Orlando Golf News

The PGA of America has announced that its 2009 National Teacher of the Year award recipient is Mike Bender of the Mike Bender Golf Academy, headquartered at Timacuan Golf Club in Lake Mary, Florida. This is the highest singular honor that can be earned by a golf instructor.

"This is very special because it means that my peers, the professionals who have the same passion for teaching that I have, respect what I have been able to accomplish in helping golfers play better and enjoy the game more," said Bender. "There is no other award that means as much to a golf instructor as National Teacher of the Year and I will do my best to live up to the legacy of the teachers whose names are already on the award.”

ORLANDO – After a nearly three-month shut down, Falcon’s Fire Golf Club is making rapid progress in renovating all 18 greens and bringing the course back to the pristine, award-winning condition its renowned for amongst the Orlando golfing community.

The improvements to this Rees Jones Signature-designed championship golf course include brand new TifEagle putting greens, enlarged bunkers and improved irrigation and drainage.  The larger, more visible bunkers will require more strategic shot selection while the new TifEagle turf will provide faster, smoother and more consistent putting surfaces than ever before. 

WINTER GARDEN - According to the readers of Golf World magazine in their recently released "Reader's Choice Awards,” Orange County National Golf Center and Lodge improved on an already excellent product. In the public course category, Orange Country National is now No. 2 in the nation. Last year Orange County National was ranked as the 8th best facility and the top-rated facility in Florida. This year OCN has maintained its No. 1 ranking in Florida while improving their national ranking based upon the reader's overall evaluation scores.
 
"We are extremely honored to be recognized by the readers of Golf World as one of the top golf facilities in the country. Our entire team works hard every day to provide a superior golf experience and rankings such as this validate those efforts" stated General Manager, Bruce Gerlander. 

LAKE MARY - Timacuan is offering a special membership program for executives, and a free women's golf clinic.

The clinic is set for Wednesday, Oct. 7, 5 p.m. - 6 p.m. Cheryl Anderson and Matt Wilkes will share the secrets of more power. Enjoy the fun and have a chance to win some great prizes. 

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Volusia/Flagler Counties 11th Annual Michelob Ultra Invitational will be held Monday, Oct. 12th at the LPGA International Course, in Daytona Beach, and is on target to raise more than $1,000,000 since its inception in 1998. Proceeds from this event go to support Club programs and services that promote the development of youth through character building experiences and life enhancing opportunities.

“The Boys & Girls Clubs are making a difference every day with the kids who need us most”, said event founder and Chairman Kevin Bowler, “The proceeds from this event will help the Club to continue its good work in changing the lives of children for the better.” 

ORLANDO, Fla. - Time is running out for first-time home buyers to take advantage of the $8,000 federal tax credit at Heritage Green in Providence in Polk County and Wyndham Lakes Estates in South Orlando, two ABD Development communities. The federal tax credit ends on Nov. 30

At Heritage Green at Providence Golf and Country Club on U.S. 17-92 in the Loughman-Davenport area, ABD Development recently completed two ready-to-move-in luxury homes designed with smaller, smarter features with more affordable pricing and lower energy costs, said David Kohn, president of ABD Development Company.

Tickets are currently on sale for the 2010 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard. Prices range from $15 for youth tickets to $3,000 for Executive Packages. The King’s Club, for $2,000, the ultimate Arnold Palmer Invitational experience, also will be offered again in 2010.

World No. 1 Tiger Woods will be the defending champion for the 32nd annual PGA Tour event at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, Florida, to be played on the week of March 22-28, 2010. The four rounds of the tournament will be Thursday through Sunday.

Hawk’s Landing Golf Club at the Orlando World Center Marriott, located at 8701 World Center Drive in Orlando will participate in the third annual Patriot Golf Day, a joint initiative of The PGA of America and the United States Golf Association. 

Golfers across the country and at Hawk’s Landing have the unique opportunity to donate $1 or more to benefit the Folds of Honor Foundation (FoldsofHonor.org), which provides post-secondary educational scholarships to families of those who have become disabled or lost their lives in the line of duty. Hawk’s Landing Golf Club will request at least an additional $1 for each green fee that is processed Sept. 4-7.

DAVENPORT, Fla. - Only two ready-to-move-in luxury homes remain for sale at Heritage Green at Providence Golf and Country Club Community ABD Development Company is developing off U.S. 17-92/441 in the Loughman-Davenport area of Polk County.

David Kohn, president of ABD Development Company, said the two-story homes, which range in size from 3,400 square feet of living space, are priced from the $500s.

The newest and most reliable online marketplace for purchasing discounted rounds of golf provides golfers the opportunity to play more and pay less.

TeeTimeSavings.com, formerly GolfUS.com, has officially launched its easy-to-use and informative Web site that features a comprehensive catalog of premier courses in Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio where golfers in those areas can buy rounds of golf at special prices. More than 200 courses are currently featured on the site, which will expand quickly to add new courses and resorts in even more areas throughout the country.