Spruce Creek Country Club

Once the site of military air training, Spruce Creek is now a fly-in community with a superb golf course, tennis courts, and other amenities. The golf course at Spruce Creek Country Club is a favorite in the Daytona Beach area. It's a Bill Amick-Ron Garl design that opened in 1974. The course plays to 6,841 yards from the back tees, a good test for any player. The front side is a traditional layout with tree-lined fairways that run along the community's private airstrip, which at one time trained U.S. Naval aviators during World War II. (There's actually a sign on the ninth tee that warns golfers to check for incoming aircraft before teeing off.) The back nine is more open than the front, but it does have water that comes into play on several holes. The no. 1 handicap hole is the 519-yard, par-5 eighth. Though it's not particularly long, this slight dogleg right plays through a fairly narrow chute of trees from the tee. An accurate tee shot is a must. Water then comes into play on the par-4 ninth, and there's a good sized lake between the par-3 17th and par-4 18th holes. In addition to the golf course, the semi-private club also offers excellent practice facilities that include a driving range, short-game area with bunker, and putting green. There's also a well-stocked golf shop and restaurant in the clubhouse. The Prop N' Fore Restaurant is open every day with varying hours, offering a menu of appetizers, salads, fish tacos, burgers, sandwiches and a full bar.