River Bend Golf Club is a quiet escape near Daytona International Speedway
Less than a 20-minute drive (abiding by posted speed limits) from Daytona International Speedway, where the roars of NASCAR engines and racing fans permeate along the Atlantic coast, you can find one of the most secluded, quiet and scenic golf courses in Volusia County, River Bend Golf Club.
18-hole River Bend Golf Club in Ormand Beach, Florida is tucked away on 300 scenic and shady acres, and a rare layout in this part of the country that is totally void of residential development. It’s just your group, the Tomoka River and perhaps some woodland critters out there for your round of golf. Adding to the ambiance is the wooden bridges over wetlands and sandy-trail cart paths.
River Bend’s course design is challenging but has five sets of tees ranging from 6,821 yards to less than 5,000 from the front set. Save your best swings for the narrow and long par-5 8th hole; it stretches to up to 614 yards from the tips! This beast, considered among the most difficult holes in the county, kicks off a particularly memorable stretch of holes here, which also features the 9th hole, which plays beside a manatee sanctuary. (Keep your eyes peeled and camera at the ready in case you spot one.) And on the par-4 10th hole, you’ll enjoy another rare occurrence in Florida golf: a 50-foot drop in elevation from tee to green.
“Challenging course cut through dense brush and forest,” wrote ShragMagrite in their July, 2020 review on Golf Advisor. “The course also had some mild elevation changes which made the round more interesting.”
Golfers at River Bend can make use of the onsite driving range and the Manatee Bar & Grill, which has daily lunch specials starting at under $6.
The Ormand & Daytona Beach areas are widely known for their lively beaches, bike week festivities and sporting events, none bigger than the Daytona 500. No matter what may bring you to this Florida destination, keep the little slice of golf solitude at River Bend in mind and your golf clubs in the trunk.