Course to Test State’s Finest During Prestigious Championship
(DELAND, Fla.) – Victoria Hills Golf Club – the award-winning Ron Garl design located in Victoria Park, a St. Joe community in DeLand – will host a qualifying event for the 91st Florida Amateur Championship on Wednesday, May 28.
As one of 13 qualifying sites around the state, Victoria Hills will hold an 18-hole tournament, with top finishers advancing to the finals at Jupiter Hills Golf Club in Tequesta, June 19-22. Spectators are welcome to attend the qualifier, with golfers teeing off on Victoria Hills’ first and 10th holes between 8-10 a.m. Victoria Hills will offer a stern test to competitors; the course can play as long as 7,106 yards, with a course rating of 73.5 and a USGA Slope rating of 142.
Conducted by the Florida State Golf Association (FSGA) and one of the nation’s most venerable regional amateur championships, the Florida Amateur attracts the state’s finest non-professional golfers. Past winners include Jerry Pate, Bob Murphy, Gary Koch and Chris Couch.
“We’re very proud to be chosen as a qualifying site for the Florida Amateur Championship,” says Matt Payne, Head Professional at Victoria Hills. “Our course will be in excellent condition and provide a tough but fair test to those seeking to make the championship round. We look forward to a day of outstanding competition.”
Managed by Billy Casper Golf, Victoria Hills was selected by the United States Golf Association and Florida State Golf Association to host a U.S. Open Local Qualifier in 2007. In selecting the courses, the USGA and FSGA cited their championship-caliber layouts, commitment to conditioning and ample practice facilities. The home course of the Stetson University men’s and women’s golf teams, Victoria Hills has also staged a U.S. Senior Open qualifier and NCAA collegiate events over the past three years.
Victoria Hills has been one of the region’s most popular golf options since opening in 2001. The course is set amid a stunning canopy of live oaks, tall pines and pristine lakes, with rolling terrain featuring more than 50 feet of elevation change. Victoria Hills’ free-form waste areas and steep-face bunkers provide an unmistakable “Pine Valley” feel that strikes a chord with students of golf course design. Victoria Hills was recently ranked No. 7 among Florida’s best courses in Golfweek’s 2008 Best You Can Play, State-by-State list.
For more information about Victoria Hills, visit www.victoriahillsgolf.com.
About Victoria Hills Golf Club
Victoria Hills was named one of Florida’s “Hidden Gems” by Travel + Leisure Golf Magazine, and has become one of the most sought-after rounds of golf in central Florida. Tucked away in the historic college town of DeLand, the course is conveniently located between Orlando and Daytona Beach. Designed by Ron Garl, the stunning layout boasts more than 50 feet of elevation change, taking advantage of the area’s natural rolling hills, foliage and wetlands. Tall pines and majestic oaks frame the course while sandy waste areas and pristine lakes make for inspiring sight lines.
Other accolades for Victoria Hills include:
* “Top 10 You Can Play” – GOLF Magazine
* “4-1/2 Stars” – Golf Digest
* “America’s Best Residential Golf Course” – Golfweek
* “America’s Top 40 Best New Courses” – Golfweek
* “No. 7 Course in the State” – Golfweek
* “No. 2 Florida Public Course of the New Millennium” – Travel + Leisure Golf
* “Florida’s Best New Golf Course” – Florida Golf News
* “One of the region’s Top 10 courses” – Orlando Sentinel
* “Best 18 holes in Orlando” – Golf Life Orlando
About Victoria Park
Victoria Park features housing options for families of all sizes with new homes priced from the high $100,000s to more than $1 million. In addition to the award-winning Victoria Hills Golf Club, the community boasts other impressive amenities including: a 22-acre lake park, fitness center; swimming pool; lighted tennis courts; walking trails; bike lanes; playground and picnic facilities. An amphitheater serves as the focal point for community events facilitated by on-site Art of Living staff. Proximity to vibrant metro areas like Orlando and Daytona Beach and a number of cultural centers make Victoria Park an attractive option for those interested in city life conveniences and the personal familiarity of a smaller community. Several educational opportunities are available to residents including Stetson University, Florida’s first private university, and a number of excellent public schools. Freedom Elementary School, an A-rated DeLand public school, is located adjacent to the community. DeLand Middle and High Schools are just minutes away. For more information, visit JOE.com | Keyword: Victoria Park
About JOE
The St. Joe Company (NYSE: JOE), a publicly held company based in Jacksonville, is one of Florida’s largest real estate development companies. We are primarily engaged in real estate development and sales, with significant interests in timber. JOE’s mission is to create places that inspire people and make the region an even better place to live, work and play. We’re no ordinary JOE.
More information about JOE can be found at our website at www.joe.com.
© 2008 The St. Joe Company. “JOE,” “St. Joe”, “Victoria Hills,” “Victoria Commons,” “Victoria Gardens,” “Victoria Park” and the “Taking Flight” design are service marks of The St. Joe Company.
About Billy Casper Golf
Billy Casper Golf, headquartered in Vienna, Virginia, was co-founded in 1989 by professional golf legend Billy Casper, the Masters and two-time U.S. Open winner who ranks seventh all-time with 51 PGA Tour wins. BCG serves its clients through three divisions: Billy Casper Golf, the full-service manager to golf-property developers, owners and public agencies; Buffalo Communications, the publicity, media-relations and marketing-communications agency representing many of the top brands in golf; and Buffalo Golf Trail, the customer-reward program providing consistent, high-quality experiences at BCG-managed properties nationwide.
Contact:
Shane Sharp
Buffalo Communications
704.519.8381
ssharp@billycaspergolf.com
Daniel Mitchell
Buffalo Communications
253.312.4536
dmitchell@billycaspergolf.com
