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Experience a Florida Golf Vacation
While Florida’s tourism industry stemmed from its breathtaking beaches and world-renowned theme parks, it has established itself as a first-class golf destination. Although there are top golf courses to be found throughout the state, the areas of Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, and Miami are making the largest impact on the state’s golf industry. *Tampa Bay Area* The Tampa Bay Area is the fastest growing golf region in the state although it has not quite established itself among the “greats” yet. The area is gaining notoriety with first-class resorts, upscale daily fee courses, and a number of public access facilities for any level or price range.
If you are looking for a course with an old time Florida feel, spend a day on the Copperhead Course at Westin Innisbrook. It has been labeled one of the top golf resorts in the country due to its full character and challenging features. The course is lush and green with plenty of risk and reward opportunities. The Copperhead Course is open only to resort guests, members, and friends of members with greens fees of $160 for guests. A new arrival to the Tampa Golf scene can be found just a short drive north of the city.
World Woods Golf Club was recently developed with two courses, a nine-hole short course, and a state of the art practice center. The Pine Barrens and Rolling Oaks courses provide two different golf experiences. Pine Barrens is uniquely challenging, making for an enjoyable round while Rolling Oaks is full of relaxing dips and peaceful climbs through Florida farmland.
Both courses are worth a visit to this new golf club and with 700 hotel rooms within a 20-minute drive, you can make a vacation of it. *Orlando Area* Although, historically, Walt Disney World and other theme park attractions have overshadowed the Orlando golf scene, the area is full of top-rated courses and first-rate golf resorts. There are between 100 and 150 courses in the area and Orlando is host to two PGA tour events. In an article about Orlando golf, one cannot overlook the Bay Hill Club and Lodge.
One of the most prestigious semi-private clubs in the country, it has been a part of the PGA tour since 1979. The club has three nine-hole courses, the Challenger, the Champion, and the Charger. Bay Hill makes an effort to provide top of the line service by enhancing the smallest details. For example, each foursome at the club gets a forecaddie with no extra charge to haul clubs, rake sand traps, and provide tips on difficult shots. You must be a guest or resort member to play these courses with greens fees of $175 per round during peak season.
The North-South course at Grand Cypress Villas, designed by Jack Nicklaus, is one of the most well groomed courses in Florida. This combined with man-made rolling fairways and turtleback greens makes for very enjoyable play. The course has been labeled as roomy but challenging and is a must visit for any golfer in the Orlando Area.
Greens fees run from $115 to $180, well worth a day away from The Mouse. *Jacksonville Area* Jacksonville, one of the best-kept secrets on the East Coast, has a great waterfront setting and is a well-established golfing destination. The city and its surrounding areas are home to 68 courses, the PGA and Senior PGA tour headquarters, and the World Golf Village, just a few minutes down I-95. The courses in Jacksonville require accuracy but are known to provide plenty of variety.
The world famous TPC at Sawgrass was built in 1981 and is the annual host of the Tournament Players Championship. The two courses, the Stadium and Valley, are maintained to remarkably high standards but are two very different golfing experiences. The Stadium Course, home to the infamous 17th island green, the most photographed hole in golf, is known for fast greens and tight fairways. This course can fool any level of golfer into a feeling of false security with hidden bunkers and tricky water hazards. The younger sibling, the Valley Course, is more technically extreme but is often overlooked.
The larger greens and fairways make for a more lighthearted golfing experience. To play, one must be a guest at the Marriot at Sawgrass or a member. Greens fees range from $140 to $305 for the Stadium Course and $110 to $170 for the Valley Course.
The World Golf Village is home to two courses, both with two distinct nines, one open and one wooded. The King & The Bear, designed by Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, has recently joined the Slammer & The Squire to offer great courses all designed by the best in the business. The Slammer & The Squire course has plenty of lakes with rolling fairways while the newer course focuses more on aesthetics without compromising the quality of play. Players with great short game execution will enjoy The Slammer & The Squire while The King & The Bear requires accuracy with distance and placement.
These fine courses coupled with the World Golf Hall of Fame and all the attractions that accompany it are a great way to enhance your Jacksonville golf experience. Greens fees are $99 to $179 for the older course and $125 to $200 for The King and The Bear. *Miami Area* It is easy to add golf to any luxurious Miami vacation. With world-class resorts, infamous South Beach, and a host of semi-private courses in its back yard, Miami has become a top golf vacation destination. PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens offers golfers five tournament caliber courses all ranked by Zagat for “America’s Top Courses.” There is a course for every kind of player at PGA National whether you are a seasoned pro or someone just getting into the game.
The Haig, The General, The Champ, The Squire, and The Estate are unique and offer something a little different. The Haig, the first course developed was intended to and does offer quality golf for all players. Qualities such as having no crossing water hazards evens the playing field regardless of skill.
The newest course is The General, modeled after Scottish courses. Players will see these roots in its rising and falling fairways and common greens. The most renowned of the five is The Champ, offering the finest playing surface available anywhere in the world. For information regarding tee times and golf packages, visit the PGA National website.
Perhaps the most revered of South Florida golf resorts is the Doral Golf Resort and Spa. The Doral is home to 5 courses, nine pro shops, and a top-rated spa. The Blue Monster, The Great White, The Red, The Silver, and The Gold are world-renowned for fantastic golf and with water on over 60 of the 90 holes, they are also known for their challenge. The Great White, designed by Greg Norman, and The Blue Monster, one of the most recognizable courses in the country, are the top two courses at Doral. The Great White, framed by palm trees and white sand, is difficult to play and favors those who play position golf.
The Blue Monster is known for huge water hazards, unforgiving rough, and an 18th hole that is one of the toughest finishes on the PGA Tour. The Greens Fees range from $100 to $225 depending on the course and season. A Florida golf vacation can be enjoyed regardless of what destination you choose.
From Jacksonville to Miami and Tampa to Orlando there are countless top rated golf resorts, clubs, and courses for you to choose from. These destinations, coupled with fantastic vacation rental homes make the Sunshine State a great place to stay and play.
About The Author Caroline Brame writes travel articles for RentalsExpress.com. For more information on Florida travel, as well as, other vacation destinations, please visit http://www.RentalsExpress.com.#BREA K##TITLE#Golf Course Communities in the Tampa Bay Area#/TITLE#
The Gulf Coast of Florida in the Tampa Bay vicinity has the most pristine coastline and premium beach real estate that just cannot be duplicated elsewhere.
The spectacular, natural landscapes and clear, warm Gulf waters have made this area, also known as the Sun Coast, popular for tourists and for those moving to Florida. Golf has long been a popular pursuit for Floridians and visitors. Recognizing this, the State of Florida provides a plethora of golfing opportunities throughout its sun drenched territory for golfing enthusiasts to enjoy, and the Tampa Bay area of Florida is no exception. With more than 70 golf courses located throughout the Sun Coast of Florida, tourists and residents can utilize the wonderful sand and surf to get in a round of golf like none other. The sights, sounds, and scents that surround you will add depth to your golf game, whether you are taking in a quick 9 holes, or enjoying a full
18.
After you’ve had a relaxing round of golf, head to the water’s edge for a refreshing swim in the warm gulf waters. Then catch a game of beach volleyball, either as a spectator, or get in on the fun yourself. The Tampa Bay area of Florida gives you the best of two worlds, with premier golfing facilities and pure beachfront properties.
The influx of golfing enthusiasts, who have relocated to Florida’s Sun Coast, has given birth to several golf communities near these beach communities. This is indeed the uniting of two incredible pursuits in one. Do you like the idea of awakening to brilliantly colored sunrises, leisurely meals, and the excitement of a good round of golf? And then heading to the beach for a sunset? If you do, you might be interested in moving into one of the golf communities conveniently located near the beaches of the Sun Coast. Here are just six examples of the kind of golf communities that are available to you in the Tampa Bay Florida area.
You can choose from these and many other quality golfing communities to find the right place to settle in where you can easily play golf whenever you want, and then choose to spend the rest of the day at the beach relaxing. Champions Club: The Champions Club, in Trinity, is in the heart of the tri-county area, which encompasses Pasco, Pinellas & Hillsborough Counties. It is made up of seven premier villages, all with a Mediterranean theme. Each village here is entered through their own private gate. The luxury of the Champions’ Club is centered around a $4 million Mediterranean-style club house.
More than half of the homes here border the championship golf course at Fox Hollow Golf Club. Fox Hollow Golf Course is the last course designed by the legendary Robert Trent Jones. Cove Cay: As you drive over Bayside Bridge, you will see the magnificently manicured grounds of this beautiful golf community situated along Tampa Bay.
This community offers residents condominium living at its finest. 24 hour security is provided at this gated community. You can take in a good round of golf while inhaling the spectacular views provided by the landscaping and the Bay. Residents are sprinkled among four villages and each has its own club house and other amenities.
Shopping, Dining, and Entertainment is just minutes from this community. Crescent Oaks: This Pinellas County gated golfing community is a committed golfers dream come true! Beautiful homes are situated along this community’s Private 18 hole golf course. Residents will also find a pro shop, clubhouse, pool, tennis, and both Fitness and Dining centers on its well-maintained grounds. Lansbrook: Situated in the East Lake area of Tarpon Springs, Lansbrook is one of the finest daily fee golf clubs offering an exciting and challenging course design. Lansbrook is a first rate golf club surrounded by lush Florida landscaping and some of the most exquisite single family homes in Pinellas County.
Visit the Lansbrook Lakefront Park directly on Tarpon Lake after a round of golf and enjoy boating and fishing as well. Cypress Run: Nestled among Cypress and Oaks, this course is definitely one of the best maintained and designed golf courses in all of Tampa Bay. With extra wide fairways and fast greens, even the most seasoned player will consider a day on this course a challenge.
It’s no wonder that two professionals of the PGA Tour (John Huston and Skip Kendall) have memberships here. Homes in Cypress Run can have panoramic views of the golf course that are unmatched in any other golf course community. East Lake Woodlands: Centrally located between Tampa and Clearwater, East Lake Woodlands is more than just a golf course community. Not only does it offer two 18 hole championship courses but also a full service country club elegant enough for weddings, Bar Mitzvahs and many other formal celebrations.
The golf course is broken down into a north and a south course with large fairways and oversized greens. There are also multiple lighted tennis courts and a full service pro shop. Homes in East Lake Woodlands range from condos and villas to large executive style estates on preserve or with golf course wide open views. Your local real estate agent is available to help you locate and tour the different golf communities and explore golf course real estate in the Tampa Bay area. You are certain to find one to call ….home.
About The Author Bob Lipply and his team of full time, full service Tampa Bay Realtors, work hard to find the perfect home for their customers. An avid golfer himself, Bob can help you find the ideal golf course community. View available properties at Tampa Bay Real Estate, or you can also call toll free at 1-888-423-5775.
We answer all calls promptly.
GOLF TIP: You should not forget cocking wrists.
Do not forget cocking your wrists. This might be difficult at first, but it will be natural to you with enough practice.
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