|
|
|
|
|
About Golf In Ft myers, FL
|
|
|
Ft. Myers, Florida (Return to Previous Page)
Quick quiz.
Inventor Thomas Edison and entrepreneur Henry Ford are considered two of the most intelligent men in American history because:
A) One invented the light bulb; the other invented the Model T.
B) For many years, both spent their winters in Ft. Myers.
If you chose A, you're right. But if you chose B, you're really right. Those two titans of intellect knew a great idea when they heard one, and leaving the cold and snow of the north for the swaying palms, tropical breezes and sandy beaches of the Ft. Myers area is as wise as it gets - especially if you also love golf. The difference today is that (1) it's much easier to make a visit than it was back then, and (2) many golfers aren't waiting for winter to do it. Now that's smart.
Ironically, the same year that Ford became smitten with the area while visiting Edison at his home in Ft. Myers (1915), one of Florida's first golf courses was being built about 100 miles away on a bluff overlooking Clearwater Bay. Obviously, those two gentlemen weren't the only ones looking into the future. Whoever it was, was right. Because today, the area that was once mainly known for its delightful weather, beautiful beaches, succulent seafood, and stunning Gulf Coast scenery is now widely known as one of the best places on the planet to "put it in the air." And the reasons seem as endless as the shoreline itself.
Among the nearly fifty fine choices available in Ft. Myers are Eagle Ridge, Pelican Preserve, Old Corkscrew, and Shell Point. If you haven't picked up your sticks in a while, Eagle Ridge Golf Club would be a good first pick when you get here. A Gordon Lewis design that opened in 1984, Eagle Ridge is best described as a "traditional Florida layout." Meaning: it's fairly flat, it's generally open off the five sets of tees, and it's not overly long (only 6,538 yards from the back markers). That's not to say there isn't any trouble out there or that the course isn't challenging; there is and it is. And that makes Eagle Ridge a great way to get warmed up.
Another attractive layout that rises up near the Caloosahatchee River is Shell Point Golf Club, a 2002 Gordon Lewis design that offers five sets of tees and an overall length of 6,702 yards. Shell Point is one of those unusual but enjoyable tracts that treats players to six par threes, six par fours, and six par fives (meaning: you should be able to go low). Even more unique is the fact that both the 9th and 18th holes here are one-shotters, a feature rarely found outside of the United Kingdom.
Brand new to the scene is Old Corkscrew Golf Club. Old Corkscrew is the only signature Jack Nicklaus design in southwest Florida that is a public stand-alone golf course. You got it - no homes! The club is located 7 miles east of I-75 in Estero, but for those not feint of heart, well worth the drive. The course is long and demanding, a mere 7,393 yards from the tips, and the course rating of 76.0 and slope of 142 might tell you a little something. You'll pay a hefty sum to experience Old Corkscrew, but you won't be disappointed.
Rare in a different way are Pelican Preserve Golf Club in Ft. Myers and Raptor Bay Golf Club in Bonita Springs just to the south. The 6,851-yard Pelican Preserve opened in 2002 and is the work of Chip Powell, an architect based in nearby Bradenton. Raptor Bay opened a year earlier and is the work of Champions Tour member and four-time major championship winner Ray Floyd. Both these courses are challenging yet very playable, and each has been carefully constructed to coexist with their natural surroundings. So much so, in fact, that each of these beautiful layouts has been designated a Certified Gold Signature Sanctuary by the Audubon Society. It's a coveted award to be sure, but only one of many reasons to include Pelican Preserve and Raptor Bay in your golf package.
What isn't so tough is the choice of where to go when the time comes to get out of town and tee it up - winter or summer. Thanks to nearly fifty fantastic courses throughout the area (Estero, Cape Coral, Lehigh Acres, Sanibel Island, Bonita Springs and Venice), there's really only one right answer:
|
|
Copyright © 1996-2007 Golfpac ®. All rights reserved.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
If you know your booking code, please enter it above. |
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Advanced Search |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Every week you can get the latest on hot deals, contests and discounted specials delivered straight to your Inbox. |
|
Preview |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
