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Golf is trying to take a page from the Whole Foods playbook and convince us golfers that "earth-friendly courses" with worse conditions and higher green fees are the noble, righteous play.
Full story | Also: Defending men-only golf
The Ritz-Carlton on Key Biscayne is Miami's only AAA Five Diamond resort, and it's a beauty, stuck out on the end of what they call here their "island paradise." The resort overlooks the bay and the ocean, and has pretty much everything you would expect from a five-diamond resort, from the 20,000-square-foot spa to excellent restaurants. And with Crandon Park golf course nearby, it's an excellent place to stay on your next Florida golf vacation.
Sure, Perry Golf and Country Club is so far out in the North Florida sticks that Jed Clampett would be lonesome. Perry itself isn't exactly a glittering metropolis, and its golf course is on the outskirts of nowhere. But the good thing about the location is that there is nothing man-made to intrude on your round - no houses, condos or traffic noise. "That's one of the reasons I came out here," said Joel Thorpe of Tallahassee.
When you hear the name Rainbow Springs Golf and Country Club, you immediately expect water to play a big part in you round. But this scenic golf course in Dunnellon doesn't have a drop of water to drown your golf ball. And while not being flavored by the nearby Rainbow River, this course is still a beauty that plays through the semi-rolling hills in this part of the state, 20 miles south of Ocala in the southwest part of Marion County. And with tough angles that demand accuracy, it's a golf course that will still give players an interesting day.
In Florida, golf courses love to tout their run as being an atypical Florida golf course. At Candler Hills Golf Club in Ocala, they truly make good on that promise, as this is a Florida golf course where water will be the last thing on your mind. So while you enjoy a day with no worries of alligator attacks, you'll enjoy the wide fairways and big greens of this fun and intriguing golf course. And with a yardage of more than 7,300 from the tips with no water hazards, big hitters will love it, too.
A Florida golf standout, Innisbrook is home to the famous Copperhead golf course, one that many PGA Tour pros call their favorite when they make their annual swing through the Sunshine State. But the Island golf course at Innisbrook is Copperhead's older brother and was Innisbrook's first course. A picturesque track with a lowcountry feel that attracted all the members down from the North, it appears that the course and its members are now seeing this beautiful run get the attention it deserves.
Also: Reviewing Emerald Greens in Tampa Bay
The Walt Disney World Resort is known for its amusement parks and attractions. But its golf courses - the Magnolia, the Palm, Oak Trail, and the nine-hole Osprey - also have a strong reputation, boasting diverse layouts and have been around as long as Cinderella's Castle. The PGA Tour has long made a Disney a stomping ground, as have golf travelers from around the globe who recognize Orlando as a top golf destination. Because Walt Disney Resort will give you all the fun a family can handle, while giving golfers challenges that are far from being Mickey Mouse.
Sometimes you just want to take your hacks without taking a wallet hit. Florida golf is loaded with quality municipal courses like Crandon Park, Daytona Beach Golf Club and The Golf Club at Cypress Head where you can get in a quality round for well under a C-note. We haven't played /all/ the cheap, close and unpretentious courses in Florida, but we've played quite a few. Here are our favorites.
The Gulf Coast is known for Cajun cooking and casinos, but it's also got some great island golf courses. From the Florida Panhandle to southern Texas, golf courses pop up here like po'boy stands and barbecue joints. And while the Gulf Coast isn't blessed with as many "island golf courses" as Georgia or the Carolinas, it has its share. Tim McDonald names his top picks, including Kiva Dunes and Craft Farms Coastal Golf Resort.
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