Lake/Pine at Countryside Country Club

Countryside Country Club in Clearwater, Florida, features two eighteen-hole layouts, with the Lake and Pine nines forming one of the primary combinations at this Gary Player-designed facility. Opened in the 1970s during Player's active period of American course design work, the club reflects the South African champion's approach to creating strategic golf within Florida's characteristic flat terrain. Player utilized the region's natural features—water hazards, native pines, and sandy soil—to shape playing corridors that reward accuracy and course management over pure distance.

The Lake nine, as its name suggests, incorporates water prominently into the routing, with several holes playing alongside or across ponds and wetland areas typical of the Tampa Bay region's low-lying landscape. The Pine nine moves through more wooded sections where mature pines frame fairways and create a different visual and strategic character. Together, these nines provide variety in both aesthetics and shot requirements, with the combination offering a full test of ball-striking and decision-making.

Countryside serves a traditional member-focused community in the Clearwater area, where year-round golf is the norm and the course sees steady play from local residents. The layout accommodates golfers of varying abilities through multiple tee placements, while maintaining enough challenge from the back tees to engage accomplished players. The club represents a period when Player was actively designing courses throughout Florida, contributing to the state's extensive inventory of resort and private facilities from that era.