TravelGolf.com On Campus: With BC and FSU on tap, grip it and rip it in Tallahassee this football weekend

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Each week this season, TravelGolf.com is highlighting a key college football matchup and looking at the golf around the home team's campus. This Saturday, ACC rivals Boston College and Florida State meet in Florida's capitol. Bring your golf clubs and check out Tallahassee's golf courses, including SouthWood Golf Club, Hilaman Park Municipal Golf Course, Don Veller's Seminole Golf Course and more.

By any standards, it's not a rivalry yet. Florida State has faced Boston College only six times and leads the series 4-2. But given the state of the Atlantic Coast Conference, particularly the Atlantic Division - parity is a kind way to put it - this game cries out for one of the most sacred rites of college football passage:

Road Trip!

Maybe the Northeast will be hit with a sudden cold snap, and you'll need to escape Boston quickly. Perhaps those golf clubs already look lonely in the corner of the room and are begging for one last round before winter hibernation.

Saturday's game in Tallahassee between Florida State and Boston College gives you that opportunity. And being a night kickoff allows plenty of time to tee it up, grab some grub and properly prepare for a game that will play a big role in who wins the ACC's Atlantic Division - all in an area of the country that's enjoying some of its best weather.

The rap on Florida is that there's no change of seasons like people see in the North. Not true for November golf in Tallahassee, where a strong mix of courses, striking elevation changes and gorgeous fall colors will keep you occupied prior to kickoff.

Tallahassee's golf courses

SouthWood Golf Club opened in 2002 and quickly gained a reputation for itself, cracking Golf Digest's 2004 rankings of "America's Best New Courses." Designed by Fred Couples and Gene Bates, the layout winds through rolling hills and oak trees draped in Spanish moss. SouthWood recently garnered another impressive accolade, being named No. 30 on Golf magazine's list of best golf courses in Florida.

The Players Club at Summerbrooke has also received rave reviews for its twists and turns across a dramatic piece of terrain.

Although not quite 7,000 yards, it's considered one of the toughest tracks in the area.

The best values might lie in Tallahassee's municipal links.

Any football trip should include a round at the local university layout, and Don Veller's Seminole Golf Course won't disappoint. Named after Florida State's longtime golf coach, Seminole underwent a complete tee-to-green makeover a few years ago and plays to more than 7,000 yards. It's also a par 73 with five par 5s, giving players an extra chance for that elusive birdie.

City-owned Hilaman Park Municipal Golf Course has been a local standby since it opened in 1971.

If you can't find a suitable tee time at the clubs in the immediate area, consider taking a 20-mile drive to the small town of Quincy.

Actually, make the effort anyway. Golf Club of Quincy has been a not-so-well-kept secret for years. The greens are always in good shape, and the elevated tees and sloping fairways that cut through the pine and oak trees made for a fun risk/reward round.

As the state capitol, Tallahassee hums political, so you might need connections to play the private clubs around town. If possible, schmooze for a chance at these three: Golden Eagle Golf & Country Club, Killearn Country Club & Inn and Capital City Country Club.

Tallahassee bars and restaurants

Like most college towns, there are several places near campus that have become iconic watering holes. Alumni drank there when they were students, creating a sort of generational passing of the keg as they returned year after year.

Bullwinkle's Saloon (www.bullwinklessaloon.net), with the beer garden as its epicenter, rocks all weekend during home games. Ditto for Poor Paul's Pourhouse (618 W. Tennessee St.), another longtime favorite among locals and visitors. Fortunately, it's easy to hang out at both since they are next door to each other on Tennessee St.

Like your taverns more straight up with pool tables and dart boards? There's always Palace Saloon (www.freenet.tlh.fl.us/PalaceSaloon/), located about a football field directly behind Doak Campbell Stadium.

That's only after you've eaten, of course. You gotta have barbecue at some point during the weekend, and Jim & Milt's Bar-BQ (1923 W. Pensacola St.) has been the go-to place for years for both BBQ and hearty Southern breakfasts. Shane's Rib Shack downtown (www.shanesribshack.com, 1424 W. Tennessee St.) is also a popular haunt.

The Silver Slipper (www.thesilverslipper.com) arguably serves Tallahassee's best steaks and most impressive wine list. A classic restaurant in the supper club genre, you can request a private room behind a curtain and throw your own kickoff bash.

For seafood, Barnacle Bill's (www.barnaclebills.com) offers everything you'll need. Julie's Place (www.juliesplace.net), located near Interstate 10 on north Monroe Street, will take care of all your continental cuisine needs.

And if you don't have a ticket to the game, watch it at Hobbit Hoagies (2020 W. Pensacola St.), a sports pub that usually draws a good crowd of cheering FSU fans.

Any opinions expressed above are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the management. The information in this story was accurate at the time of publication. All contact information, directions and prices should be confirmed directly with the golf course or resort before making reservations and/or travel plans.