The International Drive Resort Area Offers Year-Round, Championship Golf in a Vacation Paradise

The area is known for its world famous attractions, non-stop entertainment, great dining and shopping and it is home to the second largest convention center in the U.S. Orlando’s tourist corridor also provides a golf mecca known for its championship courses designed by legends to provide play year-round in this vacation destination.

 

From resort courses in the I-Drive area to nearby public municipal courses to exclusive clubs that allow public play, visitors find award-winning opportunities for golfers of all levels with quality layouts that make golf easily accessible.

 

In addition to golfing at one of the area’s two popular resorts, most accommodations in the area will arrange tee times for their guests. For details on planning a vacation in the I-Drive area, visit www.internationaldriveorlando.com.

 

 

This Dave Harman-designed, award-winning, 18-hole golf course is located east of Orlando's Orange County Convention Center at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort. The par 72, 7,213-yard course layout is challenging and flexible enough to test the skills of players of all levels. The course has been named one of America’s Top 40 New Courses, and one of Central Florida’s Top 10 Toughest Courses by Orlando Business Journal.

 

Featuring undulating fairways and interconnecting waterways bordered by the natural backdrop of dense oaks and pines along historic Shingle Creek, the design makes the course play fair while testing all players. Five sets of tees enable golfers to select their individual degree of difficulty.

 

Open to the public, the course takes its name from the pristine Shingle Creek which meanders through the property. Early settlers were drawn to the area by the abundance of game, fishing, ancient cypress trees, and the beautiful creek. Shingle Creek is part of the natural headwaters of the Florida Everglades, located some 140 miles south of Orlando.

 

The 230-acre, four-diamond resort opened in 2006 with 1,500 rooms and in addition to the golf course, includes the Brad Brewer Golf Academy, more than 445,000 square feet of convention and meeting space, a dozen restaurants, four swimming pools and a 13,000-square-foot spa. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) recently named the resort to the Florida Green Lodging Program. For resort and golf information call 1-866-996-9933 or visit www.shinglecreekresort.com or www.shinglecreekgolf.com.

 

The nine-hole Grand Pines Golf Club at Marriott’s Grande Vista Resort is a par 32 course, 2,300 yards long and is designed to challenge each golfer to hit a variety of shots.

 

Designed by renowned golf course architect Steve Smyers, together with player consultant Nick Faldo, the course encompasses lakes and tall pines, oaks and palms. With its Tif Eagle greens, the features and contours at Grande Pines make shot selection as important a consideration as any other aspect of the game. The contoured, rolling fairways accept most tee shots and the well-bunkered, multi-tiered greens reward accuracy on approach shots. The golf course challenges each player.

 

Open to the public, the course is located at Marriott's Grande Vista Resort. One- two- and three-bedroom villas feature spacious living and dining areas, full kitchen, and a master suite with oversized soaking tub, plus access to the Faldo Golf Institute® by Marriott. The resort also offers guests access to dining, tennis, basketball, swimming and much more. For resort and golf information call 407-238-7676 or visit www.mvci.com.

 

The International Drive Resort Area is known worldwide as the tourist corridor of Orlando. Home to six of the world’s most famous theme parks (SeaWorld, Discovery Cove, Aquatica-SeaWorld’s Waterpark, Wet ‘n Wild, Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure) and the second largest convention center in the U.S., the area also offers endless shopping, dining and entertainment.

 

The popular I-Ride Trolley provides convenient and affordable transportation to most accommodations and attractions throughout the area. Information and downloadable maps are available at www.IRideTrolley.com. For information and reservations for more than 100 resorts and accommodations visit www.InternationalDriveOrlando.com.

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