By Dave Theoret
With cooler weather about to descend on Ohio, Golfaholics may want to consider heading to the Florida’s Southeastern coast. Fort Lauderdale has 24 miles of white sandy beaches with sparkling turquoise water, palm trees gently swaying in the ocean breezes and a plethora of wonderful public golf courses.
Deer Creek Golf Club 
Deer Creek Golf Club is an upscale public golf facility with an 18-hole championship course designed by Toledo-native Arthur Hills. Known for its rolling landscape and the consistently fast putting surfaces, the course opened in 1971 and has hosted many prestigious professional and amateur golf tournaments
Deer Creek also has one of the best practice facilities in the area with a full-length driving range, putting green, sand traps, and chipping areas.
Colony West
Since opening in 1971, Colony West has been one of the most popular public access golf facilities in South Florida. Originally designed by Devlin and Von Hagge, the Championship Course opened for the Jackie Gleason Classic, now the Honda Classic, as a monstrous 7,553-yard, par-72 track.
Shortly after that first PGA Tour event, Jack Nicklaus and the Tournament Committee decided the course was too difficult for even tour pros. In all, 52 of the 137 bunkers were removed, the course was shortened, the nines were flipped and it was shrunk to a par 70, at 6,648-yards. In 2018, Colony West underwent another renovation to all 18 greens, and greenside bunkers.
The Clubhouse was replaced with a Fairfield Inn and Suites, scheduled to open this fall. An old cart barn became an 11,000-square-foot state-of-the-art clubhouse with banquet and meeting facilities for 250 people. A new restaurant, The View at Colony West, is open to the public. The pro shop has all of your favorite logoed apparel, as well as, everything you need for a great round of golf.
Greg Norman Signature Pines Course at Pompano Beach Municipal Golf Course
In 2013, the city of Pompano Beach hired Greg Norman to renovate the Pines course at Pompano Beach Municipal. Norman made the course more playable and enjoyable. The city is also involved in the development of a sub-surface irrigation system for greens, as well as, employing modern technology in other areas of the golf course. Next the city will begin to upgrade their second course, the Palms. After renovations are completed in 2025, the Pompano Beach Golf complex will rival any other public golf facility in the state.
Galuppi’s Restaurant
Galuppi’s Restaurant, located in the clubhouse of the Pompano Beach Golf Club, is one of the area’s best eateries, as well as, one of the most popular entertainment venues.
Live music is featured nightly, plus everything on the menu is delicious.
Oceanic at Pompano Beach Pier
For more great dining, while you are in Southeastern Florida, check out the Oceanic at Pompano Beach Pier. Oceanic offers indoor, as well as, outdoor seating with an ocean liner-inspired design that features an open interior with expansive and uninterrupted ocean views.
Riviera by Fabio Viviani
Riviera by Fabio Viviani is located in the Hotel Maren on A1A and is part of Hilton’s Curio Hotel Collection. The food is considered coastal Italian cuisine; to me, it was simply delicious, probably the best meal I have ever had in almost 20 years of writing about golf travel. The signature meatball appetizer (Polpetti Di Fabio) was incredible, the Salt Spring Mussels were plump and delectable and my wife’s Mishima Reserve Wagyu Steak was the best I’ve ever tasted. I’m surprised she let me have a bite! If you’re there for Sunday brunch be sure to try their new Tootsie Roll drink. It’s the perfect breakfast drink.
Cottages By the Ocean 
If you need a place to lay your head at night, I strongly suggest Cottages By The Ocean. Not only are they centrally located to several public-accessible golf courses, but they are only a block from the beach, restaurants and nightlife.
The 1940s-era cottages and one-bedroom bungalows offer full kitchens with range, refrigerator, microwave, a complete living room, and a king-size bed. They also provide guests with beach chairs, wakeboards, and beach toys. Owner Elaine Fitzgerald likes to greet each guest personally and can help with any information about area amenities.
For more information on golf in the Greater Fort Lauderdale area, go to www.visitlauderdale.com. You’ll find enough courses to keep you busy for your entire vacation and well into the next!
