There's something for everyone when talking about golf in the St. Petersburg-Clearwater area. A mix of new and old, expensive and inexpensive. And you don't have to go far to find what you're looking for, whether it be a high-end resort or an affordable muni. All are represented, and all are within an easy drive of the beaches. Here is a sampling of area accolades when it comes to golf.
Best Par-3, No. 11, Lansbrook Golf Club, Palm Harbor
OK, so it might not be the best . . . but it vaguely resembles the par-3 16th at Augusta National, with water guarding the left side and a green that gets more difficult the farther you go back. Lansbrook is a popular place because it offers an interesting layout with good conditions.
Best Par-4: No. 16, Copperhead course, Innisbrook, a Salamander Golf and Spa Resort, Palm Harbor
If this hole makes Ernie Els and Vijay Singh take notice, it will do the same to you. It plays at approximately 460 yards for the PGA Tour's Chrysler Championship, but even from the more benign members' tees, the gaping water hazard to the right, the woods to the left, the narrow landing area from a downhill tee . . . all make it pretty frightening.
Best Par-5: No. 16, Vinoy Renaissance Resort & Golf Club, St. Petersburg
This hole has water left, water right and is played to an island green that wasn't re-discovered until architect Ron Garl redesigned the course in the early 1990s. The Vinoy Golf Club, a two-mile shuttle ride from the resort, dates to the 1920s when it was known as Sunset Golf Club. Over the years, through redesigns, the original green was not used and became overgrown. Garl found it and put it back in play.
Best course that used to host the pros: Bardmoor Golf and Country Club, Largo
Once the home to the JCPenney Classic, a mixed-team tournament of PGA and LPGA pros, Bardmoor is an upscale public course that offers a private-club experience while open to all. It has an excellent practice facility and restaurant and offers a stern test of golf. Former PGA Tour player and NBC golf analyst Gary Koch gave the course a makeover a few years ago, and conditions are typically pristine.
Best Municipal Course: Mangrove Bay Golf Course, St. Petersburg
What Mangrove Bay lacks in style it makes up for in substance. This is the busiest course in the area, and tee times are often gone soon after they become available, which is a week in advance via automated phone system. But golfers appreciate the value – a course that's straightforward but challenging and in good condition. Mangrove Bay also offers an excellent practice area.
Best History: Dunedin Golf Club, Dunedin
The course was designed by one of the best-known and most-prolific architects of his time, Donald Ross, whose work included numerous courses across the country, including several of those at Pinehurst in North Carolina. Ross laid out the holes in 1926, and the routing is unchanged. The course was home to the PGA of America from 1945 to 1962.
More Ross: Belleview Biltmore Golf Club, Clearwater
If you're a Donald Ross lover, you won't want to miss the Belleview Biltmore. Ross probably wouldn't recognize it today, but his signature inverted bowl-shaped greens are still quite apparent.
Most aptly named: Brooker Creek Golf Club, Palm Harbor
Once where Tommy Bolt served as the head professional, Brooker Creek has plenty of woods. In fact, many are surprised to learn a golf course is located in the area. The scenery makes for a nice day, and the layout offers plenty of diversions.
Best view of the Skyway: Isla del Sol Yacht and Country Club, near Tierra Verde and St. Pete Beach
This semi-private club has several views of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and Tampa Bay. It meanders near the Intracoastal Waterway.
