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The Legacy Club at Alaqua Lakes
Majesty, Calm and Style
Courtesy of GolfOrlando Magazine
 The Legacy Club at Alaqua Lakes - a 7,160-yard Tom Fazio masterpiece rated 4-1/2 Stars by Golf Digest - opened in September 1998 and has been a popular golfer's destination ever since. Carved around a dense forest of lush, mature trees with spectacular topography including dramatic slopes, rises and knolls unusual for Florida, this semi-private course is called by Fazio "One of his Best," and is without a doubt a must-play.
Conveniently located only 15 minutes north of downtown Orlando, just off I-4 in Longwood, The Legacy Club at Alaqua Lakes will challenge golfers of all levels, offering breathtaking beauty, exceptional service and superior course conditions. Additionally, ParView GPS systems are found on every cart, and the practice range includes Practice Caddie yardage systems for the most accurate golf experience around.
As the back of the property sits not far from the banks of the Wekiva River and its surrounding protected basin, a four-hour safari through 18 holes can include chance meetings with wild turkeys, foxes, black bears, soaring hawks and plenty of deer. The course was built with such wildlife in mind, and attention to the smallest detail in being environmentally sensitive led to The Legacy Club being named one of 27 courses worldwide honored with inclusion in the Audubon International Signature Cooperative Sanctuary Program.
Indeed, the course exudes majesty, a sense of calm and style. Fazio has created a splendid golf course out of 328 acres of wetlands and wilderness. And the golf is fair.
"There are no forced carries and lots of room off the tee," says Ron Parris, the club's General Manager. "No trick shots complicate your game." The lengthy, 74.5-rated course sets-up well for golfers of all abilities, as there is ample landing areas off the tee - the challenge lies in hitting approach shots close enough to the pins to maximize the delicate exams that await on the putting green. The putting surfaces are large, fast and feature plenty of undulations; rare is the golfer who sees many straight putts in a round at The Legacy Club.
"If you're going to score well, you have to keep your ball on the correct side of the hole," Parris notes. "We get a lot of PGA Tour players who come out here, and I think the main attraction is our greens, which are similar to what they see week-to-week on the Tour." The course record 64 is in fact shared by PGA Tour players John Cook and by Chris DiMarco, who plays The Legacy Club regularly.
 With more than 100 large sandy-white bunkers covering the course and water hazards gracing half the holes, it's difficult to pick a signature hole at The Legacy Club, because there are so many good ones from which to choose. The fifth hole measures 469 from the back, with big bunkers lining the right side of the fairway. On the back nine, the 433-yard 10th dips into a valley then climbs to an uphill green that features a false front.
The best may be saved for last: The 18th hole is a memorable 404-yard uphill par 4 with a premium on shotmaking. With a large body of water taunting the weaker ones off the tee, big hitters really have to thread the needle, as trees along the right side of the fairway can block-out an approach to the green. Once negotiated, a difficult approach to an almost blind green - one of the course's most difficult putting surfaces - awaits you as the shot comes out of the valley and trees into an unknown wind. Par or better here is a gift, but a nonetheless fitting end to a great golf experience.
Along with a 4-1/2 star rating by Golf Digest's 2002-2003 "Places to Play," since its inception The Legacy Club at Alaqua Lakes has been a host course for the U.S. Men's Open Qualifier, U.S. Women's Amateur Qualifier, and U.S. Men's Mid-Amateur Qualifier, was voted as the 2000 NGCOA Golf Course of the Year, and was named "An All Star" in Golf For Women Magazine's 2001 Top 100 Fairways. Additionally, The Legacy Club was chosen as the host of Buick's recent "Tiger Trap" TV commercial, where Tiger Woods surprises average golfers during their round to challenge them to a closest-to-the-pin contest on a Par 3, the winning amateur in each group walking away with a new Buick. Throw-in the fact that the course is surrounded by one of the most beautiful housing communities in the area, and The Legacy Club at Alaqua Lakes is a rare combination you won't want to miss.
"Tom Fazio and Mother Nature have created a golfing experience you will never forget," Parris concludes. "Tour-like, pristine course conditions and unparalleled customer service will keep you coming back for more."
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For more information, reservations or tee times, please call toll free, 866-342-4782
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