Ed Schmidt
Contributor
Ed Schmidt, publisher of The Golf Travel Guru Blog, is the author of two books on Florida golf and more than 2,500 articles and columns on golf resorts, courses and destinations around the world. Follow Ed on Twitter at @golftravelguy.
Recent articles
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July 18, 2016
If you're seeking a base for a northern Michigan golf excursion, Petoskey is a superb choice. Courses dot the engaging terrain, and there's lots to do for non-golfers as well.
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March 8, 2016
The Sunshine State has more than 1,300 courses, so chances are you may have overlooked a few gems. Veteran Florida golf writer Ed Schmidt offers up 10 exceptional under-publicized courses to consider, from the Panhandle to Palm Beach County.
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February 29, 2016
Shorter golf courses are more conducive to development and provide a setting that helps boost confidence. Here are 10 of Florida's best for youngsters and beginners.
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February 8, 2016
Designed by Tripp Davis and Tom Lehman, the new Trilogy Golf Club can be played in a variety of ways, from a six-hole, par 24 to an 18-hole, par 72.
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December 1, 2015
The next best thing to a city dotted with golf courses is one with a great selection of craft beer breweries and brewpubs. Here are the 10 best.
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January 21, 2015
To those who've never been there, Florida can seem like a homogeneous peninsula dotted with palm trees and golf courses. Fact is, there are distinct differences, especially when you compare the Southeast and Southwest.
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December 15, 2014
There are some private golf courses in Naples, Florida, that the public has access to play. Check them out.
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November 11, 2014
There are several excellent golf courses in the Orlando area where you can immerse in the private club experience. These bastions of well conditioned courses and top-notch service welcome non-member play at a less-hurried pace.
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September 17, 2014
During fall, football is king in Florida. Before or after the games, there's golf to be played. Luckily, there are some excellent courses situated near some of the state's college football havens.
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September 5, 2014
Florida has some of the best beaches in the U.S., and there are some excellent golf courses located next to the Sunshine State's top-rated beaches.
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May 14, 2014
Located 17 miles south of Naples, Florida, Marco Island has six miles of beach and more than 100 miles of waterways. The laid-back, island lifestyle encompasses strolling on the pristine beaches, nightly sunset-watching parties, dolphin watching, and playing golf.
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April 30, 2014
So you're facing that familiar travel dilemma: You're on a strict budget, but you still want to play some of Tampa's best golf courses, right? Fact is, the area has a great line-up of courses with green fees less than $45, and several are cheaper than that even during the busy winter.
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March 27, 2014
There's no shortage of great golf courses in the Florida Panhandle, including designs by Tom Fazio, Rees Jones, Greg Norman, Fred Couples and others. And after the round there's a great lineup of waterfront restaurants, crab shacks and oyster bars to cap your day. Ed Schmidt has more on this winning combination along the Gulf Coast.
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March 10, 2014
When urban stress gets you down or you just want a getaway to a laid-back Old Florida setting, it's time to tee up near one of the Sunshine State's engaging historic small towns. After a round, you can stroll the quaint streets, view the sights and enjoy lunch or dinner at a friendly, locally owned restaurant.
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February 28, 2014
Harbour Town Golf Links is on everyone's must-play list on Hilton Head Island thanks to the PGA Tour event at Harbour Town every April, the RBC Heritage. Somewhat less familiar, however, are the wide variety of golf courses on the island and the nearby communities of Bluffton, Beaufort and Savannah. Ed Schmidt offers up some suggestions to accommodate any budget.
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February 21, 2014
No matter the level of your golf game, you'll enjoy testing your skills on the excellent lineup of golf courses in the Tampa, Fla. area that serve as sites for professional tournaments, U.S. Open qualifiers and collegiate matches. Ed Schmidt looks at Tampa's finest, which are superb designs with multiple tee placements and consistent maintenance standards.
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February 18, 2014
If you play golf in the Tampa/St. Pete area, you're rewarded with amazing land diversity encompassing everything from abandoned rock quarries to pine-dotted, North Carolina-style terrain and quintessential palm and palmetto-studded terrain. For those who've never visited the area, however, it's sometimes befuddling to get around as you navigate long bridges over bays and state and county roads that lead to smaller towns with great golf courses.
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February 17, 2014
What could be better than a golf getaway in Florida? How about golf and a cruise. The Sunshine State's major cruise ports are situated near a superb selection of golf courses, making it easy and convenient to fit in a round or two before or after a sailing. Veteran Florida golf writer Ed Schmidt offers up some suggestions.
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February 11, 2014
Tampa has an impressive line-up of stay-and-play options with golf courses sporting designer labels such as Arnold Palmer, Tom Fazio and Tom Lehman. Veteran Florida golf writer Ed Schmidt offers up some of his favorites.
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February 11, 2014
While golfers understandably flock to courses in Florida designed by architecture icons such as Dye, Fazio and Nicklaus, the Sunshine State also has impressive layouts by lesser known designers. If you've never played a course designed by architects such as John Sanford, Mike Dasher, Gordon Lewis, Gary Koch and Bill Amick, you haven't fully experienced great Florida golf. Luckily, courses by unfamiliar designers are located in different parts of the state so you don't have to travel far regardless of where you are.
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February 11, 2014
If you want to play a Jack Nicklaus-designed course on Hilton Head Island, there is only one with public access: Golden Bear Golf Club at Indigo Run. It's not only a challenging layout from the back tees, but it's also a friendly design for women, juniors and seniors with six sets of tees. Tucked within the beautiful tree-laden Indigo Run residential community, away from the maddening crowds, the course has something for everyone.
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February 11, 2014
Towering pine trees that look more North Carolina than Florida and elevation changes that look more north Georgia than north Tampa are just a couple of elements that make some of Tampa's courses among the more unique in the Sunshine State. The combination of diverse topography and innovative course designers resulted in an engaging menu of special, one-of-a-kind layouts. The eclectic group of golf architects responsible for these courses include Tom Lehman, Bobby Weed, Chi Chi Rodriguez, Donald Ross, Tom Bendelow, Chip Powell, Larry Packard and John Sanford.
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February 11, 2014
Blessed with natural features like marsh and wetlands, ancient oak trees dripping with Spanish moss, tall pine and palm trees, sometimes rolling terrain and pristine lakes, the Tampa/St. Petersburg, Florida area is home to a sizeable menu of picturesque golf courses. You'll get some great shots with your clubs and your camera, Ed Schmidt writes.
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May 29, 2013
While golfers flock to Florida for sun-splashed fairways, most tourists and family members who don't play golf are attracted by the state's world-class theme parks. Fortunately for the dedicated golfer, there is a lengthy menu of excellent golf courses to play just minutes from Florida's most popular theme parks. Ed Schmidt has more.
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October 2, 2012
The master planners of Grande Lakes Orlando Resort made a concerted effort to include every type of recreational amenity imaginable: a Greg Norman-designed signature golf course, an expansive Lazy River Pool swim complex, lighted tennis courts and more. Set on 500 acres about a five-minute drive from SeaWorld Orlando, Grande Lakes Orlando encompasses two hotels, a 40,000-square-foot spa, 6,000-square-foot Wellness Center and 13 restaurants and lounges.