Floridians in a hurry to slow it all down in Sebring
Millions of visitors flock to Florida's coastline each year, whether its the Emerald Coast cities of Naples, Tampa, Fort Meyers or the First Coast destinations of St. Augustine, Daytona Beach and Miami. Even with hundreds of different places for travelers to squat, the peak season in all of these spots means congestion and a fast pace, even if the stay is intended for kicking your feet up.
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Believe it or not, people actually live in these places. And sometimes a quick trip inland is just what the doctor prescribed. Ridding themselves of the countless tourists and endless traffic jams for a slower-paced, smaller retreat.
Wait, doesn't inland in central Florida mean.Orlando?
Not so fast. The place Floridians are flocking to is Sebring, a charming old town about 90 minutes south of Orlando as well as both coasts. It's a small Florida town with a big-time reputation as the place to escape the tourist life and backed up coastal interstates.
"We're much smaller than one of Florida's cities or coastal towns," said Madge Stewart, owner of the Kenilworth Lodge in Sebring. "Sebring has a really nice, laid-back feel. We have fun residents and are friendly to visitors."
With a population of just over 20,000 that swells slightly larger in the winter months - thanks to a large part-time resident population - Sebring has visitors coming for more than just relaxation away from Mickey or the surf. Partnering with the small-town, slow vibe is Sebring the race town, featuring events each year that draw more than 100,000 people to Sebring International Raceway. The most famous is the 12 Hours of Sebring Endurance Race, which occurs every year in March. Accommodations in Sebring are hard to come by during race week and must be made up to a year in advance. In 2005, race dates are March 16-19.
Where to Play
Highlands Ridge
Sebring's most popular golf courses are the North and South courses in the Highlands Ridge adult community. Both usually have the best conditions in town. The South course is one of Sebring's oldest courses and has everything a classic course is known for: tight fairways lined with tall pines and small greens. Many ponds dot the course and a creek winds through it as well. Contrarily, the North course is the newest in town. Opened in 2002, it plays longer at 7,234 yards than its counterpart (the South plays at 6,203 yards). The design is more modern, with doglegs and more artificial mounding and undulation, as well as larger greens. The North also has five sets of tees compared to the South's four.
Harder Hall Country Club
Built in 1958, Harder Hall was the home of the ladies' Future Tour Harder Hall Invitational. The club features a nine-hole executive course along with its championship course. The course is a traditional Florida layout: flat, straight shots with ponds and palm trees. The fairways are generous and water comes into play on about one-third of the holes. The championship course has four sets of tees, with the longest playing 6,300 yards. Harder Hall also hosts the annual local Ladies Invitational.
Sun
'n' Lake Golf & Country Club
Sun 'n' Lake is another 36-hole club, featuring the Turtle Run and Deer Run courses. Limited public play is available, and Sun 'n' Lake offers packages with hotels in town, including Kenilworth Lodge which offers packages at 15 area courses. Opened in 1976, Deer Run is the longer, more difficult of the two and hosts many of Sebring's local tournaments. Turtle Run opened in 1999, and is about 400 yards shorter and a few shots easier than its elder sibling. Moguls guard the fairway and bunkers are steeper, however, on the Turtle Run course. Turtle Run was build in the middle of the Scrub Jay Preservation Area. The sanctuary is home to protected birds and makes Turtle Run the more scenic of the two Sun 'n' Lake courses.
River Greens
River Greens in Avon Park was purchased in 1969 by the Davis family, who owned the original River Greens course in Ohio. At the time the course was just nine holes, but the course underwent extensive renovations and opened up a second nine in 1974, making it a full-length championship course. The picturesque par-5 ninth is the signature hole and plays around Lake Tina and has two different greens that are used, one of which hugs the lake. The course has three tees, with the back ones stretching to slightly more than 6,000 yards.
Pinecrest Golf Club
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Pinecrest, located in nearby Avon Park about 10 minutes north of Sebring, is one of the area's most historic courses. Designed by Donald Ross, the course hosted the first ever televised PGA Championship. The gently rolling fairways are often lined with matured trees. The 6,500-yard semi-private course was built in 1926 and plays at par 72.
Places to eat
Sebring has just recently seen an increase in national chain restaurants, and the locals are actually rather excited about them. Most of Sebring's more authentic places to dine can be found on the "circle", which is anchored by Sandy's Circle Cafe. Tea rooms are big in the area as well. Some are the bed-and-breakfast variety, including the Tea Room at Lake Sebring, which is an old casino. South of Sebring in Lake Placid is the All-American Cafe, which is worth the 15-minute drive for some true small-town charm and grub.
Places to stay
Kenilworth Lodge, opened in 1916 is the cream of the crop in Sebring, and also offers a variety of golf packages with more than a dozen courses in the area - their most popular being their three-round, two-night package, which also comes with dinner and breakfast. The Lodge even offers seven-night, six-round packages, which are often scooped up by northerners visiting for one to two weeks during the winter months. At the hotel are an 80-foot heated pool, shuffleboard, card and billiard tables, and a very popular veranda with rocking chairs that look out over Lake Jackson.
Highland County Sebring Transportation
When traveling by air:
The closest airports in the area are the Melbourne International airport
(MLB) located about 64 miles northeast of Sebring in Melbourne, Florida,
the Orlando International airport (MCO) located approximately 65 miles
north of Sebring in Orlando, Florida, the Sarasota-Bradenton International
airport (SRQ) located roughly 68 miles west of Sebring in Sarasota /
Bradenton, Florida, and finally the Southwest Florida International
airport (RSW) located around 69 miles southwest of Sebring in Fort Myers,
Florida.
Any opinions expressed above are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the management. The information in this story was accurate at the time of publication. All contact information, directions and prices should be confirmed directly with the golf course or resort before making reservations and/or travel plans.
