Tampa FL Golf Weekend

Golf Digest, 2/10, 2/06

T&L Golf, Nov/Dec 2003 & Nov/Dec 2005

Drinking Made Easy, 11/11

  Innisbrook

My Town: Brittany Lincicome

The Kraft Nabisco champion says her home is a place where golfers who love the beach will have plenty to do

By Ron Sirak, Golf Digest February 8, 2010

Brittany Lincicome has lived a life of golf in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area. It's where the reigning Kraft Nabisco champ first started playing the game, and where she was first exposed to professional golf when the JCPenney Classic, a mixed-team PGA Tour/LPGA event, was held at Innisbrook Resort. "I was a standard bearer from age 10 to 15," she says. "This allowed me to meet Tiger Woods and get a picture with him his first year on tour. My parents have the life-size picture on our wall at home." But it was John Daly and Laura Davies, long hitters like Lincicome, she always worked for. "I have such great memories from that tournament. I wish they would bring it back so I could play." Lincicome, who lives in Seminole, starts the LPGA season in Singapore and Thailand this month, but her heart is always at home.

Courses: Bardmoor G&CC is where I have played golf since I was 9. I still live near there, so I'm biased. It went through a renovation by Gary Koch in 2003. I just always feel like I am at home there. St. Petersburg CC is a very gracious, fun, old-style kind of place. The atmosphere is charming. You feel like you are someplace special. The Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort, where the PGA Tour's Transitions Championship is held, is probably the course people are most familiar with. You should definitely check it out, but appreciate that it's just a really, really hard course. It's always in perfect tour playing condition. It's long and a real challenge. When you're playing it, be on the lookout for the "monkey squirrels." They're usually running all around the course and are fun to watch. I love them.

Dining: One place I really enjoy going to is Arigato. It's a Japanese steakhouse where I always get the chicken-and-shrimp combo. My parents say I've been going there since the day I was born. There is something about their sauces that make it 100 percent better than any other Japanese place. For a sports bar, you should look for Nickel City Bar & Grille in Pinellas Park. They have the best blue cheese dipping sauce for wings. It's got chunks of blue cheese in it. It honestly makes me hungry just talking about it.

Entertainment: If it's baseball or hockey season, definitely try getting to either a Tampa Bay Rays or Tampa Bay Lightning game. They're really fun to go to and not too expensive.

Where To Stay: The Don CeSar is right on St. Pete's beach. The hotel is big and pink and has a beautiful white sand beach in front. It's an old-fashioned place that's been there for years. It has a nice old-Florida feel to it. You can't go wrong with anywhere on the beach, but this place is special.

Don't Miss: If you're on a trip with your family, you need to make some time for Busch Gardens. What kid -- or adult really -- doesn't like a good theme park? The Florida Aquarium and Lowery Park Zoo also make for nice day trips. Another place to think about is John's Pass. It's an entertainment area along the water near St. Petersburg and has a boardwalk, restaurants and a bunch of neat shops. They also have places to go parasailing, and you can rent jet skis. It's very fun and great for out-of-towners.

Zane Lamprey's Drinking Made Easy Guide To Tampa, 2011

Zane, Steve and the Drinking Made Easy crew take on Tampa Bay Florida. They explore the rich cultural history of Ybor City, taste some of the fine locally crafted beers and spirits, play around on the bay and get “fired-up” with some unique nightlife. Tampa is the 3rd largest city in Florida and features a dynamic Cuban influence, a number of local distilleries and breweries, and is the birthplace of world the famous Hooters Restaurant!

WHERE WE WENT
Cigar City Brewing: Cigar City Brewing was founded with two goals in mind. The first to make the world’s best beer and the second to share with people near and far the fascinating culture and heritage of the Cigar City of Tampa. 3924 W Spruce Street, Suite A Tampa, Florida 33607

Hooters-Clearwater: The first Hooters opened October 4, 1983, in Clearwater, Florida. During its history, the Hooters concept has undergone very little change. The current logo, uniform, menu and ambiance are all very similar to what existed in the original store. Hooters has over 460 restaurants in the US, and 27 in other countries. 2800 Gulf to Bay Boulevard Clearwater, FL 33759 (727) 797-4008

Empire Winery and Distillery: Opened in 2006 by 4th generation polish distiller Henry Kosprow, Empire Winery produces a number of award winning spirits including their signature V6 vodka create from rye. 11807 Little Road New Port Richey Florida 34654, 727.819.2821

Columbia Restaurant: The original Columbia Restaurant, located in the historic Ybor City neighborhood in Tampa, Florida, is the oldest Spanish restaurant in the United States and one of the largest in the world. Founded in 1905 in, the landmark is still owned by the Hernandez/Gonzmart family and serves Spanish and Cuban cuisine. 800 2nd Avenue N.E. St. Petersburg, FL 33701

Berns Steak House: Bern’s Steak House is famous for not only its food, much of which is organic and grown especially for Bern’s, but also for its massive wine list. Bern’s has the largest wine list of any restaurant in the world with over 7,000 different wines. Or order a Bern's Sidecar. 1208 S. Howard Ave, Tampa, FL 33606-813.251.2421

The Mandarin Hide: A pre-prohibition style cocktail bar in St. Petersburg with signature drinks, music, and an old-timey aura. 231 Central Avenue, Saint Petersburg Fl 33701

Tampa Long Weekend

With more than 100 public-access courses, excellent weather and exciting nongolf attractions, Florida's west coast is hot

By Pete McDaniel 
Golf Digest, February 2006

Its lovable losers became Super Bowl champions, and the young NHL franchise won a Stanley Cup. Even the struggling baseball team is hungry and talking more optimistically after hiring its fourth manager in nine seasons. Yes, Tampa Bay is a sports-crazed region on the come. But there's a lot more to the area than tailgate parties and office football pools.

Tampa today is a sprawling area on Florida's west coast, where button-down business types, senior citizens and non-English speaking immigrants form one of the five most diverse, urban areas in the country. Residential development and an influx of new businesses have spurred Tampa's recent boom. The two-year-old Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is already a prime destination for high rollers and a stage for big-time boxing matches. Trump Towers broke ground downtown last fall, propelling development to even greater heights.

Golf course development hasn't exactly kept pace. Only two courses (Heritage Harbor Golf & Country Club in Lutz and Lake Jovita's North Course in Dade City) are less than 10 years old. But that doesn't mean there's a shortage. There are more than 100 daily-fee, resort and semiprivate courses in the Tampa area, and we're including Tampa, St. Petersburg and several small towns such as Brooksville and Largo. There are classic designs by the world's top architects and well-conditioned munys for the value-conscious. The weather's good, too. Average temperature year-round is 72 degrees, with a consistent breeze off Gulf Coast waters keeping things cooler than the rest of Central Florida.

Additionally, Tampa Bay has pristine beaches, world-class fishing and other water sports. In a major revitalization project, developers transformed Latin-flavored Ybor City, a national historic landmark district once known as the cigar capital of the world, into a vibrant collection of shops, fine eateries, museums and nightclubs. Busch Gardens, home to the only dive roller-coaster (200 feet face down) in North America, is another can't-miss attraction.

In 1513, Ponce de Leon set sail just south of Tampa in search of the Fountain of Youth. Pulsating Tampa is the embodiment of that regenerative spirit. Conversely, with few exceptions, its golf is deeply rooted, traditional fare. And there's nothing wrong with that.

TWO FOR THE SHOW
The Westin Innisbrook Golf Resort
Copperhead Course, Palm Harbor, 727-942-2000, $140-$240. The resort is trying to position itself as Central Florida's answer to Pinehurst. The Copperhead is not in Pinehurst No. 2's league, but it's a formidable layout. It's long (7,340 yards from the tips), difficult (134 Slope Rating) and relentless. It also features one of Chicago architect Lawrence Packard's signature double doglegs on the 590-yard 14th and some sinister par 4s. Greens are undulating, with several difficult hole locations, and if the Bermuda rough is anywhere near tournament-ready, get ready for a workout.

Island Course, Palm Harbor, 727-942-2000, $110-$210. Target golf at its best, the Island course provides the player with three distinct designs over six-hole stretches. The first six holes are reminiscent of South Carolina lowcountry, the next six look like the sand hills of North Carolina complete with elevation changes, and the incoming six are a traditional Midwestern style. Accuracy is tested most over the initial stretch of holes where water hazards and jungle await errant shots. The 565-yard seventh—a double dogleg—is the No. 1-handicap hole, with water in play off the tee and on the second shot.

OUT OF THIS WORLD
World Woods Golf Club
Pine Barrens Course, Brooksville, 352-796-5500, $50-$140. World Woods opened in 1993 among livestock and wildlife. Remoteness remains a major part of its charm. Tom Fazio combined his love of iconic venues Augusta National and Pine Valley to carve Pine Barrens out of Florida's back country. The course has a bit of an eastern North Carolina feel with towering pines and sand dunes. At 6,902 yards, it's not long by today's standards, but there are several brutes that command attention, including the 470-yard 12th. It features a huge waste bunker guarding an elevated green without a level lie on its smallish surface. Hit it in there, and bogey or worse is almost assured.

Rolling Oaks Course, Brooksville, 352-796-5500, $40-$130. With magnolia, dogwood and azalea in bloom nearly year-round, plus Spanish moss-lined fairways, Rolling Oaks is the more aesthetically pleasing of the two courses. It has a nice mixture of short and long par 3s, including the 234-yard (from the tips) 16th that's all carry, though it plays downhill. Left are trees and hazards. More often than not, a reload is necessary. The ninth is bordered on the left by a lake and on the right by huge pine trees. Try to cut too much off the 15th, and a cavernous bunker awaits in the middle of the dogleg. Rolling fairways are generous, and the greens, though not quite as undulating as those at the sister course, are sloping enough to give below-average putters a headache.

BEST OF THE REST
TPC of Tampa Bay, Lutz, 813-949-0090, $79-$153. Designed by Bobby Weed and Chi Chi Rodriguez, the course has been home to a Champions Tour event since 1992, most recently the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am. It's routed through natural wetlands, and water comes into play on 15 holes. The ninth, a 472-yard dogleg left with a water hazard running nearly its length and protecting the dogleg, gets most of the notoriety because it's practically unreachable against the wind for the average player. Uneven lies are the norm, which makes chips and pitches tricky.

Lake Jovita Golf & Country Club (South Course), Dade City, 352-588-9200, $89-$119. One of the best-kept secrets in Central Florida, the South Course is scenic and challenging. The Tom Lehman-Kurt Sandness collaboration gets your attention from the outset and keeps it to the last putt.

The North Course (not yet rated) is more benign, with generous fairways and greens. The elevation changes aren't typical Florida fare. Both have five sets of tees for players of all skill levels.

Saddlebrook Resort (Palmer Course), Wesley Chapel, 813-973-1111, $70-$180. Saddlebrook is a golf course community and a resort. It's home to Saddlebrook Preparatory, which combines a college prep academic program with golf training. Arnold Palmer's golf academy attracts juniors from around the world. The Palmer course is short (6,641 from the tips) and geared toward fans of target golf. The fairway mounding is similar to what Jack Nicklaus used during his early years as a course designer. Sister course Saddlebrook, with narrow fairways and water hazards on 17 holes, is a revamped (by Palmer) version of a Dean Refram design.

Bardmoor Golf & Tennis Club, Largo, 727-392-1234, $54-$96. Because of its playability and affordability, Bardmoor is a favorite of locals and tourists. The parkland layout has fairly generous fairways and hazards that come into play only for the severely accuracy-challenged, so pace of play is not compromised. The 529-yard eighth hole is an example of several risk-reward holes. Long hitters can carry a water hazard that crosses the fairway about 260 yards out, but they must still negotiate a water hazard to the right of the green and out-of-bounds to the left. If tradition is your thing, Hall of Famers Pat Bradley, Nancy Lopez, JoAnne Carner, Beth Daniel, Tom Kite and Curtis Strange were all winners of the JCPenney Classic played there 13 times in the 1970s and '80s.

HOW TO GET THERE
Tampa International Airport is an hour south of Brooksville, the farthest point from downtown Tampa among Bay-area courses. That's via the Sun Coast/Veterans Parkway completed a few years ago. Prior to that, the most direct route from the airport to World Woods was I-75 North-Highway 50 West-State Road 98. Total time: 90 minutes, non-rush hour. Road construction is prevalent on a lot of the routes and access roads around Tampa Bay, including Interstates 4, 75 and 275, and state roads 19 and 98. Early tee times are a must to avoid the high-volume traffic.

From Nov/Dec 2003 and Nov/Dec 2005 T&L Golf articles:

The Florida Gulf Coast's minor inferiority complex (sugar-sand beaches but no waves, and it's not Miami) is changing in today's new, trendy Tampa with an actual overabundance of area ego-boosting courses.

Where To Play: Mention Tampa to most golf afficianados, and their minds jump to Westin Innisbrook's Copperhead Course ($80-$200, resort guests only; for more info, see Copperhead Course @ Westin Innisbrook), host to the PGA Tour's Chrysler Championship, with a feel more Carolina than Florida. The resort is an 1,100-acre retreat with 72 quality holes. Innisbrook's sister Island course, hemmed in by cypress swamps, moss-draped oaks, and citrus groves, strategic bunkering, and risk/reward options; it's just as hilly as the Copperhead, and a hair shorter. The Highlands North and South aren't quite as daunting, but deliver an aesthetically pleasing round with water as a main feature on the North.

An easy hour north on the Suncoast Parkway brings you to World Woods GC ($40-$120, Brooksville, 352-796-5500, see also World Woods GC for my reviews). Tom Fazio's famed Pine Valley tribute, the Pine Barrens course, gets all the rankings; but his sister Rolling Oaks course emulates Augusta and is the staff favorite. However, conditions on both can be iffy. In between rounds, rest up at the Park Inn in Hamosassa.

Also in Brooksville, Dunes GC ($40-$45, 325-596-7888, www.dunesgolfclub.com) is a great value Arthur Hills design. Hills was handed a former WWII Air Force target range, and found the property pockmarked with sandy craters, many of which evolved into bunkers on the course.

Another worth-it hike from Tampa is the 90-minute trek to Jim Fazio's El Diablo G&CC ($30-$55, Citrus Springs, 888-886-1309, www.eldiablogolf.com). Gently sculpted fairways framed by burly oaks, loblolly pines, beautifully landscaped staggered tees, and steep-faced bunkers. Woven through lovely and isolated hardwood forests, it resembles the Garden of Eden more than any underworld, but watch out for the pot bunker on the par-3 15th, Florida's version of Pine Valley's "Devil's Asshole".

Longboat Key C&R Harbourside Course ($85-$140, Sarasota, 888-237-5545, www.longboatkeyclub.com, William Byrd) has five 9s end-to-end on a bayside spit. Harbourside is the more memorable routing, after a 2004 Ron Garl makeover. Peninsula greens and lovely stands of fig, pine, and palm trees abound.

A bit closer to town at 20 miles north you'll find TPC Tampa ($59-$145, Lutz, 866-752-9872, Bobby Weed & Chi Chi Rodriguez; see also TPC at Tampa Bay for my review), a Champions Tour venue marked by prominent stadium mounding that skirts plenty of water, wetlands, and cypress trees.

In Dade City you'll find Lake Jovita G&CC (352-588-9200, $85-$115), a Kurt Sandness/Tom Lehman design which is one of the hilliest courses in the state. The par-5 11th drops a dizzying 100-feet from tee to green. The dramatic terrain may not feel like FL, but the splendid day golfing most definitely will.

Saddlebrook Resort, Palmer ($105-$130, Wesley Chapel, Palmer & Seay, 800-729-8383, www.saddlebrook.com) is challenging for resort golf, with Arnie's trademark wide fairways and elevated greens demanding precise approaches.

Best Of The Rest:

Dunedin CC (formerly PGA National, $50-$59, Ross), Waterlefe G&RC ($35-$80, US Open qualifier), Silverthorn CC ($40-$65, Lee, tight fairways and inland winds), and Fox Hollow ($60-$90, RTJ Sr).

Orientation:

First time Tampa visitors should catch the drive across the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. I-75, and I-275 (bypassing downtown) run North-South, or take Veterans Pkwy to the airport, Busch Gardens, and points north. Tampa has a palpable sense of neighborhoods and local lore. Hit Ybor City for dining, nightlife, street-rolled cigars, and the neighborhood's own Ybor Gold beer.

Where To Stay:

Plantation Inn & GR (800-632-6262, Crystal River) has a sporty course of it's own. The 145-room inn is set on King's Bay. For grub, the Inn's Savannah Room offers solid fare. OR, nearby Charlie's Fish House (352-795-3949, Crystal River) offers more rustic dining, featuring always-fresh grouper.

Also try upscale options Belleview Biltmore ($159-$199, massive 1897 railroad tycoon digs with a Ross course, see My Review), Longboat Key ($240-$375, white sand beach), Renaissance Vinoy ($219-$269, bay views, 1920s Mediterranean Revival landmark), Ritz-Carlton Sarasota ($219-$269, new, big, and opulent), or the Westin Innisbrook ($149-$195, 900 acres of pools, attractions, and shuttles to get you there).

Further Diversions/Where To Grub:

After golf, head for nearby Tarpon Springs and stroll Dodecanese Blvd to savor the town's Greek heritage. Sponge diving attracted Greek divers here in the early 1900's, and today several boats at the nearby Sponge Decks are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. For authentic Greek fare, drop by Pappa's Riverside Restaurant (727-937-5101). Hit the Royal Conquest Pirate Cruise at Madiera Beach with the kids, or the Sunken Gardens in St. Petersburg.

Grub at the Thirsty Marlin (1023 FL Ave Palm Harbor, $$) for casual seafood, try the blackened grouper or mahi mahi. OR the Crab & Fin (420 St. Armands Cr Sarasota, $$$) for a great alfresco raw bar near chi-chi retail. OR Bern's Steakhouse (1208 S Howard Tampa, $$$$), a larger-than-life Tampa landmark, usually with a waiting list. Columbia Restaurant (2117 E 7th Tampa, $$$) is FL's oldest restaurant, a Ybor City institution, 100 years of a huge scene, seating 1700 in 15 rooms with Flamenco and classical dance performances in between Spanish dishes. OR Beach Bistro (6600 Gulf, Holmes Beach, Anna Maria Island, $$$$).

In Tempo In Tampa
Once underserved, this Gulf Coast hub is now teeming with hotels, restaurants and great places to play.
FROM T&L GOLF NOV 2005
by Tom Harack

A dark secret pervades the golf scene in Tampa. Dick Sutton will reveal it, but only if we promise to put our readers wise: "There is too damn much golf here," he says.

As president of the Ben Sutton Golf School, founded in 1968, just southeast of downtown, Sutton's perspective is that of an insider. Still, even a glance at the course listings for the region (including nearby Clearwater and St. Petersburg as well as Sarasota sixty miles to the south) shows that a huge proportion were built in the last decade and a half. Florida's Gulf Coast is no longer the underserved market it once was.

Too many courses, too little time? Life holds far more dire problems, and Tampa is a pleasant place to confront this one. Florida's third largest city, it has an abundance of something in short supply elsewhere in the state: a palpable sense of neighborhoods and local lore. There's Ybor City, known prior to the Cuban trade embargo as "Cigar City" and now a center for dining and nightlife; Tarpon Springs, the funky Greek sponge-fishing port; and the Gasparilla pirate ethos, inspiration for both an annual festival honoring the city's mythical invasion by a band of seafaring pillagers and the nickname of the NFL's Buccaneers.

WHERE TO PLAY
RITZ-CARLTON MEMBERS GOLF CLUB, SARASOTA
7295 Lorraine Road, Bradenton; 941-309-2000, ritzcarlton.com. Yardage: 7,549. Par: 72. Slope: N/A. Architect: Tom Fazio, 2005. Greens Fees: $165–$225, resort guests only. T+L GOLF Rating: ****1/2
Tom Fazio has said this course, scheduled to open in December, had the largest landscaping budget of any he's done in Florida—and that's saying a lot. The site is extravagant: more than 300 acres framed by the Braden River, its estuary and protected wetlands. Formerly a flat piece of farmland, the layout uses fill from sixteen excavated lakes to create mounding of up to thirty-five feet. The course also benefits from the planting of nearly 500 palm trees and scores of oaks, which lend a sense of maturity. The caddies in white coveralls don't hurt either.

WORLD WOODS GOLF CLUB, Pine Barrens
17590 Ponce DeLeon Boulevard, Brooksville; 352-796-5500, worldwoods.com. Architect: Tom Fazio, 1993. Yardage: 6,902. Par: 71. Slope: 136. Greens Fees: $40–$140. T+L GOLF Rating: ****1/2
Thanks to its huge waste bunkers, Pine Barrens is often referred to as "the closest most of us will ever get to Pine Valley." In terms of atmosphere (though by no means natural setting), World Woods brings to mind another mecca of American golf: Bandon Dunes. The club exudes a golf-only attitude and resides in the middle of nowhere—an hour from Tampa proper—unmarred by housing and entirely worth the trip. In addition to designing two eighteens here, Fazio created a nine-hole short course; a three-hole warm-up loop that consists of a par three, a par four and a par five; a thirty-six-hole putting course; and a large circular driving range. Pine Barrens itself offers ample creativity in terms of hole design. For example, the 330-yard fifteenth, a dogleg-right par four that has a split fairway and dares longer hitters to cut the corner and go for the green. A foursome recently hit for the cycle on the hole—a par, a birdie, an eagle and a double-eagle hole in one.

Longboat Key Club and Resort, Harbourside
301 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key; 888-237-5545, longboatkeyclub.com. Yardage: Red: 3,323; White: 3,426; Blue: 3,386. Slope: Red/Blue: 138; White/Blue: 141; Red/White: 132. Par: 72. Architect: William Byrd, 1982. Greens Fees: $85–$140. T+L GOLF Rating: ****
Although Longboat Key's five nines lie nearly end to end on a single bayside spit of land adjacent to fashionable Sarasota, the two courses here offer somewhat different experiences. The twenty-seven-hole Harbourside layout is the more memorable of the two, epitomized by the fifth hole on the Blue nine (recently renamed Blue Heron; the other two nines are soon to be "animalized" as well), a 580-yard par five with a peninsula green. It was one of several holes ratcheted up last year when the course received a thorough makeover by architect Ron Garl, who is based in nearby Lakeland. The White nine features lovely stands of fig and pine trees, not to mention several varieties of palms. Harbourside's sister course, Islandside, features water on all eighteen holes. It's most appealing for the hundreds of palms and white-and-pink oleanders lining the fairways.

TOURNAMENT PLAYERS CLUB OF TAMPA BAY
5300 West Lutz Lake Fern Road, Lutz; 813-949-0090, tpc.com. Yardage: 6,898. Par: 71. Slope: 135. Architects: Bobby Weed and Chi Chi Rodriguez, 1991. Greens Fees: $55–$99. T+L GOLF Rating: ****
There's plenty to like about this venue, the site of a Champions Tour event, but if you are spraying the ball, it will spray you back: All but three of the holes have water hazards, most of them very much in play, with a number of forced carries to relatively compact landing areas. This is partly a function of careful stewardship of the site's ecology, one of the pleasures of which is the abundance of shore birds, including sandhill cranes, wood storks, ibises and egrets. Like most TPCs, the operation here is courteous and efficient. Proximity to the airport makes this a great first or last stop.

THE WESTIN INNISBROOK GOLF RESORT, COPPERHEAD
36750 U.S. Highway 19 North, Palm Harbor; 727-942-2000, westin-innisbrook.com. Yardage: 7,340. Par: 71. Slope: 134. Architects: Lawrence and Roger Packard, 1972. Greens Fees: $170–$190, resort guests only. T+L GOLF Rating: ****
The site of the PGA Tour's Chrysler Championship (formerly the JC Penney Classic), Innisbrook has long been an icon of Florida golf. The irony is that, except for the Spanish moss and the odd alligator, the rolling terrain, sandy soil and conifer-lined fairways on the resort's flagship Copperhead course are more likely to remind you of the Carolinas. In fact, the layout has a bit of everything, including more than seventy bunkers, copious water hazards, long uphill carries and tricky putting surfaces.

WORLD WOODS GOLF CLUB, ROLLING OAKS
17590 Ponce DeLeon Boulevard, Brooksville; 352-796-5500, worldwoods.com. Architect: Tom Fazio, 1993. Yardage: 6,985. Par: 72. Slope: 133. Greens Fees: $40–$130. T+L GOLF Rating: ****
Rolling Oaks is more traditional in its bunkering than its more famous sister course, Pine Barrens, and generally less severe. But don't be lulled into a false sense of security: It does have some precipitous contours, which combined with dozens of striking live oaks give the course the feel of Texas hill country.

SADDLEBROOK RESORT, PALMER
5700 Saddlebrook Way, Wesley Chapel; 800-729-8383, saddlebrook.com. Yardage: 6,641. Par: 71. Slope: 134. Architects: Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay, 1986. Greens Fees: $105–$130.T+L GOLF Rating: ***1/2
There's some debate over which of Saddlebrook's two courses is the best. Regulars, who refer to the resort's original eighteen (designed by Dean Refram in 1976) as "the Old course," insist that it is a better layout than the Palmer (built a decade later). Although neither is particularly long or difficult, the Palmer course is the more exciting test of golf. It's wider off the tee, but elevated greens demand precise approach shots and a steady putter. The resort serves as the world headquarters of the Arnold Palmer Golf Academy, and several packages include daily instructional sessions.

BEST OF THE REST
Formerly PGA National (from 1945 to 1962), semiprivate Dunedin Country Club ($50–$59, 727-733-7836) is a worthy old Donald Ross design. Waterlefe Golf & River Club ($35–$80, 941-744-9771) in Bradenton has twice served as a U.S. Open qualifying site, despite being just five years old. Silverthorn Country Club ($40–$65, 352-799-2600) is a 1994 design by Florida legend Joe Lee combining tight fairways and open expanses subject to inland winds. Fox Hollow Golf Club ($60–$90, 727-376-6333) is part of a family of courses designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and Roger Rulewich that includes Crumpin-Fox and Fox Hopyard in New England. The well-groomed thirty-six-hole Lake Jovita Golf & Country Club ($65–$119, 877-481-2652) may become the next household name in Tampa golf. The topography, by Florida standards, is practically mountainous.

TAMPA PLUS
Orientation
Florida's comprehensive network of high-speed interstate highways notwithstanding, driving around the Sunshine State has never seemed easy. But Tampa's location on asymmetrical Tampa Bay, along with the half-dozen bridges that traverse it, manages to relieve the confusion wrought by the state's predominantly flat and featureless terrain. An early-morning or late-afternoon drive across the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, which connects St. Petersburg and the Sarasota area, is de rigueur for any first-time visitor.

Speaking of interstates, I-75 and I-275 both travel north–south, the former allowing you to bypass downtown Tampa. The two-year-old Veterans Expressway has greatly expedited travel to points north of the city, including the airport, Busch Gardens and several of the region's top courses. Apart from an inner-city bus system with twenty-eight routes, an "in-town" trolley system connects many of the downtown neighborhoods, including Ybor City and Channelside.

Situated just seven miles from downtown, Tampa International Airport is frequently cited in passenger surveys as one of the nation's most user-friendly. Two terminals have been added in the past three years, to accommodate the expanded flight schedules of Southwest Airlines and a newcomer, Independence Air. Across the bay is St. Petersburg–Clearwater International Airport and to the south is Sarasota–Bradenton International Airport, both of them favorites among Canadians.

Tampa's official web site, visittampabay.com, provides some good basic information; or call 800-448-2672. [My Note: a recent discussion with a business colleague who is moving to Tampa in '06 says real estate is suprisingly affordable, claiming you can get a 3 bedroom with a screened-in pool for around $300m]

Other Attractions
Tampa's farrago of neighborhoods and natural assets—starting with its three-dozen beaches—makes winnowing the choices of nongolf activities a lot more difficult than identifying them. As you would expect in the prosperous, upscale metropolis, there are plenty of shopping options. Channelside offers a waterfront atmosphere, restaurants, an IMAX theatre and shops unique to Tampa, while International Plaza counts such national chains as Tiffany & Co. and Neiman Marcus among its 200 retail outlets. Old Hyde Park Village is set in one of the city's oldest and most architecturally distinguished neighborhoods. University Mall and are known for their vast array of department stores, specialty shops and eateries.

During the peak production years of the late 1800s, Cuban and Italian immigrants hand-rolled seven million cigars a year in Ybor City (pronounced EE-bor). Since being designated a national historic district in 1991, the neighborhood, Tampa's liveliest for nightlife, has become more diversified, but you can still watch tabaqueros ply their craft. The festive atmosphere includes restored turn-of-the-century architecture, nightclubs, boutiques, coffeehouses and the district's own trademark beer, Ybor Gold. It is also a great place for a Cuban sandwich, made with Cuban bread, ham, pork, Genoa salami, cheese, mustard and pickle, then flattened and crisped.

With more than 10,000 aquatic plants and animals, the Florida Aquarium is among the most thoughtfully put together in the country, not to mention the most participatory: Hands-on experiences include a sea urchin touching tank, catamaran tours of the bay in search of dolphin and other sea life, and a chance to don a wet suit to swim with fish and even dive with sharks. Naturally, those inclined to dive with sharks will want to follow up with a ride on SheiKra, the new roller coaster at Busch Gardens. The tallest roller coaster in Florida—technically a "dive coaster," a North American first, with its ninety-degree 200-foot drop—it is also the first to feature an Immelman loop, which combines a roll with the standard roller-coaster loop.

A sense of Tampa Bay's barrier islands comes in entertaining form on a Royal Conquest Pirate Cruise departing from Madeira Beach and sailing past Treasure Island and Boca Ciega Bay and into the Gulf of Mexico.

The region's lush, semitropical climate merges with some fascinating urban history at Sunken Gardens, a century-old botanical garden in St. Petersburg with cascading waterfalls and exotic birds.

WHERE TO STAY
BELLEVIEW BILTMORE RESORT, BEACH CLUB, GOLF CLUB & SPA
25 Belleview Boulevard, Clearwater; 800-237-8947, belleviewbiltmore.com. Rooms: $159–$199. Suites: $179–$259.
Perched atop white-sand bluffs, this Victorian hotel, built in 1897 by railroad tycoon Henry B. Plant, is one of the nation's first to connect grand living and golf. Its 244 rooms and suites emanate a turn-of-the-century charm, and guests get playing privileges at the nearby golf club of the same name, a vintage 1925 Donald Ross design.

LONGBOAT KEY CLUB AND RESORT
301 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key; 888-237-5545, longboatkeyclub.com. Rooms: $240–$375. Suites: $315–$1,150.
All 202 of the guest rooms and suites here have private balconies. The resort also has four restaurants, a year-round "Kids Klub," a spa, a fitness center and a white-sand beach.

RENAISSANCE VINOY RESORT & GOLF CLUB
501 Fifth Avenue NE, St. Petersburg; 727-894-1000, vinoyrenaissanceresort.com. Rooms: $219–$269. Suites: $369–$1,500.
Located near downtown St. Petersburg and offering great views of the bay, this restored 1920s Mediterranean Revival landmark has 360 rooms, including fourteen grand suites, as well as a spa and other first-class amenities.

THE RITZ-CARLTON, SARASOTA
1111 Ritz-Carlton Drive, Sarasota; 800-241-3333, ritzcarlton.com. Rooms: $269–$459. Suites: $329–$519. A typically opulent Ritz-Carlton, this recently opened hotel has 266 rooms and suites, including Club Level accommodations, all with private balconies that offer bay, marina or skyline views.

THE WESTIN INNISBROOK GOLF RESORT
36750 U.S. Highway 19 North, Palm Harbor; 877-752-1480, westin-innisbrook.com. Rooms: $149–$195. Suites: $179–$425.
Arguably the best-known Tampa golf resort, this 900-acre property has a bit of everything, including what it calls the "Loch Ness Monster Pool." A continuously running shuttle system moves guests around to the resort's various attractions.

WHERE TO EAT
BEACH BISTRO
(Gulf Coast/Mediterranean) 6600 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, Anna Maria Island; 941-778-6444. $$$$
You can live with entrée names like Food Heaven—Iowa lamb crowned with Maine lobster and Hudson Valley foie gras on brioche bread pudding—when the cuisine is this good.

BERN'S STEAK HOUSE
(Steak) 1208 South Howard Avenue, Tampa; 813-251-2421. $$$$A Tampa landmark, this Westshore restaurant is larger than life: two dozen caviars, private dessert rooms and a prodigious wine collection. Even with 350 seats, there is often a waiting list.

COLUMBIA RESTAURANT
(Spanish) 2117 East Seventh Avenue, Tampa; 813-248-4961. $$$This is Florida's oldest restaurant, an Ybor City institution celebrating its centennial in 2005. The place is quite a scene, seating 1,700 people in fifteen rooms, with flamenco and classical dance performances six days a week.

CRAB & FIN
(Raw Bar/Seafood) 420 St. Armands Circle, Sarasota; 941-388-3964. $$$ There are a dozen restaurants, many of them with outdoor seating, and numerous retail outlets surrounding the round park that is St. Armands Circle.  Crab & Fin is notable for its extensive wine list, including pairings for its numerous raw-bar selections. marchand's bar and grill (Continental) 501 Fifth Avenue NE, St. Petersburg; 727-894-1000. $$$$The flagship restaurant of the Renaissance Vinoy, this high-ceilinged, sconce-lit room has the feel of a grand ballroom. The steak and fish selections, including a vanilla-dusted Chilean sea bass, are superb.

PELAGIA TRATTORIA
(Mediterranean) 4200 Jim Walter Boulevard, Tampa; 813-313-3235. $$$ At the Renaissance Tampa Hotel, near the trendy, pedestrian-only Bay Street at International Plaza, this is "a place to see and be seen," as the menu, which includes pizza and lighter fare, points out.

THIRSTY MARLIN
(Seafood) 1023 Florida Avenue, Palm Harbor; 727-784-3469. $$
Restaurants on the Gulf Coast, particularly north of Tampa Bay, generally have a more casual atmosphere than those downtown. This one is among the best. Try the blackened grouper or mahi mahi.

VERNONA
(Contemporary American) 1111 Ritz-Carlton Drive, Sarasota; 941-309-2000. $$$$
As the premier restaurant of the Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota, Vernona not only offers fine dining, it elevates the state of the art, in this case through the use of local produce and organic ingredients.

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