Naples Grande GC

Naples, FL  (south of Fort Myers on the West Coast towards the southern tip of FL)

www.naplesgranderesort.com/resort_experience/golf.cfm

2000, Rees Jones
7078, 143
'02 Fees: $75-$175

T&L Golf Review: 4/5 stars

Although 3 miles inland, Naples Grande is filled with water hazards, not to mention nests of bunkers and tropical undergrowth. Rees Jones somehow managed to add to the mix a babbling brook, two cliffside greens, a number of raised tees, and other more subtle elevation changes that give the course a Carolina feel.

Golf Digest Review, 12/03:

Land in Naples is basically flat, but Rees Jones knows how to move dirt, put contours in greens and use his surroundings as well as anyone. The centerpiece of the 250-acre site is a 30-acre lake that Jones featured on his signature hole, the par-5 16th. With the green sitting 20 feet above the water, it makes for a white-knuckle approach. What's smart is that Jones designed the course to be progressively more difficult, allowing the resort golfer time to get the feel of his or her game. There shouldn't be any morale-killing big numbers on the card early.

Like Huizenga's Floridian Golf & Yacht Club, there are no homes or condos on the course—a feature almost unheard of in resort golf. The amenities include a Tom Patri Golf School and two first-rate hotels.

Best Bar Nearby: The sidewalks roll up early in this quiet, posh Gulf Coast enclave of old money. Per T&L, hit McCabe's Irish Pub & Grill (941-403-7170, 5th Ave S) offering Guiness on tap and hearty pub fare. For water views, both Ridgway Bar & Grill (941-262-5500, 13th Ave S) or Maxwell's On The Bay (941-263-1662) are worth a shot.

Where To Grub: If you're on the corporate Amex, find a "client" to drag to Zoe's (941-403-0083, 5th Ave S) for American luxury cuisine (beluga caviar, quail, and the like) and live music weekends.

Where To Stay: Per T&L Golf, guests of the elegant Edgewater Beach Hotel & Club (800-821-0196, Old Naples) enjoy ocean views, equally classy surroundings and service, and access to Naples Grande GC.  Golf Digest says: Huizenga recently pumped $21 million into the on-site Registry, though if you have a family or a foursome that wants to bond at night, the Edgewater Beach features 126 suites with full kitchens.