With terrific courses located from Tampa on the west coast to Melbourne on the east coast, the Florida Golf Trail has you covered for some top-level golf.
I recently got a chance to play their Preserve Golf Club located just off I-75 in Bradenton (south of Tampa). Designed by Ted McAnlis and measuring 7,000 yards from the “Eagle” back tees, the course is rated/sloped at 73.7/139. The layout always gave me a great lie in the fairway and a clear view of where I should play my next shot. You must position and “work” the ball around this track to shoot your best score.
Plenty of beautiful Florida palms and lakes frame this course. The No. 2 Par-3 is short, but pretty, and there are a couple of strong 200-yard-plus Par-3’s to balance it out. I like the No. 15 Par-4 dogleg around water. Cut as much as you dare to get a chance at birdie.
The Florida Golf Trail consists of nine wonderful courses across the state. Included in the group are courses designed by greats Arnold Palmer, Tom Fazio and Joe Lee.
A few of the Florida Golf Trail tracks:
- Bardmoor GC – Largo, a former site of the PGA/LPGA JC Penney Classic
- River Hills CC – Valrico, a private club available to Florida Golf Trail members
- The Majors Golf Club – Palm Bay, a marvelous Arnold Palmer design
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