New ownership ups the ante at renovated Quail Hollow Golf Course north of Tampa
Two Vegas-style pools with luxurious cabanas were the most obvious indication that new ownership was upping the ante at Quail Hollow Golf Course, north of Tampa. As golfers began to return last summer after an extended closure for renovations, they discovered a vastly improved version of the parkland course.
"What a Phoenix!" wrote wtrivers55 on GolfNow.com. "The new and redesigned Quail Hollow almost makes me glad the old course closed. Now we have a marvelous and challenging layout to test our skills, beautifully maintained fairways and greens, and a friendly pro shop staff."
With a GolfNow.com rating of 4.4, players are registering their approval for the enhanced Quail Hollow, which has reconstructed greens and bunkers, new fairways, drainage upgrades, reconditioned cart paths and a renovated clubhouse.
"It is like playing a brand new course," an anonymous reviewer from Tampa. "It is in excellent shape. The layout is challenging without being impossible. The restaurant is the best of any golf course restaurant my group has encountered."
Opened in 1965 and designed by Charles Griffin, Quail Hollow was in need of a makeover. The playable 6,811-yard course, with a rating of 71.8 and a slope of 131, appeals to players of all levels and is easily accessed, seven miles north of Tampa in Wesley Chapel.
In a saturated market full of mature golf courses, Quail Hollow won back customers with strong conditions and attention to detail at a reasonable cost. Most of the public courses in the downtown Tampa/Northeast region that have player ratings better than 4.0 have weekend greens fees that start at $80.
Quail Hollow charges less than half that rate. The only course in the area that could challenge the combination of conditioning and value is the Groves Golf & Country Club (4.3), which charges $32. Quail Hollow's proximity to I-75, however, makes it a better bargain.
"This course hasn't been in good shape for years. The new owners have not only spent money to get it into really good shape, they are continuing to maintain and improve the golfing experience. The course was packed yesterday, yet we still completed our round under four hours," wrote Kennykid, of Tampa. "It's not one of the top 10 courses in this area, but if you don't wish to spend $75-$100 to play one of those, you will have a great time for minimal money. I will go back, for sure."
The only problem some GolfNow.com players have these days with Quail Hollow is the removal of the driving range, a casualty of the renovation. The rest of the golf experience is exceptional according to u000001497222.
"We played this course last year and thought it was in great shape. Well, this year, it is the absolute tops of any courses around Pasco, Hernando, Pinella's and Hillsborough counties," wrote a 15-19 handicap from New Port Richey. "The greens are superb, bunkers are hard-packed but a challenge to get out of. On a scale of 1-10, I rate this an 11."
July 24, 2013
Kevin Dunleavy, Contributor
Kevin Dunleavy is a longtime resident of northern Virginia, a graduate of George Mason University, an award-winning reporter covering golf, colleges, and other sports for the Washington Examiner, and a single-digit handicap still seeking his elusive first hole-in-one. Follow Kevin on Twitter at @KDunleavy.