Dear USF community,
Since it opened to the public in 1967, The Claw at USF Golf Course has been enjoyed by many students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members. The course originally served as the home to USF’s golf teams and provided a recreational option for the university and surrounding communities.
While USF recognizes the course’s important history, we also know the university’s needs continue to evolve and the timing is right to explore other uses for the property. After much consideration, the university has made the difficult decision to close the public golf operations for The Claw at USF effective September 5, 2023.
Several factors led to our decision, including:
- An opportunity to reimagine the property for a use that more closely aligns with the
mission of the university.
- The course is no longer the official home of the USF men’s and women’s golf teams
and it’s not used as their primary location for full course practice or competitions.
After the course closes for public play, USF will continue to use the existing golf
team complex on site that provides practice facilities, locker rooms and study areas
for the varsity golf teams.
- In recent years the course has lost nearly $200,000 annually, as operating costs have
far exceeded revenues. The course operations have required USF to inject cash each
year to keep it open, and those financial resources could be used elsewhere to better
support our students.
- The clubhouse and golf cart storage facility have aged to a point that they have been forced to close in recent years. Rebuilding these facilities would likely require a multimillion-dollar investment from the university.
As we approach the final weeks of operations for the course, USF is organizing ways to honor its legacy and celebrate its past with former members of the golf teams, USF alumni and others who have supported The Claw over the years. More details will be shared when they are confirmed.
We would like to acknowledge Troon’s Indigo Sports division for their long-standing partnership with the university in managing and operating the course.
No decisions have been made and no initial plans have been created for the future of the golf course site. USF looks forward to determining how to repurpose the land to better serve students, faculty, staff and the surrounding area.
As the golf course is located adjacent to the USF Forest Preserve, it’s important to note that the closure will not impact the Forest Preserve land and this decision does not change the university’s commitment to maintaining the natural environment in the preserve.
We have created a list of FAQs that can be found here. USF will provide the community with updated information as soon as it’s available.
Sincerely,
Rhea F. Law
President
Michael Kelly
Vice President, Athletics
Carole Post
Vice President, Facilities and Public Safety Operations