Florida: Jupiter and Palm Beach Gardens everyone is enjoying their well-known warm winter weather. The snowbirds are reading at the beach, golfers are playing the gamut of championship and world-class courses  (there are eleven alone, between Mirasol, PGA National, BallenIsles and Old Palm). In short order, the professional athletes will be joining the fray.

First up on the calendar- spring training at Roger Dean Stadium in Abacoa. Jupiter and Palm Beach Gardens have always been on the grapefruit league circuit due to excellent sub-tropical winter weather. In the past, it was the Atlanta Braves who came to train, and the Dodgers came to Vero Beach for decades. But when Abacoa built the Roger Dean Stadium, the Montreal Expos and the St. Louis Cardinals came to roost for spring training. Then when the Expos folded, the Florida Marlins were brought in. And all this is good for business as well as the real estate market.

First, the big name players like Albert Pujuls of the Cardinals rent big houses. And why not? They’ve got ready cash. The rest of the players call one of the local hotels close to the stadium home for a few weeks. And of course they all eat out, hit the clubs and movies and buy goods.

Roger Dean Stadium at Abacoa in Jupiter

The first week of March will see the PGA Tour making a stop in Palm Beach Gardens as it progresses through the Sunshine State. PGA National, one of the 11 courses mentioned above, will host the Honda Classic. It is played on The Champion course.  Last year’s Honda Classic winner was local, Camilo Villegas who lives in Tequesta on the Loxahatchee River adjacent to Mark Calcavecchia and Steve Marino. Each year, when the PGA Tour comes to town, the cash registers sing. First off, the Honda Classicis always a full house– most people in this area during the winter aren’t heading to work, so they have plenty of time to hang out on the golf course.

If you are visiting or vacationing in the area, be sure to check one of these two events out. They are a lot of fun and besides, the weather is fabulous.

2010 PGA Honda Classic -18th Hole