We have had 1000's of requests about golf in the state of Florida over the past few years and have decided to begin to give you this kind of travel information.  We will do our best to provide you with vacation travel stories which, whether your traveling with your family, your wife or significant other, will focus on golf as well as other points of interest, accommodations, restaurants, etc. in the areas featured in each story.  Our concept is that if you want to visit the area covered as a golf buddy group...only out to play golf, you can still enjoy and learn from the story, but simply eliminate the sightseeing parts.

We start our initial feature story with the area on Florida's northeast coast, better known as Florida's First Coast. 

This is an area that runs along the Atlantic Ocean for approximately 100 miles, from the Georgia border, south to Palm Coast, and is uniquely an area of "firsts". 

We decided to start here because it is the "first coast" within the state of Florida that one would encounter while traveling south along the Atlantic seaboard.  At its northernmost point, the city of Fernandino Beach on Amelia Island became Florida's "first" resort in the mid-19th century.  And it is an area steeped in history, home to the city of St. Augustine, the "first" permanent European settlement in America in 1565, making it America's oldest city - 42 years before the English colonized Jamestown, and 55 years before the pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock.

It is a diverse area that includes the metropolitan city of Jacksonville (the most populated city in Florida with more than three quarters of a million residents), the quiet shores of Amelia Island and Ponte Vedra Beach, and of course, historic St. Augustine.

Here you will find accommodations of every sort, great restaurants, unique shopping, beautiful, pristine white sand beaches, among the prettiest in all of Florida.  It also offers fabulous deep-sea and freshwater fishing, as well as sailing, kayaking, terrific tennis facilities, and above all else, at least as far as the golfer is concerned, spectacular golf.  Offering an array of amazing courses, more than 30 wonderful tracts, including some of the most prestigious and scenic golf courses in the world, designed by some of America's finest architects.

It is home to the World Golf Village and the World Golf Hall of Fame located just off Rte. 95, in St. Augustine.  It is also home to the PGA Tour headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach, and also home to one of the most famous golf holes on the PGA tour, #17 at TPC Sawgrass which is one of the world's most photographed holes.

This is the story of a husband and wife golfing trip with a some sightseeing and relaxing (beaches and pools) on the side.  We rarely golf together and we decided to try 4 courses in 4 days together and see if we would still be speaking to each other at the end of the trip. We began by flying out of NY's JFK to Jacksonville, rented a car, and drove to the World Golf Village, about 30 miles south of the airport.

The World Golf Village is a a 6,300-acre golf mecca and premier vacation destination resort and residential community in St. Augustine that is home to the World Golf Hall of Fame. The Village offers a range of features and amenities that appeal specifically to golfers and those with an appreciation for the game's time-honored traditions.  It also features two 18-hole championship golf courses with special ties to the World Golf Hall of Fame, the Slammer & Squire, and the King & Bear.  It also offers a state-of-the-art learning center the PGA TOUR Golf Academy, featuring all-weather hitting bays that sit in the shadow of the World Golf Hall of Fame. Top-rated instructors incorporate three teaching and video analysis systems into the lessons that range from private instruction, two- to five-day golf schools, as well as outing and clinics for groups of all sizes.

The Neighborhoods of World Golf Village offer distinctive residential communities ranging in price from the $140s to more than $1-million. Community amenities include first-rate schools, shopping, community parks and world-class entertainment.

The World Golf Village offers a wide variety of well-appointed accommodation options to make your stay at this Florida golf resort relaxing and enjoyable.
• The Renaissance Resort at World Golf Village, the Official Resort of the World Golf Hall of Fame.
• Condominium suites at Laterra Resort
• Vacation villas at Grande Villas.
• The Residences and the Comfort Suites at World Golf Village.
Regardless of your length of stay or number of vacationing guests, World Golf Village's accommodations will meet your every need.

The Renaissance Resort hotel at World Golf Village. Photo: courtesy of World Golf Village

We chose The Renaissance Resort.  Our spacious and bright, balconied room overlooked the resort and we couldn't have been happier with the accommodations.  After settling in, we decided to visit the Hall of Fame, located just a few steps away from the hotel.

The World Golf Hall of Fame (the main attraction of the World Golf Village) commemorates golf's foremost champions.  It traces the history and development of the sport from its earliest beginnings in Scotland to the global popularity that golf enjoys today. Serving as an inspiration to its international set of golfers and fans, the World Golf Hall of Fame celebrates the achievements of over one hundred legends enshrined in the hall of Fame through stories, memorabilia, photographs, video and interactive exhibits.

Plan to spend at least 2 or 3 hours, if not more time here, there is so much to see and do.  Incidently, your ticket is good for 2 days.

Here is a list of the Permanent Exhibits at the Hall.
• The History of the Hall - From its roots in Pinehurst, understand what members have to achieve in order to be inducted. You'll learn what it takes to get ready for each year's Induction Ceremony and some of the memorabilia from past years' festivities.
• The Royal and Ancient Game - Learn about more than five centuries of golf lore, from its formative years in Scotland to its global expansion, by exploring the early stick-and-ball forerunners that preceded the modern-day game. Then stroll across a life-size replica of the famous Swilcan Burn Bridge, modeled after the original at the Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland, before indulging yourself in the history of The Open Championship and The R&A itself.
• Championship Moments Theater - This stirring, 10-minute video transports you back in time to give you a greenside seat at some of the most compelling shots and iconic moments ever played out on a golf course. Witness the likes of Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Nancy Lopez and Kathy Whitworth at the height of their golfing prowess.
• Recent Inductee Exhibits - These exhibits feature an array of memorabilia that represent significant moments in the most recent inductees' lives.
• Trophy Tower - One of the World Golf Hall of Fame's most recognizable features is its tower, which holds a collection of the game's most storied treasures. Golf's major championship trophies, as well as THE PLAYERS Championship, Ryder Cup and World Golf Championship trophies, are on display.
• Wall of Fame - The center of the museum is Shell Hall, where members of the World Golf Hall of Fame are honored on an 88-foot-long "Wall of Fame." Each member is featured with a bronze relief plaque in his or her likeness and a brief summary of each member's respective career gives a perspective on the greatest contributors the game has ever seen.
• Shell's Wonderful World of Golf - Learn the history of this famous and long-running television series and its impact on the game while watching historic footage of legends like Gene Sarazen and Sam Snead. Then get your time under the lights as you putt on a major championship-speed green while an announcer calls the action and a gallery 'oohs and ahhs' your every stroke.
• Golf Around the World - Want to play the Old Course at St. Andrews? Firestone Country Club? The Plantation Course at Kapalua? You can challenge all of the above and many other renowned courses in the golf simulator. Bring your swing, using real clubs and balls courtesy of Wilson Staff, and find out how well you would fare as you navigate your way around some of the world's elite courses.

• Member Locker Room - Features authentic, life-size lockers, one for each World Golf Hall of Fame member. These ever changing exhibits showcase items contributed by the members, their estates and other donors, telling little-known stories from the members' careers and their personal lives. Items include golf bags, clubs, trophies, badges and some very unique personal items including baseball bats, a football, torn money, a Barbie doll, a red sequined evening dress, a cow bell and much more.

• Putting Course (outdoors on the Walk of Champions) - This 18-hole, natural-grass putting course is one of the Hall of Fame's two outdoor exhibits that let you put your skill to the test at the home of golf's greatest players. Speed, line and a steady hand all come into play as you wind your way around the course attempting to better par. (One round is included in your Hall of Fame admission)
• Challenge Hole (outdoors on the Walk of Champions) - Put your game to the test by stepping to the tee at the Hall of Fame's Challenge Hole. The Challenge Hole is an island green reminiscent of the famed 17th hole at the Tournament Players Club at Sawgrass. Can you pull off the short, yet testing, 132-yard shot over water and find the green? If you can land two on the green, you win a special limited edition Induction Ceremony print! (One shot is included in your Hall of Fame admission)

There is also a self-guided enhanced audio tour, "Voices from the Hall", that allows you to have first-person accounts of the Hall of Fame Members, which takes you through the history of the game, historical moments, personal stories and details behind specific pieces of memorabilia.  Voices of golf legends such as Tony Jacklin, Tom Kite, Nancy Lopez, Carol Mann, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Annika Sorenstam, Louise Suggs and many more guide you through more than 175 stops throughout the museum.

After you finish your visit take a stroll through the half-mile Walk of Champions and see the commemorative bricks featuring the signatures of past and present golf legends.

Every serious golfer should make it a point to visit this incredible museum...we enjoyed it immensely.

That evening we had a wonderful meal in the 500 South Restaurant, in our hotel, and prepared to get a good nights sleep in preparation for our early morning tee time on The Slammer and Squire.

"Double Trouble", the strategic 522 yard par 5, 4th hole in the early morning mist.  Photo: Golf Guides USA

The Slammer and Squire is named after golf legends "Slammin" Sam Snead and Gene "The Squire" Sarazen, this course was designed by Bobby Weed who consulted with the two legends to create this par 72 masterpiece. It opened in 1998.

It is an 18-hole gem, which twists and turns through wetlands, ponds, lakes and pines. This is an exceptionally beautiful, well-groomed course that showcases the pristine, unspoiled wooded areas, wetlands and natural beauty of the region with an emphasis on being golfer friendly, fair, forgiving...yet challenging, with expansive fairways and exquisitely manicured, contoured greens and bunkers throughout.

The front nine meanders through an old pine forest with many deep white sand bunkers. The back nine finishes with plenty of water hazards along with some impressive views of the World Golf Hall of Fame that towers over the 18th green. 

The picturesque 18th green with the Hall of Fame behind it.  Photo: courtesy of World Golf Village

This course is truly a tribute to the game of golf. With its five sets of tee boxes, the 6,939 yard course can be played from a variety of lengths creating a challenging round for the advanced golfer but also an eminately playable course for the novice.

This is golf at it's best...it was pure fun.  A visually stunning facility, immaculately kept, which you can play everyday and thoroughly enjoy it each and every time, and it doesn't matter if you're a scratch golfer or a 28 handicapper.

Neither my wife or I scored very well (about average for both of us) but it couldn't have been a nicer morning on the links.  When we were done we had an enjoyable lunch at the clubhouse and then walked back to the hotel. 

After lunch we decided to go shopping at the PGA Tour Stop golf store (billed as one of the largest golf stores in the world (at 30,000 square feet)...it is fantastic), also a just short walk from the hotel.  Here we found some incredible prices on everything from golf balls to apparel.  My wife and I both found quite a few items that we couldn't resist and happily put a "dent" in our credit card.

Since we both were in a lazy mood and just looking to relax, we spent the rest of the afternoon at the hotel's pool.  It was 95 degrees and the pool was just the right tonic especially after making way too many swings out on the golf course in the morning.

That evening we decided not to venture too far, the concierge suggested a number of fine restaurants in downtown St. Augustine, 14 miles away, but since we were headed there for the next two nights right after golf the next morning, we simply decided to stay put and have dinner once again in the 500 South Restaurant, in our hotel, and can happily report that we were not disappointed.

"Kings March", the beautiful 426 yard, par 4 opening hole on the King and Bear.  Photo: courtesy of World Golf Village

The next morning we headed over to play The King and Bear course which is about 3 miles from the hotel.  The hotel provides bus service to and from the course but we decided to drive ourselves over.  When we arrived, we got some coffee in the clubhouse, hit a few range balls, and teed off about 7:45am.  Less than 4 hours later we were back in the clubhouse after another terrific round of golf.


This facility is the first and only time that Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus have paired to create a golf course.  Working together, these two golfing Hall of Fame legends have collaborated on a wonderful, visually appealing facility that can prove to be quite enjoyable.  The course opened in 2000.

"Hidden Lake", the picturesque green on the 412 yard, par 4, 12th hole on the King and Bear.  Photo: courtesy of World Golf Village

It features characteristics of both designers, a links-style front nine with open meadows (wide, generous fairways) and sweeping doglegs, while the back nine is tree-lined with majestic live oaks and tall pines as well as numerous water features.  The back nine is a bit more challenging, requiring more of your shot-making skills. 

Palmer and Nicklaus also incorporated the indigenous coquina rock into waste bunkers, cart paths and as bulkheads for the many lakes on the course, which come into play on 16 of the 18 holes. Measuring 7,279 yards from the back tees and 5,119 from the forward tees, this course can provide a nice challenge for the skilled golfer while providing player-friendly conditions for the novice.

The short par 4, 15th hole, "Stone Reflection".  One of Arnie's favorites.  Photo: Golf Guides USA

Arnold Palmer has selected hole #15 as one of his "Dream 18" in an issue of Sports Illustrated. This picturesque 360 yard, dogleg right, par 4 (see photo) has water running along the entire right side of the fairway and the penninsula green that is noted for the majestic stone wall that surrounds it.  Driver is best left in the bag as accuracy, not length, is required off the tee.

The course hosted the 2001 and 2002 Legends of Golf, a champions TOUR event; a Shell's Wonderful World of Golf match between Palmer and Nicklaus in May 2000; the second stage of the 2003 PGA TOUR Qualifying School; and the 2004 Champions TOUR Qualifying School Finals.

Like the Slammer and Squire, it too is meticulously kept, very picturesque and eminently playable. We thoroughly enjoyed our round and recommend it to any golfer who finds himself or herself in this area.  We felt that the King and Bear was the more challenging of the two layouts, however, we preferred the Slammer and Squire because of its playability and it just struck us both as being a bit more pictuesque.  Two terrific golf courses, you won't go wrong playing either one...our recommendation is to play them both and let us know which one you preferred.

After another terrific lunch at the King and Bear clubhouse, we headed back to the hotel, packed our bags, checked out and headed into St. Augustine, the nations oldest city, for a day and a half of sightseeing...my wife and I had never been there before. We checked into the Casa Monica hotel, ideally situated in the center of the historic downtown area. The hotel also has a rich history of its own having been built in 1888 and restored in 1999 and is the only AAA Four Diamond award hotel in the city.

Downtown St. Augustine's historic waterfront area.  Photo courtesy of the Chamber of Commerce

That afternoon we took an enjoyable Old Town sightseeing Trolley Tour of the historic area which gave us a terrific overview of the place. The historic district is full of narrow, brick streets, best explored by foot, that lead to historic churches, living history museums, art galleries, antique stores, touristy shops, charming restaurants and pubs. Horse-drawn carriages clip-clop through the area, and ghost tours promise to show you the area's secrets. The most famous landmarks in the city include Castillo de San Marcos, Ponce de Leon's Fountain of Youth, Flagler College, The Lightner Museum and other historic sites such as the Oldest House Museum and the Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse.

There is much to see in the city and depending on how deeply you want to immerse yourself in its history, you could easily spend 3 or 4 days taking in most of the sights and absorbing as much of the history as you like.  We enjoyed the historic areas and sights but are not real history buffs.  One and a half days was all we needed here...we're glad we came, glad we saw it, and were now looking forward to a few days of real R & R, along with some serious golf, up at Amelia Island.


The drive from St. Augustine to Amelia Island is about 70 miles and took us approximately 1 1/2 hours. We checked into the Omni Amelia Island Plantation, an old-world luxury resort with an AAA Four Diamond designation.  A world-class facility, that stands on 1350 pristine acres overlooking the blue waters of the Atlantic to the east and the beautiful marshlands and Intracoastal Waterway to the west. It is without a doubt one of Florida's premier golf resorts.

Amelia Island is the southernmost of the Sea Islands, a chain of barrier islands that run along the eastern U.S. seaboard.  If offers 13 miles of pristine, picturesque Atlantic coastline.  This seaside retreat is perfect for nature lovers and those who thrive on sun, sand and outdoor sports and offers an abundance of things to do.   Visitors will also encounter a wealth of fine dining, and a variety of interesting shops and museums to browse, as they stroll the cobblestone streets in the heart of the quaint, historic seaport town of Fernandina Beach located on the northern part if this beautiful island.

Centre Street in the heart of historic downtown Fernandina Beach. Photo courtesy of the Chamber of Commerce

Fernindina Beach is a quaint historic seaport town on the northern part of Amelia Island  . . . the birthplace of the modern shrimping industry with a 50-block downtown district that's on the National Registry of Historic Places. It's a mix of residential and commercial late-Victorian architecture, reflecting the city's great prosperity in the late 1880's. When the north-south railroad line bypassed the island in the early 1900s, tourism shifted south and shipping declined. Thus, old buildings were repaired rather than replaced, and the architectural heritage was preserved. Centre Street is at the heart of downtown.  It's a charming eight-block corridor with pedestrian-friendly streets, an eclectic mix of cafes and fine restaurants, antique shops and chic galleries, that can be traversed in a few hours.  Centre Street itself leads down to the intracoastal waterway and the Fernandina Harbor Marina, where shrimp boats unload catches and charter boats depart for sightseeing and fishing.

Our large, balconied room overlooking the Ocean Links course 6th hole, and the azure blue Atlantic Ocean couldn't have been any finer.  We quickly unpacked, put on our bathing suits and headed out for an afternoon of some real R & R at the hotel's fabulous seaside pool and spectacular ocean beach. I will say that my wife and I are well traveled and we both agreed that this resort was one of the most beautiful and relaxing places that we have ever been to and plan to revisit it again many times in the future.

The scenic and challenging Par 4, 4th hole on the Ocean Links course.  Photo: Golf Guides USA

The next morning we were ready to take on the renowned Ocean Links Golf Course.  This recently enhanced layout, designed by Pete Dye and Bobby Weed, is sure to take its place as one of America's great seaside courses.

The picturesque Par 3, 6th hole on the Ocean Links course set just below our hotel room balcony.  Photo: Golf Guides USA

It takes full advantage of the challenging sea breezes and six miles of natural, rolling sand dunes and marsh wetlands.  It offers exhilarating views and intriguing play as the course winds along a coastal Atlantic dune ridge, with holes #4, #5, #6, #15 and #16 providing golfers with five incredibly spectacular oceanfront golf holes. 
It also has 10 holes that feature lagoons and marsh wetlands in addition to concluding with a par three whose green is strategically placed in the waters of Red Maple Lake.

It can be said that this is as much a nature tour as it is a round of golf. The course yardage of 6,300 yards from the tips, is somewhat deceiving since the small, undulating greens and narrow fairways make the course play much longer.  Errant shots are severely penalized, usually resulting in a lost ball.  At par 70, it provides a real challenge to golfers of all levels of skill.

The Par 3, 15th green is in the right foreground and the fairway of the very challenging Signature Par 4, 16th hole is in the top center .  Photo: courtesy of Omni Amelia Island.

We both lost our fair share of golf balls and still managed to finish with reasonable scores and when we were done we had a wonderful lunch at the clubhouse before heading back to our room to shower and get ready to head into Fernandina Beach, about 8 miles from the resort, for an afternoon of some sightseeing and an evening dinner.

We enjoyed a leisurely stroll around the downtown area's many fine shops and restaurants and for dinner, we chose Espana Restaurant, located on 4th Street just off Centre Street, which featured cuisine from Portugal and Spain.  We had a delicious, enjoyable meal and some terrific sangria.

Early the next morning we headed over to the Oak Marsh Golf Course. We picked up some coffee in the clubhouse, hit a few balls on the range, and teed it up at 7:30 am. Oak Marsh is one of Pete Dye’s truly classic designs. The course was built in 1972 shortly after he finished his work on the spectacular Harbor Town Golf Links at Hilton Head Island.  Dye's design elements have always reflected nature preservation and Oak Marsh is no exception. 

The beautiful Par 3, 7th hole on the Oak Marsh course.  Photo: Golf Guides USA

It is truly an outstanding layout noted for its tight fairways, small challenging green complexes, and fairways that meander along serpentine salt marsh creeks and through the moss draped heritage oaks for which Amelia Island is famous.  It is challenging and yet a fair test of your golf game. Water comes into play on 14 holes, and an accurate short game is required to hit the numerous bulk headed greens. The signature par-four eighth is typical Dye, challenging players to cross two tidal creeks before reaching the raised narrow green.  My wife struggled here but I did well, paring the hole.

Again, it was as much a nature walk, as it was a wonderful game of golf.  The morning was bright and sunny, my wife and I didn't lose too many golf balls and we both actually played pretty well.  It all added up to one fantastic round of golf.  One that we look forward to again at some future date.

After golf we headed back to our room, changed into our bathing suits and spent the rest of the day relaxing at the hotel's pool complex and expansive ocean beach.  We had a wonderful lunch at the cafe by the pool and chilled-out for the rest of the afternoon enjoying delicious frozen pina coladas. on the beach. 

Water and marsh everywhere on the beautiful Par 3, 16th hole.  Photo: Golf Guides USA

At dinner that evening we tried to determine which of these two courses we preferred...we couldn't decide which one was the better of the two.  They were both so unique, beautiful and picturesque that we decided that they both should be ranked #1.  You can rest assured that the next time we're at the Resort we'll be playing both courses once again.

That afternoon we relaxed at the hotel's pool and beach, enjoyed a quiet and wonderful dinner in the hotel's main dining room and finished the evening with an delightful after-dinner drink at the hotel bar.

The next morning we checked out of the hotel and drove to the Jacksonville airport, approximately 30 miles from the resort, dropped off the rental car and boarded a Jet Blue filght back to New York.


The trip was truly a great experience.  We relaxed, we saw some new places, and we had 4 rounds of incredible, memorable golf.  Best of all, we're still speaking to one another and are actually planning another golf trip together sometime in the near future.  

We'll let you know how that one turns our when we return.