A great blue heron was standing five yards in front of me as I prepared to tee off on #3 of the Osprey 9 on Raptor Bay in Bonita Springs. I took a practice swing, but it barely moved. I aimed a bit right to avoid hitting it and pulled the trigger. At the crack of the clubhead against the ball, the magnificent bird took wing and seemed to float to the other side of the pond. Never did it seem to be in a hurry.
Hold 14 at Old Corkscrew
It's best not to be in a hurry when you play golf in southwest Florida. There's much to see, including the ubiquitous wildlife which you can almost reach out and touch. Birdies are aplenty, too, on dozens of courses in Lee and Collier counties, which encompass Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, Estero, Naples and points south including Marco Island. Designed by the best architects in the business, many of these courses are private but are accessible through the area's golf resorts during the off season (May - September) when rates go down by a third or more.
Southwest Florida is an attractive alternative to the more hurried, congested destinations in Florida. The atmosphere here is accented by the turquoise waters of the Gulf and the beaches of soft sand that is ideal for resting, strolling, shell collecting and watching pods of dolphins and manatees cavorting in the water. Protected by environmental regulations, nature preserves, including the lush coastal mangrove forests abound in the area and provide habitat for a wide assortment of wildlife. To see these areas up close try a boat tour or rent a kayak.
Sailing and deep sea fishing for tarpon and snapper are among other activities travelers to southwest Florida can enjoy. Also, there are top restaurants, the symphony in Naples, botanical gardens, several zoos, tours of the Everglades, and shopping in boutiques or in the many strip malls that line route 41, one of two major north-south highways (the other is I-75) between Fort Myers and Naples.
Speaking of Naples, this city was once just a quiet beachfront community of attractive homes with manicured lawns on clean quiet streets. Many of these homes in this historic part of Naples were owned by northerners, mostly retirees, who came down to escape the winter cold. Until the 1970s, there were few golf courses here.
Today, Naples is a growing metropolis whose suburbs are spreading eastward in a wave of construction. Such construction has put pressure on the network of roads some of which are being widened to accommodate the dramatic influx of visitors and new residents. Historic Naples has, nevertheless, retained its small village charm, particularly on and around 5th Avenue, a tree-lined pedestrian-friendly boulevard of gift shops, cafes and other assorted boutiques.
Once the secret got out that southwest Florida was a desirable place to live or vacation, its transformation into a golf and vacation Mecca was just a matter of time. The area is among the top golf vacation destinations in the US, boasting some of the best courses in the state. Some of these courses are connected to resorts with top hospitality brand names.
In March of this year, I stayed at three outstanding resorts all of which I can recommend: the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa in Bonita Springs and the Ritz Carlton Golf Resort and Greenlinks, both in Naples. 
Naples Area Golf
