Babe Zaharias Golf Course

Babe Zaharias Golf Course, located in northwest Tampa, Florida, is a historic public course originally opened in 1926 as Forest Hills Golf and Country Club. The course gained prominence in 1949 when legendary female athlete Mildred Ella "Babe" Didrikson Zaharias purchased and managed it for seven years, hosting clinics and exhibitions while playing regularly with the Men's Club. Following Babe's death in 1956, the course fell into disrepair until the City of Tampa reopened it in 1974 under the management of the Tampa Sports Authority, a special district responsible for developing recreational facilities throughout the Tampa Bay area. The course retained Babe's name as a tribute to the iconic athlete who shaped its early character. Today, it continues to operate as a public golf facility managed by the Tampa Sports Authority, which also oversees three other regional courses and Raymond James Stadium.