Sun, Sea, Sand and Golf: As Florida golf resorts go they don’t come much better than the Marriott Sawgrass Resort & Spa at Ponte Vedra Beach in northeast Florida. Marriott claims it’s “the perfect marriage of sun, sea, sand and golf,” and it’s tough for me to disagree.
Worlds Within Worlds: The resort is a combination of worlds within a world. Moss-draped oaks, sweet-smelling magnolias, warm sunshine and balmy breezes that waft across the beaches, pools and golf courses to make the Sawgrass Marriott Resort a veritable paradise on the outer reaches of Greater Jacksonville.
Not Just For Golfers: But Sawgrass is not just for golfers. The options for family involvement seem almost endless. Group activities include volleyball, beach Olympics, wacky golf tournaments, treasure hunts, even a floating golf hole. And then there are the children’s programs. These include a variety of organized activities for kids aged 5 through 12, which means the grownups can relax, play golf or just take time out for themselves with never a worry about where their kids might be or what they are doing.
Beyond Golf?: Beyond golf (as if), the resort offers a whole range of adult activities: there’s the private beach and Cabana Club; four pools including a magnificent, junior Olympic-sized pool at the Cabana Club; bicycle riding and jogging trails; a world-class spa I can personally recommend – a couple of hours here and you’ll emerge feeling like you’ve had an out-of-body experience. Beyond the resort, Ponte Vedra and Jacksonville offer everything from deep sea fishing to shopping, theater and fine dining, and all within a ten-minute drive.
Good Food and Fine Views: Restaurants and good food are always a big consideration when you’re planning an outing. Sawgrass has plenty for you to choose from: the seven resort restaurants include The Ocean View for waterside dining and gorgious views over the ocean; The Sea Porch Bar & Grill has a nautical theme and spectacular Atlantic views; The Augustine Grille, a specialty restaurant serving grilled seafood and steaks; and Café Italiano overlooks the 13th green of THE PLAYERS Stadium course and offers an extensive menu of regional Italian cuisine – the grouper piccata with lemon-caper butter and served on a bed of orzo pilaf is to die for.
Relax and Rehabilitate: The Spa at Sawgrass: If you’ve never had the Spa experience, I can wholly recommend you give this one a try. If you have had the experience, this all-new ultra modern spa will “take you places you've never been, but will surely want to visit again.” Services range from massage therapy to skin care and from body therapies to hydrotherapy. Guys can limber up with a Sports Massage or Deep Tissue Massage; ladies can pamper themselves with a Zen Body Treatment or perhaps a European Cleansing Facial. You can spend an hour here, or even a full day, relaxing and enjoying the moment.
A Luxurious Space of Your Own: A golf outing is as much about the accommodations as it is golf. The guest rooms at the Marriott Sawgrass are just about all you would expect them to be. Everything is brand new and, even though the layout is typical "hotel," comfort and luxury are above expectations. The resort literature insists that "behind every door you'll find delicately blended earth tones... contemporary wood furnishings... silver light fixtures." They are not kidding. The beds, perhaps the most important consideration, feature down comforters and plush pillows. To complete the picture, a sleek, ergonomic chair highlights a spacious work area.
But Golf is Why We're Here: When all is said and done, however, the focus at Sawgrass has to be on its two magnificent, Pete Dye-designed golf courses: the Dye’s Valley Course and the Spectacular TPC PLAYERS Stadium course. I could write page upon page describing the attributes of these two world-class golf courses. Instead, I think I’ll let you judge for yourself. You can make a virtual visit to both THE PLAYERS Course and Dye's Valley – two photo galleries with views of all 18 holes at each course.
What You Need to Know: To play THE PLAYERS Stadium Course and/or Dye’s Valley Course, you’ll need to stay at the Marriott Sawgrass Resort & Spa (only resort guests are allowed to play at Sawgrass) and be prepared to spend some serious money for green fees – they start around $170 for Dye’s Valley and rise to some $350 at THE PLAYERS Stadium Course, depending upon the season. Golf packages, including deluxe accommodations at the Marriot and golf on THE PLAYERS Stadium Course are available and start at $364 per night – breakfast, green fee, golf cart and forecaddie included - a little beyond what you might expect of Florida Golf Courses.
More of Florida's Golf Courses: As I've mentioned before, there are more than 1,000 golf courses scattered across the State of Florida. I've listed just a few of those I think you shouldn't miss:
The Omni Orlando at ChampionsGate
The Blue Monster at Doral
Regatta Bay in Destin
The Kelly Plantation in Destin
Indian Bayou in Destin
The Rookery on Marco Island
