Tarpon Woods Golf Club
About
Named after the creek that borders it, Tarpon Woods Golf Club is home to an abundance of wildlife including deer, alligators, turkeys, coyotes, and otters. The layout is not the Tampa Bay area's most challenging but it is one of the most scenic. Formerly Brooker Creek Golf Club, the club changed management and made several improvements to the bunkers, tee boxes, and greens in 2009. It has been a local favorite for more than 30 years. Overall the golf course is not particularly long but the front nine plays longer than the back. Each nine offers a unique set of challenges. The third hole is the longest and toughest with water that runs down the left side. There is also water on both sides of the approach to the green.
Tee | Par | Length | Rating | Slope |
---|---|---|---|---|
Back | 72 | 6504 yards | 71.3 | 129 |
Middle | 72 | 6022 yards | 69.5 | 124 |
Forward (W) | 72 | 5252 yards | 70.6 | 123 |
Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Blue M: 72.4/134 | 398 | 354 | 567 | 218 | 547 | 421 | 418 | 182 | 394 | 3499 | 378 | 392 | 189 | 500 | 341 | 387 | 510 | 198 | 410 | 3305 | 6804 |
White M: 70.0/131 | 380 | 335 | 542 | 198 | 529 | 400 | 402 | 150 | 378 | 3314 | 354 | 375 | 156 | 467 | 325 | 362 | 495 | 166 | 367 | 3067 | 6381 |
Gold M: 68.5/127 | 349 | 315 | 510 | 156 | 499 | 365 | 365 | 127 | 351 | 3037 | 325 | 350 | 153 | 451 | 287 | 342 | 466 | 142 | 360 | 2876 | 5913 |
Red W: 70.8/129 | 337 | 308 | 436 | 148 | 448 | 324 | 326 | 102 | 323 | 2752 | 310 | 341 | 125 | 437 | 261 | 309 | 451 | 140 | 353 | 2727 | 5479 |
Purple W: 60.1/100 | 260 | 240 | 385 | 108 | 397 | 229 | 255 | 102 | 234 | 2210 | 262 | 291 | 93 | 357 | 234 | 210 | 360 | 97 | 312 | 2216 | 4426 |
Handicap | 7 | 15 | 1 | 11 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 17 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 18 | 2 | 14 | 8 | 4 | 16 | 6 | |||
Par | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 36 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 36 | 72 |
Handicap (W) | 3 | 13 | 5 | 15 | 7 | 9 | 1 | 17 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 18 | 4 | 8 | 14 | 6 | 16 | 2 |
Course Details
Rentals/Services
Practice/Instruction
Policies
Food & Beverage
Bar, RestaurantAvailable Facilities
ClubhouseReviews
Reviewer Photos
No grass on the fairways. Felt like playing out of a bunker all the time.
It is obvious that recent reviews posted here stating that the course is in good shape have been written by course staff. There wasn't a single fairway that was in decent condition. All kinds of different wild grasses growing in patches and a lot of bare sandy areas. I have to admit, the greens were in very good shape, but totally forgotten because you had to play through this goat patch to get there. Never playing here again!
Yikes
Alright, I'm trying not to be mean but I am very confused. Also, I just saw Jan Stephenson, who I assume is the owner since her name is on it, has breast cancer. So maybe the place is bad because she has bigger things going on.. who knows.
The staff was very nice and I saw on their site that they had "reopened with renovated greens". This honestly was the worst conditions of a golf course I have ever seen. I usually play The Landings in Clearwater which isn't the best course, but this made The Landings look like Augusta.
The areas all around the greens are full of tall grass and weeds everywhere. The "renovated greens" were dead with dirt patches and other types of grass (I think St. Augustine in some cases) growing in. I couldn't tell if my putting was good or not because it felt like I was putting on a fairway.
Sad because the pro shop and grill were pretty nice but completely dead. Maybe the only good thing was that it was only $13 for 9 holes but you can play 18 at the Landings for $28 after noon.
I'll go back if they fix up the course but a lot of better spots for the same price in the area.
Very disappointed - was hoping the new greens would generate more interest to play here. Such a shame because the layout is wonderful.
Tarpon Woods GC
The worst golf course you have ever seen. A crime that they charge anybody to play this goat track when ALL 18 greens are destroyed. They are fixing them or maybe just let them go. Please save your money and play else where. Nothing good to say about this track.
Maybe Jan Stephenson will issue you an apology.
Sorry to see this course in such bad shape.
I've have enjoyed playing this course since 1990, it's had it's share of ups and downs over 30 years but it's reached the end of it's useful life. This is hard to say but this is one course that I'd be willing to let the developers take over for condo's. Money wise it would be in the owners best interests to close the course and sell the property as it cannot continue like it is.
Very sad indeed.
Don’t waste your time or money
This is the worse maintained course I have ever played. It’s so bad words cannot describe how bad but I will try. Fairways have weeds all over on some fairways it’s hard to tell fairways from the rough. It’s all rough. Sand traps are like hitting on concrete except for the weeds growing in them. Greens if you want to call them that are scarce at best some greens have sod patches in them. We left after 7 of 18 holes that’s all the misery we could stand. I expressed my concerns to the lady in the golf shop and all she could say is that this is not the worse golf course. If it’s not the worse I hope I never find a course in worse condition with disregard to any kind of maintenance. It’s such a shame because the lay out of the course is nice at least the front nine. Not sure about the back nine. What should have been a clue that something was wrong was when I pulled in the parking lot at 7:30am on Saturday and their was only one other car In the parking lot. Don’t waste your time or money.
I just played this course and haven't laughed this hard in a long time because of how accurate this is.
A good course gone bad
This has all the potential to be a good course, nothing special but an engaging layout. The course was in pretty rough shape. The greens were like carpet and hard to get a feel for. The owner is very full of herself, its evident by the pro shop with pictures of herself lining the walls and a risque glamour shot hanging in the bathroom.
Greens are ROUGH
8 of us played this morning.and were surprised how poor the greens were.. Love the layout but the course overall has declined.. All over the Bay area, greens are in great shape, even at muni's. Also, there was no beverage cart service and the inside restaurant was understaffed. Doubtful I will book this facility again.
A course in bad condition and whit bad management
If I was named Jan Stephenson I would be ashamed to say that I am involved in this course. We have been playing here for many years and think the course is nice but today was probably the last time for a long time.
Since the course have been bad we asked how the course was and got an answer that it was in perfect condition. We paid 33 usd each which many courses take around but then they are in good condition.
In recent years the course has not improved, rather retained its poor class year in and year out. The Tee are bad, the greens are distressed, that they are slow is one thing but they are also uneven, lot of weeds in them, damaged surfaces that are improved with sand. That can certainly work, but when you see that the same dead surfaces remain year in and year out you could wondering if this is the right way. No sand in the bunkers. The fact that a minor tip of broken things back of the clubhouse remains there year in and year out is also surprising. The scorecard show the wrong information and have done that for many years.
When we were very disappointed we decided to complain about the round. We got to talk to the manager and expected him to appreciate our views and maybe think a bit. But judge our surprise when we met an arrogant man who defends the course's condition and thinks it is fantastic. He absolutely could not agree with us and thought we were wrong. With such Management this course will go under which would be a shame.
Jan Stephenson's Crossroads Foundation should think about future of this course and even think about if that is the right people running it. I can promise that Jan would not like to play there.
It will take a long time until we play here again - if ever again but we hope it will be better.
Tips read other reviews so can you see this is not something new.
Bad experience
It will take a long time until we play here again - if ever again.
We come to Florida 3 - 4 times per year and have been doing that for more than 20 years. In the last 10 years we have played the course both spring and autumn. We started before the big renovation of the course so we have seen both sides. But the last years we have noticed that nothing is happening. The same problems are still there year after year.
The greens are slow, lot of grass on it, lot of dead spots which they try to fix with sand. The tees are in terrible shape.
We asked before we played how the course were and was told it was in excellent shape so we decided to try it once more. It’s was a bad decision. The course was in really bad shape.
When we finished we decided to go in and friendly tell them that we was really disapointed of the condition. We met the Boss who said it was depending on the cold weather, the warm weather, the rain and so on. He defended the course and sad it was in good shape.
Other courses in the same area are in very good condition. If they have had problems during the years, they have fixed it.
not even worth the 25 $
Course was in deploreable shape. No wonder no one else was playing. Went with a group of High school buddies for our 50th reunion. Had rained some a couple days ago but course was extremely muddy, approaches to green were terrible, we lost balls all over course due to plugged lies even in fairways. Greens themselves were some of worst I've ever played. The SLOWEST I have ever played, by end of round was using hybrid to try and reach hole on longer putts. Lay out was kind of interesting, lots of doglegs with Oak trees etc blocking shots if you hit to the wrong side.Only saving grace was 19th hole bar grill. Food good, nice selection of draft beer, service kind of slow.
On the way back
Friday 8am only 1 car in lot. 2.5 hrs to get around. Course getting in shape again. Most greens in very good shape with only a few having some sand spots. Fairways very good as they can now cut them after all the rain. Only downside is bunkers. Grass growing only dirt no sand. They need major upgrade there.due to rsons csnt cut rough low enough so its tall and thick. Give it a shot again!
Greens are gone
More than half of the greens have large areas that are dirt or sand and one was almost totally dead. When we complained that $49 was to much for a course with dead greens we were basically ignored. Go elsewhere. Don't believe rebuttal that only 2 greens have an issue.
happy it's coming back
Our first time playing again since Jan Stephenson took over. I was dismayed by the recent negative reviews. I think one needs to know what winter Florida golf conditions are like. The course was indeed in disrepair before 2009. This past Sunday we played in under 4 hours albeit a foggy start to the day and they didn't seem very busy. Staff very friendly and being a Navy vet I was made to feel very appreciated. Fairways were better than some local courses. One must realize that this time of the year Bermuda grass is dormant. Instead of having to use ones putter from everywhere off the green, chipping was very possible using other clubs. Yes the greens were top-dressed to stimulate lusher growth but they were smooth, rolled true, and were of decent speed. The layout is very enjoyable, variable, and memorable. Overall a very enjoyable round and we were glad to have returned after many years away. My wife would appreciate more forward red tees!
Cow track
the reviews said updated course well not so much fairway horrible greens had grass missing bring lots of balls because where you think your ball landed it its not you wont find your ball $12 for a cold hot dog and a coke staff is very rude I told them about the conditions they said no one twisted my arm to play there never again if you like geriatric players this is your place if you care about your golf game find another
I'm sorry that you had a bad day at the course. Only 2 greens had an area on them, but they were still playable and rolled good. The restaurant and the golf course are separate businesses, if you were unhappy with the food or service, please let the owner know.
Extremly slow play.
If you don't mind 1) mowers on the greens while trying to play; plus the greens were more sand than grass. I understading arriating,is a must, but usually the sand is washed down afaterwards; 2) average age of player must be 90, so that equals extremely slow play; 3) 5+ hours for a game of golf and 4) starters rushing you thru when there no where to go.. Apparently to just screw you game up. Then this is the course for you. I will NEVER play this course again.
I'm sorry that you did not have a good experience. By county code, we cannot start mowing until 6:45am, we have golfers of ALL ages that play here, Hopefully you will try us again.
Bad Greens - Yellow Grass Everywhere
Greens on every hole exhibit patches of problem areas - surrounding areas are either sand or yellowed grass. Fairways are good and so are the tee boxes. Layout is great - shame that it is not kept up. Also very unfriendly when you book online.
Mr. Hoszko, you book through Paradise Golf, so I would suggest contacting them for your "unfriendly online booking". You live on the course but you continue to put down the course on every site you find. The course is in good condition, with only 2 greens that had areas, but still playable and rolled good.
A Goat Ranch
This is a great course layout, but it is now a “Goat Ranch.” Jan Stephenson bought it Andy said she was going to bring to back to its “glory days.”
Well don’t waste your time suing here. The greens are terrible. Fairways have weeds every where. How long does it take, Jan?
Turning around a golf course that has had no attention, no water, no fertilizer, etc for more than 10 years, does not happen over night. The course was under Jan's control for only 4 months when you played. Hopefully you will give it another try.
loopsided
The course is coming back, sort of... There are quite a few holes that are in great shape, but then there are others that are just unplayable. A few of the greens are just a disaster. I would say most of the fairways and tee boxes are in fair shape, not great, borderline good, but fair... and the sand traps dont drain. The staff was friendly and for weekend morning there was nobody else on the course. Overall it was an enjoyable round, just wish the course was in better shape.
Be coming a worthwhile course to consider to play again
Been years since I even considered playing here. Went from bad to disaster a number of years ago. New ownership seems to be making a different. Fairways are OK. greens for the most part are playable, even the brown areas are smooth and grassy. Still has a way to go but you should consider booking a tee time here and see for yourself.....
Nothing short of a miracle
My buddies and I used to joke that this course was built on Indian burial ground numerous owners and yet this beautiful classic course was beyond playable. I saw some good reviews recently and decided to give it another shot and was absolutely blown away ! Ive never seen the greens as good as they are right now. The rest of the course was very good as well and will improve I’m sure being the new owners have only been there barely a year. Definitely worth playing great value . A job well done to Jan Stephenson for bringing this course back .
We appreciate your honest feedback and apologize for your poor experience when you played. Unfortunately, due to a lack of rain our fairways have suffered. Our Golf Superintendent is working feverishly to accommodate this and get the greens back in the best possible shape. Thank you again for your feedback. Please reach out to the General Manager, Matt Cote, at 904-564-9129. Thank you again.