Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater Country Club offers a classic, old-school Florida golf experience on a Herbert Strong layout that has challenged players since the hickory era. While it won’t make national ranking lists, it’s loaded with architectural charm and local color, perfect for those who love vintage strategy and quiet tradition.
Each spring, don’t miss the club’s celebrated hickory golf event—locals tee it up with century-old clubs for a living-history throwback.
Clearwater Country Club boasts a time-capsule Herbert Strong design shaped for the hickory era—rewarding precise placement and classic shot values throughout. The routing is compact, walkable, and blends traditional Florida flatland flow with holes that demand thinking over brute strength. Expect small, subtly-contoured greens and a deliberate sequence that asks golfers to weigh risk and reward, especially on drivable par 4s and shrewdly bunkered scoring holes.
Strong’s work here sets an architectural bar for early 20th-century Florida golf—open, honest, and all about clever play rather than intimidation.
A textbook three-shot par 5 that tempts power hitters but rewards those who plan a sharp wedge approach for their third. With strategic bunkering and a receptive green, your number here is decided by brains as much as brawn.
Manage your layup: smart placement over full-bore aggression leads to the best birdie look.
Misplaced second shots and errant drives can lead to tricky recoveries or a big number.
Modestly maintained fairways and classic, slightly slower greens; not a luxury track but authentic to its roots.
Standard local pace—expect about four hours unless the tee sheet is jammed.
Unpretentious, traditional, local-club feel; casual for Florida’s golf coast.
Standard golf attire—not overly strict, but avoid gymwear.
Small greens mean wedge and short-iron proximity is vital—spend extra time dialing in approach shots.
The club celebrates tradition—respect goes a long way on and off the course.
Sun is a factor nearly year-round; classic Florida essentials.
Club founded; Herbert Strong begins course design
First nine holes/opening day shot by Mrs. Daniel Simonds
Full 18 holes completed
Early tournament activity—local competitions
Historic women’s invitational produces quirky lore
On the club’s opening day in 1921, Mrs. Daniel Simonds—rather than a pro or club captain—hit the ceremonial first shot, setting the tone for Clearwater’s blend of tradition and approachability. Local lore holds this was followed by a mayoral drive, entwining golf and civic celebration from day one.
A story from a 1932 women’s invitational tells of a player who lost a ball in a creek, only for her caddy to spot a sizable fish in the process. These little offbeat moments keep Clearwater’s club atmosphere delightfully unpretentious.
Each year, Clearwater Country Club celebrates its roots by inviting hickory golfers to test their mettle over the same classic fairways that have welcomed players for over a century. These throwback events put the spotlight on shot shaping, creativity, and architectural heritage.
Though Herbert Strong’s philosophy dominates the course, Perry Maxwell—noted master—reworked select holes in the 1940s. His tweaks added to the strategic character, keeping players honest as equipment and power evolved.
One of the oldest Florida courses still in continuous operation.
Hosted hickory golf tournaments celebrating pre-1930s play.
Historical rumors say a mayor once teed off for the ceremonial first shot.
A caddy reportedly spotted a large fish during a ball search in the 1932 women’s tournament.
Perry Maxwell—renowned for Prairie Dunes and Southern Hills—left his mark on certain holes in the 1940s.
PGA TOUR course with rolling terrain and top-tier challenge.
Great, unfussy public golf at approachable rates.
Daily-fee standout with strong conditions and pace.
Close-in Tampa golf—affordable and easy to access.
Busy dual-course facility perfect for group plays.
Stay in downtown Clearwater for easy access to the club and beach, or pick Tampa’s Westshore area for best access to city courses and the airport.
Courses with the most similar DNA profile — matched by deviation shape across all eight playing characteristics.
Why it matches: There is real overlap here. Avon Fields Golf Course has a similarly satisfying rhythm on foot, making it a compelling counterpart to Clearwater Country Club.
Why it matches: Hyde Park Golf Club is a natural next stop after Clearwater Country Club: it has a similarly satisfying rhythm on foot.
Why it matches: What links these two? Moves through the round with the same walkable flow — a familiar feeling, expressed in Erie Golf Club's own setting.
Community Sentiment
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