SouthWood Golf Club, owned by the St. Joe Co., is celebrating its five-year anniversary, capping a banner year highlighted by numerous national and local awards and accolades including being named one of the “Top 50 Courses for Women” by Golf For Women, and Tallahassee’s “Best Golf Course” by Tallahassee Magazine.
SouthWood debuted on Golf For Women’s prestigious list at No. 45. Editors cited the course’s women-friendly layout and multiple tee ratings for women, as well as its progressive instructional, social and competitive programs. Additionally, SouthWood is one of the only facilities in the country with a female general manager, Beth Murphy, director of instruction, Becky Sauers, and membership director, Cara Lauwaert.
Being named the “Best Course” in Tallahassee for the third time in four years was especially meaningful for SouthWood: Golf courses were grouped in a single category, and SouthWood was the top vote-getter from among both public and private courses. And it’s not just the golf course that readers have recognized over the years; SouthWood’s Sauers is a three-time Tallahassee Magazine winner as the area’s top golf instructor.
“It has been a great run in 2007 and we greatly appreciate the recognition from esteemed publications that have bestowed these prestigious awards upon the course and staff,” says Murphy. “Five-years is still ‘young’ for a golf course and we’re eager to build on this outstanding foundation.”
That foundation also includes being listed among “America’s Top Golf Courses” for 2007/08 by the ZAGAT Survey, and being recognized by T+L Golf as one of Florida’s “Unsung” golf courses. In its November/December issue, editors and writers of this nationally-circulating golf, travel and lifestyle magazine cited SouthWood as “one of the finest [golf courses] in northwest Florida” and as “an aggressive driver’s dream,’ while lauding its live oak-laden layout as a “snapshot of the Deep South.”
“These recent awards and accolades are an affirmation of what Mr. Bates and Mr. Couples sought to accomplish with this course,” adds Murphy. “The challenge with any daily fee or semi-private layout is to make it both fun and challenging for novice and expert players. SouthWood is women, junior and beginner-friendly, yet it is also the home course of the Florida State University men’s and women’s golf teams and one of the host venues for the storied Tallahassee Amateur.”
For more information about SouthWood Golf Club or to make tee times, visit www.stjoegolf.com or call 850/942-4653.