Golf Course Homes in Tampa Bay

Golf in Tampa Bay ranges from a club that opened in 1916 in the middle of South Tampa to guard-gated communities in north Tampa and Lutz. The homes near each course differ in age, lot size, and cost to own. This guide covers where the golf course homes are, how club access works, and what Shane Vanderson checks for buyers and sellers.

Where the golf course homes are

South Tampa: Palma Ceia and Golf View

Palma Ceia Golf & Country Club is a private club on South MacDill Avenue. It opened in 1916 with a course by Tom Bendelow, and Donald Ross later reworked the layout. Bobby Weed Golf Design finished a second renovation phase in 2025. The homes around the course are in the Palma Ceia and Golf View neighborhoods. Lots here are in the city grid, close to Bayshore Boulevard, Hyde Park Village, and Downtown Tampa.

North Tampa and Lutz: Avila and Cheval

Avila is a guard-gated community built around the private Avila Golf & Country Club. Membership is by invitation and does not come with the home. Cheval, in Lutz, is a gated community with two courses: the private Club at Cheval and TPC Tampa Bay. TPC Tampa Bay opened in 1991. Bobby Weed designed it with Chi Chi Rodriguez, and it hosted a PGA TOUR Champions event for 21 years in a row. For a side-by-side view, read Avila vs. Cheval.

New Tampa and Westchase

Tampa Palms has its own golf and country club, which hosted the GTE Suncoast Classic before that event moved to Cheval in 1992. In Westchase, Westchase Golf Club is a public daily-fee course designed by Lloyd Clifton, with homes along some holes.

St. Petersburg: Snell Isle

The Vinoy Golf Club sits on Snell Isle. It started in 1920 as C. Perry Snell’s nine-hole Coffee Pot Golf Club and grew to 18 holes in 1926. Ron Garl redesigned the course, which now plays to par 71. Homes on the course mix 1920s Mediterranean Revival, mid-century, and new construction.

Belleair and Clearwater

Belleair Country Club dates to 1897 and has two Donald Ross courses, the East and the West. Fry/Straka restored the West Course to Ross’s 1924 design. Pelican Golf Club, also in Belleair, hosts The ANNIKA, the LPGA Tour’s November event in Tampa Bay. North of Clearwater, the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook in Palm Harbor hosts the PGA TOUR’s Valspar Championship each March.

What to check before you buy

• Club membership. Find out if membership is required, optional, or by invitation. Ask about the initiation fee, monthly dues, food minimums, and transfer rules. Get the terms from the club in writing. See what private club membership costs.
• HOA and CDD costs. Some golf communities have a master HOA, a village association, and a CDD assessment on the tax bill. Add them all up. See how CDD fees work.
• Lot position. Fairway, green, tee, and water-view lots sell differently. Lots near tees and greens can get stray balls, cart traffic, and early mowing.
• Course plans. Ask about planned renovations or closures. A renovation can change your view for a season.
• Insurance. Ask your insurance agent how glass and screen damage from golf balls is covered.

For sellers

Buyers pay for the view and for the position on the course. Shane Vanderson compares sales by course position, not only by square feet. He also collects the club and HOA documents before the listing goes live, so buyers can confirm costs early. Start with a home valuation or see how Shane markets a home.

To see golf course homes for sale, call or text Shane at 813-205-5430 or use the contact page.