OK….so we don’t make anyone’s list for best golf in the world. We don’t even make the short lists for best courses in the US!! Let’s be honest, though, Florida is still the epicenter of golf in the U.S. The Sunshine State has over 1,200 golf courses, more than any other state. They stretch from Jacksonville, just a few minutes from the World Golf Village, to Miami, where the Blue Monster at Doral Golf Resort & Spa will push your game to the max. In between, there’s Orlando, boasting more than 100 tracks. So, when it comes to Florida golf, the only problem you’ll have is picking which courses to play.
People come from all over the world to golf in Florida because Florida offers everything a golfer could want!! Every type of terrain or level of golf is available. On the west coast, one of golf’s greatest teaching professionals is located in Naples at the La Playa Beach and Golf Resort. There you can learn the sport at the David Leadbetter Golf Academy. Over on the east coast, St. Lucie County has some of the most popular and challenging public and private championship golf courses in Florida, all of which allows for golf just about every day of the year. Some of the country’s best course designers have built here, and so you’ll certainly find a suitable course for every skill level. What’s more, St. Lucie County is home to the PGA Village, the nation’s only public PGA of America-owned golf location. As a visitor, you can improve your game at the Village’s Learning Center, take a swing at its courses or relax at any of the lux accommodations located near it all.
Did I mention that Florida is also home to the PGA Tour, Champions Tour, LPGA, PGA of America, World Golf Hall of Fame and more professional golfers than any other state? The Tournament Players Club is at Sawgrass; the PGA National is at Palm Beach Gardens; and the LPGA International is at Daytona Beach. So, driving the point home (get it?… driving the point home…LOL!!), Florida is also the center of professional golf in the United States.
That said, the Florida State Golf Association (FSGA) was formed in order to preserve and protect the game of golf. It is a volunteer-based organization that includes over 800 member clubs and over 200,000 individual members from across the state. The FSGA is closely linked to the United States Golf Association, the PGA of America, and all other golf-serving associations and thus provides a variety of services to its members and the general golfing community of Florida (both the casual and amateur golfer). For their members, the association conducts more than 300 tournament days each year, including 25 state championships and over 40 qualifying tournaments for the USGA National Championships. All members are eligible for competitions. The FSGA even holds a Junior Tour for the benefit of junior golfers throughout the state.
So, who needs the dramatic elevation changes of the Carolina courses or the oceanic views at Pebble Beach! Florida can be proud that our courses provide challenges, hazards and bunkers that would keep any player on their toes, and the avid golfer entertained. So consider the floral flourishes of our world class courses and membership in the FSGA. It offers more than just the casual game on your local course. It’ll get your competitive juices flowing and help you take your game to that next level.
For further detail and the schedule of tournaments, go to: http://www.fsga.org/.
