Silver Dollar Golf Club, Odessa, FL

At first glance, Silver Dollar Golf and Trap Club in Odessa, FL is not your typical golf club. For starters, there’s a skeet shooting range directly across the street, hence the Trap part of the name. It’s not uncommon to be teeing off or putting to the sound of gunfire, but you get used to it after a few holes.

Secondly, the course sits in the back of a manufactured housing community/RV Park. Back in the day, it was rumored that more than 20 multimillionaires would park their formidable RVs at Silver Dollar for the season and enjoy both trap shooting and golf. A lesser-known fact is that several well-known professional wrestlers used to play at the course regularly. Names like (Flyin’) Brian Pillman, Brian (Crush) Adams, (Dangerous) Dan Spivey, Paul (Big Show) Wight, and Mark (Undertaker) Calaway could often be found playing in weekly games or creating games of their own.

There are three 9-hole layouts at Silver Dollar meaning there are three unique 18-hole combinations. The Gator/Panther combination is the one most played however, throw in the Bobcat nine and you can have all kinds of fun and challenging golf. As you make your way around each of the three nines you’ll encounter the usual golf hazards with trees, bunkers, and water features that will test and entertain you. Narrow, tree-lined fairways are often complemented with generous landing areas which are great for beginners. Some sparkling lakes and ponds come into play on a few holes and strategically placed bunkers are situated around many greens. Paspalum greens provide excellent rolling putting surfaces!

For some reason, the Bobcat layout seems to be the forgotten nine, but we found it quite challenging. The first hole is one of the property’s most interesting, a short par 5 that wraps around the driving range on the right with a chain-link fence down the right side. It’s a great risk-reward hole because you can go over as much of the driving range as you want and shorten your approach shot. Take the driving range out of play and play down the left side, and it’s a definite three-shot hole. Live oaks on either side of the fairway as you approach the green seem to shrink the fairway. The green is large and fairly flat. Another opportunity to make up a stroke or get started on the right foot.

Number 3 is the closest I’ve ever come to making a hole-in-one on a par 4. The hole plays 246 yards from the White Tees which requires about a 200-yard carry to clear the pond. There is no sand around the green, just the pond.

Unless you know it’s there, the pond that fronts the green on the 306-yard, par 4, 5th hole can be an unwelcome surprise. From the White Tees, you only need to hit it about 180 yards, which will leave a short pitch shot into the green.

Silver Dollar Golf Club has some of the best practice facilities in the area. For starters, there’s a full-length driving range where you can hit every club in the bag. Then, there is a putting and chipping green complete with sand trap, two putting greens, and to top it off, 3 practice holes. For $6, you can play the three practice holes as many times as you like! There’s no reason not to be ready when you hit the first tee.

With an in-season rate of just $38 for greens fees and cart, Silver Dollar is affordable by anyone’s standards. Other courses in the area are charging twice that rate. If you’re competitive and looking to get in a game at Silver Dollar, you’ll find them just about every day of the week. I used to live in the area about 20 years ago and played a money game every Friday afternoon. Head Golf Professional Ron Hoffman who returned to Silver Dollar a few years ago, has been able to keep that game going all this time.

As you would expect during the peak golf season in Florida, the course was very busy. We spoke with golfers from all over the Midwest who make Silver Dollar Golf Club a regular visit on their snowbird migration. Everyone we spoke with raved about what a great value the course is. Ladies seemed to favor the Panther 9 because it has three par 3s and Thursdays. After all, that’s Lady’s Day. Another common denominator between those we spoke with was the food. Not only is it delicious, but it’s also priced right too! Hamburgers seemed to be the favorite, however, it was Lady’s Day and we saw a lot of salads!