Great golf is another reason why worldwide visitors choose the Daytona Beach area for vacation getaways.

This stretch of the Atlantic coast is lined with championship greens that are open to the public. The Daytona Beach area offers courses designed by Jack Nicklaus, Rees Jones, Arthur Hills, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Lloyd Clifton and Bill Amick. With an average annual temperature of 70.3 degrees Fahrenheit (21 degrees Celsius), the Daytona Beach area is the perfect spot for year-round golfing fun.

Daytona Beach is home to the international headquarters of the Ladies Professional Golf Association. In addition, professional and amateur golf tournaments are held at courses throughout the area on an annual basis such as the Women�s South Atlantic Amateur Golf Championship (The SALLY) and the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament.

Golf enthusiasts can plan their Daytona Beach getaway through Golf Daytona Beach, a promotional program coordinated by the Daytona Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau that packages golf courses and accommodations for added value and convenience to the traveler.

Area hotels and resorts participating in the promotional program are featured in the Golf Daytona Beach Travel Planner. Many of the packages offered by participating hotels include pre-arranged tee times, cart, green fees and a daily continental breakfast. Golf Daytona Beach hotels will customize packages to fit any budget or interest. Group packages are also available. Some of the participating courses include:

Crane Lakes Golf & Country Club � Located just off Interstate 95, Crane Lakes boasts 32 beautiful lakes filled with flowering aquatic vegetation. The pristinely manicured greens offer golfers a true test.

Cypress Knoll Golf Club � This course is 60 acres of narrow fairways and tight greens, wound through the beauty of natural wetlands preserve. For golfers who are not overawed by the challenge, Cypress Knoll is a thrilling reminder of how well a golf course can coexist with nature. The par-72 course is rated 71.6 from the blues tees, with a daunting slope of 130.

Daytona Beach Golf Club � Originally designed by Donald Ross in 1921, the Daytona Beach Golf Club is one of the area�s oldest golf facilities. Comprised of North and South courses, the golf club features complete practice facilities and a 10,000-foot putting green.

DeBary Golf and Country Club � This picturesque course was home to the 2001 U.S. Open qualifier. Designed by Lloyd Clifton, the DeBary Golf Club is surrounded by dense woods, reminiscent of the Carolinas. Rolling fairways and greens are consistent throughout this challenging course.

The Golf Club at Cypress Head � This 18-hole, championship course was designed by renowned course architects Arthur Hill and Mike Dasher. The course is versatile with widely spaced tee areas placed to allow the course play from under 4,900 yards to over 6,800 yards.

Hidden Lakes Golf Course At Fairgreen � This course has been continuously referred to as Florida's "Best Kept Secret" and a "True Gem.� Originally designed by Bill Amick and remodeled by Lloyd Clifton in 1995, this 18-hole golf course will test all skill levels. Practice facilities, lessons, a snack bar, banquet facilities and swimming pool are available to compliment your entire golf experience. Indigo Lakes -- Consistently ranked as one Florida�s top 10 courses by Golfweek magazine, this 18-hole, par 72 course was designed by Lloyd Clifton. The course features flat fairways, lots of water and large bunkered Bermuda greens. Indigo Lakes gained international recognition when it played host to the 1994 LPGA Sprint Championship Golf Tournament.

LPGA International -- The LPGA headquarters is the site of two courses. The original Champions Course was designed by Rees Jones, with fairway mounds and bunkers leading to rolling Bermuda greens. The Legends Course, designed by Arthur Hills, opened in October 1998. The par 72 course has been recognized as the nation's most "women-friendly" by Golf for Women magazine.

Mantanzas Woods Golf Club � Ranked among Florida's best and known affectionately as "A Beautiful Monster," this par-72 course has hosted PGA National Qualifying School Finals and North Florida PGA Mini Tour events.

Ocean Hammock Golf Club � Ocean Hammock is Florida's first oceanfront golf course since the 1920's. Designed by golf legend Jack Nicklaus, this pristine parcel of oceanfront property is set amidst the dunes and natural landscape of Florida's northeast coast. The acclaimed facility features more ocean play than any other course on the state's east coast. Six holes overlook the ocean, including a magnificent 468-yard, par 4 finishing hole. Lakes, dunes and forested terrain add to the challenge. Ocean Palm Golf Club � Located in Flagler Beach, this executive golf club was built in 1959 and redesigned in 1974 by Lloyd Clifton. Features a driving range and a pro-shop. Rental clubs are available.

Palm Harbor Golf Club � Designed by Bill Amick, this 6,580-yard, par-72, features 10 doglegs presided over by ancient and breathtaking live oaks. The meticulously manicured fairways, bordered by the slender trunks of sable palm trees, are even narrower than they appear, and call on Pelican Bay South Course � This Lloyd Clifton course in Daytona Beach has flat terrain and plenty of challenging lakes and canals. It features medium to wide fairways, Bermuda greens and an 18-hole par of 72.

Pine Lakes Golf Club � This popular golf club bears the indelible stamp of its designer, Arnold Palmer, featuring broad fairways, a multitude of white sand bunkers, and a generous supply of water.

River Bend Golf Club � This Lloyd Clifton course in Ormond Beach is set along the beautiful Tomoka River, with plenty of towering oaks and pines. With rolling fairways and bunkered Bermuda greens, only one hole has water. The eighth hole is known for being the longest par 5 in the Daytona Beach area -- 616 yards -- and the entire course is an 18-hole par 72.

Turnbull Bay Golf Course � Fifteen miles south of Daytona Beach in New Smyrna Beach, Turnbull Bay Golf Club, designed by PGA host Gary Wintz, is a challenge to all your skills. Magnificent pines and tropical palmettos frame the fairways, offering an exquisite balance of nature and sport.

Victoria Hills Golf Club � One of Central Florida�s newest and most breathtaking courses, Victoria Hills features five sets of tee markers and a fabulous state-of-the art practice facility.

To receive a Golf Daytona Beach Travel Planner call 386-255-0415, 1-800-881-7065 (toll free in the U.S. and Canada only), or visit www.golfdaytonabeach.com.

Other popular golf courses in the Daytona Beach area include: n Grand Haven Golf Club, Palm Coast. n Halifax Plantation, Ormond Beach. n Ocean's Golf & Racquet Club, Daytona Beach Shores. n Riviera Country Club, Ormond Beach. n Spruce Creek Country Club, Daytona Beach. n Tomoka Oaks Golf & Country Club, Ormond Beach.

For more information on all the fun things to see and do in the Daytona Beach area visit www.daytonabeach.com.

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Media Contact: Tangela Boyd +1 (386) 255-0415 tboyd@daytonabeachcvb.org