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SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER WINS THE PLAYERS 2024

Scottie Scheffler goes back-to-back at THE PLAYERS Championship in Sunday thriller at TPC Sawgrass

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Scottie Scheffler

Already the best in the world, Scottie Scheffler added another layer to his legend Sunday. He became the first player to win back-to-back in 50 years of THE PLAYERS Championship by matching the biggest comeback and the lowest closing round by a winner.

Scheffler holed out for eagle from the fourth fairway and had four birdies in a five-hole stretch around the turn, sending him to an 8-under 64 and a one-shot victory that wasn’t decided until the final putt.

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Since its start in 1974, with Jack Nicklaus’ historic victory over J.C. Snead at Atlanta Country Club, THE PLAYERS Championship has been one of the PGA TOUR ‘s most coveted titles. Held annually in March, THE PLAYERS is one of the most anticipated tournaments on the PGA TOUR calendar, boasting not only the strongest field but also the biggest purse on the PGA TOUR. THE PLAYERS Championship 2021 will be held March 11 – 14, 2021.

THE PLAYERS Stadium Course  at TPC Sawgrass is a golf course built with both the pros and the fans in mind. The course, owned by the PGA TOUR, first hosted THE PLAYERS in 1982 and is now the permanent home of the annual event. A true “Stadium Course,” the championship-caliber golf course was designed to improve the overall on-site fan experience at THE PLAYERS, while also making it accessible to and playable by golf fans of all abilities.

Working with renowned golf course architect Pete Dye, then-PGA TOUR Commissioner Deane Beman created a course design that favored no particular player or style of play. The result has been a golf course that has tested the best on the PGA TOUR and set the stage for some of the TOUR’s most dramatic finishes. From Jerry Pate’s tossing Pete Dye into the lake on the 18 th hole, to Tiger Woods’ “Better Than Most” putt heard around the world in 2001, THE PLAYERS Championship never disappoints.

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Pga tour lays out how the player equity program will work.

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In February, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan introduced the rough outline of the Player Equity Program, a vesting plan for the circuit’s new for-profit arm that will carve up a hefty portion of the initial $1.5 billion investment from Strategic Sports Group. On Wednesday, players were given a more detailed version of the program, PGA Tour chief competitions officer Tyler Dennis confirmed on “Golf Central.”

The initial player equity grants will be approximately $930 million distributed to 193 players via four categories, starting with the game’s stars. Monahan informed players on Wednesday via a letter of their individual grants.

The first group includes 36 players receiving $750 million in equity based on the last five years of play. “Career Points” will be awarded based on how many years a player has been a Tour member, how many times they earned a spot in the Tour Championship and how many times they have won, with extra points awarded for high-profile victories like the majors, The Players Championship and the FedExCup.

Group 2’s share of the initial equity will be much smaller ($75 million) and will be granted to 64 players. The group is considered “steady performers and up-and-comers” and will be based on FedExCup points earned over the last three years.

Equity to Group 3 will be $30 million going to 57 players based on career earnings and how many times a player finished inside the top 125 in FedExCup points.

The final group will include “past legends,” like Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson, with $75 million going to 36 players based on the “Career Points” formula. Those grants will only be awarded to “past legends” that are living.

Perhaps most important to players will be the program’s eight-year vesting period. The grants will be worth 50% of their value after four years, 75% after six and 100% after eight years, when a player will be able to sell their equity in PGA Tour Enterprises, the for-profit arm the Tour created for the program. At each vesting benchmark players will be responsible to pay taxes on the grants.

The program has been created to encourage loyalty to the Tour in the face of ongoing challenges from LIV Golf, and the requirements of maintaining membership (which includes a minimum of 15 starts each year) would mean players who join LIV Golf would not be eligible for the program or would give up any unvested equity if they were to join the rival circuit.

SSG valued the PGA Tour at $12.3 billion when the group, which is led by Fenway Sports, became a minority investor and the assumption is that valuation will continue to increase like most professional sports franchises in the United States.

The remainder of the initial $1.5 billion investment (roughly $600 million) will be awarded in recurring player grants of $100 million each year, beginning in 2025 through 2030. These grants will be awarded based on performance and Player Impact Program results with an eye toward young talent, like Ludvig Åberg or Nick Dunlap.

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Fact or Fiction: Scottie Scheffler Is the PGA Tour Player of the Year Already

SI Golf’s writers and editors debate the historic runs of Scheffler and Nelly Korda, plus the return of LIV Golf.

• Author: SI Golf Staff

Welcome back to SI Golf’s Fact or Fiction, where we’re not crazy to be entertaining Grand Slam odds for Scottie, and even wondering what they might be for Nelly. 

Once again, we’re here to debate a series of statements for writers and editors to declare as “Fact” or “Fiction” along with a brief explanation. Responses may also (occasionally) be “Neutral” since there's a lot of gray area in golf.

Do you agree or disagree? Let us know on the SI Golf X account.

Scottie Scheffler won Monday at the RBC Heritage, dominating and completely brushing off any post-Masters hangover . Bernhard Langer was the last to win the week after a Masters title—in 1985. If the major was his best win of the season, Hilton Head was his second-best. 

Bob Harig: FACT. Winning the Players Championship will get some attention but a victory a week after capturing the Masters is above and beyond. It’s simply too difficult to come back a few days later and compete at the level needed to maintain what went so well at Augusta National. Not to mention … Harbour Town is such a different test of golf than Augusta National. That Scheffler was able to quickly adapt and keep it going is impressive.

John Pluym: FACT. Check out these two stats: In the last 20 years, only Tiger Woods averaged a tournament finish position in the top 10 after winning the Masters in 2002. And the record for most tournament victories after winning at Augusta in the same year is three, and Woods did it twice (2002, ’05), and Jordan Spieth did it in 2015. So, yes, Scheffler winning the RBC Heritage the week after the Masters is no ordinary feat. In fact, it’s actually quite extraordinary when you consider the stats above. 

Jeff Ritter: FACT: Scottie is on fire, and going right out and winning a week after the Masters is further proof that he’s on another level right now. The PGA Championship can’t get here fast enough. 

John Schwarb: FICTION. Becoming the first back-to-back Players champ, against the Tour’s deepest field on its flagship course, has to rank second in this run. But as Bob wrote Monday, not mailing it in at Harbour Town is still remarkable. Scottie is wired differently. 

Scheffler’s wife Meredith is due at the end of the month with the couple’s first child. The world No. 1 could take the rest of the year off as a new father and still win PGA Tour Player of the Year. 

Bob Harig: FACT.  Scheffler has won a major, the PGA Tour’s flagship event and two signature events. Nobody else on the PGA Tour has more than one victory at this point. Take Hideki Matsuyama, for example. He won the Genesis, a signature event. He’d need to add a major plus one of the remaining signature events (Wells Fargo, Memorial, Travelers) and ONE more win just to match Scheffler. And what win would be on the same level as the Players? So that suggests another signature event or a FedEx Cup playoff win. It’s possible someone wins a major and the FedEx Cup and gets consideration but it is difficult to see that at this point.

John Pluym: FACT. The only golfer on a hotter streak than Scheffler is Nelly Korda, and she plays on the LPGA Tour. I don’t see any golfer on the PGA Tour playing consistently well enough to overtake Scheffler for POY if Scheffler decided to pack it in for the rest of the season. Rory? Xander? Wyndham? Max? Tommy? Collin? It’s not even close right now.  

Jeff Ritter: FICTION. Scottie’s resume would be impressive, but the news cycle moves fast! Someone else—maybe Wyndham Clark, or Rory or Morikawa, for example—could snag one of the summer’s majors and cap the season with a FedEx Cup title just before voters go to the polls for POY. 

John Schwarb: FACT. Taking POY from Scheffler right now would likely require a half-dozen wins with two majors. Tough to see who’s doing that given the lackluster seasons by so many Tour “stars.” 

Nelly Korda won her fifth consecutive start at the Chevron Championship (for her second career major), tying five-win streaks by Nancy Lopez and Annika Sorenstam. Hers is the most impressive.   

Bob Harig: FICTION. This is not to diminish Korda’s accomplishment, which is incredible. We are comparing remarkable achievements. But her winning early in the year, and then not playing for seven weeks, makes it harder to equate it to what Lopez and Sorenstam did. But we’re splitting hairs. Winning five tournaments—at all—is amazing.

John Pluym: FICTION. Here’s the thing: Is the LPGA Tour field better than when Lopez and Sorenstam were dominating? No. So, for now, the streak is impressive but let’s see if she can win a couple more in a row.

The LPGA's best player also has excellent cannonball form.

Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

Jeff Ritter: FACT. Today’s LPGA draws from a worldwide pool of the best players the world has ever known. It’s a much more global tour than in the days of Lopez, and even Annika. It’s tough to win, even if Nelly is currently making it look easy. 

John Schwarb: FICTION. Sorenstam’s five, like Korda’s, was capped with a win at the Kraft Nabisco Championship (now Chevron). But she won that by eight shots, one of many tournaments in which she was the best by a wide margin. 

LIV Golf returns this week with a two-week swing through Australia and Singapore. Jon Rahm will get his first win at one of the two stops.     

Bob Harig: FACT. Rahm had a bad Masters but that happened to a lot of players. He started strong at LIV with a couple of early close calls and he’s too good to let this linger for long. Either place seems a good spot to get the first win and some momentum heading into the PGA Championship.

John Pluym: FICTION. It might take a pair of low-pressure stops for Rahm to win after the defending Masters champion stunk it up during the first major of the year. And he looks like a guy who is enjoying a $450 million payday and has settled into playing 54-hole tournaments. 

Jeff Ritter: FICTION. Rahm appeared lost and ticked off leaving Augusta. But is he just going to throw the switch on his golf game? I’d expect him to win somewhere on LIV this year, but I’m skeptical that it’s coming soon. He has some work to do. 

John Schwarb: FACT. As great as it is to return to the Masters as the defending champion, there was a lot more baked into it for Rahm as a LIV guy and it didn’t appear easy on or off the course. He can exhale with that behind him and these are a pair of low-pressure stops for the Spaniard to get a W.

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Masters Champion Jon Rahm Expects to Be Nervous Early in the Week, Then All Business at Augusta

Power Rankings: Take Precision Over Distance at Valspar Championship

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Tiger Woods to land $100M, PGA Tour equity payments for loyalty, revealed

The new PGA Tour Enterprises equity payments for 193 players who remained loyal has been unveiled.

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Share All sharing options for: Tiger Woods to land $100M, PGA Tour equity payments for loyalty, revealed

PGA Tour Enterprises , the newly formed for-profit entity, is prepared to dole out massive sums of money to reward player loyalty amid the LIV Golf discord.

The PGA Tour struck a deal with Strategic Sports Group worth up to $3 billion three months ago. As part of the fundraising efforts, the Tour will disseminate hundreds of millions of dollars to its membership, per The Telegraph.

Tiger Woods, the 15-time major champion, will receive the largest sum upwards of $100 million. Rory McIlroy will net a cool $50 million. Other top players like Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas will earn $30 million.

The entire payout structure to all players has yet to be made public.

Nearly two thirds of the money infused into the company will be handed out via equity shares. However, a safeguard was put in place to avoid players taking the money and then jumping ship for LIV Golf.

Fifty percent of the money will be vested after four years on Tour. Another 25 percent will be added two years after that and all 100 percent will be vested after eight years.

There are a number of factors that determined a players’ worth.

Chief among them are the ‘career points’ and how players have fared through the Player Impact Program (PIP).

The former is a model that looks at career achievements through the lens of longevity. The latter, which was established a couple of years ago to combat the money thrown by LIV at players, takes into account how an individual has helped promote and grow the sport through ticket sales, sponsorships, media consumption and fan engagement.

Understandably, Woods would top the list. He continues to move the needle . One just needs to look at The Masters less than two weeks ago.

Television ratings were initially up as Woods performed well and made the cut for the 24th consecutive appearance, setting a new PGA Tour record . However, after he faltered to historic lows Saturday, ratings plummeted during the weekend.

The Tiger Woods effect is a problem that the PGA Tour and professional golf is still yet to solve.

However, if a deal is ever reached between LIV and the PGA Tour, bringing the best players together might at least stem the tide.

Kendall Capps is the Senior Editor of SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social media platforms.

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• LIV Golf Adelaide: Greg Norman addresses Rory McIlroy rumors with cryptic comments
• Nelly Korda lays blame for lack of women’s golf coverage at TV network's feet
• PGA Tour stars reflect on “amazing” Scottie Scheffler, Nelly Korda history
• Scottie Scheffler 2024 earnings per round blows American median income out of water
• Zurich Classic: How to watch, streaming, format, preview, tee times, and more

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By the numbers: Statistics confirm Scottie Scheffler's historical dominance

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Is impending fatherhood the only thing stopping Scottie Scheffler? Quite possibly.

His historic run continued Monday when he completed his victory at the RBC Heritage. It was his fourth win in his past five starts, a run that also included victories at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, THE PLAYERS Championship and the Masters. The only exception was a runner-up finish at the Texas Children’s Houston Open, where he missed a 6-footer to join Stephan Jaeger in a playoff.

Scottie Scheffler’s Round 4 highlights From RBC Heritage

Scheffler has seemed invincible lately, and the statistics confirm that. Here’s a closer look at some of the key stats that put Scheffler’s historic play into perspective:

• By winning at Harbour Town Golf Links, Scheffler became the first player since Bernhard Langer in 1985 to win the RBC Heritage one week after winning the Masters .
• Scheffler is the first player since Tiger Woods in 2006 to win the week after winning a major .
• With four wins and a runner-up in his past five starts, Scheffler is the first player since Woods in 2007-08 to have five consecutive top-two finishes . Vijay Singh is the only other player to have such a run in the past 30 years (2004).
• This was Scheffler’s 10th PGA TOUR victory, coming in just his 51st start since he earned his first win at the 2022 WM Phoenix Open. Only David Duval has needed fewer starts after his first win to reach victory No. 10. Duval did it in 33 starts. Tiger Woods is third on the list with 59 starts.
• In his 51 starts since the 2022 WM Phoenix Open, Scheffler also has 23 top-three finishes (45%) and 35 top-10s (68.6%).
• All 10 of Scheffler’s wins have come since the start of the 2021-22 season. He is the first player to win 10 (or more) times on the PGA TOUR in the span of three seasons since Dustin Johnson won 10 titles between 2015-16 and 2017-18.
• This is Scheffler’s fourth win of the season, matching his career-high from 2022. He is the fourth player with multiple four-win seasons since the start of 2000 , joining Woods (10), Singh, (3) and Phil Mickelson (2).
• Scheffler has now recorded 40 consecutive TOUR rounds at par or better , a streak that began in the final round of the 2023 TOUR Championship. He’s 12 back of Woods’ all-time TOUR mark of 52 straight rounds at par or better (set across 2000-01).
• In each of Scheffler’s last seven victories, eight or more of the top 10 players in the Official World Golf Ranking have been in the field . His most recent run of four wins in five starts has included two Signature Events (Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, RBC Heritage), THE PLAYERS and the Masters.
• Scheffler is averaging 5.38 birdies per round this season, on pace to set the all-time TOUR record for single-season birdie average (since the statistic was first tracked in 1980) . Woods set the current record (4.92) in 2020.
• In his 39 rounds this season, he has outperformed the field average 35 times . He’s been at least a shot better than the field 30 times, at least two shots better 26 times and at least three shots better 19 times.
• Scheffler leads the TOUR in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green by nearly a shot per round this season , after finishing atop the category by more than two-thirds of a stroke per round last season. No player had previously led the category by more than four-tenths of a stroke per round since Woods in 2009.

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PGA Tour players learn how much loyalty is worth in new equity program

Tiger Woods waves after his final round at the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club Sunday, April 14, 2024, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, waves after making a putt on the sixth hole during the second round of the RBC Heritage golf tournament, Friday, April 19, 2024, in Hilton Head Island, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

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Players who stayed loyal to the PGA Tour amid lucrative recruitment by Saudi-funded LIV Golf are starting to find out how much that loyalty could be worth.

The PGA Tour on Wednesday began contacting the 193 players eligible for the $930 million from a “Player Equity Program” under the new PGA Tour Enterprises .

The bulk of that money — $750 million — went to 36 players based on their career performance, the last five years and how they fared in a recent program that measured their star power.

How much they received was not immediately known. Emails were going out Wednesday afternoon and Thursday informing players of what they would get. One person who saw a list of how the equity shares were doled out said the names had been redacted. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because many details of the program were not made public.

The Telegraph reported Tiger Woods was to receive $100 million in equity and Rory McIlroy could get $50 million, without saying how it came up with those numbers.

Commissioner Jay Monahan outlined the first-of-its-kind equity ownership program in a Feb. 7 memo to players, a week after Strategic Sports Group became a minority investor in the new commercial PGA Tour Enterprises.

The private equity group, a consortium of professional sports owners led by the Fenway Sports Group, made an initial investment of $1.5 billion that could be worth $3 billion. The tour is still negotiating with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia — the financial muscle behind the rival LIV Golf league — as an investor.

Any deal with PIF would most certainly increase the value of the equity shares.

Another person with knowledge of the Player Equity Program, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the private nature of the dealings, said the equity money is not part of the SSG investment. That money was geared toward growth capital.

Golf.com received a series of informational videos on the Player Equity Program that was sent to players and reported only 50% of the equity would vest after four years, 25% more after six years and the rest of it after eight years.

It also reported how the 36 players from the top tier were judged on “career points,” such as how long they were full members, victories, how often they reached the Tour Championship and extra points for significant victories.

Jason Gore, the tour’s chief player officer, said in one of the videos, “It’s really about making sure that our players know the PGA Tour is the best place to compete and showing them how much the Tour appreciates them being loyal.”

Emails also were sent to 64 players who would share $75 million in aggregate equity based on the past three years, and $30 million to 57 players who are PGA Tour members. Also, $75 million in equity shares was set aside for 36 past players instrumental in building the tour.

The program has an additional $600 million in equity grants that are recurring for future PGA Tour players. Those would be awarded in amounts of $100 million annually started in 2025.

Players only get equity shares from one of the four tiers now, although everyone would be eligible for the recurring grants.

Even with equity ownership geared toward making the PGA Tour better, the concern was players questioning who got how much and whether they received their fair share.

LIV Golf lured away seven major champions dating to 2018 since it launched in 2022, all with guaranteed contracts and most of them believed to have topped $100 million.

McIlroy, playing this week in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, was asked how much would make players feel validated for their decision to stay with the PGA Tour.

“I think the one thing we’ve learned in golf over the last two years is there’s never enough,” McIlroy replied.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

2024 Champion Cooper Smith

Shooting 10-under through 27 holes, Cooper Smith wins the 2024 New Year's Invitational

Championship Overview

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The New Year’s Invitational

Featuring outstanding players from around the world. Past winners include Masters champion Bob Goalby, FedEx champion Brandt Snedeker, PGA Tour winners Gary Koch and JB Holmes, European Tour winner Sam Horsfield and US Amateur champions Buddy Alexander and Peter Uihlein.

2024 Tournament Overview

The 98th New Year’s Invitational will be held January 3-6, 2023

Wednesday | Registration and Practice Thursday | Round 1 Friday | Round 2 Saturday | Round 3 and presentation

Rich in History

The New Year’s Invitational has been played at St Petersburg Country Club every year since 1927. Its original format was match play, changing to stroke play in 1956.

St. Petersburg Country Club

St. Petersburg Country Club’s course opened for play in 1924. Its architect was Herbert Strong, a golf professional who had arrived in the US from his native England in 1905.

A Special Event

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Browse through the years to see all of our outstanding winners

Amazing Experiences

Our history spans 97 years. Our list of past champions includes several PGA pros. The tournament history is impressive, and so is the field.

Some New Year’s traditions stand the test of time. St. Petersburg Country Club’s New Year’s Invitational Golf tournament is one of them.

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There’s several tour players who have played here and won and gone on to bigger and better things, so I think the mystique of that, it has a long and cherished history. And it’s a great field.

Joe Alfieri

There is a lot of competition, this tournament has morphed into a young man’s game as a lot of tournaments do, there’s still a good amount of competition with the seniors.

Mike Barkley

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Report: Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy among big PGA Tour payouts

Rory McIlroy explains why the PGA Tour's equity figures are insufficient to compete with LIV Golf's payouts. (0:19)

• ESPN News Services

Tiger Woods , Rory McIlroy and other PGA Tour stars are about to receive massive bonuses for their loyalty.

The Telegraph reported Wednesday that Woods will receive up to $100 million in equity as part of the newly created for-profit PGA Tour Enterprises, with McIlroy getting about half that amount.

The payouts, which are set to be disclosed to the players by PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan on Wednesday, are a way to thank players for sticking with the PGA Tour instead of jumping to the rival LIV Golf League and huge paydays from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.

Nearly 200 players will receive a stake, with $750 million of it going to the top 36 players based on a formula that weighs career success and cultural popularity, according to The Telegraph. Other notable payouts include $30 million each for Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas , while $75 million is targeted to go to notable retired players.

To receive the money, players would have to continue to remain loyal to the PGA Tour, with the funds vesting over the next eight years, according to The Telegraph. And going forward, the PGA Tour plans to award $100 million per year to the players.

McIlroy, playing this week in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, was asked Wednesday how much would make players feel validated for their decision to stay with the PGA Tour.

"I think the one thing we've learned in golf over the last two years is there's never enough," said McIlroy, who also said that he's interested in returning to the PGA Tour's policy board, as has been reported and is pending a board vote that could take place this week.

"At the end of the day, it's not quite up to me to just come back on the board," McIlroy said. "There's a process that has to be followed."

The other board members are Patrick Cantlay , Peter Malnati , Adam Scott , Spieth and Woods.

PGA Tour Enterprises received an investment of up to $3 billion earlier this year from Strategic Sports Group, a consortium of sports team owners that includes the New York Mets ' Steve Cohen and the Atlanta Falcons ' Arthur Blank.

A week later, Monahan outlined the first-of-its-kind equity ownership program in a Feb. 7 memo to players.

Any deal with PIF would most certainly increase the value of the equity shares.

A source with knowledge of the Player Equity Program told The Associated Press that the equity money is not part of the SSG investment. That money was geared toward growth capital.

Golf.com, which received a series of informational videos on the Player Equity Program that was sent to players, reported only 50% of the equity would vest after four years, 25% more after six years and the rest of it after eight years.

The 36 players from the top tier were judged on "career points," such as how long they were full members, victories, how often they reached the Tour Championship and extra points for significant victories, Golf.com reported.

"It's really about making sure that our players know the PGA Tour is the best place to compete and showing them how much the Tour appreciates them being loyal," Jason Gore, the tour's chief player officer, said in one of the videos obtained by Golf.com.

Emails also were sent to 64 players who would share $75 million in aggregate equity based on the past three years, and $30 million to 57 players who are PGA Tour members. Also, $75 million in equity shares was set aside for 36 past players instrumental in building the tour.

The program has an additional $600 million in equity grants that are recurring for future PGA Tour players. Those would be awarded in amounts of $100 million annually started in 2025.

Players only get equity shares from one of the four tiers now, although everyone would be eligible for the recurring grants.

Even with equity ownership geared toward making the PGA Tour better, the concern was players questioning who got how much and whether they received their fair share.

The PGA Tour and LIV are in merger talks, but they have been protracted, with no clear end in sight. Both tours have continued to operate independently, keeping many of the top names in golf from competing against one another for most of the golf calendar -- major tournaments (Masters, US Open, British Open and PGA Championship) excepted

"I think I could be helpful to the process," McIlroy said of a formalized unification of the PGA Tour and LIV Golf. "But only if people want me involved."

He said he aims to promote compromise while also trying "to help people see the benefits of what unification could do for the game and what it could do for this tour in particular."

"We obviously realize the game is not unified right now for a reason, and there's still some hard feelings and things that need to be addressed," McIlroy said. "But I think at this point, for the good of the game, we all need to put those feelings aside and all move forward together."

The Associated Press and Field Level Media contributed to this report.

St. Petersburg Golf Courses: 7 Area Hot Spots for Golfers

Florida, a playground of surf and golf, has more than 1,250 private and public golf courses. One top city for scenic courses is St. Petersburg located in the Tampa Bay metro. Within the area — where Bob Goalby set the PGA Tour record for most consecutive birdies in the 1961 St. Petersburg Open — lies some of Florida’s finest golfing experiences. See our picks for the top St. Petersburg golf courses and accept the challenge.

St. Petersburg Golf Courses to Test Your Skills

TPC Tampa Bay (Lutz, FL)

Named one of the top five golf courses in Florida by Florida Golf Magazine and host to a PGA Tour Champions event for over 20 years, this course awaits just 35 minutes north of downtown St. Pete. Its greens wind through natural wetlands, cypress heads and lagoons, providing a challenging course that allows golfers to play well within their game.

A variety of tees allow the course to be played from 4,990 yards to just under 7,000 yards, with water on almost every hole. But that’s what makes TPC Tampa Bay fun as well as demanding. Fun fact: Former PGA legend Chi Chi Rodriguez consulted on the building of this elite course.

Isla Del Sol Yacht and Country Club (St. Petersburg, FL)

This St. Pete country club is private and offers summer memberships . Nestled between the southern tip of St. Petersburg and St. Pete Beach on Boca Ciega Bay, this 18-hole par-71 course features 6,392 yards of golf from the longest tees.

With 29 courses in Florida to his credit, the late Mark Mahannah designed Isla Del Sol, which opened in 1977. Today, Isla Del Sol’s narrow, condominium-lined fairways and palm trees come into play throughout the course. All 18 holes feature water hazards. For an additional challenge, the course’s signature eighth hole — a 343-yard, par 4 — requires an approach shot over water to an island green.

Mainlands Golf Course (Pinellas Park, FL)

This tranquil course lies under the watchful gaze of legendary Uncle Julio, a late 19th-century relative of longtime course owner William A. Blair. On Mainlands Golf Course , golfers can ride 18 holes for just $35, or walk for only $30 per person.

Not far from Pinellas Park, the family-owned and -operated establishment has a well-stocked pro shop in addition to magnificent views and challenging play for every skill level. Most golfers use every club in their bag. In addition, Uncle Julio still shouts out directives from above, like offering half-off greens fees and discounts on golf ball purchases at certain times.

Mangrove Bay (St. Petersburg, FL)

This par-72 municipal layout located on 180 maintained acres in northeast St. Petersburg features 18 holes of championship golf on USGA modified platinum paspalum greens. The course’s mangroves also provide a bounty of bird species for golfers who enjoy watching wildlife.

Mangrove Bay was named among the Top 100 Most Women Friendly Golf Courses by  Golf for Women  magazine. In addition, Golf Digest’s Best Places to Play list ranked Mangrove Bay as a three-star course, lauding the facility as an excellent value. PGA professional golf lessons are available for groups and individuals, and junior golf programs feature lessons for ages 6 to 18.

Seminole Lake Country Club (Seminole, FL)

This club offers a semi-private facility set among Florida landscaping and views of Long Bayou near the popular vacation communities of Reddington Beach. Seminole Lake Country Club sits on a peninsula surrounded with water on three sides and emits an old Florida feel on its 18-hole, 6,501-yard, from the back tees, layout.

Gentle breezes and birds indicate the presence of the Gulf nearby. The course even has its own family of bald eagles nesting on site. Seminole Lake’s firm and fast greens contain much less grain than traditional Florida Bermuda grass, and the club’s Member for a Day program allows non-club members to experience them first-hand.

Rocky Point Golf Course (Tampa, FL)

Historic Rocky Point, just 20 minutes northeast of St. Petersburg City Hall, was one of the first golf courses in Florida, originally opening in 1911. During World War II, the federal government closed the course and built barracks on the property to house prisoners of war. The grounds were eventually turned over to the city of Tampa in 1953, reopening in 1954 as Rocky Point Golf Course.

Today, the layout provides a fair challenge, with water hazards coming into play on 11 holes and sand bunkers placed throughout. Abundant wildlife teems through the course’s surrounding lakes, which also serve as a bird sanctuary.

And if the mood suits, couples can get married at Rocky Point Golf Course , which offers a wedding golf package.

Bardmoor Golf and Tennis Club (Seminole, FL)

Bardmoor houses broad, generous fairways that invite players to hit past water and other features that add sparkle to a round. Some heavy hitters from the past — Arnold Palmer, Payne Stewart, Fred Couples and Tom Kite, among other PGA Tour greats — competed here back in 1977 to 1989.

A renovation by Gary Koch brought Bardmoor’s overall conditions up to excellent. The club sports Tif-Eagle greens that rival tour status, state-of-the-art practice facilities, an award-winning shop, and personal service completes a great golfing experience. In addition, an event venue features a stylish ballroom and outdoor patio accommodates up to 200 guests, making Bardmoor an attractive option for corporate meetings and social events.

It’s time to play these St. Petersburg golf courses! Get started with these St. Pete vacation rentals .

Need something for kids to do? Check out these family-approved activities in St. Petersburg and Treasure Island.

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