Three Bonita Bay Group golf courses make exclusive list

COURTESY PHOTO Hole 11 at Bonita Bay. For the third consecutive year, Travel + Leisure Golf magazine ranked Bonita Bay, Mediterra and TwinEagles, three of Bonita Bay Group's Southwest Florida master-planned communities, on its 2009 list of America's top 100 golf communities. The list, published in the January/February issue, said, "These one hundred exquisite environments are case studies in how to make life on earth as pleasing, stimulating and worthwhile as possible."

In compiling the annual list "of the best places to live — and live well," Travel + Leisure Golf evaluated private golf course communities in six categories: golf; residential architecture and style; location, including natural setting and proximity to cultural activities; management, service and programming options; nongolf amenities; and environmental stewardship. The three Bonita Bay Group communities are among 19 Florida picks.

The magazine's profile of Bonita Bay read, "The good life in Florida can raise fears of insufficient stimulation for some. Here, the residential towers look down on the golf courses, playing

140,000 annual rounds, and the activities calendar includes philosophy seminars." Bonita Bay has three Arthur Hills-designed courses in the community and two Tom Fazio courses, which offer a pure golf experience, nearby.

Mediterra was lauded for its community amenities: "Not content to rest on its laurels, Mediterra remodeled its Sports Club, doubling the square footage with added fitness space plus a new salon and spa treatment rooms. It offers a medieval-themed stargazing pavilion and golf courses that earn the highest Audubon Sanctuary status." Tom Fazio designed Mediterra's 36 holes.

Travel + Leisure Golf, produced by American Express Publishing, reaches an audience of 650,000. Readers are sophisticated, active travelers, who played an average of 47 days of golf during the past 12 months.