Fort Walton Beach / Destin FL Golf Weekend

  Sandestin GC's Raven Course #17

Golf Digest, 5/11

PGATour.com/Links Magazine, 3/11

My Town: Edwin Watts' Fort Walton Beach/Destin
Retired golf retailer, who regularly breaks 80, loves Florida's gulf coast

By Ryan Herrington, Golf Digest
Photo courtesy of Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort
May 23, 2011

Edwin Watts has called the Florida Panhandle home his entire life. Specifically, the Fort Walton Beach/Destin area is where the 65-year-old was raised and where he fell in love with golf. He caddied as a teenager at Eglin Air Force Base GC and took a job in the club storage area at Fort Walton Beach GC, eventually working his way up to the head professional job before opening the first Edwin Watts Golf Shop at the club with his brother, Ronnie, in 1968.

After selling his interest in the golf retail chain four years ago, Watts could have retired anywhere in the country but chose to stay along the Gulf Coast. "This place is really a little hidden jewel," says the grand-father of five. "The area is beautiful, and the golf is first-rate."

It's also available almost year-round. While the area attracts the most tourists during the summer -- thanks to the popular beaches -- the weather stays warm well into November, making it a great place for a fall buddies trip.

COURSES
The good news for visitors coming here is that nearly every course in the area is open to the public, with pretty reasonable prices. Sentimentally, my favorite is Fort Walton Beach GC. There are two high-quality courses there. Both are a lot of fun to play. You don't lose balls on every hole, and there is no out-of-bounds. But they're also quite challenging to play.

Another place I really like is Indian Bayou GC in Destin. It's a beautiful 27-hole facility. The courses always seem to be in very good condition.

Kelly Plantation GC was built in the 1990s on what was an old turpentine farm. Fred Couples and Gene Bates designed the course, which sits right by the Choctawhatchee Bay. Several of the holes offer fantastic views of the water.

One other place to consider is Shalimar Pointe CC. It's probably the hardest course around here; if you can play that one, well, you'll play them all just fine.

WHERE TO STAY
Sandestin Resort is a spectacular facility. The four courses there are lots of fun, and the hotel is very impressive. It's right by the beach, so if you come with your family, they can spend time there while you're playing...There's also a very cute little hotel in Fort Walton Beach, Aunt Martha's Bed and Breakfast. It's along the sound and has a manor-house feel that's pretty neat.

If you come here, the best option, however, is to rent a condo. They're available along the water and are reasonably priced. Management companies, such as Resort Quest, book them along the coast. For a buddies trip, a condo is definitely the way to go.

DINING
Around Destin, you'll find every chain you could want, but for local fare there are a couple of places I'm partial to. Pandora's Steakhouse in Fort Walton Beach is really nice. It's been in business for more than 30 years, the oldest family-owned restaurant in the area...If you're looking for seafood, try Capt. Dave's On The Gulf. The food is outstanding, and there is the most beautiful view of the gulf you'll see from any restaurant. Two new places that opened up recently are also quite good: À La Carte, which has a café feel to it, and Fat Clemenza's, a nice Italian restaurant.

DON'T MISS
The beaches are truly the area's best selling point. They're beautiful, with white sugar sand. And we never had problems with oil from the Gulf spill last year. And that includes our fishing industry. We've got all kinds of fishing, from deep sea out in the Gulf to cruising the inland waterways. You can catch all varieties, grouper, snapper, sailfish, flounder. You can charter a boat and take it out on your own or go on a trip with a captain who knows the best spots.

Destination: Fort Walton Beach, Fla.

PGATour.com/Links Magazine, 3/11

Located halfway between Pensacola to the west and Panama City to the east, Fort Walton Beach is the hub of a stretch of beautiful beaches, serene wildlife and great golf that make the Florida Panhandle one of the most popular destinations in the state.

WHERE TO PLAY

Camp Creek Golf Club: Located near Panama City Beach, Tom Fazio's environmentally sensitive 7,159-yard layout winds through sandy scrub, woods and coastal vegetation. These features come together to form a memorable test that is one of the best public courses in the state.

Kelly Plantation Golf Club: Gene Bates and Fred Couples took advantage of the course's site along the Choctawhatchee Bay to design a scenic layout. The 401-yard 4th offers a sweeping view of the bay. Bring your putting touch to score well on the large contoured greens.

Windswept Dunes Golf Club: First-time designer Doug O'Rourke built a long (7,607 yards) yet playable layout north of Destin. Although the course is located several miles from the Gulf of Mexico, the brush-topped sand bordering the wide fairways that encourage players to let out the shaft makes visitors feel as if they were on the coast.

WHERE TO STAY

Bay Point Marriott Golf Resort & Spa: Sitting along St. Andrews Bay, the 376-unit (including 60 villas) property offers numerous outdoor activities, including boating, water activities and miles of trails through a nature preserve. There are also 36 holes from Nicklaus Design, the only golf in the area from the Golden Bear's firm.

Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort: There is something for the whole family at this property located along the Gulf, including the beach, kids' programs, spa, shopping and nightlife. But nobody will get more out of a visit than golfers, who can choose from four courses, including layouts by Rees Jones and his brother, Robert Trent Jones Jr.

WaterColor Inn & Resort: Located on the outskirts of the meticulously planned community of Seaside, the resort offers similarly distinct architecture in addition to an array of amenities and activities, including miles of beaches and access to the formerly private Shark's Tooth Golf Club, designed by Greg Norman.

WHERE TO EAT

Bud & Alley's: Sitting amid the dunes and overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, the Seaside eatery offers fresh seafood in a comfortable, laid-back setting that is a constant reminder of the scenery and slower pace of the Florida Panhandle.

Firefly: Located in Panama City Beach, the restaurant quickly has become one of the favorites in the area among both locals and visitors. There is an extensive wine list to complement any dish, whether you choose the steak or freshly caught seafood.

Seagar's: This classic steakhouse in Destin offers an elegant experience that complements the excellent food and drinks -- perfect for unwinding after a 36-hole day. In addition to the prime steaks, try the selection of caviar.

WHERE TO LIVE

Wild Heron: Part of the St. Joe Company, the community offers low-density living along scenic Lake Powell.