Inside Belleair Country Club with Connor T. Lewis

In February 2026, Fried Egg Golf Events head to Belleair Country Club for our first ever event on Florida's Gulf Coast. The club was founded in the 1800s before ultimately having 36 holes designed by Donald Ross in the 1910s. In 2022, Dana Fry and Jason Straka of Fry/Straka Global Golf Course Design completed a hybrid renovation/restoration on the West Course, returning it to its former glory while also adding some new design features. Come February, the new course will be over three years old and be more than ready for Fried Egg Events to roll into town.

To prep for our journey, I talked with Society of Golf Historians founder and Belleair Country Club member Connor T. Lewis. Connor is an extremely well traveled golfer who has been lucky enough to see a lot of the world's greatest golf course architecture. About a decade ago, he joined as a member of Belleair and joined the renovation committee of the West Course. He played a role in many design decisions, including the restoration of the par-3 fourth hole on the West Course. In this interview, we talk about everything from the history of Belleair Country Club to the design features of the West Course to the property as a whole. Throughout you'll learn about the golf course, what to look out for while playing Belleair, and if you're on the fence about attending our event, you'll hear a few reasons on why you should make the trip.

Thanks to Connor for his time!

Time Stamps:

0:00 - 5:20 - Connor T. Lewis Introduction and background on his history in golf courses and with Belleair Country Club

5:21 - 12:18 - History of Belleair Country Club and why the course needed a restoration with Fry/Straka Global Golf Course Design

12:19 - 18:00 - Notable design changes in the restoration/renovation with Fry/Straka

18:01 - 20:00 - Donald Ross architecture on the water

20:01 - 24:55 - Green complexes, bunker changes, and the intent of "cop" bunkers

24:56 - 28:00 - Closing remarks and event prep