Twenty-four of the world’s top-ranked golfers will compete in the 2011 Tavistock Cup, which returns to Isleworth Golf & Country Club, near Orlando, on Monday March 14 and Tuesday March15.

This will be the eighth installment of the team event and this time there’s something new happening that will excite many golf fans. For the first time the event will will feature a four-club competition between the golf professional members of Albany, Isleworth, Lake Nona Golf & Country Club and Queenwood Golf Club.

Team Albany is made up of Tim Clark, Ernie Els, Trevor Immelman, Ian Poulter, Justin Rose and Tiger Woods and don’t worry if you’ve not heard of the team before because they are representing the new luxury resort community in The Bahamas developed by Tavistock Group. This team may well be the favorites to take the honors over the two day event as with golf greats like Woods and Els in their team, Albany has amassed a total of 198 worldwide victories with five of Team Albany’s players being ranked in the top 30 in the world.

Team Isleworth’s lineup features Robert Allenby, Stuart Appleby, Brian Davis, J.B. Holmes, Sean O’Hair and Lee Janzen. Isleworth is home to this years event and is known for being the luxury residential community nestled amongst the Butler Chain of Lakes in southwest Orlando. This team has notched 244 worldwide wins and Isleworth’s players include four of the top 70 in the world.

Team Lake Nona has assembled Ross Fisher, Retief Goosen, Peter Hanson, Graeme McDowell, Henrik Stenson and Oliver Wilson. Lake Nona boasts a victory roster of 319 worldwide wins. Lake Nona is situated in southeast Orlando and forms a cornerstone to Tavistock Group’s emerging life sciences cluster becoming known as Lake Nona Medical City. Each player on Team Lake Nona is ranked in the top 100 in the world and the golf course is ranked among the top residential courses in the world.

Team Queenwood’s competitors include Thomas Bjorn, Darren Clarke, David Howell, Soren Kjeldsen, Paul McGinley and Adam Scott. Queenwood is one of the most exclusive private members’ golf clubs in the United Kingdom, and it is a team that has secured 64 worldwide victories. Queenwood features four players in the top 110 in the world, as well as a number of Ryder Cup veterans.

Totaling it all up and through the end of 2010, Tavistock Cup’s participating clubs have won more than 825 worldwide victories, including 59 major championships. Some record and some indication of the talent that will be on show on Monday and Tuesday of next week.

In the spirit of Tavistock Cup competition, there is an official dress code for the tournament; spectators are encouraged to wear either ALBANY PINK to show their support for Team Albany, ISLEWORTH RED to show their support for Team Isleworth, LAKE NONA BLUE to show their support for Team Lake Nona or QUEENWOOD GREEN to show their support for Team Queenwood.

The Tavistock Cup’s world-class field hails from all corners of the globe, making this year’s tournament the most internationally diverse one yet. Tavistock Cup contestants play for prize money, team hole-in-one prizes and the title of World Golf and Country Club Champion.

Established in 2004, the Tavistock Cup began as a friendly inter-club match between Isleworth and Lake Nona’s golf professional members. The past seven matches have left Isleworth and Lake Nona tied in the series. Each club has claimed three Tavistock Cup titles, with the 2005 matches ending in a tie following a sudden-death playoff.

The Tavistock Cup through the Tavistock Foundation has donated millions of dollars to local, national and international charities since the tournament’s inception. Some of this year’s beneficiaries include Audubon of Florida, The First Tee, Health Central Foundation, Orlando Minority Youth Golf Association, University of Central Florida Foundation and Valencia College.

The two-day tournament will be broadcast live on the Golf Channel in the U.S., Canada and Japan and airs on international affiliates throughout the United Kingdom, Latin America and South Africa. TavistockCup.com will feature real-time live scoring of the matches.

Spring Training began in Kissimmee for the Houston Astros this week as they opened their campaign with a 3-0 loss against the Atlanta Braves last Tuesday.

Baseball’s spring training was almost a secret once upon a time as players prepared for the regular season in privacy but all that has changed now that the event has blossomed into a tourist attraction. 30 teams pretty much evenly split between Florida (the Grapefruit League) and Arizona (the Cactus League), gear up for the main season by taking time away from their regular home base to enjoy a change of scenery and usually a lot better weather!

Here in Florida we are blessed with clusters of clubs who compete on both coasts while a handful come to Central Florida to tune up. The Gulf Coast configuration stretches from Dunedin (Blue Jays) south to Clearwater (Phillies), Tampa (Yankees), Bradenton (Pirates), Sarasota (Orioles), Port Charlotte (Rays), and Fort Myers, where the Red Sox and Twins train in separate ballparks.

On the Atlantic side, north to south, are spring training camps in Viera (Nationals), Port St. Lucie (Mets), and Jupiter (Cards and Marlins), while Central Florida’s I-4 corridor, around Orlando, includes the Astros (in nearby Kissimmee), the Tigers in Lakeland and at Disney, the Atlanta Braves train at Walt Disney World’s ESPN Wide World of Sports. A full list of fixtures can be found here.

How Spring Training Really Works

While veteran players view spring training as a time to tune-up, younger players see it as audition time. They have to put up or shut up, convincing managers to keep them in mind as they pare rosters to the maximum 25 players by Opening Day on March 31.

A few days after pitchers and catchers report (usually in mid- to late-February) along with injured position players, full squads begin workouts. In most camps, that means morning calisthenics, clinics in fundamentals, and inter squad games. Most workouts of this nature are free to watch and are far less crowded than proper games and allows autograph hounds the best access to players that they can ever have.

For autograph hunters, photographers, and sun worshipers alike, exhibition season is just that: an exhibition. Games don’t count, there’s no pressure on players or managers, and the Grapefruit or Cactus League won-lost records are printed in newspapers without any recognition of league affiliation. If games go past the regulation nine innings, they often end in ties because visiting teams just don’t have enough pitchers!

In fact, visiting teams almost never bring a full slate of stars. Major League Baseball asks that they bring at least three, since fans buying tickets and want to see big-leaguers instead of bush-leaguers, but that rule is rarely enforced.

Nigel Worrall & Cal Ripken Jnr.

Some players will go out of their way to be accommodating to autograph requests though and when Cal Ripken, Jr. was an active player, he once signed autographs for 90 minutes after a game at West Palm Beach Municipal Stadium was rained out while an Orioles teammate held an umbrella over his head to keep the autographs from smudging!

Most players will happily pose for pictures, especially before or after workouts. On the other hand, almost all will refuse to sign while eating, playing golf when they’re off duty, or otherwise enjoying their time away from the ballpark and fans who perch themselves at the players’ parking lot will generally find autographs easier to acquire when players arrive than when they leave.

It’s a great time to visit Florida and what could be better than taking in a ball game at drastically reduced prices while sun tanning yourself?

Here’s some pictures and video I took from a recent tour of Osceola County Stadium at Osceola Heritage Park:

It’s that time of year when Disney & Epcot springs to life… the 18th Epcot Flower & Garden Festival started this week and it’s already proving to be a massive hit with visitors to the theme park.

The event is filled with over 75 Disney character topiaries among the over 100 topiaries located around the park as well as a colorful array of flowers, gardens, live music and special presentations.  Plus, for the very first time, the festival includes Disney·Pixar character topiaries as Buzz, Woody and Lotso from Toy Story 3 and Lightning McQueen and Mater from Cars 2.

You also get the chance to see how green your thumb can be as some of the nation’s top designers help you plan everything from planting your first garden to enhancing your home’s curb appeal. With opinions from HGTV stars like Vern Yip and Genevieve Gorder—plus Epcot gardening experts—you’ll have new ideas blooming around your home in no time!

Rounding off the festival is some fantastic live music from the 1960s and 1970s during the Flower Power Concert Series where you’ll find different artists  including Melissa Manchester, Davy Jones and Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone every weekend during the festival at the America Gardens Theatre!

Flower Power Concert Series

The event runs to  May 15, 2011 and we’ll have regular updates for you all through the festival season. Here’s some video…

We’ve been getting quite a lot of rainy cold weather in the last week and visiting the theme parks is never as much fun when conditions are like this. Sure, you can still have a wonderful time but there are other places to go and to see that can bring just as much enjoyment and excitement. Shopping is one of those things you can do when the rain comes down and a visit to Florida Mall will get you dancing up and down at some of the great bargains there are to be had in the Orlando area.

The Florida Mall is a large enclosed shopping mall  in Orlando and it first opened its doors in 1986.  It is widely recognized as one of the premier shopping experience destinations in the area and is located close to many of the Orlando attractions including Walt Disney World,  Seaworld and Universal Orlando.

The mall  is situated on the southeast corner of Orange Blossom Trail and Sand Lake Road and features over 250 stores, and includes some of the biggest names imaginable as its main anchors. Macy’s, Dillard’s, Sears, JC Penny, Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom can all be found at Florida Mall as well as The Florida Hotel.

At nearly 2,000,000 square feet, it stands as one of the largest single-story malls in the United States and it’s here that you’ll find fabulous fashion, exceptional eateries and some delightful diversions.  There’s plenty of parking and  many opportunities to relax and refresh the mind and body. It’s a great place to visit no matter the weather so make sure it’s on your hit list when you’re in Orlando. Here’s some video to give you a preview…

HGTV kicks up the “curb appeal” of the 18th Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival March 2 through May 15 with a first-time sponsorship featuring weekend appearances by its acclaimed designers and landscaping experts. The star-studded lineup includes Genevieve Gorder, Lisa LaPorta, Kim Myles, Brian Patrick Flynn, Taniya Nayak, Ahmed Hassan, Patti Moreno, Michele Beschen, John Gidding, Frank Fontana, and Vern Yip.

The country’s leading home and lifestyle television brand brings an addictive blend of design, decorating and landscaping inspiration to the enduring, 75-day gardening extravaganza at Walt Disney World Resort.

At the Festival Center presented by HGTV, popular celebrity experts will appear each Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the festival on the HGTV Stage. The HGTV hosts will deliver valuable tips to Disney guests on topics including “Mobile Gardens,” “Secrets to Bringing Indoor Style Outside” and “Gardening with Kids.”

“We are thrilled to welcome HGTV and so many of the network’s great Talent to Epcot this spring,” said Dan Cockerell, vice president of Epcot. “HGTV’s design and gardening personalities add an exciting, and entertaining new element to a festival that reinvents itself year after year.”

As part of the sponsorship, HGTV also will present a new, twice-its-previous-size Bambi’s Butterfly House along the Future World Imagination Walkway. Inside this popular festival stop are hundreds of native butterflies and character topiaries from the timeless Disney classic film, “Bambi.” This year’s display celebrates the upcoming release of “Bambi” Diamond Edition, for the first time on Blu-ray Hi-Def.

“People visit Disney for a memorable experience where they are inspired, enlightened and entertained,” said Jim Samples, president, HGTV. “Our star designers will provide just such an experience for the Disney guest during The Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival presented by HGTV. Disney is the ideal venue and destination for us to connect face-to-face with our passionate viewers.”

The HGTV celebrity lineup includes:
Genevieve Gorder, HGTV Design Star and Dear Genevieve (March 4-6)
The Art of Sculpting Space

Lisa LaPorta, Designed to Sell (March 11 – 13)
Design It Yourself: Easy-to-follow Tips for Designing Your Favorite Rooms

Kim Myles, Myles of Style (March 18 – 20)
The 5 DIY Secrets That Can Transform Any Space

Brian Patrick Flynn, Design Happens, HGTV.com (March 25-27)
Mobile Gardens

Taniya Nayak, Designed to Sell and Destination Design (April 1-3)
Adding Value to Your Home Without Breaking the Bank

Ahmed Hassan, Yard Crashers (April 8-10)
Life, Love and Landscaping

Patti Moreno, Garden Girl, HGTV.com (April 15-17)
Gardening with Kids: Fun Seed Starting Projects

Michele Beschen, B. Original (April 22-24)
When Nature Calls: Creative, Back-to-Basics Style for All Things Natural and Decorative

John Gidding, Curb Appeal: The Block (April 29-30, May 1)
The Design Process: Curb Appeal Projects from Concept to Construction

Frank Fontana, Design on a Dime (May 6-8)
Beautiful on a Budget: High Style, Low-Cost Secrets to Bringing Indoor Styling Outside

Vern Yip, HGTV Design Star (May 13-15)
Top Design Trends Made Affordable and Accessible

In addition to its own celebrity stage appearances, HGTV will present the popular twice-daily Disney Gardening at Home series, where guests can join a workshop and take home projects ranging from hanging baskets to water garden features. The Festival Center’s HGTV Theater will present a special-engagement film featuring tips and hints from HGTV shows.

Dozens of Disney character topiaries are back by popular demand at this year’s festival. Woody, Buzz Lightyear and chief villain Lotso of the Oscar-nominated Disney blockbuster, “Toy Story 3,” make their first topiary appearance in front of Spaceship Earth at the park’s front-entrance garden. Topiary craftsmen also will debut floral versions of Lightning McQueen and Mater, stars of “Cars 2,” to be released in theaters this June.

Flower Power concerts will rock the open-air America Gardens Theatre stage three times each Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening with popular acts like Davy Jones and Chubby Checker & The Wildcats. New-to-the-festival performers will include Melissa Manchester, Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr.

More information about the 18th annual Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival is available by calling 407/W-DISNEY (934-7639) or by visiting disneyworld.com/flower. The festival, including all gardening programs, presentations and exhibits, is included in regular Epcot admission.

If you’re in Kissimmee over the next few days you’ll want to make note of the Kissimmee Valley Livestock Show and Fair which opens on February 11 and runs through to 20th at Osceola Heritage Park. This will be the  67th Annual Osceola County Fair and it features over 80 daring thrill rides, a fun-filled kiddieland, prize winning games and spectacular shows… something for everyone!

The Fair offers plenty of traditional favorites such as the Garden/Antique Tractor Pull and Children’s Pet Show and the Draft Horse Pull and Baby Show. Village Inn’s Annual Pie Eating Contest is also a featured event. The Exhibition Building will be filled with Arts & Crafts exhibits submitted by Osceola County residents and 4-H members. Commercial exhibitors selling unique goods from around the country will also be on hand.

Osceola County Fair will host the State 4-H Dairy Show. Participants throughout the state compete in cattle judging, showmanship and Dairy Quiz bowl. Other Livestock shows such as Purebred, Steer, Hog, Lamb, Sheep, Goat, Poultry and Rabbit take place through out the week. The Livestock Sales enable local residents and businesses an opportunity to purchase meat at affordable prices while supporting Osceola County’s youth.

In addition to thrilling rides, and games of chance, the Fair’s midway offers favorite foods such as funnel cakes sprinkled in sugar, candied apples, cotton candy and mouth watering Bar-b-que.

Fair Opens:

Monday – Thursday 5:00 p.m.
Friday, Saturday & Sunday 12:00 P.M. Noon

Admission is just  $5.00 for adults, $3.00 for Seniors and Children 5-11, Children 4 and under are free. Parking is free. Unlimited ride armband specials are available everyday!

The web site for the event is www.osceolacountyfair.com

Last week had so much going on with the christening of the Disney Dream and the other announcements from Disney about Fantasyland and “The Magic, Memories & You”,  that it was nice to get back to Mother Nature over the weekend as we sent out some of our folks to kayak around Merritt Island.

Central Florida is great for its fabulous theme parks, but there is another way to enjoy the outdoors and that is by exploring the rivers, springs, islands, beaches, lakes, swamps and marshes that are found throughout the area.

Here it’s possible to paddle with Dolphin, Manatee, Otters, and yes, Alligators (but don’t worry, you aren’t usually on their menu!). You may also spot such magnificent birds as the southern Bald Eagle, White Pelicans, Red Headed Woodpeckers, and Great Blue Heron.

Florida Kayaking Tours

* Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge home to the largest number of endangered plant and bird species of all US refuges.
* Indian River and Mosquito Lagoon paddle through this estuary island hoping where at least seven distinct Indian cultures, Spanish explorers, and civil war troops have occupied as early as 7000 BC.
* Canaveral National Seashore recognized as one of our country’s most beautiful beaches.
* Econlockhatchee/St. John’s Rivers snake along these windy rivers in the Florida back country gliding through hardwood and cypress forests.

Take a look at this video that our folks captured over the weekend and see what’s really happening around you:

Special thanks to Nigel Cousins for the fantastic video footage.

Disney’s Half Marathon, which took place bright and early this morning, wasn’t without stargazing opportunities. Among the record-number 27,300 runners who took part in the event were three of the anchors from NBC’s “Today” show.

Natalie Morales was the first of the trio to cross the finish line and she was later joined by Meredith Vieira and Al Roker.

The half marathon is the second event of the major events that take place during the annual Disney Marathon Weekend. A full marathon takes place tomorrow morning. Approximately 17,000 runners will compete in that race.

As the holiday season rolls round, families get together to celebrate Christmas and the New Year. It’s a time to reflect on the past, enjoy the present and look forward to the future. Old traditions are repeated and new ones made and that’s what makes the Christmas holidays such a wonderful time for family and friends.

If you’re looking for new ideas of how to make this year’s holiday special, we have a few ideas:

1. Decorate the Christmas Tree Together
Decorating the Christmas tree together is fun and taking turns to put an ornament on the tree creates memories for every member of the family…it’s as if every member of the family has put their own personal touch on it.

2. Make Your Own Holiday Ornaments
Having all family members create their own holiday ornament to hang on the tree or around the house is a fun family thing to do. You can do this with everything from toilet rolls to art paper, glitter and clothespins.

3. Take Plenty of Photos
Recording memories along the way is a great way to bring back memories and start new ones. Looking back through the year and remembering good times is one of life’s small pleasures. You can even incorporate them into your holiday ornaments!

4. Create a Memory Jar
Have everyone in the family write down two or three of their favorite family or holiday memories. When you all get together have each person pick a piece of paper out of the jar and read the memory out loud. It’s a great way to relive old times!

5. Playtime
Playing games is a huge family pastime around Christmas. It’s a time to bring laughter and joy to your family gatherings so make sure you drag out a favorite family game and have fun!

6. Movie Time
Have each person write down their favorite movie on a slip of paper and let someone draw for a movie the whole family can watch together.

7. Honoring Loved Ones
The holiday period can be a sad one for many family members as they remember a loved one who has passed on. Focusing on the good memories of a person can ease the pain and helps everyone move forward.

8. Wish List
Have everyone create a wish list of the changes they would make in the world to make it a better place. Once done, have everyone combine the list into one master list and then spend time together taking positive steps to help bring about those changes you want to see in the world. It’s a great way to bond and work towards a common goal.

9. Go for a stroll
Sometimes getting out in the fresh air is just the tonic for those Christmas blues… you know, the time when you’ve eaten and drunk too much. It’s a great way to enjoy each others company and share hopes and dreams for the new year.

10. Giving
The holiday season really is all about giving. Why not create a new tradition that involves giving to those in need? Your family could donate gifts or time to worthy causes and bring joy to people in need. Children will enjoy participating in the joy of giving and learning about the problems other people face.

Hope we’ve given you some ideas… from all of us at Florida Leisure…we wish you…

A Very Happy Christmas

It’s official… President Obama really does prefer vacation homes. For the last two years, Obama and his family have enjoyed peace, quiet, and serene surroundings at an exclusive five-star Plantation Estate vacation home at Paradise Point at Kailua Bay on the Hawaiian Island of Oahu. The home is fully appointed with exquisite amenities together with custom finishes and furnishings from around the world, the stunning property is classic oceanfront elegance at its finest. Built with security, comfort,and sophistication in mind, the haute rental home is just steps from the silky white sands of Kailua Beach. So, do you want the presidential treatment? Well, you too could vacation like Barack and Michelle Obama at the Plantation Estate for a mere $24,500 per week.

And if Hawaii isn’t your style… you know where to come for a fabulous vacation with the world’s best theme parks and attractions, some great restaurants and killer shopping…Orlando. And, better still, Florida Leisure’s vacation homes have similar amenities to those the President and his family are enjoying but at a more affordable price!

Everyone deserves a break every now and then. Is it time for your next visit to Orlando?

Have a very happy Christmas…from the Florida Leisure family to yours.