Golf Guide: Fort Lauderdale - FL

On the southeast coast between Miami and Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale often called, "The Venice of America" is a popular winter getaway. The 7th largest city with about 180,000 people and with more than 3,000 hours of sunshine every year, Fort Lauderdale attracts its fair share of golfers with more than 40 golf courses and resorts in the area.

Most of the fairways play over a mostly flat landscape, but under the skillful direction of designers like Joe Lee, Bruce Devlin, Robert von Hagge, Rees Jones, Raymond Floyd, Robert Trent Jones, and Tom and George Fazio, the region has some very strong public-accessible tracks at surprisingly modest green fees.

For six years (1997-2002) the PGA TOUR`S Honda Classic called Heron Bay home and today this course designed by Mark McCumber (1996) is the home of the Dixie Amateur. About 20 miles from Fort Lauderdale, Heron Bay is adjacent to the Marriott Coral Springs Hotel and Convention Center offering some value-loaded play-and-stay packages.

There are also affordable municipal tracks such as Pembroke Lakes Golf Club along with club-style facilities like Bonaventure Country Club's two courses; Palm-Aire Country Club's Oaks and Cypress designed by Tom and George Fazio and Palms by William Mitchell. The Club at Emerald Hills, another good play, was host site for the Doral and the Honda Open Qualifier's for many years.

Inverrary Country Club has two outstanding Robert Trent Jones, Sr. golf courses just west of Fort Lauderdale while a public course with a private-club ambiance, Plantation Preserve Golf Course & Club, reveals a stunning layout with wetlands and an island green.

Off-course, Fort Lauderdale's Riverwalk links the City's arts, science, cultural and historic assets including the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, Museum of Discovery and Science, Museum of Art and Old Fort Lauderdale Village while seven miles of beach attract walkers and sunbathers.

For a full service upscale resort experience check into the Westin Diplomat Golf Resort & Spa or go low key at the popular Alhambra Beach Resort offering sunny Florida-style rooms and apartments steps from the beach.