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Update on Bobby Jones Golf Course
British Course finally reopens at Bobby Jones
Published: Thursday, October 9, 2008 at 1:00 a.m.
Category: Golf and Sports
Posted by: SunsetRoyaleAdmin
The renovated British Course at Bobby Jones Golf Club opened Oct. 1 and City of Sarasota dignitaries teed it up in an official opening day tournament. Then, the fun began on the weekend. More than 100 members and friends of the Sarasota Bay Parrot Head Club got into the swing of things with cold beverages, costumes and Jimmy Buffett tunes to jazz up its Alzheimer's charity tournament. In the first week, everyone wanted to get a glimpse of the $250,000 new greens on the British Course, which had been closed since May. Bobby Jones may be the only club in America with a municipal price tag, but a country club feel. It costs $7 to walk nine holes and $11 to walk 18 on the two courses, and right now that is a deal, especially for the British. But once the Parrot Heads left, the music stopped and so did the play. Late Tuesday afternoon, you could have fired cannon balls down the British fairways and not hit a soul. Play is down at many area courses and country clubs and Bobby Jones is no exception. It's a facility that has hosted 150,000 rounds a year in the past, and holds some of the best area amateur tourneys. The season is approaching and play most likely will pick up. The British Course should be on everyone's list. The British always has been known as a grip-it-and-rip-it course. That hasn't changed. With a few bumpy exceptions, the greens putt true and are definitely improved. Because the course was closed for five months, the fairways are soft and lush. The bad news is that the rough has had the same time frame to grow and can be very tough -- if you can find your ball. The one major change on the British is the par-3 fourth hole, but it only affects low handicappers, who play from the back/blue tees. The tee box was moved back and considerably to the left. It plays about 175 yards and is all carry over a lake. The good news is that there is no angle and a direct shot takes the right greenside bunker out of harm's way. Play the course on a weekday in the mid- to late-afternoon, and you won't have anyone in front or behind you. Normally, that's a perk reserved for country clubs. Enjoy it while it lasts.
