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Media Kit: Golf
A GOLFER'S PARADISE AWAITS…
Golfers visiting St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches can tee it up at some of the most challenging and scenic golf courses in all of Florida.
The area's world-renowned courses include the TPC Stadium® Course at Sawgrass, home of the PGA Tour's annual THE PLAYERS Championship; along with the Slammer and Squire and King and Bear championship courses at the World Golf Hall of Fame. Less recognized, but equally enjoyable, resort, public and semi-private courses are also plentiful, providing golfers of all skill levels with a variety of challenging golf courses from which to choose.
Ponte Vedra Beach
In Ponte Vedra Beach, golfers can choose from numerous internationally acclaimed golf courses.
The Sawgrass Marriott Resort and Spa is the official hotel of THE PLAYERS Championship (TPC). With access to 99 holes, the TPC is one of largest and most prestigious golf resorts in the United States. The signature course is the par-72, 6,857-yard TPC at Sawgrass Stadium Course, designed by Pete Dye and ranked seventh among "America's Best Resort Courses" by Golf Digest. The Stadium Course is the site of THE PLAYERS Championship tournament and its par-three 17th hole – the Island Hole – is recognized worldwide.
Also at the Sawgrass Marriott Resort and Spa are the 6,838-yard, par-72 TPC at Sawgrass Valley course, a Pete Dye-Jerry Pate creation characterized by an abundance of water and, unusual for a Florida course, hills and valleys. The 27-hole Sawgrass Country Club layout, the "original" Sawgrass with three different nine-hole layouts, has been ranked in the "Top 25 U.S. Resort Courses" by Golf Digest.
In addition, guests at the Sawgrass Marriott Resort and Spa have access to two nearby private golf courses -- Oak Bridge Country Club, a par-70, 6,345-yard course, and Marsh Landing Country Club. Marsh Landing meanders through some of the most beautiful scenery in northeast Florida. A par-72, 6,841-yard Ed Seay design, Marsh Landing's tidal ponds, lagoons and Intracoastal marshes demand careful club selection.
Traditionalists will enjoy the two outstanding golf courses at the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club. The 6,515-yard Ocean Course, redesigned by Robert Trent Jones in 1947, is described by Golf Digest as a "classic." Originally built in 1928 and designed by British golf course architect Herbert Strong, the Ocean Course includes the added challenge of breezes off the neighboring Atlantic Ocean. The Lagoon Course, designed by Joe Lee, is shorter, at 5,600 yards, but is tight and guarded by numerous water hazards.
St. Augustine
Only 20 minutes south of Ponte Vedra Beach, golfers can enjoy public and semi-private courses close to the historic sites and colorful atmosphere of St. Augustine.
The World Golf Hall of Fame, eight miles northwest of St. Augustine, features the 7,000-yard Bobby Weed-designed Slammer and Squire championship course and the King and Bear – the one and only collaborative design between Hall of Famers Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. The World Golf Hall of Fame is rapidly becoming known internationally as one of golf's premier locales.
Another new addition to the choices available to golfers visiting the area is The Golf Club at South Hampton located about six miles northwest of St. Augustine. This semi-private, par-72 championship course was designed by 10-time PGA Tour Winner Mark McCumber. The new Royal St. Augustine course also provides a golfing challenge just a few miles from the gates of the Oldest City.
St. Augustine Shores Country Club and St. Johns County Golf Course offer 18-hole layouts that test the proficiency of low-handicappers but allow opportunities for less-skilled players to enjoy some memorable golfing moments.
Cimarrone, just outside St. Augustine, is a semi-private club, open to the public. The par-72 championship layout is narrow and has water hazards on all 18 holes.
The northwestern part of St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches features The Champions Club at Julington Creek -- a challenging semi-private, par-72 championship course designed by Steve Melnyk that features narrow fairways and dangerous bunkers.
Media contact:
Jay Humphreys, St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches VCB. 904.829.1711 ext. 306, jhumphreys@getaway4florida.com |
