Tampa – one round near Ybor

[golfsnake]

Heading to Tampa in a couple weeks. Was going to play TPC but I guess its closed for an event. Where else should I play that’s not more than a 40min drive from Ybor (so Worldwoods / Streamsong are too far)?

[jerebear21]

Cypress creek. Steve smyers gem. Pretty hard so play the correct tee box.

[ArtMBgolf]

Bloomingdale - Heritage Isles - Claw at USF

[jasonfish11]

Bloomingdale - Heritage Isles - Claw at USF

 

Oh my have they redone the claw since early 2000s?

 

I went to school there and as a student it wasn't worth the $10 for me to play it. It was the only course I had ever chipped from the "green" and I did it regularly because they were so bad.

[stickfish]

Bloomingdale - Heritage Isles - Claw at USF

 

Oh my have they redone the claw since early 2000s?

 

I went to school there and as a student it wasn't worth the $10 for me to play it. It was the only course I had ever chipped from the "green" and I did it regularly because they were so bad.

 

Bloomingdale? If it’s still managed by Fore Golf you can and should do much better. Eagle Creek in Lakeland would be a push with travel times even going against the flow but if you could swing it is always fun. Agree with Cypress Creek, great little gem.

[turtlesvs]

I just moved in May but Bloomingdale was not in good shape when I left and had been steadily going downhill for past couple years which is a shame because I like the layout quite a bit. Cypress Creek is the best public track near Tampa including TPC imo. Heritage Isles is good for the price

 

Less than 40 min from Ybor I would look at Lake Jovita and The Club at Eaglebrooke in Lakeland but they are definitely on the cusp of 40 min from Ybor.

[ArtMBgolf]

Bloomingdale - Heritage Isles - Claw at USF

 

Oh my have they redone the claw since early 2000s?

 

I went to school there and as a student it wasn't worth the $10 for me to play it. It was the only course I had ever chipped from the "green" and I did it regularly because they were so bad.

 

I remember reading about the Claw getting new greens, but I have not been there or Tampa in years. I only named some of the

closest courses to Ybor. I can't confirm current conditions.

 

The easiest drives in Tampa are north and south on the highways. Lake Jovita is a more premium course up Rt 75.

[jasonfish11]

I played Lake Jovita the day after they hosted stage 2 in Q-school a few years ago (maybe a decade or so?). It was really nice, but they had it set up harder than normal. The pro said greens were at 12.5 and the rough was up (and grown in a little). It was a fun course i thought.

[jerebear21]

Need more info. What’s the budget and needs. Looking for a challenge or a quick round.

 

Lake Jovita south course 35-40m

Fox hollow 35-40m

Club at eaglebrooke 45m

Lakewood National 1h

Streamsong resort 1h

World woods 1h

Cypress creek 25m

Innisbrook 40m

 

If I’d drive 1 hour then it’s streamsong or Lakewood National and it’s not even close. But that sums up the nice public courses in the area.

 

Everything else is forgettable. Tampa has a better private scene.

[swgolf12]

You got lucky you can't get out at TPC. Was not impressed when I was down there in February. It's a shame world woods is too far, that place is awesome, but I think they're overseeding now and may be cart path only.

[jerebear21]

Tpc tampa is as over rated as it comes.

 

I’d skip the claw. It hasn’t been in good conditions in years. It’s a stomping ground for drunk college hacks or old hags and rounds can be miserably long. Slow play is unbearable this time of the year at public courses FYI

[jasonfish11]

Need more info. What's the budget and needs. Looking for a challenge or a quick round.

 

Lake Jovita south course 35-40m

Fox hollow 35-40m

Club at eaglebrooke 45m

Lakewood National 1h

Streamsong resort 1h

World woods 1h

Cypress creek 25m

Innisbrook 40m

 

If I'd drive 1 hour then it's streamsong or Lakewood National and it's not even close. But that sums up the nice public courses in the area.

 

Everything else is forgettable. Tampa has a better private scene.

 

Those times are assuming no traffic. I lived between fox hollow and innisbrook and during rush hour it would take 1.25 to 1.5 hours to get to Ybor. Although that was 5+ years ago, and I know some roads have been updated (like US 19).

 

But I second what someone else above said. Squeeze out the extra 40 min round trip and go to world woods or streamsong (I've never played it as I left FL before it was built).

[jerebear21]

Traffic is just as bad as it was 5 years ago. Even worst. Ha!

 

Lakewood National is a much stronger course than world woods. It’s a web.com tour course now and worth the premium.

 

Streamsong is always the best bet if you’re in tampa.

[golfsnake]

Thanks for the info! Huge help as always. No real budget or specific things I'm looking for, just to play some place nice without driving too far. Leaving toward Cypress Creek based on whats been said.

[mci711]

TPC Tampa is one of the most overpriced/overrated and disappointing courses I have ever played. Be happy this happened! Though not much worth playing in Tampa public wise as mentioned above.

[mci711]

Traffic is just as bad as it was 5 years ago. Even worst. Ha!

 

Lakewood National is a much stronger course than world woods. It's a web.com tour course now and worth the premium.

 

Streamsong is always the best bet if you're in tampa.

 

You obviously just hate world woods for personal reason.. What happened there, something bad? Haha. Just kidding!

[jerebear21]

Nothing. Other than 5 hour rounds and scruffy conditions. Anyone who’s played Lakewood National will appreciate it way more than world woods. Architecturally speaking.

[mci711]

Nothing. Other than 5 hour rounds and scruffy conditions. Anyone who's played Lakewood National will appreciate it way more than world woods. Architecturally speaking.

 

 

I just couldn't disagree more. Pine Barrens layout is fantastic. I would think you are in the vast minority with your opinion.

 

 

Just wondering, do you also think Open Championship courses are ugly/bad because they get burnt out and brown, and prefer painted greens?

[jerebear21]

Nah. Pine barren Is of no architectural importance just like most Fazio courses.

 

Rolling oaks is the better of the two. And in the brooksville area southern hills by Pete dye blows that course out of the water.

 

I’ve played a quite a few private top 100. My opinions have some merits.

 

Lakewood National is that good. Redans like greens. Blind tee shots. Blind approach shots. Angles into the greens. And way better conditions. Better drainage. Better experience. They actually spread the tee time out instead of over booking.

 

Lmao are you seriously asking me about the opens rota? Royal dornoch actually blows St. Andrews and every rota course out of the water. It’s not even close.

[mci711]

Nah. Pine barren Is of no architectural importance just like most Fazio courses.

 

Rolling oaks is the better of the two. And in the brooksville area southern hills by Pete dye blows that course out of the water.

 

I've played a quite a few private top 100. My opinions have some merits.

 

Lakewood National is that good. Redans like greens. Blind tee shots. Blind approach shots. Angles into the greens. And way better conditions. Better drainage. Better experience. They actually spread the tee time out instead of over booking.

 

Southern Hills is solid. You playing some top 100 courses makes your opinion more valid than golfdigest, golf.com, golf course gurus etc.. Tom Doak, one of the best modern architects in the world gave Pine Barrens layout the same score as Yale, Carnoustie, Turnberry and other "greats."

[jerebear21]

Oh you definitely lost it. Putting pine barren on the same level as Yale and carnos. I’ve heard it all. I’m no sheep that listens to Tom Doak like he’s the gospel. Fazio can’t even be on the same level as raynor.

[mci711]

Oh you definitely lost it. Putting pine barren on the same level as Yale and carnos. I've heard it all. I'm no sheep that listens to Tom Doak like he's the gospel. Fazio can't even be on the same level as raynor.

 

I was just using Doaks opinion as an example, of someone whose opinion may actually "have merit". Raynor isn't really a modern arch. so I don't really get the comparison. I would never compare the 2, 1 is still designing courses, 1 died a century ago. It seems like you just don't like Fazio courses, which is fair.

[jerebear21]

I play Nona every Wednesday during lunch time. I respect good looking courses as well. Defending a Fazio course and then trying to insinuate that I may not like open rota courses because they brown and fast is a bit backwards.

[mci711]

I play Nona every Wednesday during lunch time. I respect good looking courses as well. Defending a Fazio course and then trying to insinuate that I may not like open rota courses because they brown and fast is a bit backwards.

 

I made that statement because of your love for Copperhead and your statement that Pine Barrens is scruffy. I assumed you were one of those who thinks a course is only good if it is green and plush. Sorry for the assumption.

[jerebear21]

You don’t like copperhead because of the looks. It’s a shot makers paradise.

[DrSchteeve]

Nah. Pine barren Is of no architectural importance just like most Fazio courses.

 

Rolling oaks is the better of the two. And in the brooksville area southern hills by Pete dye blows that course out of the water.

 

I’ve played a quite a few private top 100. My opinions have some merits.

 

Lakewood National is that good. Redans like greens. Blind tee shots. Blind approach shots. Angles into the greens. And way better conditions. Better drainage. Better experience. They actually spread the tee time out instead of over booking.

 

Lmao are you seriously asking me about the opens rota? Royal dornoch actually blows St. Andrews and every rota course out of the water. It’s not even close.

 

Since when are blind shots a desirable architectural feature? Sure some great courses have them - the Old Course perhaps the best example. Augusta has none. In public tracks they tend to slow play.

 

That said, Lakewood National is a really good track. Agree Rolling Oaks is as good or better than Pine Barrens, but I would go to Wiorld Woods for either track than Lakewood. Yes, conditions can be spotty at World Woods, but It’s pretty unique and I think we should encourage places like it that offer solid golf options at (very) reasonable prices.

[jerebear21]

Peak rate at world woods right now is 79

Peak rate at Lakewood right now is 99 and includes unlimited range balls.

 

Summer time it’s about 10-15 dollars difference as well. The caveats being that during the summer time, Lakewood drains better than world woods by a mile.

 

The spacing is also better. And you don’t run into folks lining up 2 footers like they at the masters for 5 hours.

 

I play world woods on average 4-5x a year and I always ask myself why I’m there. Overcrowding is an understatement.

[Handfull]

If you can do streamsong do it. If your only playing one round the red course is my pick (black if that’s not available.) Pine barren would be my second recommendation for visitors. For visitors playing just one round, it’s more fun with its quirks. Up north of ybor, Fox hollow and Jovia north are good. South Lakewood, waterlefe and esplanade are your best options.

[sailfishchris]

I hope I don't get killed for this.... but, what about Dunedin? I love that course it's an old Donald Ross layout. I've played Pine Barrens it's a nice course too but nothing stands out to me.

[jerebear21]

I hope I don't get killed for this.... but, what about Dunedin? I love that course it's an old Donald Ross layout. I've played Pine Barrens it's a nice course too but nothing stands out to me.

 

It’s an awesome course and they did a renovation a couple years back that brought the bunkers back to life. Slow play is a big problem there as well.