Florida - Fort Lauderdale
Getting there
KLM (www.klm.com) and Air Canada (www.aircanada.com) fly from Heathrow to Fort Lauderdale. US Airways (www.USAirways.com) and Delta (www.Delta.com) fly from Gatwick.
Where to play
There are 65 courses to play in Fort Lauderdale – although you’ll never be able to get far away from water. Most of the courses have been built on reclaimed swamp land, with the result that water hazards are common features.
One of the best courses is TPC Heron Bay which has hosted the Honda Classic and been named one of the top 10 public courses by Golf Digest. Whipped by trade winds, you’ll have to summon your very best game if you are going to stay out of the sand, which on some holes is more prevalent than grass.
Just down the road lies sister TPC course, Eagle Trace, which features undulating fairways and plays much like a British parkland layout. However, if you’re searching for a typical Floridian island green then the 18th at Hillcrest Golf & Country Club could well fit the bill. Boasting loads of water and demanding a strong driving game, this is a challenging course.
The Grand Palms resort offers three loops of nine lined with hundreds of its namesake palm trees while Emerald Dunes has a superb reputation.
Morning tee times are the most popular which means many clubs offer discounted tee times in the afternoon. Twilight golf is also very good value.
Where to stay
Palm Beach may be known as the more upmarket destination but the big boys are moving into Fort Lauderdale. The ever-ambitious Donald Trump is building a hotel reminiscent of a 1920s cruise liner and which is due to open this September. Meanwhile, an upmarket St Regis resort is scheduled to swing its doors open soon and will offer ocean and inland waterway views, plus a gourmet restaurant.
The climate of the region is tropical and visitors can expect heavy downpours in August and September. If you get caught out, do as the locals do – take shelter and wait for the storm to pass or embrace consumerism and spend a day at Sawgrass Mills, the world’s largest discount and entertainment mall. While water may be a recurring theme, Fort Lauderdale will leave you thirsty for more.
Off course
Water is everywhere in Fort Lauderdale and naturally the locals are crazy about boating and fishing. Port Everglades is the busiest cruise port in the world. If you’re planning on visiting this neck of the Everglades, incorporate a mini-cruise to the Bahamas, 55 miles off the coast, and play the stunning Lucayan course.
Contacts Book
TPC HERON BAY
www.tpc.com
TPC EAGLE TRACE
www.tpcateagletrace.com
HILLCREST G&CC
www.hillcrestgcc.com
GRAND PALMS
www.grandpalmsresort.com
EMERALD DUNES
www.edgclub.com
TRUMP INTERNATIONAL HOTEL & TOWER
www.trumpfortlauderdale.com
ST REGIS
www.starwoodhotels.com/stregis
MORE INFORMATION
Visit the official Fort Lauderdale www.sunny.org
