5 Florida Resorts: The PGA Tour Legends Golf Trail

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PGA National Rickie Fowler

With temperatures plummeting into the 20s here in New England, we started our last-minute golf getaway planning a bit early this year.

This year we’ve decided to target Florida, and tee it up at five, count ’em, five, courses that we’re calling the PGA Tour Legends Golf Trail. These five championship tracks – TPC Sawgrass, Bay Hill, PGA National, Innisbrook and Doral’s Blue Monster – have played host to golf’s all-time icons, including Palmer, Nicklaus, and Woods.

So if Florida is a convenient end point, and you’d like to walk in the footsteps of PGA Tour legends, here are five resorts in the Sunshine State to stay and play!


TPC SAWGRASS

PGA TOUR Event: THE PLAYERS Championship
Where: Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
Course: Stadium Course
Distance: Par 72, 7 sets of tees: 5019 – 6661 yards
Architect:Pete Dye
Rates: Starting at $250 per 18 holes
Website: TPC.com/Sawgrass
Walk in the Footsteps: The home of the PGA Tour, Sawgrass has hosted nearly every big time player over the past 30 years, headlined by Jack Nicklaus, along with recent winners Jason Day, Sergio Garcia and Tiger Woods.


PGA NATIONAL RESORT

PGA TOUR Event: Honda Classic
Where: Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Course: The Champions Course
Distance: Par 71, 5 sets of tees: 4879 – 7209 yards
Architect: Tom & George Fazio; Redesign Jack Nicklaus
Rates: Starting at $279 per night/pp
Website: PGAResort.com
Walk in the Footsteps: Players who’ve won at PGA National include modern-day superstars Rickie Fowler, Adam Scott and Rory McIlroy.


BAY HILL CLUB

PGA TOUR Event: Arnold Palmer Invitational
Where: Orlando, FL
Course: Champion Course
Distance: Par 72, 6 sets of tees: 5143 – 7381 yards
Architect: Dick Wilson, Ed Seay; Redesign Arnold Palmer
Rates: Starting at $320 per night/pp
Website: BayHill.com
Walk in the Footsteps: Bay Hill was one of Arnold Palmer’s true loves, and nearly every modern-day golf star has played its 18 holes, including Hall-of-Fame winners Palmer, Lee Trevino, Payne Stewart, Fred Couples, Phil Mickelson, and 8-time winner Woods.


INNISBROOK GOLF RESORT

PGA TOUR Event: Valspar Championship
Where: Palm Harbor, FL
Course: Copperhead Course
Distance: Par 71, 5 sets of tees: 4879 – 7209 yards
Architect: Larry Packard
Rates: Starting at $179 per night/pp
Website: InnisbrookGolfResort.com
Walk in the Footsteps: Many of today’s biggest stars have teed it up at Copperhead, including Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson, and Jordan Spieth, its 2015 champion.


TRUMP DORAL GOLF RESORT

PGA TOUR Event: Doral Open, WGC-Cadillac Championship (’62-’16)
Where: Miami, FL
Course: Blue Monster
Distance: Par 72, 6 sets of tees: 5463 – 7590 yards
Architect:Pete Dye; Redesign: Gil Hanse
Rates: Starting at $355 per night/18 holes
Website: TrumpHotels.com/Miami
Walk in the Footsteps: The Blue Monster played host to the stars of yesteryear, including Nicklaus, Palmer, and Trevino, along with today’s stars such as Woods, Spieth, Fowler and DJ.


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