Palm Coast, Florida
While the car is king in America, in Daytona Beach it is a God. Just as St Andrews is regarded as the home of golf, Daytona Beach is the official birthplace of Nascar – a kind of Formula One and stock car hybrid where drivers belt around an oval shaped track for two hours at speeds well over 200mph. The top Nascar drivers are household names in the USA and the year’s big race meet – the Daytona 500 – attracts over 250,000 raucous spectators.
It is almost impossible to think of two sports as different as golf and motor racing and at face value it seems that they are unlikely to be ideal tourist partners. The prospect of a leisurely four-hour round on the course is likely to leave your average speed freak race fan tugging at his beard and pony tail in frustration, while the closest most golfers ever get to dangerous driving is letting the buggy coast down the fairway with their hands off the steering wheel.
Located on the coast two hours from Orlando there are plenty of upmarket golf resorts dotted along the sandy beach which are ideal to use as a base to explore the area. The LPGA Tour have their headquarters here, along with two championship standard courses – The Champions and The Legends.
The Champions course, designed by Rees Jones, is the first course in the history of the game to be built specifically for women professionals. Off the back tees at over 7,000 yards, it would undoubtedly be a stern enough challenge for the top men pros as well, but off the sensible tees it is a very tourist-friendly layout with accessible fairways flanked by spectator mounding and large inviting greens. It is the ideal place to start your golf itinerary and brush away the cobwebs from your game. In true resort style, there are plenty of par-3s and par-5s to keep your score ticking over and plenty of water to ensure that you keep your wits about you.
The Legends, however, is in a different class altogether and, as you would expect from an LPGA Tour venue, it is a tough test of golf. Enclosed by lush Floridian foliage, virtually every hole is isolated from its predecessor, providing a feeling of total intimacy and tranquillity from start to finish. The course demands sensible strategy and accurate iron play into well-guarded greens. There are several lengthy carries off the tee over marshy vegetation and the narrow fairways are bordered by towering pine trees that delightfully frame and define the holes.
Halifax Plantation is tucked away on the edges of two State preservation areas and accessed via a road enclosed by century old oaks. At first glance it appears to be a regular semi-private golf course. However, once you negotiate the opening couple of holes that are probably among the weakest on the course, it’s a very enjoyable layout. The fairways are fairly open and receptive and although bordered by live oaks and palms, the course designer Bill Amick has made certain that you have a decent chance of finding an errant shot and playing a recovery of some kind.
Located in the quiet Ormond Beach area, Halifax is not a championship level course, but it is a solid test of golf and while truly memorable holes are few and far between, the general standard is very high with the course growing in stature as the round progresses. Perhaps even more importantly for travelling golfers is the fact that there’s very little water and that it’s difficult to get yourself into real trouble. On a good day you feel that the course could be there for the taking.
And when it comes to designing championship golf courses in the modern era, there’s no greater name than Jack Nicklaus, the architect of the sumptuous Ocean Hammock.
Part of the Hammock Beach Golf Resort and built on a pristine piece of real estate directly overlooking the Atlantic, Nicklaus has labelled Ocean Hammock “The Pebble Beach of the East. In true Nicklaus style, there’s a constant flow of water hazards, some long, tough do-or-die par-5s and plenty of amphitheatre-style elevated greens and dramatic bunkering effects, not to mention a brutal selection of finishing holes that Nicklaus has dramatically dubbed “The Bear’s Claw”.
Daytona offers around two dozen courses. In the low season of hot and humid June-September, the top courses drop their rates by around 50%. But if it’s palms, dunes, sub-tropical scenery and ocean views you are after then the Palm Coast hits the sweet spot.
Where to stay
Located on the delightful intracoastal waterway of Florida’s east coast, just 25 minutes south of the historic St Augustine and 20 minutes north of Daytona Beach, the Palm Coast Golf Resort is in Flagler County.
The resort is unique in that it is the only resort in the world to offer golf courses designed by Arnold palmer, Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus in its portfolio.
In addition to the five championship courses, there is a hotel, extensive tennis facilities, a marina, huge swimming pool complex and two restaurants.
As you would expect, downtown Daytona is full of neon lights, souvenir shops, race bars, Nascar themed restaurants and gigantic car dealerships. While there are plenty of good hotels in the area, the Daytona Beach Shores area is a little more residential and away from the hustle and bustle of the town centre.
Off course attractions
Turtle Watching
From May 15 through October 31, the area beaches host the sea turtle. These magnificent animals emerge from the surf at night to lay their eggs in nests dug into the dry sand, then return to the sea. Two months later, about a hundred baby turtles (hatchlings) emerge from each of these nests and crawl to the ocean.
Daytona USA
Coming to Daytona Beach and not visiting the speedway race track is like going to St Andrews and not bothering to look at the Old Course. Daytona USA is the official attraction of Nascar. Even for those without the slightest interest in motor racing would be fascinated by the guided Tour of the oval race track and the opportunity take a tram up onto the high 40 degree banking that the drivers use to maintain their high speeds around the bends. Unfortunately, vehicles start to slide down the banking at speeds under 90mph, so the tram cannot make it right to the top.
There are also a variety of interactive activities. In Acceleration Alley you can take part in a simulated Nascar race, while you can also design and video-test a stock car and take part in a motion simulator ride based on the Daytona 500.
Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse
Named after the Spanish explorer who first discovered Florida, this 175-foot ight house was built in 1887 and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
If you’re fit enough, take the 203-step climb to the top of the tower for a view out over the inlet, the Atlantic Ocean and the intra costal waterway. There’s also a museum housed in the original light-keeper’s dwellings.
Getting there
Delta Airlines run a scheduled service to Atlanta, followed by a 50-minute shuttle flight into Daytona Beach airport. Alternatively, you could fly direct to Orlando International and then drive north to Daytona Beach, which will take about two hours.
Where to play
The Cypress Course at the Grand Club
More Information
www.golfdaytonabeach.com
Other recent articles
Take a golf safari to stunning South Africa where the memories will linger long after the flight home.
Spring is the ideal time to play golf on the American style courses and explore the colourful the souks and bazaars for which Morocco is famous. For a unique blend of east meets west and unbeatable sunshine, Morocco fits the bill.