Pirate’s Cove Adventure Golf Lake Buena Vista Review

Review of:  Pirate’s Cove Adventure Golf

Date of visit:  February 26, 2010

Address:  Pirate’s Cove Lake Buena Vista, 12545 SR 535, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830

Description of Location: Right in the Crossroads shopping center near Downtown Disney, can be seen from I-4

Website: www.piratescove.net

General Overview: Pirate’s Cove Adventure Golf is a chain with locations all over the USA, and 3 in the Orlando, FL area.

Pros:  Nice waterfalls and features, attractive landscaping and plantings, interesting layout, choice of 2 courses, an easier and harder one.  Easy access from Walt Disney World.  New carpet on every hole, in excellent condition.  Signs on each hole of the Blackbeard’s Challenge course tell the story of Blackbeard in some detail.

Cons: Right smack against Interstate 4, for at least half the holes the traffic noise is quite loud.

Nitpicks:  First few holes have LOUD music playing to mask the highway noise, but it doesn’t really mask it, just makes a cacophony.

Hole-by-hole review and photos:

(Click on any of the thumbnail photos below to see a full-size version, but be warned: loading time may be slow)

Course Name: Blackbeard’s Challenge Course

(Note that we’ve included the sign photos in case you are interested in the story of Blackbeard)

Hole 1

Par 2

Has lots of humps that lead down to the cup, an easy hole-in-one if played right.

Hole 2

Par 3

The cup is on a mound on the right, so if you don’t end up on the mound it can get quite frustrating. Fortunately, this is a par 3.

Hole 3

Par 2

Dog-leg left with a steep bank turn – few patches of rough – challenging in spite of being only a par 2.

Hole 4

Par 2

Grassy kidney-shaped mounds; there is no straight shot to the cup on this one.

(This sign was faded, and is hard to read.  It says, “In 1716, the end of hostilities in the Caribbean put an end to Teach’s Naval career causing him to join other pirates out of the Bahamas in attacking ships on the Florida channel”.)

Hole 5

Par 4

Dog-leg right with sharp drop off to the left and a grassy trap.  No direct way to the hole.  One of only 2 par 4 holes on this course.

Hole 6

Par 3

Slope on the left with flower planter in the middle, up hill to hole with no direct access

Hole 7

Par 3

Cool cave atmosphere, with hole in middle of depression in a mound.  Nice features with themed pirate displays.  A window looks out onto a water feature and Interstate 4.  At least in the cave, the road noise is less intense.

Hole 8

Par 2

Up stairs to get to this upper hole with a fabulous view of I-4.  Long green with a hole banked off to the left.  Real rocks jutting out provide additional challenge.

Hole 9

Par 4

Ascend the stairs for this hole underneath a faux log bridge.  Difficult hole with rock to ricochet off of.  This is the other par 4 hole of only two in the course, and justifiably so.

Hole 10

Par 2

Interesting hole with mouse-ear shaped slopes on both sides, challenging.

Hole 11

Par 3

Three tiers – this hole works its way back down the upper area of the course.  Shoot at the upper hole, and your ball will travel down a pipe onto the lower green.

Hole 12

Par 2

Up more stairs, into another cave – green travels through 2 pillars, reminiscent of elephant legs, don’t you think?  These caves promise a cool respite on a hot day.

Hole 13

Par 2

Downhill with lots of rocks throughout the hole, and your ball bounces off them.  This one takes luck for a hole in one.

Hole 14

Par 3

Two rocks on uphill slope with gap.  Challenging with rough and sandy trap.  Note that the photo is taken from the cup end rather than the tee end of the hole.

Hole 15

Par 2

Up the stairs again, at the top the waterfall covers the path of ball.  Even though this was par 2, Joy took the 6-stroke max on this hole.

Hole 16

Par 2

3-tier hole, 2 cups on upper tier take balls down to bottom green.  Picture shows only the top tier.

Hole 17

Par 3

Hit up a ski-jump type ramp, with a back slope behind the hole.  Add 2 rocks to interfere, and this par 3 hole is fun & challenging!

Hole 18

Par 3

Back up the hill again for more exercise, green again goes under a waterfall.  The end of the course, your ball is sucked into the hole and returned to the course office to be used again.

Note: As we left this mini golf course, the attendant stamped our score card with a notation that will give us $1.00 off per person upon a return visit.