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By Jim Nettleton

Today’s review of Tampa area golf courses is focused on two municipal courses owned by the city of Tampa. The city owns three in all, a fortunate state of affairs for residents, who can play these venues at very reasonable rates.

First up today is Rogers Park Golf Course. First opened in 1952, Rogers Park was renovated in 1976 with noted Florida golf architect Ron Garl in charge. Originally a nine hole layout, the course was expanded to additional city property across the street and became a regulation eighteen hole course. More renovation and redesign was done in 2000 including the addition of a new clubhouse facility.

The course now begins with a par 5 that stretches 551 yards. Again, all distances given are from the tips, but the course can play much shorter. From the back tees, Rogers Park plays a solid 6,802 yards. The first hole plays every bit of its yardage and is an opportunity to get your round started with a birdie with two solid shots.

The second is a formidable 432 yard par 4 that is fairly straightaway. This is followed by a relatively easy par 4 of 387 yards, a good birdie candidate. The fourth hole is a good par 4 with water in play off the tee. It plays 417 yards.

Skipping ahead to the eighth hole we find a terrific par 3 of 204 yards with water very much in play in front, to the right and behind the green. This hole requires an extremely accurate tee shot. You’ll be very happy with a 3 here.

The front nine wraps up with a lovely par 5 of 509 yards that is another good birdie opportunity. But if you’re a big enough hitter to go for it in two, you must avoid water tight to the left of the fairway and green.

Now we cross the road and head for the back nine, a very diverse set of holes that you’ll really enjoy. You’ll have a crack at birdie right away on the first two holes. The tenth is a par 4 of 375 that plays downhill to a tricky green. Woods border the hole right and left. Number eleven plays back up the hill and bends right. You need to favor the left side of the fairway on your tee shot.

The twelfth is a great par 3 that plays 202 yards through a chute of trees to an undulating green. Again, a 3 here will put a smile on your face. Number thirteen is a sweeping par 4 of 399 yards that plays over a slight crest and down to the right with water behind the green.

The fourteenth hole is one of the most dramatic par fives in the region. It bends slightly left and requires a very accurate tee shot that must carry water. The water is present the entire length of the hole and you must negotiate it again on your second shot. Add to this the trees and bushes down the right side, so your shots have to thread a needle on this hole.

Fifteen and sixteen are good holes as well, playing 205 and 380 yards respectively. Seventeen is a solid 422 yard par 4 that bends left with water coming into play on the left off the tee and around the green. The eighteenth, which used to be a par 5, is now a formidable 427 yard par 4 that bends slightly right. The second shot is played over a lake.

Rogers Park is a very pleasurable golf experience and certainly merits a play when you’re in the Tampa region.

Not far away from Rogers Park, in the Forest Hills section is another city course, the sporty Babe Zaharias, named, obviously, after the great female athlete. Although ‘The Babe’ plays only 6,200 yards, it is a very enjoyable test. There are plenty of birdie opportunities on this course, but also many possibilities of throwing up a big number.

The greens, for the most part, are small and require accurate approach shots. There are two par fives, numbers 6 and 12, both of which are reachable at 481 and 490 yards respectively. Four of the par 4 holes play over 400 yards, with the longest being the sixteeth at 433 yards. The par 3 holes are nicely setup and are comfortable lengths ranging from 151 to 176 yards. The seventeenth, which is the par 3 of 176 yards, is one of my favorite holes on the course, playing from an elevated tee down to an undulating green protected by a pond.

Another favorite is the thirteenth, a 430 yard par 4 that plays over the crest of a hill down to an elevated green protected by water.

All in all, Babe Zaharias is a fun golf course that gives you room to breathe but can also take your breath away with some of its tougher holes. It’s a sporty course, as mentioned earlier, that is enjoyable and not overly taxing.

About the Author:

Jim Nettleton is a radio and television professional who is a lifelong golf addict and lived in Tampa for 10 years. He highly recommends The Simple Golf Swing - http://tinyurl.com/2mmeux for those struggling with their game. Visit his golf blog at http://golf-golf-andmoregolf.blogspot.com/

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By Jim Nettleton

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.

About The Author

Jim Nettleton is a radio and television professional who is an avid golfer and golf historian. He highly recommends The Simple Golf Swing - http://tinyurl.com/2mmeux

for those struggling with their game. Visit his golf blog at http://golf-golf-andmoregolf.blogspot.com/

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By Jim Nettleton

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 7^th 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 11^th 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 13^th hole is a straightaway par 4 of 400 yards. It really gets interesting on the 14^th 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 17^th 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 3^rd is a par 4 of 373 yards, presenting a birdie opportunity. The 4^th 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 8^th is a good par 3 of 192 yards. Nine plays 414 straightaway to an undulating green.

The 10^th 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 12^th 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 14^th 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 17^th 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.

About the Author:

Jim Nettleton is a radio and television professional who is a lifelong golf addict. He highly recommends The Simple Golf Swing - http://tinyurl.com/2mmeux

for those struggling with their game. Visit his golf blog at

http://golf-golf-andmoregolf.blogspot.com/

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By Jim Nettleton

Another must play in the Tampa region is the University of South Florida Golf Course, located on Fowler Avenue in the northeast area of the city. Affectionately known as “The Claw”, a name derived from one of its holes, the USF course is a stern test for golfers of all abilities.

The course was designed in an around a swamp, which comes into play on many holes. Generally, the fairways are narrow with trouble on both sides on several holes. The Claw starts you out with a relatively benign par 4 of 439 yards, which has little trouble on either side. But things begin to close in quickly as you play the second, another par 4 that is considerably narrower. The par 5 third hole also requires extreme accuracy on both the drive and the second shot.

After playing number 4, an outstanding par 4, and number 5, an excellent par 3 that is a realistic birdie chance, you are face with the tee shot on the sixth. This is a wonderful par 5 that doglegs left around a lake. Big hitters can choose to cut off as much of the corner as they dare to be left with a short second shot to the green. It’s a hole requiring courage off the tee.

Seven, eight and nine are also fine tests, with the par 3 eighth playing a robust 220 yards.

The back nine continues to force players to be accurate off the tee. Nowhere is accuracy more necessary than on the fourteenth, the infamous ‘Claw’ par 5 that winds through swamp and forest to present a severe test.

The USF course features elevated greens and natural surroundings throughout. Greens fees are reasonable and this course should be placed near the top of your list for a play.

Heading southeast, to Valrico, we find one of Florida’s finest courses, in my opinion, The Bloomingdale Golfers Club. You’ll find no tennis courts, no swimming pool here – just golf in beautiful surroundings and a course that is second to none.

Many tour pros have been members here since they find it a perfect spot to work on their games. The course stretches 7,155 yards from the tips and has a rating of 74.4, which should tell you to bring your ‘A’ game when visiting. Golf Digest, in fact, described Bloomingdale as having the best collection of par 5s on one golf course that they’ve seen.

Two of my favorite par 5 holes at Bloomingdale are the fourth and the ninth. The former measures 564 yards. It begins by bending left and then turning right. Finally, it turns left again to the hole. Accurate tee shot placement is a must as is an accurate second shot. The ninth is a 546 yard dogleg left with a lake on the right that comes into play on the tee shot. It plays to a green that is almost an island.

Along with those, you’ll find a collection of some of the best-designed golf holes in the region, if not the state. Another favorite is the eighteenth, a great par 4 at 409 yards that demands a very well placed tee shot to set up an approach over a marsh up to the green.

The Bloomingdale Golfers Club is most certainly not to be missed on your golf tour of the Tampa area.

About the Author:

Jim Nettleton is a radio and television professional who is a lifelong golf addict and lived in Tampa for 10 years. He highly recommends The Simple Golf Swing - http://tinyurl.com/2mmeux for those struggling with their game. Visit his golf blog at http://golf-golf-andmoregolf.blogspot.com/

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By Jim Nettleton

If you’re a golfer, there’s no better place to indulge your passion than the golf-friendly state of Florida. With well over one thousand courses of all varieties, you could play for many years without hitting the same course twice.

In this first of a series of articles on golf in the Sunshine State, we’ll visit the west coast of the peninsula and discuss some of the courses in the Tampa Bay area. Let’s being with one of my favorites, probably influenced by the fact that I lived on the course for several years, Northdale Golf Club.

Located in northern Tampa, just above the Carrollwood section, Northdale is a great facility with 18 well-designed holes. They range from fairly easy to quite difficult. The course measures 6,840 from the tips of this Ron Garl design. It was renovated in 2002 - all greens were rebuilt to USGA specs, the clubhouse was improved and new cart parths were installed.

Northdale begins with a relatively easy par 5 that can be reached in 2. From that point on, players will experience a solid variety of holes with water coming into play frequently. Some of my favorite holes are as follows. The par 3 3^rd can play well over 200 yards from the back and it’s all over water. The par 5 9^thmeanders to the right and the small green is protected on three sides by water. The par 3 15^th hole plays through a narrow chute of trees to a tricky green that is guarded on the right by a pond and tall reeds. Finally, the par 5 16^th, which bends around a lake and requires precise shot placement.

Northdale is a solid test and an aesthetically pleasing layout, the only drawback being that there is no driving range associated with the facility.

North of Tampa just a few miles is another of my favorites located in the town of Zephyrhills, The Links At Lake Bernadette. It was designed by Dean Refram and opened in 1983. It, to my mind, falls into the classic course design category. You don’t need to be a big bomber to play here, but you will have to be accurate. The course is a shot maker’s delight. Water comes into play on many holes as the course winds through beautiful, mature trees and over gently rolling terrain.

By the way, The Links has a summer special going on, with all you can play plus lunch for $20 – a great bargain.

Here are some of my favorite holes. The par 5 4^th, which I think is one of the best risk-reward holes I’ve ever played. It’s short, well under 500 yards, but don’t let that fool you. If you have any hope of hitting the green in 2, you’ll have to thread your tee shot around the bend to the left and hope you don’t pull it in the woods left or push it in the woods right. Then, your second shot is extremely demanding to a small green with water in front and trouble behind, in the form of a mound with a bunker and pampas grass.

The par 3 6^th is a fine test that plays to a very undulating green. If you don’t get it close, a long putt on that green can be an adventure.

The par 4 10^th is strictly a position hole. It only measures about 315 yards, but don’t venture to the right and be tempted to cut across the dog leg. There’s serious trouble on that side.

The par 5 12^th is a solid hole that requires a very accurate drive of good length for a chance at getting home in two. Nonetheless, the green is very well guarded and missing it will bring a big number into play.

The par 3 13^th has been called the best par 3 in Tampa Bay by Golf Digest. It’s a tricky hole of only 163 yards with a semi-blind shot to a very difficult green.

Finally, the par 4 18^th gives you a solid challenge in finishing your round. It bends about 35 degrees to the right and requires a well placed tee shot to get a good angle to the green. The green itself is very narrow and well-bunkered, with 3 tiers.

Next time around we’ll look at more Tampa Bay area courses. Until then, stay well and keep swingin’.

About the Author:

Jim Nettleton is a radio and television professional who is a lifelong golf addict and lived in Tampa for 10 years. He highly recommends The Simple Golf Swing - http://tinyurl.com/2mmeux

For those struggling with their game. Visit his golf blog at http://golf-golf-andmoregolf.blogspot.com/

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By Jim Nettleton

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.

About the Author:

Jim Nettleton is a radio and television professional who is a lifelong golf addict and lived in Tampa for 10 years. He highly recommends The Simple Golf Swing - http://tinyurl.com/2mmeux for those struggling with their game. Visit his golf blog at http://golf-golf-andmoregolf.blogspot.com

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By Jim Nettleton

This is the fifth installment of a continuing series reviewing great golf courses in Florida and, in particular, the Tampa Bay region. We’ll cover other areas of The Sunshine State in later installments.

This time around, a look at two fabulous courses that belong to one facility. It’s The Eagles Golf Course At Tampa Bay, located on Nine Eagles Drive in Odessa, northwest of Tampa and just a bit north of Tampa Bay Downs. The Eagles is a fabulous layout, one of the very best in the region. The facilities are outstanding and both courses are a definite treat for all levels of players.

Let’s look first at the Forest Course, which, from the tips, stretches to 6,719 yards at par 72. The first hole is a par 5 at 510 yards. The water on the left of the tee should not come into play. A well-placed drive will get you a chance of reaching the green in two. A deep bunker guards the right side of the green and fairway mounds need negotiating.

The second hole is a lovely par 4 of 386 yards, bending right gently across rolling, mounded terrain. Number three on this beautiful course is a wonderful risk-reward par 4 of just 311 yards. But if you go for it, you’d better be accurate. The straight path to the green doesn’t play the full 311, since the hole bends right. But water down the entire right side and some serious bunkers might make you rethink the gamble.

Number four is a picturesque par 3 of 141 yards that plays partially over water which shouldn’t come into play. At number five you’re faced with the toughest hole on the front side, a 443 yard par 4 with water down the left, requiring a very accurate tee shot, and a green guarded by a huge bunker on the left and severe depressions on the right.

At number 6, make sure you have the right club. This 158 yard par 3 is a virtual island, surrounded by water on three sides. The seventh is a 519 yard par 5 double dogleg, with water on the right. The eighth is a 410 yard beauty of a par 4. It’s a dogleg left with water down the entire right side and a well-bunkered green with a tricky putting surface.

The front nine wraps up with a 410 yard par 4 that sports water down the left and deep fairway bunkers on the right. Grabbing a par here is a solid score.

The back nine on the Forest Course begins with a terrific par 5 of 476 yards that is reachable, but the second shot has to be very accurate as the green is guarded by water front left. Number eleven is a solid test at 403 yards. It’s a dogleg right that plays to a narrow green.

Number twelve is without argument the most difficult par 3 on the course at 228 yards that plays to a very large, undulating green with a hump in the middle. Number thirteen will give you all the par 4 you can handle at 443 yards. It’s a lovely hole that angles slightly right. After a well-placed drive, your second needs to carry across a lake to a big green that has lots of putting adventure in it. A par 4 here will make your day.

The next two holes give you a break, with number fourteen playing at 385 yards and number fifteen 371 yards. Fourteen is a slight dogleg left and fifteen is fairly straightaway. It’s the second shot on fifteen that’s tricky. The green is guarded by water on the left.

Sixteen is one of the prettiest holes on the course, a par 3 that measures 190 yards and is played over water. With a lake to your right, it’s truly a beautiful setting. Number 17 is an outstanding par 5 of 534 yards with water down the entire left side. The fairway is fairly narrow, so accuracy is a must. The third shot, or second for the bigger hitters, must thread its way onto the narrow green.

The Forest Course winds up with a 402 yard par 4 that is about a forty-five degree dogleg left. The fairway narrows down in the driving area, making it a tricky tee shot. The Forest Course is the newer of the two at The Eagles and certainly is a must play in the region.

Now, let’s get in 36 as we swing over the The Lakes Course at The Eagles, a stout test at 7,089 yards and par 72. It begins with an unusual 498 yard par 5 that is a double dogleg. The tee shot must negotiate a narrow opening of trees on both sides. The second shot must be carefully placed, since water guards the left side of the fairway and the left front of the green.

The second hole is a 391 yard par 4 that calls for an accurate tee shot, since the fairway narrows down severely in the driving area. Number three is another par 4 of 398 yards that allows for more latitude on the tee shot. It’s a slight dogleg left. Number four plays at par 5 and 527 yards and is basically straightaway. But your second shot needs to favor the right side, since the green is partly tucked on the left.

Number five is a picturesque 387 yard par 4 that bends left around another of the ever present lakes and requires an accurate second shot to an undulating green. Number six is a lovely par 3 of 216 yards that plays over water, although the water ends well in front of the green and shouldn’t come into play.

Number seven winds its 420 yards around and between two lakes. The hole bends right and demands a very accurate tee shot. The second shot plays to an elevated green with a lot of contour. Number eight is a good par 3 of 208 yards, with a green that is slightly bowl shaped.

The front nine ends with a strong 443 yard par 4 dogleg right with a lake on the right and two small ponds on the left. The green is long and narrow. A four here is a victory.

The tenth hole is a terrific par 5 of 535 that beckons you to gamble. A tee shot in the right place will enable you to cut across the lake that sits in the dogleg of this hole with your second shot. But miss it, and you’re on your way to a big number.

The eleventh is a difficult par 4 of 449 yards that bends slightly left and requires an accurate tee shot to a narrow fairway.The second shot is played to an elevated green that is shallow and angles right to left. Another hole where par is an excellent score.

The twelfth is a very nice par 3 of 172 yards that plays to an undulating green with several mounds. Put your tee shot in the wrong spot, and two-putting becomes an adventure. The thirteenth is the last break you’ll get on this tough back nine. It’s a 386 yard par 4 with a tee shot over water to a fairway that bends left toward the elevated green.

As you approach the fourteenth, you need to get your game face on, because the finishing holes are tough and challenging. Fourteen is a brutal 462 yard par 4. The landing area is generous, though, but if you’re playing into the wind, this baby is all you can handle.

Fifteen is another strong par 4 at 433 yards. Your tee shot needs to hug the left side, since a lake is strategically present on the right. But if you hug the left too much, a large tree will give your second shot trouble.

Sixteen is a 412 yard par 4 that might seem short after the last two holes. It bends gently left and features a wide fairway and a large, slightly elevated green. Seventeen checks in at a stout 232 yards. This par 3 is a real test over a lake that is definitely in play.

The Lakes Course comes to a close with a terrific par 5 that measures 521 yards. There is water to the right off the tee and a ditch to carry on your second shot. The green is small and tricky.

The Eagles At Tampa Bay is one of the fine tests in the region, no matter which eighteen you decided to take on. The golf complex is, indeed, a cut above.

About The Author

Jim Nettleton is a radio and television professional who is an avid golfer and golf historian. He highly recommends The Simple Golf Swing - http://tinyurl.com/2mmeux

for those struggling with their game. Visit his golf blog at http://golf-golf-andmoregolf.blogspot.com/