The Claw at USF Golf Course

Great Value golf course. I always come here thinking i’m going to raise my handicap a little bit. Never happens. It has a number of tight fairways. Water when you don’t want it.(don’t go in the water looking for your ball. was told this a long time ago, 15 years, and I actually saw two beady eyes looking up at me. Haven’t seen any recently). If you’re not a straight/​semi-​straight ball of the tee kind of person, the woods will eat a ball now and then. Was able to find one or two of them, the rest were history.
Greens are elevated for the most part. Fairways about the right distance. Have had a friendly staff there when I’ve been there. You have to go get your cart, drive back to the car and load your clubs. If there are a number of players in front of you, you’ll be waiting to tee off about a third of the time. If not, free sailing.

This course is run by an independent company but is the home course for the USF golf teams. It is a tight, tough course squeezed into a few blocks along Fletcher & 42^nd in North Tampa.
A lot of the greens are elevated and all but a couple would easily be called small. They recently (past year or so) put a lot of money into the course and upgraded all the greens. There are still some dry spots in the fairways but they are doing a good job maintaining the course. The greens are firm and fast, and consistent.
The driving range is irons only, with a machine that takes cash or cards for vending. The short game area by the range is for golf team members only but there is a large putting green by the main clubhouse for public use.
Rocky’s Sports Grill is average pub food, with some big screens to watch the games. Normal domestic beer selection, cart girls come around enough on the course but sometimes leave early so beware on a twilight round.
Rates are competitive weekends and mornings and good value for afternoon or twilight rounds.

Tried to plan a birthday round with family. Ended up requesting for a refund after meeting with the starter. Absolutely one of the driest people I have ever met. Some people shouldn’t deal with the public. We canceled our plans and drove back to Orlando. What a shame.

Greens were slow!!! There are way better values in the Tampa market

As someone who plays 150+ round of golf annually, I know an average course when I see it.
However, when it comes to average courses in the Tampa Bay area, The Claw is in the top ten.
You want five-​star golf, go to World Woods, Lake Jovita or TPC Tampa Bay.
You want four-​star golf, go to East Lake Woodlands, Innisbrook or Saddlebrook.
(Streamsong is about 15 stars… but that’s a whole other story)
The Claw is a three-​star course that has maintained very nice greens for much of this calendar year and usually can be played at a very inexpensive rate.
There’s nothing too special about the layout, but it plays fair, tight in some spots off the tee and greens are all elevated.
This is not a place you will find a full country club experience as the clubhouse is very outdated and you will load up your own clubs on a golf cart.
Still, I like The Claw if I’m just looking to enjoy a good value and a great weather day at the last minute.

Very cool old parkland style course! Pretty good condition and great layout. Staff is very friendly! the GM, Spencer is off the hook!

I have only been playing golf for about 1 year so my experience with various courses is limited. But I was very impressed with The Claw.
The course was challenging and beautiful in its attempt to preserve and incorporate the the natural surroundings. Greens were well maintained and the layout was varied and interesting.
The 3 staff members we had contact with were friendly, helpful, and professional.
Pretty much a perfect afternoon of golf.
Thanks

This review might be quite long! I am a golf addict! Overall, I love this course, but with that being said it is not for everybody.
First the negatives: the course is typically in bad shape when it comes to golfing standards. I am guessing they don’t have much of a greens keeping budget. Where are the horticulture and golf program majors for hands on assistance? The course is usually wet so there is no roll out on drives. The greens are okay, but very average in speed. The tee boxes are not exactly level and the fairway are not cowed very tight. A little extra effort could make this course very good.
The positives: the Claw is an excellent layout and very challenging, but does play long with the course being soggy! The price is very reasonable and the staff is very friendly. An excellent course to work on your game! I would love to see In The future the university put some more effort into making this course a must play! The Claw has unbelievable amount of potential! It is just up to the grounds crew to make that happen.

Leave your driver in your bag, be prepared for the occasional alligator sighting, and remember there’s only two ways to play the famous Claw hole, #14 (3 mid irons, or snap hook your drive and bomb your second to try and reach the green and putt for eagle).
The Claw is always a great bargain, but it’s condition varies as widely as any course in America. The new management company that took over the course from USF many years ago looks like their work is complete, and the mostly elevated greens are in excellent condition. The beauty of the loop is if they grew the rough a little, you could mistake it for a U.S. Open course; tight, narrow fairways that force you to control the ball off the tee. Extra distance isn’t needed but on a few holes (like #6, where the enormous lake in front of your tee shot rewards you for going as far left as your driver will allow), as keeping the ball in the fairway is truly the goal. The greens are mostly flat, but can run super hot as many do in Florida, especially if they haven’t seen rain by the afternoon in the summer.
The food at the clubhouse, Rocky’s, is pretty poor. And the practice facilities are also sub-​standard, as players aren’t allowed to hit driver for fear of flying the ball over the net that catches all bombs. But the course itself is a gem and a very fair test of golf. There are sections where you’ll think you’re in a nature preserve instead of an urban metropolis across the street from America’s 9^th largest university.
Bring plenty of balls, and your best iron game.

The Claw may be the best kept secret in Golf. The Claw is the home course for the University of South Florida’s Golf team. This course is a 7,000 yard monster from the back tees. The hazards on this course are endless. You will be faced with Sand Traps, waters hazards, snakes and large Alligators.
The narrow fairways and endless hazards are mentally exhausting. My most memorable moment at the Claw came on the 516 yard, par 5, Sixth Hole. Long hitters can reach the green in two shots if you can fly the small lake that’s right in front of the green. Me, being a total Wuss, I laid up. It turned out to be a bad decision. I thought I hit my ball in the perfect spot about 10 yards short of the water hazard. Little did I know that there was a 9 foot Gator sunning himself five feet from where I hit my ball. Needless to say, I gladly took a drop and the 1 stroke penalty. He was a large reptile and who was I to disturb him.
The Claw offers a breathtaking look at the Florida wildlife. Not only is it a beautifully maintained course, it’s also a certified, Audubon Animal sanctuary.
Other than my Steve Irwin moment, my round was a lot of fun. I practiced at their wonderful driving range, played a fun round, and had a few Brews in the restaurant when I was finished with my day on the Links.
The Bottom Line is, the Claw is a hidden Gem located just South of Downtown Tampa. It’s a wonderful course and practice facility for Golfers of all levels. My only advice is be careful where you step. If your ball goes out of bounds, or even slightly off the fairway, you may want to take a drop. I would rather take a couple of penalty strokes than get bitten in the ass by a Gator.