prs210

Perhaps my expectations were too high from the start; I read that this Hebert Strong course continues to host the prestigious ‘New Year’s Invitational, the longest running amateur tournament in the Southeast, as well as PGA Tour events in the past. The course is relying heavily on its natural talent—the track makes one large counter-clockwise loop through a residential neighborhood, successfully incorporating pockets of water, long-standing standing trees, and small greens as formidable challenges. That said, the course now appears to be struggling from significant underinvestment. From the pro shop, to the first tee, and for the next 18 holes you’ll wince at what’s become of the historic track. If not just dated, the slow greens and shallow dirt bunkers , in particular, scream ‘muni’ as opposed to Country Club.

Wonderful all-grass driving range and smooth-rolling Bermuda grass practice green combine for a great practice facility. Holes 1 and 2 are fairly straight-forward warmups before the coming bombardment of natural wetlands, fairway bunkers, and greenside bunkers spoil your hopes for a low round. I appreciated that TPC TB is one of the only two courses in the Tampa Bay area to be designated as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, and can see how some publications include the course in their ‘top in state’ rankings. Unfortunately it’s not a course for walkers given significant distance between a few holes, but I found the challenging and non-repetitive holes coupled with demanding pins worthy of a recommendation even though the course got the best of me.

Pine Barren has long been on my bucket list given its positive review, so without hesitation I drove the 75min from St. Petersburg to try the test. I was genuinely impressed with the 360degree grass practice range. From the tee box, I found the optics of each drive created a smaller than actual target area (a welcomed challenge) and that each hole had plenty of bale-out zone. One thing I did not like was the sandy soil; I cant remember a round where I drew so many horrific lies, with the ball plugged deep into waste-area or greenside bunker sand. The greens were fair-- not overly difficult. I do think a 2nd attempt at this course would yield better scoring results, given the abundance of waste-land and trees requiring knowledge of target areas. But for now, Ive had enough of that sand!

This is a hidden gem just 20min from Midtown Manhattan. The pictures in the Men's Locker/Grill serve as a constant reminder of the colorful history of this 1914 Donald Ross track, which has stayed true to form over the many years as exemplified by the square greens that slope back-to-front. The frustratingly slick but always true greens are the signature feature of this course. Par 4s #7 and #12 play as two of the most challenging holes; #7 demanding a long-iron to an elevated two-tier green, and #12 similarly long with a creek crossing the fairway to connect with a pond that runs up the left-side towards the green. Other holes require constant course management, particularly as it relates to one's ability to 2putt. A special treat if you get the invitation to play this course.