requires riding carts. Pedestrians are not permitted on either of the two bridges on the course. Cart paths must be used on the par-3 holes.