Florida Golf Monthly - Mission Inn Resort

You can have the California experience without leaving Florida.

"Fairway to Heaven"
by Heather Kristian

Also, enter to win a resort stay this month.

When you think of a golf resort with a Spanish motif complete with red-tile roofs, open courtyards, wrought-iron gates, bubbling fountains and a hilly golf course, you automatically think of southern California. In truth, to savor the so-called "California" experience, all you have to do is head northwest from Orlando, travel for 35 minutes get off the turnpike at Howey-in-the-Hills and you're at Mission Inn.

When you drive through the gates at Mission Inn, it's as if you've left the state of Florida. Everything has changed. In a state where elevation changes can be measured in inches, the two 18-hole championship golf courses are in sharp contrast to anything in at least central Florida if not the entire state.

The area was first developed in 1916 by William J. Howey, an Illinois farmer, who'd purchased 60,000 acres in Lake County to invest in the citrus industry. He felt the rolling terrain would provide the neccessary drainage and the region was frost-free. By 1924, the area had expanded from a tent city to a bustling community. In response to this growth, Howey built the Hotel Floridan and a few years later, commissioned Captain Charles E. Clarke of Troon, Scotland to build a golf course along the hillsides adjacent to the hotel.

That golf course is called El Campeon (the Champion). It stretches to 6,860 yards from the championship tees, plays at 6,283 yards from the white markers, 5,550 yards from the gold tees and 4,765 yards from the red blocks. Granted, this sounds on the short side, but it plays a lot longer. One of the reasons Floridians may have more of a problem initially solving the challenge of El Campeon as compared to visitors from other parts of the country is that there are up to 85-foot elevation changes from tees to greens. If you're not experienced in gauging the effect this has in club selection, you can be in for a very long day.

If you think the challenge isn't serious, consider this. El Campeon opened in 1926 and is the third oldest resort course in the entire state of Florida. In it's 72-years of operation, no one has topped Guy Hill's course record of 7-under par 65.

If you were to choose a signature hole on the property, it would probably be the winding par 5, 17th hole on El Campeon. The hole is closely guarded by trees on both sides of the fairway and veers slightly to the right off the tee before bending back to the left towards the green. At 538 yards from the championship tee, the drive is critical in both length and placement.

The second shot provides a classic risk/reward opportunity. If you've driven the ball into the optimum area of the fairway, you can go for the green. But be advised, if you come up short, you're in the water. Okay, so your strategy is to lay up. There's no guarantee that you'll have a simple shot for your third to the green. The first obstacle is a seemingly innocuous tree in the center of the fairway 130 yards in front of the green. As harmless as it looks, it's always in the way. Once you get past the tree, there's little margin for error. It's not the water that's the problem, it's the sand guarding the water that keeps you from having a simple shot to the green. The hole is called "The Devil's Delight." Someone has to like it and it might as well be Satan.

While El Campeon is the flagship of Mission Inn golf, it's by no means the only world class course on the property. The second course, Las Colinas (The Hills) was added in 1992. It was designed by PGA Tour star and Florida native Gary Koch. Given the task of designing a complimentary and challenging mate for El Campeon, Koch succeeded admirably. He provided an equal, but quite different challenge. While there aren't the elevation changes on Las Colinas that you find on El Campeon, there are varied challenges. You can't just step on each tee and blast away. Koch used the basic tenets of classic design and gave Mission Inn a real shot maker's course.

Comparable in distance to it's companion, El Campeon, Las Colinas extends to 6,879 at the tips with three other sets of tees providing tests from 6,222, 5,588 and 4,651 yards. A thinking man's course, the best solution found thus far has yielded a pair of nine-under par 63s by Joe Daley and Jim Chancey.

The best known hole on Las Colinas is also a par 5. The 12th hole is only 493 yards from the back markers and at first blush, very reasonable. Factor in that the only water on the hole is a brook in front of the tee and you wonder what's the problem? The problem is, the hole looks barely wide enough for two people to walk on side-by-side. If you hit a driver off the tee and hit it dead straight down the fairway known as "Alligator Alley," you've got a leg up on a birdie. Hit it a little wide of the target and double bogey is in play. At 493 yards this little devil seems innocent enough, but remember, they would not have made this the number one handicapped hole, without a very good reason.

If Mission Inn just provided golf for its guests, they would have provided a wonderful experience, but they offer a lot more. If you just go to Mission Inn on a day trip, you've missed a wonderful opportunity to spend a night in the lap of luxury. Mission Inn has three lodging facilities waiting for you. La Posada de San Miguel has 62 deluxe hotel rooms and six one-bedroom suites. La Posada de San Angel offers 40 deluxe hotel rooms. La Posada de San Diego houses 30 deluxe hotel rooms and 38 club suites. If you're bringing the family or are traveling with another couple, stay in one of the 13 two-bedroom villas in Mission Santa Cruz.

Mission Inn also offers dining for every taste. For breakfast, lunch or their famed Sunday champagne brunch, try La Hacienda where you can view the 17th fairway and green of El Campeon. At the clubhouse, Nickers offers a complete menu and overlooks Las Colinas' first fairway. If elegance is on your personal menu, El Conquistador, overlooking the Plaza de la Fontana will cater to your every wish in a relaxing decor. For pure relaxing try La Margarita Lounge and the seasonal poolside bar, La Chiquita Cabana.

For the well-rounded Mission Inn vacation, tennis is available on six Har-Tru (clay-type) courts. Two are lighted for night play. You might also want to avail yourself of the opportunity to relax on the Mission Inn happy hour cruise on La Reina, their beautifully restored 1930s-vintage yacht that sails on nearby Lake Harris. Bass and pontoon boats can both be rented as is the 38-foot Margaret B for fishing charters.

So, if you have the desire to visit southern California, but not the time, you can get a great taste without ever leaving Florida. Just get on the Florida Turnpike and get off at Howey-in-the-Hills and take a giant step across the country, back in time and into the life of luxury.