HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS, Fla. (Sept. 28, 2017) – Florida’s iconic El Campeón Golf Course at Mission Inn Resort & Club continues to enjoy its 100th anniversary by celebrating its latest honor as the No. 1 golf course in Florida in the recent Golf Advisor “Top 100” list of courses overall since the rating began in 2012.
El Campeón, which opened its first nine holes in 1917, also was ranked No. 16 overall in the nation based on Golf Advisor player surveys – joining an elite group in the Top 20 that includes St Andrews in Scotland, the Plantation Course at Kapalua in Hawaii, and both Pacific Dunes and Bandon Trails in Oregon.
Golf Advisor is the leading source of golf course ratings and reviews by golfers who share their first-hand experience at thousands of courses worldwide. A more crowd-sourced list than other major golf course rankings, the Golf Advisor reviews are scored more heavily on the total experience – accounting for staff, service, facilities, value and conditions – with less emphasis on course design.
More than 650,000 reviews of golf courses world-wide have been recorded by Golf Advisor over the past five years. Also, as seen on Golf Channel, Golf Advisor has an expert editorial staff that provides daily stories, photo galleries, travel tips and more.
An original member of the Florida Historic Golf Trail, El Campeón – the “The Champion” – was built on land formerly planted with citrus groves in central Florida’s rolling hills, designed by golf professional and architect George O’Neil of Chicago.
Part of the burgeoning resort, the golf course – originally named the Florida Chain-O-Lakes Country Club – was one of the first in Florida with grass greens and one of only two courses in the state built to the regulation length of 6,300 yards. It has undergone two significant renovations, in 1926 and 1969.
Mission Inn Resort & Club has dramatically expanded throughout the years. It now features 176 hotel rooms, fresh-water fishing, marina, full-service spa, three restaurants, and 30,000 square feet of group space for meetings, weddings, and special events.
A second course, Las Colinas, opened in 1992. Designed by former PGA Tour player Gary Koch, Las Colinas – “The Hills” – celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. Las Colinas lives up to its name with wide fairways rolling over gentle rises. Its large, undulating greens are surrounded by tropical vegetation, and large water hazards distinguish many holes.
Located just 35 minutes northwest of Orlando, Mission Inn is situated amid citrus groves in central Florida’s rolling hills. Surrounded by lakes, the picturesque location features graciously appointed guest rooms, suites and villas; four unique restaurants; a tennis academy; Spa Marbella; lakefront marine center; and nature trails.
For additional information, visit www.missioninnresort.com.
Contact:
Karen Moraghan
Hunter Public Relations
(908) 963-6013
kmoraghan@hunter-pr.com
