By Fred Altvater Let’s Head South!! As the temperatures begin to drop below freezing, Michigan Golfers begin to think about heading south for warm sunny skies, sandy beaches, with palm trees waving and green golf courses. If you have not yet made your reservations to Florida, Georgia, Alabama, or Arizona, you may be in for a shock. Golfers are traveling at a record pace and many resorts are already booked up, or soon will be. In the next few pages Michigan Golf Journal talks about a few of our favorite southern golf destinations. Coastal Alabama has it all. Several fantastic golf courses and beautiful beaches, when you aren’t on the course. Mission Inn is a family-run golf resort with 36 holes and wonderful accommodations. It is less than a one-hour drive to the Orlando attractions and is the perfect spot to spend a few days. As you are heading south to Florida, or maybe on your way back, Jekyll Island is one of our favorite stopovers. It is quiet, unassuming with plenty of golf to please any skill level. The beaches are some of the best to be found anywhere and are usually not crowded. Saddlebrook, located near Tampa, has two 18hole championship courses, plus is the home of the Saddlebrook Golf Academy. Aspiring junior golfers live on site, attend classes in the morning and work on their golf games, with some of the best golf instructors in the afternoons. Individual lessons are also available for adults. Orlando is famous for Disney World and Universal Theme Park, but there is also great public golf available. Our favorite is the cityowned Winter Park 9 that was renovated and is one of the best municipal tracks you will ever play. We hope you get to take a golf trip south this winter to take advantage of the great golf and hospitality that awaits. Michigan Golf Journal
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTQ2Nzk4