Bonaventure Country Club

Bonaventure Country Club is the golf-lovers golf course in Ft. Lauderdale. Appreciative of how important it is to play the game "right", Bonaventure's the only South Florida semi-private club to overseed its East Course greens this winter with bentgrass (Syn 96-2), rather than rye, at twice the normal rate to insure your putts will roll like they do "up north" all winter long. They've also overseeded the tees with rye and given the same conditioning care to the bunkers, which have a wetting agent applied to keep them consistent in the warm Florida sun. Golf-lovers golf course?

The club features TWO separate and distinct 18-hole championship courses set on over 300 acres of lush vegetation and mature trees, inhabited by a variety of wildlife, but uninhabited by any residential community. It is all about the golf at Bonaventure. The stately East and West courses are classic layouts with holes routed through stands of gorgeous palms, hardwoods and around numerous water hazards and expansive bunkers. You're likely already aware of Joe Lee's signature waterfall par-3 third hole on the East Course, where you actually have to carry your drive up over a waterfall to reach the green, 165 yards from the tips. Regularly voted among the top 18 holes in South Florida, probably no hole has its conquerors, and victims, clamoring to play it again like #3. Fourteen of the 18 holes have water in play, often on both sides of the fairway or the green on the par-72 layout.

The par-70 Bonaventure Country Club - West measures only 6,128 yards from the back tees and features two extra par-3s, but the four par-5s all stretch out over 530 yards and are handicapped as the four toughest holes on the course. With water on both sides of more than a half-dozen holes and strategic bunkering around every green, you'll have to think your way around Bonaventure West.

A place for golf-lovers? Bonaventure believes it pioneered the "Cheers-style" attitude of learning about its guests and making the game fun for everyone. In fact, part of the charm of Bonaventure is that most days include an "event" or "activity" (some of us would just say there's always a game going on) for visitors and members alike to participate if they desire. Many guests plan their visits around these great opportunities to meet, greet, and compete with fellow golf enthusiasts.

The course and its practice facility are remarkable enough to attract 2005 LPGA Match Play champion Marisa Baena, who calls Bonaventure her "home", and as a teaching pro, the star of Big Break III and Golfing With Style, Valeria Ochoa. While we're name-dropping, Bonaventure's renowned event staff will give the same customized care, unmatched service and uncompromised attention to the details of your outing as they do to over 100 every year including those for Michael Irvin, Andres Gallaraga, the Florida Marlins, the NFL Alumni and Bobby Bowden.

Great Greens, Great Games, Great Grins at Bonaventure Country Club. For tee times or more information on what "event" you can get involved with on your next visit, call (954) 389-2100 or logon to www.golfbonaventure.com.