TPC Southwind

By Neville Leck Last updated: 6th June 2011

TPC Southwind, where this week's US PGA Tour event, the Fedex St Jude Classic is to be played, opened as a private member golf club in March 1988.

The Club boasts an excellent pro shop that carries a wide range of the best equipment and apparel, top-of-the line practice and teaching facilities, an electric golf car fleet and a 28,000 square foot Clubhouse with a la carte restaurant, and private meeting and banquet facilities.

But perhaps more imortant is the fact that its par-71, 18-hole championship golf course, designed by Ron Prichard with PGA Tour players Hubert Green and Fuzzy Zoeller as his consultants, is one of the USA's most highly-rated TPC tracks.

Combining as it does 240 acres of southeast Memphis countryside with natural lakes and streams, TPC Southwinds' picturesque course is designed to challenge the game's best players from it's Gold Tees, but is also able to make for enjoyable rounds from its blue, white and red tees for players of all skill levels.

The course has been home to the St Jude Championship since 1989.

Played in the week prior to the US Open, it will offer the tour's best players an ideal warm-up opportunity on a challenging course.

The course record stands at 61 and was first set in 1993 during the St Jude Championship by Jay Delsing. It was later matched by Bob Estes in 2001.

THE COURSE

The course has a great variety of holes with water coming into play on many of them.

Its 231 yard 14th hole ranks as one of the toughest par-3 holes on the US PGA Tour.

It requires a long iron, utility club or a fairway metal wood tee shot to reach a narrow green protected by water along it's entire right side.

The green itself is also very challenging with a large undulation in the middle.

The 461 yard par-4 18th hole provides a spectacular finish to any round of golf.

The tee shot must be played alongside a water hazard that protects the entire left side of the fairway. This same hazard then continues to the left of the green and causes any golfer to think twice before aiming their approach shot at the flag stick.

TEES

TPC Gold Tees
Rating: 74.6
Slope: 136
Yards: 7,103

Blue Tees
Rating: 71.9
Slope: 128
Yards: 6,495

White Tees
Rating: 69.1
Slope: 119
Yards: 5,887

Red Tees
Rating: 70.2
Slope: 119
Yards: 5,165

TOUR OF THE COURSE
Click here to go to TPC Southwind's home site where you will find a hole by hole tour of the course if you click on GOLF COURSE and then SCORECARD

ENVIRONMENTAL LEADER

TPC Southwind has been recognized as an environmental leader in golf since 2003.

It is irrigated from two 10-acre lakes on the property that are recharged by storm water runoff from residential and commercial properties, parking lots and streets. A variety of aquatic plants have been added to the lakes over the past few years to consume nutrient input from the runoff.

Turfgrass buffers around the lakes, in addition to the aquatic plantings, have provided good filtration and reducing the need for aquatic pesticide application.

Fish, including tilapia and grass carp, have been stocked in the lakes to reduce the need for algaecides and maintain good water quality. In periods of prolonged drought, the system is supplemented with well water.

To maximize efficient use of irrigation, watering cycles for the course are based on evapotranspiration rates collected via an on-site weather station which daily monitors the soil moisture, soil infiltration rates, terrain and precipitation.

The course's greens are maintained preventively for disease control in the summer months with the turf maintenance team scouting daily for damage, treating for insects only when needed.

AMENITIES

- The Club has a high-quality driving range with target greens, as well as practice facilities for putting, chipping and bunker play.

- PGA Teaching staff offer individual tuition and group lessons via the club's clinics and golf school

- Full service locker rooms.

- Electric golf car fleet.

- A 28,000 square foot Clubhouse with a la carte dining, as well as private meeting and banquet facilities.

- A Pro-shop offering a wide range of leading golf brands to both individual and corporate buyers. It also provides a club fitting and grip repair service.

- Group events and tournament management services.

MEMBERSHIP

There are three membership programs structured to match a variety of entertaining levels.They include:

- Junior Memberships available up to age 40;

- Charter and Regular Memberships for the avid golfer;

- Single and Multi-Corporate Memberships for executive and client entertainment.

Members of the Club enjoy both the camaraderie of Member play with a full season of tournaments and instruction programs. In addition to complimentary greens fees and the practice facility use, full golfing members can enjoy golf year-round at the more than 25 TPC Network Facilities located across the country.

VISITORS INFORMATION

Here are a few things that will help you to enjoy your round if you are visiting TPC Southwind for the first time:

- Proper attire: A collared shirt and slacks for gentlemen and blouse and slacks for women, and non metal spikes for all footwear. Bermuda length shorts are also permissible. Men are asked to remove head wear while in the clubhouse. Denim of any kind; T-shirts; flip flops; and exercise, running, bathing, and/or tennis attire are not appropriate forms of dress.

- On Arrival: Drive to the bag drop area. An attendant will confirm your tee time and place your golf bag(s) on a golf cart. Park your vehicle and then proceed to the Pro Shop counter to check in. You will be given a receipt for the starter at the first

- Golf Club Rentals: The Club carries Titleist rental clubs. Each set is comprised of a Titleist 975J Driver, 975F Fairway Woods, Titleist 762 Irons, Vokey Sand Wedges, and Scotty Cameron Putters. Men's right-handed rental sets are available in regular or stiff shaft flex while left-handed and ladies clubs are offered with regular flex only. Each rental set comes with a complimentary 4-ball pack of Titleist NXT golf balls.Rental sets may be reserved in advance

- Day lockers are available without charge. The locker room attendant can also assist you with other valet services such as shoe shine and changing your spikes.

- The practice facility will have hitting stations pre-set with practice balls for your convenience. You will also have access to the short game practice facility and the putting green immediately before and after your scheduled round of golf.

The Tennessee State Golf Association has rated TPC Southwind for 4 hours and ten minutes pace of play. In order to stay on pace throughout your round, the club recommends the following:

Playing from the suggested tees (refer to scorecard).

Staying within your targeted time for each hole (refer to scorecard).

Keeping pace with the group in front of you at all times, irrespective of whether there is a group behind you.

Organizing your club selection and playing 'ready golf' (whoever is ready takes the next shot).

Please spot balls for other players in your group.

- Repairing ballparks immediately has proven to result in healing the damaged turf in a matter of hours. Ball marks that go unrepaired until the next morning will take as long as two weeks to grow back together and disappear. In addition, the next group of players will appreciate the smooth, unblemished playing surface when ball marks are repaired properly.

- Tipping is allowed in all service areas but is not required. A 17 percent gratuity is included in all food and beverage charges.

- Payment: The Club accepts American Express, Visa, Master Card, Diners Club, and Discover cards as well as cash for payment.

Neville Leck