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 18-hole 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 city-owned 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.
Coastal Alabama is Perfect for Golfing, Dining & Beaching
Gulf Shores and Orange Beach on the Gulf Coast of Alabama have been providing the perfect beach and golf resort for travelers for over 30 years.
Gulf Shores was a one-course, sleepy retirement village in the early 1980’s. In 1985, a local sod farmer, Robert Craft was searching for ways to increase his business. He came up with a plan to build a golf course, which would attract more vacationers to the area. Hopefully the warm gulf breezes, white sandy beaches and relaxing atmosphere would entice a few of them to stick around, build a new home and buy his sod for their new lawn.
Making a long story short, he contracted Arnold Palmer to build two 18-hole courses at Craft Farms that provided the impetus to change Gulf Shores into the vibrant vacation hotspot and community it is today.
Now Gulf Shores annually welcomes millions of visitors. Fantastic golf is available, not only at Craft Farms, but also at Golf Shores Golf Club, Kiva Dunes and Peninsula Golf Club, which are all highly-ranked and are must-play courses for golfers visiting Coastal Alabama.
The two 18-hole Arnold Palmer Signature courses at Craft Farms, Cotton Creek and Cypress Bend challenge all golfers and provide a serene environment with the natural Alabama landscape. The rambling clubhouse is perfect for a quick bite between rounds, or a leisurely repast.
Gulf Shores Golf Club is the oldest golf course in the area and open to the public. It’s southern charm and plantation-style clubhouse welcomes golfers and the course is a treat to play. The course layout is suitable for any skill level and especially welcoming to juniors and women. From the back tees it is a true test for the low handicapper, as well.
Golf at Kiva Dunes, one of Alabama’s highest-ranked course, is only one reason to visit. Located on a peninsula, it has over a mile of sugar-white private beachfront, plus the new Kiva Beach Club is a full restaurant with breathtaking views of the Gulf. Plus, you never have to leave your beach umbrella. Kiva Dunes is the only coastal resort offering food and drink service on the beach.
Peninsula Golf and Racquet Club offers a memorable round of golf and has been rated 4 ½ stars by Golf Digest. Earl Stone designed the 27 hole layout at Peninsula to maintain a close connection to the local wildlife at nearby Bon Secour Wildlife Preserve.
In addition to the challenging golf, gorgeous live Oaks and Cypress trees, plus alligators, cranes and eagles create a delightful distraction from your golf.
Off the golf course and beach, every type of dining experience awaits. The Hangout or The Gulf are perfect of a casual lunch. Fin & Fork will cook up anything you may catch on a fishing trip. The Lodge at Gulf Shores State Park, The Zoo and the Voyagers at Perdido Beach Resort offer exquisite menus for more serious dining options.
Don’t forget to save room for dessert at The Yard. Their quart-size milk shakes come in a variety of flavors and you will want to try all of them, before you leave Gulf Shores.
Coastal Alabama and Gulf Shores has great golf, beautiful beaches, fantastic dining, as well as, many other activities to please any family member.
Find out more at: http://www.visitcoastalalabama.org/
