Belleair Country Club (West Course)

Florida's Gulf Coast isn't exactly full of Golden Age golf course architecture. Thankfully, due to a recent restoration, Belleair Country Club's West Course is around to show the area what top-tier golf architecture is all about. Recently restored to its Donald Ross roots by Dana Fry & Jason Straka, the West Course at Belleair Country Club boasts some of the best architecture in the area. The great architect’s influence can be seen all around Florida, but very few remain intact on the Gulf Coast, and none are in as good of shape as the restored West Course at Belleair.

The West Course is filled with architectural interest. From Ross’s intricate green complexes to its mix of aesthetically pleasing bunkers and natural waste areas, the design is filled with features that help it overcome its relatively flat property. That said, the West Course does boast above-average land for this area of Florida. The land tilts from the clubhouse towards the bay, and a wandering stream is used in a variety of ways on Nos. 3, 5, 8, 9, 14, and 17. Ross expertly used both of these features to create a routing that keeps your interest throughout the round. While a flat and easy walk, the golf course is anything but boring. The numbering of the holes is not the same as it was when Ross laid them out, but the creek and the land work together all the same. The one exception is the new par-3 seventh hole, which was not included in Ross’s routing because the club did not own the land at the time.

Take Note…

Sally sells. There were just six holes at Belleair when golf was first played on the property in the 1890s. The greens of these holes weren’t grassed but instead featured crushed seashells, similar to old sand green courses you’d find on the Great Plains.

Look to the East. Belleair is a 36-hole property with its East Course, also designed by Donald Ross. The club recently approved a restoration project for that course, as well.

‍Up the road. Not far from Belleair is Dunedin Golf Club, another Donald Ross original that has been recently renovated. Once the East Course’s restoration is complete, the three courses will make up a great trio of Ross designs in the area.

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