Best private golf clubs Tampa

[MiddletonPlace]

What are the best private golf clubs in Tampa regardless of price? 

[Robber6656]

Old Memorial

Pelican CC

Innisbrook

Belleaire CC

[jerebear21]

Concessions

OM

PGC

[Robber6656]

I wouldn’t consider Bradenton to be Tampa but I guess it could be.

Edited January 19, 2021 by Robber6656

[jerebear21]

Pgc isn’t in tampa either and Innisbrook isn’t private. I look at privates in the tampa Bay Area. 

[Robber6656]

41 minutes ago, jerebear21 said:

Pgc isn’t in tampa either and Innisbrook isn’t private. I look at privates in the tampa Bay Area. 

Innisbrook isn’t private ? I better tell my friends who are members and let them know. It’s a 35 or 40k initiation but it is affiliated with a resort. How many private clubs are in the city of Tampa? Pelican is in the town of Bellaire. It’s a suburb of Tampa.  If you include  Bradenton you might as well include Sarasota and Venice. Then Fort Myers and Naples....

Edited January 19, 2021 by Robber6656

[jerebear21]

Innisbrooke is not private. It’s $7500 for resort membership initiation fee. I’m sure there are other levels where you don’t have to pay guest fee during peak season and that would cost more for initiation. There was a special 20% off initiation recently. It’s a public resort course just like Bayhill and tpc sawgrass. There’s nothing private about it. 
 

Belleair is in pinellas county. Tampa is in hillsborough county. Belleair is part of tampa bay just as Bradenton is part of tampa bay. The city of tampa itself has OM, Palma Ceia and Avila as the main private that’s worth joining, with OM imho the best experience. Palma ceia doesn’t have much of a driving range and Avila is north enough into lutz which is technically not tampa either. 

Expanding to tampa bay which is within a 50 mile radius then you have PGC, OM and concessions which are the best membership and experience. Sets up like national clubs with cottages and a good mixture of national and local membership. 
 

let me know if you need any other details but I think I covered it all. 

[jerebear21]

Here is a link to Innisbrook. It’s public information. If you want other clubs info just pm me. Private numbers stays private. 

https://www.innisbrookgolfresort.com/pdf/2020-Membership_Golf_Rates.pdf

[jerebear21]

not trying to stir the pot here but Innisbrook isn’t private. It’s a great resort membership and one of the best deals in golf. 4 courses with the copperhead being one of the best in Florida. Just not private as you hope it to be. 
 

Concessions has the best set of greens, a beautiful par3 course and one of the best practice putting area in Florida. WGC was recently relocated here for 2021. It’s a players layout. 

PGC has one of the best membership in all of golf.  Must tip toe around there.  You will not get in here or ever step foot on those grounds. 
OM is a drinking club with a golf course. It’s a full day event. 

[MiddletonPlace]

Thanks everyone. Do you know the initiation at OM, PGC, Concessions? I also heard good things about Avila?

[jerebear21]

Private numbers stays private. If you’re seriously interested pm me. 
 

om has a waiting list for local members now. Pgc is not available. Nor will it ever be. 

[dock4]

Jere it seems as if your definition of private is perhaps a bit different than mine.  If you pay to become a member by my definition it is private even if others can play.  I guess you could consider that semi-private perhaps. 

 

I assume you are a member of PGC since you stated " you will never step foot on these grounds"  That was a rather harsh and unfriendly at best. 

 

[jerebear21]

I think you are looking too deep into that statement. And quoting me should be more specific. These vs those changes the context. I was merely correcting mr robber aggressive response. PGC is very exclusive. I am no member though I have been privilege to play there many times over.  
 

When a club is open to a public tee time like innisbrook then it is no longer private. What you are paying for is a membership at a resort at Innisbrook. Golf weekly top 200 resort course has Innisbrook ranked there. I believe Innisbrook copperhead comes in at no 88. 
 

This isn’t shaming on the membership. It’s not a country club. It’s a public resort with a membership. It’s a great membership but far from private.  The OP wanted to know about privates in tampa bay. 

[buckeye88us]

The Concession is an hour drive south of Tampa.  Great club!

[jerebear21]

I tried to link golf week top 200 resort course but couldn’t. But a quick google search will show you. Innisbrook is in the same categories as bandon and pebble and Tpc. Mike Keiser doesn’t like his golf courses to be private outside of dunes club. Innisbrook is in the same category as keisers best. 
 

and I apologize if you took it the wrong way but you definitely read it out of context. I will never be a member at pgc. Not many can and money isn’t the issue here. 

[Robber6656]

11 hours ago, jerebear21 said:

I think you are looking too deep into that statement. And quoting me should be more specific. These vs those changes the context. I was merely correcting mr robber aggressive response. PGC is very exclusive. I am no member though I have been privilege to play there many times over.  
 

When a club is open to a public tee time like innisbrook then it is no longer private. What you are paying for is a membership at a resort at Innisbrook. Golf weekly top 200 resort course has Innisbrook ranked there. I believe Innisbrook copperhead comes in at no 88. 
 

This isn’t shaming on the membership. It’s not a country club. It’s a public resort with a membership. It’s a great membership but far from private.  The OP wanted to know about privates in tampa bay. 

Innisbrook is a private club, try and book a few tee times if you aren't staying at the resort. The Rookery and Hammock Bay in Naples are available to people staying at the Marco Marriott. It's a private club. I've been on the waiting list to join for 3 years. I started at 326 on the list. Almost every private club in Florida can be played by making a phone call from May 1st to October 31. 

[jerebear21]

Once again, I truly believe you are not aware of the innisbrook model or any resort golf models.  The website itself of innisbrook is "innisbrookgolfresort DOT COM"

 

It is a resort with a membership fee.  A private club usually means private, zero access.  There are tiers of private clubs.  I can make a tee time for innisbrook right now by calling them.  Their tee times have been on golfnow before.  It is no longer there, but it has been before.  I understand that your need to validate innisbrook as a private club since there's a "30-40k" initiation fee your friends paid that you stated which I also proved false as well.  Your friends who are members paid for a resort membership.  It is not a private club membership.  You are grouping innisbrook to PGC and OM and concessions.  It is not.  Try making a phone call to those clubs during the summer time and see if you can get on.  

[jerebear21]

i really don't know why i even bother some times. O.o

[Robber6656]

1 hour ago, jerebear21 said:

Once again, I truly believe you are not aware of the innisbrook model or any resort golf models.  The website itself of innisbrook is "innisbrookgolfresort DOT COM"

 

It is a resort with a membership fee.  A private club usually means private, zero access.  There are tiers of private clubs.  I can make a tee time for innisbrook right now by calling them.  Their tee times have been on golfnow before.  It is no longer there, but it has been before.  I understand that your need to validate innisbrook as a private club since there's a "30-40k" initiation fee your friends paid that you stated which I also proved false as well.  Your friends who are members paid for a resort membership.  It is not a private club membership.  You are grouping innisbrook to PGC and OM and concessions.  It is not.  Try making a phone call to those clubs during the summer time and see if you can get on.  

Actually one of my Innisbrook member friends has played OM. Innisbrook made the call to get him on.

 

PGC is not your typically private club. The Doyle's bought Bellview Biltmore and have created a club for his rich guy buddies.  Looks like he pulled some shananigans too. https://www.tampabay.com/news/business/2019/08/26/belleair-commissioner-voted-for-golf-course-improvements-sold-a-house-to-the-courses-owner-the-next-day-for-16/.

 

You can play MOST any private club in Florida in the off season. I've played many private courses across the country by making a phone call or having my pro make a call. Almost all take unescorted guests at various times. I guess Lahinch, RCD, and Portrush aren't private clubs either right?

[jerebear21]

Yes and there are exceptions. But exceptions are not the norm. A pro to pro favor is an exception. It is not a rule. There are charity events and auctions for private outings. There are members guests outings. So yes there are always exceptions. What you seem to not understand is Innisbrook is a resort with a membership. That doesn’t make it a private golf club. A country club isn’t the same as a golf club. And a golf club isn’t the same as a resort club. Attention to details my friend. 
 

You are comparing the UK/Ireland set up to the United States. It is completely not the same. 
 

There are no shaninigans at PGC. It is nothing but world class with some of the most generous people on this planet. 
 

I don’t even understand why you are all worked up on trying to prove Innisbrook is a private club. The website itself declares it as a resort.  I’m just trying to help you understand. This isn’t a prove me wrong or right. It really is informational. 

[jerebear21]

And when did your friend play OM? It was shut down most of last year due to renovation.  A lot of things are not making sense here. 

[Robber6656]

49 minutes ago, jerebear21 said:

Yes and there are exceptions. But exceptions are not the norm. A pro to pro favor is an exception. It is not a rule. There are charity events and auctions for private outings. There are members guests outings. So yes there are always exceptions. What you seem to not understand is Innisbrook is a resort with a membership. That doesn’t make it a private golf club. A country club isn’t the same as a golf club. And a golf club isn’t the same as a resort club. Attention to details my friend. 
 

You are comparing the UK/Ireland set up to the United States. It is completely not the same. 
 

There are no shaninigans at PGC. It is nothing but world class with some of the most generous people on this planet. 
 

I don’t even understand why you are all worked up on trying to prove Innisbrook is a private club. The website itself declares it as a resort.  I’m just trying to help you understand. This isn’t a prove me wrong or right. It really is informational. 

 

He played it 3 or 4 years ago. He's been a member of Innisbrook for well over 10 years. Are you calling me a liar? Would you like the exact date? I can probably get that for you.

 

According to the paper there were huge shaninigans and I'm using that word to be polite. The real estate transaction was a little odd no? Did you read the article?

 

I know how private clubs work, I've been a member of one for 30 years. You can play most of the private clubs in florida in the summer with a phone call. A lot of them put themselves on the South Florida PGA card. The really exclusive courses close in the summer. Seminole, Calusa, etc.

[jerebear21]

Honestly your aggressive response isn't members like.  I would definitely like to have a date if you can provide it.  I can cross reference since they have been doing renovations non stop there for a couple years now.  

 

I know everything I need to know about PGC.  I know what it was like BEFORE and what it was like AFTER and what happened was a blessing to everyone there.  Market valuation of homes have gone up with the gentrifications of mobile homes (for better or worse), and creating more businesses to the area.  It's truly fitting as the crown jewel of Pinellas County.  

 

Whether you are a member or not, your friend is a member or not, it doesn't bother me one bit.  It seems to bother you more than me. I'm just being informational to the OP.  You seem to have the "prove me right or wrong" mentality about Innisbrook which I don't seem to understand either.  

[Robber6656]

3 hours ago, jerebear21 said:

Honestly your aggressive response isn't members like.  I would definitely like to have a date if you can provide it.  I can cross reference since they have been doing renovations non stop there for a couple years now.  

 

I know everything I need to know about PGC.  I know what it was like BEFORE and what it was like AFTER and what happened was a blessing to everyone there.  Market valuation of homes have gone up with the gentrifications of mobile homes (for better or worse), and creating more businesses to the area.  It's truly fitting as the crown jewel of Pinellas County.  

 

Whether you are a member or not, your friend is a member or not, it doesn't bother me one bit.  It seems to bother you more than me. I'm just being informational to the OP.  You seem to have the "prove me right or wrong" mentality about Innisbrook which I don't seem to understand either.  

 

I know it was a benefit to Commissioner Tom Kurey. It was great public facility. Best course in the area. An original Donald Ross. A crown jewel that the locals can't play?

[jerebear21]

Seems to me you have an issue with private clubs. 

[jerebear21]

Honestly don’t know how this went from being informative information to so much shades. I apologize if you felt my assessment of Innisbrook is off. Just trying to help. 

[dock4]

All good on my end, agree to disagree. 

[greyman09]

Love OM. Have considered a national membership there once or twice. Nothing private about innisbrook. Copperhead is a great track.

[Jmoney99]

On 1/20/2021 at 12:14 PM, jerebear21 said:

Yes and there are exceptions. But exceptions are not the norm. A pro to pro favor is an exception. It is not a rule. There are charity events and auctions for private outings. There are members guests outings. So yes there are always exceptions. What you seem to not understand is Innisbrook is a resort with a membership. That doesn’t make it a private golf club. A country club isn’t the same as a golf club. And a golf club isn’t the same as a resort club. Attention to details my friend. 
 

You are comparing the UK/Ireland set up to the United States. It is completely not the same. 
 

There are no shaninigans at PGC. It is nothing but world class with some of the most generous people on this planet. 
 

I don’t even understand why you are all worked up on trying to prove Innisbrook is a private club. The website itself declares it as a resort.  I’m just trying to help you understand. This isn’t a prove me wrong or right. It really is informational. 

Innsbrook is definitely not private! Seems to me like you know your stuff. Old memorial and concession are both top notch in the Tampa area. The new bunkering at old memorial reminds me of golf in Melbourne. 

[Schley]

On 1/20/2021 at 10:10 PM, Robber6656 said:

 

He played it 3 or 4 years ago. He's been a member of Innisbrook for well over 10 years. Are you calling me a liar? Would you like the exact date? I can probably get that for you.

 

According to the paper there were huge shaninigans and I'm using that word to be polite. The real estate transaction was a little odd no? Did you read the article?

 

I know how private clubs work, I've been a member of one for 30 years. You can play most of the private clubs in florida in the summer with a phone call. A lot of them put themselves on the South Florida PGA card. The really exclusive courses close in the summer. Seminole, Calusa, etc.

I don't know what your issue is with Jerebear, who is a great resource for all things Florida golf, particularly private clubs. Innsbrook most certainly is not private in any definition. A resort that sells a season pass (just like my local muni) to play along with their resort guests isn't private. The whole semi private label is marketing BS anyway, makes people think they are getting something like a private club. Anyone can go play it and play, but you have a season pass so you can go play it and NOT pay. It is the UK model.

 

No real courses you can't get on in the UK, but "members" have blocks of desireable tee times just for themselves and they pay a yearly subscription. I, you, Jerebear can go play Royal County Down, which many think is the best course in the world in 2021. Just call them up and look for openings. Yet you won't get it on Saturday for example as that is a members time time block.