Orlando Golf Scene

It wasn’t so long ago that Champions - Gate Golf Club was “out there”. That newfangled Greg Norman 36-hole layout seemed to be far removed, on the very edge of Orlando, almost halfway to Tampa. It hasn’t taken long for ChampionsGate Golf Club to now feel more like the center of Orlando golf, and as the Golf Club (also the home base for the world-renowned David Leadbetter Academy) and the spectacular Omni Orlando Resort at Championsgate mature into the fourth year of their budding relationship. Champions Gate has become the one-stop getaway that’s not very far away for everyone from blushing brides and grooms to corporate meetings to family get-togethers, with golf as the centerpiece of those gatherings.

What happens when a young, assertive company dedicated to service and quality purchases two of the more popular golf courses on either side of Orlando?

If history is a true indicator, great things await those two courses and the golfers who frequent them. And we are about to find out. The company is Kitson & Partners, known locally for its management of Dubsdread, the popular municipal course in College Park, and known internationally as a provider of great golf experiences at a wide variety of facilities.

The recently purchased courses? On the north side of Orlando in Lake Mary is Timacuan Golf Club, ranked as high as No. 14 in Florida. And on the south end in Davenport is Highlands Reserve, a Mike Dasher design that attracts both local and visiting golfers. And there are more purchases to come. 

That Aren’t Far Away Great Getaways That Aren’t Far Away

There is the Florida we’ve all heard about and visited many times before; destinations that roll off our tongue and memories that come quickly to mind. There is, however, another Florida that for many remains a mystery. We're talking about places where the same beauty and adventure await, but without the sense of “been there, done that.” Perhaps then, now is the time to meet those parts of the Sunshine State.

It could be as short as an overnight excursion, or a mid-week surprise. How about a weekend near the water, or a week-long opportunity you’ve put off way too long? Whatever the trip, Florida’s backyard is waiting, with great golf values and Stay-and-Play packages that can make your summertime getaway a whole lot more about relaxation and a lot less about relocation!

HOW TO INTRODUCE A BEGINNER TO GOLF BUSINESS GOLF TIP

Unlike the PGA Tour, second place in Business Development does not pay very well. The following information will help differentiate you while building a better relationship with your clients and prospects.

Everyone remembers who introduced them to the game and has a special spot in their heart for that person. So with that being said, why not be the person who introduces all your clients and prospects that don’t play golf to the game. It will give you a built in excuse to get them out to the golf course and a reason to call them for more than business.

View Life Differently from Florida’s Only Mountain

The state’s most unique community is coming to peaceful Lake County, only 40 minutes away from downtown Orlando and bordered by the Green Mountain Scenic Highway. Get away from all the hustle and bustle and retreat to a quieter life in the rolling hills overlooking Lake Apopka from the highest point on the Florida Peninsula. Sugarloaf Mountain is set amid native hardwoods and features panoramic views from elevations up to 300 feet. 

With exclusive rights to the first Coore & Crenshaw designed course in Florida, Sugarloaf Mountain is golf’s new sweet spot and one sure to become legendary. Coore & Crenshaw are experts at traditional, classic design, working with the existing land’s unique features. Sugarloaf Mountain’s remarkable topography provides the perfect canvas for their art.

A Renaissance in Golf Lifestyle

The new relationship between the venerable Ridgewood Lakes Golf and Country Club and the new La Cresta master-planned community is one straight from golf lifestyle heaven. A renowned Ted McAnlis-designed golf course named one of Golf Digest's "Best New Courses in America" when it opened in 1994, and a new Del Webb-designed community for active adults 55 and better, all within minutes of the world famous theme parks, endless shopping and fabulous dining of the thriving Orlando area. This community is not far away, but tucked away, amidst the pristine lakes and picturesque canary palms, deep green fairways and white crushed coquina that define Ridgewood Lakes.

Palm Springs-Style Golf in Ocala

Expansive view of horse country from scenic par 5s; open landing areas lined by wild grasses, rock formations, and sandy waste areas. The warm breezes play a factor in every shot decision. This may sound like Palm Springs, however, this course is as close as Ocala's On Top of the World Communities.

Candler Hills Golf Club is an intriguing Gordon Lewis designed course. Only in its third year, this course has already received the accolades of pros that have played the North Florida PGA Senior Open, the Ocala Open, and the Florida State Women's Golf Association Tournament.

OCALA, FL- Not since the creation of the vaunted and exclusive Jupiter Hills Club in 1970 has a dramatic new private golf club created so much anticipation in Florida. Juliette Falls Golf and Spa Community, scheduled to open in October 2007 in the Ocala countryside, will rival and surpass the hilly, sandy terrain for which Jupiter Hills is known with memorable holes that play up and down through pine, oak and palmetto forests.

Juliette Falls, designed by Florida-based golf course architect John Sanford over 546 acres of wildly dramatic land, will be the centerpiece of a private golf and spa community. Property owners will enjoy exclusive membership to the 7,300-yard, par-72 golf club: a rolling parkland design highlighted by four waterfalls. Mature trees and flowers will create a tapestry of visual richness.

A leading international golf course management firm recently acquired two of the Orlando area’s most playable, challenging and respected golf course layouts, Timacuan Golf Club in Lake Mary and Highlands Reserve Golf Club near Disney World.

Kitson & Partners, already active in the Orlando market as operator of the historic Dubsdread Golf Course for the City of Orlando, is committed to becoming the market leader for customer service, golf course conditioning and providing each guest with the best possible golf experience.

There are many meanings of the word “Playability,” most of which apply to Orlando’s MetroWest Golf Club, which celebrates its Platinum (20th) Anniversary in 2007 with the promise of the most playable experience in the history of this central Florida. Just two miles from Universal Orlando Resort and near the Convention Center and many other Orlando attractions, MetroWest’s location makes it one of the area’s most, well, playable courses.