On our last full day in Florida we had a chance to play another beautiful golf course, this one located about half an hour north of downtown Orlando in the community of Lake Mary. Timacuan Golf and Country Club was built in 1987 and was originally designed by a Ron Garl. In 1996 the course was renovated by architect Bobby Weed and today it is ranked in the top 14 in the state of Florida. Timacuan's other accolades include having been chosen as one of the most golf-friendly courses for women by Golf for Women Magazine. Bobby Weed's redesign encompassed many elements of the course and ensured that all players will have an enjoyable round of golf. Timacuan also features a large driving range and putting green. Par is 71 and the course plays close to 7,000 yards from the back tees. Timacuan's unique features include a links-style front nine and a Carolina feel complete with gorgeous pines and lakes on the back nine. Timacuan Golf and Country Club also has a lighted practice facility and is home to the Mike Bender Golf Academy. Mike Bender is a two time North Florida PGA Teacher of the Year, and is ranked by Golf Magazine as one of the Top 100 Instructors and Golf Digest as one of the top 50 Instructors in America. While we were there, a young golf aficionado was receiving a very thorough one-on-one video-taped lesson and we admired her elegant drives into the driving range. Kim filled me in on some other unique details on this course. Considering its location in Seminole County north of Orlando, it mostly serves local residents. The area around the course offers a lot of things do to, including a variety of waterfront restaurants, the Sanford Zoo, the Sanford Historical Museum, and Colonial Town Park, a local development that features restaurants, theatres, hotels, cinemas, shopping, all in all a nice area to walk around in. We thoroughly enjoyed our round, despite the grey, drizzly weather as Timacuan features a very scenic layout. The course had a wonderfully friendly feel to it, and we enjoyed our chats with course staff while waiting for our cart and were warmly welcomed by the starter. Upon hearing that we were from Canada, one of the local members generously gave us his chip for practice balls and this friendly ambience got us off to a good start. Timacuan's rates are quite reasonable: for June to October 2005 the rates ranged between $55 and $65, from November 1 to January 11, 2006 the rates vary from $69 to $79, and in high season from January 12 to April 23, 2006 the rates range between $85 and $95. Driving directions: Lake Mary is located about 10 miles northeast of Orlando and is easily accessible via the interstate system. Off of the I-4 take exit 101a to Rhinehart Rd (go right). First light Timacuan Blvd (go left). Go one mile to the Timacuan entrance on right. Follow Timacuan Blvd to the clubhouse. Statistics Par 71 Yards Rating Slope Gold 6915 73.7 135 Blue 6403 71.2 128 White 5892 68.6 119 Green 5243 70.0 124 For more information please visit Timacuan Golf and Country Club's website or call them at (407) 321-0010. About The Author Susanne Pacher is the publisher of a website called Travel and Transitions (www.travelandtransitions.com). Travel and Transitions deals with unconventional travel and is chock full of advice, tips, real life travel experiences, interviews with travellers and travel experts, insights and reflections, cross-cultural issues, contests and many other features. You will also find stories about life and the transitions that we face as we go through our own personal life-long journeys. Submit your own travel stories in our first travel story contest (http://www.travelandtransitions.com/contests.htm) and have a chance to win an amazing adventure cruise on the Amazon River. "Life is a Journey Explore New Horizons". The story with photos is published at Stories and Photos (http://www.travelandtransitions.com/stories_photos/orlando_regional_history_center.htm) Susanne Pacher sq@travelandtransitions.com
We drove in on a winding road through a residential area and were greeted by Timacuan's spacious two-story club house. I had a chance to talk with Kim Shield who handles marketing for Timacuan, who explained that the club house features a full service grill room downstairs, and can host up to 250 people in the upstairs dining room which has panorama windows that offer a beautiful view of the golf course, making it a popular destination for corporate and private functions. The club house also hosts a Sunday brunch from 11 am to 2 pm as well as a Wednesday night buffet.
Hole number 2 is one of the most difficult holes on the course, and I promptly made two separate ball donations into the pond. The front nine is surrounded by an attractive residential development that never intruded into our golf game and a couple of holes actually feature drive-through bunkers. The Carolina-style back nine had its own set of challenges, particularly since water comes into play on seven holes.
December 1, 2008
Golf in Orlando: Timacuan Golf and Country Club
September 13, 2008
Scenic Drives on Hawaii’s Big Island?
Official scenic drives on Hawaii's Big Island are plentiful. In fact, nearly every drive on the beautiful isle can be considered scenic. Some of the most popular scenic drives require a four-wheel drive to access the entire drive. Rental companies specialize in vehicles just for this purpose, and most can be rented by the hour on the Big Island. Onomea Bay Scenic Drive This is one of the most popular scenic drives on the Big Island. This narrow, winding road takes you through gorgeous rain forest terrain with beautiful bubbling streams visible from the road. This trip also allows you to view the collapsed Onomea Arch and the Tropical Botanical Garden. Chain of Craters Road Scenic Drive This unusual scenic drive offers view of lava trees and a large petro glyph field. The trip lasts about two hours and is entirely on paved roads. Kahinahina Scenic Drive This is a beautiful drive, but requires four-wheel drive due to the condition of the dirt road in some areas. The entire trip lasts about seven hours. You can choose between two different paths. The high road, Kahinahina Road, empties onto Saddle Road and the low road, Mana Road, comes out near Waimea. Both routes offer exceptional views unique to this beautiful scenic drive. Hiking trails and rest areas can be found all along the route. Crater Rim Scenic Drive This three-hour drive circles the rim of the Kilauea Volcano while passing through Hawaii's Kau Desert and a tropical rain forest! Mauna Loa Scenic Drive This seventeen mile long, rambling drive takes you along a paved route as you travel up the side of the world's largest mountain, Mt. Mauna Loa. You will view spectacular lava flows, beautiful vista views, and natural Hawaiian landscapes. This scenic drive ends at the Mauna Loa Weather Observatory, where a scenic hiking trailhead is located for the adventurous to hike to the mountain’s summit. Kumukahi Lighthouse Scenic Drive This serene scenic drive takes you from Honolulu Landing to Kumukahi Lighthouse. It travels for six miles on mild dirt roads and takes the average scenic driver two hours to complete. This scenic drive offers spectacular views of both flora and fauna found only on Hawaii. The Kaalaiki Upper Road Scenic Drive in Ka'u This 15 mile stretch of paved and well-maintained dirt road runs between Pahala and Na'alehu on the Big Island. It offers spectacular views of forests, vegetation, wildlife, and the sparkling blue ocean 2,000 feet below you. Mauna Kea Summit Scenic Drive This 43-mile long trek takes visitors to the summit of Mauna Kea. Once at the top, you can visit the astronomical observatories located nearby. On a clear day, this trip provides views of the neighboring Hawaiian Islands! This scenic drive takes you across a wide variety of Hawaiian landscapes from Rain Forests to the sparsely livable summit of Mauna Kea. The trek may require four-wheel drive to reach the summit. Road To The Sea Scenic Drive This scenic drive requires four-wheel drive to reach the secluded pockets of green sandy beaches that are created as a result of volcanic activity. You should plan for a four-hour drive to traverse the six miles of rugged terrain. Every trip to the Big Island should include at least one spectacular scenic drive. The scenic drives in Hawaii offer countless photograph opportunities and boundless potential for creating one-of-a-kind memories available only in Hawaii.
