PALM HARBOR, Florida – Sheila Johnson’s Salamander Hotels & Resorts company, had an extraordinary two days last week. On Thursday Salamander re-opened its Jack Nicklaus-designed Hammock Beach course in Palm Coast, Fla. It had been closed for a 13-month restoration. The next day Salamander put on a festive celebration to mark the re-opening of the…
Author: lenz
Good golf is more than just another attraction in the buzzing Daytona Beach area
DAYTONA BEACH, Florida – It might be difficult to look at Daytona Beach as a golf destination but — without question — you should. Admittedly the self-proclaimed “World’s Most Famous Beach’’ is the main attraction in the Volusia County area. Or maybe it’s the Daytona International Speedway, the recently renovated world’s largest motor sports stadium…
Hanse’s new Black Course adds to what has made Streamsong a special place
STREAMSONG, Florida – There are over 1,300 golf courses in Florida, more than any other state in the nation, but one facility stands head and shoulders above the rest. Streamsong Resort, located in the central portion of Florida, has three of the very best 18-holers – not only in the Sunshine State but in the…
Panhandle courses are providing a fresh twist for Florida golfers
PANAMA CITY BEACH, Florida – You would think, given all the years I’ve spent travelling through Florida and now residing there, that the state’s golf scene couldn’t provide much in the way of surprises. Then we visited two destinations in the Panhandle, the sometimes forgotten section in the northwest portion of the state. That was…
Florida courses amazingly recovered quickly from Hurricane Irma
From the standpoint of this hurricane rookie and new Florida resident the damage incurred from Hurricane Irma was devastating – and it was. The entire state was impacted by one of the biggest hurricanes ever to hit the Sunshine State in mid-September – and that’s saying a lot because hurricanes are an annual concern for…
Ed Stevenson: the man behind the massive renovation at Oak Meadows
Ed Stevenson’s name doesn’t appear on the leaderboard in any Illinois PGA tournaments. Only very rarely has he even played in them. Still, Stevenson is considered by all as the consummate PGA professional. That was underscored recently when Stevenson was promoted to a lofty position beyond his duties as director of golf at The Preserve…
A first for the Illinois PGA; Rhoades gets highest honor
For the first time in 62 years the Illinois PGA’s most prestigious award has gone to a woman. Carol Rhoades was named the IPGA’s Professional of the Year, an award presented annually since 1955 to the section member whose “total contributions to the game best exemplify the complete PGA Professional.’’ Rhoades works at Golf Channel…
Collapse in Boston could haunt Leishman in final round of BMW Championship
Marc Leishman is hardly a household name in the golf world but – if he can hold his game together – he will likely win the BMW Championship today and be in a great position to win the FedEx Cup’s $10 million bonus next week in Atlanta. The question is, can he hold his game…
Day is back in the BMW spotlight at Conway Farms
Another Australian golfer may be leading the BMW Championship, but the story halfway through the third of four FedEx Cup Playoff events has been Jason Day. Day was the world’s No. 1-ranked golfer at the start of 2017. Then things went downhill, but they’re definitely on the upswing entering today’s Round 3 of the $8,750,000…
Conway Farms will remain a popular tournament site after BMW leaves
Conway Farms’ three-year run as the site of Chicago’s PGA Tour event comes to an end this week, after the last putt drops at the BMW Championship on Sunday. The previous two local PGA Tour sites were longer-time hosts. Butler National, in Oak Brook, hosted the Western Open from 1974 to 1990. Cog Hill, in…