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Preview of a "Thinking Man's Course"by Richard Mudry (Tampa Tribune, 8/23/74)The Tampa Sports authority held a welcome wagon initiation of the new Babe Zaharias Golf-Country Club yesterday. And Tampan Harry Root, Jr., was on hand. You see that was the Palma Ceia Country Club member's old stomping grounds. He was invited to give the new layout, re-designed by youthful Ron Garl of Lakeland, a looksee after playing it for the last time in 1962. And the former Florida Seniors titlist liked what he saw. "I'm amazed at the condition of the course," Root surmised following his 77 shot test of the 6,123-yard par 71 test which the TSA opens to public play a week from today. "What ended up was a pleasant course. A good municipal course. It's not tough but Ron Garl put a lot of character into it that it didn't have before." Playing the layout brought back memories to the noted golfer. "The first time I played Forest Hills was in 1926," he admits, "and I played it better then than today." Right after infancy the old Forest Hills was "a real super course," according to Root, playing about 6,900 yards long to a par of 70. "If they had had course ratings then it probably would have been given a 74 rating," he says. When George and Babe Zaharias bought the club in the 1950's they had to give up four holes, then 14-15-16 and 17, Root says. The 18th, now a tough dogleg right 439-yard par 4 finisher is nearly the same. "It used to have thick pine trees on the right of the dogleg, and water on the left of the green where a trap is now," Harry recalls. "At one time the Florida Golf Association voted on the toughest 18 holes in the state and it was included on the list." While the distance is about the same now as when the layout closed in 1962, the course has returned to a classicism of golf architecture. It is a thinking man's golf course, not one which a driver can be used from every tee. Placement of the ball in the fairway with high irons left to the undulating greens are the keys to scoring over the layout. A total of six all new holes have been created from the all-new original layout with all tees and greens rebuilt and the fairways re-contoured into rolling ones. Reconstruction cost was $630,000. There are four super par 4's on the layout with the par 3's not long but requiring precision iron play to hit putting surfaces. The par 4's that present the most challenge including the 18th, which we've already discussed, are these: Our honey of a hole and the number one handicap hole is the 425-yard par 4, 13th. It is a dogleg left with ample room for the tee shot but, oh, that approach shot. From the fairway, if you've hit a good drive, you're left with a long iron or even a three wood to a green bordered with a huge lake and out bounds on the right and behind the green. May be that few pars and even fewer birdies will be recorded here than any hole in Tampa which is saying a lot. Also file in the back of your mind the 415-yard, par 4, second and the 406-yard, par 4, 11th. They are the toughies. The greens, which are throwbacks to the small putting surface era, roll the ball surprisingly well for only being seeded in April. They are, however, difficult to hold as any hard, new green initially is. If the course has a weakness from the middle tees it is the par 5's which play 502, 485 and 463 yards respectively and can all be reached in two by better than average players if you keep it fairly straight. Success looks sure for the layout of golf director Bobby Stricklin and associate pro Bert Stump. The field in the women's point invitational next Tuesday is full and the men's event the 28th is nearly full. But there are many finishing touches to be completed before the whole project is completed. The clubhouse is furiously being worked on. The pro shop and restaurant is expected open by next Friday's official opening and then there's the interior of the clubhouse. Remnants of the Babe Zaharias era will permeate the insides. A picture of the Babe with Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Patty Berg has been given the layout by George Zaharias, who was unable to attend yesterday because of ailing health. And here's some information tidbits for your file on the layout: Green fees are $4.50 weekdays and $6 weekends. Nine holes costs $2.75 with carts costing $7. Tee times may be made beginning Monday be calling 932-8932.
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