Cleveland Heights Golf Course - Lakeland, Florida

Cleveland Heights Golf Course is a little oasis in the middle of growing, bustling Lakeland, Fla. with lakes, ponds and the sort of critters you don't normally associate with downtown. Peacocks, alligators, geese and hawks all look at home among the water and moss-draped oaks. There is a noticeable lack of city noise.

The golf course sits up on a little hill, offering a few glimpses of busy people going about their Lakeland business. Stone bridges add some old-time flavor to the 27-hole layout, though they are fairly recent additions. Donald Ross contemporary W.S. Flynn helped with the design, and the master's influence shows. The greens are small and elevated and drop off frequently on all sides, making up-and-downs rather difficult. Strategy takes precedence over brawn; no 18-hole combination measures much more than 6,000 yards, and there's a nice variety of risk/reward and doglegs.