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By Bob Harig

For all anyone knows, Donald Ross had a cup of coffee in Dunedin and scratched out his design of the local golf course on a napkin. The Scottish-born golf course architect was nothing if not prolific. How he got around to all the places his name is attached to remains unclear.

But there is nothing mysterious about the courses Ross designed, including Dunedin Country Club, which sits virtually the same today as it did when it opened on Jan. 1, 1927.

Oh, the trees are taller, the roads busier. There are probably far fewer bunkers than Ross would have laid out. But the routing of the 18 holes remains intact.

"The course we play today is almost identical with the original layout," says Don Goodall, a former Dunedin Country Club historian who was able to locate Ross' original design papers. "What he had in mind was more of a links-type course with very few trees. But over the years, thousands were planted. And the biggest difference today is the removal of 60 bunkers. Ross originally designed the course with 114 bunkers."

Dunedin Country Club, a par-72 course that measures 6,565 yards, is a must-play for any Ross aficionado. Located in the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area, in the state's oldest town south of Cedar Key, the club has withstood the test of time. From 1945 to 1962, it was the national headquarters for the PGA of America and was known as the PGA National Golf Club. (Needing more space and more courses, the organization moved to Palm Beach Gardens in the early 1960s.)

It is only fitting that Ross, who grew up in Scotland, golf's birthplace, would design a course in a Florida town that has links to his homeland. Scottish immigrants were among those who helped establish Dunedin in the late 1880s. Today, Dunedin calls Stirling, Scotland its sister city.

Ross was known for designing small, elevated greens, which were crowned at the top, meaning shots hit to the edges would roll off. But "he didn't believe if you made a mistake, you should be sunk," Goodall says.

That means you have the ability to chip that same ball back up toward the hole without much difficulty. Still, the course presents plenty of challenges, as a recent visit confirmed. There are far more trees than Ross would have ever envisioned, and they tend to get in the way of wayward shots. There are water hazards and a few cavernous bunkers that make for a challenging day. But the course has a nice mix of short and long holes, and you have to remind yourself that golfers have played from these same spots for more than 75 years.

Ross was a pioneer, designing his courses to fit the natural setting at any site. His philosophy was that golf should be for pleasure, and that the tee shot must be allowed the most room for error. His fairways gave the appearance of being wide, but he compensated by requiring a very accurate approach to the green – all traits at Dunedin.

In keeping with the Scottish theme, while perhaps looking for another golf course or two to play while in the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area, "The Highlands" offers another choice. We're talking about The Highlands at Innisbrook, two of four courses at the Westin Innisbrook Resort just up the road from Dunedin in Palm Harbor.

This "stay and play" resort offers one of the best courses in the area, The Copperhead, which is home to the Chrysler Championship, a PGA Tour event. The Island is also top-notch, having hosted an NCAA championship. The Highlands North and South layouts give the resort 72 holes and are more benign tests, meant to give you a taste of Innisbrook's "North Carolina" feel without the stress that comes with playing the more formidable courses. In addition to several dining options and excellent practice facilities, Innisbrook offers the Loch Ness pool, which is great for the kids and not a bad place for the adults to unwind, too.

For more information about golfing in the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area, call the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area Convention & Visitors Bureau at 877-352-3224.