World Woods Pine Barrens
Pine Barrens at World Woods was for thirty years the course that golfers drove an hour north of Tampa to find, a 1993 Tom Fazio design of raw sand, scrub and pine that earned comparison with Pine Valley itself. It now plays on as the Karoo course at Cabot Citrus Farms, but the land, the width and the wild bunkering that made its name remain the heart of the site.
Photo via Google, contributed by Cabot Citrus Farms.
The verdict
Pine Barrens was never a typical Florida course. Tom Fazio routed it in 1993 across genuinely sandy, rolling terrain inland from the Gulf, with vast natural waste areas, exposed scrub and corridors of pine framing fairways far wider than the state's resort norm. The result, a par 71 of roughly 6,900 yards, was so highly regarded that it spent years among the very best public access courses in the country and drew constant comparison with the sandbelt and with Pine Valley.
Our verdict: this is one of the most important pieces of inland golf in Florida, a strategic, width and angles test that rewards thought over muscle. The site has since been bought by Cabot and rebuilt, with Pine Barrens reborn as the Karoo course at Cabot Citrus Farms. If you are planning a round here today you are booking the modern Cabot layout on this same celebrated ground. For the wider region see our guide to golf in Florida and the best courses in Florida.
World Woods Pine Barrens at a glance
- Opened
- 1993
- Designer
- Tom Fazio
- Par
- 71
- Yardage
- About 6,900 yds
- Now
- Cabot Citrus Farms
- Access
- Resort, public
Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from World Woods and Cabot Citrus Farms records: a Tom Fazio design that opened in 1993, playing as a par 71 of about 6,900 yards. World Woods was acquired by Cabot in 2022 and rebuilt, with Pine Barrens reborn as the Karoo course; green fees are seasonal and bundled into Cabot packages, so they are indicative for 2026 and you should always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Pine Barrens earned its name from the sand. Several holes share enormous waste areas where bunker, scrub and native grass blur into one another, and Fazio used that width to set angles rather than simply to punish, so the player who studies the green and chooses a side off the tee is repaid every time. The fairways roll and tumble in a way Florida rarely allows, and firm turf lets the ground game work.
The stretch golfers remember most is the run where the fairway splits around a central sand expanse, leaving a high route and a low route to the same green and a genuine decision on the tee. Short par 4s tempt and the par 3s are framed by pine and sand rather than water, a welcome change of character for the state. The whole round asks for placement and trajectory control more than length.
On a central Florida trip the ground that became Cabot Citrus Farms pairs naturally with the Orlando championship of Bay Hill and the inland sand of Streamsong Red an hour to the southeast, giving a group three strategic, non resort style tests in a single week.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A resort and public facility, now operating as Cabot Citrus Farms; the Pine Barrens land plays on as the Karoo course |
| Green fee | Seasonal Cabot rate, often bundled with lodging; indicative for 2026, always confirm directly before booking |
| Booking window | Reserve through Cabot Citrus Farms; book early for the cooler winter and spring season |
| Handicap and dress | No formal handicap requirement; a standard resort dress code applies |
| Getting there | Near Brooksville, about an hour north of Tampa International Airport |
| Best months | Fall through spring are ideal inland; summers are hot and stormy |
Access and fee details verified June 2026 from Cabot Citrus Farms information; the former World Woods reopened under Cabot with Pine Barrens rebuilt as the Karoo course. Resort green fees are seasonal and change with packages and demand, so treat all figures as indicative for 2026 and always confirm directly before booking.
Where to stay nearby
The natural base today is Cabot Citrus Farms itself, the on site resort that packages stays with rounds on the rebuilt courses and is the simplest way to secure prime tee times on the Pine Barrens ground.
Brooksville and the wider Tampa and Gulf coast area add a wide range of hotels within an hour's drive, so a group can pair the inland sand here with the beaches and city dining of Tampa Bay.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts around Brooksville and Tampa.
Build a Florida golf trip
The Pine Barrens land, now Cabot Citrus Farms, is the inland sand round we love to anchor a central Florida trip on. Tell us roughly when and who is traveling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
World Woods Pine Barrens questions
Who designed World Woods Pine Barrens?
Pine Barrens is a Tom Fazio design that opened in 1993, routed across sandy, rolling terrain north of Tampa with vast natural waste areas.
What is the par and length of Pine Barrens?
Pine Barrens plays as a par 71 of about 6,900 yards, a width and angles test that rewards strategy over raw length.
Is World Woods Pine Barrens still open?
Yes. World Woods was acquired by Cabot in 2022 and rebuilt; the Pine Barrens land now plays on as the Karoo course at Cabot Citrus Farms.
Can the public play here?
Yes. The site operates as a resort and public facility under Cabot, most easily booked as part of a stay and play package.
Related
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par, yardage and the Cabot rebrand verified June 2026; resort green fees are seasonal and bundled into packages, so confirm directly before booking. Last reviewed June 2026.