Bobby Jones is a great example of a smart restoration providing quality golf while still maintaining affordability. Last year, my first blog was The Park in West Palm Beach, a high end restoration that began its pricing at $230. Granted it was being courted by every major golf publication as one of the best new courses in America, but how many people can pay that hefty price tag? At Bobby Jones, the city of Sarasota invested $20M, but the $99 green fees is still comparable to many of the public courses in January (peak season). (Locals are paying less than $60)
(The 207/190 yard par three third has this large bunker creating dead space between it and the putting surface. Depth perception is an issue for golfers trying to judge the exact carry to the front edge. The two tiered green has many interesting pin positions, making par a solid score.)
(The 342/310 yard par four seventh can be played in many different ways. The water in view pushes up the left side and awaits the tiger golfer who pulls his ball past the bunkers on the left. Most will prudently lay back and hit a short iron in…
…this is the view of seven green from five tee. The front nine plays in a counterclockwise loop, giving the player a preview of holes to come.)
Everyone is very excited about the new Bobby Jones Golf Club. It’s inclusion in Golf.com’s Best Courses Under $100 has seen the tee sheets fill up with golfers wanting to see this restored Donald Ross. The course is in excellent condition with wide fairways guarded by mounding and bunkers, and greens that roll at a brisk pace. It has a wide variety of holes with tough pars balanced out by good birdie opportunities. The four short par fours at 7,10,12,17 are the key to a good round, especially if one does well on the three par fives.
(The 340/308 yard par four tenth is a good opportunity for a birdie. Note the rolling fairway to the right. Golfers must be able to contend with various lies and stances.)
(The 190/171 yard par three sixteenth is a classic Ross. The high back right to low front left green sets up for a draw that should work it’s way to the middle. Missing pin high to either side leaves a very challenging recovery for par.)
Richard Mandell was quoted as saying he just wanted to make everyone happy and give them a course they deserve. I think it’s mission accomplished! The course is a lot of fun, and the width should allow golfers to find their ball in most situations. The lack of housing enhances the experience too. This course is what I believe true municipal restorations should be. Let’s get back to good, affordable golf. I give Bobby Jones a solid 5 (good)(worth driving an hour to play). This summer they’ll add a new clubhouse, solidifying it’s position as the best public course in Sarasota.
(This view of twelve green from seventeen fairway shows all the trouble long hitters take on should they risk driving the green on the 342/317 yard par four.)
(I was paired up with Mike, a retired gentleman from the Detroit area, and we paired up with two young guys named Joe and Jack. We all played the blue tees at 6,061 yards. The temperature was only 46 degrees for our 7:52 tee time. The cold weather and lack of playing made the first five holes a difficult start for both of us, but we warmed up in the middle of the round, and Mike even played the last six holes in -1 under. The two young guys reminded me of myself at their age, enjoying a new course even if their skill level made breaking 90 a tall task. Note the circled tee markers on the card. If you wanted to play the original Donald Ross course, then you’d play that tee box which includes teeing off from the tips eight times.)
