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| The Majors Golf Club designed by Arnold Palmer |
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| June 29, 2009 |
The "King," Arnold Palmer, has many golf layouts around the world, but one of his best is in Palm Bay (near Daytona Beach). The par-72 Majors Golf Club (obviously named for the many major golf championships that Arnie has captured) has been awarded 4½ stars by Golf Digest.
Created to run through preservation areas and wetlands, Majors Golf Club is also home to plenty of other water in the form of creeks and lakes, with 7, 000 yards of rolling terrain that make it look and feel more like a Carolina-style course as opposed to the more level layouts that are customary in the region.... more |
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| Marriott’s Grande Pines Golf Club is Property of the Year |
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| June 26, 2009 |
Marriott Golf – the division of Marriott that runs its many golf courses – has selected the Grande Pines Golf Club in Orlando as its "Property of the Year." One of the main reasons the club received this award was because of its high marks in the all-important "customer satisfaction" category.
I have played this course and it is very challenging at over 7,000 yards from the back tees with a 74.... more |
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| Play Golf America Programs to be held at Victoria Hills Golf Club |
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| June 17, 2009 |
| Located in Deland, just off I-4 on Florida’s east coast, Victoria Hills Golf Club will participate in the PGA of America’s Play Golf America programs.
In July they will have Bring Your Daughter to the Course Week (July 6-13). The entire month of July will be Family Golf Month, and July 22 will be Bring Your Kids to the Range Day.... more |
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| A Few of the Best Courses That You Can Play in Florida |
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| June 12, 2009 |
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Golfweek magazine has ranked Florida courses in their “Best Courses You Can Play” list for 2009. We have a very rich accumulation of fantastic tracks in the state. A few of the layouts making Florida’s Top Ten are the famous TPC Sawgrass Players Stadium course (where they hold THE PLAYERS Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach), and World Woods (Pine Barrens) in Brooksville, ranked No.... more |
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| Play Mystic Dunes GC and help the Wounded Warrior Project |
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| June 10, 2009 |
| On Sunday, July 12, 2009, the Mystic Dunes Golf Club will host a tournament where a portion of the proceeds will go to the Wounded Warrior Project – a non-profit organization that helps our armed services people who have been severely injured during war. This worthwhile event will be held on a great golf course in Celebration (near ... more |
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| Key West Golf Club Offers the Only Caribbean Golf in the U.S. |
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| June 09, 2009 |
| I have just returned from a trip to our southernmost island in the Florida Keys – Key West. To my surprise and glee, there is a wonderful Rees Jones-designed course that is open for public play. When Rees split off from his famous father’s golf architecture firm (Robert Trent Jones, Sr.... more |
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| World Golf Village Has Many Activities Planned |
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| May 21, 2009 |
| Located in St. Augustine, the World Golf Village has a list of upcoming events for visiting golfers.
The World Golf Hall of Fame will offer free admission to everyone who visits the museum on Father’s Day, June 21.... more |
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| Shingle Creek Golf Club offers Championship Golf Just Off I-Drive |
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| May 21, 2009 |
| In the heart of all the shopping, restaurants and conventions is Orlando’s Rosen Shingle Creek Resort and Golf Club. Located on Universal Blvd. just off International Drive near the Orange County Convention Center, you can easily slip away for some great golf and be back for your meeting before they know that you’re gone.... more |
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| Sarasota Ritz-Carlton Golf Club |
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| June 30, 2008 |
| I have played and visited some of the world’s finest golf clubs in my many years of travel. Some have been outrageously opulent; others boast the most revered golf layouts on our planet. None, however, offer more service to their guests and members than the Ritz-Carlton Members Golf Club in ... more |
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| A Few of Arnold Palmer’s Favorite Florida Golf Holes |
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| June 24, 2008 |
| I recently acquired a “vintage” 30 year old golf book, Arnold Palmer’s Best 54 Golf Holes by Arnold Palmer with Bob Drum. As you may have guessed, I truly enjoy researching golf courses and this fine first edition, signed by Arnold, will be a great addition to my collection.
As I read through the book, I was especially interested in seeing what Arnold had to say about Florida courses.... more |
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| Free Golf for Juniors this Summer at Mystic Dunes Golf Club |
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| June 20, 2008 |
| As a follow-up to the free golf for dads on Father’s Day that I told you about in a recent blog post, the Mystic Dunes Golf Club is offering to allow junior golfers to play free from June 1 to September 30, 2008 when they are with a paying adult golfer after 2:00 PM each day. The junior golfer must be under the age of 16 to get the free golf.
Mystic Dunes GC is a high-end daily fee course open to the public.... more |
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| Treat Your Dad to a Free Round of Golf at Mystic Dunes Golf Club |
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| June 10, 2008 |
| On Father’s Day – Sunday, June 15th for those of you who may have forgotten – your dad can enjoy a free round of golf (with your paid round) at one of the best courses in the Orlando area, Mystic Dunes Golf Club.
Mystic Dunes GC is rated 4 stars by Golf Digest on their “Best Places to Play” list. Golfweek placed it in the top 100 “Best Resort Courses”, and TravelGolf.... more |
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| Watch the Best Florida Amateur Golfers Qualify at SouthWood GC |
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| June 07, 2008 |
| The Florida State Golf Association (FSGA) is holding its qualifying event at SouthWood Golf Club in Tallahassee on Tuesday, June 10. You may watch the top amateurs in the state attempt to play their way into the FSGA 91st Amateur Championship which will be held at Jupiter Hills GC in Tequesta, FL from June 19-22. Spectators are welcome for the qualifying round at SouthWood.... more |
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| Tiger Point Golf Club to Host Charity Event |
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| June 03, 2008 |
| Part of the Emerald Coast Golf Trail in northwest Florida, Tiger Point Golf Club has been selected by New York Giants Super Bowl champion kicker Lawrence Tynes to host his charity golf tournament. Tynes, who grew up in this area of the state, is holding the charity event to benefit the non-profit Santa Rosa Kids House in Milton, FL.
Tiger Point GC is a terrific track in ... more |
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| PGA National Resort & Spa offers Unlimited Golf Special |
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| May 19, 2008 |
Starting 5/26/08 through 9/30/08, you can play golf all day long on the great courses at the PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, home of the Honda Classic PGA Tour event.
They are currently offering a special for $99.00 per adult per night that includes accommodations, unlimited golf on the Haig, Squire or Estates courses (the Champion and Palmer courses will require an extra surcharge).... more |
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| Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort wins the 2008 Gold Tee Award |
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| May 07, 2008 |
Right on the beautiful Gulf of Mexico in Panama City Beach, you’ll find the Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort.
Recently awarded the prestigious Gold Tee Award from Meetings and Conventions magazine, Edgewater has been picked as a great place to hold your conference or just come and enjoy the resort with your family and friends.... more |
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| Fresh Juliette Falls is Awarded Top Ten Spot |
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| April 28, 2008 |
| The Juliette Falls Golf and Spa in Ocala has opened its new semi-private golf club. The spectacular layout features four waterfalls along with waste bunkers and pine and oak trees throughout the course set on the rolling equestrian property so famous in the Ocala area.... more |
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| Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am Concludes with Watson Again the Champion |
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| April 23, 2008 |
| I recently had the pleasure of attending the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am PGA Champions Tour event held at the TPC of Tampa Bay in Lutz, FL. Competing were name players like Tom Kite, Curtis Strange, Andy North, Craig Stadler, Larry Nelson, Hale Irwin, Fuzzy Zoeller, Mark O’Meara, Nick Price, and Bernhard Langer. There may have been more former Masters champions and US Open champs there than at the latest Masters tournament! If you wanted to see some of the best senior players in the world, they were there.... more |
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| Orlando Based GOLF CHANNEL Starts New TV Show at World Golf Hall of Fame |
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| April 14, 2008 |
| The GOLF CHANNEL, headquartered in Orlando, has begun filming a new reality-type television show called “Highway 18”. In the show, five, two-person teams are pitted against other teams to compete in golf “road rally” type events that involve an assortment of landmarks and other places to test their skill during the 10 weeks of episodes.... more |
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| Top Golf Teacher Mike Bender Opens new Golf Academy at Stoneybrook East GC |
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| March 21, 2008 |
A new Mike Bender Golf Academy will celebrate its grand opening on March 29th from 1 – 3PM at the Stoneybrook East Golf Club.
Bender has recently been selected as one of the top ten golf instructors in America by Golf Digest magazine. Located near the University of Central Florida campus in northeast ... more |
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| Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club |
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| March 12, 2008 |
| With the “Golf by the Gulf Package,” the Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club will present you with a wonderful golf vacation as well as providing plenty of things to keep the non-golfers entertained.
The hotel rooms have great views of the beautiful Gulf of Mexico and the package includes such items as your room, a full breakfast buffet each day, confirmed tee times, green fees and cart, range balls, bag storage, weekly golf clinic and even afternoon tea and cookies to refresh you after your morning round of golf. For the non-golfers there is a terrific spa, tennis center and complimentary “Beach Klub 4 Kids” to entertain the young ones (ages 5- 12) while you tee it up.... more |
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| AJGA to Hold Their Largest Event at Innisbrook |
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| March 06, 2008 |
| The American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) has scheduled their all-time largest field of top junior golfers to play the Mizuno Junior at the Innisbrook Resort’s Copperhead and Highlands courses, March 20 -23, 2008. Innisbrook, known as one of Florida’s top golf resorts, is located in Palm Harbor - only 30 minutes from the Tampa International Airport. It offers guests 620 suites and rooms to go along with its four noted golf layouts.... more |
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| Be a Volunteer for New LPGA Tour Event |
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| March 02, 2008 |
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| This is your big chance to be inside the ropes at a professional golf tournament. April 21-27, 2008 there will be a new LPGA Tour event held at Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club, in Aventura, FL.
Called the Stanford International Pro-Am, this new championship is located halfway between Fort Lauderdale and Miami, near Hollywood.... more |
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| Top Golf Instructors in Florida |
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| February 25, 2008 |
| Golf Digest has just ranked “America’s 50 Greatest Teachers”. I am not surprised to see that the state with the largest numbers of the top instructors is Florida with a huge 24 percent. That 12 out of 50 of the best teachers (as ranked by their peers no less) are located in Florida is testament to the quality of teaching professionals who have made Florida their base and home.... more |
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| Visit to SouthWood in Tallahassee |
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| February 19, 2008 |
Recently, during a trip to northwest Florida, I had the opportunity to stop by the SouthWood Golf Club in Tallahassee. I have written about SouthWood before – how they were chosen as the “Best Course” in Tallahassee among many other honors.
The golf club – run by GM Beth Murphy - is as good as I had heard.... more |
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| Nicklaus’ Masters Winning Clubs on Display |
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| February 13, 2008 |
| The actual set of irons used by Jack Nicklaus to win the 1986 Masters tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club are now on display in the “Majors” rotunda at the World Golf Hall of Fame, located in St. Augustine. The four trophies from the four major championships – The Masters, US Open, British Open and PGA Championship – can also be seen in the rotunda.... more |
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| Love 'n Golf |
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| February 08, 2008 |
| I have just been reminded that Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and since I am always looking for a way to play more golf I came up with two wonderful places to stay and play.
The WaterColor Inn in Santa Rosa Beach (near Destin in northwest Florida) is offering a “Signature Romance Package” that provides a beach view room, champagne, chocolate strawberries, a massage, breakfast and dinner. Add golf at the nearby Camp Creek Golf Club or the Greg Norman designed Shark’s Tooth GC to make this a perfect vacation.... more |
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| While in Daytona Beach, go play Victoria Hills Golf Club |
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| February 05, 2008 |
| If you are going anywhere near the Daytona Beach area (for Speedweeks at the Daytona Speedway, the great beaches or a motorcycle rally) you should make time to go about 25 miles south to historic DeLand, FL and play the wonderful Victoria Hills Golf Club.
This relatively new track has been opened since 2002 and the Ron Garl design has garnered multiple honors such as a “Top 10 You Can Play” from GOLF Magazine, 4 ½ star rating from Golf Digest, “America’s Top 40 Best New Courses” from Golfweek, “No. 2 Florida Public Course of the New Millennium” from Travel + Leisure Golf and the Orlando Sentinel calls it “One of the region’s top 10 courses”.... more |
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| Brand New Sarasota National Golf Club Opens for Play |
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| January 28, 2008 |
| Just having experienced its open-for-play birthday, the brand-spankin’ new Sarasota National GC is open for business in its Venice location on the southwest coast of Florida. Mark Trotter – PGA golf professional – tells me that January 4th was the first day of play and they are planning a February 9th Opening Day tournament.
Designed by Gordy Lewis, the course measures 7,344 yards from the tips, but a friendlier 6,034 from the men’s regular Silver tees.... more |
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| Jack Nicklaus Celebrates Renovation of Sailfish Point Course |
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| January 25, 2008 |
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| Jack Nicklaus – the Golden Bear - and his Nicklaus Design team have finished the renovation of his signature golf course at Sailfish Point. Located on Hutchinson Island near Stuart and just north of Port St. Lucie, FL this was Nicklaus’ second solo design in Florida back in 1981.... more |
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| The Greatest (Golf) Show on Earth |
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| January 22, 2008 |
| The 2008 PGA Merchandise Show has just wrapped up. Held at the Orange Co. Convention Center in Orlando, this gigantic 500,000 square foot show has anything a golfer could dream of.... more |
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| Florida is Where the Pros Play |
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| January 16, 2008 |
| The 2008 Tournament Schedules are out for the PGA Tour, Champions Tour (the Seniors), and the LPGA Tour. Have a look at all the events to be held in Florida!
After conducting their Qualifying School Finals at Orange Co. National Golf Center & Lodge in Orlando, the PGA Tour will hold the following events in Florida this year:
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| Interview with a Legend |
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| January 11, 2008 |
| Recently I had the great pleasure of filming an interview with one of golf’s great legends, Arnold Palmer.
The VISIT FLORIDA RV video crew and I met up with Mr. Palmer at his Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando and spent some time discussing the history of the club and the superb golf course that hosts the PGA Tour event each year.... more |
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| PGA National Resort & Spa Further Improves the Challenging Champion Course |
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| January 08, 2008 |
| PGA National, located in Palm Beach Gardens, already has one of the top courses in Florida with its Champion Course, home to the Honda Classic on the PGA Tour. It has also been the venue for events such as the PGA Championship, Ryder Cup, Grand Slam and numerous Senior PGA Championships.
This track is the third toughest on the PGA Tour and its #15 Par 3 is ranked the most difficult par three in Florida.... more |
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| King of Golf to be Inducted into the GCAA Hall of Fame |
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| January 03, 2008 |
| Arnold Palmer, the King of Golf, is to be honored by the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) and be given their Lifetime Achievement Award. This will take place at the Walt Disney World Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando, FL.
Mr.... more |
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| SouthWood Golf Club Named Best Course in Tallahassee |
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| December 26, 2007 |
The SouthWood Golf Club, which opened only five years ago, has been selected for the third time in four years as the “Best Course” in the state capital by Tallahassee Magazine. It was also bestowed with honors from the 2007/2008 ZAGAT Survey as one of “America’s Top Golf Courses”, “Top 50 Courses for Women” by Golf For Women magazine, and named as an “Unsung” course by T+L Golf magazine. When folks voted for the best course in northwest Florida’s Tallahassee, the voting included all courses, both public and private.... more |
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| Tribute to Ed Seay |
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| December 12, 2007 |
Florida and the world lost one of its top golf course designers just a few months ago. Ed Seay, from Ponte Vedra Beach, was in business for 35 years with his friend and golf legend Arnold Palmer. During Ed’s long career he designed over 300 layouts.... more |
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| Doral's Blue Monster Course to Offer Two Types of Assistance from Caddies |
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| November 30, 2007 |
The Doral Golf Resort & Spa, located in Miami, is home to the World Golf Championship and has hosted PGA Tour events since 1962. You may remember Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson recently battling it out down the last few holes on the Blue Monster course with Tiger claiming the victory.
The Blue Monster at Doral is now including caddie service as part of the golf package.... more |
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| A Great Golf Course is Reborn |
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| November 09, 2007 |
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Seventeen years ago, PGA Tour player (and now outspoken TV analyst) Johnny Miller co-designed with Gene Bates a superb golf course called Binks Forest Golf Club in Wellington, FL. Its heavily wooded terrain is unusual for a typical Florida course and the players loved it.
Rated as one of the “Top 75 Public Courses in the United States” by Golf Digest, it was so good that it was chosen to host the PGA Tour Team Championship in 1990, its first year opened.... more |
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