Play golf like a prince on a pauper's budget

By Carrie Schwantner
Special to the Naples Daily News

June 8th, 2004

Is it possible to play three of Naples’ better golf courses without draining your bank account? Sure.

Inspired by Food Network’s “$40 a day” where the host searches for three gourmet meals at luxurious destinations on a $40 budget, I went in search of three great rounds of golf with only my clubs and $100 in my pocket.

Leading off is the Rookery at Marco, which offers a balance of first-class golf and pristine nature views.

“If you think about when the course opened in 1991 we were literally carved into the Everglades, we were very remote, so any animal you can see in the Everglades, you can see here,” said Chris Major, director of golf.

Being a part of the Marco Island Marriott Resort, the Rookery provides a complete resort experience.

“From the time you pull in to the time you leave we feel you have an unsurpassed golf experience, we are a hospitality company with all the service, training, standards who happen to be operating golf,” said Major.

The Rookery at Marco is set up so players of all abilities can confidently play the course.

“We have five sets of tee boxes so depending on your level of play you can choose which golf course you want to play and the shorter the course the easier the experience.” Said Major, “So it really affords a very broad range of players to come in and have a great time.”

The signature hole at the Rookery is number 16, a par three over the water that plays between 108 and 159 yards from the back tee.

“In my opinion it is one of the most picturesque holes on the course, although short in length it requires a precise tee shot to clear the water and again because of its setting and playability it has the feel of a signature hole.” Said Major “It’s similar to the 17th hole on TCP Sawgrass.”

With a friendly greeting and help with our clubs to being handed a cold cloth on a hot day as we finished our round, this experience only cost $35. We still have $65 in our budget to go.

Our next stop is in East Naples, inside the residential Lely Resort Community. Here you’ll find the Lely Flamingo Island course. Flamingo Island is one of three courses in Lely.

“Between the Flamingo and the Mustang, in Golf Digest ‘places to play’, which is actually done by the readers that come out and play and vote, we have received 4 and a half stars out of five the last two years,” said David Witt, Lely’s director of golf.

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Lely Flamingo Island was designed to be challenging yet enjoyable by renowned golf course designer Robert Trent Jones Sr.

“The Flamingo is more demanding if you want to play a more challenging golf course; strategically placed bunkers, to the elevated greens to the undulation to the greens.” Said Witt, “It’s a fun golf course to play even though it is difficult.”

Flamingo Island’s signature hole, like Rookery’s, is a par three over water.

"It's a peninsula green over the water," said Marc Canady, Lely Tournament Director. "[The hole] plays about 215 from the tip."

This round cost us the afternoon rate of $35, leaving us with only $30 for our last selection.

A quick trip up U.S. 41 brought us to the heart of Naples and the Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club. The layout is the oldest course in Naples, built in the 1920s.

Some of Golf’s most well known pros have played this course.
“Jack Nicklaus as a kid broke 40 for the first time,” said Head Golf Professional Larry Gantzer.

This course is the host of numerous tournaments including the 2002 and 2003 Women’s U.S. Open Qualifier, the International Junior Golf Classic and the South Florida PGA Sectional Championship. Additionally this course has hosted corporate tournaments for ESPN and the NFL.

Voted best public course by the readers of the Naples Daily News, the course grows all its plants and has an intricate orchid collection.

“We have one of the largest orchid collections in Southwest Florida. Out on the golf course we have a high orchid greenhouse.” Said Gantzer, “We have some exotic trees and exotic plants out on the golf course, there’s a tree out there called a Silk Foss Tree, we have Ponytail Palms.

“For the person that wants to enjoy Old Florida, so to speak, they want to play at the Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club.”

With Banyan Trees, some over 100 years old, lining many of the fairways, golfers don’t need to waste their time searching for stray balls.

“When you hit your ball off to the left, you’re going to find your ball. You don’t have to worry about Palmetto Bushes and environmentally protected land.” Said Gantzer.

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Steps away from the Gulf of Mexico, the Gulf breeze helps. An afternoon round at this course will set us back another $35 putting us slightly over budget by the cost of a cold margarita.
Speaking of which, golfers can catch the sunset from the resort’s Sunset Beach Bar.

After going slightly over budget and borrowing five bucks from our golfing buddy, we played 54 holes of great golf, enjoying the same fairways and greens as Robert Trent Jones Sr. and Jack Nicklaus. Not bad for $105.

Course Information and Tee Times:

The Rookery at Marco
(239) 793-6060
www.rookeryatmarco.com
E-Mail: chris.major@marriott.com

Lely Flamingo Island
(239) 793-2223
www.lely-resort.com

Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club
(239) 435-2475
www.naplesbeachhotel.com