Sarasota, Florida · Tampa Bay
Gillespie Club - 9 Holes
Richard Mandell's par-3 nine has two routings, holes from 75 to 188 yards, and a name that honors the Scot who brought golf to Sarasota in 1886.
- 9Holes
- 30Par
- 1,687Yards
- SarasotaLocation
- Richard MandellArchitect
- municipal (City of Sarasota)Access
About Gillespie Club - 9 Holes
This is the short course at Bobby Jones Golf Club, the City of Sarasota's municipal complex, officially the John Hamilton Gillespie Course. Richard Mandell designed it as a nine-hole par 3 with two routings, so the holes run anywhere from 75 to 188 yards depending on the layout that day. The flags come in three colors to tell you where the pin sits on the green.
Walking is the idea here. Pull carts and Sunday bags are free, and a riding cart is $5 a person. It has its own entrance and parking on Circus Boulevard, about 100 yards south of the main Bobby Jones entrance, and you pay there. There's a putting green to warm up on; for range balls, go to the main Bobby Jones complex first.
The name is the history. John Hamilton Gillespie, a Scot, built a two-green practice course in Sarasota in May 1886, laid out a nine-hole course on 110 acres in 1904, and was elected the town's first mayor in 1902. He died on his golf course in 1923. The big course next door is the Donald Ross layout that Mandell restored, which reopened in December 2023.
It's one of 9 courses in Sarasota on Yoink, and Bobby Jones Golf Complex - Ross Course is practically next door — handy when your first choice is booked solid.
What it's like to play Gillespie Club - 9 Holes
Water is in play on 17 of the 18 holes, and you carry it on 4 of them, so bring a few extra balls. A creek or river runs through the property and comes into play on 6 holes.
Course character from OpenStreetMap contributors' survey data (ODbL).
Booking a tee time at Gillespie Club - 9 Holes
Park and pay at the Gillespie entrance on Circus Boulevard. If you'll be a regular, the Gillespie All-Access Membership was $100 a month or $1,200 a year in 2026, and it lets you walk any time or ride for a $10 cart fee.
How to get a tee time at Gillespie Club - 9 Holes
Yoink
Golfers across Tampa Bay know the drill: the good times at courses like Gillespie Club - 9 Holes are gone within minutes of release, and cancellations come back without warning.
Instead of refreshing the booking page, let Yoink do it. Pick Gillespie Club - 9 Holes, choose your day and time window, and Yoink alerts you when a tee time that fits opens up. You always book straight with the course.
- Pick Gillespie Club - 9 Holes in Yoink.
- Choose your day, time window and number of players.
- Get an alert when a matching tee time opens — then book it directly with the course.
Golf courses near Gillespie Club - 9 Holes
- Bobby Jones Golf Complex - Ross Course · Sarasota · 0 mi
- Meadows Golf Club · Sarasota · 1 mi
- The Palms Golf Club at Forest Lakes · Sarasota · 2 mi
- Village Green Golf Club · Sarasota · 3 mi
- University Park Country Club · University Park · 4 mi
- Tatum Ridge Golf Links · Sarasota · 5 mi
- Bent Tree Country Club · Sarasota · 6 mi
- The Preserve Golf Club At Tara · Bradenton · 6 mi
Gillespie Club - 9 Holes FAQ
Where is Gillespie Club - 9 Holes?
Gillespie Club - 9 Holes is in Sarasota, Florida, in the Tampa Bay area.
Who designed Gillespie Club - 9 Holes?
Gillespie Club - 9 Holes was designed by Richard Mandell.
Is Gillespie Club - 9 Holes open to the public?
Gillespie Club - 9 Holes is municipal (City of Sarasota), run by City of Sarasota (owner of Bobby Jones Golf Club).
Can you walk Gillespie Club - 9 Holes?
walking encouraged; carts $5 per person; free pull carts and Sunday bags (page read 2026-09-29).
How many holes is Gillespie Club - 9 Holes, and what's par?
Gillespie Club - 9 Holes is a nine-hole executive course: 9 holes, par 30, 1,687 yards.
How do I get a tee time at Gillespie Club - 9 Holes when it's booked up?
Set a watch for Gillespie Club - 9 Holes in Yoink with your date, time window and group size. Yoink monitors the course's tee sheet and alerts you the moment a matching time opens, including cancellations. You book directly with the course.
What golf courses are near Gillespie Club - 9 Holes?
Nearby options include Bobby Jones Golf Complex - Ross Course, Meadows Golf Club and The Palms Golf Club at Forest Lakes. Yoink watches 116 courses in the Tampa Bay area.
Sources
Facts on this page come from these pages, checked 2026-09-29. Rates and booking rules change, so confirm with the course.
- bobbyjonesgolfclub.com · official
- bobbyjonesgolfclub.com · official
- bobbyjonesgolfclub.com · official
- bobbyjonesgolfclub.com · official
- friendsofbobbyjonesgolfclub.org · nonprofit
Never miss a tee time at Gillespie Club - 9 Holes
Yoink watches the tee sheet so you don't have to. When a time you want opens up, your phone buzzes — you book direct.