Courses, Travel & Tee Times

The honeymoon is over, but golfers still love the Country Club of Miami

Some at the Country Club of Miami believe the ghost of Jackie Gleason, the late comedian who moved to Miami back in the 1950s, haunts the clubhouse and the course. While Gleason's presence is ever present, the club has plenty of other claims to fame, including two fine Robert Trent Jones-designed golf courses. This place gives golfers a real sense of belonging, Mike Bailey writes.

Palmetto Golf Club in Miami: A place for golfers to call home

Nobody will confuse Palmetto Golf Club with the Blue Monster or even Crandon Park. But what you do get at Palmetto is a sense of welcome and belonging. It continues throughout the course and into the grill, where they make a heck of a burger or Mahi-Mahi sandwich and freely discuss the coaching moves, trades and happenings in the world of sports. In between, there's 18 holes of golf; the majority of which are good tests with water features, forced carries and a number of large, white-sand bunkers.

From Miami to Fort Lauderdale, diverse designs dominate south Florida golf menu

Donald Ross, Robert Trent Jones Sr., Joe Lee, Bobby Weed and other architects designed a wide array of golf courses in south Florida that have stood the test of time. Distinguishing its layouts from ones in other parts of the peninsula are the mature trees, towering palms, tropical foliage and lakes that give the courses a sense of place and history. The menu in the Miami and Fort Lauderdale area is an eclectic one offering golfers of all skill levels great places to tee up.

Beyond the Bear Trap: Get to know PGA National Resort & Spa

Much focus will be paid to the infamous stretch of holes named the "Bear Trap" at PGA National's Champion Course. But the resort offers so much more, beginning with four other golf courses.

Doral Golf Resort & Spa: A Miami legend turns 50 in 2012

Few courses have hosted the pros longer than Doral Golf Resort & Spa's storied TPC Blue Monster. The iconic Miami resort celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2012. Doral looks better than it has in years. There's a commitment to top conditioning year-round at all five courses, not just tournament week on the Blue Monster, and a $16 million renovation added elements previously missing, and upgraded others. Doral isn't getting any younger, but she sure doesn't look like an old maid.