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26 | FLORIDA HOMES MAGAZINE Twin Eagles, Naples Imagine a place that offers panoramic waterviews, set amidst breathtaking natural preserves, and you have just envisioned the extraordinary beauty of Waterlefe Golf & River Club. Developed along the Manatee River, Waterlefe offers upscale amenities with picturesque views and a championship golf course. The residential community at Waterlefe is made up of 621 residences comprised of condominiums, townhouses, and estate homes. Residents enjoy a wide variety of amenities including the River Club clubhouse, the hub of the community, featuring a casual restaurant, expansive pool, tiki bar, children's playground, fitness center and 59-slip marina offering boaters access to the Gulf of Mexico. The Naples Area Our tour of "Golf Heaven" starts at Calusa Pines, located in the R itz-Carlton area of Naples, a region placing seventh in Golf Digest's Januar y issue in the "Best Weather" categor y and fourth in Golf Link 's ranking of Golf Course Locations. Calusa Pines is recognized for more than great weather, however, as it is on Golf Digest's list of "Top Ten Best New Private Clubs." Designed and developed by architects Hurdzan and Fr y, Calusa Pines features dazzling vistas using native plant vegeta- tion and landforms. It is characterized as a "golfer's course," meaning you will never get tired of playing it. ere is incredible variety in the compass direction that each hole plays. Given a steady wind, nearly ever y hole will be affected differ- ently, making the wind more than just an interesting factor. For those who covet an opportunity to play a British Open-style course …firm and fast but without the thick thatch rough….Tiburón offers the ultimate occasion. Located at the luxurious R itz-Carlton Golf Resort in Naples, the Tiburón Golf Club is a public facility, certified as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuar y, with 36 championship holes designed by Greg Norman. Tiburón is the home of the PGA Tour and e Frank lin Templeton Shootout, held annually in December. Both courses at Tiburón, the Black and the Gold Course, are visual and environmental masterpieces known for their water and fast greens. Golfers enjoy the uniqueness of nice technical fair ways lined with pine straw instead of conventional rough, stacked sod wall bunkers, and red-orange coquina sand waste bunkers. A lso in the Naples area is Twin Eagles, where a classic countr y club lifestyle links with the ultimate golf experience. Here you will relish two championship courses, e Talon and e Eagle. e Talon Course, designed by legendar y Jack Nick laus and his son, is widely regarded as the top residential golf course in Southwest Florida. Classic Nick laus, it offers max imum enjoyment for players of all levels. e new Eagle Course there takes full advantage of Twin Eagle's Audubon Signature Sanctuar y seing. Designed by Steve Smyersand and Patrick A ndrews, it has a classic historical design but with modern yardages to accommodate today's high performance equipment. e course was designed to provide a dif- ferent experience each time it is played. In addition to playing in Naples, there are opportunities to "polish " your game. Twin Eagles is the home of "Doc" Jim Suie's Golf Academy. According to Jack Nick laus, Twin Eagles prides itself on "One of the finest practice facilities in the nation." Ready to tr y another course? e Dunes Golf Club in Sanibel offers a practice range and was designed by PGA tour winner Mark McCumber. e Dunes is noted for its exceptional condition- ing and playability. Since the course is located on an Audubon Society wildlife preser ve, you might first want to consider if the sight of an alligator or occasional osprey might throw off your game! Or, you could swing into Estero, near Fort Myers, and find another Jack Nick laus designed course, the elegant Old Corkscrew (actually a misnomer, since it is a newer course). Natural cart- paths take you around Old Corkscrew. e course is always moving , with a lot of hazards in the form of large, sandy waste areas, water carries, deep greenside bunkers and elevated greens that can be surprisingly fast. While you are in this area, Raptor Bay Golf Club, a course that blends in perfectly with the natural landscape of southwest Florida, can be found in Bonita Springs. A restful round of golf is offered here in a unique environment. Continued Bradenton, Florida | 941.744.9771 | WaterlefeGolf.com

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