Problems with Cliff Stephens course information ...

[Lewis]

Below is a quote from mattdabbs in another thread, describing the layout of Cliff Stephens park in Clearwater, Florida. This is to set the context for my reply below. I could not reply to the original thread due to its age, but I'd like to consider this a continuation of the same topic.

Hole 1 - plays from a teepad between where you pull in and the tree line by the train tracks
Hole 2 - plays from the pad under the big trees around 1's pin back toward parking lot
Hole 3 - walk back toward 2 and to the right to the teepad under the trees. This shot plays across the little valley to the ridge over the water
Hole 4 - From that pin walk straight down the hill line to the pad about 40 feet from 3's pin. Shot plays straight ahead with water left
Hole 5 - Walk back and to the left of the fairway you just played to the pad near the little walking bridge. 3 pin positions all pretty much straight ahead.
Hole 6 - continue walking along the top of the crest along the water to the next pad that plays through a row of trees and palms
Hole 7 - pad is ahead and to the left of 6's pin. Plays dead straight to 2 positions.
Hole 8 - continue along the water to 8's pad...plays across the water's edge under the big tree
Hole 9 - Walk back toward 7's pad and 9's is there by the bench. Plays to the railroad tie wall.
Walk across the street toward the lake
Hole 10 - Plays straight across the water
Hole 11 - walk toward the pipe across the lake - pad on top of the hill. Plays straight across the revine
Hole 12 - walk across the path and pad by the bench near walking trail. Plays across the water to a pin under the trees. Go too long and you are wet. You cross the bridge after you tee off.
Hole 13 - Plays over the walking path to a pin near the street. Popular route is spike hyzer over the street
Hole 14 - Walk along the water and play back where you just walked to a pin on the top edge of the water back by the bridge/walking path
Hole 15 - Cross the bridge and go to your left to a pad there. Plays either near water left or straight through woods over the crazy looking tree "The garage"
Hole 16 - Crazy long bomb over the water. Island is OB.
ABC I think have been changed since I played it?
A - plays from a hole in the woods back to the pin on the island...look for rubber tee on A & B
B - go back down that path to a rubber pad - tunnel shot
C - walk out to the bike path and look for sign/line on walking path for tee
17 - walk down path to pad just right of path
18 - continue down walking path to 18's tee...crazy long shot back to the street.

Hope that helps!

I played Cliff Stephens last week, and found the course more than a little confusing to navigate, especially between 16-17, but what really bothered me is that its dgcoursereview page lists 25 holes, not the 21 mattdabbs describes above. The conditions of the course that I found match what mattdabbs posted, not what is showing on the dgcoursereview page or the course map that is attached there (wrong hole numbering).

Since what Mattdabbs posted is accurate, at least as far as I found it, what is on this site is incorrect. Can somebody local to the Clearwater area come online here and fix all the misinformation so people new to the course can have an accurate resource? Or conversely, if there are actually now 25 holes at the park, can someone update the course map and the signage at the course to reflect this? A few photos of the extra holes would be nice as well. It's hard enough navigating an unfamiliar course like Cliff Stephens, even with an accurate map.

 

[Peter S]

I am from South Florida but play C. S. once or twice a year. Very old course that has seen new signs recently. That being said I never seem to find the bonus holes after A.

I play bonus hole A & then return to 17.

The other thing about C.S. is no matter what time of day or day of week there always seems to be someone there to play with or to guide you on the right path.

Sometimes that someone may be a current or former world champ

 

[Lewis]

I am from South Florida but play C. S. once or twice a year. Very old course that has seen new signs recently. That being said I never seem to find the bonus holes after A.

I play bonus hole A & then return to 17.

The other thing about C.S. is no matter what time of day or day of week there always seems to be someone there to play with or to guide you on the right path.

Sometimes that someone may be a current or former world champ

The two times I've played Cliff Stephens, I didn't see Climo or McBeth, but I kept a lookout.

B and C are in the woods beyond 16. You'd have to walk back up the land bridge from the A basket and continue into the woods a little way, but you're not missing much. B is a crazy tunnel shot up a narrow path, with a creek immediately left and dense woods immediately right. If you can throw a disc 300' literally down a hallway, without touching the walls, you'll be okay. Otherwise, plan to be wet or pierced with briars, and frustrated. After you play B, turn away from the creek into the woods, and you'll find C running parallel to B, near the paved path, back towards 16. The hole I considered #17 is further back down the path in the same direction.

Last week I was too frustrated with B -- which the locals sitting on the island next to the A basket told me was "the real 17, since A is not part of the course" -- to attempt C, and I found the hole marked as #17 on the tee sign to be a much better choice. It's all very confusing, so it's probably best just to skip B and C. But what do I know? I couldn't find the other four holes that are listed on this site. :doh:

 

[harr0140]

They should make holes that allow you to walk to Northeast Coachmen down the path and back!

 

[Lewis]

They should make holes that allow you to walk to Northeast Coachmen down the path and back!

It's only about a mile walk, according to the locals.

 

[tampabay]

So hole A is the shot out on the peninsula from a teepad in the woods. The teepad for hole B is farther back in the woods than the teepad for hole A and plays the opposite direction down into the woods. Hole C plays along the bike path back towards the basket for hole 16. The teepad for hole 17 is farther down the bike path in the direction of the first 9 holes.

I know that's super confusing, but that's how it's setup. The walk to Coachman isn't terrible but I'd never do it. Not worth the effort, people probably got there in a car anyways and 18 finishes near the starting parking lot.

The only time I've heard of their being 25 holes are from the temp holes they use during tournaments. One of them plays along the opposite side the lake that the last couple holes from the first 9 border.

Let me know if any of that wasn't clear. The course layout could definitely use some signage to help out as well as a refresher on the course page.

 

[listen2bob]

They added holes last year. From 16 you have the "a" hole on the peninsula, which is numbered "a" since it is an additional hole not used in tourney play. 17 is the old b. 18, 19,20, 21 play in the woods by the highway, 22 is the old c hole, 23 and 24 are original17 and 18. The signage has all been updated to reflect this