First Class Golfing in Daytona, Overview

Since the turn of the century, Daytona has had a fascination for speed. In 1902, industrialist upstart Ransom Olds, father of the Oldsmobile, is alleged to have challenged his friend Alexander Winton to a car race on the wide, hard-packed sand of Ormond Beach just north of Daytona Beach Shores. It ended in a tie, but the race captured the public's imagination, and the news spread quickly that Daytona was the place to be if you were into fast cars.

The 175-yard 4th (right) and the 356-yard 5th
on the Blue Course at Sugar Mill Other rich, young men came to Daytona to enjoy the good life and to chase the land speed record which seemed to rise with every passing week. As chronicled in the newspapers and newsreels of the day, they roared up and down the beach, stretching the limits of speed in their souped up roadsters, christened names like "The Bullet," "The Pirate," and "Bluebird V."

Those early, informal challenges along the shore marked the birth of stock car racing, now a hugely popular sport and a multi-billion dollar industry. The monument to that industry is the Daytona International Speedway, a leviathan of a stadium that dominates the landscape out by the airport near I-95. Here, thousands of spectators come not only to watch the Daytona 500, the most prestigious stock race in the world, but motor cycle, sports car and go-kart races.

Tired of watching the real thing, visitors can enjoy on the Speedway grounds Daytona USA, an interactive motor sports display that gives them the sensation of being in the race car right next to Dale Jarrett and Richard Petty. Not to be outdone by the NASCAR crowd, motorcyclists also have their day in the Daytona sun with two big weekends including Biketoberfest.

Greater Daytona consists of seven small cities including Port Orange, Holly Hill, Ormond Beach, Ormond-by-the-Sea, Daytona Beach Shores and Ponce Inlet. The Daytona Beach area lies on a narrow peninsula separated from the mainland by the Halifax River (Intracoastal Waterway). The 23-mile beach strip is densely populated with hotels and motels, eateries and the typical seashore breed of establishments like tee shirt shops. However, unlike other seaside destinations, such as Ocean City, MD, Daytona Beach has virtually no super high rises.

Sunset at Grand Haven With the exception of Port Orange, the growth between the ocean and I-95 (a distance of about 15 miles), has leveled off. But dramatic expansion continues along the interstate corridor, where you get the impression of unlimited wilderness acreage west of the interstate. Here, residential golf course communities are popping up like wild flowers in spring. Like many parts of Florida, the area is a hit with northerners, particularly New Yorkers who settle here in their retirement years.

While Daytona widely appeals to the tee shirt and beer crowd, who like to drive on the beach (cars are welcome, but stay in your lane), the area has something for the non-speeders as well - a large convention center for the coat, tie and laptop crowd; The Casements (Rockefeller's home) for Americana lovers; regular music festivals including the biennial Florida International Festival; great fishing; and a half dozen parks and wildlife refuges. Then there is the beach, a big hit with families with young children.

As for golf, greater Daytona offers some 20 public-access courses. A majority are in the golf course/residential communities and have that cloned, prefab look and feel. Many golfers will enjoy these, but if your time in Daytona is limited, savor the best daily-fee courses in the area. They include The Legends Course at LPGA International, Grand Haven at Palm Coast and Sugar Mill in New Smyrna Beach.

Daytona Golf

• Introduction to Daytona Golf
• The Legends and Champions Golf Courses at LPGA International
• Grand Haven at the Palm Coast Resort
• Sugar Mill Golf Course