Orlando. There’s a comforting predictability about this word when it rolls off the tongue …go ahead, try it. Orrrlllando. And despite the traffic, the tolls, the confounding roads, the lines and the inexplicable urge to buy a timeshare, one can’t suppress feeling the “holiday” tingle as familiar landmarks like International Drive, Sea World and Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede grow larger through the windshield, be you from Fort Wayne or Fort Myers.

On a national level, battles for vacation destination supremacy wage in full force and on multiple fronts; social, economic and geographic. And yet, despite a number of imposing roadblocks, greater Orlando has realized a remarkable re-investment back into hospitality assets and infrastructure these past five years plus since 9/11. Existing old favorite properties such as Disney’s Contemporary and Polynesian hotels are wrapping up major renovations, and the Hard Rock Hotel at Universal is upgrading 650 guest rooms and suites to include 32-inch flat panel televisions and MP3 landing stations that connect to an in-room stereo system. At the same time, mega real estate developers like Bobby Ginn are erecting “beyond impressive” golf communities, notably Reunion, where really good golf is the nucleus.

Owned and operated by Rosen Hotels & Resorts, Shingle Creek Resort is the newest entrant into the emerging segment of everythingunder-the-sun über-properties in Orlando, most of which claim to offer many of the same things: valet this, concierge that, championship golf, luxury meeting space, world class spa, gourmet dining, ect. The only problem is that not all of them seem to actually have and/or execute much of it. Shingle Creek, for the most part, appears to be one that does. And I say “for the most part” only because my dining experience there has been limited to a Cuban sandwich (it was tasty).

The first remarkable attribute attributed to the property is its location. Built a mile away and on the same road as the Orange County Convention Center, Shingle Creek sits on 230 acres of prime Orlando real estate. And it’s a monster. Often promoted as a “convention resort”, it offers an astounding 445,000 square feet of dedicated meeting space – including a 95,000-square-foot column-free ballroom, one of the nation’s largest. The total area is only 50,000 square feet less that the main convention center in Atlantic City, New Jersey. But don’t let the size frighten you; Shingle Creek is a gentle giant. Butting up against its namesake and headwater to the Everglades as it does – the actual Shingle Creek – you’ll soon forget just how close you are to all the monkey and “mouse” business that Orlando is so famous for.

An impressive example of the Spanish Revival-style architecture of the early 1900s, the resort’s high-carved arches and tasteful appointments give off a much softer feel than one would expect. Despite having 1,500 guest rooms and suites to look after, the staff also seems quite well trained, engaging and genuinely helpful without being over the top. Once settled in, should you care to partake, the activity and amenity menu options are plentiful. In addition to the Creek’s 10 restaurants and bars, it offers a full-service, 13,000-squarefoot spa with nine treatment rooms, a state-of-the-art fitness center, four outdoor swimming pools, two lighted tennis courts, a basketball court, seasonal canoe trips, nature trails, fishing, a sand volleyball court, a horseshoe pit, tether ball kayaking, jogging trails, and a wide variety of activities for young children.

One amenity that I definitely par-took of was the golf. And what I found during an enjoyable afternoon round was that the Dave Harmon-designed layout at Shingle Creek is sneaky good and surprisingly long. As enormous as the structure is, you wouldn’t think that there’d be room for much of a golf course. But there is. Stretching out to 7,213 yards from the back tees, the course is built like an arch (think: Volkswagon commercial) surrounding the buildings like a green moat. Where the design team couldn’t build out, they built up. A good deal of dirt was moved to create the undulating fairways and mounding elements. With the natural backdrop of dense oaks and pines along interconnecting waterways, you frequently get a sense on some shots that you are deep in the Carolina countryside. If you feel like you are getting lost just look over your shoulder and you’ll see that the “mother ship” is never much more than a driver a way, which is good. Also good is the fact that a domestic beer is only $3.25.

One of my favorite holes on the front nine at Shingle Creek is the par-three 5th. Not only is this hole stunning to look at, it can stun your body if you play it from the 220-plus-yard championship tee. However, the thing that makes this hole a bit less threatening is the sight of the top of the Orange County Convention Center. Which means, thankfully, that you aren’t there but here at Shingle Creek.

A hole on the back nine that also stands out is the 489-yard, par-five 16th. Framed nicely by nature, the 16th plays directly away from the resort and is the shortest of the four par-fives by 51 yards. A slight dogleg to the right, the hole is guarded down most of the right side but offers up a fairway nearly 45 yards wide. So grip, rip and tip. (Tip? Why, whatever does he mean?) Tip you hat, that is, or whatever is on your head, to the maintenance crew that’s housed on the left side of this hole. For as much play as it gets, the course at Shingle Creek has been in excellent shape the two times I’ve teed it up there. And that’s just another good reason to consider visiting the beautiful new Shingle Creek Resort whenever you’re heading to Orlando.

Shingle Creek Resort is only ten minutes from the Orlando International Airport and less than an hour from the Atlantic Ocean. For more information, please visit RosenShingleCreek.com.

UP ANOTHER CREK
Eagle Creek Golf Club Is Worth Paddling Into

Also located only 10 minutes from Orlando’s International Airport is Eagle Creek Golf Club. You’ll find this Ron Garl design just off HWY 417 to the southeast. What started as farmland has evolved into a unique mix of holes that feature a good amount of water, mounding and waste areas.

Garl and his team didn’t, however, simply dig a few drainage ponds and throw down some sand. Each of the holes set up very nicely and the attention to detail is impressive. The same is true for the comfortably spectacular 14,000-square-foot, twostory clubhouse. It’s the kind of place that beckons for one more. You won’t mind if you do. For more information on Eagle Creek Golf Club or to book your tee time, please call 866-324-5342 or visit www.eaglecreekgolf.info.

Walt Disney Workout
Expanded Sports Offerings Put You in the Lineup

There’s a great deal more to the mighty Magic Kingdom than the previous generation had at their “wand-tip”. In fact, it has grown by courts, fields, tracks and courses – and all the games people play on them. The anchor to this premier sports destination is Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex. A state-of-the-art sports facility spans approximately 200 acres sporting enough diamonds, courts, hardwoods and fields for more than 30 different sports. It’s home to the Atlanta Braves during Spring Training, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ during NFL training camp and the Pop Warner Super Bowl.

Resorts guests can get in the action too. The Richard Petty Driving Experience takes fans out of the grandstand and puts them behind the wheel or into the passenger seat of a stock car for a thrill at speeds up to 145 miles per hour. Guests can also get geared up to play the five 18-hole championship course courses designed by the likes of Pete Dye, Tom Fazio and Joe Lee. And when you aren’t on the motor course or golf course you could be bass fishing, wakeboarding, parasailing, waterskiing or just about any other sport-0related “ing” you can think of. For more active options, visit www.disneyworldsports.com.

OUT OF THIS WORLD … WOODS
It’s well worth the journey

The way people speak of World Woods, and many of them do, you would think that it is closer to Orlando than it actually is. The fact is, Brooksville FL, isn’t close to much of anything. At nearly two hours northwest of the Magic City you’ll begin to wonder: Will we be found? And then you find it and the message is clear…World Woods is so good that you’ll forget the drive.

World Woods is pure golf. While the clubhouse and “appointments” have the feel of 10-yeartemporary, the license plates and bag tags prove that this is a players’ paradise and they come from near and far…again and again. The 1,100-acre complex was established in 1993 and hasn’t stopped receiving awards since. It’s made up of two Tom Fazio courses — Pine Barrens and Rolling Oaks — and a monster practice area comprised of a Fazio designed executive course, three practice holes and two-acre putting course. There’s not a house in sight.

Never have I seen two courses so good, yet so different built at the exact same time right next to each other. Pine Barrens is a visually stunning Pine Valleyesque blend of native terrain, elevation changes and expansive wild waste bunkering all framed by countless pine trees. The Rolling Oaks Course, on the other hand, is a traditionalist dream. These big bold beautiful rolling holes are dotted with ancient giant oaks draped with Spanish moss. The bunkers are well defined and filled with bleached white sand.

April through December playing these courses is a steal. But even at peakest of peak, these are some of the best courses you can play and, comparatively, they are a terrific value. A round on both courses January to March—weekend or holiday— won’t top $200. Try to negotiate that at Doral. For more information on or to book passage to World Woods, please visit www.worldwoods.com.