Certainly one of the most dramatic, riveting victories in professional golf history occurred at the US Open this past June, when Tiger Woods, playing essentially on one leg, captured the coveted title.
We of course didn’t know the extent of the injury he was suffering through until after the contest. Nor did we realize that he had been enduring pain in playing for some time before the Open. Naturally, the facts that came to light after the tournament made his accomplishments in this year of 2008 even more remarkable.
Now, in the aftermath of Tiger’s surgery and with the specter of a long rehabilitation looming, the PGA Tour must go forward and attempt to maintain a level of excitement and anticipation in the game of professional golf that was easily attained when Tiger was playing, but might not be quite so easily maintained while he is not.
Consider these facts. More than two months, at the time of this writing, since Woods last played, he leads in regular season Fedex Cup points after having entered only 6 events. The player in second place, Kenny Perry, entered 22 events. He maintains the world number one position with a rating of 17.99, nearly double the total of the second place player, Phil Mickelson, who has 9.95. And with those mere 6 events, he still leads the money list at the time of this writing with $5,775,000, over a million dollars more than Phil Mickelson, who’s played in 17 events.
Tiger Woods brings to the game a laser-like focus combined with talent that is almost surreal. His presence guarantees huge paying spectators and usually also guarantees high drama on the golf course. And there are the intangibles that he brings to the mix. When Tiger is there, others are prodded to raise the level of their games, to try to jump that high bar that Woods has raised.
Without that prodding, the level of play on the PGA Tour sags a bit. Without that presence, a little more complacency sets in. We are all at our best when we are challenged and driven to produce our best efforts.
It is unfortunate that the Fedex Cup will be without golf’s greatest player this year. It is doubly unfortunate that America’s team at the Ryder Cup this fall will also lack the intimidating presence of Tiger Woods. This will make it necessary that the rest of the team kicks it up a notch and fills the void.
This is not to say that Tiger is the only bulb in the fixture. Certainly, the Fedex Cup and the Ryder Cup are populated with some of the greatest players in the game. But it is definitely a detriment when the world’s number one player is not present.
The aftermath of injuries and surgery such as Tiger’s are always filled with uncertainties. Hopefully, Woods will rehabilitate intelligently and not force the issue. If he does not, the ramifications are dismal. The condition could become chronic and seriously affect his drive to become the greatest ever. I would submit that he already is, since he’s accomplished an incredible amount against fields that are stronger than ever before in history. However, there came to light during the US Open something that I hadn’t been aware of. It was that snapping back motion of his left leg at impact, a move that probably brought on the injury in the first place. He’ll no doubt have to modify that violent move in order for the surgery to be successful long term.
The PGA Tour will be the poorer while Tiger is away. Nonetheless, if he rehabilitates successfully and returns at the level he achieved before the injury, his drive toward the record for major titles and overall titles will continue to invigorate the game and escalate interest in golf. And, like the greats before him, he will inspire those who will become his future rivals.
**Get a money-making mall FREE! Click here:
http://www.mypowermall.com/Biz/Home/30831
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Golf In Florida Part 4
In this fourth installment of a series, we’re going to look at two more Tampa Bay area courses, each of which was a personal favorite during the years I lived in the area.
First, a course designed in the Scottish links tradition by Ron Garl, an excellent Florida architect, with many fine venues to his credit. Summerfield Golf Club is located in Riverview, Florida, just a few miles south of Tampa off Interstate 75. Aside from supplying golfers with nice amenities off the course, players will find Summerfield an outstanding challenge, particularly from the back tees which stretch the course out to 6,903 yards playing to a par of 71.
Summerfield is built on rolling terrain, with some elevation changes not routinely found in this area of Florida. On the front nine, you’ll find a terrific mix of par fours, beginning with the first hole measuring 417 from the tips. It plays slightly uphill to an undulating green. The second is a 432 yard affair that plays downhill and slightly left to a big, elevated green.
For the third hole, extreme accuracy is needed. It’s a par 3 of 180 yards over water to a tricky green that is angled from right to left. Holes 4 and 5 are wonderful par fours, 4 playing uphill and bending left and 5 playing down through a valley then up to an elevated green.
At the sixth hole, you’ll find Summerfield’s signature entry, a 171 yard par 3 that plays slightly downhill to a green that is nearly an island, surrounded by water on three sides. When the wind blows, it’s a daunting shot. Holes 7 and 8 are nicely contrasted par fours, with the 7th playing 381 yards and requiring an accurate tee shot to a narrow fairway. Number 8 is a brute of a par 4 at 463 yards.
The ninth, the first par 5 on the course is an excellent rambling affair the plays uphill on the second shot and bends right to an elevated green.
The back nine begins with a par 4 of just 345 yards. Before you think, ah, an easy birdie, check out the green. It is angled left to right and has three tiers. Placing your tee shot is imperative for the best approach to this difficult green. The 11th plays 168 yards through a shoot of trees to a narrow, well-bunkered green.
Number 12, a 570 yard par 5, requires an excellent tee shot, avoiding disaster on the right and left. The second shot is played over a marsh area and is a blind shot – so you’d better check the layout before hitting. The 13th hole is a straightaway par 4 of 400 yards. It really gets interesting on the 14th hole, a monster of 457 yards with the second shot playing over a chasm to a tricky green. You’ll happily take a 4 here.
Number 15 presents a birdie opportunity at 352 yards, but placing your tee shot well is a necessity in order to cash in. Number 16 is a 429 yard par 4 that is a demanding driving hole, with water lining the right side, and deep, impenetrable marsh on the left. The 17th is a par 3 of 154 yards that plays slightly downhill to a very tricky green.
The finishing hole is another par 5 of 560 yards that plays uphill for your second shot to an elevated green.
Summerfield is a definite must play that is well designed and enjoyable.
Just a short distance away from Summerfield, off Route 41, is Apollo Beach Golf Club, a big time favorite of mine. It was designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr., and he used the watery terrain to full advantage. Water is present on every hole on this lovely course that winds beautifully through scenic surroundings.
Your round begins with a par 4 of 410 yards that plays straightaway. Things tighten up considerably at number 2, a memorable par 5 of 573 yards. Big hitters can shorten that distance by quite a bit by cutting the corner of the dogleg left. The green is protected by water in front.
The 3rd is a par 4 of 373 yards, presenting a birdie opportunity. The 4th is a terrific par 3 that stretches 206 from the tips and plays over water. Number 5 and 6 are both stout par fours of 436 and 419 yards respectively, both requiring excellent tee shots to negotiate. Number 7 plays 556 yards. The par 5 presents difficulty for big hitters with thoughts of hitting the green in two. The hole bends slightly left and the elevated, small green is guarded by a stream in front.
The 8th is a good par 3 of 192 yards. Nine plays 414 straightaway to an undulating green.
The 10th hole is one of the toughest on the course, usually playing into the prevailing wind at 440 yards. The tee shot is demanding, with trouble on both sides and the second shot is struck to a big green that is difficult to read.
Number 11 is a 528 yard par 5 guarded on the right by a large mound that runs nearly the length of the hole. The 12th is a 170 yard par 3 that has a generous green that could yield a birdie with a well placed tee shot. Number 13 is a terrific par 4 of 430 yards from the tips. The second shot plays over a river to a green set in the side of a small hill.
The 14th is a par 4 of 422 yards, with the tee shot hit over that same river. Trouble is down the left and the approach shot is demanding. Number 15 is a relatively benign par 4 of 375 yards with a small green. But it does present a good birdie chance.
Number 16 is an outstanding par 5 of 572 with water lining the left side and mounds on the right. Your third shot, and even big hitters probably won’t go for this green in two, must be accurate. The green is guarded by water in front and on the right.
The 17th hole is a par 3 of 201 yards that possesses a very tricky putting surface. The round wraps up with a 400 yard par 4 that bends slightly left. Out of bounds beckons on the left side.
Apollo Beach is a fine test, especially when the Florida breezes circulate. Enjoy it on your next trip to the Sunshine State.
**Get a money-making mall FREE! Click here:
http://www.mypowermall.com/Biz/Home/30831
First, a course designed in the Scottish links tradition by Ron Garl, an excellent Florida architect, with many fine venues to his credit. Summerfield Golf Club is located in Riverview, Florida, just a few miles south of Tampa off Interstate 75. Aside from supplying golfers with nice amenities off the course, players will find Summerfield an outstanding challenge, particularly from the back tees which stretch the course out to 6,903 yards playing to a par of 71.
Summerfield is built on rolling terrain, with some elevation changes not routinely found in this area of Florida. On the front nine, you’ll find a terrific mix of par fours, beginning with the first hole measuring 417 from the tips. It plays slightly uphill to an undulating green. The second is a 432 yard affair that plays downhill and slightly left to a big, elevated green.
For the third hole, extreme accuracy is needed. It’s a par 3 of 180 yards over water to a tricky green that is angled from right to left. Holes 4 and 5 are wonderful par fours, 4 playing uphill and bending left and 5 playing down through a valley then up to an elevated green.
At the sixth hole, you’ll find Summerfield’s signature entry, a 171 yard par 3 that plays slightly downhill to a green that is nearly an island, surrounded by water on three sides. When the wind blows, it’s a daunting shot. Holes 7 and 8 are nicely contrasted par fours, with the 7th playing 381 yards and requiring an accurate tee shot to a narrow fairway. Number 8 is a brute of a par 4 at 463 yards.
The ninth, the first par 5 on the course is an excellent rambling affair the plays uphill on the second shot and bends right to an elevated green.
The back nine begins with a par 4 of just 345 yards. Before you think, ah, an easy birdie, check out the green. It is angled left to right and has three tiers. Placing your tee shot is imperative for the best approach to this difficult green. The 11th plays 168 yards through a shoot of trees to a narrow, well-bunkered green.
Number 12, a 570 yard par 5, requires an excellent tee shot, avoiding disaster on the right and left. The second shot is played over a marsh area and is a blind shot – so you’d better check the layout before hitting. The 13th hole is a straightaway par 4 of 400 yards. It really gets interesting on the 14th hole, a monster of 457 yards with the second shot playing over a chasm to a tricky green. You’ll happily take a 4 here.
Number 15 presents a birdie opportunity at 352 yards, but placing your tee shot well is a necessity in order to cash in. Number 16 is a 429 yard par 4 that is a demanding driving hole, with water lining the right side, and deep, impenetrable marsh on the left. The 17th is a par 3 of 154 yards that plays slightly downhill to a very tricky green.
The finishing hole is another par 5 of 560 yards that plays uphill for your second shot to an elevated green.
Summerfield is a definite must play that is well designed and enjoyable.
Just a short distance away from Summerfield, off Route 41, is Apollo Beach Golf Club, a big time favorite of mine. It was designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr., and he used the watery terrain to full advantage. Water is present on every hole on this lovely course that winds beautifully through scenic surroundings.
Your round begins with a par 4 of 410 yards that plays straightaway. Things tighten up considerably at number 2, a memorable par 5 of 573 yards. Big hitters can shorten that distance by quite a bit by cutting the corner of the dogleg left. The green is protected by water in front.
The 3rd is a par 4 of 373 yards, presenting a birdie opportunity. The 4th is a terrific par 3 that stretches 206 from the tips and plays over water. Number 5 and 6 are both stout par fours of 436 and 419 yards respectively, both requiring excellent tee shots to negotiate. Number 7 plays 556 yards. The par 5 presents difficulty for big hitters with thoughts of hitting the green in two. The hole bends slightly left and the elevated, small green is guarded by a stream in front.
The 8th is a good par 3 of 192 yards. Nine plays 414 straightaway to an undulating green.
The 10th hole is one of the toughest on the course, usually playing into the prevailing wind at 440 yards. The tee shot is demanding, with trouble on both sides and the second shot is struck to a big green that is difficult to read.
Number 11 is a 528 yard par 5 guarded on the right by a large mound that runs nearly the length of the hole. The 12th is a 170 yard par 3 that has a generous green that could yield a birdie with a well placed tee shot. Number 13 is a terrific par 4 of 430 yards from the tips. The second shot plays over a river to a green set in the side of a small hill.
The 14th is a par 4 of 422 yards, with the tee shot hit over that same river. Trouble is down the left and the approach shot is demanding. Number 15 is a relatively benign par 4 of 375 yards with a small green. But it does present a good birdie chance.
Number 16 is an outstanding par 5 of 572 with water lining the left side and mounds on the right. Your third shot, and even big hitters probably won’t go for this green in two, must be accurate. The green is guarded by water in front and on the right.
The 17th hole is a par 3 of 201 yards that possesses a very tricky putting surface. The round wraps up with a 400 yard par 4 that bends slightly left. Out of bounds beckons on the left side.
Apollo Beach is a fine test, especially when the Florida breezes circulate. Enjoy it on your next trip to the Sunshine State.
**Get a money-making mall FREE! Click here:
http://www.mypowermall.com/Biz/Home/30831
The LPGA And The English Flap
Recently the LPGA and its Commissioner, Carolyn Bivens, has been at the center of a storm of controversy concerning the organization’s intent to suspend players who did not speak English. This proposed action was quickly deemed discriminatory by some lawmakers and a few corporate sponsors.
Let’s try to examine this issue rationally and logically. As we all know, each tournament features a Pro-Am event preceding the major competition. Amateurs fork over large amounts of entry monies to participate in these Pro-Am events, principally for a chance to play with the professionals, of course. Would any of us be happy if we turned over a considerable chunk of change only to find that we couldn’t even communicate with the pro in our group?
I’ve played in several PGA Tour Pro-Am events over the years and once in an LPGA event some years back and in all cases one of the highlights was the interaction with the professional. The players in whose groups I participated made all the amateurs feel at ease, dispensing tips and telling stories that made the events delightful.
Communication with amateur players is a necessary skill for pros both male and female. Naturally, some are better at making amateurs feel at home than others, but all need to have the skill sets to at least make a good try at creating a cordial, fun atmosphere during the Pro-Am event. If the pro simply can’t communicate, the participating amateur golfers are being cheated of a large part of the reason that they spent money to be there.
One of the time-honored traditions in Pro-Ams is that of the pro golfer imparting tips to his amateur flock. This would not be possible if the pro spoke no English. It further complicates rulings, as well. A tour official can’t explain a rules situation to someone that doesn’t understand him or her. The added expense and inconvenience of having interpreters all over the golf course becomes burdensome, as well.
A requirement that players speak English isn’t discriminatory, it’s logical. It’s not as if the golfers only play in this country occasionally. Most are regulars on the LPGA Tour. In fact, the LPGA currently has some 121 players that hail from 26 different countries, which includes 45 from South Korea. That would certainly be quite a Tower Of Babel if all 121 spoke no English.
Carolyn Bivens rightly points out that speaking English is advantageous for the players from a monetary standpoint as well. Many endorsements, speaking engagements and the like would be far easier to come by if the players spoke English.
In my opinion, requiring the players to be at least minimally proficient in English is certainly not beyond the pale. It is for everyone’s benefit as well as their own. All involved with the LPGA Tour, the amateurs who pay to play, the officials and even the spectators benefit, since players could communicate with them during the tournament.
Given the huge amounts of money they are privileged to play for on a regular basis, it seems a small price to pay. Speaking English will pay them dividends on many levels in the years to come. At the time of this writing, the LPGA has softened its stand and is rethinking its proposed policy. Hopefully, the right final decision will be made so that all involved will be winners.
**Get a money-making mall FREE! Click here:
http://www.mypowermall.com/Biz/Home/30831
Let’s try to examine this issue rationally and logically. As we all know, each tournament features a Pro-Am event preceding the major competition. Amateurs fork over large amounts of entry monies to participate in these Pro-Am events, principally for a chance to play with the professionals, of course. Would any of us be happy if we turned over a considerable chunk of change only to find that we couldn’t even communicate with the pro in our group?
I’ve played in several PGA Tour Pro-Am events over the years and once in an LPGA event some years back and in all cases one of the highlights was the interaction with the professional. The players in whose groups I participated made all the amateurs feel at ease, dispensing tips and telling stories that made the events delightful.
Communication with amateur players is a necessary skill for pros both male and female. Naturally, some are better at making amateurs feel at home than others, but all need to have the skill sets to at least make a good try at creating a cordial, fun atmosphere during the Pro-Am event. If the pro simply can’t communicate, the participating amateur golfers are being cheated of a large part of the reason that they spent money to be there.
One of the time-honored traditions in Pro-Ams is that of the pro golfer imparting tips to his amateur flock. This would not be possible if the pro spoke no English. It further complicates rulings, as well. A tour official can’t explain a rules situation to someone that doesn’t understand him or her. The added expense and inconvenience of having interpreters all over the golf course becomes burdensome, as well.
A requirement that players speak English isn’t discriminatory, it’s logical. It’s not as if the golfers only play in this country occasionally. Most are regulars on the LPGA Tour. In fact, the LPGA currently has some 121 players that hail from 26 different countries, which includes 45 from South Korea. That would certainly be quite a Tower Of Babel if all 121 spoke no English.
Carolyn Bivens rightly points out that speaking English is advantageous for the players from a monetary standpoint as well. Many endorsements, speaking engagements and the like would be far easier to come by if the players spoke English.
In my opinion, requiring the players to be at least minimally proficient in English is certainly not beyond the pale. It is for everyone’s benefit as well as their own. All involved with the LPGA Tour, the amateurs who pay to play, the officials and even the spectators benefit, since players could communicate with them during the tournament.
Given the huge amounts of money they are privileged to play for on a regular basis, it seems a small price to pay. Speaking English will pay them dividends on many levels in the years to come. At the time of this writing, the LPGA has softened its stand and is rethinking its proposed policy. Hopefully, the right final decision will be made so that all involved will be winners.
**Get a money-making mall FREE! Click here:
http://www.mypowermall.com/Biz/Home/30831
Golf In Florida Part 3
As we continue to examine some of the fine courses in the Tampa Bay region of Florida, we'll concentrate on two more fine examples, one relatively new and the other a venerable course that's been around for many years.
The relatively new layout is Westchase Golf Club, located just about ten minutes from Tampa International Airport in western Tampa. This 6,710 yard track was designed by Lloyd Clifton and features a beautiful golfing trip through local fauna and flora that you'll truly enjoy.
Westchase starts you out with a fairly benign hole that measures only 347 from the back. But it's benign only if you hit it straight. Water lines the first all the way down the right side and guards the green partially from the front and totally from the right and back. An iron off the tee might be a good choice.
Number 2 is a lovely par 5 of 549 yards with water coming into play on the left. The third is one of the most dramatic par 3's in the region, if not anywhere. It plays 212 from the back down through a chute of trees to a green guarded by water in front. An outstanding and difficult hole.
Moving ahead to number 5 and 6, you'll get all the par 4 you can handle from this pair. #5 is 426 and #6 is 440. Although water is present on each, it is not, or shouldn't be, in play. But if you're playing into the wind, 4 is a very good score, indeed.
The 8th is a superb par 5 that bends right all the way. The second shot must be well placed to get at the green, which is tucked near a stand of woods.
The front 9 finishes with a solid 404 yard par 4 with water on the right. The second shot must carry a waste area.
The back 9 begins with a short par 5 at 505 yards, but those able to try for the green in two must be very accurate. Water guards the green very closely.
The 11th is a crackerjack of a par 3, 190 yards over water. The 12th is, to my mind, the most difficult driving hole on the course, requiring a long carry off the tee and an accurate second shot to a difficult green.
At 13 we come to another par 5 of 507 yards with water in play all along the left side. 14 is a straightaway par 4 and 15 a very nice par 3 of 160 yards.
The 16th is a very interesting hole requiring an accurately placed tee shot. Big hitters can reach a waste area that juts out into the fairway from the right, making the second shot semi-blind.
Number 17 is a solid par 4 of 402 yards requiring an accurate second shot over water to a tricky green. The finishing hole, which parallels #9, measures 388 yards and requires a second shot over the same waste area that borders the 9th green.
Westchase is, all in all, a tremendously enjoyable golfing experience.
The second course we'll look at today is Pebble Creek Golf Club, located in the northeast area of Tampa, one of the oldest courses in the area. They recently underwent extensive renovations (2006) and have improved the facility greatly. It's a sporty course featuring a very solid layout that plays 6,436 yards to a par of 71.
The scenic layout begins with a 370 yard par 4 with the second shot over a creek. #2 is a strong 193 yard par 3 that forces you to contend with a big tree on the left.
To play #3 well, you'll need to work the ball left to right off the tee. This 400 par 4 is a solid test. #4 is a 368 yard par 4 which is best played by favoring the left side of the fairway, but water lines the left side, so caution is necessary. A tee shot to the right will block your approach to the green because of woods lining the fairway on that side.
Number 5 requires a tee shot over water and an approach shot over water as well. Number 6 provides respite in the form of a 160 yard par 3. Number 7 is a straightaway par 4 of 372 yards with water on the left. The 8th hole is the first par 5 on the course at 504 yards. There is water on the left, but it shouldn't come into play. The third shot carries a creek.
The front 9 finishes with a strong, 434 yard par 4 that requires a tee shot down the right to right center to avoid being blocked by trees on the left as the hole bends left.
The back 9 gets going with a neat little par 4 of 367 yards. It's a good birdie opportunity, but you must place your tee shot down the right side to avoid being blocked on your second shot.
On #11 you don't want to pull your tee shot or it will meet a watery grave. It's a straightaway par 4 of 385 yards. Number 12 offers a nice par 3 of 168 yards with a tricky green. The 13th hole is a lovely par 5 that sports water protecting the green, making reaching it in 2 difficult.
Number 14 is only 346 yards at par 4, but placing your tee shot is imperative. Number 15 plays 181 yards at par 3 and you must be below the hole on your tee shot. Number 16 is a good birdie chance at 360 yards at par 4.
The penultimate hole, #17, is a wonderful par 5, requiring an accurate tee shot. There is water along the left and the driving area is tight.
Number 18 is a fine finishing hole at 394 yards. Pebble Creek runs in front of the green, making an accurate approach a must.
Pebble Creek is a fine test and a must play when you're in the Tampa area. The club has lovely amenities, good dining and a terrific atmosphere.
**Get a money-making mall FREE! Click here:
http://www.mypowermall.com/Biz/Home/30831
The relatively new layout is Westchase Golf Club, located just about ten minutes from Tampa International Airport in western Tampa. This 6,710 yard track was designed by Lloyd Clifton and features a beautiful golfing trip through local fauna and flora that you'll truly enjoy.
Westchase starts you out with a fairly benign hole that measures only 347 from the back. But it's benign only if you hit it straight. Water lines the first all the way down the right side and guards the green partially from the front and totally from the right and back. An iron off the tee might be a good choice.
Number 2 is a lovely par 5 of 549 yards with water coming into play on the left. The third is one of the most dramatic par 3's in the region, if not anywhere. It plays 212 from the back down through a chute of trees to a green guarded by water in front. An outstanding and difficult hole.
Moving ahead to number 5 and 6, you'll get all the par 4 you can handle from this pair. #5 is 426 and #6 is 440. Although water is present on each, it is not, or shouldn't be, in play. But if you're playing into the wind, 4 is a very good score, indeed.
The 8th is a superb par 5 that bends right all the way. The second shot must be well placed to get at the green, which is tucked near a stand of woods.
The front 9 finishes with a solid 404 yard par 4 with water on the right. The second shot must carry a waste area.
The back 9 begins with a short par 5 at 505 yards, but those able to try for the green in two must be very accurate. Water guards the green very closely.
The 11th is a crackerjack of a par 3, 190 yards over water. The 12th is, to my mind, the most difficult driving hole on the course, requiring a long carry off the tee and an accurate second shot to a difficult green.
At 13 we come to another par 5 of 507 yards with water in play all along the left side. 14 is a straightaway par 4 and 15 a very nice par 3 of 160 yards.
The 16th is a very interesting hole requiring an accurately placed tee shot. Big hitters can reach a waste area that juts out into the fairway from the right, making the second shot semi-blind.
Number 17 is a solid par 4 of 402 yards requiring an accurate second shot over water to a tricky green. The finishing hole, which parallels #9, measures 388 yards and requires a second shot over the same waste area that borders the 9th green.
Westchase is, all in all, a tremendously enjoyable golfing experience.
The second course we'll look at today is Pebble Creek Golf Club, located in the northeast area of Tampa, one of the oldest courses in the area. They recently underwent extensive renovations (2006) and have improved the facility greatly. It's a sporty course featuring a very solid layout that plays 6,436 yards to a par of 71.
The scenic layout begins with a 370 yard par 4 with the second shot over a creek. #2 is a strong 193 yard par 3 that forces you to contend with a big tree on the left.
To play #3 well, you'll need to work the ball left to right off the tee. This 400 par 4 is a solid test. #4 is a 368 yard par 4 which is best played by favoring the left side of the fairway, but water lines the left side, so caution is necessary. A tee shot to the right will block your approach to the green because of woods lining the fairway on that side.
Number 5 requires a tee shot over water and an approach shot over water as well. Number 6 provides respite in the form of a 160 yard par 3. Number 7 is a straightaway par 4 of 372 yards with water on the left. The 8th hole is the first par 5 on the course at 504 yards. There is water on the left, but it shouldn't come into play. The third shot carries a creek.
The front 9 finishes with a strong, 434 yard par 4 that requires a tee shot down the right to right center to avoid being blocked by trees on the left as the hole bends left.
The back 9 gets going with a neat little par 4 of 367 yards. It's a good birdie opportunity, but you must place your tee shot down the right side to avoid being blocked on your second shot.
On #11 you don't want to pull your tee shot or it will meet a watery grave. It's a straightaway par 4 of 385 yards. Number 12 offers a nice par 3 of 168 yards with a tricky green. The 13th hole is a lovely par 5 that sports water protecting the green, making reaching it in 2 difficult.
Number 14 is only 346 yards at par 4, but placing your tee shot is imperative. Number 15 plays 181 yards at par 3 and you must be below the hole on your tee shot. Number 16 is a good birdie chance at 360 yards at par 4.
The penultimate hole, #17, is a wonderful par 5, requiring an accurate tee shot. There is water along the left and the driving area is tight.
Number 18 is a fine finishing hole at 394 yards. Pebble Creek runs in front of the green, making an accurate approach a must.
Pebble Creek is a fine test and a must play when you're in the Tampa area. The club has lovely amenities, good dining and a terrific atmosphere.
**Get a money-making mall FREE! Click here:
http://www.mypowermall.com/Biz/Home/30831
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Golf In Florida Part 2
This time around we’ll look at two wonderful Tampa Bay area courses in our continuing examination of golf in the Sunshine State.
A long time favorite of mine has been a municipal course owned by the city of St. Petersburg, Mangrove Bay Golf Course, located just off Interstate 275 in the northern area of the city.
Mangrove Bay is set in a lovely natural area bordering the bay and possesses sweeping vistas of both land and sea. It plays at just a tad over 6,600 yards and is laid out, in my opinion, beautifully. Water comes into play on 12 of the 18 holes, although in some of those instances, it is only really in play for a player who is fatally wild off the tee.
Your round begins with a relatively mild first hole, which is always a good idea, in my estimation. It’s a 349 yard affair that bends very slightly to the right and is very much a birdie possibility.
The second is a 579 yard par five with water down the left side, but that shouldn’t come into play. After a dry par three and par four, we come to the fifth hole, playing at 380 with water on the right. The sixth is a short par 5 at 506 yards, presenting a good birdie opportunity.
The seventh is a short par four, at which you’d be wise to use an iron or hybrid off the tee, since water lines the left side and position for your second shot is everything here.
Skipping ahead to the back nine, you’ll see that it starts quite benevolently, with a short par four and par three. Number twelve, however, will definitely get your attention at 400 yards, bending left. Thirteen is a neat little par four with water well left and fourteen is a straightaway par five that is a good birdie opportunity. Fifteen is the longest par three on the course.
Sixteen is probably my favorite hole at Mangrove Bay. It’s a par four of 400 yards that plays uphill for the second half, with a second shot over a creek. But you need to take a moment to look to your left as you walk or ride the hill and observe a lagoon in which mullet leap almost constantly. It’s a beautiful sight, indeed..
Mangrove Bay ends on a very strong note, with two excellent holes, the par five seventeenth at 565 yards and the par four eighteenth at 438 yards with water on the left.
The course, at least in my experience, was always in very nice shape and the environment is unbeatable.
Now let’s head north to the town of Palm Harbor in Pinellas County, a few miles northwest of Tampa and check on Tarpon Woods Country Club, another of my favorites in the region. Wildlife abounds in this beautiful setting located just off Route 19. Water is present on every hole on this course that sports tricky greens and a varied layout of holes. It plays at just under 6,600 yards from the tips and requires accurate tee shots and carefully thought out approaches.
Sadly, at the time of this writing, the course may be on its way to disappearing. Because of the usual short-sighted development without regard for consequences, the Tarpon Woods community is prone to flooding in the rainy season and pressure has been brought to dispense with the golf course and turn the area into a virtual water basin to relieve the condition.
Brooker Creek runs through the golf course, and is the source of the problem, only because of thoughtless development upstream. But it is also one of the sources of the charm of the course. So get there and play it while you can, because it’s worth the effort. If you get a chance, you’ll thoroughly enjoy this layout and its abundant flora and fauna. From the par four opening hole, throughout the picturesque layout, to the visually appealing eighteenth, this course is a delight.
Let’s hope it will be around a lot longer.
**Get a money-making mall FREE! Click here:
http://www.mypowermall.com/Biz/Home/30831
A long time favorite of mine has been a municipal course owned by the city of St. Petersburg, Mangrove Bay Golf Course, located just off Interstate 275 in the northern area of the city.
Mangrove Bay is set in a lovely natural area bordering the bay and possesses sweeping vistas of both land and sea. It plays at just a tad over 6,600 yards and is laid out, in my opinion, beautifully. Water comes into play on 12 of the 18 holes, although in some of those instances, it is only really in play for a player who is fatally wild off the tee.
Your round begins with a relatively mild first hole, which is always a good idea, in my estimation. It’s a 349 yard affair that bends very slightly to the right and is very much a birdie possibility.
The second is a 579 yard par five with water down the left side, but that shouldn’t come into play. After a dry par three and par four, we come to the fifth hole, playing at 380 with water on the right. The sixth is a short par 5 at 506 yards, presenting a good birdie opportunity.
The seventh is a short par four, at which you’d be wise to use an iron or hybrid off the tee, since water lines the left side and position for your second shot is everything here.
Skipping ahead to the back nine, you’ll see that it starts quite benevolently, with a short par four and par three. Number twelve, however, will definitely get your attention at 400 yards, bending left. Thirteen is a neat little par four with water well left and fourteen is a straightaway par five that is a good birdie opportunity. Fifteen is the longest par three on the course.
Sixteen is probably my favorite hole at Mangrove Bay. It’s a par four of 400 yards that plays uphill for the second half, with a second shot over a creek. But you need to take a moment to look to your left as you walk or ride the hill and observe a lagoon in which mullet leap almost constantly. It’s a beautiful sight, indeed..
Mangrove Bay ends on a very strong note, with two excellent holes, the par five seventeenth at 565 yards and the par four eighteenth at 438 yards with water on the left.
The course, at least in my experience, was always in very nice shape and the environment is unbeatable.
Now let’s head north to the town of Palm Harbor in Pinellas County, a few miles northwest of Tampa and check on Tarpon Woods Country Club, another of my favorites in the region. Wildlife abounds in this beautiful setting located just off Route 19. Water is present on every hole on this course that sports tricky greens and a varied layout of holes. It plays at just under 6,600 yards from the tips and requires accurate tee shots and carefully thought out approaches.
Sadly, at the time of this writing, the course may be on its way to disappearing. Because of the usual short-sighted development without regard for consequences, the Tarpon Woods community is prone to flooding in the rainy season and pressure has been brought to dispense with the golf course and turn the area into a virtual water basin to relieve the condition.
Brooker Creek runs through the golf course, and is the source of the problem, only because of thoughtless development upstream. But it is also one of the sources of the charm of the course. So get there and play it while you can, because it’s worth the effort. If you get a chance, you’ll thoroughly enjoy this layout and its abundant flora and fauna. From the par four opening hole, throughout the picturesque layout, to the visually appealing eighteenth, this course is a delight.
Let’s hope it will be around a lot longer.
**Get a money-making mall FREE! Click here:
http://www.mypowermall.com/Biz/Home/30831
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
br>TRAIN LIKE THE PROS TRAIN - LEADERBOARD - CHECK IT OUT