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Ponte Vedra Inn & Club
200 Ponte Vedra Boulevard
Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida 32082
www.pvresorts.com
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Duffer Dan and the Undercover Gang at Ponte Vedra Inn & Club |
Our journey this month took us to the northern tip of St. John’s County
just south of Jacksonville. The Ponte Vedra Inn & Club is the Crown Jewel
of Northeast Florida. This magnificent 300 acre resort sets right on one of the
most beautiful beaches on the Atlantic Ocean and has garnered the exclusive
AAA FIVE DIAMOND Award 6 years in a row for excellence in hospitality and
service. The Award has only been given to six Florida properties. Since 1928, the
Inn & Club have been providing 5 star luxury and amenities to its guests and
members.
They are celebrating 80 years of unmatched personalized service with some
of the finest facilities found in the entire nation. The Tennis Club is ranked #1
in the country by Tennis Magazine. The 15 Har-Tru courts, elegant tennis pro
shop and teaching staff, with director Michael Leach, are unmatched. Another
unique feature is the fitness and workout area, which is completely free to the
guests. It is the largest oceanfront fitness gymnasium in the United States and
is tiered so those working out in the back have the same view as those up close
to the all glass ocean view.
One of their most recent additions is north Florida’s largest and most sophisticated
Spa, a 30,000 square foot state-of-the-art oasis, cradled between the
Ocean and a golf course fairway, with over 22 treatment rooms, a restaurant, a
barber shop, a full service salon, a spa boutique and an impressive selection of
over 100 beauty, pampering and MedSpa treatments. The warm and exceptionally
designed spa even has an outdoor relaxation patio overlooking a magnificent
pool with 4 therapy grottos and a waterfall.
Dining at Ponte Vedra Inn & Club is a delicacy all to its own. If you stay at
the Inn or Lodge for a week, you can enjoy a different dining experience every
night. From the oceanfront Seahorse Grill where you can experience the unique
fusion cuisine of Executive Chef Hermann Muller to High Tides, the open-air
grill and bar next to the pool complex, the service and flavors are exceptional.
If you are into enjoying the beach, catamarans, kayaks, surf & boogie boards
are available to guests along with chairs and umbrellas. If one enjoys shopping,
there are ten boutiques and shoppes on with a variety of merchandise.
The Inn has 250 elegantly appointed over sized guest rooms and suites.
Many of the rooms are oceanfront but no matter where you stay on the property,
one thing is for sure- service is primary to the 900 person staff. It is independently
owned and operated and has been serving four generations of vacationing
families. There is even a menu in the room to pick between 6 different
types of pillows.
Golf at Ponte Vedra Inn & Club consists of two outstanding 18-hole championship
courses, the Lagoon and Ocean. In 1928 British designer Herbert Bertram
Strong built the Ocean Course, which has stood as the pinnacle of golf
in Northeast Florida. In 1947, a young Robert Trent Jones redid the course and
in 1998, Jacksonville Golf Course Architect, and longtime Club member, Bobby
Weed, redesigned the course keeping Strong’s original concept in mind.
The Ocean starts out with a 415-yard par 4 with water right and two deep
bunkers protecting the left. The second shot needs to be carefully struck to
avoid the false left front of this long and narrow green. The second hole is a
shorter par 4 with a green that juts out into the water. The Gang realized early
on that the mounding and large bunkers give the course its unique character
and difficulty. The #1 handicap hole is the par 5, 3rd which has 8 fairway bunkers
to maneuver through and then an elevated green (about 15 feet) that no
one’s ball stayed on, particularly since the pin was placed all the way back in
a little tight area. The Duffer had his most trouble on the beautiful 4th, a 467
par 4, that you need to hit a good long tee shot and then carry the second over
water to a deceptive green. Our playing partner, Stephen, hit a fabulous drive
but even his second shot came up short while I was using both hands to count
my score. We played the long par 3, 5th well enough and were rolling down the
par 5, 6th when we saw where some evil person put the pin. It was just off the
left edge near the bulkhead, so we played safe to allow our balls to stay on the
green and avoid the water. After two more fabulous par 4’s we found ourselves
at their signature hole, the 9th, a par 3 island hole that I bet another designer
named Dye probably got the idea for the 17th at the Tournament Players Club,
which is just a few miles west of the Inn.
It was time for some driver fluid. So we all stocked up to give us the strength
to carry on to the back nine. Everyone at the check in area was very friendly, and
we saw the cart lady numerous times during our round. There are 5 sets of tees
to enjoy both courses. The excellent staff of Jim Howard, Director of Golf is there
to take care of all your needs. They have 4 exceptional teaching pros for private
lessons and they give group clinics every afternoon. The practice range is right
next to the 10th tee.
The back nine starts off with a short par 4 where we all put our drives in
wedge distance to the green with Stephen a mere 20 yards from it. The next
shots had all of us screaming and walking away shaking our heads with doubles
or more. None of the chips stayed on the green. The greenside bunker on
the par 3, 12th was perfectly in front of the pin so we all baled out to the middle
and gladly walked away with pars & bogies. The greens are full of undulations
and many have distinct levels, which is the case with the par 5, 13th- a straight
559 yard hole, followed by another 485 yard par 5. The short par 3, 16th, with
an upfront pin placement gave us a fit from the tee, but when we actually got
on the green, we did ok. The last two holes on the back are just great finishing
holes. The 17th, a par 4 with an abyss of bunkers and an undulating fairway
leaves you speechless when looking for the pin. The massive green is protected
by 2 18ft. deep bunkers on the right and a collection area you can’t see on the
left. This was my favorite hole. It really had a great deal of character and I was
lucky to hit my third shot close for a saving par. It’s great to finish strong and 18
gives you that opportunity. At 359 from the back tees, your second shot should
be a short iron. This day the hole was in the back and the Duffer was on the
green below the hole while the Gang was practicing chips from either side of
the green. The Ocean Course is a great test of golf with eighteen fabulous holes
in superb condition.
If you want to experience ‘Grand Dame’, the finest Florida has to offer in a
complete resort with exceptional service and amenities call (800) 234-7842 or
email reservations@PVResorts.com.! |
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