Golf in St. Petersburg, FL.

[John Blain]

Does anyone have any recommendations for good places to play - public or private - in St. Petersburg?  Someone mentioned Pasadena CC to me but I know nothing about it or any place for that matter.
Thanks for any replies.
-John

[Rob Marshall]

John,
I've played St Pete Country Club a few times about 10 years ago. Site of Ray Floyd's first tour victory. Runs thru an old Florida neighborhood. I remember it being decent. I've heard good things about Isle Del Sol but I haven't played it.

[Kyle Harris]

If you can stomach five hours then Dunedin is as good a Ross Muni as you’ll find.


If this is a subtle plot to get on Belleaire or Pelican then…

[Rob Marshall]

If you can stomach five hours then Dunedin is as good a Ross Muni as you’ll find.


If this is a subtle plot to get on Belleaire or Pelican then…

I never had a hard time getting on Belleaire. They were always accommodating. I don't think the West opens until November so I'm sure they don't have a lot of open times.........


I enjoyed the old Belleview Biltmore. It was fun course.


Last time I played Dunedin it was in really bad shape but it is a great layout. I hope the restoration happens.

[John Blain]

Rob & Kyle-
Thanks. I had heard of Dunedin but I had no idea it was a Ross so I will definitely check it out. I am totally unfamiliar with Bellaire or Pelican but will look into both.
Anything else in that part of Florida that is worth looking into?


Rob-  I am looking for a club similar to Crag Burn but they are not easy to find!  LOL

[Bill Crane]

If you can stomach five hours then Dunedin is as good a Ross Muni as you’ll find.

If this is a subtle plot to get on Belleaire or Pelican then…

I agree with Kyle's comments.  Dunedin is an enjoyable course, adequate conditions when I was there in February and the property even has some modest elevation change for Fla. Nice town for dinner as well and Honeymoon island is very pretty.

If you know anyone who can help out at Sara Bay it is really a charming D Ross layout with historic memorabilia in the Clubhouse.   Plenty of walkers and even Trolleys.    Kris Spence has done a super job there in the last few years.

Interesting drive around 45 minutes to Sara Bay from St Pete.  The Sunshine Skyway bridge is in a beautiful setting but challenging if you have height issues. !!

[Kyle Harris]

Dunedin has the toughest opening four hole stretch I’ve played of Ross this side of #2.*


Even par standing on the fifth tee is a well struck ball.


*Assuming you start on #1 and not #10

[John Emerson]

Since Kyle won’t shamelessly plug Streamsong, I will go there and play golf. It’s a treat! Prob 1:30 tops from St. Pete.

[Rob Marshall]

Dunedin has the toughest opening four hole stretch I’ve played of Ross this side of #2.*


Even par standing on the fifth tee is a well struck ball.


*Assuming you start on #1 and not #10

Couldn’t agree more. Spot on.

[Chris_Blakely]

Brooksville CC hour and 15 to get there and you can usually get out early and play quick.  The weed 9 are terrific.


I also second driving to Streamsong as an option as well.


Chris

[Ryan Hillenbrand]

Palma Ceia is a very enjoyable Donald Ross course in a historic part of Tampa. I'd recommend it. It is private though

[SB]

I know it's not "cool" because it's a resort course, but the Copperhead course at Innisbrook is a lot better than nearly everything else in the area, although I haven't played Dunedin.  Pasadena is better than most but Copperhead is a step up, imo.

[Jonathan Cummings]

I suspect Belleair West will blow everything else in the area away when it opens.  A couple of others worth playing: Bradenton (Old Ross near Sara that's as good as Sara), and Feather Sound (Dick Wilson just north of St Pete.)  Also, if you play Innisbrook don't miss Island - almost as good as Copperhead.  Avila, Southern Hills and Lake Jovita are all worth a ride north of Tampa.  The TPC at Tampa is not bad.  Finally, Clearwater CC (town muni) is a 1920 Herbert Strong layout worth taking a look at.

[Jonathan Webb]

Palma Ceia is a very enjoyable Donald Ross course in a historic part of Tampa. I'd recommend it. It is private though

For what its worth Palma Ceia is not a Ross.


Calling all Tom Bendelow fans with some face lifts from Bobby Weed.

[Kyle Harris]

Palma Ceia is a very enjoyable Donald Ross course in a historic part of Tampa. I'd recommend it. It is private though

For what its worth Palma Ceia is not a Ross.


Calling all Tom Bendelow fans with some face lifts from Bobby Weed.

What? It was a Bendelow 18 that Ross modified and re-routed a few years later.

This one is fairly thorough in its documentation. From Page 4 of Sven Nilsen's thread there are NUMEROUS articles both contemporaneous and several years later: https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,65481.75.html

The fake Ross Courses are Bartow, Lake Wales, Pine Crest and CC of Orlando while the manhandled Ross course is a bit further west.

[Jonathan Cummings]

Palma Ceia is a very enjoyable Donald Ross course in a historic part of Tampa. I'd recommend it. It is private though

For what its worth Palma Ceia is not a Ross.


Calling all Tom Bendelow fans with some face lifts from Bobby Weed.

It's a Ross.  He completely redid Palma in the mid twenties at the same time he did Sara, Bradenton, redid both Belleairs, Bellevue/Mido, Dunedin and one other NLE course (forgot the name).  8 courses in the Tampa/Sarasota area in about 18 months.  On top of that he designed Pinellas CC (name?) in Clearwater that was never built.