Destination Golf Global (Winter 2019) * | Page 19

Southern Dunes Golf & Country Club © Southern Dunes GCC
Southern Dunes Golf & Country Club is a testing
7,200-yard course in Haines City on 350 acres of land
formerly occupied by a citrus grove until that was
destroyed by a catastrophic freeze in 1989. Originally
called Lost Grove, the Steve Smyer-designed course
features a dramatic hillside layout with natural dunes
giving elevation changes of 100 feet, rolling fairways
and large, undulating greens.
The Club at Eaglebrooke, near Lakeland, is another
of Central Florida’s premier courses. Oak trees,
numerous lakes and strategically-placed mounding
frame the rippled fairways while large greens are
guarded by bunkers and waste areas.
The north-east of Polk County has several golf
courses literally on the doorstep of Walt Disney
World and the Orlando area’s other major
attractions. Davenport’s Highlands Reserve Golf
Club is laid out in one of Florida’s highest areas and
features pine tree-lined fairways, open fairways and
large, fast greens. At nearby Providence Golf Club,
holes wind through a scenic Florida landscape of
freshwater creeks, ancient hardwood and wetlands
where golfers may glimpse local wildlife during
their round. Both courses were designed by Michael
Dasher and have a European flavour evident in their
undulating greens.
Stay in a rental home in Davenport and you’re within
a 30-minute drive of 100 golf courses.
CENTRAL FLORIDA ATTRACTIONS
With close to 7,000 rooms in accommodation
types spanning everything from family-friendly
hotels to a dude ranch offering glamping in luxury
teepees and another 7,000-plus vacation homes and
condominiums, Central Florida makes a great base for
a golf-based family or couples holiday.
Here, you’re less than 30 minutes from Walt Disney
World, under 40 minutes from Universal Studios and
Busch Gardens, less than an hour from the Gulf and
Atlantic coast beaches and 75 minutes from Kennedy
Space Centre.
Volume 4 • Issue 50
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