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'The Bully' benefits from a gentle touch

Renovated Bardmoor still looks tough, but it now plays easier, which is pleasing to its customers.

By BOB HARIG, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published February 7, 2002

LARGO -- The sadists who made Bardmoor Golf & Tennis Club part of their frequent golf routine referred to the course as "The Bully."

The nickname stuck, and whether it was a badge of honor or the kiss of death depends on your perspective.

For those skilled enough to conquer the stern mid Pinellas County layout, the moniker might have been something to brag about. For the frustrated masses, it often meant a long time before a return visit.

And if you're Tom West, Bardmoor's director of golf, the latter scenario is not a good thing.

"That insinuates to me that it is way too hard," West said. "Most people don't break 100. With a hard golf course, that score might be 110 or 120. That's no fun. Our objective was to make it friendly."

And with the help of Gary Koch, they did. Koch, a six-time winner on the PGA Tour who lives in Tampa and now does golf commentary for NBC-TV and will play on the senior tour next year, also is a golf course architect.

Last summer, Koch redesigned all 18 greens on the Bardmoor course. The surfaces were replaced with Tifeagle Bermuda grass, and were made larger to accommodate more shots. Bunkers were moved and reconfigured, allowing players to run balls up to the green rather than having to fly them over the sand and stop them. A new irrigation system and improved drainage, along with some extra landscaping, have made the course more user-friendly. The cost of the project was $2-million.

"Playing in a lot of pro-ams over the years on the tour, playing a lot of corporate outings, you just come to the realization that a lot of people who play golf can't play all these shots," said Koch, who noted that the trend in golf course design today is toward more forgiving layouts.

"Statistics tell you that 90 percent of the people who play the game shoot 90 and above. And those people want to have fun when they play golf. You don't play to be miserable. You play to enjoy yourself, for relaxation and to have a good time. As designers, it's our role to kind of help that be accomplished."

Bardmoor, designed by William Diddle and opened in 1970 as part of a three-course complex, originally was known as Bardmoor North. The South and East courses were open to the public, and the North course was private. It was home to the JCPenney Classic, a mixed-team event of PGA and LPGA pros, from 1978-90.

Eventually, the East and South courses were eliminated in favor of the Bayou Club and a housing development.

Bardmoor North turned into a public facility, and the JCPenney Classic moved on to Innisbrook. But a stern test remained, with well-guarded greens that the average player had difficulty finding.

"What we tried to do here was widen the approach areas into the greens where a (run-up) shot had a chance to be a good shot," Koch said. "For a majority of people who play the game, that's how they play the game. The ball tends to hit short and roll. Now you have a chance to do that and end up with a good result."

Koch said the course, however, will not necessarily look easier.

"We're very big believers in trying to create a golf course that looks harder than it plays," he said. "Therefore the player thinks he's played well on a fairly difficult golf course. Reality is we've taken the time to try to make sure the bunkers are just far enough away that he doesn't reach those bunkers or just short enough that he hits over them. Or just far enough out of play around the greens. Little things like that. Make it look harder than it actually is. And it makes people feel good."

And yet, Bardmoor is no pushover. It measures 7,015 yards from the gold tees and 6,579 yards from the silver.

So far, the response has been positive. Since the course re-opened in November, The Bully has been getting plenty of praise.

"I've been here 17 years, and I've never had things happen the way they've happened," West said. "I've had people actually call on their cell phone as they were leaving to tell me how nice the golf course is. I've gotten letters, e-mails.

"Normally, you get complaints. None of that. Not one, which is unbelievable."

-- Bardmoor Golf & Tennis Club is managed by Crown Golf, which also manages Lansbrook in Palm Harbor and Northdale Golf Club in Tampa. For tee times and rates, call (727) 392-1234.

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