My Town: Fuzzy Zoeller's Naples, Fla.

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Grant Halverson/PGA TOUR

Fuzzy Zoeller always makes time for fans, as he did here in 2006 at The ACE Group Classic in Naples.

Two-time major championship winner Fuzzy Zoeller has been calling Naples, Fla., his home-away --from-home since first coming down to southwest Florida from his native southern Indiana in the early '70s. Zoeller spurned golf scholarship offers from northern schools to attend Edison Junior College in Ft. Myers for two years. He soon found out that quite a few other people from the Midwest had the same idea. "It was almost like being home when I got down there," Zoeller said. Once he earned a spot on the PGA TOUR, Zoeller maintained his ties to the area through Naples National, a private club where he is still a member. Zoeller says. "I have lots of friends down in that area and have spent quite a bit of time down in Naples, Fla., over the years. For the grown-ups, there's plenty to do"

WHY LIVE IN NAPLES?

Naples has the absolute best weather in the winter. For some reason, it's located in a great little area and there's always a nice breeze coming off the Gulf of Mexico to keep the temperatures on the mild side. People from the midwestern United States have traditionally filtered down to the west coast of Florida. The east coast of Florida has people from the northeast -- New York, Boston, etc. If you want a little slower pace, you want to come to the Naples area.

GOLF COURSES

There are lots of private courses in Naples, but I have also found several nice public/semi-private courses in our area as well. I recommend the golf course at the Naples Grande Beach Resort. It's a wonderful Rees Jones-designed course for players of all skill levels. If you know a member at Naples National Golf Club don't miss playing it. It's a wonderful golf experience.

OFF THE COURSE

The beaches are a big attraction down in Naples and for something different, I would recommend going to Key Waden, a small barrier island between Naples and Marco Island. It's located at the mouth of the Gulf of Mexico and this island offer a beautiful white sandy sandbar. It can only be reached by boat, making it a very primitive and private location. Sanibel Island isn't far away, it has great shells and the water is beautiful. You can also rent all kinds of boats very easily and there are numerous fishing charters available in the area. Some of the best fishing in the world is found just south of Naples in the Everglades National Park. For nature, you'll want to go to the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary.

RESTAURANTS

One of my favorites for seafood is Randy's Fish Market restaurant. It's not a real swanky place, but I can vouch that it has the freshest seafood in the entire area. For the best meat, go to Andre's SteakHouse. It's an old-time steakhouse that will serve you a New York-style steak that will melt in your mouth. They also have the absolute best chopped salad there is. For Italian food, try Amore Ristorante on U.S. 41. It's simple elegance, great food and a nice selection of the finest wines.

HOTELS

There are two Ritz-Carlton hotels in the area, but I would recommend staying at the location near Vanderbilt Beach. The hotel has a wide variety of amenities and the beach behind the hotel is very private.

ACTIVITIES

There's two PGA TOUR-sponsored events in the area. In February, the Champions Tour plays at The Quarry at The ACE Group Classic. Late in the fall season, Greg Norman hosts his Shark Shootout event at Tiburon. If you like baseball, two major league teams call this area home during spring training. The Minnesota Twins have their spring home at Hammond Stadium in Ft. Myers and the Boston Red Sox are just eight miles away at City of Palms Park.