| Orlando, Florida is more and more | | | | golf enthusiast, you can play a round |
| becoming a mecca for vacationers. There | | | | each day at a different course for, oh, |
| are many reasons for this, and one I | | | | say about 5 straight months, since |
| want to explore now is the sporting or | | | | Orlando has about 150 golf courses with |
| active side of the Orlando holiday. Now, | | | | all of them reputed to be essentially |
| talking to a friend recently about | | | | world class facilities. Some resorts are |
| sporting holidays I almost didn't bring | | | | just for golf. ChampionsGate Golf Club, |
| up Orlando's numerous sporting | | | | for example, provides two 18-hole |
| attractions. He was talking about going | | | | championship golf courses, said to be |
| hiking in the Rockies for a week or two. | | | | among the best in the US. The resort |
| And he also mentioned distance bicycling | | | | hosts several tournaments including the |
| holidays as a great way to spend the | | | | popular World Points Father/Son |
| summer (and he meant the whole summer, | | | | Challenge. But if you're not up to |
| not just a short holiday!). Marathon | | | | championship play yet, most courses have |
| running? Sure, why not. (Although even | | | | professional coaches to help you improve |
| he agreed that running a marathon is not | | | | your game. The city even has six golf |
| exactly a holiday. But he did insist | | | | instruction academies that use |
| that when you travel to a city to run a | | | | personalized teaching methods and state |
| marathon you get to visit great cities | | | | of the art equipment. And if you want a |
| that you may have never otherwise seen.) | | | | change of pace from big time (and big |
| Orlando's active side can include such | | | | course) golf, many resorts here also |
| intense activities, but for the family, | | | | feature miniature golf courses. For |
| or for anyone who wants activity but | | | | example, one new adventure style |
| doesn't want to feel they're in training | | | | miniature golf course is designed as a |
| for the Olympics, it can be ideal. One | | | | Hawaiian oasis. Fire and lava pour from |
| famous active attraction is Boggy Creek | | | | a fifty-foot volcano. Hawaiian Rumble |
| Airboat Rides. Started by a couple in | | | | Adventure Golf attracts people with |
| 1994, it's blossomed into one of | | | | their rhythmic music and sophisticated |
| Orlando's top 10 attractions, according | | | | design. Holes range from beginner to |
| to the Orlando Business Journal. They | | | | advanced, and are thematically designed. |
| offer high speed airboat rides on Lake | | | | There's also the Congo River Adventure |
| Tohopekaliga (or "Sleeping Tiger Lake") | | | | Golf course where you can take the whole |
| a 12,000 acre lake where you can board a | | | | family high atop giant waterfalls and |
| 6-passenger or 18-passenger boat and | | | | rocky summits or deep down to mysterious |
| really take off on that lake. Like up to | | | | caves. You mean you've never golfed your |
| 65 mph. That may not seem so fast on the | | | | way through tropical rainforests, |
| highway, but in an airboat it can thrill | | | | jumping over river rapids, and |
| you or chill you (both, actually, if you | | | | thoroughly enjoying yourself regardless |
| go out early in the morning). Speeding | | | | of how high your score is? Well, maybe |
| along on the lake you can glimpse a wide | | | | then Orlando is the place to golf (or |
| variety of its wetland birds, such as | | | | mini-golf) like you've never dreamt of. |
| bald eagles, cranes, egrets and ospreys. | | | | There's much more to the sporty side of |
| Which brings up an important point: the | | | | Orlando than this, but for golf |
| airboats virtually float on the water so | | | | enthusiasts, maybe I've said enough and |
| they are less invasive to the lakes | | | | I should just let you make your |
| plant and wildlife inhabitants than | | | | reservations for this grand, beautiful |
| regular propeller driven boats. For | | | | city. |
| something a bit more mundane, how about | | | | Mark Whichard is an Orlando Vacation |
| a round of golf? Or if you are really a | | | | Homes expert. |