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Seven Hills Golfer's Club: 'Highly Challenging'

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 23, 2008

Every time we realize we are being paid to golf, we chuckle. It's a dream come true, really, for both Joe and me. There's work involved, sure, but we're certainly not punching a clock, and most of the time it doesn't feel like work.

But this game does things to you, humbling mostly, and sometimes it's not that fun, especially when you hit golfing-overtime. That's to say -making a lot of strokes. I like to think I'm getting more for my money.

My partner-in-crime and local golf course aficionado Joe DiCristofalo, at his home course, Seven Hills Golfer's Club, is in that place all golfers eventually come to, work their way back out then back again.

"When my irons are right, I'm a completely different golfer," said DiCristofalo. "I'm really, really struggling. Sometimes I'll play a couple holes and all the sudden fall back into a rhythm and carry that for awhile and be alright. Right now, I'm definitely getting between the ears with it. It's been a while since I've been in a rhythm. Everything feels uncomfortable."

Seven Hills: 101

Even on his home course, Seven Hills, situated on Mariner Blvd. in Spring Hill, DiCristofalo is struggling. The course is being worked on, with the usual summertime aeration, but remains a great track, and highly challenging to the medium-to-high handicapper.
Seven Hills is definitely a four-tee course. "Price to value, it's not expensive to play here," DiCristofalo said. "For public access, the affordability, even with the fairways being aerated, it's in great shape. The greens are green and they're quick, but they are way putt-able. The course is in nice shape."

Joe shot an 85 the day we were there. "It's high," he mused. "I'm happy at 80."

"My favorite hole is 16," he continued. "It's almost Augusta-like; a dog-leg left downhill to the elevated green and surrounded by pot bunkers. It's really a nice little niche.

"A hole I also like, in fact, respect, plays as hard as any golf hole is number-five. Even with a good drive, you still have an uphill 150 yards with the wind coming at you. If you don't carry the green it will not roll up to it.

"I wish I never had to play 12," he smiled. "I wish I could play past it. There's no visibility of where your tee shot is going to land and then if you hit a decent drive you still have a seven-iron to a five-wood to get into that green. It just doesn't surrender a lot of pars. It's a straight par-four and it's rated the second hardest hole on the course.

"Those two holes just eat you up," DiCristofalo sighed.

DiCristofalo thinks a single handicap or low handicapper should play that course from the blues. The white tees would be too simple.

The course rating moves almost four strokes from the whites to the blues. Par fours would leave your driver and small iron in, but the blues play like a whole different golf course.

"Less than 10 percent of the golfing public shoots below 100," says Tim Spangler, manager at Seven Hills. And yet, just like DiCristofalo, many golfers leave frustrated, remembering the birdies and pars they left out there, and wanting those errant shots back.

Golfing legend Bobby Jones once said, "Golf is mostly played in the six inches between your ears."

Jack Nicklaus claimed that he went to the driving range before a round, "To see what swing he brought to the course that day."

One day your drive is on, and you can't hit a fairway wood to save your life. The next week, you're dropping 15-foot putts, but chili-dipping all of your wedges.

My point is, we get paid to golf, but it still can be so frustrating. I haven't played well yet. Three full courses, the back-nine at the Dunes, and I don't really have any expectations for our next outing.

But bad golf is expected of me, of most duffers. We're the high handicappers. DiCristofalo's problem is that he expects to do well.

Course rating: T T T T

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