06.21.2024

Today’s Forecast

⛳ Spilling the tee

Tee it up at these Tampa Bay golf courses

An up-close shot of a golf ball from near the ground. The ball is sitting in the fairway, with streaks of light ahead on the grass. The trees in the background are blurry, but their fluffiness is visible beneath cloudless skies.

The rarest sight in golf — your ball on the fairway. | Photo by TBAYtoday

We can’t think of a better way to soak up the Tampa Bay area’s green space than spending some time on the links. Whether you’re looking to connect outdoors with friends or you’re honing in on the perfect swing, here are 20+ golf offerings in and around Tampa + St. Pete.

Public courses

Babe Zaharias Golf Course, 11412 N. Forest Hills Dr., Tampa | This historical municipal course first opened in 1926 in Tampa’s quaint Forest Hills neighborhood. It’s still a firm favorite among TBAY golfers, with a wide range of tee distances, winding fairways, and plenty of challenging hazards.

Mangrove Bay Golf Course, 875 62nd Ave NE, St. Petersburg | Recognized by Men’s Health in 2023, this northeast St. Pete course sits on 180 acres of pristine land + is suitable for golfers of all levels. We recommend booking early to save your spot.

Babe Zaharias Golf Course during the sunset. A yellow golf ball sits in the foreground on the green, while the flagstick is visible to the top left. Swampy mossy trees sit by a lake in front, with orange and yellow tints in the sunsetting sky ahead. — Mildred Ella “Babe” Didrikson Zaharias bought the course in 1949.
|
Photo by TBAYtoday

Learn the ropes

Rogers Park Golf Course, 7911 N. 30th St., Tampa | This spot has been open since the 1950s, but its 18-hole full-sized course is now accompanied by a par-three option. That means holes are shorter, and are perfect for beginners. Heads up: The nine-hole short course is closed to the public on Saturdays, as the YMCA’s First Tee of Tampa Bay uses it to teach local kiddos the game.

Topgolf, multiple locations | Here’s a way to grow the game. Topgolf has a location either side of the Bay, offering hourly bookings with interactive games. Need more convincing? There’s food and drink table service, making this an option for any hour of the day — or night.

Snapinsta.app_372650136_17969940563540092_7081248369675442959_n_1080.jpg — What dream course would you play at the Birdie Club?
|
Photo via @birdieclubtampa

Take it indoors

Ferg’s Clubhouse, 1320 Central Ave., St. Petersburg | The popular Rays bar is home to a full swing sports simulator. The 21+ experience is available for up to four people.

Yeoman’s Top Golf Swing Suite, 202 N. Morgan St., Tampa | This British-themed downtown Tampa bar is known for hearty food, Lightning fanatics, and bookable golf bays. Book by the hour while chowing down on fish and chips, bangers and mash, and a pint or fore.

City Guides are presented by Water Street Tampa.

Find 15 more fairways

Asked

Mini golf or regular golf: Which one’s more fun?

A. Mini golf is a blast.
B. Regular golf is my type of fun.

Tee off

Events

Friday, June 21

Florida Flyers Exhibit Opening | Friday, June 21 | 11 a.m.-4 p.m. | Safety Harbor Museum and Cultural Center, 329 S. Bayshore Blvd., Safety Harbor | Free | Learn Florida’s flight history at this exhibit in the quaint TBAY city — open through Sunday, July 28.
Summer Solstice and Strawberry Full Moon Party | Friday, June 21 | 6-9 p.m. | Vinoy Park, 501 5th Ave. NE, St. Petersburg | $31 | Celebrate the summer solstice + great outdoors with mocktails, flower crowns, and dancing fun.
Red Hot Chili Peppers: “Unlimited Love Tour” | Friday, June 21 | 7 p.m. | MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, 4801 US Hwy. 301 N., Tampa | $212+ | Rock out as the California icons bring their decades of hits to the outdoor venue.

Saturday, June 22

Summer Solstice Margarita Sip + Paint | Saturday, June 22 | 5:30-7:30 p.m. | 1623 W. Snow Cir., Tampa | $31 | Grab a marg and a brush — it’s time to celebrate the longest day of the year.
Gemütlich-Celt | Saturday, June 22 | 6-11 p.m. | German-American Society of Pinellas County, 8089 66th St. N., Pinellas Park | $0-$30 | Soak in German and Celtic culture with food, drink, dance, and plenty of schnitzel.
“Abducted By The 80s” | Saturday, June 22 | 8 p.m. | Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 McMullen-Booth Rd., Clearwater | $56 | Transport to the decade of leg warmers, mullets, and spandex at this musical extravaganza.
Watermelon Weekend | Saturday, June 22-Sunday, June 23 | 10 a.m.-3 p.m. | Keel Farms, 5202 Thonotosassa Rd., Plant City | Price of purchase | Celebrate the watermelon harvest with family-friendly fun and summery drinks from the winery.

Sunday, June 23

Street Photography Class | Sunday, June 23 | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | Florida Museum of Photographic Arts, 1630 E. 7th Ave., Tampa | $82 | Unleash your street photography potential at this introductory class with discussions + hands-on guidance in historic Ybor.
“Sunset Boulevard” | Sunday, June 23 | 3 p.m. | Tampa Theatre, 711 N. Franklin St., Tampa | $7-$10 | Catch the legendary noir comedy about the ruthless world of Hollywood and its treatment of aging stars.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Concert

Please, please, please get me some tickets. Pop sensation Sabrina Carpenter is heading to Tampa later this year. The “Espresso” singer will perform at Amalie Arena on Friday, Oct. 25 on her “Short n’ Sweet” tour. Tickets go on sale next Friday, June 28.

Sports

Next stop, Paris. Clearwater’s own Bobby Finke is headed to the 2024 Summer Olympics to compete in the men’s 800-meter freestyle swim. Finke is also a University of Florida + Countryside High School alum. (WFLA)

Coming Soon

ICYMI: Olivia — Tampa’s popular Italian restaurant — is getting un amico in downtown St. Pete. Construction is now underway, and we have more insight into what the spot at 225 1st Ave. N. will look like. (I Love the Burg)

Drink

Seasonal coffee flavors have arrived at Blind Tiger. Across its seven locations, the popular TBAY roaster is now serving up summer specials like coconut matcha and peanut butter cup. We’ve got our eye on the blackberry sparkling espresso (hey, Sabrina), made with Topo Chico.

Edu

The University of South Florida St. Petersburg has a new fluffy faculty member. Snowbird was sworn in yesterday as the school’s first ever comfort dog, and will join campus’ police department. The golden-lab mix is trained to provide therapeutic comfort and support. And is obviously very cute. (St. Pete Catalyst)

Development

That huge construction site on Central Avenue won’t look like that forever. The Residences at 400 Central are getting closer to completion by the day, and new renderings show what will take the place of the fences, hard hats, and bollards, including retail + restaurant plans. (St. Pete Rising)

Weather

Alberto is the first named tropical storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season. Although Alberto won’t impact TBAY, an active year for storm systems is expected — so it might be a good idea to get familiar with upcoming names. (WTSP + NOAA)

Today Is

International Yoga Day — a chance to celebrate the ancient practice. If you’re in the mood to breathe, stretch, and flow, our yoga guide rounds up some Tampa Bay area spots to unleash your inner yogi.

Listen

Brayden Point can count himself among hockey’s elite. Get game coverage, analysis, insights, interviews and more from local experts of the Tampa Bay Lightning with Locked On’s daily podcasts.

Home

Renewal by Andersen^® windows combine stunning beauty with energy-efficient design. Buy one, get one 40% off + get $200 off your order for a limited time.*

Culture

It’s party time

It’s party time: Let’s get prepped for the 2024 St. Pete Pride Parade

Flags with LGBTQ+ coloring fly through the air at St. Pete Pride. Several banners reading "We are St. Pete" are also visible within the crowd of people walking away from the camera. There are trees in the background and a partially cloudy sky ahead of the crowd.

More than 200,000 attendees are expected at this year’s event. | Photo by City of St. Petersburg

Happy Pride, TBAY.

We love a parade here in Tampa Bay, and now it’s St. Pete’s turn. The Burg’s largest parade of the year returns tomorrow, June 22 to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community.

The St. Pete Pride Parade Day Festival is an annual free-to-attend event by the waterfront. With ~200,000 expected attendees, it’s good to make a plan:

Live music and entertainment starts at 2 p.m. at North and South Straub Parks.
The sixth annual Trans March begins at 5:30 p.m. along the parade route.
The parade runs along Bayshore Drive from Albert Whitted Park to Vinoy Park, and gets underway at 6 p.m.

There’s free parking in Tropicana Field’s lots 5, 6, and 7, but you could also use the Park and Ride service from St. Pete High, or other city parking options. Check out more travel tips to make the most of the day.

The Buy

The Buy 6.21.24 (Affiliate + Six & Main)

Our Place’s take on a pressure + slow cooker. The Dream Cooker has the brand’s signature modern finish with multi-cooking capabilities. If you’re looking for a kitchen appliance that also has countertop appeal, this is it.

Answered

What’s your favorite Fourth of July dish?

Fireworks light up the sky above downtown Tampa in 2021 during Boom of the Bay. The show is above the Hillsborough River at night time, with high rises in the background, and the Riverwalk in the foreground. The xplosions are a mix of pink, green, blue, purple and yellow. — Back with a bang.
|
Photo by City of Tampa

Earlier this week, we asked for your favorite thing to eat during Independence Day celebrations. With burgers and hot dogs tied for the lead with a cool 36%, we need your help.

Voting is still open — and the winner will get a roundup of the best local spots to enjoy the traditional delicacy in a future holiday-themed newsletter.

There’s still hope for mac and cheese aficionados — with 21% of the vote — but apple pie’s 7% makes a comeback unlikely. Blasphemy, if you ask me.

Justice for apple pie

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Patrick

From the editor

If you’re looking to get in the spirit of Pride with a slightly smaller crowd, the party continues on Sunday, June 23 with the Grand Central Street Fair, also organized by St. Pete Pride.

From 12 to 5 p.m., there will be 290+ local vendors, with plenty of food + drink to boot. The event is happening on Central Avenue between 20th and 31st Streets.

Missed our previous newsletter?

›

Send Us A Scoop, Question, or Feedback

Content marked with an * is paid advertising. Content marked with an ^ is created by our content studio. The company may also generate commission from affiliate links in the newsletter.

Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.

P.O. Box 2505, Greenville, SC 29602

ADVERTISE | CAREERS | ETHICS | PRIVACY | THE BUY