Courses, Travel & Tee Times

Heritage Isles Golf Country Club is one of the toughest tests in the Tampa Bay region

If you're a golfer in the Tampa Bay area, take the time and play Heritage Isles Golf & Country Club. The Jed Azinger and Gordon Lewis design has some of the best greens in the region, but you'll have to hit it straight and play smart to shoot a low score, Jeff Berlinicke writes.

Island Course at Innisbrook resort near Tampa Florida as tough as the Copperhead maybe tougher

The Island Course doesn't get as much attention as the Copperhead at Innisbrook Golf & Spa Resort, but it's just as tough. While the Larry and Roger Packard design features plenty of water, it can be tamed if the wind isn't at its peak, Jeff Berlinicke writes.

Babe Zaharias Golf Course in Tampa Florida brings back plenty of memories

You don't hear much about Babe Zaharias Golf Course in Tampa, and that's too bad. It's not only a great course for beginners, but it's also a great history lesson for young girls getting their start in golf. The course is tight, challenging and worth every dollar, Jeff Berlinicke writes.

North Course is the perfect opening play at Innisbrook golf resort near Tampa

The North Course at Innisbrook in Palm Harbor is the shortest of the resort's four courses, playing to 6,325 yards. It's a great way to start a week at Innisbrook and the perfect warmup for its sister courses, Copperhead and Island. The North is in immaculate shape, and Innisbrook offers a great week for a golf junket with superior facilities and challenging golf courses.

East Bay Golf Club in Largo is a refreshing change from the status quo

East Bay Golf Club in Largo, Fla. is worth playing because it offers a challenge with water on 12 holes -- plus great service. You don't have to ask about course conditions; the staff will let you know before you have the chance to ask. It's a rarity in golf, so that alone makes East Bay a great destination, especially if you are in town with the family and want to play 18 while the family spends the day right down the road at the beach.

At Ron Garl s Northdale Golf Tennis Club in Tampa don t let a little noise ruin a fun round of golf

Located near the airport, planes fly directly over Tampa's Northdale Golf & Tennis Club almost minutes apart. Tune out the noise, however, and Northdale is a pleasant golf experience, with tall cypress trees and well placed lakes creating challenging shots from tee to green. The 6,824-yard Ron Garl design is kept in excellent shape year-round and isn't cluttered with houses.

Great price and 27 holes: Don't overlook Silver Dollar Golf Club north of Tampa

Silver Dollar Golf Club in Odessa, Fla. is a great course for players looking to knock a few strokes off the handicap. You won't lose a lot of golf balls, and you can bring along a beginner for the fun of it. For 27 holes and a great rate, it offers a decent round with some tough fairways leading to larger greens. It's a great daylong golf outing for beginners or those prepping for one of the Tampa area's big boys.

At Cove Cay Country Club in Clearwater, the customer comes first

Clearwater's Cove Cay Country Club, while not among the top shelf of Tampa-area golf courses, is challenging. Water comes into play on most holes and, when it doesn't, trees make up for the difference. The real draws here, though, are the low green fees and the outstanding customer service. In an area with this many golf courses, it's the small things that make a difference, and the team at Cove Cay knows it.

History at a low price: Tampa's Rogers Park Golf Course

There's a history to Rogers Park G.C. unlike any other in the Tampa Bay region. The golf course itself -- once the only place African-Americans could play golf in Tampa -- may not be one of the area's premier plays, but for a muni that costs a lot less than some of the big boys in the area, it holds its own. It's also a great starter course for kids, Jeff Berlinicke writes.

Lansbrook Golf Club in Palm Harbor shows off its new design courtesy of Ron Garl

A few years ago, Lansbrook Golf Club was one of the dark sheep in the Tampa golf scene. Things have changed since Ron Garl took over and redesigned the course, making Lansbrook one of the nicer plays in the Tampa Bay area. It's a tough course that has teeth, and it's a good bargain with great customer service.