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FEATURES |
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Stone's Florida Favorites
by Ed Stone, GoGolfandTravel.com
Ginn Reunion Resort and Club
Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate
Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota
Your personal concierge will greet you at Ginn Reunion Resort and Club and whisk you to your villa--no waiting in line, no lobby full of
people to deal with--just straight to your room. When I offered a tip
to the young gentleman, his response was,"Thank you sir, but we are a
no tipping resort."
54 holes of championship golf by Nicklaus, Palmer and Watson are prime
attractions at Reunion, which is situated on 2,300 gently rolling acres
in Osceola County near Orlando, just six miles from the entrance to
Disney World (http://www.reunionresort.com).
The one- and two-bedroom villas are configured with large bedrooms and
baths with whirlpool tubs, full kitchens and living/dining areas, with
verandas or porches overlooking the golf courses. Most are within
walking distance of the clubhouse. But, why walk? The golf concierge
will bring your golf cart to your room each morning to pick up you and
your clubs for your round of golf.
In separate complexes with a small town, family-oriented atmosphere, a
variety of new condos, villas and homes are available to rent, with up
to four bedrooms, multiple bathrooms, state-of-the art electronics, and
some private swimming pools. All guests have complete hotel service
including concierge, 24-hour front desk and pre-arrival grocery
delivery; in-room dining is coming soon. A colossal water park and
swimming pools, a fitness center, tennis and children's program
complete the picture. Kids are crazy about the lagoon, the waterfalls,
the "lazy river" and water slides, and the "dive-in" movies.
 Palmer's Legacy course is one of openness, beauty and difficulty from every tee--five holes require a forced carry over water or wetlands.
Yardage is 6,916 from the tips and 6,058 from the blues. The undulating
greens are true to the putts, although you must be careful to control
the speed or you will be back to chipping. Elevation changes of up to
about 50 feet distinguish the Legacy from most of the flattish,
plantation-style tracks in Florida.The number one handicap hole is
thirteen, extending 379 from the blues and requiring a good 175-yard
carry over marshes.
In traditional parkland style, bordering the Davenport Creek nature
preserve, Tom Watson's Independence is his first design in Florida. If
white and fluffy sand traps are your game, you will do well on this
course. . . I had lots of experience there. And speaking of sand traps,
you won't find rakes. Just push a button and the "rake caddie" smooths
the sand automatically. (I have seen this feature only at La Cantera in
San Antonio.) Oaks and palms, azaleas and camellias soften the menace
of 156 bunkers and gigantic sandy waste areas on most of the course.
The Independence stretches 7,154 yards from the tips and 6,319 from the
blues, on seriously undulating terrain with elevation changes of up to
about 45 feet.
Recently opened and touted to be the most challenging of the three, the
Tradition is a Jack Nicklaus Signature design demanding accurate
shot-making and long carries from the tips. If you manage to emerge
from the deep bunkers, huge waste areas and water on nine holes, firm
little greens will await. The gorgeous layout meanders 7,244 yards
through oak, magnolia and palms, with water on nine holes and the odd
alligator.
Après golf, stow your stuff in the golf lockers at the Reunion Grande
condo hotel and head to the rooftop tapas bar, Eleven, for city skyline
views. Featuring opulent suites, the eleven-story architectural icon at
the sprawling resort opened in February.
Slated to open mid-year at Reunion is a horse stable facility and
Annika Sorenstam's Academy of Golf and Fitness, where the LPGA star's
long-time golf coach, Henri Reis, emphasizes cardio-core training along
with swing techniques.
Watch out for the gators, the fairway pot bunkers, the sandhill cranes,
the old orange groves, the lakes, the wetlands on two very different
Greg Norman courses, the International and the National. Entering the
double-arched gates of this self-contained resort community of 12,000
acres, I had the feeling of leaving the crowds and rush of Interstate 4
and entering a tranquil preserve. You can escape 'the Mouse' and other
man-made characters here, for some real relaxation.
 New in 2004, the high-rise Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate is
surrounded by wetlands and the golf
courses (http://www.omnichampionsgategolf.com). A glitzy European-style
spa, five restaurants, a huge water playground, and half-hour proximity
to the airport make this an attractive choice, especially for families.
Note the lighted tennis courts, sand volleyball, biking, and kids'
camp, plus complimentary transportation to the four nearby Disney theme
parks, SeaWorld Orlando and Universal Studios Florida. Besides hotel
rooms and suites, two- and three-bedroom villas are available, complete
with luxury hotel services.
Norman's International incorporates dunes, pot bunkers and the firm,
fast conditions of British links-style courses. Opened in 2000 with one
of the highest difficulty ratings in the state--76.3--this track gives
long hitters 7,363 yards, while the forward tees stretch to 5,618
yards. Being a "bogey player," I selected the white or gentlemen's tees
for a yardage of 6,239. The first three holes of the outward nine
allowed me to warm up with a par 4, par 3 and a par 5, although the
third demands a long drive off the tee and two very exacting shots to
make the green in regulation. It is narrow and quickly introduces you
to links-style in a rather intimidating manner.
You contend with water on seven and eight, and on the left side of the
eighth fairway, the bunkers are nearly tee to green. On the right side
it's water . . . from tee to green.
The tenth asks for a good drive and a strong second shot with a seven
wood. Water to the right protects the green from most approach shots.
Water comes into play on seven holes by way of a large lake and
wetlands where alligators may be sunning or lurking on the shores. My
second shot on fourteen took a turn for the worse, landing near the
lake where a good sized gator hung out in the weeds. When he hit the
water, I happily took a drop and a stroke.
Awaiting for me on sixteen were two beautiful sandhill cranes. Not all
golfers get to witness the mating dance of the sandhill crane so I will
tell you, it is spectacular. Facing each other, a pair will leap into
the air with wings extended and feet thrown forward. Then they bow to
each other and repeat the performance, uttering loud croaking calls.
Courting birds also run about with their wings outstretched and toss
tufts of grass in the air.
The Independence is not for the faint of heart. Players who cannot
consistently drive at least 150-plus yards off the tee should not
expect to par this course. In most cases, I was hitting long irons or
low numbered fairway drivers to the green on my second or third shots.
 Among former citrus groves, the wide-open National is a much kinder and
gentler course for the bogey golfer, a traditional American parkland
layout with plenty of trees, lush vegetation and wetlands--water comes
into play on six holes. Zillions of bunkers are the primary challenge. The par-three fourteenth presents a narrow, tree-lined channel
requiring a 200-plus-yard iron; just don't go long.
Save some time to practice and teach the kids on the fun Champions 9
Par 3 Golf Experience, a lighted, 9-hole, par-3 layout.
A major plus at ChampionsGate is the David Leadbetter Golf Academy, the
world headquarters of Leadbetter's golf
schools (http://www.leadbetter.com). Top touring pros regularly visit to
brush up their games. The day I played, Nick Price and Charles Howell,
III were on property doing some fine-tuning. The Golf Academy is open
to the public for individual and group clinics.
In top hats and tails, doormen graciously greet you at the only AAA
five diamond-rated hotel on the central Gulf coast of Florida, the
Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota (http://www.rcmcsarasota.com). 266 guest rooms
and suites each have private balconies and views of Sarasota Bay, the
marina or the city skyline. Hotel guests receive exclusive access to
the private Ritz-Carlton Members Club, which includes the Beach Club,
the Golf Club, and the Spa Club.
Tom Fazio designed the Ritz-Carlton Members Golf Club, about ten miles
from the hotel along the Braden River. Beautiful wetlands, flowering
shrubs, native grasses, marshes with aquatic plants, mature Oak trees,
palms, pines and twelve lakes create a gracious setting. From the entrance to the practice tee and all 18 holes, something is always in bloom, from plumbago, periwinkle,
ice-pink and purple oleander, and bougainvillea.
For starters, the course is not in a housing development--the 315 acres
of tropical landscape are dedicated to golf only. I interviewed Tom
Fazio, who told me that when planning and designing the course, "Having
the landscape budget was the icing on the cake." This is the largest
landscape budget he has ever had in the Sunshine State. His biggest
challenge was dealing with droughts, hurricanes, erosion and keeping as
many existing trees as possible--keeping it environmentally friendly
was a primary objective.
 With six sets of tees, from 7,417 to 5,175 yards, everyone can play.
And, good news! You can walk the course with a caddie or a forecaddie.
The Caddie Concierges fill you in on strategy and design information,
while offering chilled, rum-and-lime-soaked oshibori towels, fresh-cut
citrus fruit and keeping you supplied with tropical drinks. My caddie was a young PGA professional working until his club pro
position becomes available. A scratch golfer, he helped straighten out
my slice, but he is no miracle worker!
The practice facilities are the best . . . period, and include a
two-tier driving range, two short game greens and two putting greens.
On Lido Key, three miles from the hotel, the Ritz-Carlton Members Beach Club
Is a plush retreat with chaise lounges and an attentive butlers. Shady
verandas, cool, wood-paneled interiors, an enormous, waterfront
infinity-edge pool, and a Ritz Kids' club are among the amenities.
Watching the sun set from the terrace of the Beach Club Grill can be a
romantic experience.
Adjacent to the hotel, the Ritz-Carlton Members Spa Club comprises 16
treatment rooms, complete with Frette linens, for massage and a 100
wellness and anti-aging treatments, plus a fitness center, yoga and
pilates classes, and a salon for hair, skin and nail care. The fountain
of youth may be right here, when you sink into an anti-aging and
firming facial or the skin-plumping collagen infusion facial. One wet
therapy room is equipped with a unique hydro-massage tub featuring 252
hydrotherapy jets(!) to invigorate circulation, and another features a
Vichy shower and "river bath" tub with a cascading waterfall---aahhh.
Healthy items are on the menu at the spa café, for dining on the
terrace or picnic-style, on the lawn.
Ask about the "Key to Luxury Package", which includes a room on Club
Level, the use of a Mercedes-Benz S550 or ML500 with GPS, and a daily
full tank of gas.
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