⛳ The Paradise Golf Journal 📰 Sep 9

By Gregg Gagliardi

September 15, 2026

Important Updates for our members

PLEASE WELCOME TOM MCKONE TO THE PARADISE GOLF TEAM!

We’re excited to welcome PGA Professional Tom McKone to the Paradise Golf team!

Tom will be working closely with our Play Days, helping develop new formats and events including Member-Members, Member-Guests, Club Championships, and more for both men and women. He’ll also be an important part of our club relations and development team.

Tom brings decades of Tampa-area golf experience to Paradise Golf, having served as an Assistant Golf Professional at Seven Springs, Head Golf Professional at Tampa Bay G&CC, General Manager/Head Golf Professional at Lansbrook Golf Club, and Director of Golf at Ardea CC.

We’re excited to put his experience to work creating even more great opportunities and experiences for our members! Be sure to say hello to Tom at our next Play Day at TPC Tampa Bay!

AN EXCLUSIVE OPPORTUNITY TO

PLAY A FABULOUS LOCAL PRIVATE CLUB!

A good friend of mine who also happens to be a member at a fabulous local private club, which shall go unnamed, has partnered with us to be able to offer some opportunities to play at his course for the very reasonable price of $79+tax. We have the following times and dates available for this course and also with the maximum number of players listed as well:

•Friday, September 11 – 11a tee time start for a maximum of 12 players

•Sunday, September 13 – 11:15a tee time start for a maximum of 16 players

These are NOT Play Days—just a special opportunity to experience and play a great private facility at an exceptional rate.

Tee times are first come, first served, and prepayment to Paradise Golf is required.

Interested? Email gregg@paradise-golf.com with your preferred date, tee time, and number of players. We’ll get back to you with availability and payment details.

Space is limited, so don’t wait!

RECENT PLAY DAYS HAVE BEEN A HIT!

Our recent Paradise Golf Play Days have been a huge success, with great attendance, competitive golf, and excellent course conditions!

We’ve also made Play Days even easier with pre-registration. A few days before each event, you’ll receive an email giving you the option to pre-register for the competition and raffle. Once you arrive, simply check in with our staff and get ready to play—no extra paperwork or waiting!

Here’s a quick look at our latest events:

🏆 USF Club Golf Team Fundraiser – 8/28: 104 players helped Luke Rhodes raise more than $2,500 for the USF Club Golf Team.

🌴 Tampa Palms Play Day – 8/31: 15 foursomes enjoyed a course in excellent condition.

🌴 Lake Jovita Play Day – 9/7: 18 groups enjoyed a beautiful day on the South Course. Another sold-out Paradise Golf event! Long-time Paradise Golf member Mike C. shared this great feedback after the tournament: “Thanks for another fun tournament and the weather cooperated beautifully. Great meal afterwards as well. Love Lake Jovita.”

Great courses, great competition, and a great group of golfers. If you haven’t played in a Play Day lately, you’re missing out!

Still time to join 2 Great Play Days

Tue Sep 22 - Southern Hills - SHOTGUN 9AM

Mon Sep 28 - Play Day at Carrollwood - Shotgun 9AM

Replay Opportunity

MORE REASONS TO PLAY WITH PARADISE GOLF!

Every Paradise Golf Play Day comes with more than just a great day of golf! Check out the extra perks you can enjoy when you play with us:

•	🎁 COMPLIMENTARY ROUND AT HERITAGE ISLES Play in ANY September or October Play Day and receive a COMPLIMENTARY ROUND at Heritage Isles Golf & Country Club — a $70 VALUE! Your complimentary round is valid through October 31, 2026.

•	⛳ SPECIAL REPLAY OPPORTUNITY — CARROLLWOOD Playing in our Carrollwood Play Day on September 22? You’ll also have a special replay opportunity to come back and play the course again!

•	🎟️ RAFFLES AT EVERY PLAY DAY! And there’s even more! Every Paradise Golf Play Day includes a raffle with high-value prizes. You could walk away with some fantastic prizes simply by joining us for the day!

Great golf. Great courses. Extra perks. And a chance to win! That’s what makes Paradise Golf Play Days special.

CALLING ALL LADY PARADISE MEMBERS! TEMPLE TERRACE LADY'S INVITATIONAL GOLF TOURNAMENT

Temple Terrace General Manger Marcy Bork and her team are hosting a Women's Only golf event being hosted by the clubs' Women's Golf Association. 

The event is scheduled for Saturday October 17 with an 830am shotgun start. Cost for the event $100. For more details, call Pat Heid at 813-785-5801 .

The golf course is in great shape and will be a great event, knowing Marcy like I do!

A REMINDER ABOUT TAKING CARE OF THE GOLF COURSES WE PLAY

As Paradise Golfers, we’re fortunate to play some of the best courses in the Tampa area. With that privilege comes the responsibility of helping take care of them.

After playing the fabulous Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort, I had three different members mention that some of our golfers were not raking bunkers after playing from them. While the vast majority of our members do a great job taking care of the courses, a few simple reminders are always helpful:

Rake the bunkers

Before teeing off, check whether there is a rake on the back of your cart. If there isn’t, please do your best to find one and rake your footprints and any other areas you disturb

Fill your divots

If your cart has a sand bucket, make sure it has sand in it. If it doesn’t, let the staff know so it can be filled. Please use it to fill the divots you make throughout the round.

Keep up with the Group Ahead

Do your best to maintain a good pace of play and stay with the group in front of you. This is the easiest way to keep your round moving along.

Fix your pitch marks

Always repair your pitch mark on the green—and if you see another one that needs attention, please fix that one too.

Paradise Golf Member Offers

EAGLES GOLF CLUB LOWERS MEMBER RATES

Eagles Golf Club has reduced Paradise member rates through October 31, 2026.

Monday–Thursday

•	7 AM–10 AM: $45

•	10 AM–3 PM: $40

•	After 3 PM: $30

Friday–Sunday

•	7 AM–10 AM: $55

•	10 AM–3 PM: $45

•	After 3 PM: $35

Double Eagle Coupons: $40 anytime, any day.

The club has recently installed a new irrigation system and course conditions continue to improve. We encourage members to get out and support the Eagles team.

Golf Tip of the Week

WHAT DOES IT REALLY COST TO MAINTAIN A GOLF COURSE?

Ever wonder where all that money goes when you pay to play golf?

In 2026, maintaining an 18-hole golf course can cost anywhere from $800,000 to $1.5 million per year, with many courses spending around $1 million–$1.2 million just on course maintenance. For a course hosting 50,000 rounds a year, that works out to roughly $16–$30 per round—and that’s before accounting for golf operations, restaurants, administration, insurance, property taxes, and other overhead.

So where does the money go?

🌱 Labor & Wages: Typically the largest expense, accounting for roughly 50–60% of the maintenance budget.

🧪 Fertilizer & Chemicals: Keeping turf healthy and protecting it from disease, weeds, and insects can account for 12–18%.

🚜 Equipment & Fleet: Mowers, aerators, spray rigs, utility vehicles, repairs, fuel, and equipment leases can make up another 10–15%.

💧 Water & Irrigation: Water usage, pump stations, electricity, and irrigation repairs can account for 8–15%.

⛳ Course Amenities & Upkeep: Bunker sand, tree care, cart paths, course supplies, and maintenance facilities add another 5–10%.

And remember, that’s just maintaining the golf course. The total cost of operating a club can now exceed $2 million annually.

Having built and owned a club while also leasing and managing clubs in the late 1990s and early 2000s, I can tell you firsthand: owning a golf course is definitely not for the faint of heart!

Check our other Golf Tips!

How to use your Membership Portal

We’re excited to announce the release of the latest version of our Member Portal! This updated experience makes it easier than ever to search and filter golf courses, view Paradise Card rates, access available coupons, and stay up to date on upcoming events, all in one streamlined platform designed with you in mind.

Our goal is to continually enhance your experience, and we’ll keep refining and improving the member app to make your Paradise Golf experience even better over time. ⛳

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE MEMBER PORTAL

Click here to know more tips on how to use your membership portal!

Whether you need help with the website, member portal, mobile app, or account access, our team is here to help. Please contact us at it@paradise-golf.com, and a member of our staff will respond as soon as possible. Thank you for being part of Paradise Golf!

Check our Blog!

3802 Spectrum Blvd Suite 116D, Tampa, FL 33612-9220
813-866-2000 | Paradise Golf Membership

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