DJTheoret - 6/28/23
Juliette Falls in Dunnellon, FL gets its name from an early settlement town founded back in 1845. It’s set on an old phosphate mine site and was one of the first English-speaking communities in Florida’s Marion County.

The Juliette Falls Golf & Spa Community boasts 540 golf home sites on 546 acres; 136 acres of which are part of a nature preserve. The nature preserve offers residents some great recreational opportunities, with 5 miles of trails that are perfect for walkers, bikers, and hikers. Most homes are concrete block with stucco and floor plans that range from 3 to 6 bedrooms and 1,500 to over 7,000 square feet. Garbage collection, satellite TV, high-speed Internet, and lawn maintenance are all included in the monthly HOA fees.


I’ve always been amazed by how a golf course designer is able to stare at a massive piece of property and decide what goes where, but that’s exactly what John Sanford and his team did. Their overall focus was to be gentle on the environment and Sanford was able to take a portion of the 546 acres of equestrian land on the outskirts of Ocala and carve out a sensational parkland-style golf course with an abundance of pine and oak trees, palmetto forests, sand traps, and beautiful, lush fairways.

Many of the property’s large, mature oak trees remained and were used to frame holes. Sanford was able to use the gently rolling terrain and incorporate several appealing waste bunkers and dotted them with wire grasses and a variety of shrubbery. Shortly after Sanford created this golfing masterpiece in Dunnellon, FL, Golfing Magazine named it one of the “Top 10 New Courses You Can Play.” The course was also ranked #4 by WorldGolf.com in their "Best Under-Publicized Golf Courses in Florida" list In 2016.

Shortly after the PGA Show this past January, I made my way up to Dunnellon to play at Juliette Falls Golf Club with a couple of my wife’s friends, Deb and Pat. Deb grew up in California and is a very accomplished and fairly intense golfer. Currently, she is the Women’s Club Champion and Senior Women’s Club Champion at her home course in North Tampa. Pat is also a good golfer and doesn’t take the game nearly as seriously. Plain and simple, she has fun.

From the back tees, Juliette Falls plays 7,236 yards with a course rating of 75.4 and a slope of 143. The White Tees will give most golfers all they can handle from 6,269 yards (70.4/130) and still allow them to leave with some dignity. Ladies will have an enjoyable time playing the Red Tees (5,071/69.3/123). Five sets of tee boxes make Juliette Falls fun and challenging for all golfers who choose to play from the set of tees that best suits their game.

As we made our way around the course, Deb saw some remarkable similarities to courses she’s played in North Carolina and California. For starters, as you pull into the golf course, the parking lot is surrounded by pine trees and the staff is quite welcoming; the bag drop area reminded her of Tobacco Road Golf Club in Sanford, NC, on the outskirts of the Village of Pinehurst, as did several holes on the back nine with their pine straw-lined cart paths that wind around the rustic mountain and Tudor cottage homes. The waterfalls, with their unique natural rock design and surrounding vegetation, reminded her of courses in Palm Springs.

There are several interesting holes on the golf course. The par 3, 147-yard 13th hole is aptly dubbed “The Falls,’ and is the course’s signature hole. According to the scorecard, it's the shortest - and easiest - hole on the course. Water guards the left side of the green and wraps all the way around the back. The green is long, narrow, and well-undulated. If you miss that par putt, look at the waterfall behind the green and you'll forget all about your score.


The par 5, 6th hole, "Reflection Lake,” plays 517 yards and is the first hole where water comes into play. For most, the water really isn’t an obstacle and requires only a short carry to get past it behind. Playing down the right side of the fairway off the tee takes the long waste bunker on the left out of play. Then, playing your layup shot across the fairway to the left side sets up the best angle for an approach into the green. Your approach shot is uphill to an elevated green that can be hard to hold. With all the roll in the green, a two-putt is good. Chipping back from over the green is rarely a good thing!

Your round at Juliette Falls concludes with Viking Challenge,” a 408-yard, par 4 that plays slightly downhill and takes two well-struck shots to reach the green in regulation. If the distance is a little more than you can handle in two shots, playing down the left side of the fairway will take the water on the right side of the green out of play. The sand on the left and water on the right make this the most challenging hole on the back nine.

In addition to one of Florida’s top public golf courses, Juliette Falls has some of the best practice facilities. Their 10-acre practice facility makes practice fun and you can stay from dawn until dusk. The practice facility includes a state-of-the-art turf range with multiple target greens and bunkers. Directly behind the driving range is a short game area complete with a practice bunker and a huge, undulating putting green that helps prepare you for what you’re about to encounter.

The clubhouse features a pro shop with logoed apparel from a variety of top-name manufacturers as well as some wild designs from up-and-coming apparel companies! If hunger gets the better of you, the kitchen serves up some great sandwiches and burgers, just don’t ask for a side of fries! Juliette Falls has gone the healthier route and deep-sixed their deep fryers. Healthier sides include potato salad, coleslaw, and kettle-cooked potato chips. Juliette Falls also offers specialty dinners twice a month: Prime Rib on the first Friday and a “Chef’s Specialty” Dinner Menu on the 3rd Friday of each month. The bar has several beers on tap and serves all of your favorite mixed drinks.

Juliette Falls draws players from a couple of large markets; it’s about an hour north of Orlando and less than 2 hours from Tampa. As a resident, you’ll find that Juliette Falls is more about a lifestyle than about a place to live or a place to play golf. And, while the community and clubhouse suggest a more laid-back feel, the course is anything but. Pick the tees that best suit your handicap and you're guaranteed a fun - and challenging - round. The course is well-manicured, and the greens roll true. Most holes have plenty of room off the tee, setting up what Juliette Falls is all about - the second shot.

  thegolfinguy@gmail.com - 3/25/20

From the Panhandle to Key West, the State of Florida is rife with golf courses; there are over 1,250 across the State. That makes for a lot of competition when it comes to vying for your greens fees and membership dollars. And through it all, Juliette Falls in Dunnellon, FL continually rises to the top; year after year they are voted one of the best courses you can play in Florida by highly respected national golf publications.

The terrain in this part of Florida is very different from the rest of the state; you’ll find natural rolling hills and something called elevation change – albeit not much. As you make your way around the course, you’ll be treated to wonderful vistas of lush tropical foliage and beautifully landscaped golf holes that include cascading waterfalls on two of the course's par threes.

Mature pines, flowering magnolias, century-old live oaks, and seasonal annuals adorn the property, creating a serene and inviting environment. The centerpiece of the community is the 7,300-yard John Sanford golf course which is sculpted from the rolling terrain and features manicured conditions from tee to green. Sand comes into play in a variety of forms, from expansive waste bunkers to conventional greenside and fairway traps. You’ll need to deal with water on 7 holes; more if you spray it off the tee. The greens are in great shape and are quick; putts tend to run out and have some extra roll.

Juliette Falls offers 5 sets of tees with a distance that is suitable for every level of golfer. From the back tees, the course plays 7,236 yards with a course rating of 75.4 and a slope of 143. Men can choose between 6,729 yards (139/72.6) and 6269 yards (130/70.4). Seniors will enjoy Juliette Falls from 5,747 yards (124/67.8) while ladies and juniors will be challenged at 5071 yards (123/69.3). Pick the tees that best suit your game and you’re guaranteed to have a great time.

I always like it when a golf course thinks enough of each hole to give it a name. The names the designer comes up with usually deviate greatly from what I would choose, and for a variety of reasons. For example, Number 5 is a 378-yard par 4 called “Dealer’s Choice” because of the tree that splits the fairway in half and makes you choose which way you want to go. Land your drive behind the tree and you’ll need to find a creative way to make par. I’d name it “Tree in the Middle” or “Get Me an Axe!”

Waterfalls come into view on two of the par 3s, Number 7 and Number 13. Number 7, “Oasis” is a very pretty hole water with a couple of well-placed bunkers left of the green and water right of the green, which also wraps in behind it. The waterfall behind the green adds a nice touch. “Oasis” is nice, but I like Shangri-La!

If I had to pick a favorite hole, it would be Number 13, Juliette Falls’ signature hole, aptly dubbed. "The Falls." At only 147 yards, it's the shortest hole on the course. Water guards the left side of the green making left pin placements tricky because you'll have to fly your tee shot over the edge of the water and on to the green if you want to get it close. The green is long, narrow and well undulated. No matter how good - or bad - you do on this hole, one look at the waterfall behind it and you'll forget all about your score. We’ll leave this name alone!

I spoke with several members during my round and asked them which hole they consider their favorite. The majority of them agreed on Number 11, “Green View.” It’s the shortest par 5 on the course and features large waste bunkers down the left side, a couple of strategically placed bunkers on the right and a well-protected green complex. There’s a plaque in the middle of the fairway about 235 yards out where Ian Baker-Finch made a double-eagle on November 10th, 2007! If you’ve got time, drop a ball and have a go at it; you never know! I’d call this hole “A Day at the Beach.”

Number 15 is a short par 4 – 322 yards - that plays uphill all the way. It’s a pretty golf hole with a large waste bunker all the way down the left side. Another bunker comes into play on the right side from about 100 yards in. This creates a narrow corridor of fairway heading into the green. There are more bunkers behind the green as well as a deep one front left. The green slopes back to front and can be extremely challenging, especially if you’re above the hole. Let’s call her “Sandy!”

In addition to being a great place to play, Juliette Falls is also a great place to practice. The state-of-the-art turf range has several target greens and bunkers and creates the feeling of actually playing on the course. The chipping area, practice bunker, and huge putting green let you work on shots on and around the green. Practice makes perfect and at Juliette Falls you can work on your game from dawn to dusk.

Big Dog's Bar inside the clubhouse is a great place to unwind after your round and grab one of Juliette Falls’ signature drinks, the Orange Crush, made with fresh-squeezed Florida oranges. They also have a great selection of beer and liquor and their "all day" menu boasts fresh salads, homemade soups, freshly sliced meats and cheese on freshly baked rolls and bread. Sports aficionados will love the ambiance at Big Dog’s; with large screen TV's all around, you'll be able to watch your favorite teams and the friendly and amiable staff will see to it that you never go hungry or thirsty.

For those of you thinking of relocating to the Sunshine State, Juliette Falls is a great place to call home. The community occupies 546 acres of prime Florida real estate in western Marion County. A nature preserve takes up almost a third of it and adds a lot to the natural beauty and allure of the property. Juliette Falls is an Audubon International Signature Program Member and the nature preserve features 3 miles of trails, perfect for walkers, bikers and hikers. Florida’s fourth-largest natural spring, Rainbow Springs, is nearby and produces more than 460 million gallons of crystal clear water daily. There are only 540 homesites available within the guarded gates of the community and homes are concrete block and stucco with floor plans that range from 3 to 6 bedrooms and 1,500 to over 7,000 square feet. Home prices range from $200,000 on the low end to well over $1 million.

Looking to get away for a few rounds of golf with friends and family? Juliette Falls offers stay and play packages. Where you'll play is obvious, where you'll stay is in a custom-designed Arthur Rutenberg single-family home. Four bedrooms each with its own TV, three bathrooms, a great room which opens out onto the lanai which features a pool, hot tub, and a full outdoor kitchen. This Arthur Rutenberg is located just a short walk from the clubhouse. The package also includes an opportunity to play a second-round for just a cart fee. Rates are very reasonable and it's a great way to experience Juliette Falls community.

  Whato67 - 2/13/15
Very nice course and great value, this is firmly on our playlist as a must play. Can get a little slow in afternoon, but that is only criticism I can levy!

  chezbubba1 - 10/10/14
Very nice course. Well laid out.

  Budley43 - 8/11/14
Nice golf course with more bunkers than any other course I have played in Florida or elsewhere. Great condition. Some water but no forced carries.

  jrpfl34 - 2/12/14
greens were lighting fast

  edd wade - 6/4/13
just plugged greens. reduced price of $20.00 making it a good value. greens were fairly quick and did putt true.

  retdpgmr - 5/15/13
Slow play due to a large group of people ahead of us. Not the fault of the staff.

  golfgoofy - 12/31/11
Excellent course!

  busybud2 - 10/29/15