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Photo by JOE DiCRISTOFALO

Joe Cuccio, president of The Heather Golf Club, pitches a ball close to the flag stick on the par-4 first hole.

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By CHRIS BERNHARDT JR.

Hernando Today

Published: September 17, 2008

In terms of length, the Heather Golf & Country Club won't blow anyone away.

The semi-private course, located in the Heather community a mile north of State Road 50 off U.S. 19 in Weeki Wachee, doesn't have a hole any longer than the par-4, 365-yard seventh.

But that also adds to its charm. Perhaps the most unique element of this course is it can be walked. According to photographer/golfer Joe DiCristofalo, that can appeal to the purist inside of any golfer.

"I think it's nice you could walk the golf course, which you don't get to do," DiCristofalo said. "It's more exercise and when you walk the golf course I think you get a better feel for the layout of the course. You get to think about what you're going to do.

"The pros walk, they don't ride carts. I think you get a more pure experience. That's the way golf was meant to be played."

"You can come here after work at 5 o'clock, walk to get nine holes in and still be home in time for dinner," said Joe Cuccio, club president.

The Heather opened up 21 years ago, part of the community built by Royal Highlands Corporation. It was eventually sold to 300 original members.

The club has 75 members, primarily residents. The facility includes a swimming pool and tennis courts, plus a pro shop and snack shop in the clubhouse.

All amenities are available to the public, and the club donates the facilities to local schools, including Fox Chapel Middle School, as well as for charity tournaments.

Summer rates from 7:30 a.m.-1 p.m. are $9 to walk and $13 to ride; from 1 p.m. to close it costs $5 to walk and $8 to ride. There is also an option to play the course twice for a full 18-hole round.

Doglegs add length

From the blue tees, the par-33 course plays 2,456 yards. From the white tees its 2,354 yards; 1,920 yards from the red tees.

The distance of the course is somewhat deceptive. The design adds varying degrees of challenge to several holes.

"It's a short golf course by most standards, but it makes up for it with the way they position the doglegs on the par-4s. You can't go attacking the green," DiCristofalo said. "The par-3s vary so you have to play different irons. That makes for a nice mix of distance in iron play, which I like.

"It gives you some risk and reward. You can cut off some of the doglegs. You can go over the trees with blind shots. The greens are also smaller than you find in a lot of bigger courses. There's less of a target, which provides a bigger challenge."

DiCristofalo noted that the greens were in good shape, and have their own special characteristics.

"On most golf courses you'd see the same break and play the break," DiCristofalo said. "But because of the way the grass it set up, you have to hit the ball harder and play the putt fairly straight."

The veteran golfer also enjoyed the accommodations of the club and the general appearance of the course.

"I think the people are very friendly," DiCristofalo said. "They do a lot of stuff for the community. It seems well run. You can tell there's a lot of involvement and upkeep as far as keeping the grounds as neat as possible."

Course rating (out of five):

T T T 1/2

Sports writer Chris Bernhardt Jr. can be reached at (352) 544-5288 or online at cbernhardt@hernandotoday.com.

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