After waking up on a pillow top mattress, I moseyed down the wooden floored halls until I reached the Savanna Room where a full buffet was displayed. Everything was hot and the staff did everything they could to make you feel at home. Of course shrimp and grits were in the near future but my tee time on the championship golf course was only 30 minutes away. The small 100 yard walk to the clubhouse would allow me to take in the big oak trees with Spanish moss dangling from each limb.

There are two courses at Plantation Golf Resort and Spa which set up for a great Florida golf vacation. The Championship par 72 golf course and the Lagoons 9 hole course. The flexibility to mix and match each 9 holes allows any player to create a challenge for their skill set. I could play the Championship golf course each and every day of my three night trip with the Lagoons 9 hole being a fun afternoon round. The Lagoons is where each hole is not determined by your driver but how well you can place your wedge from 70 yards and in. The Champion has a great mixture of bunker protected greens which demanded interesting shot making. This course has matured very well and the emerald pine and oak tree lined fairways allow you to have incredible risk rewards on each hole. The greens are multi-tiered so paying attention to pin placement will determine how you should enter each hole. Out of 27 holes, 21 water hazards come into play. I can personally tell you exactly where eight of them are and how GOING FOR IT was not the best option!

After a challenging golf round and being taught the proper pronunciation and use of the word "Y-all" from the very nice and attentive cart girl, it was time to relax with live music at the Plantation Tiki Bar. Other than very tasty wings and a cold drink, the pool seemed to be a local favorite place to get away. Plantation has a fantastic local presence where it is constantly promoting stay-cations for local families to easily get away. Food is the basis behind every southern style resort and if you have not had a fried catfish sandwich after a round of golf, "Y-all need to try one!"
 
There are a few other golf courses in the area which I had the opportunity to play while on my stay. The Plantation is only 45 minutes away from Tampa which would include golf courses such as Black Diamond Ranch, World Woods, El Diablo Golf Club, Southern Woods Golf Club, The Dunes Golf Club, and Pine Ridge Golf Club.

Before my trip to Plantation Golf Resort and Spa I had researched the property to find out what others had to say. It appeared any bad comments were made before the new management took place. From what I have seen, they have made many improvements and are offering top notch service with southern hospitality. Definitely a "hole in one".