Imagine being an aspiring baseball player who, instead of going to the local diamond to practice hitting, took BP every day at Yankee Stadium. Substitute golf for baseball, and that’s what Jeff Klauk experienced growing up in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

Klauk’s father, Fred, was the superintendent at the TPC Sawgrass from 1986 until 2008, allowing Jeff the chance to hang around the course and practice with the PGA Tour pros who called the place home.

“We’d watch them do their thing and play with the guys,” said Klauk, who joined them on tour in 2008. “They helped more than they could imagine.”
Still living in the area, Klauk, 32, provides his perspective on what it has to offer.
COURSES
Obviously, I’ve got to recommend the Stadium and Valley courses at TPC Sawgrass (left). Even if I didn’t have the family connection, they’d be near the top of my list. The Stadium course will test every part of your game. You don’t get too many let-up shots. The last three holes with that amphitheater setting get all the attention, but I enjoy the whole back nine. The Valley, meanwhile, doesn’t get the publicity it deserves. I played it a lot as a kid growing up. It’s more forgiving off the tee, but it’s challenging as well.

Another very good course is The Palencia Club. It’s an Arthur Hills design near the World Golf Village in St. Augustine. A few of the holes are along the intercoastal area. You can’t see a lot of the houses on the golf course. It’s kept very natural looking. It’s just a fun course to play.

It’s a private club, but if you can find a way to play it, I also recommend Timuquana CC. It’s an old Donald Ross course, one of the gems of Jacksonville. It winds through some nice big pine trees. You can see the St. Johns River from the golf shop. It’s a wonderful spot.

DON’T MISS
The World Golf Hall of Fame is a great place to visit (see page 17) particularly if you’re stuck on a rainy day. You can always go around St. Augustine. The historic district has the Old Town Trolley Tour that can help you explore the area. There’s Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth and Fort Matanzas, two pretty neat places with lots of history, among the sites you can see. Meanwhile, Amelia Island is only 50 minutes north of Jacksonville. There’s lots of stuff to do there if you’re traveling with your spouse or your family.

Two other places worth seeing are the Jacksonville Zoo (2) and the St. Augustine Alligator Farm. They’re both very kid-friendly. I’ll admit, I get a kick out of seeing the big ol’ gators and crocodiles.

KLAUK’S FAVORITES
Dining: Pusser’s Bar and Grille is a neat place that serves Caribbean foods. It’s not far from TPC Sawgrass, too, if that’s where you’re playing golf. Same with Brucci’s. It’s a pretty cool place that my dad absolutely loves. It’s got very good pizza and beer and is pretty low-key.
Places to Stay:Marriott at Sawgrass is very nice, but the best place to stay is the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club (3). It’s probably the best in terms of customer service in the Jacksonville area. They’ve spent a lot of money on the facility. You can stay at the lodge, and they’ve got two golf courses, the Ocean and the Lagoon. They also have a great spa there if you’re traveling with someone who isn’t playing golf. Plus, it’s right near the beach.

Golf and skiing may seem like odd bedfellows, but they in fact share many similarities: both are solo pursuits set in the great outdoors; both challenge beginners and experts alike; and best of all for mogul-mad golfers, both are frequently offered in the same scenic locations. If you’re in search of a retirement home that offers easy access to both trails and tee boxes, here are five good places to look.

Glacier Club
Durango, Colo
theglacierclub.com
$750K to $4 million*

The Golf
Three scenic 9-hole tracks designed by Todd Schroeder and Arthur Hills are set at 7,600 feet above sea level.

The Skiing
The club neighbors some of the state’s most renowned slopes, including the Durango Mountain Ski Area.

Cool Perk
The annual Durango Film Festival screens some of the region’s best independent flicks.

Spanish Peaks
Big Sky, Mont.
spanish-peaks.com
$2.2 mil. to $8 mil.

The Golf
Tom Weiskopf carved 18 drama-filled but member-friendly holes from rustic terrain just north of Yellowstone.

The Skiing
Enjoy a ski-in, ski-out parcel linked by a private lift to Big Sky Resort, which is bigger than Vail.

Cool Perk
The world-class fly fishing on the nearby Gallatin was featured in the movie, “A River Runs Through It.”

Eagle Rock Resort
Blue Mountains, Pa.
eaglerockresort.com
$200K to $800K

The Golf
This Arnold Palmer design features streams, sparkling lakes, and — what else? — some killer mountain views.

The Skiing
The mountain offers 14 lighted slopes for all skill levels, and snowboarders will love the half pipe.

Cool Perk
Saddle up for a leisurely horse ride — you can even take riding lessons through Eagle Rock’s woods.

Kahler Glen Ski & Golf Resort
Leavenworth, Wash
kahlerglen.com
$275K to $1.2 million

The Golf
Lying at the foot of the Cascade Mountains, this Randy Pelton design is defined by tree-lined fairways and uneven lies.

The Skiing
The groomed slopes at Kahler are connected to almost 20 miles of Lake Wenatchee State Park’s trail system.

Cool Perk
Who said practice couldn’t be fun? The driving range at Kahler has two floating island greens.

Stratton Mt. Ski Resort
Stratton Mt., Vt.
stratton.com
$110K to $3.2 million

The Golf
The three separate 9-hole courses (Forest, Lake and Mountain) have water in play on 22 of the 27 holes.

The Skiing
Start from the top of the highest point in the Green Mountain range for the best views.

Cool Perk
Go back to school at Stratton U., where top instructors give lessons on all aspects of the game.

* Home prices