“I can’t hide it any more,” he writes. “I must make a public admission.”
That admission, from the heart of longtime Philadelphia golf media personality Tony Leodora: “My 20-year love affair is with Caledonia Golf & Fish Club.”
It is high praise from Leodora, who is one of the best-traveled individuals in the entire golf world. In addition to his regular radio show “Golf Talk Live,” broadcast on WNTP AM 990 in Philadelphia, he is the host of “Traveling Golfer,” one of the most popular web-based video series about golf, with a regular exposure to some 750,000 golf fans.
In his post to his blog, Leodora waxes poetic in particular about the artistry of course designer Mike Strantz that is on display at Caledonia. He writes:
Strantz painted a work of art on the landscape canvas that once was a bustling rice plantation at Caledonia. Amidst the abundant live oaks, draped with Spanish moss, and the scenic low country wetlands, Strantz seemed to concentrate as much on beauty as he did on strategic golf.
Walking the property with Strantz, and talking about his debut solo project, there was a lot of conversation about the merits of Caledonia. He pointed out some of the construction challenges, highlighted the design strengths and commented on the finishing touches – such as ornamental plants and flowers, wooden covered bridges, and the wrought-iron and brick overpasses that allow golfers to manipulate their way through the wetlands.
At one point, Strantz stopped dead in his tracks and gazed out at the impressive landscape. In a comment that seemed more inspired by genuine amazement, instead of a lack of humility, he said, “I think we’ve got something very special here.”