Golfnorthwest By Trevor Peake Golf Correspondent, Daily Post
FLORIDA for golfers is the equivalent to the sweet shop for any young boy with pocket money burning a hole in his trousers.
The sunshine state boasts a remarkable 1,370 courses - and still rising - which is higher than anywhere else in America.
With an average annual temperature of 70F degrees, Florida is a very tempting prospect at any time of the year.
And with a number of highly regarded golfing academies based in Florida, any trip across the pond also represents a chance to lower your handicap as well as try some new courses.
The name of David Leadbetter is already renowned in world golf as the man behind the phenomenal rise of Nick Faldo and who is now helping Liverpool's Nick Dougherty remodel his swing to meet the demands of the European Tour.
The ChampionsGate Golf resort at Kissimmee serves as the new headquarters for the Leadbetter academy, and is one of only three bases in the United States.
The second is at the LaPlaya Beach and Golf Resort at Naples, which includes a new 18-hole par 72 course designed by Bob Cupp.
Arnold Palmer is another legendary name who is well represented in Florida. At Orlando, his academy can be found at the Arnold Palmer Bay Hill Club and Lodge, while at Tampa the Saddlebrook Resort includes two 18-hole courses designed by the man who reached the milestone of 50 appearances in the Masters this year.
The PGA chose the World Golf Village at St Augustine as the venue for its first Golf Academy while women golfers are catered for at Palm Beach, where the PGA national resort and Spa features a women only programme of advice and training sessions.
If your weak spot is your short game, the Boca Raton Resort and Club is home for the Dave Peltz Short Game Golf School, dedicated to saving you shots in and around the greens, while the Quinzi Golf Academy at Safety Harbor resort, near Tampa, offers advice on all phases of the game.
USEFUL WEBSITES
Boca Raton Resort & Club - www.bocaresort.com ChampionsGate Golf Resort - www.championsgategolf.com LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort - www.laplayaresort.com Anrold Palmer Bay Hill Club and Lodge - www.bayhill.com PGA National Resort & Spa - www.pga-resorts.com Safety Harbor Resort and Spa Academy -www.safetyharborspa.com Saddlebrook Resort - www.sadllebrookresort.com
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