Virginia Golfer November / December 2014 | Page 36

TheVirginia Explorer

First Coast

Comforts
by TOM CUNNEFF

THE PGA TOUR HEADQUARTERS could
be based anywhere the organization wanted, but they chose
northeast Florida. Come to think of it, so did Ponce de Leon in
his search for the Fountain of Youth.
And why not?
Whether you’re a tour player, Spanish explorer or golf tourist,
the greater Jacksonville area, which extends from Amelia Island
to St. Augustine, has a lot to offer. With spectacular beaches and
waterways, top-notch hotels and restaurants, and some terrific golf
full of nature and challenge, “Florida’s First Coast of Golf” should
definitely be on your golf-trip radar, especially when you factor
in that there are 16 direct flights from D.C-area airports daily.
Of course, everyone wants to play The Players Stadium Course
at TPC Sawgrass and test their skills on the famous island-green
17th hole, but there’s a lot more to this 60-mile stretch of the Sunshine State than Pete and Alice Dye’s most infamous one-shotter.

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VIRGINIA GOLFER | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014

The Sawgrass Marriott isn’t a bad place to decamp. Not only can
you make starting time reservations on the Stadium and Dye’s
Valley courses more than 14 days in advance, but you can play
two private clubs as well, Sawgrass and Marsh Landing.
Another great hotel option is the beachfront Ponte Vedra Inn
and Club, which has two good layouts, particularly the Ocean
Course, the area’s first course which opened in 1928 with a green
encircled by a large water hazard long before the Dyes thought
of it. Then there’s the Ritz-Carlton and Omni resorts on Amelia
Island, with the latter offering five oceanfront holes on its Ocean
Course. Closer to Jacksonville is the One Ocean Resort & Spa,
directly across from the charming Beaches Town Center with
its cobblestone streets and lively mix of shops, restaurants, art
galleries and nightlife options.
However you slice (or hook) it, Florida’s First Coast of Golf
is second to none.

w w w. v s g a . o r g

TOP: KEYUR KHAMAR/GETTY IMAGES; STAN BADZ/GETTY IMAGES

Jacksonville area and
northeast Florida offer
diverse playing and
recreational options.