Page 39 - October 2016
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PONTE VEDRA
GOLFER’S PARADISE
BEACH
Shaped by a mix of cultures ranging from early Spanish settlers in the 1500’s to invading golfers in the 1980’s, Ponte Vedra Beach has a rich and unique history. Ponce de Leon, a Spanish explorer best known for his pursuit
of the legendary “Fountain of Youth”, landed on what would later become Ponte Vedra Beach on April 2, 1513. Seeing no suitable harbor, he sailed south and landed where Don Pedro Menendez founded the nation’s oldest city of St. Augustine in 1565.
Ponte Vedra Beach is among the prettiest in Florida. Here seaside resorts and private escapes are crested in the twisted oaks and hammocks of wild palmettos. Miles of freshwater streams, creeks and lagoons course
through the natural environs accentuating the natural beauty of the beaches.
Just inland, some of the most prestigious and scenic golf courses
in the world attract professional tournaments including the PGA TOUR’S fifth major, THE PLAYERS Championship, with a 6 million dollar purse.
Ponte Vedra Beach, with its 135 professional caliber holes, is acclaimed as the Pebble Beach of the East Coast. The signature course, acclaimed “the seventh best resort course in America by Golf Digest”, is the 6,857-yard TPC at Sawgrass Stadium Course with its notoriously difficult island green, one of the “World’s Most Photographed Greens.
Once you’ve had your fill of golf, grab your racquet and play a few sets at one of the 44 professional caliber tennis courts in the area. The ATP Tour Headquarters tennis center is located here and has eleven courts emulating the surfaces of the Grand Slam tournaments, including red clay and fresh grass.
Other activities available nearby include sailing, wind surfing and jet-ski rentals for the more active vacationers. On nature walks, the careful eye may glimpse a loggerhead turtle or one of the 177 species of birds. Of course, elegant shopping and fine dining
are available throughout the area,
after a day filled with excitement and appreciation for the natural wonders of Ponte Vedra Beach.
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