Pelican Golf Club pairs Donald Ross’s 1925 origins with Beau Welling’s substantial modern redesign. Its small elevated greens, strategic angles and annual LPGA spotlight make it a polished private-club test built for precision rather than nostalgia.
Donald Ross laid out the original course here in 1925, but today’s Pelican is substantially Beau Welling’s work. After the old course closed in 2017, Welling redesigned the property with Ross and other Golden Age architects as inspiration rather than attempting a literal restoration. The result is a modern championship course built around strategic bunkering, small elevated greens and angles rather than raw terrain.
Welling’s redesign carries Ross’s strategic spirit into a modern championship setting: angles, disciplined bunkering, elevated greens and precise iron play matter more than brute force.
A deceptively demanding par 3 where a pond creates the primary forced carry to a shallow, diagonal green. Tournament coverage calls it the Lamborghini hole: at the 2021 LPGA event, three players made holes-in-one and earned Lamborghini leases. The modest yardage hides a serious short-iron test.
Treat the short-iron number as a serious forced-carry shot: commit to enough club to clear the pond and hold the shallow, diagonal green.
The pond is the primary forced carry, and the shallow diagonal green leaves little room for a casual miss.
Exceptional—firm, fast, and beautifully conditioned, fitting for an LPGA host.
Efficient member play; tournament rounds move briskly but club pace is typical for a private club.
Polished, exclusive, and championship-aware, with a strong tradition-meets-modern energy.
Smart golf attire expected (private-club standard); collared shirts and tailored shorts/trousers.
Practice your bump-and-run and tight Bermuda lies—short-game finesse is paramount.
Controlled approach shots are vital; don’t expect to overpower every hole.
Review historical LPGA pins online for insight into risk/reward decisions.
Quick, undulating greens mean pace control will be tested shot after shot.
Opened as a Donald Ross design
Closed for full property and course redevelopment
Beau Welling tapped for full redesign
Began hosting the LPGA event, now The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican
Hosted Capital One’s The Match (PGA Tour exhibition)
Modern course established after Beau Welling’s substantial redesign; Ross and Golden Age principles remain an influence
Pelican’s journey from old Belleview Biltmore resort course to modern LPGA venue put Belleair back on the women’s pro golf map after 30 quiet years. The course’s layered identity gives it a rare sense of place in Tampa Bay golf history.
When Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, and Jordan Spieth battled under the lights, Pelican’s firm greens and precision angles shined for a global audience. The venue proved it could challenge the world’s best from the first shot to the last.
Donald Ross’s influence remains vivid thanks to Beau Welling’s sensitive, strategic redesign. Fast greens, classic runoffs, and well-framed approaches echo Ross’s genius while feeling tailored for today’s championship game.
Stroll the fairways and find a perfectly conditioned member’s oasis deeply rooted in Florida’s golfing traditions, but with all the polish of a modern championship club and top-tier service.
Pelican revived Tampa Bay’s first full LPGA event in 30 years.
The club hosted Capital One’s The Match, featuring Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy.
Donald Ross laid out the original course in 1925; today’s Pelican is substantially Beau Welling’s redesign after the old course closed in 2017.
Championship Latitude 36 Bermuda fairways and TifEagle Bermuda greens deliver top Tour conditioning.
PGA Tour venue and one of Florida’s top resort tests.
Peerless championship club—if you can score an invite, leap at it.
Historic Florida charm next door; another Donald Ross legacy.
Classic Ross track, accessible with some public tee times.
Stay in Belleair, Clearwater Beach, or central Clearwater for the best access to both Pelican and other Tampa Bay golf.
Courses with the most similar DNA profile — matched by deviation shape across all eight playing characteristics.
Why it matches: If Pelican Golf Club is your kind of course, Timuquana Country Club is worth a look because it puts the same premium on presentation.
Why it matches: Evanston Golf Club is a natural next stop after Pelican Golf Club: it offers similarly polished playing surfaces.
Why it matches: There is real overlap here. Metairie Country Club a comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character, making it a compelling counterpart to Pelican Golf Club.
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