As we flip the calendar to October and corresponding cooler outdoor temperatures, it makes make an ideal time to dust off those golf clubs, iron your polo shirts and hit the links again in the morning or afternoon. Another reason: it’s also one of the more socially distanced sports or recreation activities at the ready. (Just watch out for those incoming snowbirds.)
Locally, there’s more than 20 courses spanning Odessa, Lutz and New Tampa, and all the way through East Pasco. Each presents a unique quality, from Scottish links to Florida-style with wide open fairways and water hazards, to some with rolling hills reminiscent of North Carolina-esque layouts.
Some courses are longer than others, some more expensive and exclusive, but there’s seemingly something for anyone, whether a novice or scratch golfer.
With that, here’s a closer look at the local golf courses to check out in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.
Pasco County golf courses
The Groves Golf and Country Club: 7924 Melogold Circle, Land O’ Lakes
18 holes, par 65
Skinny: The Groves promotes itself as “the longest short course in Florida” suited for golfers of all skills levels. Designed by professional golfer and sportscaster Gary Koch, the 4,019-yard course surrounding 200 acres of conservation wetlands features holes ranging from 105 yards to 375 yards. Greens are well-bunkered with winding fairways flanked by trees and water. Course also features an aqua range and full-sized putting green.
Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club: 12900 Lake Jovita Blvd., Dade City
Two 18-hole courses, both par 72
Skinny: The semi-private Lake Jovita features two 18-hole championship courses, the North and South, which Golf Digest magazine once called, “one of the best kept secrets in Central Florida.” Unlike much of Florida, rolling hills and elevation changes provide for scenic views of the surrounding oaks, lakes and ponds. Both courses play a bit longer, tapping out at 7,226 yards and 7,153 yards, respectively. Lake Jovita also is home to the Saint Leo University men’s and women’s golf teams, and has played host to many college tournaments and charity scrambles.
Lexington Oaks Golf Club: 26133 Lexington Oaks Blvd., Wesley Chapel
18 holes, par 72
Skinny: The 6,646-yard course traverses through woods, marshland and waters, requiring players to avoid bunkers on elevated, massive greens — including a 62-yard wide surface on the 18th hole. Three of its par 3s are handicapped as the toughest holes on the course — including the 233-yard second hole, carryover water on a two-tiered green.
Links of Lake Bernadette: 5430 Links Lane, Zephyrhills
18 holes, par 71
Skinny: The semi-private club was designed, built and previously owned by former golf Dean Refram, who also designed the original Saddlebrook. The 6,400-yard course is regarded for rolling fairways, towering pines, and playable for golfers of all ages and skills levels. Golf Digest once rated it as the “Best Overall Value” in Tampa Bay.
Plantation Palms Golf Club: 23253 Plantation Palms Blvd., Land O’ Lakes
18 holes, par 72
Skinny: The 6,831-yard course presents a difficult layout, with water hazards on all but one hole en route to rolling, elevated greens. Property also features a lighted driving range and 18-holf miniature golf course.
Saddlebrook Resort: 5700 Saddlebrook Way, Wesley Chapel
Two 18-hole courses, par 70 and par 71
Skinny: The renowned Saddlebrook Resort features two 18-hole courses — Palmer Course, Saddlebrook Course — which incorporate rolling fairways and well-maintained greens, along wilderness areas full of cypress, pine and palm trees. Other frills also stand out — including a 16-acre golf training center and professional golf instruction utilizing state-of-the-art swing technology through Trackman, SAM Balance Lab ad SAMPuttLab. The facility is home to Saddlebrook Preparatory School, which has groomed many elite-level junior golfers, including Australian-born Karl Vilips, one of the world’s top-ranked amateurs now competing at Stanford University.
Saint Leo Abbey Golf Course: 33640 State Road 52 W., Saint Leo
18 holes, par 71
Skinny: The manageable 5,659-yard public course with a slope rating of 105 is convenient and affordable for Saint Leo University students and faculty, located directly across the road from the main campus.
Scotland Yards: 9424 U.S. 301 S., Dade City
18 holes, par 72
Skinny: The 6,661-yard course plays into its namesake — a traditional links-style layout reminiscent of courses played in England and Scotland. Though relatively few water hazards, many pot bunkers are strategically located throughout.
Silverado Golf and Country Club: 36841 Clubhouse Drive, Zephyrhills
18 holes, par 72
Skinny: The semi-private 6,671-yard layout is accented by 100-year-old oaks shading the course’s clubhouse and fairways. It also is home to a variety of Florida wildlife like sandhill cranes, red-tail hawks, egrets, grey squirrels, ducks, geese and even foxes. The club features a full practice area including grass driving range, chipping and bunker areas, plus a 3,000-square-foot practice putting green.
Southport Springs: 3509 Southport Springs Parkway, Zephyrhills
18 holes, par 69
Skinny: The nearly 5,000-yard course prides itself on being a quick round and accommodating senior golfers, but still testing low handicappers because of narrow fairways and small greens.
Tampa Bay Golf and Country Club: 10641 Old Tampa Bay Dr., San Antonio
18 holes, par 71; 9-hole executive, par 27
Skinny: The 6,210-yard Scottish links-style courses requires golfers to steer narrow tree-lined fairways and water hazards on all 18 holes. It’s been labeled a “shot-maker’s course,” whereby accuracy and skilled iron play are a must for respectable scores. Fairways are made up of 419 Bermuda turf while putting surfaces are made of TifEagle Bermuda grass. Novices not quite up to the task are welcome to try the club’s 9-hole, par-3 executive course.
Zephyrhills City Golf Course: 39248 Ave. B, Zephyrhills
18 holes, par 68
Skinny: The 5,054-yard layout has a 70.0 course rating and a slope rating of 113. Since opening in the 1970s, it’s been a local favorite —approachable for beginners, yet offering advanced players an opportunity for a quick round. Lakes and streams play throughout the course, along with the occasional bunker strategically placed out.
Hillsborough County golf courses
The Club at Cheval, 4312 Cheval Blvd., Lutz
18 hole, par 71
Skinny: The semi-private, 7,005-yard layout is one of the area’s more ballyhooed courses, running through 860 acres of development property. Shot-making is critical, as the course features water hazards on every hole and 108 bunkers total. Its signature hole is a par-3 17th, where water short of the green wraps around the left side to the back of the landing surface.
The Eagles Golf Club: 16101 Nine Eagles Dr., Odessa
Two 18-hole courses, both par 72
Skinny: Features two 18-hole golf courses surrounded by more than 30 lakes, ponds and canals. The 6,604-yard Forest Course requires accuracy, thanks to contoured fairways and well-protected greens. Meanwhile, the lengthier 7,101-yard Lakes Course is aptly named, as water comes into play on nearly every hole, and plays more like a traditional Florida course with a generous driving area.
Heritage Harbor Golf and Country Club: 19502 Heritage Harbor Parkway, Lutz
18 holes, par 72
Skinny: The 6,900-yard public course offers its fair share of water and marshes to cross. One appreciative feature the club markets is homes don’t crowd fairways — as only five holes out of 18 have housing on both sides. During a round, you’re bound to spot hawks, ospreys, loons, ibis, herons and kingfishers. It’s also one of the newer courses locally, built in 1999.
Hunter’s Green Golf Club: 18101 Longwater Run Drive, Tampa
18 holes, par 72
Skinny: The 7,059-yard course — designed by Tom Fazio, one of the most well-known golf course architects of all time — is sculpted from existing pine flatwoods and wetlands, giving it a picturesque element. The course in 2017 was renovated with new TiFEagle Bermuda greens on all 18 holes and practice areas. Additional sand bunkers also were recently constructed throughout the entire course, bringing more of a challenge.
Northdale Golf & Tennis Club: 4417 Northdale Blvd., Tampa
18 hole, par 72
Skinny: The 6,824-yard course presents a Florida-style layout with wide-open fairways, and large, inviting greens. Natural surroundings are highlighted by cypress trees and spring-fed lakes.
Pebble Creek Golf Club: 10550 Regents Park Drive, Tampa
18 hole, par 71
Skinny: The 6,436-yard course is set on a secluded layout with moss-draped grandfather oaks and water on 16 holes. There’s all sorts of wildlife, from alligators to sandhill cranes. Elevated greens are another noted feature.
Silver Dollar Golf Club: 12711 Silver Dollar Drive, Odessa
Three 9-hole courses, par 35, par 36, and par 37
Skinny: Silver Dollar’s three 9-hole championship-length courses (Gator, Panther, Bobcat) can be played individually or consecutively, each featuring a wide variety of fairways, bunkers and water features flanked by stately trees. The course also boasts one of the better practice facilities, including a full driving range, two putting greens, pitching and chipping green with sand trap, and three practice holes. Measures a long of 6,489 yards when the Gator and Panther courses are paired together.
Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club: 5811 Tampa Palms Blvd., Tampa
18 hole, par 72
Skinny: The 7,004-yard private course sits on an Audubon sanctuary and claims to test golfers of all skill levels, as water hazards come into play on 10 holes and bunkers, strategically placed throughout. Its signature par-3 17th hole requires a tee shot over an expansive body of water to a green abutting two left side bunkers. The course is the former home of the Senior PGA Tour’s GTE Suncoast Classic Tournament.
TPC Tampa Bay: 5300 W. Lutz Lake Fern Road, Lutz
18-hole, par 71
Skinny: Consistently ranking among the top-rated courses in all of Florida, the PGA Tour-built 6,898-yard course winds through natural wetlands, cypress heads and lagoons. The course presents its share of difficulties with a slew of uneven lies and water found on 15 holes. It’s played host of the PGA Tour Champions event for 21 years running.
Published October 07, 2020
