Golfadelphia

6,987 yards, 140 slope from the Members tees

What goes largely unsaid in our game is the incredibly inherent sense of belonging. One wants to feel he belongs. This belonging is an acknowledgement of how grand golf is, as we all spend some degree of worry wondering if we’re worthy of the game. This sense of belonging pervades in countless ways. It gives rise to clubs, which begets other clubs for one reason or another. Some golfers strive to improve, believing the better they are, the more they belong. Some are members of clubs yet may still feel like they don’t belong. Some may not even think of this whole pervading sense of belonging and some how, they seem to belong most of all. Some spend a great deal of time and energy projecting they belong more than everyone else. What’s the alternative to belonging? Who can say. Perhaps all of us that appreciate the game and respect its cannons belong and the rest of it is peripheral and extraneous. The belonging issue is a delicate one that can spiral out of control into an entire discussion of its own but for the here and now, it exists and touches on the game in several important respects.

It may have been the perfect circumstances the day of my round but I doubt it. I suspect it’s like that any other old day there. At Old Memorial, you belong.

Opening for play in 1997 and designed by Steve Smyers, the club was established by the three founders of Outback Steakhouse. The course concept was to reflect the characteristics of sandbelt and links courses, with a firm and fast ground game that varied based on the terrain and prevailing natural elements. A rolling sand-based site was purchased close to downtown Tampa that also featured lakes and groves of trees. Smyers was able to utilize the land in fairly open fashion, utilizing an array of expansive wasteland bunkers that rise, turn and fall, which define a lot of its character. Water comes into play occasionally while trees factor in as needed. The land rolls never too severely yet the sand takes advantage of these dips and rises for excitement in both visuals and play. The structure of play is anchored to the classic links and sandbelt tenets as intended by the founders, instilling interest in modest terrain by boasting strategic components and a mixture of intimidating and tempting carries for the golfer to mull over as the wind whispers or sings to him, depending on the day. What’s interesting about the course are the breadth of opinions and perspectives on it. Some are certain it’s a brute while others see it as strategically charming, others even as downright fun. The full spectrum of how the course is seen and plays is indeed one of its strong suits, showing versatility like the chameleons found in the area. Smyers certainly intended for this. Along with the recently reviewed Maridoe, he certainly has a penchant for getting right down to the matter of design intent. Walking is required and with a healthy club culture, Old Memorial left an indelible impression.

The course is a big part of what makes the club such a harbor of the game. Instead of maintaining accessibility for any skill set of golfer, it figures out how to meaningful engage with them. It remains lively each round, with the golfer learning something about it each time. There’s a willingness within it to aid the golfer on when he’s not at his best yet has its boundaries when the golfer needs censure. A collective individualism comprises the yin and yang of golf which this club and course capture quite well. An embrace of the game for its own sake and general acknowledgement we’re all in this together so we might as well enjoy the ride, even if we all go about it in our own separate ways.

The First is a 412 yard par 4 (from the Members tees). We dig right in with the tee shot, the fairway runs at an angle away from us while a seemingly endless row of bunkers line the left side while a few others are on the right. They’re below grade and we get our first look at how easy it is to end up in sand not just from catching one but rolling right in as well. There’s more room on the left than it looks but the right side provides a lot of the better approach angles based on the left to right green movement. Missing short and long left keeps you out of the sand. And we’re off.

The Second is a 455 yard par 4. The bunkers indeed bring out so much of the character of the course, visually and strategically. Some are fine to find yourself in, some are not. Here, the tee shot signals to stay to the left of the bunkers moving up the right, yet those who opt to hit past them on that side are rewarded with a better and clearer approach. The green is outright assaulted by bunkers here so take solace there is some room before the green to use and hit a good one. Otherwise, you’ll need to bone up on that bunker game.

The Third is a 588 yard par 5. The transitions from green to tee are seamless for the most part. It’s a nice walk and my caddie was great company. At some point after the round, I was going through my golf bag and came across a score card. he had kept my score, then discreetly placed the card in my bag. I had never come across this before but was a nice touch. I don’t know if all the caddies do it though. Personally, I’m preoccupied with the golf and the course and company, I’m often aloof with keeping score, finding myself having to mark several holes once I remember I forgot. I’d much rather have my caddie keep my card for me.

As for this longer hole, we move back in the direction of the hole prior. The tee shot is a bit deceptive as it looks wide open but the fairway is narrower than it looks and bunkers make it even more so. The second shot is a tough one, as there’s not a whole lot of refuge from carrying the bunkers on the left side while making sure your ball stops short of the trees on the right to make sure you have a clear approach. Sand rings around the entire rear of the green, water behind it. A lone tree guards the left side short of the green, which is on the small side. We get serious fast.

The Fourth is a 204 yard par 3. Hixon Lake presents itself more directly now and must be carried to reach the green. It may seem like bunkers surround the green but they do not. The right side moving around the rear and left side are all surrounded by sand but the left front is open. The enveloping of sand around the rear visually shrinks the amount of green and makes the golfer feel like he is hitting into a literal desert. There is plenty of room, however.

The Fifth is a 450 yard par 4. A dog leg left around the lake, there is width before the turn but it them narrows considerably afterwards to the green, even more so with bunkers on either side just short of it. The more clever and confident among us may decide to hit it short of the turn in exchange for a longer approach, then hit that on the green, which would avoid a lot of the travails set up here. But most of us with get caught in the chutes and sand found in the troublesome mid-section.

The Sixth is a 370 yard par 4. A slight bend to the right around a grove of trees and two lakes, the first one small and the second one much larger. Heading out to the left off the tee is ideal but there are three bunkers that understand the importance of the position and are there to collect those tee shots. The green is on the smaller side and two large bunkers crowd it, the first right then left. The right side of the green falls in to the water as well, so those who were on the left side at the approach will need to likewise stay left considering the direction of this run off. It’s a challenging approach that is largely masked with the contours of the bunkers. If the tee shot is off, some may consider hitting into some sand to ensure a safe subsequent shot.

The Seventh is a 149 yard par 3. A shorter carry to the green than the last par 3 but this one is indeed surrounded by bunkers and the green falls off around the edges. While shorter, there is certainly enough for the golfer to worry about. You should be fairly adept at bunker shots by now though. I like the look of the hole and is set up to reward accuracy while those shots off green are measured depending on the side you find yourself on. Missing left (so long as not in the water) is better than right.

The Eighth is a 330 yard par 4. A shorter par 4 with a tee shot set up similarly to the Sixth but in reverse. Water is off to the left so the tee shot to the right is a good idea, so long as it doesn’t drift into the bunkers on that side. Ah, the approach. There are two greens here, side by side amidst the expanse of sand. The day’s pin position dictates which one to hit to, although the other is in play (as I found out with my errant shot). Most of the sand runs between the two greens and there is some room towards the rear of both, so a healthier approach into the heart should help carrying the desert.

The Ninth is a 550 yard par 5. A grand par 5 closes out the front, which dog legs left early on. Taking on the trees on the left from the tee could make sense, as the bunkers we can see on the right actually lead to one of the larger bunker complexes on the course, which could be close to a football field in size. That is followed by another large bunker that moves up through the right side of the green. It is unavoidable; the bunkers on the right must be carried to some extent and plotting out the shots is part of its strategic challenge. There is a good amount of grass to work with before the green and to the right of those out of position. A wonderful, dramatic example of how influential the bunkering is here, done very well.

The front nine loops around the easter side of the property, offering up variety in a number of ways on what is fairly tame terrain. I enjoyed all of them thoroughly. I would rank them 9, 8, 6, 1, 3, 2, 4, 7, 5.

The back nine starts with the 427 yard par 4 Tenth. Now heading off in the opposite direction of the First, the fairway moves into a gradual dog leg left pretty early on. A narrow midsection through trees on either side, placement off the tee becomes paramount. A quartet of bunkers starts on the right after the trees, which is also where the fairway some what funnels towards the center leading up to the green, which is pushed up a bit above. Staying on the map with each shot is cardinal here, more than most.

The Eleventh is a 189 yard par 3. A pivot within the interior of the course has us carrying over some native brush and sandy walkways to reach the green, where an assortment of bunkers arranged just so awaits. This assortment essentially covers most of the small hill upon which the green sits except for front and rear right. Those off the green for the second shot will need to conjure some deft touch to ensure the ball stays on except for careening off one way of another. Acumen with the longer tee or with the short game, or perhaps both, are all in play.

The Twelfth is a 606 yard par 5. The tee to green transitions continue to flow nicely even in the midst of more wetland terrain as we come upon this unique hole that dog legs severely to the left. The crescendo of sand is here, which overtakes the hole and forces the golfer to make a decision off the tee. Stay to the right where the main fairway resides and brush the edge of the sand all the way to the green, or opt for the smaller left fairway which is in the middle of the sand, which considerably shortens the path to the hole. An effective risk reward proposition. Once the tee shot is carried out, those who chose the right side have a relatively straightforward unimpeded couple shots to the green while those on the left fairway will need to once again carry the sand to reach the green, as reaching the green in two shots in very much in play. The hole is similar in structure to the Seventh at Valhalla, with sand instead of water.

The Thirteenth is a 306 yard par 4. From a long par 5 to a short par 4, the fairway starts drifting to the left as sand comes in from the right. The green is beyond the sand on the right, placed at a a diagonal with the entry point at front left. The golfer can certainly go for the green from the tee or otherwise decide how much left wants to go for the approach, both of which will take shorter clubs.

The Fourteenth is a 425 yard par 4. The fairway runs at a left-to-right diagonal from the tee with sand on the right side before the fairway the entire way to the green. Most tee shots will need to carry the sand to reach the green, which then means figuring out how much to take on. The approach is fraught with bunkers, which are littered about in defense of the green. Most are about the left side, leaving a little play off to the right. Both shots need a good deal of precision to hit fairway and green, the course tightening a bit in advance of the closing stretch.

The Fifteenth is a 410 yard par 4. The fairway heads straight out with an expansive bunker off to the right. A slight dog leg right around the trees reveals a wide shallow green with a few bunkers off to the side. While the tee shot is testing with trees on both sides, the approach expands and invites the golfer to do his worst.

The Sixteenth is a 519 yard par 5. A long dog leg left with trees framing the playing corridor, the main objective off the tee is clearing the trees at the turn to get a clear look at the rest of the hole. A large bunker breaks up the fairway closer to the green, so the golfer must figure out whether he carries it on his second or third shot. The green is pushed up beyond it with lots of run off areas and a bunker on either side. Lot of room to figure out how far and from what angle the golfer would like to take on the approach.

The Seventeenth is a 175 yard par 3. The contrast between grass and sand is a nice visual and makes the green seem smaller than it is. It’s actually fairly deep, but does fall off on all sides into the sand, so there are bounds to how off line one can be and still reach for putter.

The Eighteenth is a 422 yard par 4. The groves of trees still relent and focus this tee shot as it eventually shuffles to the right. A final onslaught of bunkers awaits near the green, ensuring an aerial approach for most, but there is an entry point off to the left for those who would like to come in from that side. The green sits at an angle from the fairway and is nicely sized for the final putts of the round.

The back nine has a nice cadence as the wider early holes give way to narrower holes through the trees while still maintaining its design identity later on. I would rank them 13, 14, 12, 17, 16, 15, 10, 11, 18.

Generally, Old Memorial has nice flowing movement mainly with sand belt inspired bunkering. The bunker edges are sharp, allowing the fairways and greens to move right into them and the liberal use of sand in expansive swaths provides a wealth of character and definition. While there are forced carries here and there, the ground game is allowed to flourish in spots as well while the larger wavy greens are sure to keep the short game and putting interesting for all. The reality is we all belong, the game is rich with variety and means something different yet meaningful for us all. The way in which the course allows so many playing styles to thrive and the feel about the clubhouse reassures us of this. In turn, it’s an all around wonderful haven for the golfer to appreciate our game.

Clubhouse/Pro Shop: The clubhouse fits in with the overall genial feel with the men’s locker particularly noteworthy where one could relax for a meal and a drink or two at ease.

Practice area: The range is short walking distance away from the First while short game and putting areas are in the the general clubhouse area as well.