TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course in Ponte Vedra Beach a nice Father's Day gift
By Logan D. Mabe, Times Correspondent
In Print: Saturday, June 20, 2009
The Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass is offering a summerlong special for dads and families. If the entire family isn’t up for a round of golf, they can pass the time at the spa or take a dip in one of the pools.
Father's Day is Sunday, so if you still haven't found the perfect gift for the golfer dad in your life, here's a solution that should please him — and maybe even the whole family.
Summertime is when all your favorite golf destinations trot out their best come-hither deals to get you signed onto the tee sheet. So you could just call dad's usual course, buy him a gift card for a round of golf, and you'll be his hero.
Depending on the dad in your life, arranging a golf date at a course that others in the family can also play could be an even better gift.
As a dad and a golfer, I like this approach because it creates a gateway for the whole family to spend some time together. For too long, golf (and Father's Day) has been an excuse for dads to spend five hours away from the people who helped make him a father in the first place.
And a family golf outing doesn't have to cost a lot. For instance, Countryway Golf Club on Waters Avenue in Tampa is an 18-hole executive course where the holes aren't long, but there are plenty of opportunities to improve your short game. It's running a $15 per round special this month; call (813) 854-1182.
If you're willing to travel, and are up for a splurge, here's another idea. TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, near Jacksonville, has a summerlong deal that will get dads — and their families — onto the famed Stadium Course, where the big boys play the Players Championship.
We can't advise trying to get a Sunday tee time at this late hour, but how about making a reservation for a future date, and presenting it to Dad along with a nice card?
Before you protest that Mom and Junior will never be able to tackle the nastiness that is the island green 17th or the monster dogleg left 18th, read on. TPC has created "family tees," turning a truly tough course into a user-friendly 2,200-yard track designed to appeal to the bump-and-runners in your familial foursome.
Also, it gives kids the chance to chase the ball on a world-class course they'd normally only see on TV.
Logan D. Mabe is a golfer, dad, writer and teacher who lives in St. Petersburg.
IF YOU GO
• Fitness bonus: TPC Sawgrass is one of the rare courses that allows and encourages walking. In fact, golf carts are forbidden from the fairways.
• A variety of packages are available, starting at $192 per golfer for a round on the Stadium Course and a night at the Sawgrass Marriott hotel.
• The resort also has a 25,000-square-foot spa, a bunch of swimming pools and access to miles of Atlantic Ocean beach.
• For more information, call toll-free 1-888-421-8555 or visit www.pgatourexperiences.com.
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