Course: Heritage Isles Golf & Country Club

Location: Tampa, FL

Date Played: March 5, 2007

Played By: Ross

Overall Rating: 71

Friendliness of Staff: 9
From start to finish the staff members were very good.  A college guy met us at our car as soon as we pulled up and took our clubs to our cart for us.  Very sociable kid and talked about Cape Cod and the Red Sox.  The pro introduced himself and acknowledged we were from Mass and that he was a Sox fan as well.  I happened to be wearing my Red Sox hat that day.

Facilities/Pro Shop: 7
Their pro shop was very small but had some nice shirts for only $50-$60.  Very nice clubhouse w/ bar and restaurant area.  Nothing over the top.

Quality/Value of Food/Snacks: 5
Standard selection of beer and bar food.  Judging by their hot dogs and hamburgs, which were terrible, I’m guessing the food may not be that great.  Affordable enough at $17 for 3 dogs and 3 beers at the turn.  However, you could not order ahead.

Fairway Conditions: 7
Their fairways were very plush, green and seemed to heal relatively well from the divots.  They also kept them well-watered seeing as though it’s Florida and they don’t get much rain.  The only problem is the transition from the fairway to the rough is terrible.  They don’t appear to take good care of the rough because it’s all brown and bare w/ hardly any real grass.

Greens Conditions: 8
I’d have to say their greens were the nicest part of the course.  Great color, condition and health of nearly every green.  There were a few that had a touch of weeds in some spots, but overall very nice.

Scenery: 6
Similar to most Florida courses, nothing special to see.  Other than wildlife being abundant, including a big gator on one hole, it’s nothing special.  Lots of houses, big and small, and constantly having to cross the road to get to next hole.

Difficulty of Course: 6
There is a major difference between the white and blue tees.  Playing from the blues adds quite a bit of yardage and makes for some very challenging tee shots.  Water on almost every hole does make it harder and it’s not as forgiving as other courses in the area.  The back nine is much shorter, easier and more wide-open than the front.

Value Received: 8
Maybe one of the best aspects of this course.  Good condition and good mix of easier and harder holes.  In our opinion, for mid-season morning rates of $41 for 18 holes plus cart it’s a heck of a deal!!

Speed of Play/Design of Course: 4
The design is probably one of the worst I’ve seen.  Granted there’s a decent amount of water and wildlife, there’s houses everywhere you look and you drive over roads constantly.  Over-populated and the ranger doesn’t do or say much at all.  We were 2 minutes late for our tee-time and he stuck a 12-person group in front of us.  4 ½ hours later, for only a three-some, we finished..

19th Hole: 6
Very nice but a relatively small bar.  Great selection of liquor but not much of a beer selection.  One TV by the bar, but it's a smaller one at that, and from what we experienced, not great food.  Very nice look to it though.

There is a beer cart on the course. +5

Comments:
Nice greens and fairways are well kept.  Their staff members are outstanding and make it a nice start to your day.  Nothing great but for $41 for mid-season rates in Florida, not sure you can beat it.  Definitely worth a shot.