The Golf Travel Guru

2012 LPGA Schedule

2012-02-13T09:25:00.000-08:00

I predict the LPGA will have a fantastic year with the arrival of teen phenoms Lexie Thompson and Jessica Korda. These two exceptional young American golfers will give the Tour a much needed jolt of excitement

5 Worst Meltdowns in the MAJORS

2012-02-07T09:21:00.000-08:00

If you think your game is on the skids, don't forget some of the greatest golfers on the planet have crashed and burned at very inopportune times.

Check out my list of the 5 Worst Meltdowns in the MAJORS.

Video of the meltdowns will make you cringe.

My All-Time Favorite Golf Experience

2012-02-01T08:34:00.000-08:00

My All-Time Favorite Golf Experience

I’m one of those lucky souls to have played more than a few courses on everybody’s Top 100 list. That said, my favorite golf experience—with the criteria encompassing setting, playability and memorable holes—is Kingsbarns Golf Links near St. Andrews in Scotland.

Apparently, I’m not the only one who thinks highly of this Kyle Phillips designed gem. Golfweek recently ranked Kingsbarns the No. 1 Modern Course (built after 1960) in Great Britain and Ireland.

Late last year Golf Digest ranked Kingsbarns as No. 12 in their Top 50 Links in Great Britain & Ireland.

Opened in 2000, Kingsbarns is set on land that gently slopes down towards the coastline and almost every hole has a phenomenal view of the seas. Stretching 7,181 yards from the championship tees, Kingsbarns is part of the Dunhill Links Championship rotation alongside the Old Course at St. Andrews and Carnoustie Golf Links.

5 Tips for the Corporate Golfer That Really Work

2012-01-31T12:11:00.000-08:00

Check out my latest post at Cvent for some golf tips, especially if you're a golfer that struggles at corporate golf events.

5 Worst (But Most Successful) Golf Swings

2012-01-03T10:02:00.000-08:00

There's one major difference between your hacker's swing and the list of gentlemen on my list of worst golf swings. They've managed to win millions of dollars with their less-than-technically perfect swings, and you probably don't have a dime to show for efforts. Check out my latest post at Golf Partners Online to see who made my list.

5 Most Annoying Resort Practices

2011-12-14T07:34:00.000-08:00

I absolutely love playing golf at resorts. There's nothing like a massage or herbal wrap at the spa after an arduous round or a cool libation on the veranda of a plush clubhouse. That said, there are some annoying practices by resorts that drive me crazy. Check out my latest post at the Golf Partners Club.

5 Best Golf Shots Ever

2011-12-01T09:59:00.000-08:00

For my list of the 5 Best Golf Shots ever, go to my latest post at Golf Partners Club

Top IAGTO Award Winners for 2012

2011-11-29T06:23:00.000-08:00

Check out some of the top golf destinations and resort award winners for 2012 at my latest post at Cvent

The Old Course Ballot Changes to 48 Hours Ahead

2011-11-28T07:20:00.000-08:00

Here's a heads up for Old Course lovers:

The ballot for tee times on the world famous Old Course will be changing to being drawn two days ahead from January 2012.

The ballot has been drawn one day ahead for many years but St Andrews Links Trust, which manages the seven public courses in the town, is making the change to help people plan their golf more effectively.

On Saturday, January 7, 2012, the ballot will be drawn for Monday, January 9 and will continue to be drawn two days ahead from then onwards.

The plans to make the change were announced earlier this year and the Trust has been communicating with the many thousands of golfers from near and far who play the Old Course to make sure they are aware that the change is being made. The Trust conducted its Advanced Reservations for visiting golfers for play on the Old Course in 2012 on September 7 and has advised the more than 2500 applicants of the change.

The 48 hour ballot will dovetail with the one-day ahead booking system on the Castle, Jubilee, Eden and Strathtyrum courses and will enable golfers who have been unsuccessful in the ballot to book an alternative course for the day they want to play. The earlier draw will make it easier for visiting golfers to plan accommodation and travel arrangements and will encourage them to stay longer in St Andrews and play more golf in and around the town.

Euan Loudon, Chief Executive of St Andrews Links Trust, said, “The ballot is designed to ensure that golfers who haven’t been able to book in advance still have a chance to play the Old Course. It has been drawn one day ahead for many years but we conducted an extensive consultation exercise with a range of different stakeholders and the feedback was that people felt drawing it two days ahead would make it much easier for people to plan their golf. We believe the change will help to improve the experience of playing in St Andrews and to ensure that people have more opportunity to book golf on the other courses.”

To enter the ballot requires at least two golfers and they will have to enter their names, home clubs and handicaps by 2pm. The ballot will take place every day of the week with the exception of Friday as there is no play on the Old Course on Sundays. The entries can be made by phone on 01334 466666 or in person at any of the three clubhouses at the Links.

St Andrews Links Trust is a charitable organization responsible for the management and maintenance of the Links courses at St Andrews, including the famous Old Course, host of the 2010 Open Championship. The Trust was established in 1974.

Around 200,000 rounds are played over six public courses, which feature two additional championship courses (the New and the Jubilee), two 18-hole courses (the Eden and the Strathtyrum) and a nine-hole course (the Balgove).

A seventh course, The Castle Course, opened for play in 2008 on a site to the south-east of St Andrews and has already won several international awards including being named by Travel & Leisure Golf magazine in America as the New Course of the Year and International Development of the Year by Golf Inc magazine in America. The course was also included in the prestigious Golf Digest Top 100 Courses in its first year.

The Trust manages a number of additional facilities including three clubhouses, a golf practice center and golf academy and five shops. It recently reopened The Tom Morris Shop, the oldest golf shop in the world. Artifacts belonging to the four-time Open champion such as his locker, fireplace and workbench are on display in the shop, which sits opposite the 18th green of the Old Course.

For more information visit www.standrews.org.uk.

If You Visit Orlando, Florida...

2011-11-21T04:14:00.000-08:00

If you’re visiting Orlando for business, theme parks or some other reason next year, by all means play some of my favorite layouts and resorts. The list includes Bay Hill (a private club course you can play if you stay at the on-site lodge), MetroWest, an undulating layout near Universal Orlando, Grand Cypress Resort, home to 45 holes of Jack Nicklaus designed golf and Reunion Resort, which has three 18-hole golf courses designed separately by Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Tom Watson.

Off-the-course, gentlemen start your engines. Debuting in January is the Exotic Driving Experience at Walt Disney World Speedway, which will offer you the opportunity to drive supercars such as the Ferrari F430 and 458, Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 and LP560-4, Porsche 997S and Audi R8.

You’ll get to accelerate these awesome cars to high speeds on a special course. The experience starts at $199 for 6 laps around the 1-mile course. Part of the Richard Petty Driving Experience, the Exotic Driving Experience will also offer “Thrill Rides” with a Petty instructor for $99. Plans call for the Exotic Driving Experience to all be offered in the future at Daytona International Speedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway.

5 Most Underrated Golf Destinations

2011-11-16T07:54:00.000-08:00

Check out my A-list of the top underrated U.S. golf destinations at Cvent.com

Best Golf Swings Ever

2011-11-08T09:58:00.000-08:00

From Slammin' Sammy to the Big Easy Ernie Els, check out my list of the top golf swings ever to walk the fairways.

Golf Travel Is Back

2011-10-27T05:16:00.000-07:00

Just when you thought the last shovels of dirt were being thrown on the golf travel industry, along comes some great news about international golf tourism.

In a recent speech addressing the members of Thailand’s Golf In A Kingdom destination marketing program, Peter Walton, chief executive of the International Association of Golf Tourism Operators (IAGTO), said golf is one of the few international tourism sectors continuing to grow despite global economic uncertainty.

He said international golf tourism was expected to exceed 50 million travelers in 2011, and perhaps reach 55 million, which is equivalent to the level in 2007 before the global financial crisis.

“Golf tourism bounces back more quickly than other sectors,” he added. “In established markets, one in three golfers plan to travel in the next 12 months. That is a lot more than in other sectors like skiing. We also know that golfers spend 120 percent more per person per day when staying in a resort than other travelers.”

Regarding U.S. golf travel, Walton cited that while only 12 percent of the U.S. population plays golf, golfers were responsible for 27 percent of U.S. travel expenditures.

Walton highlighted Spain, the U.S. and Thailand as currently three popular international golf destinations, with Turkey and Portugal among countries that are rapidly increasing golf tourism sectors.

The IAGTO, with 1700 members in 94 countries, is a powerful voice in the golf travel industry. It claims that its members are responsible for 80 percent of golf packages sold worldwide.

My Top 5 U.S. Trophy Courses

2011-09-01T10:15:00.000-07:00

Drum roll, Please.

Check out my top 5 envy-inducing U.S. trophy courses.

Play Royal Porthcawl for the Ultimate British Isles Golf Experience

2011-08-25T09:24:00.000-07:00

One of my all-time favorite golf experiences was playing Royal Porthcawl Golf Club in Wales. My son and I played this magnificent seaside layout on a brutal March day with 30 mph winds and rain blowing in our faces.

Despite the torturous weather conditions, our round was an enjoyable one because the course and its setting are as good as it gets in the British Isles. Though it has hosted numerous important tournaments such as the 1995 Walker Cup, Royal Porthcawl is often overlooked for some reason.

You can see the sea from every hole and there are inspiring views south to Somerset and Exmoor, and northwest across Swansea Bay to the Gower Peninsula. The holes are designed facing every direction and you’ll never know when the wind will blow directly in your face.

Though it’s a private club, the members are very welcoming to visitors and you don’t feel like an interloper. Royal Porthcawl opened in 1895 and you’ll experience its 19^th century character at every turn.

After a round, the quaint, cozy bar has a wide range of whiskies for a bit of a warmer as you try to defrost from a chilly day and an excellent selection of draft beers. The clubhouse is perched some 40 feet above the sea affording stunning views as you enjoy your drink. It’s a great place whether you’re celebrating a round or drowning your sorrows.

You can stay at the on-site Dormy Lodge, which offers six single and three twin rooms. Each room is furnished with an en-suite bathroom, remote control TV, DVD player, wireless Internet and tea and coffee making facilities. Twin rooms/double occupancy cost about $80 a night.

We stayed about a mile away from the course at the Atlantic Hotel in the village of Porthcawl, a friendly bed and breakfast with 25 rooms. In addition to a fantastic full English breakfast each morning, the property has an excellent bar and restaurant, tastefully decorated rooms, complimentary parking, and views of the Bristol Channel to North Devon and Somerset. Room rates for a standard double room are in the $100 to $150 range, depending on the season and other factors.

If you’re looking for an undiscovered gem that’s welcoming to visitors, Royal Porthcawl is a must play on your next visit to England.

Hainan Island: China's Answer to Hawaii

2010-10-29T05:05:00.000-07:00

I visited Mission Hills Resort in Shenzhen, China a couple of years ago and was very impressed with the massive, 12-course complex. Now, the Mission Hills developers are expanding their golf offerings on Hainan Island. An island the size of Belgium in the South China Sea, Hainan Island is often called “the Oriental Hawaii.”

Here’s some information I received recently detailing some star-studded happenings on Hainan Island:

The world's biggest celebrities and their golfing counterparts have teed off in the inaugural Mission Hills Star Trophy, at Mission Hills Haikou on Hainan Island , China .

Catherine Zeta-Jones, Hugh Grant and Matthew McConaughey were among the Hollywood stars to meet the press today (Thursday) at Asia's leading lifestyle entertainment event, joined by golfers Tseng Yani, the women's world number five, Candy Kung, Zhang Lian-wei, Feng Shanshan, Danny Lee, Rosie Jones and Belen Mozo.

The ground-breaking Star Trophy brings together superstar celebrities and the world's biggest golfing names for the first event of its kind ever played in Asia . In addition to the pro-celebrity team event, the professionals will compete for Asia' s richest individual golfing prize of US$1.28 million.

For Zeta-Jones, the event is a great initiative for golf in China . "As everyone knows, I love golf and have been lucky enough to play in a number of pro-celebrity events around the world. I am sure everyone would agree the time is right to start an event that brings Hollywood and golf together in Asia and to be honest I cannot wait for the action to start."

Grant added: "I am very excited to be in Hainan for the first time. The chance to play golf at such a great new resort and be around some of my golfing heroes is wonderful, as it would be for any who loves the game. This is the closest someone like me can come to playing a professional event, so I have been practising as hard as possible, and hope my team is in contention on Sunday."

Tseng, who is taking a short break from the LPGA Tour to play this week, added: "I did not play very well today (in the Pro-Am), but I will have a new strategy for tomorrow. I am determined to win the inaugural Mission Hills Star Trophy and will use that new approach on the weekend and hope for the best."

Amongst the other announcements today at Mission Hills·Haikou, leading international golf coach Hank Haney announced the launch of the Hank Haney Academy at the new resort, the first of its kind in Asia.

The new academy is a 2,000-square metre state-of-the-art indoor training centre including 10 indoor hitting bays equipped with sophisticated state-of-the-art JC Video swing and SAMS putting analysis equipment, along with 3D motion analysis equipment. It also has designated natural turf practice areas with a comprehensive short game area to help improve every facet of golfers' games.

The Star Trophy field includes celebrities, professionals and selected amateurs, with the amateurs playing with the celebrities and professional golfers today (Thursday) and tomorrow (Friday) in a Pro-Am format.

The weekend play will then be in four-ball stroke play format between 18 teams consisting of a celebrity and a professional, with a 36-hole individual professional event running concurrently on the Blackstone Course. The pro event offers a US$1.28 million first place cheque, the richest individual prize in Asian golf.

The Mission Hills Star Trophy will be beamed to over 150 counties across the world. The TV output will be managed by esteemed broadcaster Terry Jastrow, the veteran sports producer of 68 golf majors and six Olympic Games over his glittering career. Jastrow has won seven Emmy awards and been nominated for 17 times.

The Mission Hills Star Trophy is one of the first major events supporting a government-led initiative to make Hainan a leading international tourism destination in the coming years and reaffirms Mission Hills· Haikou as the world's most memorable golf resort.

My Favorite Golf Quotes

2010-09-08T08:57:00.000-07:00

Drum roll and clash of cymbals, please!

“A professional will tell you the amount of flex you need in the shaft of your club. The more the flex, the more strength you will need to break the thing over your knees.”—Stephen Baker

“Swinging at daisies is a like playing electric guitar with a tennis racket: if it were that easy, we could all be Jerry Garcia. The ball changes everything.”—Michael Bamberger

“Give me golf clubs, fresh air and a beautiful partner, and you can keep the clubs and the fresh air.”—Jack Benny

“I was three over. One over a house, one over a patio, and one over a swimming pool.”—George Brett

“Golf is based on honesty. Where else would you admit to a seven on a par three?”—Jimmy Demaret

“The golf swing is like a suitcase into which we are trying to pack one too many things.”—John Updike

“The harder I practice the luckier I get.”—Gary Player

“Two things that are not long for this world: dogs that chase cars and professional golfers who putt for pars.”—Lee Trevino

“Competitive golf is played mainly on a five-and-a-half-inch course, the space between your ears.”—Bobby Jones

“Real pressure in golf is playing for $10 when you’ve only got $5 in your pocket.”—Lee Trevino

Ryder Cup Vs. FedEx Cup

2010-09-02T09:01:00.000-07:00

As the Ryder Cup (October 1-3, Celtic Manor Resort in Wales) fast approaches, I’m excited as if it were a Major. The Ryder Cup has drama, intensity, team spirit, patriotism, great pressure golf and so much more. Adding sizzle to this year’s version are two colorful captains and Tiger Woods’ participation.

Europe team captain Colin Montgomerie is a controversial figure who tends to put his foot in his mouth quite regularly with spicy quotes, and the fiery American captain Corey Pavin had a recent dust-up with Golf Channel reporter Jim Gray about whether Tiger Woods would be a Captain’s Pick.

Woods, who has struggled on the course since he obliterated a fire hydrant with his Escalade on November 27^th, has been lobbying to be one of Pavin’s picks since he didn’t accumulate enough points to make the team. What do you do with a guy who has 14 majors on his resume but now can’t seem to find a fairway or hit eight-foot putts consistently? This is golf’s ultimate reality show with big egos and intrigue.

Everything about the Ryder Cup from the trash talking and national pride to the attractive wives following their husbands around the course to the champagne shower for the victors is fun to watch. The pressure of playing for your country and teammates is sometimes overwhelming and you see some of the best golfers in the world wilt right before your eyes.

In contrast, the FedEx Cup, the PGA Tour’s annual playoffs is not much more exciting than watching Tour pros hit balls at the range. First, find me one person, anyone, even a PGA Tour player, who completely understands the complex points system and who’s eligible and who’s not. I’ve tried to follow this thing since its inception in 2007 and I just can’t seem to get into it. I remember when it was announced in 2005 and how the PGA Tour said it would be like the NASCAR-like points race and provide fantastic golf and playoff intensity. Aside from the big bucks the players stand to win, nothing seems too exciting about the entire series.

Do we really care who wins The Barclays, Deutsche Bank Championship, BMW Championship and the Tour Championship? Not really.

Quite frankly, I wish we had the Ryder Cup every year and the FedEx Cup, let’s say, every four years like the World Cup. After all, it’ll take about four years to figure out the goofy points standings.

Just Say "No" to Tiger for Ryder Cup

2010-08-23T10:17:00.000-07:00

Do we really need a struggling and befuddled Tiger Woods on this year’s Ryder Cup team?

Hey, Captain Corey, just say “No”.

Realistically, I know this will never happen because television networks and sponsors will put too much pressure on Pavin to add Woods as a Captain’s pick.

Pavin is playing the diplomatic politician card when it comes to Woods’ Ryder Cup participation. Here’s what Captain Corey had to say when asked about the situation recently at a press conference at the PGA Championship:

“I think a couple of things have happened the last couple of weeks. Obviously he played better last week. He's working on some things that seem to be improving his game. So I was obviously pleased to see that happen last week. His comments to the press and the media are very positive. He wants to play and he wants to be on the team. Again, he's high on my list. He's certainly a big consideration, no doubt.

But as I've said before, you know, everybody I'm looking at, and come September 7, I will let you guys know who those four are going to be. But he and a lot of other guys are up on my list, and probably that list will grow in the next three weeks.”

The Euros haven’t been quite as complimentary of Woods lately and are circling him like sharks after some fresh bloody chum. Irish phenom Rory McIllroy first called out Woods, then Luke Donald chimes in and you know Colin Montgomerie (Monty) won’t be far behind. They can’t wait to get a piece of the new Tiger—the one who barely breaks par anymore, can’t hit two fairways in a row and hasn’t hit a 10 footer since his Escalade ran over a fire hydrant.

Remember, too, we didn’t even need Tiger back in 2008 at the Ryder Cup Matches at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky. Heck, we pasted the Euros 16 ½ to 11 ½ without Tiger. In fact, when Tiger did play previously, the U.S. had losses three successive times.

I’d rather have somebody like Champions Tour star Fred Couples be a Captain’s pick. At least Freddy is at the top of his game right now. Tiger has too much baggage and he’ll detract from the team concept Pavin is trying to perpetuate. Do we really need the British tabloids attacking Tiger daily while our other lads are trying to sharpen their games for the TwentyTen course at Celtic Manor?

I’m not a Tiger hater, but I really think he should sit out this Ryder Cup and open the spot up for a youngster who would treasure the opportunity.

As I said, that’s not gonna happen. So, get ready for the “American Ryder Cup Team and the Tiger Woods Road Show.” With Euro team members popping off regularly, the British tabs about to join in and the steady murmur of controversy that Tiger woods brings these days, it should be one heckuva Ryder Cup.

Golf in Venice, Italy? Yes, Bravo.

2010-08-16T05:35:00.000-07:00

Last month, I spent several days in Venice, Italy. Like most tourists, I strolled the sidewalks lining the canals, sipped wine at a café on San Marco Square, indulged on gelato and watched the passing parade of boats on the Grand Canal.

My biggest discovery in Venice (my third visit) had nothing to do with culinary delights, gondolas or Murano glass. Through a well-informed and connected lady named Tabita Miotto, I found out about the wonderful golf opportunities around Venice and Italy in general.

Miotto is a key principal in Amazing Venice Golf, a marketing coop organization that not only promotes golf in Venice but in other regions of Italy, such as Tuscany, Piedmont, Rome, Apulia, Sicily and Sardinia and the Italian lakes region. If you want to play golf in Italy (which has about 200 golf courses), I highly suggest you consult this site first. They’ll guide you to great golf as well as incorporating other activities such as gastronomic, art and wine tours.

Miotto summarizes the appeal of Italian golf this way: “Sipping a cappuccino in the main piazza, under the Italian sun surrounded by art masterpieces….I have always been used to the Italian sweet life…I was inspired to share these emotions with other people…Italy has excellent courses and I hope you will experience the unique feeling of playing in Italy.”

Designers like Arnold Palmer, Robert Trent Jones and Kyle Phillips (designer of Kingsbarns in St. Andrews) have fashioned courses in Italy.

The Amazing Venice Golf site includes a “Great Deals” section which features package deals and an E-Quote, which allows you to submit your destination, accommodations, golf and other requests resulting in a customized quote.

Back to Venice. The closest golf course to Venice is the Golf Club Venezia, which was built in 1926 and is ranked among the top ten courses in Italy. Thirty minutes away in the picturesque, college town of Padova, there are several options to play, including the Golf Club Montecchia, Golf club Frssanelle and Golf Club Padova.

The Veneto Region, where Venice is located, is diverse topographically and you can enjoy a variety of golf experiences in and around main cities like Venice, Padova, Vicenza, Verona and Treviso as well as layouts in mountain settings in the Dolomite Mountains.

Amazing Venice Golf works with a long list of hotels, resorts and luxury bed and breakfast properties and golf courses. Ms. Miotto arranged for me to stay in the Domus Orsoni, a fabulous luxury boutique bed and breakfast situated next to the Orsoni glass factory, which manufactures glass mosaic with gold leaf. The five rooms and hallways are brimming with works by different Italian artists and the mosaic-tiled bathrooms are phenomenal. Located in the quiet Cannaregio section of Venice, the Domus Orsoni is a great respite after a day of playing golf or traipsing over and around canals.

So, if you’re seeking “la dolce vita” (the sweet life) and an Italian golf experience, go to Amazing Venice Golf and you’ll be sipping cappuccino in sidewalk cafes and playing golf among the olive trees in no time.

Arrividerci.

The Sunny Side of Life

2010-08-09T16:16:00.000-07:00

I spent the first week of August playing golf at Sun Valley Resort in Ketchum, Idaho. Sun Valley, which just celebrated its 75^th winter season, is known as one of the best ski resorts in the world, and it’s definitely distinguishing itself as an exceptional place to play golf from April 1 to October 1.

Here are some of the highlights of my visit:

· I played the 18-hole Trail Creek course a couple of times and was impressed with the 6,941-yard layout offering fairways framed by tall evergreens and Aspens. From the middle and resort tees it has generous and fair landing areas and there’s suitable challenge when low-handicappers move to the back tees. The mountain panoramas, open, flower-laden meadows and wildlife at seemingly every turn (I saw deer prancing by on several holes) provide a great way to spend four hours.

· The new 9-hole White Clouds course is extreme mountain golf at its finest. Some holes feature tee shots from highly perched tee boxes to wide-open fairways down below. The views are stunning. You have 360-degree wrap-around panoramas of the Wood River Valley encompassing world famous ski runs on Baldy Mountain and Dollar Mountain, the Pioneer Mountains, Angel’s Perch, Devil’s Bedstead and the home of Ernest Hemingway. For a vast understatement, Sun Valley Resort owner placed a stone with a plaque on the 5^th tee box that reads: “This is not all about golf.” My favorite hole is the 523-yard, par 5, number eight where you smash your drive from an elevated tee into the brilliant blue sky to a spacious valley below.

· One of the amenities that makes Sun Valley a great family golf destination is the innovative 18-hole Sawtooths Putting Course, which is patterned after the one at St. Andrew’s. Though I actually scored a nine one of the wildly undulating holes, the course is an absolute blast to play.

· After a round, there’s a great treat waiting for you—Sun Valley’s golf clubhouse, a 59,000 square-foot stone edifice with wrap-around terraces with mountain views and indoor and outdoor fireplaces. The menu goes well beyond your typical, boring clubhouse fare. Here I munched on sweet potato fries and a Mediterranean Lamb Gyro and washed it down with a frosty brew from the tap. I hear the grilled wild salmon sandwich is a good choice as well. For traditionalists, the Kobe Beef Burger, a half-pounder with cheddar, Swiss or bleu cheese will make you forget about all your bogeys, too.

· I got to see country crooner Garth Brooks in concert (see photos) with the Sun Valley Summer Symphony at the phenomenal new outdoor pavilion. The copper roof structure accented by Italian stone has a superb sound system and seats 1,500. Among the acts that have appeared recently are former Eagles lead guitarist Don Felder, singer/songwriter Peter Cetera, formerly of the band Chicago and violinist Itzhak Perlman. The Sun Valley Symphony performs free concerts at the pavilion throughout the summer.

· One of the highlights of visiting Sun Valley Resort in the summer is the Olympians on Ice program staged at an outdoor rink directly behind the main lodge. The night I saw the show, Olympic Silver Medalist Sasha Cohen was the featured performer and she headlined a dynamic show. The shows are staged every Saturday night from late June to early September. I was told many top skaters use the Sun Valley Resort facility as a summer training ground so there’s never a shortage of great skaters for the show.

· To really get a sense of what the resort has to offer, you’ve got to rent a bike. The on-site bike shop has everything from serious mountain bikes to big tire cruisers. I chose a cruiser and rode into the town of Ketchum about a mile away. A picturesque village peppered with bistros, restaurants, bars and gift shops, Ketchum is laid-back without the pretentiousness of, say, Aspen or Vail. Celebrities apparently love the understated lifestyle. Among those with homes in the area are actress Demi Moore, actor Bruce Willis, and California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger

· Legend abounds that Ernest Hemingway, who lived in Ketchum off and on later in his life, wrote part of “For Whom the Bell Tolls” in a room in the Sun Valley Lodge. From the 5^th tee on the White Clouds Course you can see Hemingway’s house.

· The dining at Sun Valley has a little something for everybody. Following a gondola ride up Baldy Mountain, I dined at the legendary Roundhouse (Averell’s), one of the great on-mountain dining places in the world. At The Ram, the resort’s top gourmet restaurant, I had one of the best German cuisine-inspired dishes to ever grace my palette. It consisted of a seasoned piece of pork roasted for eight hours then placed over a bed of spatzle with a course mustard sauce. Absolutely superb. One of my dining partners raved about the oven-roasted Chilean sea bass and the pan-seared prosciutto stuffed breast of free-range chicken is a can’t miss as well. Don’t leave the property without dining at the Trail Creek Cabin, a fixture since 1937 that sits next to a babbling brook and features and outdoor bar with phenomenal mountain views. Locally raised beef, Idaho Trout, baby back ribs and meat loaf are the top menu choices. In the summer, you can take a wagon ride to the cabin for dinner.

· If you’re looking for a summer or early fall golf getaway where everybody in the family will find an activity to enjoy, I highly recommend Sun Valley Resort. Among the activities available are tennis, hiking and biking, horseback riding, paddle boats, trap, skeet or sporting clays shooting at the gun club, gondola and ski lift rides, fly-fishing, three swimming pools, on-site boutique shopping, wining, dining and shopping in the nearby village of Ketchum, spa, fitness center, ice skating, on-site six lane bowling alley, kid’s program and the list goes on.

Summertime Golf Excursions

2010-06-27T04:52:00.000-07:00

Spanning the globe to find great golf is a never ending pursuit. In the next couple of months I’m traveling to a diverse group of destinations to play some great courses and write about them.

First up is Venice, Italy. Yes, you read that correctly. Not Venice, Florida. A group named Amazing Venice Golf, a marketing coop, says there are about a dozen courses in close proximity to the canal-only city. I’ll play and tour courses like the Golf Club of Venezia and Golf Club Montecchia in nearby Padova. I’ve been to many unique golf destinations in my career—Kenya, The Canary Islands, Morocco and China to name a few—but this one should be very special.

Later this month I’ll go to Panama City, Florida, which has exceptional courses like the Greg Norman designed Shark’s Tooth and Tom Fazio designed Camp Creek Golf Club. What saddens me is the anxiety the NW Florida Gulf Coast tourist area is undergoing about the massive oil spill and what the eventual effect it will have on the beaches. Right now, they’ve discovered a few isolated oil balls, but who knows what the future holds especially in the next few months, which is also hurricane season.

In early August, I’ll venture to Sun Valley Resort in Idaho. Everybody knows the area as a great snow skiing destination, but I’ve been told there’s some pretty good golf up there as well. I’m anxious to play the Robert Trent Jones Jr. designed Trail Creek Course, which is a Golf Digest “Top 75 Resort Course in North America” and the 18-hole Sawtooth Putting Course, a 52,000 square-foot nirvana for the flat stick. There’s also a new 9-hole layout called White Clouds, which I’m told, has stunning views of surrounding mountains. I can’t wait. It’ll be a nice reprieve from the sweltering Florida heat.

Tiger Woods 2.0 a Big Dud

2010-06-08T07:08:00.000-07:00

So far, Tiger Woods’ return to tournament golf has been about as exciting as the movie Caddyshack II and Michael Vick 2.0.

Instead of the swashbuckling Woods that stalked the fairways before his “Cocktail Waitresses Across America Tour”, we’re getting the somber, somewhat bewildered Woods who misses cuts and bails out because of a sore neck.

It seems so long ago that CBS's Jim Nance would wax poetically about “Tiger being on the prowl”. Nance always seemed to notice “the look in Tiger’s eyes”. Now, the only thing Nance can drone on about is whether Tiger will make the cut. Hey, that super slow mo of Tiger's errant swings off the tee is interesting, too.

On the course, instead of magical shots to win tournaments, Tiger gives a weekly lesson in military golf-left, right, left, right… That seems to be where most of his drives end up. If I want to see crappy driving like that I can go to my local muni and camp out at the first tee.

Why does Tiger continue to wear his red shirts on Sunday? The intimidation he once exuded is long gone. Heck, it seems like every twentysomething on the PGA Tour, from Rory Mcllroy and Jason Day to Rickie Fowler and Ricky Barnes has shown Woods up lately. Even 16-year old amateur phenom Jordan Speith has grabbed the spotlight from Woods. Tiger might want to switch Sunday colors, perhaps a lavender or chartreuse?

Off-the-course, Woods actually seems to be grateful and accommodating to interviewers like CBS’s Peter Kostis. The grumpy, suspicious Woods after a round is a distant memory.

You gotta wonder, too. What happens if Woods gets his act together and actually wins a tournament? Most likely his estranged wife and kids won’t rush out to greet him. Sadly, he might be surrounded by his agent Steinie (Mark Steinberg) and perhaps a Las Vegas showgirl.

It’s so sad. Truth is, I’d rather watch Caddyshack II than watch Tiger Woods play golf these days. No, it's not that bad, but I certainly don’t enjoy watching Tiger Woods 2.0.

Top 10 Oceanside Caribbean Golf Courses

2010-05-24T08:41:00.000-07:00

A decade or so ago, let’s face it, golf in the Caribbean was a distinct afterthought. With only a few true championship courses, most visitors were more interested in snorkeling the gin clear waters, searching for the best Mojito and maybe parasailing on a whim.

Oh, how things have changed.

New, phenomenal golf courses have been springing up regularly in the Caribbean and many of them capitalize on stunning ocean settings. I’ve traveled to the region several times in the last couple of years and here’s my list of top oceanside courses to play:

Bahia Beach Golf Club (Rio Grande, Puerto Rico)—Designated a Certified Golf Audubon International Signature Sanctuary Course, this Robert Trent Jones, Jr. designed course weaves along two miles of scenic coastal beach surrounded by patches of coastal forests, within view of El Yunque National Rainforest.

Corales (Punta Cana, Dominican Republic)—Opened in April, the oceanside beauty will undoubtedly take its place as one of Caribbean’s best. Dramatic panoramas, ocean cliff-side holes, a rock quarry and lake-front green sites are just a few of the elements that make this Tom Fazio designed gem a memorable, challenging and fun golf experience.

Emerald Reef Golf Course at Sandals Emerald Bay (Great Exuma, Bahamas)—A Greg Norman design that features six signature holes framing the perimeter of Emerald Bay’s peninsula overlooking the Caribbean Sea. An added bonus: the course uses an environmentally friendly seashore paspalum grass, which creates a lush, verdant turf to play on.

Faldo Legacy Course at the Westin Roco Ki Beach & Golf Resort (Punta Cana, Dominican Republic)—Nick Faldo is a very underrated golf course designer. He’s got several courses around the world, but this one has to be at the top of his resume. The Legacy winds through a lush mangrove forest and into highlands flanked by rocky cliffs and breathtaking azure Caribbean Sea.

Ocean Club at Paradise Island (Bahamas)—Designed by Tom Weiskopf, the Ocean Club has spectacular oceans views and several seaside greens and tee settings. If you want to know where your “wind game” stands, play this breezy beauty.

Ocean Course at Rio Mar Beach Resort (Rio Grande, Puerto Rico)—Designed by Tom and George Fazio, this venerable layout gets overshadowed somewhat by the resorts’ other course, the River Course, designed by Greg Norman. The Ocean Course with its ocean views, elevated greens and iguanas sunning themselves on several fairways is a Puerto Rican golf experience not to be missed.

Playa Grande (Dominican Republic)—Set high above the ocean it plays along 100-foot bluffs. It has 10 holes that play alongside the ocean. Hilly in spots, the course was designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr. and opened in 1997.

Punta Espada Golf Club (Cap Cana, Dominican Republic)—Some golf publications are intimating that this Jack Nicklaus signature design is the best course in the Caribbean and Mexico. No doubt, it’s a stunner with 8 holes that play along the sea and fantastic views from just about everywhere on the course.

Teeth of the Dog at Casa de Campo (La Romana, Dominican Republic)—Perenially ranked as the number one course in the Caribbean by golf publications, this classic Pete Dye designed oceanside gem, with its holes lined by jagged and rugged coral rock, never gets old. It definitely has to be on every golfer’s “Bucket List”.

Tryall Course at the Tryall Club (Montego Bay, Jamaica)-Stretching from the oceanside up into wooded areas and past coconut groves, this classic course has some stunning Caribbean Sea panoramas. They’ve got some great caddies at Tryall as well.

Visit NYC, Play Pound Ridge Golf Club

2010-05-03T12:11:00.000-07:00

Is there a bigger hassle in the world than visiting New York City and trying to fit in a round of golf?

I’ve visited the Big Apple several times on business and leisure and I’ve never played golf. It’s too much of a hassle and I don’t like to miss anything in the City. I’m a sucker for world-class dining, great jazz clubs and just walking the vibrant streets engulfed by the unmatched urban vibe.

That said, I discovered a great opportunity that incorporates luxury accommodations and play on a Pete Dye-designed golf course. Mandarin Oriental, New York and the Pound Ridge Golf Club, located 40 miles north of New York City, have partnered to give golfers a chance to roam the fairways and still enjoy one of the world’s most dynamic cities.

You can make tee times through the hotel’s concierge before the start of your stay or during your time on-site at the 248-roomMandarin Oriental, New York. Guests traveling without a vehicle can make a variety of transportation arrangements through the hotel, from car services and limousines to rental cars.

“Pound Ridge’s location sets up perfectly for golfers who want to play 18 holes of Pete Dye-designed golf, and return to the city for dining and entertainment,” sys Pound Ridge Golf Club owner Ken Wang.

If you don’t take your clubs, don’t fret, Pound Ridge has high-end clubs available for rental including current and next generation Nike equipment. Foot Joy golf shoes are also available for demo. Regular rates for Pound Ridge during the peak season (May 1 through December 1) are $235, $175 (after 3 p.m.) and $125 (after 5 p.m.). Rates for booking 8 days or more in advance are $195, $150 (after 3 p.m.) and $105 (after 5 p.m.) with a 25% deposit required.

Will you get pounded at Pound Ridge?

No. There are five sets of tees on each hole.

Regardless of how you play, this course is wonderful, lush green reprieve from the frenzied urban life in New York City. Pound Ridge is less than 15 minutes from Stamford and Greenwich, Connecticut.

Laid out over 172 acres, the course has magnificent cliffs, streams, wooded hills, mounding, wetlands open meadows and expansive green complexes. The property features some of the highest points in Westchester County, with a number of the tee boxes offering phenomenal vistas of the surrounding countryside.

New Corales Course a Must Play

2010-04-19T09:40:00.000-07:00

I just returned from a four-day jaunt to the Dominican Republic. It was my second visit to the “D.R.” and I came away more impressed than ever. My primary reason for the visit was to see and play the new Corales Golf Club Course at the PUNTACANA Resort & Club.

The course has been getting a lot of pre-opening buzz and I went down to see what all the fuss is about. Believe me, this one deserves the buzz. Think Pebble Beach oceanside style holes with Caribbean colors. Set between rocky cliffs, coral reefs and the expansive Caribbean Sea on the eastern shoreline of the country, Corales promises to take its place as one of the world’s great, exciting seaside golf experiences.

Designer Tom Fazio was on hand for the ribbon cutting and he summed up his latest masterpiece this way: “Corales encompasses a dramatic blend of captivating vistas, ocean cliff-side holes, rolling inland terrain and salt-water lakefront green sites, as well as with a memorable mix of variety and strategy. With a variety of short and long holes, holes playing into the breeze as well as downwind and a tremendous mixture of visual elements, playing Corales will be an experience to remember, and is sure to set the new standard of quality golf in the Dominican Republic.”

Here are some brief observations from my round:

Six of the 18 eighteen holes are oceanfront, including the final three, which have been dubbed “The Devil’s Elbow”
The fairways are gargantuan wide. Because of the prevailing winds, Fazio gives even the most struggling mid-handicappers more than ample landing areas.
The entire course (tees, greens and fairways) has the same grass—a plush carpet of Paspalum Supreme.
Currently there are no homes on the course. Plans call for a low-density focus with only 124 home sites.
The director of golf is highly-respected Jay Overton, who you may know from his many years at Innisbrook Resort near Tampa.
Construction on the course started in 2006.
My two favorite holes are 17and 18. When you stand on the green of the par 3 17^th you’ll feel a refreshing spray of Caribbean ocean against your back as the waves crash a few feet away. On 18, you hit across turquoise/blue waters from one craggy cliff to another. You can play safe leaving yourself a long second shot or bite off a big chunk resulting in a short wedge to the green.
The landscaping by world-renowned Spanish landscape designer Jesus Ibanez is phenomenal.

My advice: If you can play only one course in the Caribbean, make it the Corales.

Masters Musings

2010-04-14T09:07:00.000-07:00

Where Will Tiger Play Next?

You won't see Tiger at Quail Hollow, The Players or any other upcoming tournament. Let’s face it, he played in a well protected environment at the Masters with overly polite fans afraid they would have their badges yanked if they got too rowdy. Once the beer guzzling, “You da Man” types, get a hold of Tiger at a regular event, watch out. Can you imagine Tiger at the island hole 17^th at TPC Sawgrass at the Players, which is framed by thousands of beer swilling fans (not patrons)? If you think the Florida v. Georgia game is “The World’s Largest Cocktail Party”, you haven’t been around the 16^th and 17^th greens at the Players on a hot spring day.

Best Round at The Masters

Like much of the golf universe, I was glad to see Phil Mickelson slip on the Green Jacket at the Masters. Phil played great and that 207 yard, 7-iron, between the trees off pine straw on the 13^th hole is a shot for the ages. That said, Tiger’s final round was unbelievable. How can anyone, except Woods, jack one in the bunker, miss a one-footer, hit drives into other fairways all day and still shoot a 69. Almost every other pro would have shot 78. Regardless of what you think of Tiger and his “Cocktail Waitresses Tour Across America”, the guy is still the greatest golfer on the planet.

Tiger No Longer Untouchable

First, Masters Chairman Billy Payne ties into Tiger and admonishes him about his off-the-course behavior and diminishing role model status, then announcer Jim Nance takes Tiger to task in a post Masters radio interview about Woods’ on-course cussing and general rogue behavior after a bad shot. There used to be a day when nobody, and I mean nobody, ever criticized Tiger. Those days are long gone.

Anthony Kim Will Win the Masters

One player overrun by the Tiger v. Phil morality play and golf tournament was Anthony Kim, who had a stellar Sunday. Kim is a virtual birdie and eagle machine at Augusta National. If he can get his injured thumb back to normal, he’s my early favorite at next year’s Masters.

Ten Reaons Why I Love the Masters

2010-04-04T10:47:00.000-07:00

One aspect of the Masters’ appeal is that while many things in America are changing at microwave speed, the tournament and it’s setting remains transfixed in another era. From its Magnolia Lane, a picturesque and darkly shaded boulevard leading up the clubhouse, to the blooming, colorful azaleas, to the green blazer awarded the champion each year, few things seem to change.

To fans, the Masters retains its aura because—except for the first week in April—the public is rarely exposed to the Augusta National golf course. The club has repeatedly refused deals for licensing agreements, and the only place you can get Masters memorabilia such as hats, visor, and shirts is at the tournament.

Here are my top 10 reasons why I love the Masters:

Knowledgeable and polite golf fans.

I know it sounds elitist, but keeping drunk, rowdy, golf illiterate fans away from Augusta National is a good thing. I love the fact there are no beered up clowns yelling “In the hole” on par five tee shots or “You da man” to everybody inside the ropes. It’s no wonder Tiger chose the Masters as his coming out event.

Champions Dinner on Tuesday of Masters Week

What a great tradition? When you win the Masters you become a member of golf’s most exclusive club. One of the perks is the previous year’s winner gets to select the menu (and pick up the tab) for the annual dinner. Some of my favorite selections include Tiger Woods’ cheeseburgers and milkshakes in 1998 when he was 22 years old; Jose Maria Olazabal’s Paella (a Spanish rice dish with seafood) in 1995 and Ben Crenshaw’s Texas barbeque in 1996.

No corporate signage

One of the reasons Augusta National is so pleasing to watch on our television screens is the total lack of corporate signage. It’s one of the few places left in America where you’re not subjected to some sign wanting to sell you something. With pop up ads on the Internet, intrusive advertisements at movie houses and endless signs and corporate tents at your typical PGA Tour event, it’s a welcome reprieve to see Augusta National, a throwback to a simpler time.

Par Three Contest

You can see the joy on the player’s faces as they walk around the course accompanied by their small children, who are wearing mini-sized caddie outfits. The event was first held in 1960. The course designed by George Cobb plays over DeSoto Springs Pons and Ike’s Pond, which is named for President Dwight Eisenhower. One of my favorite bits of Masters trivia is that no winner of the Par 3 Contest has ever gone on to win on the big course. Another great bit of Masters trivia: How many hole-in-ones have been scored on the Par 3 Contest? Give up? 70.

Caddie coveralls

While the green jacket is the most renowned Masters fashion statement, the white coveralls worn by the caddies instantly tell you this tournament is “a tradition like no other” to borrow a Jim Nance phrase. I love watching the golfers walk down the verdant fairways next to their caddies, who wear green caps and the white coveralls with the name of their golfers on the back in green lettering. While PGA Tour caddies have pretty much taken over the caddie duties, the old-time Masters caddies like Stovepipe, Pappy, Iron Man, Cricket and Cemetery will be as much a part of Masters lore as Amen Corner and Magnolia Lane.

Azaleas and magnolias.

I never get tired of seeing the bright azaleas that accent the golf course. Nothing signifies spring better than these brightly colored plants that provide the perfect color contrast for the verdant green surroundings. What I learned recently was that the golf course was built on land that previously served as the first nursery in the South. Through the years, more than 80,000 plants of more than 350 varieties have been added to the grounds. The 61 magnolia trees that line Magnolia Lane are an awesome sight as well.

Real food and real low prices

Forget about hot dogs and hamburgers at the Masters (the smoke from the grills would presumably damage the garden-like ambiance), the real concession star is the pimento cheese sandwich that sells for $1.50. Yes, $1.50. Masters concession prices are stuck in a time warp. While other major American sports events have introduced price gouging to new levels at their concession stands, the members at Augusta National seem to care less about turning a profit on their concessions. Other $1.50 sandwich selections include egg salad, tuna salad and turkey. Want a brewski? How about two bucks?

Ceremonial honorary starters

I absolutely love the concept of having golf’s great past champions hit the ceremonial first shot. This year Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus will share the honor. The ritual started in 1963 and through the year’s greats like Gene Sarazen, Byron Nelson and Sam Snead have participated. Sadly, between 2002 and 2007 the tournament didn’t have an honorary starter. In 2007, Palmer accepted the invitation after declining it in the previous years. Now, this year with Arnie and Jack it couldn’t be better. They represent everything that is good and wholesome about the game and its great traditions.

No tickets

People adore and want what they can’t have, right. The Masters definitely falls into that category. It’s the toughest ticket in sports. There is a waiting list but it was closed in 1978. Even if you open up the list, thousands of names are already ahead of you and me. You have a better chance of getting tickets to the Super Bowl, World Series, or NBA Championship than to the Masters.

The Green Jacket and other awards

Even the poor slug who can a barely tell the difference between a tennis ball and a golf ball knows about the green jacket awarded to the winner of the Masters. Most people don’t realize there are a host of other prizes at the Masters. For instance, the winner also receives a gold medal; the runner-up receives a silver medal and silver slaver and each day’s low score is awarded a crystal vase.

Tiger Won't Make Cut at 2010 Masters

2010-03-18T10:04:00.000-07:00

If Tiger Woods makes the cut at the 2010 Masters, he’ll go down as the greatest sexual escapade comebacker since William Jefferson Clinton. The former president was somehow able to compartmentalize and still effectively govern the last few months of his term. Clinton has even evolved into a respected statesman on the world stage despite his, shall we say, checkered past.

I don’t think Woods can pull of a Clintonian-style miracle. With his image shattered--and who knows about his psyche-- from months of non-stop mistress accusations, sensational tabloid and celebrity web-site headlines and intensive rehab, I believe Woods will need to be superhuman to make the cut, much less contend or even win the Masters this year.

While golf media types everywhere drivel on endlessly about how “the Masters is the most controlled environment in sport and is seemingly impenetrable” to drunken unruly fans and sleazy media types, they might be right about the rowdy beer guzzlers, but the tabloids and celebrity websites will, no doubt, go into commando mode to ruffle the feathers of the Green Jacket crowd and Tiger fans everywhere.

First, they’ll find out where Tiger is staying for the week. Then they’ll pay outrageous prices to scalpers to get inside the Augusta National gates, and they’ll slip a few greenbacks to every landscaper, bartender and garbage collector who can feed information on Tiger, his family, entourage, agents and corporate hanger on types. Moreover, look for all the mistresses to resurface during Masters week to add on a few minutes to their “fifteen minutes of fame”

The 2010 Masters is shaping up to be an epic battle for the ages: The Tabloids versus The Green Jackets. I’m going with the Augusta National types who could teach a couple of things to Homeland Security. However, I think the additional hassles Tiger will face and the fact he hasn’t played competitively since November will make it difficult for him to shoot consistent rounds for four days.

Tiger has often been a slow starter on Thursday and Friday and I don’t think he’ll make it to the weekend.

If Woods proves me wrong and blocks out the craziness TMZ.com, radaronline.com, the National Enquirer and other celebrity news outlets throw at him, then he truly is the greatest golfer who ever walked the planet.

Until then, Jack Nicklaus is the greatest.

Go Fish and Golf

2010-03-14T10:11:00.000-07:00

I once saw a sign at a tackle shop in Key Largo, Florida that aptly summed up fishing’s universal appeal. The sign read: The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions of hope.

Hmm, sounds a lot like golf to me.

Both sports require mental flexibility—the ability to adapt to changing conditions and situations. Also, a great golf swing and a perfect cast both involve exceptional timing and coordination.

Many golfers tout fishing as the ultimate escape from the mental rigors of golf. Golf icons Greg Norman and Jack Nicklaus, PGA Tour stars like Davis Love III and David Duval and Champions Tour players Andy Bean and Joey Sindelar are professed anglers.

My favorite place to fish is around Panama City Beach in the Florida panhandle, where you can fish offshore in the gulf, surf fish, pier fish or drop a line in the bay or many of the lakes in the area. If you’re looking for a charter to fish the Gulf of Mexico and the Big Bend area, I recommend Captain Steve Sharp (850-984-5839) in Panacea, Florida, about 30 miles south of Tallahassee. Sharp holds a Coast Guard Master’s license and has been taking charters for 18 years aboard his 30 footer. Quite simply, he knows the water and he knows the weather.

I look at fishing and golf as a sort of “Fusion Getaway”. Mix a little of each in your recreation menu and it makes for a very relaxing way to spend a few days.

Whether you want to do a little angling on a course between rounds, fish lakes and rivers with the help of a guide or go after big game fish on the high seas, rest assured, there’s a golf resort or destination awaiting to accommodate your fishing desires once you stop chasing the white dimpled ball for the day.

Baypoint Marriott Golf Resort & Spa (Panama City, Florida)—It has two excellent championship courses—The Meadows and the Nicklaus Design Course. For anglers, fishing boat rentals are available as well as 23 stocked lakes and a 205-slip marina that accommodates yachts up to 120 feet long. The venerable Bay Point Invitational Billfish Tournament held each July offers the largest purse for billfish in the continental United States. Blue marlin, white marlin, sailfish, tuna, wahoo, and dolphin rate as the big catches.

Kiawah Island Golf Resort (Kiawah Island, South Carolina)—What a great spot for outdoor enthusiasts! First, the golf. How about five golf courses with designer tags like Pete Dye, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player? Fishing wise, you’ve got everything from fishing creeks and marshes for redfish, spotted sea trout and flounder to near coastal fishing for tarpon and barracuda to surf fishing.

Melia Cabo Real Beach & Golf Resort (Los Cabos, Mexico)—The golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. meanders through rugged desert terrain and every hole has a spectacular ocean view. In Los Cabos, the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific Ocean meet, creating some of the best marlin fishing in the world. Enough said.

Sandestin Beach Resort (Destin, Florida)—When you get done playing the resort’s 4 championship golf courses (Baytowne, Burnt Pine, Raven and Links), the on-site, 98-slip Baytowne Marina offers opportunities for bay, beach and gulf fishing opportunities.

Sea Island The Cloister & Lodge (Seas Island, Georgia)—In shore you can cruise the marshes in search of trout, redfish, flounder and whiting. Offshore, there’s bottom fishing over an artificial reef for mackerel, cobia, barracuda and sailfish. The Sea Island Yacht Club has six custom boats designed for fishing and touring the Georgia coast.

Shawnee Inn & Golf Resort (Shawnee-on-Delaware, Pennsylvania)--It has 27 holes of golf including A.W. Tillinghast’s first ever design built in 1911. Fishing is on resort grounds in the Delaware River and encompasses the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. The “Big D”, as locals call the river, has seasonal runs of shad and striped bass, along with resident populations of trophy trout, smallmouth bass, walleye and muskellunge.

Sunriver Resort (Bend Oregon) --For fly fishing enthusiasts, this resort is bounded on two sides by the Deschutes River, an outstanding river for brown, rainbow and steelhead trout. Also, there are over 100 lakes and 450 miles of rivers located within one hour of the resort. Golf offerings include three championship layouts and a nine-hole short course.

WaterColor Inn & Resort (Near Destin, Florida)—In addition to having access to great courses like the Tom Fazio designed Camp Creek, Greg Norman designed Shark’s Tooth and Davis Love III’ s innovative Origins 6-hole layout, guests can easily set up fishing expeditions through Old Florida Outfitters, a store adjacent to the hotel that specializes in fly-fishing and light tackle. They’ll set you up with an experienced guide or charter.

Must Play in Tallahassee, Florida

2010-03-10T07:24:00.000-08:00

I make several treks to north Florida every year from my home in Orlando. Some of my favorite courses in the panhandle near the beaches include Camp Creek near WaterColor, The Hombre in Panama City Beach and Burnt Pine and Raven at Sandestin Resort in Destin.

Inland, I recommend the SouthWood Golf Club in Tallahassee, an upscale, public-access course designed by PGA Tour player Fred Couples and architect and design partner Gene Bates.

Set on rolling hills framed by large stands of moss-draped oaks, SouthWood has a decidedly Old South flavor. You’ll have to go further south if you want a palm-laden experience. At SouthWood the holes are routed around a wetland area, through thickets of pine and oak and stretches of open meadow.

The golf experience is a pleasurable four-hour walk in the park, so to speak. SouthWood is enrolled in Aubdubon International’s Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses to ensure that the course helps protect the local environment, conserve natural resources and provide wildlife habitat.

I’m not the only one that thinks SouthWood is a great place to play. A host of top-notch college programs are teeing off Friday through Sunday (March 12-14) for the 2010 Florida State University Seminole Intercollegiate tournament. The teams playing are Arkansas, Baylor, Cincinnati, George Mason, Georgia State, Mercer, Mississippi State, North Carolina, North Texas, South Carolina, Troy, Western Carolina and Vanderbilt. Both Florida State and South Carolina are ranked in the top-10 in the nation by Golfweek/Sagarin.

If you get to Tallahassee either on business or pleasure, make sure you play SouthWood. You’ll love it.

Finally, Some Good Golf News

2010-03-08T10:57:00.000-08:00

Are you sick and tired of nothing but bad news about our lousy economy, golf resorts going into Chapter 11 and everybody bemoaning Tiger Woods’ absence? Surprise. I’ve actually got some good news to report. How about these happenings:

Camilo Villegas

It’s about time a flashy star stepped forward in Tiger’s absence. Villegas’ impressive five-stroke victory at the Honda Classic at PGA National has put the young Colombian back in the spotlight. Known as “Spider-Man” for his contortionist, pretzel-like technique while lining up putts, Villegas has the kind of youthful energy and star power the PGA Tour desperately needs. Let’s face it, even when pre-mistresses Tiger was going strong, the PGA Tour had become somewhat stale because nobody really paid much attention during the many weeks Tiger did not play. Since Tiger typically teed it up less than 20 times a year on the Tour, there were lots of weeks fans just didn’t care. Granted, a non-Tiger Tour has lost a major amount of sizzle, but the PGA Tour will be better off if it develops a larger galaxy of stars like Villegas, Anthony Kim, Rickie Fowler, Rory McIlroy and others. I’d love to see Camilo go back-to-back and win this week’s WGC-CA Championship at Doral.

Great Golf Travel Deals

These sorry economic times have rewarded us with some great golf travel deals. For instance, Golfpac Travel is featuring the “Amelia Island Plantation Unlimited Golf Package”, which is good to December 31, 2010. The package costs $386 per golfer (based on 4 persons sharing a resort view three-bedroom villa). Amenities include two nights’ accommodations, unlimited green and cart fees on Ocean Links, Oak Marsh and Amelia River courses and resort service fee and taxes. Daily housekeeping is not included in villa units, but can be added for a fee. For those not familiar with Amelia Island Plantation resort, it’s located 29 miles northeast of the Jacksonville, Florida airport on 1,350 acres between the Atlantic Ocean and Intracoastal Waterway.

Terrific New Course

There’s a lot of gloom and doom with new golf course construction in the U.S., but there are some excellent new layouts debuting around the globe. One of my favorite new ones is The Black Pearl, a Pete and Perry Dye design on the tropical island of Roatan, 35 miles off the northern coast of Honduras. The centerpiece of the 400-acre Pristine Bay Resort, the course has ocean views on 14 holes and a signature island-green, par-3 11^th hole. Play starts oceanside, rises into the island’s rolling foothills and then takes golfers back to the seaside clubhouse. A five-star, 120-room resort hotel and spa is slated to open in February 2011.

Major Florida Golf Resort Files Chapter 11

2010-03-03T08:10:00.000-08:00

More bad news on the golf travel front. On Monday, Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. If you somehow don’t know the property, the hotel is the site where the media congregated a mile or so away from where Tiger Woods made his public apology.

Apparently while Woods was singing the blues, the resort was putting the finishing touches on its bankruptcy plan. Court documents pretty much blame weak corporate and group bookings for the miserable financial shape the resort finds itself in.

Golfers visiting the property won’t notice much if any difference, however. “This action is in response to the current global economic environment and the fact that an agreement on a restructure with the lenders could not be reached,” said Jeff Mayers, general manager of the resort in an e-mailed statement to the media. “This process will protect the resort and allow us to continue to operate business as usual. We are firmly committed to maintaining our world-class operation and forsee no changes in the day-to-day operations at Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa.”

Situated adjacent to the PGA Tour headquarters, the 348-room resort with 83 golf villas has three restaurants, 56,000 square feet of meeting space, a 25,000 square foot spa and other amenities. For golfers, perhaps the resort’s biggest perk is that it has the exclusive right to 85 percent of all starting times each day at the TPC Sawgrass’ Stadium Course and Valley Course for resort guests for the next 78 years.

The wretched economy has been terrible for golf resorts. Preceding Marriott Sawgrass to Chapter 11 are well-known resorts like St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort in California, Amelia Island Resort in Florida, Daufuskie Island Resort in South Carolina and Four Seasons Resort & Club Dallas at Las Colinas in Texas.

ESPN Wide World of Sports, Annika, Disney Golf & Tiger Updates

2010-03-01T08:18:00.000-08:00

I took a short break from following golf and on Thursday February 25^th and Friday February 26^th I stayed at the Disney’s Beach Club Resort while attending a host of activities associated the rebranding of the Wide World of Sports complex, which is now called ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

The complex holds a slew of youth sports and professional sports events annually (more than 300). Sprawling some 220 acres, the complex encompasses The Fieldhouse, a 165,000-square-foot facility with 5,500 seats for basketball; Champion Stadium ballpark with 11,500 seats where the Atlanta Braves hold spring training; Hess Sports Fields, which include multiple baseball, softball and soccer fields; Jostens Center, an 80,000 square-foot multi-sport fieldhouse; and Innovation Lab, a real-world testing ground for the ESPN Emerging Technology group to develop ground-breaking on-air products like Ball Track and ESPN Snap Zoom.

Among the sport celebrities in attendance where NFLer’s Chad Ochocinco (Cincinnati Bengals), Maurice Jones-Drew (Jacksonville Jaguars), Garrett Hartley (New Orleans Saints), Josh Freeman (Tampa Bay Bucs), Adam Vinatieri (Indianapolis Colts) Teddy Bruschi (formerly of the New England Patriots), soccer star Brandi Chastain, Olympic gold-medal gymnast Shawn Johnson, South Carolina head football coach Steve Spurrier, softball star Jennie Finch, Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox, Atlanta Braves pitcher Tim Hudson, golf icon Annika Sorenstam and ESPN personalities Skip Bayless and Ron Jaworski. The celebs all strolled down a green not red carpet, which was staged to look like a football field.

Annika Sorenstam Update

It was great to see Annika Sorenstam at the Disney Wide World of Sports activities. Sorenstam is transitioning to an entrepreneur. She’s combining her passions-golf, fitness, fashion, cooking and wine—into various businesses under the ANNIKA brand. Heading her blossoming portfolio of business interests are a golf course architecture company, a golf academy at Ginn Reunion Resort in Orlando, a clothing line with Cutter & Buck, a signature perfume called “ANNIKA” and wines in partnership with Wente Vineyards in Livermore, California.

Disney Golf Update

I’m not sure if many golfers realize it but Disney has downscaled somewhat from five championship golf courses to four. The Eagle Pines layout designed by Pete Dye does not it exist anymore. The land is being utilized for a Four Seasons resort set to come on line in the future. Disney golf offerings include the Magnolia and Palm courses near Disney’s Polynesian Resort; Osprey Ridge near Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground; Lake Buena Vista near Downtown Disney; and the Oak Trail, a 9-hole, par-36 layout near Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.

Tiger Woods Endorsement Scoreboard Watch

Gatorade announced over the weekend that it’s dropping Woods as an endorser. If you’re keeping score at home, AT& T and Accenture has dumped Tiger and Gillette and Swiss watchmaker Tag Huer have de-emphasized him in their marketing programs. According to my records, still hanging in there with Woods are Nike, EA Sports, Golf Digest, NetJets, Tateer: The Tiger Woods Dubai, TLC Laser Eye Centers, Upper Deck and his wife Elin.

What Tiger Woods Should Do Next?

2010-02-22T05:48:00.000-08:00

After watching Tiger Woods’ press, err, prepared statement conference, on Friday, there’s little doubt his head is probably spinning with all the advice he’s been receiving lately. After all, the audience in that weird room with the blue curtain and wood lectern appeared to be full of corporate and sports rep types who probably had a hand in orchestrating the entire performance.

Up to this point, I’m convinced Tiger and his advisors have made nothing but bad moves in dealing with the biggest crisis in his life. I strongly disagree with the current structured approach by him and his handlers, which seems like a desperate attempt to hang on to his crumbling corporate image. Let’s face it, too many corporate entities have a vested interest in returning Woods to his lofty perch among America’s most trusted athlete endorsers.

Once Woods matriculates from rehab, I suggest he turn his back on all the corporate hangers on and everybody else making money off of him. If I were Woods, I’d build an entirely new life that would enhance the possibility of solidifying his family life and build on his already regal golf legacy. Here’s my multi-step process I suggest for Mr. Woods:

Move to Sweden—The only way to keep the celebrity websites, newspapers and television shows away from your family and your personal life is to leave the premises. These people know how to hide in bushes and pay off bartenders and cocktail waitresses so Tiger will never have any sense of freedom here in the U.S. His kids will grow up in relative anonymity in Sweden and his wife will be near her family, which should help his marriage and be a minor payback for the turmoil she’s had to endure. Swedes are essentially private people who won’t invade your space and Stockholm is a cosmopolitan city of 2 million residents so it should be a nice easy going lifestyle, though he will need a couple of parkas during the winter. During the summer, daylight lasts till 10 p.m. so there’s lots of extra time to play with the kids and practice nine iron approach shots.

Dump all Endorsements Tomorrow—Get rid of all your endorsements and corporate agreements and start all over. Tiger won’t be beholden to anybody and he’ll have a sense of freedom. The only person he’ll have to answer to everyday is the person in the mirror. Instead of having a bunch of yes men who’re dependent on him for their next paycheck, he’ll control his own destiny and image. Tiger needs to become his own man, not one beholden to Corporate America. Woods is the best golfer on the planet. He can make more than enough prize money to have a good life. Instead of doing obligatory corporate meetings and promotions, he can spend more time with his family and practicing golf. He should downscale like the rest of America and sell his real estate holdings, yacht and other toys. Instead of chasing money, he should put the emphasis back on developing a simpler more enjoyable life for his family and winning golf tournaments. Sucking up to corporations for endorsement dollars and doing silly television commercials is a fame and fortune trap he doesn't need anymore.

Play Golf Globally—To stay out of the limelight in the U.S. and to escape the tabloid media, play the world’s major tours in Europe, Australia and Asia. Woods is a great enough golfer that he can earn enough money to have a decidedly upscale lifestyle without having to play the PGA Tour and be constantly harassed by the press. With no endorsement contracts he won’t have to play a certain amount of events. Plus, his name still sells tickets and there will be more than a few tournaments offering large appearance fees.

Play Only the Majors in the U.S.—The only tournaments Woods should play in the U.S. are the four majors, which would still enable him to reach Jack Nicklaus’ record. If there’s one thing Woods wants to accomplish in his career, it’s Jack’s Major championship record. Just play the four big ones each year and be done with it. With the British Open, that would mean Woods would only have to play three tournaments a year in the U.S. The more he stays away from the tabloid websites, blogs, newspapers and television shows the better.

Become a Coach—With no corporate responsibilities and a limited PGA Tour schedule, Woods will have more than enough time to coach his kids’ sports teams. He can serve the same role to them as his father did to him. Tiger will quickly see it’s a more fulfilling role than that of a corporate shill and he’ll build a great relationship with his kids that will last a lot longer than any of the toys he can buy with his corporate bucks.

Five Ways To Attract more Golfers to Resorts

2010-02-17T07:53:00.000-08:00

With a few golf resorts filing Chapter 11 and others singing the low occupancy and diminished rounds blues, I’d like to offer a few suggestions to help them once again hear that magic phrase “Cha-Ching”.

Here are five suggestions to get more golfers to visit your resort:

Stop with premiums on your headliner course and drop the price so you can introduce the course to others that have previously been shut out. I’ve played hundreds of golf courses around the world and with the exception of Pebble Beach, Shadow Creek and a few others, no course has an entertainment value worth more than $300. These days, if I have to choose between taking my wife out for a three or four hour dinner at a top restaurant or spending three or four hundred dollars on a five hour round of golf, I’ll choose the dinner. I love golf, but in this economy you’ve got to identify your priorities, or, better still, your wife’s priorities if she doesn’t play golf.
Let people walk and give them a discount if they do. For too long, resorts and other golf courses have gotten hooked on the easy money generated by cart fees. These resorts are like addicts that can’t stop renting carts. Interestingly, some of the most successful golf resorts right now, places like Bandon Dunes Resort, allow walking. If people want to walk, let them.
Don’t charge kids under 17 if they’re playing with a paying adult. Too many resorts give lip service to junior golf and then sock it to them and their parents on greens and cart fees.
Treat your returning customers royally. Find out who’s still coming to your golf resort even in the bad times and put a gift in their cart (like extra sleeve of premium golf balls, towel, hat, etc) with a hand written note letting them know how much you appreciate their business.
Pull a Vegas. Attract golfers to your resort with extra low room rates, cheap breakfasts, big spa discounts and other attractive amenities.

My State of the Golf Travel Business Address

2010-02-14T02:25:00.000-08:00

My fellow golf travelers, why lie? The golf travel business is in the dumper. Occupancy is down. Rounds played are down. Revenues are down…

What is extremely troubling to me is the decline of the corporate market, which is such a large part of golf travel revenues. I write frequently for the corporate and incentive market and all I hear is nothing but gloom and doom. Corporations are now afraid of the golf course, so to speak. Afraid they’ll be labeled as wasteful and uncaring spenders during tough economic times. From the AIG fiasco last year at a golf and spa resort in California to President Obama lambasting destinations like Las Vegas, the corporate market is taking more hits than Rocky Balboa. Incidentally, that resort AIG had booked, the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort, was foreclosed upon by one of its lenders.

How bad is it?

Some resort operators are so scared of the perception problem that they’re dropping the word “resort” from their names. Among those who’ve dropped that oh so perceptively bad “resort” from their official names are Westin Stonebriar Hotel in Dallas, Loews Lake Las Vegas, Loews Ventana Canyon in Tucson, Loews Coronado Bay and Ballantyne Hotel & Lodge in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Everybody is paranoid these days. Now, event planners have to worry about arranging too good of a time for their clients. This is loony.

Adding to all the negative vibes corporations are experiencing with meeting and conventions are increased airline baggage fees, fewer flights, airport security hassles and a general malaise that the economy is not improving and you better horde a few bucks.

Wake me up, when this nightmare is over.

Tiger's First Tournament Back

2010-02-09T07:41:00.000-08:00

The speculation about Tiger Woods returning to the PGA Tour has ramped up the last couple of days and it got me thinking about what will be different when he tees it up again. Here are a few thoughts:

Rest assured, Woods will be on his best off-the-course behavior. He’ll be so squeaky clean he’ll make Tim Tebow look like a party hound.
Don’t expect any major mea culpa or press conference where Tigers spills his guts. It’s just not his style. How about a staged, well orchestrated event where Woods is in control with no reporter's questions? Woods is all about “scoreboard”.
While some players have lost respect for Tiger as a husband and a father, I guarantee they still regard him as the best golfer in the world. Woods has been playing the game since he was two years old. I don’t care how long he stays out, he won’t forget how to play and he won’t forget how to win.
Get ready for the tabloid press to be lurking behind bushes and in trees everywhere. Forget about Lindsey Lohan and Lady Ga Ga, Tiger Woods is, arguably, the biggest celebrity in the world and there will be an army of paparazzi at the first few tournaments following Tiger’s return. After all, don’t we all need something new? How many times can we see that photo of Elin Woods coming out of the Thai restaurant in Orlando?
I look for the golf media to be a little more daring in their questioning, but I’m not holding my breath. Even an image injured Tiger is imposing and intimidating.
I predict golf television analysts will play up the big comeback from sex clinic story. The American public absolutely loves stories of redemption and if they bought it from Kobe Bryant and Bill Clinton, they’ll surely buy it from Tiger Woods.
To be honest, I can’t wait till Tiger’s first tournament back. The sports world has never seen anything like this before. With the exception of Ali’s return to the ring, I can’t recall an event that had more anticipation surrounding it.
I hope the best for Tiger Woods and I’m cheering for his redemption. I believe he’s a good person who made some absolutely horrific life choices. But, if Russell Brand and David Duchovny can make it back from sex addiction, I guess Tiger can too.

Golf Musings

2010-02-05T07:57:00.000-08:00

IS TIGER IN ARIZONA?

Tiger Woods might not be in Mississippi. Despite the tabloid reports that Woods is in a sex clinic in Hattiesburg, I’ve heard several rumors to the contrary. At the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando I talked with a couple of well-connected types who told me Woods has been in a clinic in Arizona since the beginning of the year. Apparently, the photo of the guy in a hoodie and baseball cap in Mississippi that was captured by the tabloids was just a plant to throw everybody off. It makes sense in a way. Woods and his handlers had to know there were telephoto lenses pointed into the Mississippi sex clinic compound, so they sent a look-alike out for a stroll with a cup of coffee. They’ve been very coy in hiding Tiger so far, so why would they march him around the grounds for an easy photo? When this thing plays out, it’ll be interesting to see where Tiger has been the past 90 days or so.

TIGER’S REALLY NOT PLAYING THE ACCENTURE, IS HE?

The latest report by an Australian newspaper that Tiger will play in the upcoming Accenture sponsored WGC event in Arizona is a curious one. If believed, that means Tiger will compete in an event where he will reward a sponsor for dumping on him. Just from a business perspective, I don’t see Tiger competing in this event. Furthermore, unless he’s been sneaking out for some sort of midnight rate at a lighted golf course, I’m not sure if he’s tuned up to play.

AMAZING NEW GOLF PRODUCTS

I’m always amazed at the wild and wacky products I see at the PGA Merchandise Show every year. My nominees for, shall we say, most unusual 2010 products I saw are:

The Golf Flip Flop- Billed as the world’s first golf flip flop, the company called Golf Gators says in their promotional material that the “Spackler” offers golfers “ease, style and laid-back swagger”. Hey, we can all use a little swag on the links, but I’m not sure if I’ll rely on the flip-flops to do it for me. If you think differently and want to check them out, go to http://www.golfgators.com

Eiffel Tower Golf Tees—The originators of this product essentially turned the Eiffel Tower upside down and claim it makes the perfect tee. It’s made of some sort of plastic composite and is available in four colors. If you want to go ooh-la-la after every tee shot, go to http://www.vanitee.fr

Welded Golf Sculptures—Jeff Diamond, an innovative artist, takes old golf clubs and recycles them into unusual sculptures. They’re very different and certainly are conversation pieces. For more information, you can reach Mr. Diamond at 561-379-9367.

Golf Travel Trends 2010

2010-02-02T08:14:00.000-08:00

ASIA BECKONS

While Scotland will always be a favorite international golf destination for Americans, there are a number of destinations vying for American golfer business. Foremost among the international competitors are China and Thailand. Both of these countries continue to build golf courses and resorts that appeal to American tastes. Not surprisingly, the Asia-Pacific region has overtaken North America as the world’s largest travel market with 647 million passengers in 2009, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). In early May, the first Southeast Asia/India Golf Merchandise Exposition in Bangkok, modeled after the PGA Merchandise Show in the U.S., will debut.

WHAT HAPPENED TO MY RESORT?

Back in 2008, AIG, which received $180 million in taxpayer assistance, was exposed for planning a high-end sales retreat at the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point, California. That debacle set the stage for criticisms from government officials and others about luxury conferences. Suddenly, and wrongfully I might add, the word “resort” became a bad name, one that implied needless and opulent spending for business groups. The result is some properties are dropping the word “resort” from their official name. Among those who changed their name are Ballantyne Hotel & Lodge in Charlotte, North Carolina, Loews Lake Las Vegas, Loews Ventana Canyon in Tucson, Arizona, Loews Coronado Bay near San Diego and Westin Stonebriar Hotel in Dallas.

FEWER NEW DOMESTIC COURSES

Golf course construction is flat in the United States. With the exception of a few courses that debuted last year, the Pete Dye Course at French Lick Resort in Indiana and the Waldorf Astoria Golf Club in Orlando come to mind, there aren’t going to be a lot of new resort layouts to play this year. One worth waiting for is the fourth course at Bandon Dunes Resort in Oregon, the Old Macdonald, which is scheduled to open in June.

FRANCE, YES

France is quickly making its mark as a top golf destination in continental Europe. Several of its courses consistently make it into Top 10 lists, including Morfontaine, Les Bordes, Chantilly (Vineuil) and Golf National (L’Albatros).

WHAT THE EXPERTS THINK

The International Association of Golf Travel Operators (IAGTO) recently announced its 2010 rewards. The envelope, please: Undiscovered Golf Destination of the Year: BRAZIL; Golf Destination of the Year-Asia & Australasia: THAILAND; Golf Destination of the Year-Europe: PROVENCE & COTE D’AZUR; Golf Destination of the Year-North America: ORLANDO; Golf Resort of the Year-Europe: DOONBEG, IRELAND; Golf Resort of the Year-North America: KIAWAH ISLAND GOLF RESORT, SOUTH CAROLINA; Golf Resort of the Year-Rest of the World: RAFFLES CANOUAN, THE GRENADINES.

PGA Merchandise Show, Friday, Day Two

2010-01-30T01:56:00.000-08:00

Friday is typically the biggest day of the PGA Merchandise Show. It’s the day I spend the most time there and usually when the biggest celebrities show up.

Strolling through the aisles, I saw Paula Creamer at the Sundog Eyewear booth, Christina Kim, Angela Stanford and Anna Nordqvist at the LPGA Tour booth, Nancy Lopez at the Nancy Lopez Golf booth and golf instructor Jim McLean at The Bootlegger booth.

As I ambled past booth after booth, it eventually donned on me that one celebrity’s image I didn’t see was Tiger Woods. In past years Woods’ image has been splashed all over the place at the show. With Woods’ infidelity scandal still fresh in the minds of exhibitors and attendees, it seems everybody just wants to avoid the topic all together.

One glaring example of the Woods omission is at the VedaloHD booth. VedaloHD is a brand of sunglasses endorsed by Steve Williams, Woods' caddy. There’s a large photo of Williams at the booth and the caption underneath it reads, “Caddy to the No. 1 Golfer in the World,” with nary a mention of the tabloid embattled superstar.

The highlight of my day was spending a few minutes talking with Jim McKenzie, director of golf courses and estates management, and Gareth Rees Jones, director of marketing, for Celtic Manor Resort, which will serve as the site and host hotel for the 2010 Ryder Cup. While Wales is off the golf vacation beaten path, Jones told me Celtic Manor is ideally located for those wanting to enjoy a golf getaway with their spouse. “We’re located only 20 minutes from Cardiff, 25 minutes from Bristol and 45 minutes from Bath,” says Jones. “We’re surrounded by dozens of castles, Roman ruins and exceptional links courses.”

I highly suggest you go to the resort’s website http://www.celtic-manor.com to find out more about this resort, which has three golf courses, two spas, five restaurants and sports activities such as clay pigeon shooting, tennis, fishing, mountain biking and walking and running trails.

Later, I ran into an old friend, golf course architect Ron Garl, who told me about some of the new projects he’s working on in various parts of the world, including the The Admirals Club at Nine Dragons Golf Resort in Shanghai, China, a 27 hole resort course with 18 holes already open for play; the Chiangmai-Alpine Golf Course and Royal Gems Golf City in Thailand; the Guaymaral Golf Course and Mar de Indias Golf & Beach Resort in Colombia; Bijao Golf Club in Panama; Palermo Golf Club in Argentina and Lekki Beach Golf Resort in Nigeria.

PGA Merchandise Show, Thursday, Day One

2010-01-28T10:36:00.000-08:00

The first day of the PGA Merchandise Show is a good time to get your bearings and devise some sort of plan to walk the acres of golf equipment and products on Friday. Here are a few news items from Day 1:

St. Andrews Links chose the show to launch its new official website http://www.standrews.org.uk, which provides a full range of information on how to book golf at the seven St. Andrews Links courses, including the Old Course, and features and new online golf shop featuring official Old Course and St. Andrews Links Merchandise.

Three other important websites for those planning on attending the Ryder Cup in September in Wales are http://www.rydercupwales2010.com, http://www.golfasitshouldbe.com and http://www.celtic-manor.com Wales and Celtic Manor Resort (site of the matches) were well represented at the show.

For golf travelers, I visited a couple of booths that have some exceptional products that may not shave any strokes off your score, but will certainly help your “travel game”.

I chatted for a few minutes with Ralph Dunning, president of Dunning Sportswear, who showed me a product line of versatile dress shirts and sportswear. It’s an excellent line of wrinkle free products that also incorporate moisture management. For the intrepid golf traveler, you can throw away that travel iron, because this line battles wrinkles better than any I’ve ever seen. The designs are impressive as well. Dunning’s line features clean silhouettes, athletic fits, timeless colors and vintage 60’s tailoring. In addition, Dunning’s high-tech fabrics are all about performance and they won’t wash- or wear-out after repeated use.

Ralph Dunning is an avid road rider and Ironman competitor, who used his knowledge gained from designing fabrics for the cycling and triathlete market. He entered the golf market in 2001 and was at the forefront of introducing performance fabrics to golfers.

Later, I talked with Jeff Herold, founder and inventor of Club Glove, an innovative luggage company offering golf bags, travel bags, head covers, gloves and towels, ski bags and other related products. Herold demonstrated the “Train Reaction Luggage System” to me. It allows you to carry multiple pieces of luggage at one time in unison. The three bags (which can be a combination of golf bag, duffel bag, weekend bag or laptop bag) are easily attached to each other and they glide easily across all surfaces, including cobblestones and grass, thanks to high quality, in-line skate wheels. Most luggage on the market has cheap wheels that don’t navigate easily. Club Glove has designed a great system that allows you to walk a concourse in the airport and have both hands free—one to hold a cell phone and the other to hold a sandwich. Now, that’s the type of innovation travelers can appreciate.

A PGA Merchandise Show Pre-Show Primer

2010-01-25T08:18:00.000-08:00

For those in the golf industry an introduction to the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando is not necessary. However, for those outside the industry I’ll provide you with a short overview and what I anticipate seeing at this year’s show. Why? Because, unfortunately, the public is not invited and security is tight.

Staged at the end of January at the Orlando Orange County Convention Center, the PGA Merchandise Show attracts more than 40,000 movers and shakers, PGA Professionals, manufacturing executives, retailers and a few wannabes who want to get into the golf business.

Next week, right here on this blog, I’ll provide you with an in-depth look at what’s new in golf in 2010.

Now, back to the show.

There are 10 miles of show aisles with every thing from the latest forged irons and titanium head drivers to ancillary golf industry products like cigars, single malt whiskeys, wine produced by PGA Tour pros, wacky headcovers and golf range tractors. The bottom line is, if you’ve got a golf product and you’re not represented some way at the PGA Merchandise Show, you haven’t got much of a golf product. Some 1,000 golf manufacturers have a booth or exhibit space at the show. In addition, there’s an outdoor Demo Day at Orange County National Golf Center where retailers and media types can try out new equipment that will begin appearing at stores in late February and early March, a variety of education conferences, a career fair, a concert featuring the rock group “Kansas”, a PGA Forum Stage, a new product center and other activities.

Among the celebrities scheduled to appear at this year's show are Annika Sorenstam, Justin Leonard, Paula Creamer, Tony Jacklin, Hank Haney and Natalie Gulbis.

This is my 13^th year to attend the PGA Merchandise Show and I look forward every year to renewing acquaintances with other writers, public relations pros and other golf industry people I've met along the way.

Here are some of the new products I’m looking forward to seeing this year:

Drivers: The new TaylorMade Burner 2010, which will appear in shops in February, the Speedline Fast 10 driver by Adams and the Ping G15 driver.

Irons: For low- to- mid-swing golfers, Wilson Golf has come up with the new D-FY iron, an iron and hybrid combination that features at half steel/half graphite shaft. It’s different and I’m like to see if it really works.

Fairway Woods: Do you consistently hit the ball to the right? If you’re a hacker like me, you probably do. Apparently Nike is doing something about the problem with their new adjustable VR Fairways woods, which allow you do dial the face slightly to the left.

Putters: Odyssey and Callaway are introducing three new putters in line named Backstryke, which feature a shaft angled severely rearward near the putter head.

Teaching aid: The product sent me a pre-show press release that promises to take 5 strokes off everybody’s golf score. Accuputt is an indoor golf putting system involving some sort of invisible laser line. In their media release they state “95% of golf testers reported lowering their average putts per round by 5, in actual golf course play, after using Accuputt for just 15 minutes daily for 30 days. This I gotta see.

The Wacky: Every year there are a host of companies hoping to capitalize on niche markets. Here are a few of booths I look forward to visiting:

Tattoo Golf-Debuting at the show, they boast “a unique line of aggressive golf clothing”. Their logo is a skull with crossed clubs and I’m assuming they’re hoping a lot of Black Sabbath, Van Halen and White Snake fans play golf.

Golf Genie-An iPhone application designed by PGA instructors for on-course use and off-course preparation. It has advice on golf shot club selection, setup and execution and helps to fix problem swings. According to the company’s pre-show release, the Golf Genie sold out its first run in less than two months.

Creative Covers—The company boasts that “Superheroes are coming to your local golf course.” They’re introducing headcovers with Warner Bros. designs that include Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Scooby Doo, the Flintstones and Tom & Jerry.

Tiger's Absence Good for Golf

2010-01-21T08:12:00.000-08:00

Saying Tiger’s self-imposed exile from the PGA Tour is good for golf is blasphemous, I know.

Let me explain.

First, I think his temporary absence not his permanent departure will help the game.

The PGA Tour and the golf industry in general have been riding the Tiger Woods gravy train far too long. Let’s face it, everybody in the golf business has gotten a bit lazy as Tiger literally carried the Tour, television and the media and Nike Golf on his broad shoulders.

The Tiger Woods gravy train has rewarded the PGA Tour with purses that have increased nearly 300 percent since Tiger’s arrival in the late 1990s. Say what you will about Tiger’s personal failures, but nobody can criticize the impact he has had on the golf business.

Tiger’s gone for now and oh how reality bites. The PGA Tour will suffer much the same way the NBA did after Michael Jordan retired. During Jordan’s heyday, he and the Chicago Bulls were relentlessly promoted to the detriment of other teams. If the Bulls and Jordan weren’t playing, rest assured, NBA fans weren’t going to tune in to see a Sacramento Kings vs. Washington Wizards game. Jordan had set the standard for performance and celebrity much higher than any other player or team could reach. Today’s NBA has expanded to include a galaxy of stars like Lebron, Kobe, Shaq, Dirk and Carmelo. Now, a Cavaliers vs. Mavericks game is a tough ticket.

Tiger had a similar impact on the PGA Tour. If Woods was not teeing up, tournaments didn’t lose some luster they almost lost legitimacy. Tournaments like the Reno-Tahoe Open or Turning Stone Resort Championship were relegated to afterthought status. Not because they weren’t good tournaments but because Tiger wasn’t playing and, consequently, they lacked validation from the game’s greatest player.

The preoccupation with Tiger will subside temporarily with the PGA Tour, sponsors and the media. Surprisingly, Nike, the company more closely associated with Tiger than any other, is leading the way. In many of their current marketing materials promoting their equipment they’re using other members of their tour staff like major champions Lucas Glover, Stewart Cink and Justin Leonard and players like Anthony Kim and Trevor Immelman.

I believe this period of “tough love” will help the PGA Tour become more diversified and less reliant on one overwhelming personality. It’ll force the Tour to promote young players. When Tiger does return, the Tour will be stronger and more interesting because fans will have more to cheer about.

The Tiger Woods gravy train has pulled into the station. Hopefully the Tour will respond with a great year in 2010 and players like Anthony Kim, Rickie Fowler, Rory McIlroy, Jason Day and Nick Watney will establish themselves as the next galaxy of stars.

If these youngsters deliver this year, who knows, we might even start looking forward to the Reno-Tahoe Open.

I hope so.

What To Watch For in 2010

2010-01-18T08:50:00.000-08:00

Coming up on Thursday January 21 is the episode of CSI that features Rocco Mediate, Duffy Waldorf, Natalie Gulbis, Gary McCord and David Feherty. The episode is titled, “Long Ball”, so why were McCord and Feherty included?
Tiger will be driving something new off the course. GM announced on December 31 that his free rides are over. His agreement that allowed free access to GM vehicles is done.
Matteo Manassero, the 16-year old Italian sensation plans to turn pro after the Masters. Last summer, Manassero was crowned the youngest winner of the British Amateur Championship in its 124-year history.
The most anticipated golf course opening in 2010 (June) is Old Macdonald at Bandon Dunes in Oregon, a layout that is a tribute to Charles Blair Macdonald, the father of American golf course architecture and founder of the U.S. Golf Association. The course is being designed by Tom Doak and Jim Urbina and will feature the classic principles that Macdonald incorporated into his own courses, mainly the National Golf Links of America in Southampton, New York.
With the arrival of young players like Matteo Manassero, Rickie Fowler, Rory McIlroy and Ryo Ishikawa look for the Euro-style look to come on strong. Fowler likes white belts, big belt buckles and loud color shirts. The look will be much more subtle, however, than the in-your-face style of Ian Poulter.
Prediction: Phil Mickleson will win the 2010 U.S. Open. He delivers big-time at the Pebble Beach Golf Links. Mickelson won the AT & T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in 1998, 2005 and 2007.
My pick for 2010 Driver of the Year: I’m going with the Ping G15 Driver, which has a simple look but is loaded with high-tech features. It retails for $300.
Hey, let’s go Old School. The new grooves rule on the PGA Tour should be fun to follow this year. At the Sony Open two players obviously found a loophole in the rule. John Daly used pre-1990 Ping Eye 2 wedges and Dean Wilson used some mid-1980 used Ping Wedges.
Those private clubs aren’t so private anymore. A few private golf clubs have opened their courses to the public for one or sometimes two days a week to increase rounds and a little extra cha ching during the recession.
Get ready for more resort bankruptcies. Among those who’ve filed Chapter 11 recently include Daufuskie Island Resort in South Carolina and Amelia Island Resort in Florida. Also, the Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas was the subject of a foreclosure filing in Dallas, Texas.

When Tiger Woods Returns

2010-01-14T06:15:00.000-08:00

Who knows when Tiger Woods will return to the PGA Tour. Some say at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando. Others say at the Masters in Augusta. And still others think he might never return.

I’m going on the assumption that Woods will return sometime in 2010, perhaps at a low profile tournament and not a major.

When Tiger returns, get ready for a zoo.

The public’s fascination with the Woods debacle will only escalate on his first tournament back. I don’t care how much time has passed. Instead of a few golf writers content on receiving some stale quotes from Woods, the media tent will be overflowing with TMZ, Radaronline, Star Magazine and National Enquirer types who will follow Tiger’s every move. Golf has never seen anything like this. In fact, sites like TMZ and Radaronline are experiencing “hits” like never before. If you think they’re going to back off this one you’re crazy.

Up until Tiger’s SUV ran over that fire hydrant, Woods had it made with the media. He did obligatory pool interviews after tournaments and the occasional pre-tournament group interview as the returning champion as well as a few short TV shots. As a golf writer, if you crossed Woods then you typically got less access. That’s the way the system worked with the world’s No. 1 ranked golfer.

All bets are off now with the swarm of paparazzi, celebrity magazines and TV shows and gossip websites leaching onto the Tiger Woods story with no sign they will leave quickly. To them, Tiger is their Princess Di or Michael Jackson. A global icon that is instantly recognizable anywhere on the planet.

When Woods returns, other PGA Tour players better get ready for microphones jammed in their mugs for reactions to Tiger, his misdeeds and how they think he will fare in upcoming tournaments. You’re going to hear lots of “no comments” with the exception of maybe a few like Jesper Parnevick and Colin Montgomerie who don’t seem to be too afraid of Tiger or his entourage.

The crowd at his first tournament, I predict, will be peppered with all sorts of publicity seeking cocktail waitress types seeking 15 minutes of fame or beered up fans barking out vulgarities to Woods.

In a crazy, "crane your neck at the train wreck" sort of way, I’m looking forward to Tiger’s return.

After all, everyone loves going to the zoo, right?

My Most Memorable Golf Experiences Part I

2010-01-12T08:14:00.000-08:00

Before I get started, please understand this list is NOT a golf ranking, which is a staple with many blogs, websites, magazines and newsletters. I consider most rankings too unscientific and marketing driven and essentially worthless.

Months or years after a round, however, most players remember the total experience, not just the course. Oftentimes, friendly starters and rangers, ice cold beer on the beverage cart, well-maintained course conditions, an exotic setting, phenomenal weather, scoring low, camaraderie and other factors are main contributors to the total golf experience.

That said, here are my most memorable golf experiences:

Kingsbarns Golf Links, Kingsbarns, Fife, Scotland

Located 15 minutes from St. Andrews, Kingsbarns is Scotland’s answer to Pebble Beach. What do I remember: Wide fairways, fantastic greens with great movement and contours, the smell of the sea air and the sound of the waves on the rocks and beach. A man-made links course designed by Mark Parsinnen and Kyle Phillips in 2000, Kingsbarns has a special place in my heart. I’ll always remember standing on the 2^nd hole, a 190-yard par-3, and high-fiving my playing partners: my teenage son and 11-year old daughter. We were all thinking the same thing: Can you believe we’re standing here? Are we lucky or what?

Mission Hills Resort Course, Shenzhen, China

I scored a hole-in-one on no. 13 on the Olazabal course. Or at least I think it was the Olazabal course. Geez, this sprawling, mega golf complex has twelve golf courses so it’s hard to keep up with all of them. Yes, I just checked my hole-in-one certificate and it was the Olazabal. It was at the end of a long day and we were playing in the dark and could barely see the flag. While my playing partners insist a player from the group ahead dropped one through his pant leg into the hole, I strongly dispute that story as they were under the influence of a few too many Tsingtao Chinese beers. Regardless, the resort rewarded me and my group with a fabulous bottle of champagne after the round and every time I see Jose Maria on T.V. I make a silent toast and thank him for designing the course that has made me infamous with several other golf writers.

Eden Course, St. Andrews, Scotland

What about the Old Course? The truth is I’ve been to St. Andrews three times in my life and I’ve never played the Old Course. On previous trips, a series of schedule changes and snafus have denied me the opportunity to play what many rate as the best course in the world. I’ll never forget the misty morning my son and I played the Eden Course, however. While most golfers pay passing interest to the Eden because of its short yardages (only 6,250 yards), it was a thoroughly enjoyable links golf experience. I’m a struggling mid-handicapper and I had a great round by staying in play and putting well. My son, who was 17 at the time and an accomplished junior player, absolutely loved all the shotmaking opportunities. If you can’t play the Old, play the Eden for a fun challenge where you can score well on this par 70 gem. It’s more forgiving than the three courses on the seaward side. It opened for play in 1914 and was designed by Harry S. Colt and later received some alterations by Donald Steele

Random Thoughts on 2010

2010-01-08T07:52:00.000-08:00

TIGER EFFECT-Whether you’re disgusted with Tiger and never want to watch him play again or you’re ready to forgive and forget, the fact remains the “Tiger Woods Cocktail Waitress Tour Across America” has hurt the game of golf. No other professional sport had a player with Woods’ previous gold standard image. Woods’ fall from grace will affect the PGA Tour with attendance and sponsors, junior golf, which has lost a role model, and other aspects of the game. The bottom line is the golf industry has lost some of its luster. Hopefully, the adversity will only make the game stronger and less reliant on one dominant personality.

MICKELSON’S TIME—The person who stands to gain from Wood’s fall is Phil Mickelson. I just can’t wait for golf broadcasters to wax poetic about Lefty the same way they’ve done for Tiger the past 13 years. Hopefully Phil can deliver and live up to the hype that is sure to come. After all, the talking heads have to fill up airtime with something and you know they’re going to ramp down on the heroic Tiger speech.

FILLING THE TIGER VOID—I’m hoping for a breakout year from Michelle Wie or for a youngster like Rickie Fowler to have a great year to offset the Tiger scandal. Please, please, somebody step up and give us something positive to follow in golf. Enough about mistresses, wedge swings on SUV windows, $300 million pre-nups and sponsors jumping ship. What we need in golf is a certifiable “feel good” story. If it’s not Rickie or Michelle, how about Camilo Villegas, Sergio Garcia, Boo Weekly, Anthony Kim, Rory Mcllroy or some other interesting personality? John Daly? He’s lost weight and is tan, rested and ready but he might not exactly be the replacement role model golf needs these days.

AIR TRAVEL MESS—The botched Christmas day terrorism attack by the “panty bomber” will reverberate the rest of the year and beyond. Get ready to wait, wait and wait some more at the airport security line. At some point, people are just going to throw their arms up and drive to their destination or stay at home. As someone who has written about golf travel for more than two decades, I find the current environment very disconcerting. There are too many great resorts and courses begging for visitors that may never get out of the airport.

GREAT RYDER CUP VENUE—If you haven’t been paying attention, this year’s Ryder Cup venue, the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, South Wales, is a phenomenal 1,400-acre luxurious complex with three championship golf courses. The Ryder Cup Matches will be staged September 27^th to October 3^rd. What really makes the venue unique is that the resort built a course, The Twenty Ten Course, which opened in 2007, specifically to host the Ryder Cup. It will be one of the year’s most anticipated events.

Save Money on Vacation Golf

2009-11-02T09:15:00.000-08:00

I’m a big Troon Golf fan. Among the Troon courses I’ve played include Bahia Beach in Puerto Rico, Black Diamond Ranch in Lecanto, Florida, Camp Creek, Watercolor, Florida, Palmilla Golf Course, Los Cabos, Mexico, Westin La Cantera Resort & Spa in San Antonio, The Grove in London, England and Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort in Savannah, Georgia. Superbly maintained and managed, Troon Courses are high-profile and reliable in all phases.

Recently, Troon announced the launch of the 2010 Troon Card Program, offering green fee discounts of up to 50 percent. With more than 40 participating facilities, the 2010 Troon Card offers discounts at more luxury golf courses than ever before. Additionally, this year’s Arizona TwoSome card is priced at $375 until November 6, 2009, offering a $150 savings compared to last year’s price. The National Twosome card is priced at $500, saving cardholders $175 on purchases made prior to December 7, 2009.

Returning to the Troon Card Program is the “Unlimited Golf” offer that allows cardholders and qualifying guests replay rounds for just $10 per player. The card’s “Best Rate Guarantee” ensures that cardholders always receive the best rate by extending $5 off promotional rates at participating clubs. Card choices include the Arizona TwoSome and FourSome, accepted at 11 courses across Scottsdale, Phoenix and Tucson, as well as the California/Nevada Troon Cards accepted at eight courses in Las Vegas and Southern California. The National card option extends rate privileges at more than 40 courses located in 15 states and in Mexico.

“With six different card choices to choose from, golf enthusiasts are able to play more golf at world-class venues at better prices than ever,” stated Guy Sugden, director of the Troon Card Program.

Currently on sale, the 2010 Troon Cards are valid November 1, 2009 until December 31, 2010. Card purchases prior to December 7, 2009 receive an “Early Bird” discount. To view a list of participating courses, gather more information about terms and conditions or to purchase a Troon Card online, visit www.troongolf.com (select the “e-store” link) or call 1.888.TROON U.S. Cardholders who purchase at a participating facility, online or by mail, save an additional $25 off the Early Bird price.

New Waldorf Astoria Orlando Golf Club Opens

2009-10-12T06:39:00.000-07:00

I attended the star-studded opening of the Waldorf Astoria Orlando earlier this month. Political luminaries like Florida Governor Charlie Crist and golf course designer Rees Jones were in attendance for the ribbon-cutting.

In between a lavish dinner at the Bull & Bear Steakhouse, cocktails at Peacock Alley and breakfast at Oscar's, I didn't have time to play a round of golf on the resort's new course. I did, however, take a cart tour and spoke briefly with Jones. I was very impressed.

I'm itching to play the 7,108-yard layout. The course weaves through giant stands of pine and cypress trees and Jones did a great job of utilizing the land's existing contours. Winding through a large wetland preserve, the courses has a par 72, slope 139 and 74.6 from its professional tees. There are five sets of tees so all playing abilities will find it challenging as they want it to be.

Jones is a master at designing courses for the ultimate user. I believe Waldorf Astoria Orlando Golf Club will easily take its place as one of Orlando's top resort layouts.

The Waldorf Astoria Orlando and the Waldorf Astoria Golf Club have put together a special introductory offer for golfers. The WA Golf package includes accommodations in a golf-view room at the Waldorf Astoria Orlando, two rounds of golf, and a $20 dining credit per person with rates beginning at $329 per room, per night, based on double occupancy. The offer is good to December 24, 2009. Cal 1-800-925-3673 or book online at www.waldorfastoriaorlando.com

Couples-Friendly Golf Resorts

2009-09-24T07:12:00.000-07:00

Check out my new blog post at Travelmuse featuring my Top 10 Couples-Friendly Golf Resorts.

If you're wondering, the photo is of the Skytop Lodge in the Pocono Mountains in northeastern Pennsylvania.

My Favorite Golf Resort Amenities

2009-09-19T08:49:00.000-07:00

When you travel as much as I do, it's the little things that count. It's the flight attendant that rewards you with an extra bag of peanuts, the bellman who actually brings your bags directly to your room not 30 minutes later and the bartender who eschews the jigger on your Bloody Mary. Any intrepid business traveler knows what I'm talking about.

That said, here are five little things that make a difference to me:

Crunchy Apples

At the 10^th tee at Shingle Creek Resort in Orlando, Florida, a block or so from the Orange County Convention Center, there’s an inconspicuous container filled with fresh, chilled, crispy, red apples. You can have your hot dog smothered with chili and onions at the turn, I’ll take one of the apples, which are a great pick-me-up. In a close second place are the apples on the front desk at the main hotel at Pinehurst Resort.

Charcoal Chicken Sandwich

The halfway hut at Bahia Beach Resort & Golf Club in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico has, what I consider, the best grilled chicken sandwich on the planet. This is not some lame, tasteless piece of poultry prepared on a gas grill. No, here they use real charcoal. Before they grill, the chicken is marinated in concoction of lime juice, onions, green pepper and garlic. It’s served on a crispy Puerto Rican roll. Chase it down with an ice-cold Medalla beer and you’ve got heaven on earth, brother.

Meet Arnie

If you stay at the 70-room Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Orlando, there’s a good chance you’ll run into Arnie, especially during the winter months. Palmer can be spotted just about anywhere on the property from the golf course and clubhouse to the dining room and front lobby. Bay Hill is a private club and besides an invitation from a member the only way you can play it is to stay at the lodge.

Steps at St. Andrews

About 50 yards or so away from the 18^th green at the Old Course in St. Andrews are steps that lead up to the clubhouse. At the end of the day, there’s no better place to sit and watch golfers finish their rounds. You’ll see everything from Americans just glad to be there to grumpy locals who aren’t so glad to have Americans around. In the distance you can see the Swilcan Bridge and the Old Course Hotel. If nothing else, sit for a few minutes, take a few deep breaths and fully soak up one of golf's great panoramas.

Donald Ross Grill

Oozing with history and once operated by Donald Ross, this is the ideal spot to conclude an early morning round at Pinehurst Resort with a great lunch. Overlooking the world's largest putting green and Putterboy statue, it's ideally situated in the clubhouse complex. Following my favorite lunch, a Maniac Hill Club Sandwich with hickory smoked bacon and Beefsteak tomatoes and a large unsweetened tee (the locals love the sweetened, but it's way too sugary) I exit through the front door, take a right to walk through a hallway dotted with historic photos and proceed to gaze at the Payne Stewart statue just outside the side door by the pro shop.

The World Cup of Golf

2009-09-09T07:06:00.000-07:00

With all the recent talk about the Olympic Games including golf in 2016, many golfers have forgotten we already have a worldwide competition. It’s called the World Cup. Several years ago I saw some matches when the World Cup was held at Lake Nona Golf Club in Orlando and it was a great event with lots of pomp and circumstance. If you'll remember, Fred Couples and Davis Love III used to dominate the World Cup in the 1990s.

Greg Norman recently visited 12-course Mission Hills Golf Club, situated an hour from Hong Kong, and shared his thoughts on the World Cup and golf's bright future in China .Norman -- a two-time Open Champion and Captain of the International squad for the 2009 Presidents Cup -- competed in the 1976 and 1978 World Cups.

"I remember one of my goals in 1976 was to be the youngest, I believe, and the quickest player to make the Australian World Cup team," says Norman . "I turned professional in October of 1976 and won a tournament that month and the World Cup team was chosen in November to go to Palm Springs in the United States . It was a goal of mine right from the get-go to represent my country."

He continues: "No matter where you go and play as an individual in a tournament you do represent your country. But to actually carry your flag for your country with a partner in the World Cup is an extremely high prize in my mind."

The Omega Mission Hills World Cup will be played for the third straight year on the club's Olazabal Course, November 26-29. Sergio Garcia, Rory McIlroy and Y.E. Yang are among the players scheduled to participate in the event's 55th edition. Featuring 28 two-man teams from nations around the globe, the World Cup is golf's closest approximation to the Olympic Games.

Last year, the Swedish team of Henrik Stenson and Robert Karlsson shot a sterling 63 in Sunday's alternate shot format to claim a three-stroke victory over Spain .

Finally Some Good News

2009-09-03T07:05:00.000-07:00

Hey, this might not equate with the “Cash for Clunkers” deal or the expanded $1 menu at Wendy’s, but at least St. Andrews Links Trust courses aren’t raising their prices.

Green fees for 2010 will stay at 2009 levels. The high season green free for the Old Course will stay at $211; the new Castle Course $195; New and Jubilee courses $105; Eden Course $65; Strathtyrum Course $40; and the 9-hole Balgove $19. (Prices quoted are based on Sept. 3rd exchange rate and are subject to fluctuate slightly)

Ready to tee it up in windy ol’ Scotland? You can make tee times at the Trust courses at www.standrews.org.uk

Oh yeah, don’t delay, either, the Advanced Reservations process for play on the Old Course and the Castle Courses opened on September 2^nd and within 15 minutes more than 800 email applications had been received.

My Top 5 Annoying Things About Resort Golf

2009-09-01T08:02:00.000-07:00

First let me state I’m not some bitter Andy Rooney type that’s always on the prowl for something negative. I’m a pretty easy-going guy, but after more than 20 years of playing golf at resorts around the world, I’ve compiled a list of things that annoy me.

Don’t get me wrong. I love the chocolates on the pillow, hydrotherapies at the spa, the fresh apples on the counter at check-in and various other resort amenities.

The following, however, is what I don’t like.

1. Surly Starters—There’s nothing worse than beginning a round in some fabulous setting only to be admonished by some overworked grump who acts like a suspicious border guard. After a scowl and a lecture about the dozens of things NOT to do, he tells you to have a great day. Sure pal. After listening to the stern speech, I suspect the guy might chase me down if I somehow momentarily forget about the 90-degree rule.

2. Overpriced Logo Merchandise—What a country! Let me get this straight. I travel a long distance, pay hundreds sometimes thousands of dollars to stay, play and dine and you reward me with the opportunity to pay $125 for a golf shirt emblazoned with the resort’s logo. Then, I wear my overpriced logo shirt back home and advertise your resort for free to all my friends and family.

3. Overpriced Golf Balls—Golf balls at resort pro shops have prominently taken their place in the “Ridiculous Pricing Hall of Fame” along with airport hot dogs, beers at the U.S. Open and hotel rooms at the host city during Super Bowl Week. Give us a break please. Chances are we’re going to hit them into all the strategically placed lakes and ponds and you’ll get to resell them.

4. Sleepy Marshalls—One of the reasons for so much slow play is resorts are afraid to hire marshalls that will actually tell groups slower than pack mules to keep moving. I know they’re paid to be back-slappers and cheer up golfers, but, puh-lease, get people moving. I want to get back to the clubhouse for a few libations, not just a nightcap.

5. The $4 Bottle of Water—I play lots of resort golf in Florida where the temperature in the summer seems to reach microwave oven levels. Sometimes if you end up playing towards the end of the day, the water jugs on the course tend to be depleted with melted ice. The water is warm enough to brew tea. What’s the solution? Voila, here comes the cart girl with an 8 oz. bottle of water for $4. Let’s see, either die from the heat or fork over the 4 bucks. I pay like everybody else. It doesn’t really bother me until I get home and realize my wife has just returned from Costco with a case of water that cost her $3.99.

What Would Tiger Woods Do?

2009-08-26T07:03:00.000-07:00

Let’s say you’ve won 14 majors and 70 PGA Tour tournaments and you’ve got so much money piled up that the U.S. government might be seeking a loan from you soon.

Let’s say you’re Tiger Woods. Where would you go on vacation?

Woods likes to keep his private life private, so we’re left to guess the answer to the question.

Through some devoted sleuthing, I’ve narrowed down the destinations where Tiger Woods might go to kick back and relax.

Tiger’s vacation itinerary might include one of these places:

California-On his web-site www.TigerWoods.com he says his perfect day is to “surf, ski, play golf and go spear-fishing in the same day." There aren’t many places on the planet you can do all those things, but California, where Woods grew up, can accommodate him.

Caribbean-In an interview I did with Woods for a Stratos Magazine feature he stated, “We enjoy spending time on our boat and just getting away. It’s very peaceful and I can dive or swim when I want to.” The calm waters of the Caribbean provide perfect conditions for Woods’ 155-foot yacht predictably named “Privacy”.

Los Cabos, Mexico—Woods, who reportedly owns 17 fishing rods and reels, is a fishing enthusiast. One of the best places to catch big game fish is off the coast of Los Cabos where the Pacific Ocean and Sea of Cortez meet.

Asheville, North Carolina-Tiger Woods Design, Woods’ golf course design firm, recently announced its first domestic project at the Cliffs at High Carolina in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Dubai-Woods reportedly is building a 16,500-square-foot home at a golf course he’s designing in Dubai.

Orlando, Florida-If he decides to stay at home and not venture far from Windermere, he’s only a few miles from some of the world’s greatest theme parks.

So, if you were Tiger, where would you go?

If I were Tiger, I’d take a swing by the bank, then decide.

Be a Patriot

2009-08-24T07:41:00.000-07:00

Patriot Golf Day has become one of my favorite days in golf--right there behind Sunday at the Masters and the first day of the season that Tiger Woods tees it up.

The third annual Patriot Golf Day, a joint initiative of the PGA of America and the USGA, allows golfers the opportunity to donate an additional $1 each green fee that is processed September 4-7. Many golf courses and resorts are participating. The proceed provide post-secondary educational scholarships through the Folds of Honor Foundation to families of those who have become disabled or lost their lives in the line of duty. In my hometown, Orlando, Hawk's Landing Golf Club at the Orlando World Center Marriott is participating in the event.

In 2008, more than $2.1 million was raised at more than 3,800 golf facilities nationwide.

The event has an added special meaning because I'm from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Patriot Golf Day was inspired by Major Dan Rooney, a PGA Professional and USGA member from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma (a Tulsa suburb), who served three tours of duty in Iraq as an F-16 pilot.

Caddies Rule

2009-08-20T06:14:00.000-07:00

Most Americans have never played with a caddie.

No wonder.

In this age of sprawling, unwalkable courses, golf cart traffic jams, electronic yardage finders and elaborate course guide brochures, a dwindling number of American golfers wouldn't know a caddie unless he came up and whacked him on the head with a nine-iron.

Fact is, a solid, professional caddie who knows his trade can make a difference of at least two shots in a round to a scratch golfer and more to higher handicap golfers. More importantly, the experience returns golfers to the traditional approach to a round of golf.

While you might think the caddie has gone all extinction on us like your favorite dinosaur, you would be mistaken. Several high-profile resorts offer caddie programs. Among my favorites are:

Grande Lakes Resort, Orlando, Florida

Features the Ritz-Carlton Caddie Concierge concept with trained, service-first, forecaddies that make a round enjoyable for all skill-levels. During winter months, every caddie wears a white jumpsuit reminiscent of those worn at Augusta National Golf Club. The Greg Norman-designed course is also a terrific resort layout with generously wide landing areas for corporate golf types who don't play more than once or twice a month.www.grandelakes.com

Bandon Dunes, Bandon Dunes, Oregon

All three courses are walking only and the caddies, available upon request, are knowledgeable and well trained. For many Americans, the courses, which are set on rugged and wild cliffs high above a stretch of the Pacific Ocean are the closest they'll ever get to enjoying a Ireland or Scotland type golf experience with the assitance of a caddie. www.bandondunesgolf.com

Whistling Straits, Kohler, Wisconsin

Caddies are required on this walking-only, rugged course along the shores of Lake Michigan that looks as if it has been magically air-dropped in from Ireland. You normally don't think of Wisconsin as a bastion of great golf, but Whistling Straits is one of America's great resort courses. www.destinationkohler.com

Blue Monster at Doral Resort, Miami, Florida

Site of a hugely popular World Golf Championship event, the Blue Monster, with its famous finishing hole, offers forecaddies for cart riders and as well as walking caddies. Though a caddie won't guarantee a birdie on the exceptionally difficult and famous finishing hole, he will provide insight to one of the PGA Tour's great courses.www.doralresort.com

Pinehurst Resort

There is nothing better than playing the famous No. 2 course, site of numerous major golf events, with a knowledgeable caddie who can help read the menacing Donald Ross greens. www.pinehurst.com