Belleair FL Golf Courses (Public & Private With Details)
Belleair, FL is a waterfront town south of Clearwater and North of Largo, and is part of the Tampa Bay area.
Belleair has two golf courses – both of which are private.
The city, in Pinellas County, has a warm and temperate climate – typical of southwest Florida – that can get hot during summers, but with year-round playability.
So, if you find yourselves in this part of the world for business or fun, check out these two exclusive Donald Ross-designed golf courses that have a lot of history to them.
Belleair Country Club – West Golf Course & East Golf Course
This country club proclaims itself as having the first golf course in Florida, which is not a trivial proclamation by any standards. But we can tell you one thing, this club is probably the only one in the Tampa area to have its boundaries abutting the Gulf Coast.
The club has awesome views of the water from its West Course.
Speaking of which, there are two golf courses in Belleair Country Club – aptly titled the West Course and the East Course.
Donald Ross designed this course which was built in 1897 and 1915 respectively with a vision of creating an unforgettable experience for the players. And thus these courses that lie amid a bird sanctuary were born with luscious landscapes, curated water bodies, and meandering creeks.
The course has tried to retain that original charm and vision of Donald Ross throughout the years.
A lot of wildlife calls these grounds their permanent home and is a sight to the course-weary golfers every time they step onto the greens.
Palm times intertwined with the mature oak trees, the changing hues of the landscape at different times of the day and the serene blue waters of the Clearwater bay – all make these courses a must-play for anyone visiting the area.
The West Course is an 18-hole Par 71 with a slope of 124 and a rating of 71.3.
The East Course is an 18-hole Par 71 with a slope of 129 and a rating of 70.4.
The west course measures 6541 yards from the back tees and the East 6253 yards.
With 5 sets of tees, both the courses provide ample challenges for both the novice and experienced golfer.
While one course is known to be open and the other one to be tight, each course provides a different challenge and experience to the players.
Water comes into play in some holes and the greens roll fast.
The fairways and greens are impeccably maintained.
The facility has a driving range, a pitching and chipping area for the short game, as well as a putting green.
There is a golf pro shop as well as PGA professionals available for instructions and lessons.
As can be expected from a private club, the club has sophisticated and upscale locker rooms for both gents and ladies.
With multiple dining rooms and lounges, the clubhouse is a memorable place to host events and small parties.
Pelican Golf Club
This is the second private club in Belleair and an ultra-exclusive one.
This course was built in 1925, and just like Belleair Country Club, was designed by Donald Ross.
This 135-acre property has a footprint of 12% of the entire town’s green cover.
While BCC prides itself on having the first course in Florida, PGC is not far behind. They stake the claim of being the first course on the west coast of Florida to have Latitude 36 Bermudagrass on all fairways.
The peculiarity of this grass is that it keeps its vibrant green color for long during the winter months and so will keep the grounds looking fresh and awesome.
This is an 18-hole Par 70 course with a slope of 129 and a rating of 72.7.
The course was renovated in 2001 for $2.4 million.
The greens roll fast, and typical of Donald Ross courses, are elevated, with well-placed sand traps that have crushed white quartz in.
The course has a very nice layout and the greens and fairways are maintained well.
The course measures 6930 yards and has an easy resort course-type feel to it.
The facility has a driving range with pitching and chipping green as well as a putting green.
The players have to adhere to the club’s dress code.
Golf Courses Near Belleair, FL
Although Belleair has only two golf courses, the region comprising Largo, Clearwater, Palm Harbor, and Tampa Bay has dozens of awesome golfing grounds that are suited for all ages and skill levels.
Check out the below articles for golf courses in the nearby cities of Belleair.
Tampa Golf Courses
St. Petersburg, FL Golf Courses
