St. Augustine, Florida

It’s a bold statement, but a trip to St. Augustine, Fla., may very well be the ultimate golf vacation. Sure, other locales like Phoenix, Southern California or even parts of Texas get the typical cold-season nod, but don’t overlook northeast Florida. The area is surrounded by great golf courses representing every price point imaginable, and has a number of tourist attractions if the weather turns sour (anything cooler than a live alligator farm?). And to top it all off, St. Augustine is home to the World Golf Hall of Fame which, by itself, deserves at least a day of your trip, and is a place that every golfer needs to visit at least once. If any of this sounds good, then read on for options and tips on how to have a great trip on any budget.

The Golf

It’s Florida, and even though it’s northern Florida, loads of golf courses cover the region. Starting with the TPC Sawgrass, there are few finer golf opportunities in the country. The Stadium Course is the site of the Players Championship and features the famous island green on its 17th hole, where countless dramas have played out over the years. It doesn’t come cheaply, though. Golfers can either buy an associate membership (not your most economical option), or they can stay at the TPC Sawgrass Marriott Resort and Spa to get on either the Stadium or Dye’s Valley Course. Your cheapest route if you really want to play the Stadium Course is to “build your own package” for a one night, one round stay via www.PGATourExperiences.com and plan it at the start or end of your trip before moving into or out of another area hotel (see Where to Stay later in this article). Packages with rounds at the TPC Sawgrass can also be put together on the World Golf Village website at www.wgv.com.

Just down the road are a couple of courses that are much more accessible but just as enjoyable. The King & Bear course and the Slammer & Squire course are aptly named after a few of golf’s legendary players, who also played a hand in each course’s design. Both are located at the World Golf Village and are a pair of the area’s finest golf experiences. The King & Bear was co-designed by Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, and remains today as their only design collaboration. The course stretches to over 7,200 yards but has a number of tee boxes to appeal to the whole family. It winds through loblolly pines and live oaks and features brilliant white sand bunkers. The Slammer & Squire was designed by Bobby Weed, but, as the name suggests, both Gene Sarazen and Sam Snead consulted on the layout. It plays as long as 6,900 yards from the tips or as short as 5,000 yards from the most forward of five tee boxes. Every golfer can enjoy their round on this beautiful course that lies in the very shadow of the World Golf Hall of Fame. On both courses, a round of golf is well-priced in the $125 to $200 range, with the King & Bear course slightly higher-priced.

To save a few bucks, play at St. Johns Golf and Country Club (www.joetowns.com/stjohns/golf_home.asp). Don’t get this course confused with the St. Johns Golf Club (see next paragraph) as this gem of a course sits north of St. Augustine, just off I-95 and is a much different golf experience. A round of golf at this great track typically runs in the $50-$70 range. Running through a pine forest, this Clyde Johnston design has a number of beautiful natural areas and provides GPS systems in all of their carts. With five sets of tee boxes, you can play from the tips at 7,200 yards all the way down to 5,300 yards from the front. Water comes into play on a lot of the holes, but there aren’t any long forced carries – you just have to keep it straight. The par-4 18th is a fantastic finishing hole with a wide fairway split by bunkers and water along the entire left side. If the golf isn’t enough of a reason to visit, the excellent fare in the clubhouse surely is. I would definitely recommend grabbing lunch or hanging around for dinner. (Dinner is only served on certain nights of the week.)

If St. Johns Golf and Country Club matches your price range, there are a number of other courses nearby like the Club at South Hampton. While we didn’t get a chance to play South Hampton because of a sudden turn in the weather, it comes highly recommended by locals.

For a much more laid-back approach and a far more economical option, look a little further south to St. Johns Golf Club (www.sjgc.com). The course offers a great deal with rates topping out in the $40 range. The atmosphere is relaxed, the golf is as challenging as you want it to be and you feel immediately like you are playing at a welcoming hometown course. The course is in very good condition typically, and when we played on a weekday we hardly saw another golfer – which was good for our first round of the year where we took a lot of “extra tee shots.” St. Johns Golf Club sits on the western edge of St. Augustine, so if you are staying in town, it’s quick and easy to get to. We used this course as a chance to knock the winter rust off and get in a round before tackling higher-priced tracks, and I would recommend you do the same.

How to Get There

From K.C., you’ll want to fly to Jacksonville (JAX) if possible – it’s a short drive of under an hour to the World Golf Village and another 15 minutes or so to downtown St. Augustine. Another option is to fly to Orlando (MCO). Orlando is a little longer drive – about 90 minutes – but might be a good option if you have to connect or cannot find a good flight to Jacksonville. Renting a car from either airport is your best option for ground transportation. Driving is easy and traffic is rarely an issue, although both Orlando and Jacksonville have rush hours that you’ll want to avoid if you can. Traffic in sleepy, historic St. Augustine is never a concern.

Where to Stay

The World Golf Village is just a little outside the city of St. Augustine. If golf and golf history is your only focus and you don’t want to be bothered by driving much, then there are plenty of options at or near the village. The Renaissance Resort at World Golf Village is literally steps away from the World Golf Hall of Fame and central to the two great golf courses at the World Golf Village. It has everything you need in the typically great Renaissance package.

The condos and townhomes at Grande Villas and the Residences are right there too – literally on the other side of the Hall from the Renaissance. While we didn’t stay there on our trip, we are sure the new facilities are great. Just a short distance away is the LaTerra Resort and Spa. If you are looking for spa options in a great condo setting near the golf courses and the Hall, then stay at LaTerra. On our trip, we spent a couple of nights with the folks at LaTerra and found it to be nice and quiet. Some of the condos are privately owned and at times during the week it felt like we had the place – including the beautiful pool area – all to ourselves.

The least expensive option near the World Golf Village is just across the street (literally, just across I-95) at the Comfort Suites. They are affiliated with the World Golf Village and represent a comfortable option for folks on a budget. Although, to be fair, it’s really not that much of a savings as compared to the Renaissance, so we would recommend staying next door to the Hall if you get your choice. For any of these options, log on to www.wgv.com and click on “Accommodations.” From there you can book a room or condo or book stay-and-play packages at the Slammer & Squire and the King & Bear.

Interested in seeing more and staying in the oldest city in the U.S.? Then check out the options in downtown St. Augustine. It’s only 15 minutes or so from the World Golf Village and staying there opens up your trip and experiences to include things like the Spanish Fort and a wealth of additional dining options. While we didn’t go for the ghost stories around town, there was no shortage of them. In fact, during our stay at the Casa de Solana Bed and Breakfast, one of our fellow guests reported they had turned on the hot water to fill the bath tub and left to get something from their bedroom. While they were gone, someone (or something?) turned the water off. They turned it back on and went back into the bedroom. This time the water stayed on, but when they returned, all of the towels on a nearby shelf had been picked up, moved across a short distance and thrown into the bath water. It felt more like a ploy for some attention, but it was a good story nonetheless.

There are numerous other B&Bs all over downtown St. Augustine – check them out and look for availability at www.StAugustineInns.com. Few have decent parking, but part of the charm of the town is parking and walking the old brick streets and historic alleyways past little shops and great eateries to get to your room. Don’t worry about lugging your clubs all over the place – each inn has a loading area that makes it handy.

If ghost stories and B&B breakfast camaraderie don’t suit your fancy, but you still want to be in St. Augustine for the food, fun and shops – stay at the Hilton Bayfront. Another nearby Hilton option might pop up when you search at www.hilton.com but don’t stay there. The Hilton Bayfront has great service and great rooms. It’s crowded into a small space in downtown right on the bay, so don’t miss it as you drive by and keep in mind your only option is to pay for valet parking.

What to Eat

Well, it is Florida, so you have to try the seafood, and St. Augustine delivers excellent restaurants. In fact, located right on the bay are a few of our favorites:
OC White’s features great seafood in a laid-back atmosphere. They typically have live music in the evenings and outside seating with some great food to boot. The menu is always changing but if you see the crab-stuffed flounder, you have to get it. It was the best dish of our trip.
Harry’s Seafood has a great overall menu in addition to seafood and a New Orleans-style courtyard for outdoor eating. The also have live music on occasion as well as limited balcony seating overlooking the bay. Their menu is pretty varied and always good.
A1A Ale House features some of the best seafood in the area with slightly higher prices. The biggest problem at A1A’s upstairs seafood restaurant is making your decision. They have so many great options, it’s hard to pick just one. Besides the food, they have a great wine list. I would definitely recommend repeat trips.

Besides these three, there are lots of other great restaurants in downtown St. Augustine and in the nearby area. Check out Columbia for tapas, Pizzalley for Italian and pizza, or the Tavern on the Bay for great American fare. One word of caution – as you roam, you may see some barbecue places. Don’t try it. As one Kansas Citian learned, their “Q” cannot hold a candle to what we have at home.
Once dinner is done, you have to head over to the Trade Winds Lounge. It’s on the backside of the park area at the foot of the A1A bridge (right between Harry’s and A1A Ale House). It is the watering hole for locals and has one of the very best house bands ever: Matanzas. If they’re playing, you’ll know them by their lead singer who looks like a bit of a cross between Jerry Garcia and ZZ Top. The music is good and the entertainment between songs is even better. They usually keep a table open in the middle and right up front for newcomers. Locals like to see travelers and tourists of all kinds come in, so they save that table for them . . . feel free to sit down and enjoy the night.

—Tim Carrigan