On Location: TPC Sawgrass/Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa

Do you want to know the status of your golf game?

Seriously, are you ready for a thorough test of your golf skills?

If so, I highly suggest you play THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

It's a green grass SAT exam without the number two pencils and timer clocks. The Stadium Course provides a four-hour test that will expose any and all deficiencies in your game. This Pete Dye masterpiece challenges and confounds everyone from pros who play here every year to the once-a-month hacker who boldly believes he can break 90 and par or birdie the famous No. 17 island hole. 

Unlike college entrance exams, this test is fun and memorable, even though you might return to the clubhouse after a round with some high numbers on your scorecard.

Enhancing the experience is one of the world's most amazing clubhouses and the Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa, a multi-amenity resort designed for golfers.

GOLF

THE PLAYERS Stadium Course 
Its narrow fairways with tiny target areas, immense waste bunkers, railroad tie barriers, grassy mounds and knolls and pool table-fast greens make it a supreme challenge.

Designed by Pete Dye and built in 1980, the 7,215-yard, par-72 layout is referred to as “The Stadium Course” because of its unique “built in” spectator bleachers. To accommodate spectators, many fairways are framed by high, banked slopes upon which crowds can sit. There are also bowl-shaped natural grass amphitheaters around many greens for the spectators.

An in-your-face challenge in which every shot requires patience, daring and skill, the Stadium Course has trouble with subtle and eerie regularity on almost every hole. From bunkers to lakes and undulating mounding, Dye strategically placed hazards that will gobble up errant shots faster than one of those tractor driven machines at a driving range. 

Undoubtedly, the most recognizable hole and one of the most publicized in the world, is the par-3, No. 17 island hole, which makes golfers hit 132 yards over a lagoon often into a stiff Atlantic Ocean breeze. It looks like a nice, easy pitching wedge or 9-iron shot. Forget that. 

Each year, more than 120,000 balls are hit in the water, an average of just less than three balls per players based on approximately 44,000 rounds played per year on the TPC Sawgrass course. The number is somewhat skewed because some players hit as many as a dozen balls into the water in an attempt to reach the green.

Even if you have a ball or two left to play the finishing hole (pictured below), it presents its own shake-in-your-golf-shoes view from the tee. A lake frames the entire left side from tee to green on the 462-yard par 4. Even if you keep your tee shot right, there’s not much space for a safe landing.

Dye's Valley Course
When you get done with Stadium Course, or it gets done with you, this 6,938-yard, par-72 layout is another legitmate Pete Dye golf test with winding fairways, large greens and lots of undulation.

Sawgrass Country Club
The Scuba guy that retrieves balls from the water on 17 at the Stadium Course probably does pretty well here as well. Water comes into play on 24 of the 27 holes at this Ed Seay design. 

Marsh Landing Country Club
Tall pines, intracoastal marshes and lagoons dominate the terrain at this layout, which is often described as "a nature preserve with golf holes."

Ponte Vedra Golf & Country Club
A par-70, Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay design with tight fairways and water on every hole.

TourAcademy TPC Sawgrass 
If you need a tune up or want to elevate your game, this 2,800 square-foot instructional facility with indoor hitting bays, private practice areas, chipping greens and bunkers is located adjacent to the TPC Sawgrass Clubhouse. 

CLUBHOUSE

Don't leave TPC Sawgrass without spending some time at the clubhouse, a spectacular 77,000 square-foot Mediterranean-style structure open to the public that looks like an Italian mansion air-dropped in from Tuscany. Dripping with the opulent appointments, it's an experience not to be missed.

I thoroughly enjoyed viewing the paintings on display in the lobby that depict famous happenings in TPC Sawgrass history.

A nice touch are the storyteller docents who conduct tours and weave stories about past tournaments and key moments in the history of the club.

There are two dining options:

Nineteen serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. If the weather is good, dine on the outdoor veranda, which affords fantastic views of the presentation lawn, 9th and 18th holes. For dinner, I suggest the Pan Seared Red Snapper or Pesto Roasted Chicken Breast topped off with a signature dessert, the Double Chocolate Chip Brownie S'mores (pictured).

Traditions is a fine-dining room open to the public for lunch and exclusively to club members for dinner.


ACCOMMODATIONS/AMENITIES

The Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa has 510 guest rooms, including 21 suites. Earth tone fabrics, wood furnishings and wall art featuring beautiful color photographs of the golf settings highlight the room decor. In addition, there are 80 villa suites, each with two bedrooms, which are ideal for golfers and small groups up to eight guests.

In-room amenity highlights:

* Internet browser/Web TV
* Down/feather/foam pillows
* Wet bar
* Luxury bedding
* High-speed Internet Access

Villa Accommodations

Resort amenity and services highlights:

* Full-service business center
* Concierge desk
* Access to Cabana Beach Club, a private, oceanfront club
* Complimentary resort shuttle to golf courses and Cabana Beach
* Nine restaurants, lounges, cafes and coffee shops
* 25,000 square-foot spa
* Sawgrass Kids Klub
* 56,000 square-feet of meeting and event space with 36 meeting rooms      
* Jogging/fitness trail
* Two fitness centers
* Miniature golf
* 3 swimming pools  

10 Little Things I Like

1. The huge, expansive, comfortable lobby of the hotel where you can stretch out and check your smart phone or work on your laptop in a relaxing environment.

2. The amazing wall art at the clubhouse in the front lobby.

3. The shuffleboard table, darts and pool table at Alice & Pete's Pub.

4. The large (I guess about 5 inches wide) shower head in my shower in my room.

5. The plush, Euro style bedding.

6. The large work desk in my room.

7. The locally brewed Killer Whale cream ale on tap at Alice & Pete's Pub.

8. The Starbucks near the front lobby where you can grab a cup of coffee on the way to the golf course.

9. The roasted chicken served on a bed of garlic mash potatoes at Alice & Pete's Pub.

10. The lobby bar with views of a waterfall and the par-3, 13th hole of THE PLAYERS Stadium Course.

LOCATION

TPC Sawgrass/Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa are located in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, 18 miles from downtown Jacksonville and 22 miles from the historic city of St. Augustine. Jacksonville International Airport is located 35 miles from the resort.

GET THE SCOOP

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Harbour Town Golf Links: When the Lighthouse Beckons

I played Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island (South Carolina) a couple of days ago.

I'm still on a golfer's high with images of luxury boats and a candy stripe lighthouse dancing in my mind.

I first played Harbour Town 13 years ago and had a blast playing with my 10-year old son.

Flash forward to this past weekend and this time around my son is a strapping 23-year old who bombs it off the tee and wonders why "Pops" can't keep up with him.

We struck gold with the weather on our latest trip. It was 68 degree beauty in late October.  Our forecaddie, Lee, said it was one of the best days of the year.

Following the round, my son and I celebrated our good fortune a little differently this time. When he was 10, we went with the ice cream with double sprinkles. On this occasion we retired to the clubhouse bar and celebrated our enviable surroundings with a frosty IPA by the Palmetto Brewing Company of Charleston, South Carolina.

Absolutely, don't miss the cozy bar at the Harbour Town clubhouse. With its framed golf pictures and rich furnishings, it provides the ideal atmosphere to discuss the day's round and toast your good luck.

GURU's HARBOUR TOWN REVIEW

Risking a scolding and impending arrest from the hyperbole police, I view Harbour Town as a course with the elegance of Augusta national, the pine scented ambiance of Pinehurst and the water panorama excitement of the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island.

If you don't believe the hype from yours truly,  PGA TOUR players (in a survey by Golf World) selected Harbour Town Golf Links as their second favorite course right behind Augusta National. Harbour Town hosts the PGA TOUR's RBC Heritage every April.

It's a perfect test for the pros. With tight fairways and small greens, you must control your accuracy and trajectory and be able to work the ball left or right to score well. If you're a weekend hacker or casual player, you must play the correct tees for your skill level or you'll need a calculator to tabulate your score and several sleeves of balls to finish your round.

While Pete Dye (with consultation by Jack Nicklaus) adroitly designed all 18 holes at Harbour Town, I consider the final stretch of holes (number 13 to the lighthouse) among the best anywhere.

No. 14 at Harbour Town Golf Links

Often overlooked by golfers so enamored with the lighthouse and finishing hole are two of the most picturesque and fun-to-play par threes. Number 14 (192 yards from the back tees, 165 yards from the blues and 148 from the whites) incorporates a beautiful pond, a bulkhead framed green, tall pines and moss draped oaks. As you gaze at the setting off the tee, the reflection of the trees off the pond creates a surreal effect.

Number 17 (185 yards from the back tees, 174 from the blues and 152 from the whites) is a scenic gem with an expansive backdrop of the Calibogue Sound. The tee shot, over a lagoon and high grasses, is an adventurous one. A long, narrow bunker skirts the left side of the green and continues up almost to the forward tees and a small, menacing bunker waits to gobble up errant shots right of the green.  Don't wait to take out your camera or phone camera on 18, this beauty deserves a few shots as well.

If you're an avid PGA TOUR fan and watch tournaments regularly on television, you, no doubt, tune in to watch the RBC Heritage. Like Augusta National, you're so familiar with many of the holes at Harbour Town that you feel like you know the course even if you've never played it.

Pete Dye has some marvelous courses around the world at places like Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic and Whistling Straits in Wisconsin, but no Dye hit list would be complete without this Sea Pines Resort gem on Hilton Head Island.

On Location: TPC San Antonio/JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa

While some might remember the Alamo and Davey Crockett and the gang, my thoughts go to TPC San Antonio, home to two spectacular golf courses designed by Pete Dye and Greg Norman and the amenity-laden JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa.

My memories harken to playing golf in a spectacular hill country setting that makes you feel like you're hundreds of miles from downtown San Antonio. (Downtown is only 18 miles away) Once you get done with golf, the JW Marriott San Antonio was specifically designed with golfers in mind with features like a mammoth sports bar with Texas size televisions, a spacious lobby bar where you can sink into comfy leather chairs and lots of places to lounge outside around a fireplace and discuss the highs and lows of your golf round with a single malt scotch or frosty brew in hand.

GOLF

The quality of golf at TPC San Antonio is verified by this simple fact: It is only one of three properties in the country to host two PGA TOUR events each year (the other two are TPC Sawgrass and Pebble Beach). The AT&T Oaks Course plays host to the Valero Texas Open and the AT&T Canyons Course is host to the Champions Tour AT&T Championship.

AT&T Oaks course

Designed by Greg Norman and PGA TOUR player consultant Sergio Garcia, the Oaks has a good balance of wide and more narrow tree-lined fairways. Highlights include downhill holes that play into the prevailing wind and uphill holes that play downwind, Champion Bermuda greens and lots of native grasses and plants.

AT&T Canyons Course

Designed by Pete Dye and PGA TOUR player consultant Bruce Lietzke, the Canyons has dramatic elevation changes and a plethora of Hill Country views as well as panoramas of a 750-acre nature preserve. The rugged hills are dotted with oak and cedar trees. The greens are quick and true.

CLUBHOUSE

Overlooking the AT&T Oaks Course, the 42,000 square foot clubhouse has outdoor decks with golf course views, full-service men's and women's locker rooms and a hallway dotted with dozens of vintage black and white photos of Texas golf legends and icons.

For dining, the 18 Oaks restaurant at the clubhouse offers prime cuts and traditional steakhouse fare as well as a bountiful Sunday Brunch loaded with gourmet style delicacies.

ACCOMMODATIONS/AMENITIES

Tasteful appointments in metals, tooled leather, carved wood and hewn stonework are plentiful in each of the 1,002 rooms and 85 suites at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa.

I stayed in a 460 square-foot Deluxe Room, which has a Marriott Revive Bed, 37 inch LCD HDTV, work desk and separate shower and bathtub.

Main hotel amenities:
--Lantana Spa
--Seven dining options
--River Bluff Water Experience with six acres of heated pools, fountains, waterfalls, rivers and poolside lounges
--BMW Experience
--High Velocity Sports Bar
--Crooked Branch Lobby Bar

10 Little Things I liked

1. The comfortable sitting area on the back veranda with views of the fountains, flowers and golf course in the distance. On a cool evening you can enjoy a warm libation around one of the fireplaces.

2. World-class onion rings at the High Velocity sports bar. Order them with a Shiner Bock on draft and you'll have the perfect celebration after a round of golf.

3. Seven fluffy pillows on my king size bed with European style bedding.

4. The tribute to champions hallway at the TPC San Antonio clubhouse that's dotted with vintage photographs of Texas golf icons like Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan and Lee Trevino.

5. The spacious lobby bar appointed with rich leather furnishings, tall ceilings and towering windows with views of the fountain.

6. The amazing Sunday brunch at 18 Oaks.

7. The test drive BMWs available to guests.

8. The expansive pool area with a winding speed slide.

9. The proximity of the clubhouse and golf courses which are just a few steps from the back of the hotel.

10. Fantastic sunrises you'll see from the balcony of your room.

LOCATION

TPC San Antonio and the JW Marriott San Antonio are located 12 miles from the international airport and 18 miles north of downtown San Antonio.

STAY AND PLAY

The experts on Texas golf travel are Texas Bound For Golf, a company that can design packages to JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa as well as destinations like Austin, Dallas, Houston and other areas of the state.

On Location: PGA Village Has Come To Play

Finishing Hole at the Wannamaker Course

You might want to take another look at PGA Village this fall and winter.

If you think Oprah performed some amazing makeovers, the new management team and grounds crew are equally magical.

Let's face it, PGA Village in Port St. Lucie, Florida has not aged gracefully in the past few years. While it certainly was an acceptable place to tee up and stay on a golf getaway, it didn't really boldly stand out among the state's crowded sea of 40 major golf resorts.

It will now.

Six months ago, PGA Village hired veteran golf course superintendent Dick Gray to oversee the grounds and maintenance of the three courses at the resort.

Dick Gray knows turf. During his 25-year career, Gray helped design and build The Florida Club in Stuart, Florida; worked with Pete Dye and P.B. Dye on the construction of Loblolly Pines in Hobe Sound, Florida; and was involved in significant greens and regrassing projects as superintendent at Jupiter Hills Club in Tequesta, Florida and Sailfish Point Golf Club in Stuart.

Gray and PGA President Ted Bishop have promised to enhance the courses to unparalleled levels commensurate with the PGA brand. PGA Village serves as the home club for more than 27,000 men and women PGA Professionals.

"Dick Gray is a world-class golf course superintendent," says PGA President Ted Bishop. "His turf grass practices are widely respected throughout the golf course industry..."

Gray has arrived on property with a focused enhancement program and a passion to make the courses at PGA Village some of the best turf playgrounds anywhere.

Guests visiting this winter will see the initial results of his turf revolution at the resort's courses. From new and improved grasses to recently acquired state-of-the-art mowing equipment and a hard-working and dedicated staff, Gray believes he can succeed with the makeover.

"As the PGA, golfers expect us to produce at a high-level and we want these courses to meet and exceed  expectations," says Gray. "There is tremendous commitment to that goal starting with Ted Bishop on down."

Gray says his goal is to have players walk off the courses thinking "Wow, these are some of the best maintained and conditioned courses I've ever played."

GOLF

The way I see it, PGA Village's golf selections are a bit like those at a ski resort, where there are slopes for experts, intermediates and beginners.

Dye Course--To be sure, you'll quickly be exposed on this course if you don't have game. If you can't consistently hit your approach shots to near the exact yardage, you'll be scrambling for bogeys all day. Dye's use of fairways with movement, massive coquina waste bunkers, pine straw roughs, subtle contours on the greens and masterful bunkering is joyful to see and appreciate, but hellish to play if you lack consistency.

Wannamaker Course (formerly named the South Course)--I'm a huge Tom Fazio fan and the Wannamaker exudes Fazio flair with bold, imaginative bunkering, marvelous mounding and large greens with subtle movements that don't look contrived or forced.

Ryder Course (formerly named the North Course)--There are just as many pine trees as palms on this Tom Fazio layout. Generous landing areas and five sets of tees make this the best course to start any stay and play getaway vacation at PGA Village. My suggestion is to start here then progress to the Wannamaker and finish with the Dye.

PGA CENTER FOR GOLF LEARNING AND PERFORMANCE

The facilities and practice areas at this 35-acre complex are exactly what you would expect at a resort that serves as a gathering spot for thousands of  PGA Professionals. The menu includes:

--More than 100 full swing practice stations
--9 bunkers that simulate play from around the world
--Three private teaching pods
--Mobile covered hitting bays to protect against the hot sun and rain
--Pitching and chipping practice areas
--7,000-square-foot USGA putting greens
--Three hole teaching course
--State-of-the-art technology for swing analysis, club fitting and game improvement; TrackMan Shot Performance, LinxTracker/PGA PAR System and other high-tech gadgets
--Golf specific fitness center
--Golf repair and fitting center

Designed so you can work on all phases of the game, the expansive complex is the perfect place to practice for cold climate residents who want to work off the rust caused by inactivity and sporadic play. A daily pass costs $34 from 1/4 to 3/17; $29 from 11/1 to 1/3 and 3/18 to 5/31 and $21 from 6/1 to 10/31. There's also special pricing for spouses, PGA Professionals and juniors.

For those who want a golf school experience, there are  21/2 day, 3 1/2 day and 4 1/2 day schools featuring a 4:1 student-to-teacher ratio.

Some of the things I like about the PGA of America Golf Schools is that the instructors are experienced Class "A" certified professionals with years of teaching experience and each instructor stays with a student for the entire school instead of revolving for each skill education.

The golf fitness facility is exceptional. Packed with a variety of machines, stretch bands, large rubber bands, balls and other apparatus, the PGA Center For Fitness helps develop core strength and increases flexibility as well as addressing other golf specific fitness issues.

PGA MUSEUM OF GOLF

Don't miss visiting this museum, which is brimming with golf history exhibits, vintage photographs, posters, golf clubs and other memorabilia. You can also see golf's four major championship trophies on display.

The PGA of America has a rich and storied history and it's displayed beautifully in this building adjacent to the PGA Center for Golf Learning and Performance. There's a also a phenomenal library room packed with historical golf books and past issues of the PGA Magazine.

ACCOMMODATIONS

Much like the golf, there's great variety in the accommodations options at PGA Village.

A good selection of on-property villa and townhome properties are available in packages.  The beige stucco villa apartment and townhomes feature kitchens, Wi-Fi, swimming pools and other amenities.

For those who prefer a hotel room, there are several moderately priced options just outside the front gate and very close to the clubhouse and golf courses. I stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn, which has spacious, well-appointed rooms, a comfortable lobby with a fireplace and large flat screen television, beautiful swimming pool and courtyard area and an on-site Sam Snead's Tavern.

Lobby at Hilton Garden Inn

Suite accommodations are available about 1/4 mile away at Homewood Suites, which has one and or two-bedroom suites. Each unit has a full-size refrigerator, two-burner stove and dishwasher. Also included is a complimentary breakfast.

10 Little Things I Like About PGA Village

1. The user-friendly GPS systems on the golf carts.

2. The 6-hole short course with holes ranging from 35 to 60 yards.

3. The Donald Ross 1890s-era workbench at the PGA Museum of Golf.

4. The Sam Snead's Tavern at the on-site Hilton Garden Inn that serves Goose Island brew on draft.

5. The on-site golf club repair and fitting shop at the PGA Center for Golf Learning and Performance.

6. The Ryder Cup golf bags and other memorabilia displayed in the clubhouse.

7. The 3-hole practice school course at the PGA Center for Golf Learning and Performance.

8. Fantastic, easily accessible location just off Interstate-95.

9. The quesadillas, turkey club sandwich and potato pancakes at the Champions Grill.

10. Lots of places to shop and dine just a few blocks from the property across I-95. The casual dining offerings include Chipotle, Chilli's and TGIFRidays to name a few.

LOCATION

Situated on Florida's east coast in Port St. Lucie just off Interstate-95 about a two hour drive from Orlando, a one hour drive from Daytona Beach and 45 minutes from West Palm Beach. 

STAY AND PLAY PACKAGES

Several golf travel companies offer packages to PGA Village. The golf travel company that knows the resort better than anyone is Atlanta-based Premier Golf.  They have a unique relationship with the PGA of America and customize a variety of stay and play packages. Call 866-260-4409 for package information.

Great golf course designers -- and their styles -- on display in Florida

If you like to play exceptional golf courses designed by some of the best architects like Pete Dye, Tom Fazio, Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman and Donald Ross, Florida has an enviable menu. Check out my latest post at worldgolf.com:

Great golf course designers -- and their styles -- on display in Florida

Casa de Campo Resort Review

Playing the drop dead gorgeous, ocean hugging Teeth of the Dog course...

Dining beach-front at a Le Cirque restaurant...

Dancing the salsa under the stars on an outdoor dance floor...

Sipping private cask rum and smoking a fine Dominican cigar...

Casa de Campo Resort in the Dominican Republic offers the the golf vacation good life in a variety of enticing ways.

Spread out over 7,000 acres on the country's southeast coast, Casa de Campo is a wonderland of magnificent beaches, world-class golf courses, superb restaurants and pampering amenities. The resort makes it super easy to travel the resort grounds on your own by providing each guest room and villa home a four-passenger touring cart ideal for aimless cruising and exploration.

If you're looking for a golf resort vacation that's exotic and unique, I highly suggest this impressive property. What other resort features a recreated 16th century Mediterranean village (Altos de Chavon) with cobblestone streets?

Sitting on a high plateau above the Chavon River, Altos de Chavon is a must visit while you're at Casa de Campo. The coral stone buildings lining the cobblestone streets house restaurants, artists' studios, art galleries and boutiques. If you're lucky, there will be a concert at the 5,000-seat Grecian-style amphitheater, which has hosted superstars like Frank Sinatra, Julio Iglesias, Sting and Andrea Bocelli.

Altos de Chavon

When it's time to tee up, the choices at Casa de Campo are exceptional.

The Teeth of the Dog

If you only play one course in the Caribbean, it should be the Teeth of the Dog, a Pete Dye masterpiece that rivals Pebble Beach Golf Links in setting and beauty.

Feel the ocean spray.



With seven holes playing along the brilliantly colored Caribbean Sea, the Teeth of the Dog is one of the world's great seaside golf experiences. While most of the world's great oceanside courses play along high cliffs, the Teeth of the Dog is ocean level and you'll feel the spray of the waves on a couple of holes.

Teeth of the Dog

The four par threes (5, 7, 13 and 16)-- which is the best collection of short holes I've ever played on a single course--are geniusly designed, scenic and exciting. My favorite is the 176-yard par three No. 5 hole (I played it from the 137-yard blue tees), which requires a shot over a small cove and crashing waves with a wicked sea breeze.

A Breezy Day on the Teeth of the Dog

Another memorable experience was hitting driver into a fierce wind on the par three, 204-yard, No. 16 hole. I played it from the 181-yard blue tees and hit a low screamer that rolled up on the green. It reminded me of my times in Scotland when wind and a driving rainstorm suggested driver was the correct club selection on a par three hole.

Other Golf

While the Teeth of the Dog grabs most of the headlines, the other golf offerings at the resort are exceptional golf experiences as well.

The Dye Fore, a 27-hole layout near Altos de Chavon features three distinctly different nines (Chavon, Marina and Lagos).

The Original Dye Fore (Chavon and Marina), which opened in 2003, sits on top of a 300-foot high cliff offering stunning panoramas of Altos de Chavon and the Casa de Campo marina down below. By all means, don't forget to bring your camera when you play this course. With generous landing areas, it's a great driving course, however, the sometimes wildly undulating fairways result in a variety of different lies. Wind is always a factor on the Dye Fore and the greens, while expansive, require you to hit accurate approach shots to avoid long, arduous putts.

Dye Fore Golf Course

Lagos, the newest nine that debuted in 2011, is aptly named with five holes that wrap around three gigantic lakes. Flatter than the other two nines, Lagos has numerous well placed bunkers to frustrate golfers.

Sitting adjacent to the Teeth of the Dog is the Links Course. Weaving through the interior of the resort, the course seems inappropriately named since its personality is that of a traditional, palm and lakes dotted Caribbean layout. Lakes come into play on five holes and Dye placed numerous bunkers throughout the layout to ensure golfers must think before they hit.

Links Course at Casa de Campo

10 Little Things I Like About Casa de Campo

1. The 5 inch wide shower heads allow you to take a long leisurely shower after a day at the course or the beach.

2. The amazing fresh fruit smoothies at Lago Grille prepared by Digna, a smiling, long time, popular staff member.

3. The individual 4-seater golf cart guests are given during a stay so you can ride around and explore the resort at their leisure.

4. Atlantico, the private cask rum made from the fermented juice of sugarcane and sugarcane molasses  that's available throughout the resort.

5. The homemade Pistachio ice cream you can get as desert at any resort restaurant. There is no way anybody makes a better version than what I enjoyed at the resort.

6. The to-die-for Chilean Sea Bass at La Cana Restaurant overlooking the beautiful swimming pool and spa complex.

7. The Presidente beer on draft served in tall mugs at the 19th hole, which is a great compliment to the giant cheeseburgers there.

8. L'Occitane body lotion in the guest room bathrooms.

9. The amazing Ceasar Salad at the resort's Beach Club Le Cirque restaurant. It has super fresh lettuce and a fried egg encircled by Italian bread.

10. The polo fields where you can watch a polo match and immerse in the Dominican Republic good life.

Accommodations 

The resort has 185 patio and balcony Elite guest rooms and 50 three-to-five bedroom "villa homes".

Amenities include 42-inch flat screen televisions, marble vanities, iPod/iPhone docking stations and an espresso coffee machine.

Each villa home has a private pool, expansive terrace, a private butler, maid, gardener and personal chef, if desired.  

Elite Patio Hotel Room

Dining

There are twenty restaurants in and around Casa de Campo. The three main dining experiences are La Cana by Il Circo (Steak, seafood and fine wine) overlooking the pool and spa area, Lago Grill, a full-service restaurant with alfresco dining where most people enjoy a giant breakfast buffet each day and Beach Club by Le Cirque, an elegant beach front dining experience featuring Le Cirque trained chefs.

Other popular restaurants include La Piazzetta, a gourmet Italian dining experience at Altos de Chavon, La Casita at the marina, where seafood and tapas are the draw and the 19th Hole at the Golf Club. 

Beach Club by Le Cirque

Spa

It has seven therapy room with their own showers, changing areas and patio meditation  gardens. Many of the treatments use Caribbean ingredients. Some of the more intriguing offerings include a Dominican Coffee exfoliation, Fruity-Herbal Body Wrap and Choco Body Mask.

 

Activities

The menu of recreation activities feature something for everybody:
 

* Sunbathing and water activities at a choice of secluded beaches.

* Tennis at La Terraza Tennis Center with 13 Har-Tru Courts.

* Jim McLean Golf School

* Bicycle rentals

* Fitness Center with Cybex equipment, treadmills, stationery bikes, free weights and an area dedicated to improving golf performance.

* Shooting Center with more than 200 stations for sporting clays as well as three trap and skeet layouts.

* Equestrian Center with trial rides, jumping and dressage.

* Polo fields where you can watch matches during the November-May season.

* Water sports such as boating, fishing river sailing, ocean sailing, kayaking, snorkeling and Scuba.

* Supervised children's programs.
 
Getting There

From the U.S., American Airlines has several flights daily from Miami. JetBlue has non-stop service twice a week (Wednesday and Saturday) from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). From Europe, you can fly Condor from France and Blue Panorama and Air Italy from Italy.

Santo Domingo (SDQ) airport is a one-hour drive from Casa de Campo. It is served by American Airlines, American Eagle, United, Delta, Spirit, US Airways, and JetBlue as well as American Eagle via Puerto Rico.

Punta Cana (PUJ) airport is about a 45-minute drive from the resort and is served by American Airlines, United, Delta Airlines, JetBlue, US Airways, LAN Airways and West Jet.

If Want to Visit

To contact Casa de Campo call 1-800-877-3643 or (305) 856-5405

www.casadecampo.com.do

Twitter: @casadecampo
Facebook: Casa de Campo Resort

THE PLAYERS--The Best PGA Tour Tournament to Watch

The world famous no. 17 island hole at TPC Sawgrass Stadium.

It has the best field in golf. Head to the range before tee times and you'll see Top 50 players lined up like a Who's Who in professional golf reception line.

Taking The Masters and Augusta National out of the conversation, my favorite tournament to watch in person is THE PLAYERS at the TPC Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. This year's event takes place next week May 7-13. Among those in the field are Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy, Luke Donald, Webb Simpson....and the list goes on.

Phil Mickelson in celebration mode.

There's some serious money on the line at THE PLAYERS, which has a total purse of $9.5 million and a winner's check for $1,710,000.

While star players are everywhere (except Bubba this year), it's the TPC Stadium course and its unique features that make the tournament a great experience for spectators.

For players, it's the ultimate four hour exam that quickly identifies the contenders from the pretenders. Narrow fairways with tiny target areas, immense strategically placed waste bunkers, railroad tie barriers, grassy mounds and knolls and pool table-fast greens are just some of the elements players must deal with on the Pete Dye designed 7,215-yard, par 72 layout.

For spectators, many fairways are framed by high, banked slopes upon which crowds can sit. There are also bowl-shaped natural grass amphitheaters around many greens where you can watch putts break wildly in either direction.

Where to Sit and Watch

One of the best spots to sit is between the 16th green and 17th tee box. If you're close enough to the ropes you can see the player's facial expressions and anxious body language as they slowly walk the 100 yards to tee up at no. 17 and it's famous island green.

It's called the "Lonliest Walk in Golf".

Here's what Brandt Snedeker has to say about the walk: "I wish it was a lot shorter. It's very nerve-wracking. You're thinking about the shot the whole time. It's a very daunting shot. It looks easy on Tuesday and Wednesday, but it's hard on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. There's no way to fake it in there."

If you can't secure a position there, sit on the hill flanking the left side of the lake overlooking the 17th green. It's a great place to watch tee shots to the island green and you can scurry over to the 18th tee box to watch one of the most harrowing and demanding tee shots on the PGA Tour. A lake frames the entire left side from tee to green on the 462-yard par 4. Even if you keep your tee shot right, there's not much space for a safe landing.

Sit on the hill overlooking no. 17 and watch the drama unfold.

What's ironic is most spectators think the tournament is decided on the flashy, in-your-face, no. 17, but no. 18 is often in the mix on deciding the winner.

Before any round, make sure you spend a little time hanging around the range and practice putting greens. The practice facilities at the TPC Sawgrass are among the best in the world and its sheer joy to sit and watch the best players in the world go through their practice routines.

What's New in 2012

--This year, THE PLAYERS Closing Ceremonies will be held on the Lower Clubhouse Lawn, where THE PLAYERS Trophy will be on display all week, allowing fans to encircle the stage and get close to the new champion (and 2011 champion K.J. Choi, who will award the trophy).  The 2012 winner will also sign a limited number of commemorative PLAYERS pin flags to distribute to some of the lucky fans in attendance.

--Better still for moms, the 2012 winner will draw the winning ticket for THE PLAYERS Mother's Day Car Giveaway at the end of Closing Ceremonies. Mothers, 18 and older, can register all week in the Stadium Village (where the Toyota Camry Hybrid will be on display), but they must be present for the drawing during Closing Ceremonies to win.

--Wine & Dine on 9 will offer spectators the chance to enjoy gourmet food and wine, including "small plates" offered by Matthew Medure, one of Northeast Florida's most renowned chefs. Located in a cool, shady area to the left of No. 9 fairway, Wine & Dine on 9 will also feature BERINGER'S expanded portfolio of varietals and will offer tournament-goers the opportunity to watch the action at the par-five 9th in style.

--The Oasis, located between No. 9 and No. 18 tees, will expand on what has been a popular concession area in years past. The Oasis will still feature a concession area, but fans will also find an open-air tent providing a shaded area to cool off. The venue will also include the NOLET'S Silver Lounge, an enclosed, air-conditioned tent open to all fans age 21 and over offering a range of spirits, including Ketel One flavors and NOLET Silver Gin, for purchase.

--The Kid Zone by THE PLAYERS Center for Child Health at Wolfson Children's Hospital will offer parents a family-friendly area to entertain their kids while on-site at the tournament. Activities available at the Kid Zone include a putt-putt course, face painting, temporary tattoos, bag toss games and much more. Located at the end of the Nicklaus Gate walkway behind No. 17 tee, the Kid Zone will also have a misting tent where fans can cool off, as well as a concession area with televisions so adults can still follow the action while their kids play.

This phenomenal video will definitely get you in the mood for this year's THE PLAYERS. Watch it and I guarantee you'll be ready to watch the tournament in person or on television.

Hang around the clubhouse and visit the range.

THE PLAYERS Ticket Information

For ticket information, go to http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/r011/tickets.html

Play It 

After the tournament, if you've got the juices flowing and you want to stay and play at TPC Sawgrass, here's a link for golf packages: http://booking.tpc.com/golfpackages-32-71.aspx

Good luck on the course....you'll need it.