Southern California's No. 1 Golf Source
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"The players themselves can be classified into two groups- the attractions and the entry fees." |
-Jimmy Demaret |
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Staying at a St. Joe resort is no ordinary experience. The company is one of Flor-ida's largest real estate operators, and two of its golf course properties in the state's Pan-handle are great places to stay or play. The WaterColor Inn in Seagrove near Panama City Beach is a good example, and staying at the resort allows guests an opportunity to play the acclaimed Camp Creek Golf Club. Within the 500-acre resort is a residential community, wooded waterways and sandy dunes leading to the Gulf of Mexico. The resort also offers family activities, such as bicycling on trails of varying terrain, kayaking and fishing on Western Lake. The resort's Camp WaterColor is a place where children can make crafts, learn about nature and participate in plays and concerts. "WaterColor was built to provide traditional Southern ctivities for the family," said Frank Sandro, the resort's marketing sales director. "Many families who stay enjoy the wide variety of amenities available for them to take part with their children, along with the amenities that their children can take part with other children." That makes it perfect for parents who want to make sure their children are having fun while they head to Camp Creek Golf Club, a Tom Fazio-designed course that opened in 2001 and recently went private. Guests at the WaterColor Inn and WaterSound Beach have playing privileges, however, and are shuttled to the course along a scenic stretch of Highway 30A. The scenery gets even better once golfers enter the course property, which has been designated a Certified Cooperative Sanctuary by Audubon International for preserving the natural habitat and wildlife.Camp Creek plays 7,159 yards from the tips, and the course allows players to experience an ocean-style setting with tree-lined fairways. Fazio's nice mixture of short and long holes adds to the experience. "When many people hear that a course is a risk-reward course, they think that it fits into the hands of a long ball hitter off the tee," said head professional Peter Burke. "But they don't realize how aggressive approach shots into the greens can be another element to a risk-reward course, which this course has." Camp Creek's Bermuda greens average 8,000 square feet, meaning players have options on their approach shots, particularly when water comes into play, which it does on five holes on the front nine. "Tom Fazio designs courses to make a player second guess before hitting their shots from tee to green," Burke said. "Many who play Camp Creek are amazed at how much room there is to hit shots to areas that appear narrow." The 542-yard, par-5 third hole is an example of Camp Creek's visual elements and playing options. Water borders the left side of the fairway that has rolling mounds in the landing area, while sandy dunes and native vegetation line the right side, which appears to be the safest option but is deceiving because the mounds to the left make the water appear closer to the landing area than it actually is. The course appears to open up on the 518-yard, par-5 12th hole, but don't let the lack of trees fool you. This is the start of what locals call Elvis's Corner, not in honor of the king of rock 'n' roll, but in respect to a 14-foot alligator named Elvis that lives in the adjacent ponds through this four-hole stretch. Of the foursome, the hole that could leave golfers "All Shook Up" is No. 13, a 377-yard par-4 that resembles the 10th hole at Shinnecock Hills. A perfect wedge or short iron shot is needed for balls to stay on the elevated green with a false front. A short drive south and east from Camp Creek is SouthWood Golf Club, an upscale, semi-private course that is the centerpiece of a St. Joe-designed community in Tallahassee. The 7,172-yard public course was designed by Gene Bates and Fred Couples and is the home course for Florida State's men's and women's golf teams. The golf course is part of a 3,200-acre development that encompasses hills, pastures, lakes and towering oak trees. "Without a doubt, the land at SouthWood is one of the most ideal settings Gene and I have had the opportunity to work with," Couples said in a published statement highlighting the course. "This is truly a premier golf course in the Southeast." SouthWood, which opened in 2002, has a nice combination of short and long holes, with the par 4s ranging from 335 to 455 yards, and the muscular par-5 fifth hole stretching out to 628 yards. In other words, no two holes are alike, and Bates and Couples did a remarkable job preserving the charm of the land by not intruding on the natural topography. While SouthWood's layout progresses through distinct terrain at every turn - low country, high country, hidden woods and open fields - it's the course's majestic oaks that players likely will remember most. The ancient, moss-covered trees serve as towering landmarks or points of reference for where to hit your ball on nearly every hole. "I've never seen a golf course with oak trees like this," Couples said. "I think it's just beautiful." n |
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