Orlando Golf News

On the golf course, a few feet can be the difference between finding a hazard and landing in a safe spot with a good angle to attack the pin, and club selection is often an integral component in reducing distances to the cup if you're able to find the putting surface.

GreenFinder Golf GPS , a system that utilizes already-exisiting global positioning systems on your iPhone or Blackberry to calculate the distance from the golfer to various targets on the course, is a simple, convenient and affordable way to improve your golf game by having the right club in your hand and the information necessary to make the right play.

The 31st Arnold Palmer Invitational will feature defending champion Tiger Woods along with most of the players from the recent Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup teams. The PGA Tour event is scheduled for March 23-29 at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, Florida.

The world's No. 1 player and five-time winner at Bay Hill, Woods, will be joined by the other two current major champions, Trevor Immelman and Padraig Harrington, among 29 players entered from the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking.

LAKE MARY, FL - The PGA Champions Tour has chosen Timacuan Golf and Country Club to host its qualifying tournament for the upcoming Cap Cana Championship.

The qualifying event will be played Friday at the Ron Garl-designed golf course in Lake Mary just north or Orlando, with tee times starting at 8:30 a.m.

The Cap Cana Championship will be played March 27-29 at Punta Espada Golf Club, Cap Cana, DOM, The $2,100,000 purse is the largest of the tour to date this year, and the fifth largest for the entire season.

The Timacuan community and club are located off Rinehart Road near State Road 46-A in Lake Mary. Timacuan is ranked among the top courses in all of Florida. Designed in 1988 by Garl and refurbished by Bobby Weed in 1995, Timacuan is a par 72 that features two distinctly different nines.

Do you have aspirations of playing golf at the collegiate level? Hard work and notable grades help, but there are several steps you must know to make the process easier. Though there is greater competition because of the game’s growing popularity with young people, scholarships are still attainable. In the NCAA alone, the total number of men’s golf scholarships available is 1,980. For women, the total number is 1,812. Golf coaches, at Division I and Division II schools alike, are always searching for talented junior golfers.

You may have heard someone say, “You just need to play in the right tournaments.” What exactly does this mean? Organizations such as the AJGA (American Junior Golf Association) allow golfers between the ages of 12 and 18 to compete at some of the highest levels.

I had an ole friend that use to tell me it is all about the experience. It was always good for a laugh, but as we go through the daily process of trying to take our business to the next level it becomes more apparent. I recently visited Seattle and saw it first hand at Starbucks and Nordstrom’s but the best example was Pikes Fish Market.

Of course selling fish is stinky and gross but their little show separates them from the pack. But their actions have not only separated them from the other fish stores at the market, it has made them famous in the training world. They have shown us working stiffs that work can be fun. Bottom line is that their bottom line is probably pretty healthy because they understand it is all about the experience.

The luxurious, European-style Spa Marbella opened in November at Mission Inn Resort & Spa. The 6,200-square-foot facility complements the resort’s highly acclaimed golf and tennis facilities and is a welcomed amenity for guests, area visitors and the local community.

Spa Marbella (pronounced Mar-bay-a) is run by Kathy Neiman, who most recently operated the spa at the historic Langford Resort in Winter Park, Fla. A 12-year veteran, Neiman was ranked in the top three percent of the nation’s massage therapists by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodyworks (NCBTMB).

Active Duty, Reserve & Retired Military Invited to Challenge Award-Winning Links for Special Rates 

Members of the U.S. Armed Forces are taking off their combat boots and putting on their golf shoes thanks to a special offer from Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando. Active duty, reserve and retired military personnel can enjoy a special offer of a $59 rate until April 5, then $49 rate April 6 through May 17 and finally a $39 rate May 18 to September 30, 2009 for a round of golf (cart included) at the award-winning Shingle Creek Golf Club.

The discounted greens fees, which normally range from $79 to $149 depending on time of year, include a golf cart featuring GPS yardage system, complimentary valet parking, on-course beverage and delivery service, a state-of-the-art practice facility, access to the full-service 1,600 square-foot golf shop and full-service Clubhouse Grille and Bar, access to PGA teaching professionals at the Brad Brewer Golf Academy and discounts for Drivers Club members.

Members of the U.S. Armed Forces are taking off their combat boots and putting on their golf shoes thanks to a special offer from Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando. Active duty, reserve and retired military personnel can enjoy a special offer of a $59 rate until April 5, then $49 rate April 6 through May 17 and finally a $39 rate May 18 to September 30, 2009 for a round of golf (cart included) at the award-winning Shingle Creek Golf Club.

The discounted greens fees, which normally range from $79 to $149 depending on time of year, include a golf cart featuring GPS yardage system, complimentary valet parking, on-course beverage and delivery service, a state-of-the-art practice facility, access to the full-service 1,600 square-foot golf shop and full-service Clubhouse Grille and Bar, access to PGA teaching professionals at the Brad Brewer Golf Academy and discounts for Drivers Club members. 

Marriott Golf is pleased to announce that Grande Pines Golf Club, located in Orlando, Fla., has received the Chapter Award for Environmental Leadership in Golf for a Resort Facility from the prestigious Golf Course Superintendent's Association of America (GCSAA)/Golf Digest's Environmental Leaders in Golf Awards (ELGA). ELGA recognizes golf courses and superintendents worldwide for their commitment to environmental stewardship.

This honor marks the 4th year that a Marriott property has received an ELGA. Previous award winners include: Shiloh Falls Golf Club, Pickwick Dam, Tenn.; Renaissance PineIsle Resort and Golf Club, Lake Lanier, Ga.; and Stone Mountain Golf Club, Stone Mountain, Ga. 

In the course of a typical week, Todd Hunter makes time to play five or six rounds of golf. He hadn't planned on cutting back because of the economy, and thanks to Golfer's Guide's Central Florida Golf Giveaway promotion, he'll find his name on the tee sheet even more in '09.

"I saw the contest for free golf and I figured why not," said Hunter who was on his way back from playing his first free round at LPGA International. "A few weeks later I get an email that says I won and to tell you the truth, I didn't really remember entering. I thought it was a joke. But now, I think it's great that I won."