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1.9
835 Reviews (835)
5 Stars
85
4 Stars
241
3 Stars
205
2 Stars
129
1 Stars
175
Conditions
1.7
Value
2.2
Layout
3.5
Friendliness
3.6
Pace
3.3
Amenities
1.6
24.8%
Recommend this course
450 out of 835 reviews
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About

Holes 18
Type Public
Par 71
Length 6863 yards
Slope 135
Rating 73.6

Editor's Note: Course closed for business in 10/2023.

The newly renovated Claw at USF, named thus for its many doglegged fairways, offers a distinct layout that seamlessly winds through moss draped oaks and towering pines on pristine Florida preservation land. You will enjoy the fact that there are no houses crowding the fairways. Located at the University of South Florida, this manicured course is home to alligators, deer, turkeys and many other rare inhabitants. You will feel like you are playing in the heart of a nature preserve. "The Claw" is also home to the nationally ranked men's and women's USF Golf Teams. Elevated greens and new Tif-Dwarf putting surface, will test your finesse and shot making ability.

Course Details

Year Built 1967
Greens Champion Bermuda Grass
Golf Season Year round

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes - included in green fees
GPS No
Pull-carts No
Caddies No
Clubs No

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Golf School/Academy Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No
Dress code Proper golf attire required.

Food & Beverage

Grill

Available Facilities

Clubhouse
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Reviews

1.9
835 Reviews (835)
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Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 63
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 1000 Contributor
Previously Played

Crappy condition

Although this is a tough course it is in by far in very poor condition. The greens are fast however, they are in terrible shape. The tee boxes are like teeing off in the bunker.

It’s a good thing you can get a deal for around $20 on golf now because it’s not worth much more than that. The pace is terrible and had to wait an hour past my tee time just to get a cart because they obviously don’t have enough of them. And as bad as it is I will play it again someday. I just hope they spend a little money and improve this place because it could be a really nice place to play.

Conditions Poor
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Need better course management

Arrived a few minutes early for our noon t time to be told me had “a 45 min wait at the least”. The course ran out of carts and we’re waiting for people to finish the course with their carts to give them to a line of people waiting at the 18th hole. We tried to get our money back but we’re told we couldn’t. The pro shop said this wait is typical for Saturday’s. Even with this wait the guy in front of us was asking to play another round and they said sure, it’ll be 20 min or so. So he got on before us ? Having a tee time and being a walk on. I’ve never heard of having to wait 45 min after a t time…. Our cart was in poor condition and made very strange noises. There was no starter at the first tee because they were managing the carts off the 18th. It was a free for all. We waited after our cart wait behind 4 groups to tee off. As you can imagine, pace of play was horrible. we didn’t finish the 18 because we were tired of the waiting around between each shot. I understand it’s season and some wait is typical but this situation was completely unheard of. Will not return. A majority of the tee boxes are also just sand.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Fair
Pace Fair
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Beginner
Plays Once every three months
3.0
Previously Played

Bad conditions - golf elsewhere

Bad conditions - golf elsewhere. I wish the clubhouse were open too.

Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 14
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

TERRIBLE CONDITION

You would think that these college students would learn some skillls off and on this course.. I guess theyre waiting on Jimmy Carter to fix up the clubhouse and restaraunt. Even the starter dont want to work. SO SAD.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Fair
Pace Excellent
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Just awful

The course is in some of the worst condition I’ve ever seen. Tee boxes are mostly dirt. Greens have dirt craters on them. One green even had golf cart tire tracks burned across it. This place was a dump about 10 years ago when I first played and it’s still a dump now.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Poor
Friendliness Fair
Pace Poor
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 7
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Should turn it under and start from scratch.

To say the course was in awful condition would be an understatement. Greens for the most part all had damage. Tee boxes might have well have been sand traps and for the time of the year we are in now, I would expect the fairways to at least have some grass. I last played this course over 20 years ago and I don't recall it ever being in this condition. Will never play here again.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Fair
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 4
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
1.0
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Course should be closed permanently

This was the first and last time I will every play this course. I wouldn't tell my worst enemy to play here. If I was aware of this ahead of time, I would have not shown up. First there is no club house, just a sea can, that is the pro shop. You can't get into it, for the junk they have for sale. You have to go and find your own golf cart, which hasn't been cleaned this year. No one tells you where the driving range is, except for someone walking by who explained you drive down the first hole and turn left. The tee blocks at the range are nothing but sand and weeds. When our tee time came up, there were 5 twosomes teeing off and no one to check if anyone paid or were playing as a foursome. When our turn came up to tee off, a twosome of locals joined up with us. If it wasn't for them, this would have been a lot worse. I don't know how but it would have been. They agreed, they have never seen it this bad. Being optimistic, there is possibly 50% of the grass on the fairways, and 25% in the rough, the rest is sand and dirt. This course is so tired and run down, a goat would die of starvation from lack of food or water. There is no drinking water on the course so if your foolish enough to waste your time and money on playing this course, bring everything you want to drink or eat. 35% of the greens aren't playable, and are the remainder are junk. I should have walked off the course when I found out that the university team doesn't even play here. This is a blatant case of the university stealing money from the public to pad their own pockets. If you've every played golf before, even once, don't play here. Take your cash and light it on fire for far better value.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Poor
Pace Fair
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 2
1.0
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

0 Stars

Worse course EVER. Should not even be open as a golf course.

Round started by showing up and paying a gentlemen in a porta potty, they don't even have a Club house/pro shop. had to walk .5 mile to another gentlemen to get a golf cart that looks like it hasn't been washed in years. The Driving range has no signs on how to get there once finding my way to the range I was basically having to hit out of a sand bunker little to no grass. When my round was about to start I headed to the tee blocks there was a group of 5 pairing of 2 players and no Marshall to start the group pairs or send 4some off. When it was my turn to tee off, a pairing of locals asked if they could join me (if it wasn't for the locals I'd be lost). As the round was underway discovered the most the the tee. block, were dead to no grass to hit from, fairways were in average some burnt spots but vary unplayable spots. greens were horrible more then half the greens should not be even played. There is No Drinking water anywhere on the course, No bathrooms anywhere.

This so called Course should be shut down or removed from the site.

(Locals stated that the University Teams Don't even play there)

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Poor
Pace Fair
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Previously Played

Cheap for college student, waste for golfer

It’s Great for a college student who barely plays golf. Cheap and close by. But if you’re any kind of golfer who understands you’re giving up four hours at least to play around of golf, please don’t waste your money. Diamond hill and Heritage Isles both charge $15-$20 more and yet or far more worth the 5 hours spent.

The claw is ana amazing layout, TERRIBLE MAINTENANCE, tee boxes have more dirt then grass, 7 green looks like the moon. FOR GODS SAKE THE PRO SHOP IS A SHIPPING CONTAINER WHILE THE OLD PRO SHOP IS NOW ONE WITH NATURE.

Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 5
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser

The Claw

Layout and elevated greens could provide for a great golf course.

The terribly maintained course and greens make it unplayable. Not really even worth the $20 discounted greens fee.

Conditions Poor
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 59
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 1000 Contributor
Previously Played

Tees in terrible shape, fairways are weeds, not grass

This is the worst shape I have seen for this course.

Most of the tees, especially on the front 9, are nothing but sand.

Many fairways have nothing but weeds, not a blade of grass in sight, but lots of sandy areas where there should be grass (does ANY Florida course buy and plant grass seed ?).

The back 9 was better than the front, but still subpar.

Most greens were in OK shape, some not.

Doesn't USF have a golf superintendent curriculum ? Why not have the students maintain the course for course credit ?

Conditions Fair
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Needs Attention

Course layout was great but the tee boxes,fairways and greens are in poor condition. Pro shop a d clubhouse building are boarded up and everything is run out of what looks like a construction trailer. The golf carts were dirty and covered in pollen. Very disappointing for the money paid to play there. USF should have some pride and fix the course so their golf team can actually play there.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 1
1.0
Previously Played

DO NOT PLAY

This course was completely run down and in the worst shape of any golf course I’ve ever seen. Tee boxes were complete sand, golf carts covered in dirt, no pro shop, greens didn’t have grass. Unreal they charged $45 dollars to play or are even open at this point

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Poor
Friendliness Poor
Pace Poor
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart
Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Layout Fair
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Fairly Easy
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Lots of potential

Tight course, raised greens. Greens were decent, couple issues with a few greens, fairways were sparse., nice layout

Conditions Fair
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Fair
Pace Good
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

This course is in poor conditions

The staff and all are very nice at the course, but the conditions of the course are just near terrible. Tee boxes are unplayable, and the grass around the greens is awful.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 10
2.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart
Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Fairly Easy
Played On
Reviews 18
Skill Beginner
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

There were carts available and pace of play was great

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 6
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played

Great staff great layout

Every time I go here I’m on a 1st name basis with Carl Easton Natalie I love to golf here layout is great only issue I have is the rough is always to rough so you may loose some balls. And make sure to hit them straight trees or water or both in play on almost every hole. Plus hole 6 and 12 are amazing holes

Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Stay away !!!!

This course has you believing that it is affiliated with the University of Southern Florida that is so far from the truth they do practice there, and that facility is off-limits to the public. The course is a joke. Tea boxes are nothing but sandbox, and the greens are the worst that I have ever played on.

Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Layout Average
Friendliness Fair
Pace Fair
Amenities Poor
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