Orlando, FL ? Three courses in the new Grand Golf Resorts of Florida collection have been ranked among the Sunshine State?s finest by Golfweek magazine.
From the Gulf to the Atlantic and managed by Salamander Hotels & Resorts, the collection unites Innisbrook Resort in Tampa Bay, Reunion Resort in Orlando and Hammock Beach Resort in Palm Coast, and features a variety of accommodations, family activities and nine championships golf courses designed by the legends of golf.
Copperhead Course, Innisbrook Resort in Tampa Bay
Innisbrook Resort?s acclaimed Copperhead Course, designed by Larry Packard, makes Golfweek?s list at number 3. Copperhead, a longtime PGA TOUR stop, is a favorite among professional players and the most recognizable of Innisbrook?s four courses ? all designed by Packard. Tree-lined fairways and rolling terrain define the more than 7,300-yard layout, providing a challenge for even the longest hitters.
Ocean Course, Hammock Beach Resort in Palm Coast
With six holes that put the players right on the very edge of the Atlantic Ocean, the Jack Nicklaus-designed Ocean Course lands at number ten on the Golfweek list. The Hammock Beach Resort course is lauded for its uniqueness, charm and beauty. The ?Bear Claw,? the Ocean Course?s final four signature holes bordering the Atlantic, provides one of the most challenging finishes in the state. The resort also includes the Tom Watson-designed Conservatory Course.
Watson (Independence), Reunion Resort in Orlando
Appearing on Golfweek?s list at No. 18 is Tom Watson?s Independence Course at Reunion Resort in Orlando. The 7,100 yard course, which was Watson?s first design in Florida, features a traditional layout with native grasses, azaleas, hibiscus, camellias and other foliage. Reunion also features designs by Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer.
[box type=”tick”]About Grand Golf Resorts of Florida
Three of Florida?s grandest golf resorts have united under the management of Salamander Hotels & Resorts. Grand Golf Resorts of Florida features Innisbrook Resort near Tampa, Reunion Resort in Orlando, and Hammock Beach Resort in Palm Coast. The collection includes 1250 luxurious villa-style accommodations, and 162 holes of golf designed by Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson and Larry Packard that form the Legends of Golf Trail, which traverses 200 miles between the resorts and across the Sunshine State.
About Salamander Hotels & Resorts
Salamander Hotels & Resorts is a privately owned and operated company based in Middleburg, VA, just outside Washington, D.C. Founded by entrepreneur Sheila C. Johnson in 2005, the company has a portfolio that features the Grand Golf Resorts of Florida, a collection of three stellar golf resorts including the recently renovated Innisbrook Resort near Tampa, Reunion Resort in Orlando and the oceanfront Hammock Beach Resort in Palm Coast; Grand Resorts at Cap Cana, a collection of three luxurious properties in the Dominican Republic including the oceanfront Sanctuary Cap Cana, the marina-inspired Fishing Lodge Cap Cana, and the future boutique-style Ocean Club Cap Cana; the Forbes Five-Star- and AAA Five Diamond-rated Woodlands Inn near Charleston, SC; and the eagerly anticipated Salamander Resort & Spa in Middleburg, a 340-acre equestrian-themed, ultra-luxury resort opening in 2013 and located near Washington, D.C. [/box]