AMAZING AMELIA
Just north of Jacksonville and south of the
Georgia state line is the Omni Amelia Island
Plantation Resort (omnihotels.com/hotels/
amelia-island-plantation; 904-261-6161),
which features two highly acclaimed championship courses. Ocean Links has played host
to the Golf Channel’s “Big Break: Florida”
show and features five oceanfront golf h oles
adjacent to the beach at Amelia Island.
The course provides plenty of challenges
as it winds through six miles of sand dunes
and a coastal maritime hammock. The Pete
Dye-designed Oak Marsh course features
tight fairways and small greens that play
alongside winding salt-marsh creeks and
massive oak trees.
When it’s time for dinner in Amelia
Island, the locals love Sliders Seaside
Grill (slidersseaside.com; 904-277-6652),
located in Fernandina Beach. Check out
the award-winning seafood chowder, locally
caught fried shrimp, fish tacos, crab cakes
and even fried pickles.
Another favorite spot to dine at Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island is The Crab Trap
(ameliacrabtrap.com; 904-261-4749), where
fresh seafood and steaks are on tap. Enjoy
bloody marys with lobster tails or cap off your
meal with a slice of homemade key lime pie.
POPULAR PONTE VEDRA
Just down I-95 in Ponte Vedra Beach, get
your A-game ready for The Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass (tpc.com/
sawgrass; 904-273-3235), host of the PGA
Tour’s Players Championship. Its infamous
17th hole island green has both wrecked and
rewarded the scores of past champions. TPC
Sawgrass also offers Dye’s Valley Course.
This Pete and Alice Dye design can stand on
its own merits, having hosted the Web.com
Tour Championship. Both courses are available through a stay-and-play golf package
with the Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort
& Spa (888-877-9193).
Nearby is Ponte Vedra Inn & Club
(pontevedra.com; 866-450-8474), a AAA
Five-Diamond inn with two courses on the
Atlantic Ocean. Originally built in 1928, the
par-72 Ocean Course was redesigned by
Robert Trent Jones in 1947.
Jones and architect Joe Lee each designed
nine holes to create the par-70 Lagoon
Course, which was renovated by designer
Bobby Weed in 2007.
After golf in Ponte Vedra, you’ll be ready
for Nona Blue Modern Tavern (nonablue.
com; 904-834-7549) across the street from
the Sawgrass Marriott. This high-end casual
restaurant opened by PGA Tour star Graeme
McDowell features such specialties as burgers, fish and chips, the “G-Mac & Cheese”
(with lobster and bacon) and Irish coffee.
For fresh seafood in a rustic setting, check
out Palm Valley Fish Camp (palmvalleyfishcamp.com; 904-285-3200), located on
the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway in Ponte
Vedra Beach. From oysters on the half shell
and fried gator tail, to conch fritters and the
catch of the day, this is where locals go for
fresh seafood.
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE COURSES
LEFT: Tackle the King
& Bear course at the
World Golf Village in St.
Augustine.
BELOW: The 17th island
green is a fan favorite
at The Players Stadium
Course at TPC Sawgrass.
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