Golfer's Guide Lifestyles

Lifestyles Fall 2010/Winter 2011 • golfersguide.com

Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head & Charleston

Three distinct destinations, one alluring coast

A legend reborn: The Greenbrier Resort Tom Doak: A sit down with the architect

Presented by Als so In nsid de: Orlando road trip

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One week in April

Being Daniel Brunson

A clear Gulf Coast

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oin us for a toast.

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By supporting these participating Toast brands, you are helping worthy humanitarian initiatives around the globe. So during this holiday season, why not support our Toast to Humanity brands and begin “Helping Humanity One Toast at a Time!”

BOTTEGA VINAIA

This estate-bottled Pinot Grigio comes from the foothills of northern Italy’s breathtaking Dolomite Alps. It delights the senses with aromas and flavors of citrus, white peach and pear, mingled with elegant floral notes. www.PalmBay.com/BottegaVinaia

MONTGRAS

This seductive, velvety red Carmenere from Chile’s renowned Colchagua Valley is made from Carmenere, the country’s signature grape variety. Vibrant flavors of wild berries, dark cherries and cocoa blend seamlessly with spicy notes against a backdrop of silky tannins. www.BestCarmenere.com

EMERI DE BORTOLI

Subtle aromas of rose and lychee backed up with fresh honey make this sparkling Pinot Grigio a tasty companion for salads, fish, light pasta dishes, and fresh fruit. The soft and round palate is brought to life with a little fizz. www.emeri.com.au

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INTAGLIO BIANCO

A beautifully aromatic wine comprised of crisp Müller Thurgau, elegant Chardonnay and delicate Riesling grapes from the picturesque Valle di Cembra of northern Italy. Wonderful layers of flavors of peach, apple and honeysuckle. This awardwinning wine is perfect as an aperitif and pairs beautifully with light pastas, sushi and Thai dishes. www.EthicaWines.com

INTAGLIO ROSSO

Intaglio Rosso features three indigenous varietals – Teroldego, Lagrein and Marzemino. These lush and velvety varietals exude a local richness achieved through the distinctive terroir of the region.

The Teroldego and Lagrein are sourced from vineyards south of Sorni, along the River Adige. The Marzemino is sourced near Isera.

Each of these grapes prefer the warmer climate and rich soil of the valley floors and foothills.The Marzemino imparts a velvety texture to the wine, while the Teroldego provides for the structure of the wine. www.EthicaWines.com

VILLA CAFAGGIO

At Villa Cafaggio everything must be done in pursuit of excellence – from care of the vineyards to selection of barrels – in order to reach the right balance between traditional production methods and modern vinification techniques. It was how the Benedictine Monks started making this wine in the 15th century to how our wine is still made today! www.EthicaWines.com

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Contents Fall/Winter 2010-11

Features 16

Coastal Carolina Discover the splendor and diversity of South Carolina’s three golf destinations – Hilton Head Island, Myrtle Beach and Charleston. From the hustle and energy of Myrtle Beach to the history and elegance of Charleston and relaxing scenic setting of Hilton Head Island, the Carolina Coast offers something for everyone.

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One Golfer’s Consuming Quest For years, Daniel Brunson has been chasing a dream to play on the PGA Tour. To date, it’s an unaccomplished goal, but the journeyman professional isn’t near ready to give up the quest.

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Travel A Perfect Pairing Hilton Head Island and its signature course, Harbour Town Golf Links, are inseparable. One wouldn’t feel right without the other.

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Tom Doak, designer of Bandon Dunes’ latest addition Old MacDonald, discusses his latest project, his mentor Pete Dye and the future of the golf industry.

Competition 36

One week in April. Simultaneous PGA and Champions Tour events will be contested less than 45 miles apart in 2011.

Fashion 43

We dissect two of golf’s latest trends and determine a winner.

Equipment 14

Christmas is just around the corner, right?

Our Holiday Gift Guide has a few suggestions for the golfer in your life.

Pursuits 12 86

PGA Pour – Wine from your favorite player Life with Lord Byron

The Coast is Clear Doomsday scenarios and plumes of crude oil turned back Gulf Coast bound travelers and short-circuited the local economy, sending an already fragile region into a tailspin. We’re pleased to report the golf courses and the coast are clear.

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Road Holes: Orlando Editor Brandon Underwood spends five days in Central Florida sampling the golf, entertainment, dining and nightlife of one of Florida’s most popular family and golf destinations. Discover Orlando from our unique point of view.

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Architect’s Corner

The Greenbrier Reborn West Virginia businessman Jim Justice rescued the historic Greenbrier Resort from the brink of bankruptcy and set out to return the property to its former glory. Two years later, it looks like Justice has succeeded nicely.

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More Inside

Check us out online www.golfersguide.com Play – No matter where you want to play we have the list.

Travel – Discover the latest deals on golf travel Live – Find the perfect home on your favorite golf course Enjoy – We bring you the best of golf on www.golfersguide.com

golfersguide.com

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Featured Courses Include: Aldeen Golf Club

Robert Trent Jones Course at Palmetto Dunes Resort

Belleview Biltmore Golf Club

Rockford, IL

Hilton Head, SC

Clearwater, FL

The Fort Golf Club

Queen’s Harbour Yacht and Country Club

Wooden Sticks

Indianapolis, IN

Jacksonville, FL

Uxbridge, ON

Make your next round of golf your most enjoyable and affordable of the year!

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Welcome to the inaugural issue of Golfer’s Guide Lifestyles where the game isn’t just covered, it’s celebrated for all that it is.

GOLFER’S GUIDE, INC.

James McMahon

PO BOX 5926 HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC 29938-9790 (843) 842-7878 • Fax (843) 842-9387

Publisher STAFF

I’ve long maintained that golf is more than a game. Rather, it is a sport, a recreation, even a social enterprise that tends to consume those that are truly consumed by it. Name another pastime or recreation that dominates so much of our time, energy and resources. We make choices, some small and some significant with the game in mind. Where do I want to live? Where do I want to vacation? How can I make the time and save the money to play the game.

These are the questions that avid golfers have on their mind all the time, and it is that passion and love of the game that led us to launch Golfer’s Guide Lifestyles. For nearly 30 years, Golfer’s Guide has served as the unofficial official Guide to Golf in dozens of regions and destinations, helping golfers discover the best places to visit, play and stay all across our great country.

With the launch of Golfer’s Guide Lifestyles, we are now highlighting all the great things about golf that has led so many to make it more than a passion, but a true lifestyle. It’s a positive view of the game that is needed during these rather grey days for the sport.

Having spent the better part of the past two decades in the golf industry, I recognize that these are difficult days for our sport. Economic pressures, price wars and the sheer expense of playing the game are serious threats to its health and well-being.

That said, golf is still the same game that enjoyed immense growth the previous two decades. It’s still the same game that gets grown men out of bed at 6 a.m. on Saturdays and makes them crumble over a 6-foot putt with a $15 Nassau riding on it. It is still the same game that more than 16 million people in this country play and love. And it’s the same game that we celebrate with the launch of this new publication.

With winter descending on so much of the country, we have focused our inaugural issue on some of the finest golf destinations, including the Carolinas, multiple stops in Florida and a trip out west to locations such as Arizona and Las Vegas.

Whether it’s on the Grand Strand of Myrtle Beach, in the natural environment of Hilton Head Island or awash in the tranquility of Naples, FL., trips centered around golf always produce incredible memories, lasting relationships and bucket lists fulfilled.

Also in this issue, we bring you the story of journeyman professional Daniel Brunson’s quest to make the PGA Tour, we sit down with architect Tom Doak and we tell the story of the rebirth of the legendary Greenbrier Golf Resort under new owner Jim Justice.

All this and more is just a snapshot of what makes us so passionate about the game of golf. We look forward to bringing these stories to you with each new edition of this publication and every day on www.golfersguide.com. Read on, log on and then get out and play some golf.

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James McMahon Publisher jmcmahon@golfersguide.com (843) 842-7878 52 New Orleans Rd. Ste. 300 Hilton Head Island, SC 29928

Chairman/CEO/Publisher Marc A. Frey mfrey@golfersguide.com Editor Brandon Underwood bunderwood@golfersguide.com Production Director Shawn P. Grimes sgrimes@golfersguide.com Contributing Photographers:

Golfer’s Guide, The Sea Pines Resort Evan Schiller, Dang-Designs.com Cover Photo Courtesy:

Burroughs & Chapin Company CIRCULATION 270,000 per year reaching an estimated 750,000 readers Issue 1 of 4 ANNUAL EDITIONS For subscriptions or single-copy orders, go to www.golfersguide.com/order Copyright ©2010 Golfer’s Guide, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. Golf course rates are subject to change at any time. Golfer’s Guide is not responsible or liable for any errors, omissions or changes in rates or information. *Publisher’s data.

We are expanding our network of magazines and will be adding several new regions within the next year. If you would like to publish a Golfer’s Guide magazine with us in your home region send your resume and previous publishing samples to Golfer’s Guide, P.O. Box 5926, Hilton Head Island, SC 29938-9790, ATTN: Executive Publisher.

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Follow them on Twitter

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witter blew up at the 2007 South

by Southwest festival in Austin, TX, and has since become an indispensible medium for breaking news and back-and-forth banter. In midSeptember the company’s executives announced plans for a major redesign that would focus on a dual interface displaying related content. Don’t expect the popularity of this micro-blogging behemoth to wane anytime soon so, if you’re interested in short bursts of golf news with a mix of personality, here are ten individuals that can deliver the goods in 140 characters or less.

@danjenkinsgd

@PGA_JohnDaly

Dan Jenkins aka the “Ancient Twitterer” has proven that good writing is good writing no matter the limitations imposed on length. His spat with South Korea’s Y.E. Yang, where Jenkins infamously tweeted “Y.E. Yang is only three shots off the lead. I think we got takeout from him last night,” started quite a kerfuffle.

In his defense, if you give an 82-year-old white man a computer or microphone and no filter, don’t be surprised if some mild bigotry results.

Golf’s more notorious bad boy has invited his followers to intrude upon his life via Twitter this year, and he’s used the medium to blast his critics.

Daly shared a writer’s personal phone number with his audience after an inflammatory but true article delving into his past was printed. Daly’s account was also hacked, and the culprit apparently threatened his children. His abbreviated online response – “Hell, this guy is more of a Hacker than I am a Hacker at golf! LOL.

@ogilviej A member of the PGA Tour’s Player Advisory Council and graduate from Duke University with a degree in economics, Joe Ogilvie is often pegged as the smartest guy in the room.

A fairly seasoned investor and friend of Warren Buffet, Ogilvie doesn’t shy away from political issues and criticizing those within his own industry.

@IanJamesPoulter Ian Poulter is always good for a laugh. During the FedEx Cup Playoffs NBC’s Johnny Miller questioned Poulter’s ball striking, so the colorful Englishman suggested Miller choke on his European Tour ranking of No. 1 in Greens in Regulation. Trouble was, those statistics were generated over a paltry 12 rounds.

@stewartcink Cink is to golfers on Twitter what Archduke Franz Ferdinand was to World War I. The 2009 Open Champion lit the powder keg well before his triumph at Turnberry and has continued to share even the most mundane details of his everyday life with the 1.2 million who follow him.

@jpnewport Wall Street Journal columnist John Paul Newport shares links to his work and running commentary from the Tour events he covers. His weekly musings usually delve into weighty topics ignored by the usual suspects.

@RickieFowlerPGA @themichellewie The LPGA’s golden girl frequently updates her status with personal photos and random ramblings you’d expect out of a 21-year-old college student. And now that Michelle Wie is actually contending and, ahem, winning, she’ll remain relevant and the gravy train from sponsors will continue to roll. If you weren’t aware, money makes people interesting.

@GeoffShac Author, designer and regular contributor to a number of notable golf publications, Geoff Shackelford operates one of the more intelligent, in-depth blogs out there. If you consider yourself a serious student on golf’s current affairs, he deserves your followship.

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The PGA Tour’s newest prodigal son uploads pictures of the trendy Puma threads that turn heads in every city, cheers for his beloved Oklahoma State Cowboys and interacts with his growing legion of supporters. His Twitter feed will turn into a chronicle of his young career. .

@stephaniewei Gotham-based blogger Stephanie Wei is young, energetic and informed. Her playing days at Yale and connections to a fair amount of golfers on the LPGA and PGA tours provide her with insider access seldom afforded to an unaffiliated online reporter. In a matter of months, Wei has established herself as a credible voice and reported on three of four major championships.

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Pursuits | Golfer’s Guide Lifestyles

The PGA Pour

Professional Golfers with their Own Wine Labels

P For more information, formation, check out www.weekendwinewatch.com.

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rior tto the beginning of the PGA Tour’s Fall Serie Series, 77 golfers had earned more than $1 millio million in 2010. Shaun Micheel, who shared the lead afte after one round of this year’s U.S. Open at Pebble B Beach, just missed out with earnings of $988,410. T The significant wealth they accumulate over the cou course of their career affords golfers, well aathletes in g general, the opportunity to delve into a multitude o m of investment opportunities.

Last weekend I shared my far-fetched dream of one day owning a small vineyard with a friend. This blunt realist quickly squelched my ambition, relaying a message he’d heard from another optimist. “Do you know how to make a small fortune in the wine business?” he asked. “Start with a large one.”

There are so many hats cavalierly tossed into the winemaking ring today that it’s almost impossible to get out of the red without an Oprah mention or a celebrity spokesperson. So we’re looking for investors with large fortunes and notoriety. I think I know a few golf icons who meet those requirements. Here are some tasty libations engineered by professional golfers, retired and active, in their spare time.

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Arnold Palmer Cabernet Sauvignon (2007) This cabernet sauvignon is the richest in Arnie’s wine arsenal, and its dark fruit flavors and aromas make it a prime option when pairing with a late fall or winter dish. Palmer’s collection is created using grapes from vineyards scattered about California’s North Coast region. The global golf icon entered the wine business in 2003 through a partnership with longtime friend and founder of Luna Vineyards, Mike Moone. Priced affordably, this red will make you feel like a King.

Price: $15 www.arnoldpalmerwines.com

Greg Norman Santa Barbara County Chardonnay (2008) Greg Norman Santa Barbara County Chardonnay (2008) – We feature his refreshing Santa Barbara County Chardonnay, a light blend with hints of citrus and peach to be savored in all seasons. Past vintages were highly rated by Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator.

Price: $14 www.gregnormanestateswine.com

Jack Nicklaus Private Reserve (2008) Better late than never to the wine game for golf’s ultimate major champion. Jack Nicklaus Wines is produced in partnership with Terlato Wines. The Napa Valley-based vineyard also makes the Luke Donald Collection. The next batch of Nicklaus’ private reserve is available exclusively through Uncorked.com. Garnet in color, this red has “concentrated layers of dark fruit – black cherries and raspberries with velvety tannins.”

Price: $49 www.uncorked.com

Annika Syrah (2006) The first lady of fermentation has been a trendsetter since she arrived on the LPGA scene. Annika Sorenstam teed it up with the boys at Colonial in 2003 (first woman to play in a PGA Tour event since 1945), and became the first woman to shoot 59 in competition. She also walked away from golf to raise a family, and was eventually followed by rival Lorena Ochoa in that same endeavor. Her foray into the wine industry has also been a successful one. Production of this 2006 Annika Syrah was limited

to 611 cases. Sorenstam’s wine is produced through a partnership with Wente Vineyards of California.

Price: $75 shop.annikavineyards.com

1961 Augusta National (2004) Black Knight Wines will release a range of vintages to commemorate each of Gary Player’s nine major championship triumphs. Production is taking place in Player’s native South Africa at the Quoin Rock Wine Farm in the heart of the country’s fertile Stellenbosch region. The label of each bottle will be a unique combination of numbers and historic photos from each championship. The second vintage to be released was 1961 Augusta National, a red with excellent aging potential.

Price: $75 www.playerwine.com

Ernie Els (2005) The genesis of the Big Easy’s entrance into the wine industry was a long-standing relationship between Els and winemaker Jean Engelbrecht. Engelbrecht-Els vineyards was formed in 1999, and a year later the first vintage, a signature Bordeaux blend, became the highest rated (93) South African in history according to Wine Spectator. Ernie Els is the flagship wine produced by the partnership, and this 2005 vintage is very long and poised – just like Mr. Els. Plum red in color, this vintage offers great middle palate complexity and a lingering spicy finish.

Price: $70 www.ernieelswines.com Fall/Winter 2010-11 13

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Equipment | Golfer’s Guide Lifestyles

A Golfer’s Guide to Holiday Gifts Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2011 – Wii Motion Plus The creators of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2011 have created the most nuanced sports video game to date without ramping up the learning curve for beginners. Your success partially depends upon your real life swing, which might be discouraging. This is the most fun you’ll have golfing the great indoors.

Available at major retailers like Walmart, Target and Best Buy. Shop online at Amazon.com.

Retail Price: $49.95

Bobble Fashioned out of recycled plastic and equipped with a built-in charcoal filter ($6.95 replacements), the shapely Bobble reusable water bottle is a practical present for the environmentally conscious golfer in your life. The bottle can be refilled at least 300 times before switching filters.

Available in major department stores, Bed Bath & Beyond and online at www.waterbobble.com.

Retail Price: $9 – 13-ounce, $10 – 18.5-ounce, $13 – 34-ounce 59 Belts

59 Custom Belt Planting your personal style flag on the golf course is of premium importance. These custom-milled buckles are bad ass and offered in a variety of categories and colors. You won’t shoot a 59, but you can wear one.

Available at 59belts.com.

Retail Price: Custom belts start at $250

Nike Machspeed Black Driver Nike Machspeed Black Driver

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Enter the dark side with Nike’s Machspeed Black driver, a highly-anticipated arrival that looks like “a stealth fighter.” Nike engineers decided to give you the choice between a square and traditional round club head.

Available at all major golf retailers.

Retail Price: $359.99

golfersguide.com ide.com

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Bose QuietComfort 3 Noise Cancelling Headphones Block out distractions and enhance your audio experience by popping these cutting edge ear muffs on. If Bo knows football, then Bose knows sound.

Golfers can take these to the range, and travelers can wear them on the go.

Available at www.bose.com.

Retail Price: $349.95

Puma Cell Fusion Golf Shoes These aggressive golf cleats employ something called Smart Quill Technology that creates traction throughout the swing using multi-directional traction. You don’t have to understand it, but you’ll feel it. Choose from black-white or white-snorkel blue.

Available at shop.puma.com.

Retail Price: $180

Puma Cell Fusion Golf Shoes

Mad Men Seasons 1-3 DVD Pack If you aren’t a fan of ACM’s critically acclaimed period drama Mad Men, you should be. Take lessons on cool from Don Draper and you just might be able to land a broad like Christina Hendricks. If that doesn’t work, at least you can watch her in a 39-episode marathon set against the “Golden Age” of advertising.

Available at amctv.com.

Retail Price: $119.87

Limited Edition Cobra ZL Driver Cobra Golf claims that only 500 of these limited edition drivers will be made available to the public starting Dec. 15. Ian Poulter put the driver into play in November’s HSBC Champions event, and was complementary (keep in mind hee does receive a check from the company) “It’s really very unique and different than n any driver I’ve seen.” White lightning is outfitted with a Fujikura Motore Speeder er VC 6.0 shaft which alone values for almost $400.

Availableat participating retailers and www.cobragolf.com.

Retail Price: $625

Dixon Fire Golf Balls

Cobra ZL Driver

Every time you lose one of Dixon Golf’s new Fire balls it will cost you a pinch over $6. This gift says “I care, and I think you hit it fairly straight.” Dixon has built its brand around befriending the green movement, and this ball is true to that promise.

Available at participating retailers.

Retail Price: $74.95 per dozen

Citizen Eco-Drive Watch Fueled by natural light, Citizen Eco-Drive watches don’t require batteries. They’re unstoppable as advertised, and come in a variety of colors and categories (stainless steel, titanium and 18 Karat gold). Handsome appearance with advanced technology.

Available at www.citizenwatch.com.

Retail Price: $300-650 Citizen Eco-Watch

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Coastal Carolina Diversity in Experience, Unity in Excellence

Getty Images

Getty Images

BY JAMES MCMAHON

One breathtaking coastline, three completely different yet equally engaging destinations; no other location does golf, beach and fun like South Carolina. Just don’t, for a minute, think there is only one way to do it right.

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Photo courtesy of The Sea Pines Resort

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here’s the breathtaking natural environment and relaxing nature of Hilton Head Island and the South Carolina Lowcountry. Heading slightly north up the coast maybe you’d prefer the southern charm and elegance of Charleston. Then, even further up the coast and dominating a vast majority of it, there’s the energy, excitement and dynamic diversity of Myrtle Beach.

Whatever your style, mood or personal preference, or for that matter the real reason for the visit, the South Carolina coast and its three famous ports of call disprove the popular cliché – You can in fact be all things to all people all the time.

That said, albeit diverse in sheer numbers, each of these three destinations provide golf experiences that are second to none, boasting some of the finest public, resort and even private courses you’ll find anywhere in the Southeast, or the country, for that matter. Acclaimed top No. 17 at Harbor Town Golf Links 100 layouts built by some of the world’s most acclaimed designers practically litter the coast from the South Carolina/Georgia border on up on the gorgeous barrier island that is Hilton Head. Best across the state line into North Carolina. Sure, there are known as the home to Harbour Town Golf Links and the some “need to know someone” courses to get on, but PGA Tour event it has hosted for more than 40 years, Hilton there are hundreds of others you simply need the game, Head is truly the destination for those seeking to make golf the tee time and the cash to make that next memorable golf the primary component to their vacation experience. The experience a reality. region, which includes the growing area of Bluffton on the With our home base in the Palmetto State for nearly mainland, features more than 20 public and resort courses, the past 30 years, few know the South Carolina coast many of which have received both national and statewide like Golfer’s Guide. Our backyard is the golf, the beaches, acclaim, led by Harbour Town’s place on Golf Digest’s “Top the entertainment, the culture and the beautiful natural 100 Courses You Can Play” for quite some time. environment that is so plentiful on our shores.

Our windows look out upon the exciting nightlife, the elegant southern dining and myriad of other outdoor activities that include tennis, kayaking, sailing and bike riding, to name just a few.

Given we call this wonderful region home, it’s truly a pleasure to introduce The center of the acclaimed Sea Pines Resort, Harbour its famous, and not-so-famous, landmarks and activities Town is complemented by two other resort courses, one of to those who might come to visit, even if for just a short which shares designer Pete Dye. Formerly the Sea Marsh period of time. It’s open for debate which member of the Course, Heron Point re-opened several years ago after a triumvirate provides the best golf vacation experience, but significant makeover by Dye and immediately took its place what is closed to argument is that each of them are worthy as one of the most challenging resort courses on the island. of being described as world-class no matter one’s standard.

Stretching to more than 7,000 yards, Heron Point offers Our journey, then, starts in the beautiful Lowcountry and many trademark Dye features include railroad ties, small,

Hilton Head is truly the destination for those seeking to make golf the primary component to their vacation experience.

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undulating greens, tight fairways and plenty of parallel water hazards that require significant accuracy to navigate the course unscathed.

“It’s unlike Harbour Town in many ways but it does feature some of the great characteristics of a Pete Dye design,” said Cary Corbitt, director of sports and retail operations for Sea Pines Resort. “The small greens and emphasis on shotmaking is something fans of Dye will appreciate at Heron Point.”

At the same time Harbour Town was poised to put Sea Pines on the map in the late 1960s, another resort several miles or so down the island was emerging as well. Also home to three championship golf courses the Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort is the complete location for the perfect golf-only or all-inclusive Hilton Head vacation.

Led by its award-winning Robert Trent Jones and Arthur Hills courses, Palmetto Dunes takes a back seat to no resort in the Southeast. In fact, those two courses, which bear the name of their famed designers, have been named South Carolina golf courses of the year in the past decade by the South Carolina Golf Course Owners Association.

The George Fazio course was recently renovated to feature all new green complexes and routinely ranks among the most popular courses for those that call Hilton Head their full-time or part-time home.

While Hilton Head is certainly the name the region is sold and known by, the area of Bluffton just short of the bridge to the island offers some of the finest courses the coastal area has to offer. Carved along the Intercoastal Waterway, Old South Golf Links features some of the finest visual settings the area has to offer. Its neighbor, Hilton Head National, features 18 holes crafted by the famed Gary Player and nine more done by Florida resident Bobby Weed. Sister courses Eagles Pointe and Crescent Pointe are the two latest additions to the Bluffton/ Hilton Head area and features designs by Davis Love III and Arnold Palmer respectively.

While no one is suggesting a golf vacation to Hilton

Head shouldn’t include major resort courses such as Harbour Town and Robert Trent Jones, we will tell you that a trip to the region without experiencing “mainland” golf would be a mistake.

Just as there are hidden golf course gems around Hilton Head, there are little known food and entertainment options that, if someone isn’t paying attention, might easily be missed. Like seafood? Don’t let the exterior of the small “Sea Shack” confuse you; this place is a local favorite for some of the freshest catch around. Ditto that for Crane’s Tavern, for those seeking a solid steak dinner following a day on the links. Both restaurants, and a host of others, are on the South End of the island near Sea Pines.

Sharing that location are great bars such as Casey’s Sports Bar and Grill, which features more than 50 televisions and every sports package a visiting golfer will need. Same can be said for the Smokehouse, which offers a friendly environment and some of the best wings on the island.

The second bookend surrounding scenic Charleston is

The second bookend surrounding scenic Charleston is Myrtle Beach

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Photo courtesy of Tidewater Golf Club & Plantation

Tidewater

Myrtle Beach, an area that has truly earned the moniker “Grand Strand” for reasons that go beyond the hundredplus miles of coastal area that it expands. There are the 100-plus golf courses that grace the region and the miles and miles and miles of packed-sand beaches that attract millions to the area every summer. There’s the abundance of shopping and dining options that fit the wallet and pallet of just about any visitor. And, of course, there is the nightlife that can keep golfers entertained the entire time from the end of one round and the beginning of another.

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Championship. If the net result of hosting that event is anything close to the benefits derived from the Ryder Cup, Charleston’s place as a golf destination is due for another big lift some 18 months from now.

While boasting only 36 holes, Wild Dunes, located on beautiful Isle of Palms in growing North Charleston, is every bit the golf experience of Kiawah. Surrounded by thick marshes, glistening sand dunes and dramatic water views, both the Harbor Course and Links Course are considered to be among the finest layouts in South Carolina. Though both were designed by Tom Fazio, each course boasts its own unique qualities and characteristics.

Though not nearly as well known as the Kiawah or Wild Dunes courses, the region is home to numerous quality courses including Seabrook Island Resort, Charleston National Golf Club, Patriots Point, Coosaw Creek Country Club and RiverTowne Country Club.

Like its coastal neighbors, Charleston offers an abundance A seaside drive challenges golfers at the Wild Dunes course.

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Yes, Myrtle Beach is truly grand, and the experience begins and ends with the golf. From classic courses such as Pine Lakes, Tidewater, Myrtle Beach National and Sandpiper Bay, the reigning Myrtle Beach Golf Course of the Year, to newer gems such as Grande Dunes, Barefoot Resort (four courses) and the Founders Club, Myrtle Beach offers more golf course options than just about any destination in the world.

The region also offers myriad of golf course designs and visual elements that both accentuate and often belie the area’s coastal location. There are traditional, tree-lined layouts that place an emphasis on accuracy such as King’s North at Myrtle Beach National in central Myrtle Beach and Meadowlands and Farmstead at the region’s northern tip. There are beautiful coastal courses crafted around breathtaking marsh areas and the Intercoastal Waterway such as the Arnold Palmer gem Tidewater, Grande Dunes in the heart of the region and the breathtaking Caledonia on the southern end of the “Strand.”

Then there are courses that offer such diversity with the turn of every hole. Layouts such as Grande Dunes take advantage of Intercoastal Waterway views and then turn into pristine, tree-lined holes that remind more of the Sandhills of North Carolina than its coastal regions.

Besides the sheer number of golf courses, what really sets Myrtle Beach apart is its amazing nightlife and the abundance of additional activities that light up the area every summer. At the dining table, Myrtle Beach offers enough seafood buffets to make Greenpeace pass out.

Broadway at the Beach is the center of family and adult entertainment with popular restaurants such as Hard Rock Café and Margaritaville and popular night spots to boot. A couple miles north, Barefoot Landing has an equal number of family dining and adult watering holes that makes it the place to be on Myrtle Beach’s north end.

From the links to the shores and even the stores, Myrtle Beach continually earns its place as South Carolina’s “Grandest” place for any type of vacation – golf or otherwise – that is on the menu.

While Hilton Head is peaceful and tranquil and Myrtle Beach is vibrant and energetic, the charming southern city of Charleston is a slight mix of both – with a heavy dose of historic importance tossed in. From a golf standpoint, the area is best known as the home of the Kiawah Golf Resort and its infamous Pete-designed Ocean Course.

The Ocean Course played host to the 1990 Ryder Cup, dubbed the “War by the Shore,” which helped to place the once overlooked area into top of mind consciousness of golfers from around the world. The tightly contested Cup was won by the United States, but it was Charleston that really proved the winner as its profile as a true golf destination was crafted. Today, the Kiawah Resort is home to five championship golf courses crafted by Dye, Jack Nicklaus, Clyde Johnston, Tom Watson and Tom Fazio, making it one of the largest and most acclaimed golf resorts on the East Coast.

In 2012, the Ocean Couse returns to national prominence as it again hosts the world’s finest golfers for the PGA

of off-course activities, entertainment and nightlife that makes it a well-rounded destination. Downtown Charleston is home to amazing southern dining and exciting nightlife that is fed by a pair of universities – College of Charleston and Charleston Southern.

Historic landmarks dating back to the Civil War era are in great abundance and tours of naval vessels and museums are a great way to spend an afternoon away from the links.

Likewise, a host of outdoor activities, including tennis and boating are popular distractions across the Charleston area and in many cases the primary reason for visiting.

Three regions, three distinct experiences, one unbelievable coast – when it comes to offering golf and vacation destinations, Coastal Carolina really is an embarrassment of riches. While not one fits every preference or desire, there really is something for everyone whether it’s elegant Hilton Head, energetic Myrtle Beach or relaxing Charleston.

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North Myrtle Beach Head North for the Grandest Golf of all at Myrtle Beach olf & River Hills G b Country Clu

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Just by its sheer size, the greater Myrtle Beach area has naturally evolved into a collection of smaller regions, each with their own character, features and attractions.

There’s the quiet nature of the southern end of the area, the hustle and excitement of central Myrtle Beach and then the northern end of the area that has, incredibly managed to meld the two into one overall experience.

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hile there is no clear differentiation in the style of golf courses from one Myrtle Beach area to the next, there is no arguing that the resorts and layouts that make up North Myrtle Beach, the area that stretches across the South Carolina border into North Carolina, are among the finest in the region that has rightly earned the moniker of “The Grand Strand.”

From well-known and acclaimed courses Tidewater Golf Club and River Hills to hidden gems Farmstead and Meadowlands, the northern end of Myrtle Beach is as rich in golf as its beaches, entertainment and overall family fun.

Topping the North Myrtle Beach must play list is certainly Tidewater Golf Club, one of the most acclaimed and recognized layouts along the Grand Strand. Crafted

by Ken Tomlinson, this layout, which meanders along the Intercoastal Waterway and around breathtaking salt marshes, recently celebrated its 20th Anniversary with a strategic and ambitious redesign.

A longtime member of both Golf Magazine’s and Golfweek’s list of top South Carolina golf courses for two decades, things have gotten even better at Tidewater following the renovations that took place a year ago.

Among the changes was the re-sodding and re-leveling of all the tee boxes, improvements to drainage systems on a number of holes, the pruning and cutback of trees to enhance the great ocean and marsh view and protect turf conditions on greens and fairways and other turf-related improvement projects.

The end result is a golf course that retains its classic design, which earned it the reputation as the “Pebble Beach of the East Coast,” while improving its playing conditions and securing its long-term future as one of the best maintained and enjoyable courses on the Southeast Coast.

Speaking of acclaimed design, high reputation and dependable playability, the Tom Jackson-crafted River Hills Golf and Country Club is no stranger to any of those depictions. Carved from the quiet woodlands of Little River, the course is as visually stunning as it is challenging.

Unlike most Lowcountry courses, River Hills features 40-foot elevation changes and fairways that turn away from one another rather than creating congestion running parallel to one another.

The layout has graced Golfweek’s Top 50 in the Southeast list and was nominated as a “Best New Course” by Golf Digest upon its opening. Since that time, the layout has impressed some of the finest golfers to visit North Myrtle Beach, including many who make both it and Tidewater a “same day” play upon every visit.

Speaking of “sister” or “go-along courses” there is no better pair on the northern end of the Strand than Meadowlands and Farmstead. Located less than a mile from one another tugging the South Carolina/North Carolina border these two layouts are perhaps the most underrated on this end of Myrtle Beach’s stretch of classic courses.

Both created by the legendary Willard Byrd, Farmstead and Meadowland offer the best of Myrtle Beach golf – memorable holes, significant challenges and breathtaking

scenery that shifts from rolling woodlands to scenic water views.

For its part, Farmstead offers not only one of the best layouts in Myrtle Beach, but also one of the most unforgettable holes you’ll find in the region. The only par 6 found in Myrtle Beach, the 600-yard-plus 18th hole actually stretches across two states as golfers tee off in South Carolina only to hole their (hopefully par at worst) putt on the green in North Carolina. A challenge from start to finish, Farmstead is more than just one quirky hole; it’s an 18-hole collection of one unexpectedly memorable round of golf.

Named among the “Top 10 Best New Courses” from North Carolina Magazine upon its opening, Meadowlands Golf Club doesn’t boast a hole beyond a par 5, but is certainly equal to the experience of its sister course.

Having earned the underground distinction as “The hidden gem of the Carolinas,” Meadowlands features an open layout with nicely-defined hazards that are certainly in play but provide more than enough warning for firsttime players.

In part due to its five tee boxes and spacious layout, Meadowlands has been a regular on the Golf For Women’s list of “Top 100 Women-Friendly Courses.”

Albeit simply a sampling of the golf experience that has been created in North Myrtle Beach, Tidewater, River Hills, Farmstead and Meadowlands are certainly representative of what the region has to offer and what a golfer can expect when they head for the border separating North and South Carolina.

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Waccamaw Golf Trail is no ordinary golf trail. Located just minutes south of Myrtle Beach in the historic Lowcountry of Murrells Inlet, Litchfield and Pawleys Island, the Waccamaw Golf Trail offers 12 of the Grand Strand’s most awarded courses, Enjoy beautiful beaches, world-class restaurants and some of the best golf in America, all set amid the historic splendor of America’s oldest resort destination. Contact us today and get ready to enjoy some of the greatest golf of your life.

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Advertorial | Golfer’s Guide Lifestyles

Central Myrtle Beach Old and New Make Beautiful Music in the Middle of Myrtle Beach

es

Grande Dun

Arcadian Sh

ores

Pine Lakes

The addition of a bold new course and the renovation of a tried and true one have lifted the profile of golf in the heart of the Myrtle Beach region. Add to that a couple additional layouts that are among the must-plays of the Grand Strand, and one can quickly see why settling down for a brief visit or a long stay in Central Myrtle Beach is becoming a popular decision these days.

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mboldened by the opening of Grande Dunes nearly a decade ago, a course that has received regional and national acclaim, and lifted by the redesign of the grand Pine Lakes Golf Club, the epicenter of Myrtle Beach has claimed the hearts of millions of golfers who flock to the Grand Strand every year. Further increasing the area’s profile is the 36-hole Myrtlewood Golf facility and longtime Strand favorite Arcadian Shores.

Add to those five golf courses all the family and more adult-friendly entertainment that is so abundant in the heart of Myrtle Beach, including the popular dining and entertainment oriented Broadway at the Beach, and Meadowlands you have a destination experience unlike any other on the East Coast of the United States.

There’s little argument that the creation of the Grande

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Myrtlewood

D R hi h iincludes l d a private i b course Dunes Resort, which member designed by PGA Hall of Fame inductee, Nick Price, and golf architect, Craig Schreiner and a public resort course crafted by Roger Rulewhich – has been the most significant addition to the Myrtle Beach golf scene in the past 10 years or so. With the Resort Course, Rulewhich, a disciple of the legendary Robert Trent Jones Sr., crafted a challenging

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but fair course that features seven holes along the scenic Intracoastal Waterway, 34 acres of fresh-water lakes, rolling fairways with dramatic elevation changes and dramatic and strategic bunkering throughout.

Upon its opening, Grande Dunes was named to Golf Digest’s list of the 2002 “New Golf Courses You Can Play,” and in 2009 it received the prestigious distinction as the National Golf Course Owners Association’s Golf Course of the Year. Those accolades are well deserved given the conditioning, challenge and service at Grande Dunes. The experience is made all the more memorable by the stylish clubhouse and complete practice facility boasted at the Resort Course. Given all that, just think how good the members have it at the Member Course.

Myrtle Beach’s reputation certainly was in high regard long before Grande Dunes was crafted, a fact due in large part to Pine Lakes Country Club. Affectionately dubbed “The Granddaddy” Pine Lakes’ first birthday dates all the way back to 1927. A couple years ago, owner/operator Burroughs and Chapin closed the course for an extensive renovation intended to return the course to its glory days and to pay homage to the design that was crafted by the respected Robert White.

The course reopened almost two years ago and the redesign has been praised for the regard paid to the original design and some new elements that will enhance what golfers have enjoyed for more than 80 years. The course’s Scottish-themed architecture remains and the corridors of

16 holes remained unchanged. Two new holes were crafted to accommodate a new entrance to the facility, but blend in nicely with the existing layout.

The end result, according to most observers, is a traditional layout whose return to its roots will certainly hold it in good stead for years to come. Considering the Granddaddy’s importance to the Grand Strand, that is good news indeed.

The new and the newly restored in central Myrtle Beach are complemented by the 36-hole Myrtlewood Golf Club.

The PineHills and Palmetto courses, crafted by Arthur Hills and Edmund Ault respectively, offer unique challenges with strategic water hazards, mounded fairways, challenging bunkering and well-guarded greens.

The PineHills course is the only Grand Strand layout to boast Hills as a designer and the Palmetto course has long been ranked among the finest repeat play courses in Myrtle Beach. Together, like Grande Dunes and Pine Lakes, they make one impressive duo.

Speaking of impressive, Arcadian Shores has been just that for many years. Designed by Rees Jones and opened in 1974, Arcadian Shores combines tree-lined Bermuda fairways, imposing lakes on many holes and strategic bunkering into one impressive design that has challenged and thrilled Grand Strand golfers for nearly four decades.

Bringing the past to the present and ensuring the future of Myrtle Beach golf, Pine Lakes, Grande Dunes, Myrtlewood and Arcadian Shores have all built and built upon the legend that is the Grand Strand.

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Advertorial | Golfer’s Guide Lifestyles

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Yes, there are plenty of world-class courses to choose ing top chains such as Hyatt and Hilton and popular resorts from and seemingly unlimited hotel or villa options to set such as Kingston Plantation, Grand Strand Tee Off makes up home base. But therein lies the problem, there are so it easy for golfers to match the perfect golf with their stay. many options, so much distance to consider and so many Location of the course, quality, conditioning and price are tastes to cater to that sometimes it’s just better to let someall factors that determine where golfers want to play and one else handle the details. those are decisions made easy by Grand Strand Tee Off. Enter Grand Strand Tee Off, a golf concierge company The company, which provides both online booking through its accommodation acco geared toward making every partners and a ccall center with locallyvisit to Myrtle Beach one For more information on Grand Strand based g without a hitch. Through golf and accommodation Tee Off, call 1-800 846-5552. It’s one phone experts partnerships with some of experts, has access to tee sheets of the finest golf courses on the the best hotels on the Grand call that will ensure your next trip to Strand and with the best golf Grand Strand including gems Myrtle Beach is the best one yet. courses Myrtle Beach has to such as Barefoot Resort, Sea offer, Grand Strand Tee Off The Pearl, Sandpiper Bay Trail, T ing the ideal golf vacation. and Eagle Nest. All a golfer needs to kknow is what he or she is takes all the worry out of building looking for and Grand Strand Tee Off takes it from there.

Where to play in relation to thee stay; what type of courses the group wants; and matching the perfect accommodations For those fortunate enough to use it, the service goes even to personal preference is what Grand Strand Tee Off does beyond the golf. With so much to do in Myrtle Beach away from the links, Grand Strand Tee Off’s concierge service every day. includes help with show tickets, dining options and plenty of Essentially serving as the golf concierge for some of the information on where to go and what to see in the area. finest hotels and resorts throughout Myrtle Beach, includ-

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Travel Spotlight | Hilton Head

Harbour Town Hilton Head

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A perfect combination

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ontana and Rice. Bird and McHale. Donnie and Marie. Some things just go so naturally together that they wouldn’t have been nearly the same without the other. Call it a symbiotic relationship or even stupid luck, but there are certain pairs that just click from the moment they are combined.

Add Hilton Head Island and its signature course Harbour Town Golf Links to that list. Perhaps it’s because one has become the symbol of the other. Maybe it’s that they began their journey to acclaimed golf destination and top 100 course respectively at about the same time. Could be that they both offer the highest quality golf experiences found anywhere on the East Coast.

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Whatever it is, there is one thing that is for sure; Harbour Town and Hilton Head Island would not be what they are without the other.

In a perfect confluence of events, Harbour Town Golf Links opened just in time to stage the first-ever Heritage Classic in 1969, the PGA Tour event that has called Hilton Head home ever since. As luck would have it,

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Photo courtesy of The Sea Pines Resort

Arnold Palmer won that tournament, accepting the trophy on a Thanksgiving weekend with the famed Harbour Town Lighthouse still under construction behind him.

The national exposure from Palmer’s victory, his first following a near two-year drought, coupled with rave reviews of the Pete-Dye designed Harbour Town, combined to begin the island’s ascension as a must-visit golf destination, and a high-end one at that. Today, the Hilton Head region welcomes hundreds of thousands of golfers each year to its 20-plus resort and public golf courses and is among the most popular retirement areas on the East Coast.

“There’s no doubt that the tournament and the subsequent national attention that Harbour Town received served as a

catalyst both for the Sea Pines Resort and Hilton Head Island in general,” said Cary Corbitt, the longtime director of sports and retail operations for Sea Pines. “(Sea Pines founder) Charles Frazier had a vision to take Sea Pines and Hilton Head to a national and international level and that became a reality.”

While not entirely contributable to Harbour Town, Hilton Head has become just that – a leading golf destination that attracts visitors from across North America and beyond. For the majority of those visitors, Harbour Town is on the short list of “must play” courses.

Nested along Calibogue Sound on the south end of Hilton Head, Harbour Town is among Dye’s most treasured creations.

The designer, who collaborated with the legendary Jack Fall /Winter 2010-11 33

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Photo courtesy of The Sea Pines Resort

Nicklaus on the layout, crafted a course that winds through tall oaks and pines, and around visually resplendent marshes and wetlands. Harbour Town, which has now hosted 42 Heritage events, is renowned for its unique bunkering, small greens and tight, often doglegged fairways.

In 2001, Dye returned to the island for a muchneeded redesign of the island treasure that included a tee to green re-grassing, new landscaping, some subtle re-routing and work on sand and waste bunkers.

The end result is a classic course that is now secure to continue its role as the island leader for several decades to come.

“We closed down for an entire year and really rebuilt every aspect of the golf course,” Corbitt said.

“We really took the course apart and then put it back together to restore for the future.”

It’s a future that looks as rewarding as the past has proven to have been.

Without a title sponsor, it’s Arnold Palmer wins the inaugural questionable whether the Heritage Classic in 1969.

Heritage will continue to be a primary April Harbour Town tenant beyond next that surges out to the sound, are among the finest and most year, but the course has long since grown beyond its role challenging found anywhere. as a PGA Tour host.

Featuring strategic doglegs, “Dye-aboloical” bunkering and Ranked among Golf Digest’s Top 100 public courses, tiny greens, the par 4s around Harbour Town are as diverse Harbour Town continues to offer ideal year-round playing as they are dastardly. Though there are only three, the par conditions, friendly customer service (including an optional 5s are the perfect mix of risk and reward, providing equal forecaddie program) and a memorable challenge that is worthy opportunity to score or be scored upon. of duffer, accomplished amateur and major champion alike.

Sum it all up, and you have a course that is as unique as the “We take pride in keeping the course in tournament small, scenic and tranquil island it calls home. conditions year-round,” Corbitt said. “What our customers “Harbour Town has all the shot-making challenges and see here week to week is the same course the professional sees characteristics of a Pete Dye design,” Corbitt said. “The small for one week in April. Providing that type of experience is a greens, the tight fairways, the unique bunkering, these are all priority for us every day.” aspects that make this course so special.”

Primarily known for its stunning finish along Calibogue Truly special on its own, but when coupled with the island it Sound that challenges some of the world’s finest players every calls home, Harbour Town becomes something so much more.

April, Harbour Town really is an embarrassment of riches.

What else would one expect from such a perfect pairing.

It’s collection of par 3s, highlighted by the dynamic 17th hole 34

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PGA Tour | Golfer’s Guide Lifestyles

One Week in April Heritage and Legends Share Same Stage

What a week fans of professional golf in the South Carolina/Georgia Lowcountry have to look forward to come April 2011. Separated by less than 45 miles, sharing the same seven days and featuring some of the finest golfers in the world this side and the other side of 50, the PGA Tour’s Heritage Classic and the Champions Tour’s Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf will be played concurrently for the first time ever.

In a scheduling twist hopefully more happenstance than trend, Hilton Head Island will host The Heritage Classic at Harbour Town Golf Links the same week that Savannah Harbour stages the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf, one of the top limited-field events on the Champions Tour each year.

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Getty Images

Getty Images

Left: Jerry Kelly during the third round of the Verizon Heritage Classic at the Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head, South Carolina. Below: Doug Ford in action, shot during Tuesday play at the Westin Savannah Harbor GC.

Not only do the two events share the same week, they will take place less than an hour’s drive from one another in an unique and perhaps questionable one-year scheduling move by the PGA Tour that operates both professional circuits.

The Heritage has long enjoyed the week behind The Mas-

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Where PGA TOUR players have been playing since 1969.

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6JLHU *V\YZL

Starting at $160 per golfer per night.

Packages for two golfers are also available.

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To book your Golf Package, visit seapines.com or call 1-800-SEAPINES (732-7463) or 843-842-8484.

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Getty Images

ters on the PGA Tour schedule. Without a title sponsor for 2011 and beyond, however, the Tour gave the Heritage’s post-Masters spot to the San Antonio-based Valero Texas Open, moving the Heritage back a week on the schedule.

It just so happens that week has been the home of the Legends tournament for the past several years, meaning two major tour events are being staged on the same week in a relatively small coastal area. This also happens during the single most important week in the 43year history of the Heritage.

For their part, officials from the PGA Tour, the Heritage and the Liberty Mutual Legends are putting a positive spin on the 2011 schedule publicly, preferring to point out the potential upside of shared week.

“Playing the same week as the Legends of Golf is a unique situation,” said Steve Wilmot, Heritage tournament director. “We feel like our tournaments are unique from one another and certainly tournaments that everyone can enjoy.”

Call it the new world order for professional tours struggling to find new corporate sponsors or just a blip on the screen that will correct itself, but either way the week of April 18-24 should be interesting along the coastal shores of Savannah and Hilton Head Island. It’s likely not the way the PGA Tour would have preferred it, but two of its signature events will be competing for the same on-course attendance and television

audience from a limited regional population center.

“Understand that a scheduling change is never an easy thing,” said Rick George, who served as the PGA Tour’s chief of operations before accepting the Texas Rangers COO job in early October 2010. “While it provides some unique challenges, it also provides some unique synergistic opportunities between the two events.”

Good spin, but not really reality. The Heritage does draw from Savannah. The Legends, in the past, has enjoyed support from the South Carolina Lowcountry. However, that was when the tournaments were one after the other on the April calendar. Limited discretionary funds on the part of the golf public, distracted regional media attention and split national exposure across two major networks can’t help but affect the net effect of both tournaments’ bottom line.

Getty Images

Playing the same week as the Legends of Golf is a unique situation

Above: Arnold Palmer during early morning practice before final round of Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf at Westin Savannah GC. Savannah, Georgia.

Left: Ernie Els during the final round of the Verizon Heritage Classic at the Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head, South Carolina 38

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Play More. Do More. Get More.

at Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort

Robert Trent Jones Oceanfront

George Fazio

Arthur Hills

Play three of Hilton Head’s most acclaimed golf courses all located in the Island’s most beautiful and easily accessible oceanfront resort. Enjoy more activities at Palmetto Dunes than any other resort in the Southeast. And take advantage of golf specials that are second to none.

ROBERT TRENT JONES OCEANFRONT A complete renovation of this famed oceanfront course makes it a local favorite and a must-play for every Island visitor. #### by Fodor’s Golf Digest.

GEORGE FAZIO A demanding par 70, the Fazio course offers great playing conditions with new state-of-the-art Diamond Zoysia greens. Check out the new changes and course improvements. #### by Fodor’s Golf Digest.

PLAY IN STYLE & COMFORT Only at Palmetto Dunes can you cruise any course in durable new, all-terrain Segway X2s, as seen recently on the Golf Channel. Reservations required.

Call for details.

MULTI-ROUND GOLF SAVINGS Palmetto Dunes features golf package offers on all three course including Multi-Round Golf Passes and unique course specials. For more information and offer details call 866–400–7875 or visit PalmettoDunes.com

ARTHUR HILLS A shot-makers favorite and one of the Island’s most distinctive layouts.

Golf Digest called it “the best of the three.” ####1⁄2 by Fodor’s Golf Digest.

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Advertorial | Palmetto Dunes

Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort

Photo courtesy of Palmetto Dunes Resort

Robert Trent Jones Oceanfront Course.

World-class golf in plentitude, miles of gorgeous white sand beaches, seeminglyendless interlocking man-made waterways perfect for boating and other water sports, shopping and diverse dining. Welcome to the Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort experience on Hilton Head Island – one of the most complete vacation destinations on the East Coast.

Home to 54 holes of championship golf, two luxurious full-service hotels, hundreds of villa options and more outdoor activities than one could possible fit into a 7-day stay, Palmetto Dunes has long been recognized among the leading familyoriented resorts in North America. The resort, located in the heart of Hilton Head Island on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, has received accolade after accolade for its multitude of offerings, affordability, customer service, and, of course, Lowcountry state of mind.

Keeping with our “something for everyone” theme, few do it better than Palmetto Dunes; an attribute that begins and ends with the resort’s amazing trio of golf courses that have been an island institution for more than three decades running.

Each bearing the name of its creator, the Palmetto Dunes triumvirate essentially shares only real estate and quality in common as each boast their own unique character and challenge. There’s the elegance and beauty of the Robert Trent Jones 40

Course; the unique undulation changes and challenges of the Arthur Hills tract and, certainly not to be overlooked, the traditional flair of the Fazio Course. Play any one of them, you’ve had a great round; play all three and you have one unforgettable golf experience that will play long after the playing is done.

The same can certainly be said for all the other activities that Palmetto Dunes provides. White sand beaches, seven miles of interlocking waterways that are perfect for boating and kayaking, dozens of tennis courts and endless bike trails all lay in wait at Palmetto Dunes for the visitor that wants more to do on Hilton Head than just golf. Likewise, the resort has its own shopping, dining and nightlife options and sits central to many of Hilton Head’s most recognized and visited restaurants and night-time hot spots.

At the end of the day, no matter one’s reason for visiting Hilton Head Island, Palmetto Dunes is the one-stop vacation spot delivering experiences that will suit any expectation.

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Enter to

WIN

One of Two Golf Vacations!

The Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort Sweepstakes Visit www.GolfersGuide.com/LifestylesSweepstakes to enter to win an amazing golf vacation to Hilton Head Island and the Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort. This sweepstakes will include 3 Nights, 3 Rounds of Golf for 4 Guests staying in a Two Bedroom Villa. Golf will be played at the Robert Trent Jones Oceanfront Golf Course, the George Fazio Course and the Arthur Hills Course which was awarded the South Carolina Golf Course of the Year.

George Fazio Course

Robert Trent Jones Course

Arthur Hills Course

Cart Fees are included. Cannot be redeemed in March, April or during Holidays. The trip must be used by November 30th, 2011. Trip may be booked approximately 30 days before desired arrival.

The Sea Pines Resort Sweepstakes Visit www.GolfersGuide.com/LifestylesSweepstakes to enter to win a dream golf vacation to Hilton Head Island and The Sea Pines Resort.This sweepstakes will include 3 Nights, 3 Rounds of Golf for 4 Guests staying in a Two Bedroom Villa. Golf will be played at the word famous Harbor Town Golf Links, the newly redesigned Heron Point by Pete Dye plus the islandwide favorite Ocean Golf Course.

Harbor Town Golf Links

Ocean Golf Course

Heron Point by Pete Dye

Cart Fees are included. Forecaddie gratuity is not included on Harbor Town. Cannot be redeemed in March, April or during Holidays. The trip must be used by November 30th, 2011. Trip may be booked approximately 30 days before desired arrival.

041 Giveaway.indd 1

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Hilton Head’s Golf Directory Canongate at Pinecrest

Golden Bear Golf Club

1 Pinecrest Way, Bluffton SC 29910

72 Golden Bear Way, Hilton Head SC 29928

843-757-8960 www.pinecrestgolfclub.net

843-689-2200 www.goldenbear-indigorun.com

Country Club of Hilton Head

Island West

70 Skull Creek Drive, Hilton Head, SC 29928

40 Island West Drive, Bluffton SC 29910

843-681-4653 www.hiltonheadclub.com

843-689-6660 www.islandwestgolf.net

866-400-7875 www.palmettodunes.com

Crescent Pointe Golf Club

Old Carolina

1 Crescent Pointe, Bluffton SC 29910

89 Old Carolina Drive, Bluffton SC 29910

888-292-7778 www.crescentpointegolf.com

888-785-7274 www.oldcarolinagolf.com

Palmetto Dunes – Jones Course

Eagle’s Pointe Golf Club

Oldfield Golf Club

1 Eagle’s Pointe Drive, Bluffton SC 29910

10 Oldfield Way, Okatie SC 29909

888-325-1833 www.eaglespointegolf.com

843-645-4601 www.oldfield1732.com

Hampton Hall Club

Old South Golf Links

170 Hampton Hall Blvd, Bluffton SC 29910

50 Buckingham Plantation Drive, Bluffton SC 29910

Palmetto Dunes – Hills Course 4 Queens Folly Road, Hilton Head SC 29910

866-400-7875 www.palmettodunes.com Palmetto Dunes – Fazio Course 4 Queens Folly Road, Hilton Head SC 29910

4 Queens Folly Road, Hilton Head SC 29910

866-400-7875 www.palmettodunes.com

843-815-8720 www.hamptonhallclubsc.com

Sea Pines – Harbour Town 11 Lighthouse Lane, Hilton Head SC 29928

800-955-8337 www.seapines.com

800-257-8997 www.oldsouthgolf.com

Hilton Head National 60 Hilton Head National Drive, Bluffton SC 29910

Sanctuary Golf Club

843-842-5900 www.golfhiltonheadnational.com

800-446-9193 www.sanctuarygolfcatisland.com

8 Waveland Ave. Beaufort SC 29907

Sea Pines – Heron Point

100 North Sea Pines Drive, Hilton Head SC 29928

800-955-8337 www.seapines.com Sea Pines – Ocean Course

ONLY ON GOLFERSGUIDE.COM

100 North Sea Pines Drive, Hilton Head SC 29928

Save money by booking your tee times at www.TeeTimesSavings.com

800-955-8337 www.seapines.com

Right Now on HilttonHead.GolfersGuide.c HiltonHead.GolfersGuide.com d.GolfersGuide.c com Featured Articles

Video Clips Digital Magazine

Play – No matter where you want to play we have the list.

Travel – Discover the latest deals on golf travel Live – Find the perfect home on your favorite golf course Enjoy – We bring you the best of golf on www.golfersguide.com

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Featured Courses

11/13/10 1:30:49 PM

Fashion | Golfer’s Guide Lifestyles

The Cardy vs.

Monochrome

Fashion Clash

The Cardigan Sweater

Getty Images

His most significant achievement as it relates to competitive golf is a toss up between clinching the Ryder Cup for the Euros in Wales and winning the U.S. Open on Father’s Day, but Graeme McDowell’s top contribution to the fashion community is open and shut. McDowell rocked a plunging v-neck cardigan sweater with four buttons that hugged a bit of the pudge he probably expanded downing celebratory Guinness drafts. He paired it with a salmonish polo and off-white trousers. Debonair in dress and attitude, McDowell cruised to the 110th U.S. Open championship at Pebble Beach (his 1st major victory) as his closest foes faltered. The cardigan comeback was off and running.

United States Ryder Cup apparel supplier Peter Millar took the entire American team into Perry Como territory, but the results suggested this look isn’t for everyone. Oversized purple cardigans with preppy crests looked dreadful on everyone not named Corey Pavin. He was born to wear the cardigan. If you can pull it off, this is a classy statement, but you can’t force the issue.

Golf shouldn’t return to the 1930s. Today, the cardigan lacks universal appeal and won’t catch on with Millennials.

Getty Images

Monochrome In a fashion sense, monochrome has never looked so modern. Influenced by his brash BMX roots, rookie Rickie Fowler revolutionized golf attire forever by teaming with Puma and challenging the game’s style status quo. Fowler routinely selects a singular color scheme, particularly on Sunday when he’s favored a bright, traffic cone orange ensemble. Japanese teenage sensation Ryo Ishikawa and Tiger Woods have also adopted the monochrome look with differing degrees of flash. Ishikawa’s outlandish yet tasteful outfits are often of a pastel persuasion, while Woods broke up an all black look with a watermelon stripe more than once. All black has always been slimming, sexy and intimidating. Gary Player is the godfather of going dark on the golf course, and like Mr. Player, this look is timeless.

Monochrome is bigger than Johnny Cash, and it’s capable of crossing from generation to generation.

Winner: Monochrome Fall/Winter 2010-11 43

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Architect’s Corner | Tom Doak

Q A with Course Designer Tom Doak

© BRIANWALTERS

TOM DOAK AT MARYGROVE COLLEGE

A

s Tom Doak admitted, the award-winning architect is a “moving target.” Doak might as well be crossing the land playing in a traveling band. The month of September alone took him to Detroit, Long Island, Cape Cod and the Dominican Republic. Old MacDonald, his follow-up to celebrated Pacific Dunes, opened for play this year to glowing reviews. He’s also lending his time and energy to create a practice facility for the inspired Midnight Golf program in Detroit. First accepted by MIT to pursue an engineering degree, Doak decided to pursue Landscape Architecture at Cornell. Just your ho hum undergraduate experience, right? We caught up with Doak via email during his travels. He’s a very astute man, and he had a lot of interesting thoughts on current happenings in design and golf. Take it away Tom.

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The game is too expensive for newcomers, and long term, that’s a huge problem.

Take me back to your first solo design project when you’re 26 years old. You’ve studied under Pete Dye, visited the great links courses of Great Britain and Ireland...

Are you nervous, overwhelmed or has all of the preparation instilled a great sense of confidence within you?

In truth, I was probably overconfident. I knew I could get the course built, and I knew that I had plenty of design ideas to go with that. But I tried to do too much of it by myself. Today, I might ask for a slightly bigger budget, and I would recruit more help to make it even better. Still, I’m very proud of High Pointe because it helped me to understand how I could set myself apart from what most everyone else was building in those days. It’s a unique golf course, and in my spare time I’m trying to figure out how to get it back open again. [It closed last spring, after my client Mr. Hayden passed away.]

In the aftermath of the Dustin Johnson controversy at Whistling Straits, volumes of opinion were written condemning the PGA of America, the golf course and rules of the game? What’s your take on the situation?

I’ve been concerned for several years that the naturalized bunkering we like to build creates a grey area in the rules.

When you just have open sand, is it a bunker, or through the green? The Rules demand legal consistency, so the

PGA tried to adopt a blanket rule, but the best golf courses often present similar conundrums that would be better addressed by common sense and equity, as you and I would do if we were playing a match ... in this case, as long as you don’t do anything to improve your lie, no penalty.

On the other hand, I understand that they don’t want to allow the guys to take practice swings in the greenside bunkers. That it came to a head on the 72nd hole of a major championship was a shame. Dustin Johnson has been criticized for not having read the local rule, but I am sure with all the people standing around his ball that it never occurred to him. I hope they get it figured out before they hold the Women’s Open at Sebonack in 2013, because there are a lot of great modern courses that have open sandy areas just like that.

Mr. Dye has been no stranger to criticism throughout his career. When people look back on his work 50, 100 years from now, what do you imagine his legacy will be?

I think the legacy of Mr. Dye will be that he brought interest and controversy back to golf and golf course design after many years in the doldrums. I’m sure his best courses will stand the test of time ...perhaps better than my own courses, because his are built to handle today’s professionals, so they are kind of technology-proof. He has also done a lot for the profession by teaching a whole generation of young designers how to build golf courses; I’m just one of many who owe their career to Pete and Alice Dye.

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I’ve really enjoyed reading the essays on your website. You’ve published three books already. If you weren’t an architect, would you be a fulltime writer?

I enjoy writing, but it is a very tough way to make a living -I’d have to write 100 or 200 articles to make as much as I make designing one golf course. I enjoy it more because it’s just a hobby and I can write when I am inspired, instead of having to write every day. For that matter, I’ve always treated golf course design pretty much the same way. I told my son years ago when we were on a trip that I would design courses for free, but that people have to pay me a lot to do all the traveling it requires.

You wrote that you don’t build signature holes, you build moments that a golfer can autograph himself? Can you elaborate on this idea?

Did I really write that? It sounds pretty cheesy, but so is the whole marketing concept of “signature holes.” A good designer doesn’t want one hole to stand out above all the others. We hope to build 18 holes that give people lots of chances to hit a shot they will remember instead of just going along making birdies and bogeys and adding up their score. I don’t really care what you shoot, as long as you have fun doing it.

It’s a sportswriting tradition to ask an athlete about “pressure,” but it’s not a question posed to golf course designers very often? Considering the critical acclaim of Pacific Dunes, was there pressure to deliver with Old MacDonald?

I’ve been asked about “pressure” more than most architects, because we’ve worked on so many beautiful sites, and worked right next door to some of the best golf courses on earth. The only pressure I ever really feel is the self-induced pressure to do my best work every time out; but I’m grateful for the opportunity. At Old Macdonald, no one really expected us to build the best course at the resort; we always just said if the course eventually got more than 1/4 of the play at Bandon Dunes, that would be a home run, because the other courses were so good. The feedback so far has been much stronger than I ever thought it would, but I know that’s partly just the fact that people are excited to have something new to talk about. There aren’t many new projects opening up these days.

Now I just labeled you as an architect and designer in the span of two questions...do you have a professional preference?

I really don’t make any distinction between the two; actually, when people ask me what I do, I tell them “I build golf courses.”

Mr. Dye always said that labeling yourself an architect sounded like it could get you in more trouble.

Bandon Dunes - People must walk to play. The natural topography creates a variety of stances in the fairways. These are true links courses. Best place to play golf in America?

There are lots of great places to play golf in America, and 46

© BRIANWALTERS

“OLD MAC’S” NO. 7

people will have their own preferences. But if you love the kind of golf you find in Scotland and Ireland, I don’t think there is much dispute that Bandon Dunes is the closest thing America has to that, and I’m very proud to have been a part of that.

Speaking of C.B. MacDonald, Stuart Appleby shot a 59 this summer on his layout at The Greenbrier. Do you cringe when the pros shred a classic course like that?

I didn’t see the round, but if a great player can go low, more power to him. I don’t cringe, but I do worry that rounds like that convince many people watching that every course needs to be lengthened and toughened, even though 98% of the people who play them have never broken par in their lives.

Sebonack will host the 2013 U.S. Women’s Open. Hosting a major championship often means significant tinkering? Does this apply to women’s golf?

I’ve talked a bit with Mike Davis and he has told me he doesn’t think Sebonack needs any tinkering to host the Women’s Open. However, both of us have to convince the owner, Mr. Pascucci, not to do anything more. Since the course opened he has made several changes ... he is just the kind of guy who is always going to think that some hole or other is the weakest and needs to be fixed.

You’ve said that even the best designers become preoccupied with standards of fairness that leads to repetitive holes and courses. Does the fear of being labeled “gimmicky” play into this problem?

Absolutely. One man’s fun is another man’s gimmick, and the better players who feel most qualified to speak about architecture are often the guys with the least tolerance for anything they believe to be unfair. But really, a lot of the repetition in golf architecture over the past 20 years was just a function of a handful of architects getting so busy that they didn’t have time to noodle out a new design for every hole they were building. That shouldn’t be a problem in the next few years.

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What effect will a prolonged recession have on the golf industry, and your profession?

My only concern is that the recession will be so long that it will drive out a bunch of talented young people who were poised to be the next generation of designers, that will seek greener pastures in other fields because they can’t make a decent living doing what they love.

China just surpassed Japan as the world’s second largest economy. Will that country see a course construction boom similar to what we had in the U.S. or do they lack a middle class to drive demand?

If you take the long view, it seems extremely likely that there will be a lot of golf courses developed in China over the next 50 years; they just have to be careful not to get the number of courses too far ahead of the number of players, and not to make some of the same mistakes we’ve made. The one thing that worries me about what I’ve seen in China are the gigantic clubhouses ... those will be difficult to pay for out of the proceeds of golf. The exciting part is that China is really a new frontier.

It’s a big diverse country with lots of beautiful land, and up until now no one has really searched for cool settings in which to build golf courses. We may find some places that allow us to build a course that’s different than anything in the U.S. or the UK.

I’m headed to New Zealand to play Cape Kidnappers in February. Where does that site rank in terms of sheer beauty for you?

Cape Kidnappers was an awesome place to go to work every day. You may think you know what it’s like, but I guarantee you that you have underestimated the scale of it. The entire sheep station is 5,000 acres and there are loads of beautiful picnic spots away from the golf course. In fact, there is a valley out beyond the first course that is big enough for another 18 holes, with a deep river cut snaking through it, completely different than the first 18.

We did a routing for it a couple of years back, but for now there’s not enough traffic to justify the expense, even for a relatively “primitive” course where the livestock roam freely. I would love to get back there someday to build that one.

one really gets paid millions of dollars to design a golf course ... the few that did were only making that much because their fees were being paid out of the marketing budget for huge housing developments. But there aren’t many huge golf developments being built nowadays, so there won’t be any huge design fees, either. If Tiger is okay with that, and just wants to design courses because he loves to do it, then he will put a few other guys out of business.

Most effective strategy the golf idustry could adopt to grow the game in the next 10-15 years?

In America, I think the biggest thing would be if instead of closing so many courses, we could figure out how to turn derelict courses into low-cost facilities that cater to juniors and people just learning to play. It’s not like we need that land for more condos or shopping malls, in the short term, anyway. The game is too expensive for newcomers, and long term, that’s a huge problem.

Worldwide, the most important thing is to introduce golf to China in a more sustainable form, so they don’t make all the same mistakes we did. To be honest, though, “the golf industry” has been part of the problem, instead of the solution. Every segment of the industry has driven up the cost of the game as they found ways to profit from golf, to the point where it wasn’t sustainable anymore. By contrast, golf is as healthy as its ever been in Scotland, because they don’t make any decisions there about what’s good for the golf industry... they run the game based on what’s good for the golfers.

Cornell had a magical run to the Sweet 16 in last year’s NCAA tournament. Were you glued to your a television for every game?

Unfortunately, I was traveling in Europe, so I didn’t get to see any of the games. But it was a great team with a bunch of guys who played and hung out together like a family, so they were certainly easy to root for. So was Butler! I do wish the bottom half of the tournament draw was just at random ...it seems like the seeding stacks the deck for the top-ranked big-conference teams, so the only way a smaller school can make it through is to beat 3-4 Top-20 teams. Whereas the top ranked schools just get a free pass in the first round, and often get a second round game against a fourth-place team from one of the big conferences.

Royal County Down or St. Andrews if you were at the point of a bayonet and had to choose?

County Down is the most beautiful course in the world, and one of the hardest. St. Andrews is the most interesting. For one round, maybe I’d pick County Down. But if I was going to retire someplace, it would be St. Andrews, especially since everyone in the world of golf stops through to visit on a regular basis. Not as many people come up to see me in Traverse City and go play at Crystal Downs.

Do you think Tiger Woods’ real life complications derail his design business before it really gets started?

Tiger Woods is a lucky guy; he’s been so successful at golf that he will always have the opportunity to design golf courses if that’s what he wants to do. The only problem he has is that his business model will have to change if he wants to stay busy at design. No

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Road Holes | Orlando

ROAD HOLES Orlando, Florida Getty Images

Written by Brandon R. Underwood

ic

Mag ina/Orlando

Fernando Med

P

eak vacation season had come and gone, but Orlando was still a glut of humanity during the second week of an unusually warm October. Central Florida’s biggest city is like Las Vegas for children. If you’re parents didn’t pack up the family sedan and take you to Disney World, the Magic Kingdom, Universal, Sea World, or any combination of the above, you should feel unwanted.

The only obstacle slowing families from enjoying the wholesome, rite of passage goodness is the traffic. I think they should call it the traffic kingdom.

Venting on the bumper-to-bumper impasse aside, Orlando is the kind of place that makes you feel more American. Vacation is one shared activity that Facebook hasn’t completely transformed.

Golf is a vital part of the Orlando experience. A good portion of accomplished players, like Tiger Woods and Paula Creamer, reside here. This year, the city will host the pressure-cooker that is PGA Tour Q-School for the fourth time, and the Children’s Miracle Network Classic at Disney.

Critics routinely recite the talking point that “all Florida courses are the same,” but this is wildly untrue. If Orlando is any indication, Florida golf is misunderstood.

I spent five days sampling some of the city’s best layouts and came away very impressed with the quality and variety.

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THURSDAY

scope out one of more infamous theaters of the Tiger Woods’ infidelity scandal. The Perkins off of Conroy Windermere is where Woods allegedly helped himself to the help. Nobody inside seems particularly concerned about this newfound notoriety. You’ve got to admire Tiger’s determination. After a heaping breakfast of three buttermilk pancakes, a side of crispy golden hash browns and a ham & bacon omelet, the last thing I want to think about is a covert sexual encounter. I’ll skip straight to the nap thank you.

2 p.m. – Luxury Links Modeled to mirror the class and style of big brother on Park Avenue in Manhattan, the world’s second Waldorf Astoria has upped the ante for luxury resorts in the Magic Kingdom. To Floridarize the franchise, Rees Jones built a golf course. The staff at the Waldorf Astoria Golf Club, a plush green patch of land laced with menacing bunkers, really treats you as if you were a descendent of businessman John Jacob Astor. Your tee time includes complimentary valet parking, locker room access, unlimited range privileges and a sleek Waldorf Astoria bag tag. Shop around, and there are greens fees available for under $100.

11:30 a.m. – A Walk in Winter Park Winter Park Country Club dates back to the beginning of World War I. There was a time when the club was 27 holes, making it one of the largest golf facilities in the Southeast.

Nearly a century later (Winter Park CC will celebrate its centennial in 2014), only nine remain, and they’re randomly woven into the surrounding community. By the time you arrive at the par-5 fourth hole, which borders a crowded cemetery, you’ve already crossed three roads and passed an old Baptist church. This is all done on foot of course. Head Golf Professional Brendon Elliott says Winter Park is the definition of a “throwback” golf course. This 9-hole loop is no pitch & putt though. It’s almost 2,500 yards from the teal tees and reminds Baby Boomer transplants of courses from their childhood. Sam Snead, Gene Sarazen and Walter Hagen all played here.

“Sarazen didn’t think too much of the course,” Elliott said. “He referred to it as a shooting gallery because it’s so narrow and tight.”

Today, it’s a favorite of Winter Park resident Nick Faldo and the Golf Channel crew. You don’t need Faldo’s money to play it though. A nonresident green fee will only set you back $14.

Step out of your car, onto the first tee and appreciate this unique stroll in the park, where you’ll encounter neighbors tending to their lawns and a soundtrack of train whistles and church bells.

1:30 p.m. – Briarpatch Uber Mac Brick-paved Park Avenue is lined with ritzy boutiques and art galleries, and populated by students of nearby Rollins College, professionals and a handful of trophy wives.

Winter Park eschews many of the Florida stereotypes, and is distinctly southern. This elegant main drag is evidence of that. It’s complemented by a quaint public park and is shaded by Live Oaks overhung in Spanish moss.

Hungry? The charming Briarpatch is the place to be seen for brunch or a mid-day meal.

Orange County National The menu makes liberal use of filet mignon, and there is always something appealing among the list of daily specials. Among the chef’s recommendations is the Uber Mac and Cheese, a zesty take on an American classic.

SATURDAY 7:30 p.m. – A New Day at Midnight 2 p.m. – Card Carrying Members Take your family or significant other out for a little night Orlando’s Orange County National golf complex is golf at Legends Walk, one of four courses at Legends the closest thing to Bandon Dunes you’ll find in the state Resort. This executive is no pushover and proof that golf of Florida. OCN will host the final round of PGA Tour doesn’t need to be played a certain way or at a particular Qualifying School in early December. It will be the fourth time of day to be enjoyed. time the Central Florida facility has welcomed a full field of hopefuls for the gut wrenching six-round grind toward a Tour card.

FRIDAY Far enough removed from the gridlock of Disney, OCN 9 a.m. – Breakfast Cub is golf as it was intended to be played. Eighteen-hole In the interest of investigative journalism, I had to

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Great greens are a given. Great service is a given. We are 4½ stars. But this is Eagle Creek… The wind is blowing, the golf course is firm and fast, and the Scottish-style bunkers intimidating. You hit a 40 yard bump and run within three feet and drain the putt to drain your buddy’s wallet. You will need to use all your shots and most important YOUR IMAGINATION. So if you want to experience a taste of Scotland, something fun, book your 4-ball at Eagle Creek.

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Photo Courtesy of Universal Orlando Resort

Panther Lake, 18-hole Crooked Cat and the 9-hole Tooth and dancing bronze statues. You have to see this fusion of course all unfold over rolling terrain once used as a citrus music, Improv comedy and social commentary at least once. orchard, and there are no homes in sight. The layouts open up in front of you, and many holes offer tee to green views.

SUNDAY Stress levels max out during Q School. The other 51 weeks 9 a.m. – Grande Appetizer of the year, the mood is peaceful and serene (as long as you Given the opportunity, I’ll take golf as my Sunday appetizer keep pace). You might even spot anglers casting on the lake to a full plate of NFL football over the pompous prethat runs parallel to Panther Lake’s par-3 15th. game punditry of Terry Bradshaw and Chris Berman. The Like Bandon Dunes, players can stay on-site at the Central Florida climate is good for this year-round; even Lodge. Warming up for a round of golf has never been so when the tundra has frozen over less fortunate quadrants enjoyable. OCN’s practice facility is among the best in the of our country. Marriott’s Grande Pines Golf Club is at nation. In 2010, the readers of Golf World ranked OCN as Disney’s doorstep, but the crowds tend to sleep in on the No. 1 public course in Florida and No. 2 in the U.S. Sunday morning, making for a quick and painless commute 9 p.m. – Percussion and Ponchos to the course. The wildlife-laden layout is primarily treeCityWalk at Universal is madness. To begin the evening, you’re herded into the Taj Mahal of parking garages, which is fittingly cordoned off into superhero Blue Man Group sections. Of course you feel stupid writing down Spiderman 452 before you leave your vehicle. There are abundant sources of entertainment. You can jam out at the Hard Rock Café or ease your mind at Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville. I opted to take in a Blue Man Group show at the Sharp Aquos Theater. Oddly enough, my $80 seat was labeled poncho row CC. I quickly discovered that my proximity to the stage would require a plastic overcoat for protection from paint splatter. What an exceptionally odd yet entertaining evening.

The performance involves marshmallows Marriott’s Grande Pines Golf Club

lined, reminiscent of a North Carolina course, and has some very fascinating green complexes. You’ll need to play at least twice to have a shot at navigating the sloping putting surfaces. Prepare to encounter plenty of unique shots.

Designer Steve Smyers presents a good mix of length, visual obstacles and approach angles.

6 p.m. – Dwight’s New Digs Resident NBA man child Dwight Howard’s body mass grew so large that his team and city had to construct a brand new building to contain him. The Orlando Magic hosted the New Orleans Hornets in the first pre-season game at the $480 million Amway Center on 10-10-2010.

Topped with a 180-foot spire that creeps into the skyline, the building covers 875,000 square feet and took 9.4 million pounds of steel to build.

The beautiful, state-of-the-art arena is magnificent to Fall/Winter 2010-11 51

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Fernando Medina/Orlando Magic

Amway Center

recently targeted by the tyranny that is the NBA’s new dress code. Orlando won handily, 135-81. The first bucket in the new Amway Center was a 3-pointer by Orlando’s Quentin Richardson.

MONDAY

look at. The main entrance is a wall of glass, giving it a very crisp, clean and open feel. Crowds can overlook the downtown district from the Gentleman Jack Terrace, which sits directly above the entrance and underneath the blinking spire. Downtown businesses are expecting a boost in sales receipts, and I assume that will happen judging by the palpable enthusiasm associated with the team. Downtown Orlando is actually very impressive. It reminded me of San Diego.

Inside the Amway Center, you’re inundated with video walls and corporate signage – Cold Stone Creamery, the Budweiser Baseline Bar and the Coors Light Mountain Bar. Keeping with an emerging trend in professional stadiums, there’s a lot of open space where you can grab a beer and socialize while keeping an eye on the game at the same time.

For a preseason contest, the rather attractive crowd was dressed to impress, even Magic Head Coach Stan Van Gundy. His mock turtlenecks were

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10 a.m. – Bring on the Bermuda Southwest of Orlando in Haines City is a very popular public layout – Southern Dunes Golf & Country Club. This is another Steve Smyers design, and it’s a clever concoction of tumbling terrain, ornamental grasses and bold bunkering. It’s funny how a subtlety like cart paths that disappear as you pass the last tee box and don’t’ pick up until you close in on the green can create a more organic environment. Even though it’s lined by houses with the traditional enclosed pool, Southern Dunes has a true links feel.

The management made a sudden decision to install Champion Bermuda turf in late May, and after being closed for the majority of the summer, Southern Dunes re-opened with fresh putting surfaces. As would be expected from greens so young that grain hasn’t taken hold yet, they putted beautifully. Speed and conditioning were the best I encountered.

The layout here is terrific. It’s imaginative, but fair. A great example of the brilliant architecture of Smyers is the short par-4 5th hole. A cluster of bunkers dead straight in the fairway must be avoided to set up a delicate second shot to a smallish green protected on the right by a large pond.

Southern Dunes Golf & Country Club

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11/13/10 9:13:01 AM

Competition | Daniel Brunson

Daniel Brunson lines up a putt on the 18th green at The Golf Club at Sanctuary Cove

Being Daniel Brunson Bearded and dressed in all black, with the exception of his dark gray cross trainers and out-of-place pastel belt, Daniel Brunson sips on his second Terrapin IPA as he recalls playing alongside Graeme McDowell during his days at the College of Charleston.

McDowell, who spent his collegiate career at the University of Alabama-Birmingham, exceeded his own wildest dreams in 2010, winning the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach and securing the decisive point for Europe in the Ryder Cup. Brunson, who just turned 30, doggedly continues the pursuit of his dreams in much more pedestrian corners of the world.

In 2002, the seeds of Brunson’s professional ambitions were planted when he earned individual medalist honors at the Southern Conference championship, firing an 11-under 205 at Furman University Golf Course.

The local press in his hometown of Greenville, S.C., publicized his victory and potential, which enabled him to procure a healthy sum of cash ($40K in a few days) from area businessmen to finance his immediate future. It took only one trip to Q-School to earn status on the Canadian Tour, and off he went like a bullet toward the border.

“Conquer Canada,” Brunson recalled. “That was the idea.”

Brunson solidified his suspicions that a pro career was possible when he survived the cut in his first-ever Canadian Tour event.

But that feeling, unfortunately, had a short shelf life. Canada became more of a college road trip than a serious commitment to competing at a high level. He wouldn’t play another weekend that summer, and returned home low on cash and with shaky confidence.

“I was thinking I was set for at least a few years to figure out how to do this,” he said. “That wasn’t the case. I realized I might need to 56

go work for a while. That shocked me. It was definitely a confidence deflator.”

Golf became less of a priority in the subsequent stages of Brunson’s life. Without reservation, he describes this exploratory, coming of age period as more Phish tour than PGA Tour. He didn’t abandon the game altogether, playing occasionally on the “dirt tours” as he warmly refers to the Tarheel, Hooters and other local circuits.

Upon returning from the Great White North, Brunson’s nomadic worldwide rambling began in Florida in 2003 where he played on average six to eight lower level tournaments each year.

He was working on his game at Lake Nona, rubbing elbows with Annika Sorenstam, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen and Sergio Garcia.

Watching how some of the world’s best players prepared and practiced was a good gig, but playing Mini Tour events on lackluster courses left a lot to be desired.

“You’re riding in carts, playing a lot of bad golf courses,” Brunson said. “In Canada we played on some great golf courses. Now playing these Mini Tours I thought this is S^!t. I don’t really want to play these pitch and putt golf courses. I had a chip on my shoulder and didn’t take time to understand that everyone was playing the same course.”

Brunson’s travels would take him to Asia in 2005. He arrived in Malaysia on Christmas Day. The following day, the deadly Indonesian tsunami hit. He racked up a significant number of birdies, but posted too many big numbers, and failed to qualify

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for the Asian Tour. hands, but the consolation prize of $709,170 affords him certain He returned stateside and worked a number of odd jobs before luxuries guys like Brunson, who crashes with friends when possible settling in Jackson Hole, Wyoming where he worked as an assistant and loses caddies to weddings on weekends, just don’t have access professional at Snake River Sporting Club. There, Brunson to. rededicated himself to golf and discovered some of the form and Mention the name of Arjun Atwal to Brunson, and he gets fired confidence he took for granted as a young man zipping his way up. Atwal won this year’s Wyndham Championship by a stroke at across Canada.

Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., to become the first The next step was a stint in South Africa from the fall of 2009 to Monday qualifier to win on Tour in 24 years. A week before Atwal’s February 2010, where he would compete in a number of events on unlikely victory, he was working on his game at the International the Sunshine Tour. Brunson experienced the biggest breakthrough Institute of Golf in Asheville, N.C. Brunson was also there working of his abbreviated professional career, qualifying for the European with an instructor.

Tour’s Joburg Open. It was only his second 72-hole event in three Considering the amount of current Tour players Brunson has or four years. He missed the cut, but his confidence swelled. teed it up with over the years, and encouraging results in recent “This is the stage I like,” Brunson remembered. “Darren Clark, a months, it’s nearly impossible for him to bury his dream. Unlikely hero of mine, was two groups behind me for the first two rounds. I winners like Atwal make it difficult to avoid thinking, “Why not felt like I belonged. This is more like it. I can get used to this.” me?”

But a few weeks later, financial reality forced “It’s inspiring to see guys like that do it,” Brunson to leave South Africa, even though Brunson said. “You have to say ‘why not me?’ he had qualified and earned status on another Obviously there is a little luck involved that professional tour. The overall uncertainty in the needs to fall into place, but every week we’re economy made disposable dollars more difficult looking for that to happen. It doesn’t matter to come by, and investors weren’t as willing to where you are or on what tour; if you’re cover his expenses as they previously had been. practicing great or not playing well. You Upon returning from South Africa, focus might not be clicking on all cylinders and get turned to a last ditch attempt to hook golf’s into a tournament and play great. That’s golf biggest fish – a PGA Tour card. All of the for you. It’s a crazy game.” necessary elements were lining up to make a run Despite “not having won a proper golf at Q School – maturity, confidence, opportunity tournament in eight years,” Brunson hasn’t and money. found reason this year to believe his task in Disappointed after his 70 wasn’t enough “One hundred percent, no question,” insurmountable. He’ll drive his Volkswagen to earn a spot in the McGladrey Classic Brunson said to confirm that this is the most Passat to Richmond, Indiana to visit his field, Brunson walks toward his car. prepared he’s ever been to compete on an elite girlfriend, who has embraced his passionate level. “I think I’ve been a bit of procrastinator in a lot of things I’ve pursuit, and then begin preparation for the first stage of PGA Tour done. You don’t realize it while you’re doing it. I didn’t realize I Qualifying School. wasn’t preparing at a high level. I just always thought talent and my He was scheduled to play in the first qualifying stage Oct. 26-29 mind on the golf course would prevail. The more you grow up, the at Latana Golf Club just northwest of Dallas. Should he survive and more you learn. This is definitely the most prepared I’ve been; not advance through the first two stages, he’ll be shooting for the top just on the golf course, but committed to it off the course.”

25 Dec. 1-6 at Orange County National outside of Orlando, the Yet, here he sits on a bar stool at Toucan’s Ale House in once-every-other-year final qualifying spot where dreams of golfers Brunswick, Georgia, listening to a stranger in his 70s named Larry just like Brunson, and others far more accomplished, are made or lecture about the importance of the short game after a failed attempt broken. to Monday qualify for the PGA Tour’s McGladrey Classic.

Life on the PGA Tour’s crowded waiting rooms seems very Brunson dropped five birdies against one bogey Thursday to unsettled. It can sour relationships and strain finances. Right now, shoot 67 in the pre-qualifier, but struggled to find an early rhythm every round Brunson plays is an audition for his financial backers. when it mattered. He started slow, but finished strong to shoot It’s addicting, and it’s difficult to get out. What else would you do? a 1-under-par 70 four days later. That 67 on Thursday would’ve “Sometimes I do think about a little bit of normalcy, but I’m not been good enough to get into a playoff for the final two spots in one to enjoy normalcy,” Brunson told me the first time we spoke. the McGladrey field, yet when it mattered Monday, the magic just “If I have those thoughts, they normally don’t last long. wasn’t there.

“That’s kind of the beauty of it,” he said of his life chasing the A tee time in a PGA Tour event is such a coveted opportunity. A PGA Tour dragon. “It’s not for everybody.” single round, or weekend can change the course of your life. Dean Wilson, ranked 118th in the world, doesn’t have PGA Tour status EDITOR’S NOTE: Daniel went down in Dallas. He entered and had to Monday qualify for his spot in the McGladrey Classic the first stage of Q School with high expectations and a boatload field; he did so by shooting 66. He had a chance to avoid playing his of confidence, but his opening round 75 wasn’t the start he way in altogether. envisioned. He finished with an aggregate score of 8-over-par 296 Wilson, playing on a sponsor’s exemption, opened the 2010 RBC – not nearly enough to finish in the top 23 and ties. The dream Canadian Open with three consecutive rounds of 65, but watched isn’t dead though. Daniel is kicking around the idea of returning his four-stroke lead disappear when Carl Pettersson posted 60 on to Asia and qualifying for another professional tour.

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Travel Spotlight | Gulf Coast

Gulf Coast

GOLF

BY ART STRICKLIN

The Coast is Clear

T

he Gulf Coast, the down home, multi-state region of golfing good times and Southern fried comfort food, has come back so many times it’s almost like the children’s bounce-back toy, wack-a-mole. But its 2010 reinvention has ensured the 20-plus public courses, not to mention dozens of restaurants and all manner of watercraft fun, is available to another wave of golfing travelers. This time around, the region must emerge from the worst oil spill in the history of the United States – a catastrophe that dominated the news cycle during the summer of 2010 and threatened to send the area into another Hurricane Katrina-like tailspin.

“We have certainly come back a lot, but every time we come back, it seems to come back better,” said Duncan Miller, executive director of the Gulf Shores Golf Association that oversees nine local courses.

The region has recovered from a variety of weather and man-made challenges during the past decade. It came back from Hurricane Katrina, which nearly reshaped the entire Gulf Coast five years ago, and now, in just the past few months, a daunting, if not slightly overhyped crisis, the BP Oil Spill.

It didn’t spoil the Mississippi-Alabama beaches nearly as much as the media reported or predicted. Equally as important, the area’s golf industry, a growing part of the economy along with gaming and entertainment, survived largely unscathed - a message that needs quick dissemination to potential visitors.

“We held a meeting when the spill first hit and they went around the room and asked what we thought the impact would be,” said Kevin Drum, executive director of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Association. “I said we had already felt it, because the news was out on the spill, but it never affected the golf at all.”

But like a bounce-back toy, the Gulf Coast, fronting the 58

Gulf of Mexico waters, and spanning multiple states, has already sprung back better than ever with more courses and options than ever before.

While the laid back Gulf lifestyle has attracted generations of traveling vacationers and amateur golfers, the pros have begun to discover the area for themselves. There is now a PGA Tour stop nearby, one Champions Tour event directly on the Gulf and an LPGA Tournament in Mobile.

“What this does is expose people to the quality of golfing and entertainment we have on the Gulf Coast,” Drum said.

“People can see it on TV and when they get here in person, they are raving about the quality of the courses.

“We have casinos, entertainment, restaurants and great golf, all open to the public at reasonable prices,” he added.

“It’s a very unique set of amenities.”

Drum’s organization, dubbed the Mississippi “Golf Coast,” oversees 22 public-access courses designed by Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Davis Love III, Jerry Pate and Mark McCumber. Among the most popular courses on the Golf, err, Gulf Coast area, is Shell Landing, a Love III design, which overlooks native marshlands and the Gulf waters as its name would suggest. It was named among Golfweek’s 2009 “Best Courses you Can Play.”

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We have casinos, entertainment, restaurants and great golf, all open to the public at reasonable prices.

The Oaks, originally opened in 1998, was cut through native swaths of virgin timberland in Pass Christian, Mississippi (hence the name) and has hosted several Nationwide Tour events during the past decade.

Grand Bear, designed not surprisingly by all-time golf great Jack Nicklaus, is located just outside Biloxi, Mississippi. It’s been ranked as one of the top 100 public courses in the U.S. with towering pines from the neighboring DeSoto National Forest along with natural marshes and cypress wetlands.

The Preserve was designed by former U.S. Open Champion and Alabama native Jerry Pate with 245 pristine acres of territory and no houses in sight. Mississippi National is a design by architect Earl Stone and offers a look at plenty of scenic Gulf Coast terrain.

The lodging is dominated by the variety of casinos. The Beau Rivage and Harrah’s are the largest, offering the most on-site entertainment, dining options and easiest golf access to Fallen Oak and Grand Bear, respectively.

To the East in Alabama, straddling the Alabama-Florida line, Miller oversees the Gulf Shores Area, once known as the Redneck Riviera, where the courses are just as good, slightly less expensive, have no casinos, but still offer plenty of good

times on and off the course.

The most famous and heralded course in the area is Kiva Dunes, another Pate design that has hosted PGA Tour qualifying and ranked as one of the top 10 courses in Alabama.

It’s located right next to the lavish Beach Club condos and is the closest course to the beach.

Pate’s par-72 course features large greens, which can be made very fast or slowed down for daily play. There are dozens of bunkers lurking seemingly everywhere with water on at least half of the holes and a true dunes and marsh feel with the Gulf of Mexico steadily pounding in the background. There is also a large alligator population on site.

Craft Farms is a 36-hole Arnold Palmer design that features the Cotton Creek and Cypress Bend layouts.

Cotton Creek is the older of the two layouts and is more open and playable for all levels of golfers. Cypress Bend is the tighter of the two layouts with Spanish moss hanging from the trees, and challenging water hazards near every hole. There are certainly more chances to lose balls here, but the challenge and the Palmer risk-reward nature is the same.

GlenLakes is a more rustic, wild dunes looking course, with lots of native grass growing wildly in the rough and the edges of Fall/Winter 2010-11 59

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We have certainly come back a lot, but every time we come back, it seems to come back better. the fairway, giving this an almost Scottish Links feel to it.

Lost Key Golf Course is sometimes referred to as “Lost Ball” by the locals for the very tight nature of its fairway, its variety of blind shots and the natural marshlands that can shallow up inaccurate shots. This Arnold Palmer 2006 redesign puts the premium on accuracy and short game skills.

For more information and reservations, go to www.golfgolfshores.com or www.golfcoast.com.

Local architect Earl Stone did both the 27-hole Peninsula Golf & Racquet Club overlooking Mobile Bay and Rock Creek on the eastern (lower case) edge of the bay’s namesake creek that winds its way through the layout.

Gulf Shores has plenty of unique dining options with a local flair when the golf is finished for the day.

Lulu’s is run by the sister of Jimmy Buffet and serves plenty of Gulf fresh seafood and a few Buffett family favorites. The big brother has been known to drop in on occasion and has even

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played a concert on the Gulf Shores beachfront.

The Original Oyster House is another waterside eating destination with all the Gulf Coast basic food groups covered.

Sea Hunter Charters, led by Captain Ricky McDuffie, is also a great non-golf diversion, offering charters on its 62-foot Resmondo boat with an observation tower overlooking the wate waters. There is a variety of food offerings with all kinds of fishin shing gear available to enjoy.

Th The newest, and certainly the most unique spot, in Gulf Shor Shores is The Hangout. This sprawling downtown destination is lar large enough to host a community pep rally, live concerts -- bo both inside and outside on the sand -- and has huge screen telev televisions for sporting events. The layout and the décor is defin definitely beachside funky, but perfectly Gulf Shores.

Fully recovered from its latest natural challenge, the Gulf Coast is truly a Golf Coast. The oil stayed away, the golf remains a true hidden gem and the host of entertainment options will round into one unforgettable overall experience.

Given that, the best thing about a visit to the Gulf for some golf is what it could mean to a region that needs some good breaks rather than the ones they have been getting of late.

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Roll the Dice

Pelican Preserve Golf Club Fort Myers, Florida

Looking for a more lucrative risk-reward opportunity? Here are some locations where you can combine great golf with gaming.

Dancing Rabbit (Azaleas) Invoking Augusta National is always unfair to the object of your comparison, but this Mississippi marvel does share a few similarities with golf’s most revered course. First timers are always surprised that Augusta is located smack in the middle of a typical American business highway. Visitors to Dancing Rabbit will be shocked to find this beautiful layout in the middle of otherwise barren Philadelphia, Mississippi. The absolute best time to visit is spring when the course’s namesake will be in full bloom.

Casino: Pearl River Resort Location: Philadelphia, Mississippi Online: www.dancingrabbitgolf.com Architect: Tom Fazio, Jerry Pate Yardage/Rating/Slope: 7128/74.4/135

Rio Secco Golf Club Rio Secco is one of the most demanding and dynamic courses in the desert. This Rees Jones design is a scenic roller coaster – you’ll carve through steep canyons, experience sweeping views of the city and shuffle through broad desert wash. Rio Secco is home to Vegas’ first female forecaddie program (T-Mates) and the course co-hosts the annual Wendy’s 3-Tour Challenge.

Location: Las Vegas, Nevada Online: www.riosecco.net Architect: Rees Jones Yardage/Rating/Slope: 7313/75.0/153

Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course The elements have a way of ravaging your round at Edgewood Tahoe, but the scenery will upstage any unpleasantness that’s documented on your scorecard. A finishing stretch brings you to the shores of ice blue Lake Tahoe, where boats dock in the summer for celebrity golf’s biggest event. For post-round libations and sustenance, Brooks’ Bar & Deck expertly pulls off cosmopolitan and cozy.

Casino: Montbleu Resort, Harvey’s Location: Stateline, Nevada Online: www.edgewoodtahoe.com Architect: Tom Fazio Yardage/Rating/Slope: 7445/75.5/142

Grand Traverse Resort and Spa (The Bear) Jack Nicklaus built The Bear 25 years ago, and the course has developed a reputation deserving of its name. Grand Traverse’s signature course is one of the most difficult in the Midwest, and along the way it captures the essence of Northern Michigan.

Dylan’s Candy Bar, a psychedelic candy-coated creation from the imagination of Ralph Lauren’s daughter Dylan just opened at the resort. Casinos, candy and a “must play” course all in one.

Casino: Turtle Creek, Leelanau Sands Location: Acme, Michigan Online: www.grandtraverseresort.com Architect: Jack Nicklaus Yardage/Rating/Slope: 7078/76.3/148

Take advantage of WCI’s exclusive Lifestyle Escape packages available only through WCI Golf! When you book any of WCI Lifestyle Escape packages, you will have access to worldclass golf, dining and other amenities at selected WCI private, resort and semi-private golf courses throughout Florida. Enjoy luxurious accommodations at WCI preferred hotels and resorts in Florida and fine dining at the trendiest restaurants headed by some of the brightest, culinary stars.

Learn today how you can begin to experience the lifestyle at a WCI Community.

Call 877-924-7529 or Visit www.WCIgolf.com/floridagolfvacations Fall/Winter 2010-11 2010 11 61

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Davis Love III • Arthur Hills

FOR THEMSELVES

THE NAMES

• 27 holes of championship golf designed by Lewis-Azinger • Clubhouse with kitchen, meeting/social rooms • Community Center • Resort-style pool & deck • Tennis, pond/lake views

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Terrace Condominiums From the $100s Veranda Homes From the $200s

Coach Homes From the high$200s Estate Homes From the low $500s

• Master-planned community amid 1,500 acres of oak hammocks • Dave Love III-designed golf course • Clubhouse, fitness center, swimming, tennis & more • 18-hole championship golf course built by Davis Love III; membership included

golfersguide.com golfersguide com

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Lewis-Azinger • Lennar Homes

PREMIER ER

COMMUNITIES CO IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

HERITAGE HARBOUR’S

R iver CStrand G C OLF AND

Single-family Homes from the upper $100s

OUNTRY

LUB

• 27-hole championship golf course by Arthur Hills • Eight lighted, Har-Tru® tennis courts • Expansive 39,000-sq.-ft.

Tuscan-inspired clubhouse • 3,500-sq.-ft. health & fitness spa with resort-style pool • Full golf and tennis membership included with home purchase

Terrace Homes From the low $100s Coach Homes From the low $200s

Classic Homes From the low $300s Estate Homes From the mid $500s

Call 888-204-3691 Prices subject to change. Stated dimensions and square footage are approx. and should not be used as representation of the home’s precise or actual size. Copyright © 2010 LennarFall Corporation.

2010 63 Lennar and the Lennar logo are registered service marks of Lennar Corporation and/or its subsidiaries. CGC# 62343 11/10

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Travel Spotlight | Naples

Luxuriate and Unwind in Southwest Florida Water and Venetian architecture are prevalent in Naples and her surrounding communities.

I

n the late 1800s second hand chatter of Naples’ idyllic setting was so beautifully verbose that the posh resort city in Southwest Florida was eternally tied to one of Europe’s oldest and most scenic playgrounds.

As those talkative early visitors discovered, quality of life in this small city is tremendous, and that’s why Naples continues to mesmerize its guests and part-time inhabitants. A mild climate, closeness to the coast and a sizeable menu of cultural and recreational opportunities justify this region’s self-appointed position as the “Paradise Coast.”

Golf has always been a treasured pastime for the transient beings that arrive by plane, train or automobile. Taking into account the city’s square mileage and flood of golf facilities (close to 90), Naples has the second most golf holes per capita in the United States. Upscale public-access courses like Panther Run Golf Club and Bonita Bay East are on par with 99 percent of private country clubs in the U.S., when it comes to conditioning and service.

Luxurious private clubs in the area like Wildcat Run and Spanish Wells offer a sophisticated experience for members and guests. However, these well-equipped havens aren’t totally off limits to visitors or non-members. Keeping with

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the prevailing trend taking hold across America, private clubs are opening their doors for limited play through trial “Member for a Day” programs. In Naples, the majority of private courses are also available through affiliate relationships with resorts and hotels. Often the best way to land a coveted tee time is to book your stay through a known partner.

At the precipice of the peak season, Naples welcomes living legends to one of its premier golf courses. The Champions Tour’s Ace Group Classic is one of the circuit’s best attended tournaments. The Golf Lodge at the Quarry will again host the event, which was won by Freddy “Boom Boom” Couples last season. The tournament is scheduled for February 14-20.

If golf plays second fiddle to anything in the Naples market, it’s the city’s plume of gorgeous shoreline. Caressing the warm Gulf of Mexico waters, this 10-mile stretch of white sand beach is annually listed alongside the most sought after oceanfront properties. America’s foremost beach expert, Stephen P. Leatherman, aka Dr. Beach, rated Naples’ Barefoot Beach Preserve as one of the nation’s top ten in 2007. Naples has also been voted the best beach in

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One of Naplesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Signature Golf Courses has as New Name Panther Run Golf Club, formerly known as The Golf Club at Del Webb is an 18-hole championship golf course designed by noted architect Gordon Lewis located within the Del Webb Naples community.

Opened in 2007 and managed by Troon Golf, the golf club boasts an expansive practice facility with five practice greens, a short game area, which includes two practice sand bunkers and an aqua driving range with natural turf target greens. PGA professionals are on-site for individual lessons and group clinics. A pro shop also features all the latest equipment, accessories and apparel.

The golf club was recently named as a 2010 Top 50 golf course for women by Golf Digest magazine and was nominated as a Top 10 New Public Course in 2007 by Golf Magazine.

Panther Run Golf Club is within Del Webb Naples, an active community for those aged 55 and older. The community will have 2,000 homes at build out, with a 35,000-square-foot amenity center which is expected to open in 2012.

www.playpantherrun.com | 239.304.2835 6005 Anthem Parkway, Ave Maria, FL 34142

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For Reservations Call

1-888-992-2099 or Make Your Reservations Online Toay

www.greenlinksnaples.com Hotel sits on two championship courses inside Lely Resort: Lely Flamingo and the Mustang Golf Club.

Preferred tee times and golf green fees at the hotel discount.

Fully-furnished 2 & 2 bedroom condominium villas.

Stay a weekend or a whole month!

7998 Mahogany Run Lane, Naples, FL 34113

Experience p the Pride

America by the Travel Channel.

There are a wide array of places to pop your toes in the sand including Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park, Clam Pass Beach Par, Naples Municipal Beach & Fishing Pier, Vanderbilt Beach, North Gulfshore Boulevard Beach and Lowdermilk Beach Park.

For an organic excursion through Florida’s unspoiled natural landscape, try visiting one or all of the area’s land reserves. Big Cypress National Preserve and Everglades National Park are two of the most famous, but don’t miss Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary where you can stroll along a 2-mile boardwalk.

Culinary brilliance and cultural refinement coalesce in Naples’ charming downtown district. Tourists and locals amble along the city streets lined with cafes, chic boutiques, galleries and restaurants day and night.

Historic Third Street South and its shops date back to the post-depression era 1930s. A current day business district next to the beach, this section of Naples has antique stores stocked with unique jewelry, spa, salons and fine dining. The scenery is splendid. You’ll be treated to flowing Europeanstyle fountains, courtyards and cascading flowers.

As its name suggests, visitors walking Fifth Avenue South can expect a certain degree of glamour. Storefronts are filled with high fashion, sparkling jewels and rare art. Dine outdoors and enjoy a walk to the pier as the sun drifts below the horizon.

Downtown Naples encompasses a five-mile area that stretches from bay to beach. It includes Fifth Avenue South, Bayfront, Tin City, the 41-10 Area, Third Street South and Crayton Cove.

The Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention and Visitors bureau promotes Southwest Florida’s Paradise Coast as a visitor destination and is the official destination marketing agency for Collier County, Florida.

For more information, visit www.ParadiseCoast.com or call 1-800-688-3600 for a free visitors guide. A directory of local golf courses is available at naples.golfersguide.com.

Wildcat Run Golf and Country Club is a private member owned Club located between Naples and Fort Myers, Florida. Founded in Golf & Country Club 1985, Wildcat Run is known as one of the most st prestigious private country clubs in Southwest Florida. Amenities include an exceptional Arnold Palmer 18-hole golf course, a state of the art fitness center, five Har-Tru tennis courts and a spacious clubhouse that comfortably accommodates the many dining and social activities of this vibrant community.

(239) 947-6066 www.wildcatruncountryclub.com 20300 Country Club Drive, Estero, FL 33928 66

Basking in old fashion elegance, Spanish Wells is one of dozens of exclusive private clubs in the Naples area. Many area hotels and resorts partner with these courses, giving visitors access to tee times.

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2700 Pine Ridge Road, Naples 34109 Tel: 239.649.4440 Fax: 239.213.1992 membership@kensingtoncc.com

KENSINGTON’S NEW AMBASSADOR PREVIEW MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM IS IN FULL SWING Golf, Sports, Social & “Junior” Memberships Available!

Call today to inquire about the spectacular facilities at Kensington and all of the new membership opportunities available. Please contact Lindsey LaCroix at 239.213.1983 or membership@kensingtoncc.com for more information.

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Bonita Springs Best Deals $4500* Annual Membership.

This one-year membership includes unlimited golf with 4-day advance tee time reservations, dining privileges, tennis courts, swimming pool, bocce courts, social event and card room, plus unlimited use of fitness facilities and classes. *Single membership. $6,000 for family membership. Limited number available.

Some restriction may apply. Call for details.

Seasonal Memberships starting at $300.

Renting for the season? Enjoy membership privileges from $250 a week or $1,000 a month.

For more information contact the Membership office at 239-992-5100.

$89 Member for a Day Enjoy being a member for a day at Spanish Wells for just $89 (includes one round of golf).

To reserve a tee time today, contact the Pro Shop at 239-992-5522.

Please visit our Web Site and fill out the information card to receive a special invitation.

9801 Treasure Cay Lane, Bonita Springs, FL 34135 â&#x20AC;˘ SpanishWellsCountryClub.com From US 41 - East on Bonita Beach Road for .08 miles, entrance on right.From I-75 - West on Bonita Beach Road for 3.9 miles, entrance on left.

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Naples’ Golf Directory Kensington Golf & CC

Arrowhead Golf Club

2700 Pine Ridge Road, Naples, FL 34109

2205 Heritage Greens Drive, Naples, FL 34119 8004 Lely Resort Blvd, Naples, FL 34113

239-596-1000 www.arrowheadgolfnaples.com

239-649-4440 www.kensingtoncc.com Heritage Bay Golf & CC 10154 Heritage Bay Blvd, Naples, FL 34120

239-353-2561 www.golfheritagebay.com Panther Run 6005 Anthem Pkwy, Ave Maria, FL 34142

239-304-2835 www.playpantherrun.com Raptor Bay Golf 23001 Coconut Point Resort Dr. , Bonita Springs, FL 34134

239-390-4603 www.raptorbaygolfclub.com River Hall Country Club 2401 River Hall Parkway, Alva, FL 33920

239-313-4653 www.riverhall.cc/countryclub.asp

Lely Mustang Golf Club 239-793-2223 www.americangolf.com/fl/naples-lelyresort-golf-and-country-club

Bonita Bay East 3700 Wildwood Blvd, Naples, FL 34120 Naples Beach & Golf Club 239-353-5100 851 Gulf Shore Blvd North, Naples, FL www.bonitabayeast.com 34102 239-435-2475 Cypress Woods Golf & CC www.naplesbeachhotel.com/golf 3525 Northbrook Drive, Naples, FL 34119 Old Corkscrew Golf Club 239-592-7860 Corkscrew Road, Estero, FL 33928 www.cypresswoodsgolf.com 239-949-4700 www.oldcorkscrew.com Eagle Lakes Golf Club 18100 Royal Tree Pkwy, Naples, FL 34114 San Carlos Golf Club 239-732-0034 7420 Constitution Circle, Ft Myers FL www.eaglelakesgolfclub.net 33912 239-267-3131 Eagle Ridge Golf Club www.sancarlosgolfclub.com 14589 Eagle Ridge Drive, Ft Myers, FL 33912 239-768-1888 Valencia Golf Course www.playeagleridge.com 1725 Double Eagle Trail, Naples, FL 34120 Lely Flamingo Island Club 239-352-0777 8004 Lely Resort Blvd, Naples, FL 34113 www.valenciagolfandcountryclub.com 239-793-2223 www.americangolf.com/fl/naples-lelyresort-golf-and-country-club

Spanish Wells G&CC

Wildcat Run Golf & CC

9801 Treasure Cay Lane, Bonita Springs, FL 34135

20300 Country Club Dr., Estero, FL 33928

239-992-5100 www.spanishwellscountryclub.com

239-495-3031 www.wildcatruncc.com

Tiburon Ritz Carlton Resort 2620 Tiburon Drive, Naples, FL 34109

ONLY ON GOLFERSGUIDE.COM

239-594-2040 www.tiburongcnaples.com

Save money by booking your tee times at www.TeeTimesSavings.com

Right Now on Nap Naples.GolfersGuide.com ples.GolfersGuide.co GolfersGuide.co om Featured Articles

Digital Magazine

Play – No matter where you want to play we have the list.

Featured Travel – Discover the latest deals on golf travel Courses Live – Find the perfect home on your favorite golf course Enjoy – We bring you the best of golf on www.golfersguide.com

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Advertorial | Golfer’s Guide Lifestyles

BOBBY GRACE IS BACK ©2010 Bobby Grace Putters, LLC | Photos: Dang-Designs.com

Introducing the Next Evolution of Putters

F

or over two decades now, the Bobby Grace brand has meant two things in the world of golf: premium, innovative putters and winning. Whether it’s winning the PGA Championship, The Players Championship, two U.S. Opens, or your local club championship, Bobby Grace Putters have been in the bag. From the No. 1 player in the world right on down to the average weekend warrior, Bobby Grace has achieved success at every level of the game. Bobby Grace is back on his own after successful stints with Cobra Golf and MacGregor Golf and he is primed to turn the industry on its head one more time.

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Golfers of all levels will finally achieve a consistent hit with the ball on the face.

An elite team has been assembled to once again lead Bobby Grace Putters to the pinnacle of the industry by way of Bobby’s new company, Bobby Grace Tour Putters, LLC (BGTP). Many of the most talented and successful individuals the industry has seen in recent years are joining forces simply because the opportunity is too good to pass up. BGTP will launch its breakthrough new technology and putter designs at the 2011 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando. Retailers will once again be lining up to ensure Grace Putters are on their store’s shelves.

It is extremely rare to have someone with Bobby Grace’s pedigree and history of success back in the position he is in now.

He is poised to put his years of experience and innovation to work unencumbered by the bureaucracy of a large equipment manufacturer. The next evolution of Bobby Grace putters is NOW and that future lies in a one-of-a-kind technology that is guaranteed to appeal to golfers of all skill levels.

Grace Putters allow weekend golfers to always hit their putts on the sweet spot. That’s right. Thanks to BGTP’s revolutionary TRI SWEET SPOT technology, golfers of all levels will finally achieve a consistent hit with the ball on the face. BGTP’s “Hole Seeking Material” – or HSM – insert triples the efficiency of your putter, making distance control uniform at each of three sweet spots on the putter insert. Visit www.bobbygraceputters.com to view an amazing video demonstration of this Tri Sweet Spot technology.

BGTP is headquartered in Pinellas Park at 6330-46th Street North, Unit 103. For more information, call (727) 526-7380 or visit www.bobbygraceputters.com.

The Problem: The #1 reason amateur golfers putt poorly is because they cannot conquer the single most important part of putting distance control. According to a study done by Golf Magazine amateur golfers miss the center of the putter (the “Sweet Spot”) an astounding 90% of the time on putts over 20 ft.

The further off center a hit the greater the loss of distance and the poorer directional control.

The Solution: Bobby Grace Putters allow the weekend golfer to always hit their putts in the sweet spot! Thanks to the revolutionary Tri Sweet Spot technology, golfers of all levels will achieve a more consistent hit no matter where contact is made on the face of the putter.

To learn more about the Tri Sweet Spot and other advanced putter technologies visit:

www.BobbyGracePutters.com Fall/Winter Fal ll/W l/Win /Wint i ter 2 201 2010-11 010-1 0-111 7 0711

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We Dot the Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and Cross the Tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s for all of your golf Website needs

With a creative team like this, online success is guaranteed.

Marketing Expert Graphic Designer Web Specialist Writer

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Ashley Hamilton Ashley Hamilton ahamilton@golfersguide.com ahamilton@golfersguide.com 843-842-7878 ext.230 230 843-842-7878 ext.

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Tampa’s Golf Directory Emerald Greens Resort & Country Club 13903 Clubhouse Dr., Tampa, FL 33618

(813) 961-1381 www.emeraldgreensgcc.com Belleview Biltmore Golf Club

Fox Hollow Golf Club

1501 Indian Rocks Rd., Belleair, FL 33576

10050 Robert Trent Jones Pkwy., Trinity, FL 34655

(727) 581-5498 www.belleviewbiltmore.com

(727) 376-6333 www.golfthefox.com

Buckhorn Springs G&CC 2721 S. Miller Rd., Valrico, FL 33596

(813) 6889-7766 www.hamptongolfclubs.com Cove Cay Country Club

Heritage Harbor G&CC

Heritage Isles G&CC

(727) 535-1406 www.covecaygolf.com

10630 Plantation Bay Dr., Tampa, FL 33647

(813) 907-7447 www.heritageislesgolf.com

Dunedin Golf Club 1050 Palm Blvd., Dunedin, FL 34698

Hernando Oaks Golf Club

(727) 733-7836 www.dunedincc.com

5230 Delacroix Dr. Brooksville, FL 34604

(352) 799-9908 www.hamptongolfclubs.com

El Diablo G&CC 10405 N. Sherman Dr., Citrus Springs, FL 34434 Isla Del Sol Y&CC (352) 465-0986 6000 Sun Blvd., St. Petersburg, FL 33715

www.eldiablogolf.com

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(727) 864-2417 www.isladelsolycc.com

Save money by booking your tee times at www.TeeTimesSavings.com

Mangrove Bay Golf Course

The Dunes Golf Club

875 2nd Ave. NE, St. Petersburg, FL 33702

18200 Seville Clubhouse Dr., Weeki Wachi, FL 34614

(727) 893-7800 www.stpete.org/golf

(352) 596-7888 www.dunesgolfclub.com

Pebble Creek Golf Club 10550 Regents Park Dr., Tampa, FL 33647

The Golf Club at Cypress Creek

(813) 973-3870 www.pebblecreekclub.com

1011 Cypress Village Dr., Ruskin, FL 33573

(813) 634-8888 www.cypresscreekgolfclub.com

Plantation Palms Golf Club 23253 Plantation Blvd., Land O’ Lakes, FL 34639

(813) 996-7122 19502 Heritage Harbor Pkwy., Lutz, FL 33549 www.plantationpalms.net (813) 949-4886 www.heritageharborgolf.com Seminole Lake Country Club

2612 Cove Cay Dr., Clearwater, FL 33760

ONLY ON GOLFERSGUIDE.COM

The Plantation Golf Resort & Spa 9301 W. Ft. Island Trail, Crystal River, FL 34429

(352) 795-7211 www.plantationinn.com TPC Tampa Bay

6100 Augusta Blvd., Seminole, FL 33777

5300 Lutz-Lake Fern Rd., Lutz, FL 33549

(727) 391-3318 www.seminolelake.net

(813) 949-0090 www.tpctampabay.com

Southern Hills Plantation Club

Westchase Golf Club

4200 Summit View Dr., Brooksville, FL 34601 11602 Westchase Golf Dr., Tampa, FL 33626

(352) 277-5000 www.hamptongolfclubs.com

(813) 854-2331 www.westchasegc.com

The Eagles Golf Club

World Woods Golf Club

16101 Nine Eagles Dr., Odessa, FL 33556

17590 Ponce De Leon Blvd., Brooksville, FL 34614

(813) 920-6681 www.eaglesgolf.com

(352) 796-5500 www.worldwoods.com

11/13/10 3:01:41 PM

Instruction | Golfer’s Guide Lifestyles

Golf Balance Drills For golfers, balance on uneven lies, side hills, downhill, funky lies and even the perfect lie on a tee box is critical. It’s virtually impossible to make consistent center of the clubface contact without having great balance.

Try these three balance drills to improve your balance and your game. To learn how to assess your balance, please review my blog (August 2010) – It’s All About Balance.

Drill 1 - Stork Turns

Starting position

Rotation to left

Start in a driver posture. Bring both feet together while maintaining golf posture. Lift your non-dominate leg and fold your foot behind the calf of your other leg. Place the grip end of a club on the ground to help with your balance and to stabilize your upper body. Turn and rotate your hips from side to side while stabilizing your upper body.

Rotation to right

Stork turns with out support

Your goal is to improve your hip rotation, focus on separating your lower body from your upper body and to improve your balance. Repeat this drill with the opposite foot position.

Once you master this drill with a club for support, perform the same drill without a club (as shown in photo 4).

Drill 2 - Torso Turns

Starting position

Rotation to left

Start in driver posture. Bring both feet together while maintaining golf posture. Place your non-dominate leg about two feet behind you with toes on the ground. Fold your arms across your chest and make a shoulder (torso) turn to your take away side and then to your finish side.

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Rotation to right

Stork turns with out support

Your goal is to improve torso rotation, practice separating your upper body from your lower body and to improve your balance. Repeat this drill with the opposite foot position.

Once you master this drill lift your back leg off the ground and perform the same drill.

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Drill 3 - Single Leg Heel Lift

Start in driver posture. Bring both feet together while maintaining golf posture. Lift your non-dominate leg off the ground and then lift the heel of your other leg off the ground and hold for a 10-count.

Your goal is to improve your golf balance.

Repeat this drill with the opposite foot position.

The progression is to increase the heel lift hold time to 20-seconds or more.

For more information, visit www.5minutewarmup.com.com.

Marty Weil is the author and creator of The 5-Minute Pregame Warm-Up. Marty is a Titleist (TPI) Certified Golf Fitness Instructor, Certified Personal Trainer and near scratch golfer. He is also available for Golf Fitness clinics and seminars. For details, please contact Marty.

Born in 1959, Marty’s passions are golf, golf fitness (especially the pregame warm-up) and optimal health.

Marty is the founder of The Fitness Coach, a company providing golf conditioning and personal training services. His clients are both men and women, and range in age from 7 to over 70.

He is also passionate about helping his community and serves as the volunteer director of fitness at the Bald Ridge Lodge, a non-profit intervention center located in Forsyth County, Georgia, which serves boys ages 12-17.

Marty was recently recognized for his charitable work with the lodge, and a portion of the net proceeds from each book will be donated to assist them.

Credits: Some of the content was supplied by the Titleist Performance Institute.

Important Disclaimer: Prior to engaging in an exercise and/or fitness program, including the information outlined in this document, consult with your physician and seek his or her advice. The contents of this document do not replace the advice from your physician or medical professional.

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Competition | World Golf Hall of Fame

WORLD GOLF HALL OF FAME

Photos courtesy World Golf Hall of Fame

Bringing the Game’s Past to Life

T

hanks to one of the most logical calendar reconfigurations in recent memory, golf’s past and present will meet the week of the Players Championship in Northeast Florida. The annual World Golf Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony was moved from November to May, and will serve as the prelude to the PGA Tour’s yearly pilgrimage to TPC Sawgrass.

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On M Monday, May 9, 2011 Ernie Els, Doug Ford, Jock Hutch Hutchinson, former President George H.W. Bush and Jumbo Ozaki will be introduced as the newest members of the Wo World Golf Hall of Fame in St. Augustine. In accordance w with its new date, the induction ceremony will move indoor indoors.

The living, breathing time capsule at the heart of the World Golf Village complex contains thousands of artifacts, includi including video clips, rare images, championship medallions aand personal items that tell the stories of the men and wo women who’ve been enshrin enshrined h through the years. This shift in the induction schedule should bring more visibility to the Hall of Fame.

“I don’t think you’ll find anybody that’s not happy about the new date on the golf calendar,” said Mark Cubbedge, senior manager of collections and research for the World Golf Hall of Fame. “It obviously puts the Hall of Fame in very close alliance with the Players Championship. All of the players will be here in this county. The golf writers, the golf media will all be here. The eyes of the world are turned here, so hopefully we’ll have just a fantastic ceremony and a great turnout.”

If you’re the type of person who pages through magazines just looking at the pictures, the World Golf Hall of Fame may not appeal to you. It’s the kind of place where exhibits need to be closely inspected, and interactive elements need to be explored.

Peer into the glass-encased shrine to seldom mentioned Lloyd Mangrum, and next to a Purple Heart and his military dog tags you’ll see a tattered dollar bill torn in two. Like many athletes, Mangrum served his country in World War II. He was offered the golf professional’s job at the Fort Meade course, but opted for combat duty.

Mangrum fought in the Battle of the Bulge and was among the Allied forces who stormed the beaches at Normandy.

Prior to making the harrowing dash to the shore, Mangrum

Above: Learn about more than five centuries of golf lore, from its formative years in Scotland to its global expansion, by exploring the early stick-and-ball forerunners that preceded the modern-day game.

Left: Practice your putting on the replica putting course.

and his friend Sgt. Robert Green took a U.S. $1 bill and ripped it into two pieces. They each took a half and signed it, vowing to make it whole upon returning home. Green didn’t’ make it out alive.

Mangrum did, and in the first post-World War II U.S. Open golf tournament at Canterbury Golf Club in Beachwood, Ohio, he bested Byron Nelson and Vic Ghezzi in a

The exploits of golf’s greatest champions are documented with some of the most unique and personal memorabilia ever assembled 36-hole playoff to win our national championship. As he did for the remainder of his life, Mangrum carried that signed half of a dollar in his wallet.

“Those are the stories that when you get to looking at them, really bring a name to life,” Cubbedge said. “Those are things that really allow us to connect to the average person who may have never heard of Lloyd Mangrum or might not be a golf fan. When you leave and you read things like that, it’s kind of hard to forget who they are.”

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MEMORIES That Last a Lifetime

Where can you find courses designed by greats of the game, a choice of accommodations, and the one and only World Golf Hall of Fame? World Golf Village golf packages at the Renaissance Resort start at just $495* and PGA TOUR Golf Academy Golf schools from $795*. Call 1-877-5734653 or www.worldgolfvillage.com now and make your own Hall of Fame memory.

world golf village historic st. augustine, florida * PACKAGE AND GOLF SCHOOL RATES ARE SEASONAL AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE CURRENT PRICING WITH SOME BLACKOUT DATES. BOTH PRICES ARE BASED UPON DOUBLE OCCUPANCY WITH RESTRICTIONS. CHECK WEBSITE OR CALL A VACATION SPECIALISTS FOR MORE INFORMATION.

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Equipment has changed so drastically in golf, and those who play it have become such tremendously fit athletes that it’s difficult to make comparisons from one era to the next. It doesn’t necessarily mean that similarities don’t exist, and this is evident when you browse volumes of footage in the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Steps from a replica of the Swilican Bridge of St. Andrews fame and an Old World putting green equipped with gutta percha golf balls and long nose, hickory shafted putters that runs a three or four on the Stimpmeter, is a vintage video reel of Open Championship highlights dating back to 1916.

A clip from the 1930 Open Championship shows the great Bobby Jones abruptly stop in his backswing as news cameras click and shutter all around him. We may be more familiar with Tiger Woods innate ability to stop in the middle of his violent downward motion, but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened before.

Historic current events are also cataloged and displayed at the World Golf Hall of Fame, and in 2010 there were no shortage of magical moments in golf.

Items worn and used during the record rounds shot by Stuart Appleby, Paul Goydos and Bobby Wyatt, who carded a 57 at the Alabama Boys State Junior Championship, were shipped off to St. Augustine and transformed into exhibits for the public to take in.

The exploits of golf’s greatest champions are documented with some of the most unique and personal memorabilia ever assembled. See Jack Nicklaus like you’ve never seen him before. Currently on display is a career mosaic that incorporates 3,000 individual images to create a likeness of the Golden Bear used for a 1999 equipment ad. An original Andy Warhol of Nicklaus also hangs from the walls.

There is something for everyone’s interest – Eleven original hole diagrams drawn by architect Alister MacKenzie of Pasatiempo Golf Club in Santa Cruz, California, a bronzed plaster of Sam Snead’s hands, Babe Zaharias’ harmonica and even those ugly 1999 Ryder Cup shirts sported by the United States in Brookline.

Inside the Hall of Fame, you can play putting contests and test your skill on golf simulators. Take a ride upstairs to the museum’s signature architectural feature, the Trophy Tower, to view all of golf’s most prestigious trophies including the Ryder Cup, Solheim Cup, Ben Hogan Award, Claret Jug and Wanamaker Trophy.

Outside, take a shot at a replica of the 17th at Sawgrass or play the 18-hole real grass putting course.

The World Golf Village is also home to an IMAX theater, two championship 18-hole courses (Slammer & Squire and King and Bear), the award-winning Renaissance Resort and a number of restaurants and shops.

For more information, visit www.worldgolfvillage.com

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When Tomorrow’s a Big Day for Golf…

Stay at HGI Sawgrass Tonight!

Located at the entrance of renowned TPC Sawgrass, just minutes from the beach, the Sawgrass Hilton Garden Inn in Jacksonville/Ponte Vedra offers a unique boutique hotel experience with all the amenities and services you expect from a Hilton hotel.

Our unrivaled location in the middle of Florida’s First Coast of Golf ensures that we’re a golfer’s haven, but there’s plenty more for our guests to enjoy off the links. Five restaurants, a spa and more that 30 upscale shops are within a few minutes walk at Sawgrass Village

Contact us today to book your golf group or getaway package!

904.280.1661 45 PGA Tour Blvd.

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AMELIA ISLAND s JACKSONVILLE s PONTE VEDRA BEACH s ST. AUGUSTINE CLAY COUNTY s FLAGLER COUNTY HOME TO: Coastal Golf THE PLAYERS Championship World Golf Hall of Fame PGA TOUR Unique Restaurants Golf Academies

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Jacksonville’s Golf Directory Amelia National Golf & Country Club Golf Club at North Hampton

Palatka Golf Course

St.Johns Golf Club

95211 Clubhouse Road Fernandina Beach, FL 32034

22680 North Hampton Club Way Fernandina Beach, FL 32034

1715 Mosely Avenue Palatka, FL 32177

4900 Cypress Links Blvd.

Elkton, FL 32033

(904) 652-0660 www.amelianationalgolf.com

(904) 548-0000 www.hamptongolfclubs.com

(386) 329-0141 www.palatkagolfclub.com

(904) 209-0352 www.sjgc.com

Amelia River Golf Club

Golf Club at South Hampton

Palm Harbor Golf Club

The Grand Club Pine Course

4477 Buccaneer Trl, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034

315 South Hampton Club Way Saint Augustine, FL 32092

100 Cooper Way Palm Coast, FL 32137

400 Pine Lakes Parkway Palm Coast, FL 32164

(904) 491-8500 www.golfameliariver.com

(904) 287-7529 www.hamptongolfclubs.com

(386) 986-4653 www.palmharborgolfclub.com

(386) 445-0852 www.hamptongolfclubs.com

Deercreek Country Club

Golf Club at Sanctuary Cove

Panther Creek Golf Club

7816 McLaurin Road N. Jacksonville, FL 32256

2050 Sanctuary Wynd Waverly, GA 31565

11376 Panther Creek Parkway Jacksonville, FL 32221

The Grand Club Cypress Course 53 Easthampton Blvd.

(904) 363-1604 www.clubcorp.com

(912) 466-0080 www.sanctuarycovegolf.com

(904) 783-2600 www.panthercreekgolf.com

Eagle Harbor Golf Club

Hyde Park Golf Club

2217 Eagle Harbor Parkway Orange Park, FL 32073

6439 Hyde Grove Avenue Jacksonville, FL 32210

Ponte Vedra Golf & Country Club at Sawgrass

(904) 269-9300 www.hamptongolfclubs.com

(904) 786-5410 www.hydeparkgolfclub.com

Eagle Landing Golf Club

Jacksonville Beach Golf Club

3989 Eagle Landing Parkway Orange Park, FL 32065

605 South Penman Rd Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250

Queens Harbour Yacht & Country Club

Bldg. 1981, MWR Department Naval Station Mayport, FL 32228

(904) 291-5600 www.eaglelandingfl.com

(904) 247-6184 www.jacksonvillebeachgolfclub.com

1131 Queens Harbour Boulevard Jacksonville, FL 32225

(904) 270-5380

Golf Club at Fleming Island Plantation 2260 Town Center Blvd Orange Park, FL 32003

(904) 269-1440 www.flemingislandgolf.com

254 Alta Mar Drive Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082

(904) 285-5552 www.pontevedragolfandcc.com

Palm Coast, FL 32164 (386) 437-5807

www.hamptongolfclubs.com TPC Sawgrass 110 TPC Boulevard Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082

(904) 273-3430 www.tpcsawgrass.com Windy Harbor Golf Club

(904) 220-2118 Magnolia Point Golf & Country Club www.clubcorp.com 3670 Clubhouse Drive Green Cove Springs, FL 32043

(904) 269-9276 www.magnoliapointgolfclub.com

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Featured Courses

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Travel Spotlight | South Florida

Experience Floridaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gold Coast

Many ways to play in South Florida On average, South Florida is one of the warmest regions in the United States. Cities like Fort Lauderdale and Miami enjoy a humid subtropical climate which translates into abundant sunshine and winter temperatures that rarely fall out of the mid-60s.

The dream of year-round golf is a reality if you can tolerate the sweltering summer weather.

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No. 3 at Jacaranda’s West Course.

For decades, Miami has been renowned for its beautiful citizens, gorgeous beaches and non-stop nightlife. It’s also home to one of Florida’s most recognizable golf courses. The “Blue Monster” course at Doral Golf Resort & Spa, has hosted a PGA Tour event since 1962. Titans of the game like Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer have all made history at the course now referred to as TPC Blue Monster. While the South Florida golf season begins around Christmas for recreational golfers, the first peg put into the ground by a PGA Tour player on the “Blue Monster” in March has always served as the unofficial start to the year.

Doral, which is home to five championship courses, is just one of the luxurious golf resorts sprinkled throughout South Florida.

The attractive mix of upscale daily-fee facilities, pristine private clubs and resorts gives golfers plenty of ways to play in South Florida. Golfers can choose from dozens of award-winning designs by luminaries such as Donald Ross, Joe Lee, Greg Norman, Jim McClean, Bobby Weed, Bruce Devlin, Robert von Hagge, Rees Jones, Raymond Floyd, Robert Trent Jones and Tom Fazio.

South Florida courses range from one end of the spectrum to the other in terms of variety and difficulty. A number of facilities have held their own against extremely skilled performers during Mini Tour events and tournaments hosted by the USGA and the PGA of America. You’ll be able to test your shot-making ability on layouts that have welcomed various stages of PGA Tour QSchool, U.S. Open qualifying and U.S. Amateur qualifying. Less accomplished golfers can take solace in knowing that the majority of area courses make use of multiple tee placements to accommodate all skill levels.

Aesthetically, golfers can expect to see plush green putting surfaces, lush vegetation, smooth rolling fairways and plenty of water – after all it is Florida. You might even encounter an alligator or two.

For more information, visit www.golfthegoldcoast.com or call 1-800-517-6276 for a free golf planner.

Contrary to popular belief, there isn’t one uniform style of golf course in South Florida. In fact, the diversity of layouts will surprise first-time visitors and maintain the interest of avid golfers who return each and every year.

Tree-lined fairways and rolling hills contribute to more traditional parkland-style layouts reminiscent of courses you’d find in the Northeast, while sparkling waterfalls, wide-open fairways vulnerable to prevailing winds, palm trees and white sand bunkers come together to produce a more tropical atmosphere. The many architectural influences and diverse designs give South Florida a style seldom seen throughout the state.

With an eye toward the future, a rash of renovations has recently been completed across the region. The focus and aim of the improvements was to help modernize both public and private layouts utilizing the newest industry technologies. Clubhouse amenities, banquet facilities and on-course extras like GPS systems were also introduced to give golfers the best value for their dollar.

At the same time original routings were left intact when possible in order to preserve integrity and maintain a sense of history. A few of the redesigns have recently been unveiled or are soon to be, making it an exciting time throughout the area.

In addition to daily-fee play, area golf courses gladly welcome hundreds of golf outings, charity tournaments and special events during the year. Whether your group is in town for a business meeting or convention, or your family is celebrating a special occasion, South Florida has the resources to put on any type of tournament or event.

Now is the perfect time to “Stay and Play” in South Florida.

“It’s a new course that still feels like home!”

For T-times and info call or visit…

(800) 676-2641 www.golfjacaranda.com 9200 W. Broward Blvd., Plantation, Florida 33324

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PGA Village in Port St. Lucie, FL Serves as Your Ultimate Golf Destination

• PGA Golf Club, owned and operated by The PGA of America • Ranked No. 30 in GolfWorld’s inaugural “Reader’s Choice Awards Top 50 Public Golf Courses” • Also among the “75 Best Golf Resorts in North America” by Golf Digest • PGA Village features the PGA Golf Club, with 54 holes of Championship golf by Tom Fazio and Pete Dye • PGA Center for Golf Learning and Performance golf instruction, practice, technology and fitness park • PGA Historical Center museum, home of the actual Ryder Cup • Luxurious condominium accommodations with full amenities

Perfect location for your golf outing.

Two night packages starting at…

$297 per person

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South Florida’s Golf Directory Jacaranda Golf Club

The Diplomat Golf Resort and Spa

The Links at Madison Green

9200 W Broward Blvd, Plantation, FL 33324

3555 South Ocean Drive Hollywood, FL 33019

2001 Crestwood Blvd North Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411

954-883-4444 diplomatgolf.com

561-784-5225 madisongreengolf.com

Woodmont Country Club

Westchester Country Club

7801 N.W. 80th Ave Tamarac, FL 33321

12250 Westchester Club Drive Boynton Beach, Florida 33437

954-722-4300 woodmontcountryclub.net

561-734-6300 westchestercc.com

954-472-5836 golfjacaranda.com Hillcrest Golf and Country Club

Deer Creek Golf Club

4600 Hillcrest Drive Hollywood, FL 33021

2801 Country Club Blvd.

Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442

954-983-3142 hillcrestgcc.com

954-421-5550 deercreekflorida.com

Miccosukee Golf and country Club Plantation Preserve Golf Course and 6401 Kendale Lakes Drive Miami, Florida 33183 Club 110 Grand Palms Dr. 305-382-3930 (155th Ave. S.W. & Pines Blvd just West of I-75) 7050 West Broward Blvd.

Plantation, Florida 33317 miccosukeeresort.com Pembroke Pines, FL 33027 954-585-5020 954-437-3334 plantationpreserve.org grandpalmsresort.com Grand Palms Hotel and Golf Resort

Hammock Creek Golf Club 2400 Southwest Golden Bear Way Palm City, Florida 34990

772-220-2599 hammockcreekgolfclub.com

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11/13/10 1:32:19 PM

JUSTICE FOR ALL

BY BRANDON R. UNDERWOOD

A New Beginning for West Virginia’s Iconic Greenbrier Resort “When I say Jim, you say Justice!”

“Jim - Justice.”

“Jim - Justice.”

Tulips bloom in front of the back entrance to the Greenbrier Resort

I can’t decide what’s more abnormal - a resort owner being serenaded with the sound of his own name or the prim and proper gentleman dressed like a Polo Rugby store manager who’s leading the cheers. Rascal Flatts is about to take the stage, but the princes of country power ballads are being overshadowed by an unlikely rock star.

This scene isn’t one typically associated with the reserved PGA Tour. But Jim Justice, who purchased the regal Greenbrier Resort out of bankruptcy for a yard sale price of $20.1 million in May of 2009, has always done things his own way. The magnanimous coal magnate who oozes humility says he’s as common as an old shoe, but the community who proudly shouts his name into the August night views him as more of a Mountaineer Moses who’s about to lead them out of the financial desert.

Justice, who was born and raised 60 miles from The Greenbrier in Beckley, is a cross between Robin Hood and Richard Branson. He spent the week of the inaugural Greenbrier Classic hobnobbing with the gallery, hanging with the likes of Brad Paisley, John Daly and Arnold Palmer and monitoring the proceedings on the 18th hole - where he pledged to dole out more than $1 million of his personal wealth for an ace.

Locals admit that many of the businesses and organizations in Greenbrier County are at the mercy of Justice, whose estimated fortune of $800 million affords him significant influence. But you won’t hear anything but praise for the man who preserved one of the enduring symbols of West Virginia and poured money into a string of projects to reenergize “America’s Resort.”

“You have to thank god for a guy like Justice to come in,” 86

Ray Painter said, head golf professional of the Lewisburg Elks Country Club. “Before the Justice era there was a lot of uncertainty. Without the Greenbrier, I don’t know how...you’re not just affecting the White Sulphur, Lewisburg and Fairlea area. You would affect the whole southern tier of West Virginia.

It’s our biggest employer, in probably the state.”

Under CSX Corporation, The Greenbrier was hemorrhaging cash - a reported loss of $90 million in five years. Buried in the red, the transportation giant was looking to unload the resort.

Marriott International was nearing an agreement to acquire the property until Justice swooped in at the 11th hour. The global chain only intended to keep a workforce of 700 to 900 employees. Justice immediately brought back employees who had been furloughed when the Greenbrier was struggling to fill its 720 rooms. At the time of the Greenbrier Classic, the resort was employing 1,850 workers and had posted 400 more job openings.

Justice has succeeded where more ambiguous stimulus packages have failed. When the going gets tough, the man invests in projects that quickly have a tangible effect.

“When things were tough, what did we do before?” he questioned. “Let’s say we had money; we didn’t stand on the sidelines and wait for things to get better before we invested our money. We invested our money and we created jobs.

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Jim Justice smashes the ceremonial first tee shot as his team from Greenbrier East High looks on.

My dad would have said, son, if you can’t get it done in 24 hours, you’re gonna have to work nights.

“What did we do if we didn’t have the money?” Justice asked.

“We didn’t stand on the sidelines with our hands out waiting for somebody to come and help us. We went to work.”

In recognition of everything he’s done for the state, Justice was presented with the Distinguished West Virginian Award Wednesday of tournament week by Governor Joe Manchin, a popular democrat who wears 63 years well. It’s the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a native West Virginian.

Manchin, who won a special election in November to fill the West Virginia U.S. Senate seat vacated when the legendary Robert C. Byrd passed, said Justice favors results over recognition. He’s also thankful not to be opposing the Greenbrier owner for political office.

“Jim doesn’t want to be known as the owner of the Greenbrier, he wants the Greenbrier to do what it needs to do to help our state and to help the people,” Manchin said. “He’s more proud of the people having jobs and security than say, oh, Jim Justice. He owns the Greenbrier; doesn’t mean anything to him. I’ve always said this - when people get enamored with their titles, you have a problem sooner or later. Yeah, glad I’m not running against him. Or he’s running against me, one of the two. We’re on the same side.”

T

o Justice his work ethic was simple.

“My dad would have said, son, if you can’t get it done in 24 hours, you’re gonna have to work nights.”

Prior to Justice taking the reins at the Greenbrier Resort in June of 2009, it was already an all-inclusive playground steeped in American history. The amenities subsequently added to this escape in the Alleghenies and the speed at which they were built is staggering.

On Oct. 1, 2009, The Greenbrier introduced 44 Prime, an upscale steakhouse named for native son and NBA legend Jerry West. Exceptional cuts of beef dominate the menu, and the walls are decorated with an impressive collection of West Virginia memorabilia.

Bringing gaming to the century-old resort proved more complicated than building a restaurant.

The Greenbrier’s status on the National Register of Historic Places paved the way for a casino to be constructed on the property. But a local referendum had to be passed first. Perhaps it was a referendum on the confidence locals have in Justice, or a reflection of the desperation the economic crunch was cultivating, but the measure finally Fall/Winter 2010-11 87

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received the necessary support. Voters had twice defeated similar gaming proposals in the county.

The debut of the Casino Club at the Greenbrier was a Fourth of July weekend extravaganza, as celebrities like Ben Affleck, Jessica Simpson, Shaquille O’Neal, Jennifer Garner, Charles Barkley, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson walked the red carpet and had a look at the 102,000-squarefoot gaming facility the resort describes as “Monte Carlo meets Gone with the Wind.” Celebrity attendees and distinguished guests were treated to a private concert by Lionel Richie. The resort was booked to the hilt.

Concerns about the Casino Club detracting from the West Virginia native Brad Paisley delivered an unforgettable performance in the midst of a cold August rain.

59 on the Greenbrier Course in a Pro-Am event staged in conjunction with the resort’s annual Spring Festival.

“Although the PGA Tour does not recognize the feat in their record books, the world recognizes that Sam was the first golfer, either professional or amateur, to achieve that goal,” Robert Harris, director of golf and recreation, told the Register-Herald newspaper.

The golf courses at the Greenbrier (there are currently four) have also attracted occupants of the Oval Office over the years. President Woodrow Wilson, President Dwight Eisenhower and President Richard Nixon all teed it up in White Sulphur Springs during their tenures as leader of the free world. Golf icons Ben Hogan, Bobby Jones, Walter Hagen, as well as famous supporters of the game like Bob Hope and Bing Crosby are also part of the Greenbrier’s storied past.

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A

resort’s reputation as a stronghold of Southern Hospitality and gentility were assuaged by building the establishment underground. It can be accessed by entering the main lobby and descending a level. And in accordance with state law, the gaming area is only open to registered guests of the Greenbrier, members and event attendees.

The last element of the initial Justice Era overhaul was put in place on Aug. 5, 2009, when the Greenbrier Classic was officially added to the 2010 PGA Tour schedule.

“He (Justice) did in 14 months what I don’t think people could have done in five or ten years,” Governor Manchin applauded.

The Greenbrier Classic isn’t the first high-profile golf event hosted on the sprawling grounds. The resort was the first of two locations to host both of golf’s premier international team competitions – the Ryder Cup in 1979 and the Solheim Cup in 1994.

The PGA Tour’s all-time career wins leader Slammin’ Sammy Snead served as the club’s head professional from 1936 to 1975 and as the Greenbrier’s Golf Pro Emeritus from 1993 until his death in May 2002. Watson succeeded Sneed in that position.

Forty-one years before Stuart Appleby shredded the historic Old White Course with a final round 59, the fifth sub-60 recorded in the history of the PGA Tour, to win the inaugural Greenbrier Classic by one shot, Snead fired a 88

ccess to the game has improved through programs like the First Tee and Get Golf Ready, but golf, as well as the Greenbrier Resort, predominantly remain the property of the affluent and influential. But there is no backlash to speak of in Greenbrier County, as the working crowd and upper crust co-exist harmoniously.

Many of the patrons who pushed the week-long attendance figures over 173,000 at the Old White Course were rookies. For others, bringing the PGA Tour to town was the culmination of a lifelong obsession with the sport.

Just down the road at Lewisburg Elks Country Club the tee sheets were packed from Monday to Sunday. After all, it’s tough to resist the temptation to get out on the course yourself after watching the professionals shoot darts all day. The public club was one of many local businesses to reap the benefits of the Greenbrier Classic, and the new amenities recently added to the resort.

Painter said his facility is up 22 percent for the year, and during tournament week the Elks scheduled morning and afternoon shotguns to meet increased demand. Play rose by almost 40 percent during that seven-day stretch. And the Monday after Appleby’s record round, the morning traffic on the first tee was steady instead of the usual “dead calm.”

Jim Furyk and Matt Kuchar were the only golfers in the top 30 of the Official World Golf Rankings to play in the Greenbrier Classic, but Painter thinks that was just fine.

“If Tiger or Phil would come to this tournament, it could only get bigger without a doubt,” he said. “But the guys that we had here related great to this population; John Daly and Boo Weekley wearing camo, that was perfect. I don’t think any of our membership that I’m associated with would’ve said - well I’m not going because Tiger or Phil aren’t going to be there.”

Greenbrier County residents were proud to see beautiful, high-definition images of the Greenbrier beamed across the country on CBS and the Golf Channel. Positive exposure is much appreciated, but not always expected.

“Usually if somebody comes in to do some kind of a news story on West Virginia they’ll pick out the seediest looking character that they can find with a couple of teeth

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missing to interview,” said Cliff Huffman, who grew up in Lewisburg, attended West Virginia and returned home to raise his family. “But you didn’t see any of that.”

Huffman explained that while local residents can’t often fork out the money to stay at the 4-Star resort, the Greenbrier has always opened its doors to the community.

His children attended Greenbrier East High School, and had the privilege of holding their senior proms in one of the resort’s lavish ballrooms. And when the tennis teams couldn’t practice outdoors because of inclement weather, the Greenbrier made their indoor practice facility available.

Justice, who played golf collegiately at Tennessee and Marshall, embodies that same charitable spirit.

During the Christmas season, he plays Santa Claus to a disadvantaged community, delivering presents and meals. Justice embraces the Holidays, greeting the people who stop to view the vivid light display he puts on at his modest home just outside of downtown Lewisburg. Upon hearing that the church he attends was in arrears on its taxes because of an accounting error, Justice wrote a check for $92,000 to ease the minds of the congregation. He spends his winters coaching the girl’s basketball team at Greenbrier East High, and foots the bill for the team’s annual trip to Walt Disney World.

Fast forward to Saturday night, and Justice is on stage looking out at a sea of people covering the hillsides of a

natural amphitheater he converted into a concert venue on the West Virginia State fair grounds.

“We shook up the world this week,” he insists.

That’s been a popular refrain uttered by Justice. I can’t agree that he’s rocked the foundation of the world, but this community will certainly be feeling the aftershocks of what happened here for years.

Brad Paisley launches into his new single “Water” and the heavens abide, sending the crowd scattering and soaking those who stand firm. The cold rain has a redemptive quality,

Visitors to the Greenbrier aren’t just overnight guests; they’re honorary members of the community.

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Stuart Appleby of Australia lines up his birdie putt on the 18th green during the final round of the Greenbrier Classic on The Old White Course at the Greenbrier Resort.

reminiscent of the spring spewing sulphur water that remains at the center of the Greenbrier grounds.

The fabled resort that was transformed into a military hospital during the Civil War and World War II, and invited people to “take to its waters” to restore their health as early as 1778 has been born again in the image of its new owner.

Visitors to the Greenbrier aren’t just overnight guests; they’re honorary members of the community.

“These people know generation from generation how to take care of people,” said Governor Manchin. “They know their livelihoods and their future depends on it.”

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Pursuits | Life with Lord Byron

Life with LORD BYRON Laughter, Romance and Lessons Learned from Golf’s Greatest Gentleman They don’t make professional athletes and husbands like the great Byron Nelson anymore.

That’s the resounding message passed along by Peggy Nelson, Byron’s wife of 20 years, in her loving tribute to the man she worshiped during the time they spent together. “Life with Lord Byron: Laughter, Romance, and Lessons Learned from Golf’s Greatest Gentleman” chronicles the couple’s relationship and the lessons they taught each other in touching detail.

Peggy provides first-hand evidence of Byron’s compassion, kindness, humility and competitive fire, and compiles a wide-range of stories from friends, family and fellow golfers.

Byron won 52 PGA Tour tournaments during his brilliant but brief career, including five major championships. A humble hero, he exited the professional golf scene to pursue other interests and avoid some of the attention his fame required. “(Byron) didn’t consider himself famous, he would just say a lot of people know me,” Peggy relayed from Fairway Ranch just outside of Dallas. “He always tried to be very patient and one of the things I admired most about him was one of the reasons he left the Tour early. The pressure from media and fans had reached such a level, and there was so much attention, he was concerned he might be unkind to someone.”

Byron’s most notable achievement on the golf course came during the 1945 season, when he won an unprecedented 11 consecutive PGA Tour events, and 18 of 35 overall. He would finish second an astonishing seven times in the same year and set a record for scoring average of 68.33, which stood until a guy named Tiger Woods broke it in 2000.

But above all, the most important aspect of Byron’s life was the relationships he formed with people and his relationship with God. Peggy hammers home the point that Byron never forgot where his talent came from and took every opportunity to change the lives of those he encountered for the better. For a man with so much influence and fame, his humility was heaven sent.

“Humility is something you have to work at,” Peggy said. “Other people’s perception of you will be very closely tied to how you behave in the small moments as well as the big ones. Sometimes there are heroes that are really genuine heroes through and through.”

Byron didn’t consider himself famous, he would just say a lot of people know me ...

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It’ss nott golff in Lass Vegas without some frien ndly comp petittion on the links…and away from th hem.

Introducing the Gollfer’ss Guide National Team m Cla assicc Bene efitting Toast to Hum manitty Compete on the finest golf courses in Las Vegas during the inaugural Golfer’s Guide National Team Classic and then party the Strip all night long.

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11/13/10 9:41:01 AM

Getty Images

Travel Spotlight | Las Vegas

New York, New York Hotel & Casino stands tall on the Las Vegas Strip.

Golf Still a Sure Vegas Bet With all due respect to President Barrack Obama and other critics, given the challenges of our times, we all could use a trip to Las Vegas, where despite its own problems, reality gives way to fun, frolic and just a hint of sin.

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Billionaire Steve Wynn, who built his fortune by helping to turn the Las Vegas Strip into a national landmark visible from shuttle Discovery, once described the city as “A wonderland better than the outside world” in a 60 Minutes profile. Now the “Entertainment Capital of the World” is working to emerge from economic and public relations problems that have caused fewer and fewer rollers to roll on the strip.

In an early November conference call to discuss his company’s

Angel Park have sought to make playing golf a bet Vegas visitors can stomach.

“We kind of saw a little bit of this coming a year and a half ago,” said Kris Strauss, sales and marketing director of OB Sports.

“We did roll back our resort pricing for the traveling golfers.”

Arizona-based OB Sports operates three golf facilities in the Las Vegas market – Aliante Golf Club, Angel Park and The Legacy. Tee times at all three courses can be found online for under $100. Value is also a major initiative being pushed throughout the golf industry.

As Strauss said, “We live in a world where there is no silver bullet,” so facilities need to keep chipping away to earn business.

OB Sports decided to purchase three passenger buses and provide transportation from the Strip to entice customers.

According to reports, Walters Golf, had considered turning Bali Hai Golf Club, a pricey South Pacific-themed course on The Strip, into commercial real estate property to generate more income. Plans are on hold for now, and the course ranked No. 12 in Golf Magazine’s “Best Public Courses in Nevada 2010” continues to welcome play.

What hasn’t changed – good times or bad notwithstanding – is the quality of customer service, conditioning and challenge that has always depicted Vegas golf. Considering the high standards of visitors to Las Vegas, the region’s golf courses have always taken customer service and the quality of its courses very seriously and that continues today, no matter the green fees that are being charged.

That commitment has certainly led the golf industry through the economic wilderness that has gripped the area the past 24 months or so and promises to increase the region’s profile as a major golf destination moving forward. After all, these are different times for Sin City and the industry that once played a small role in the Vegas experience is now becoming a leading force in its rejuvenation.

playing golf just off the strip is becoming one of the more affordable Vegas options this side of booking hotel rooms

Photo courtesy of Cascata

third quarter earnings with reporters and investors, Wynn sounded optimistic that the Vegas market had “seen bottom” leaving up as the only direction to go.

Those struggles have not been lost on the golf industry, which has always ridden the coattails of the casino and gaming industry that for decades has drawn visitors from around the world to the Nevada desert. These are different times, however, and the golf courses that surround the legendary Las Vegas Strip are taking the lead in bringing people back to Sin City.

Vegas has always been a popular location for amateur and professional tournaments and that demand does not seem to be waning but rather increasing. The Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospital for Children Open was recently played at TPC Summerlin in front of huge crowds. Likewise, numerous amateur events continue to fill the tee boxes of some of the area’s most popular courses including Bali Hai, Rio Secco, Cascata, Angel Park, Arroyo and Siena.

Meanwhile, what once was considered an expensive pursuit, playing golf just off the strip is becoming one of the more affordable Vegas options this side of booking hotel rooms. Recognizing the economic realities and looking to increase exposure for its product, high-end courses such as

Cascata is like a mirage in the middle of the desert and a monument to eccentric golf course design. The highly-ranked layout caters to highend guests, and rarely disappoints..

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â&#x20AC;Ścome see why our guests say itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the best golf experience in Las Vegas.

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esigned by renowned golf course architect Rees Jones, Cascata opened in 2000 and is already celebrated as one of the finest designs in the world. Only 30 minutes from the Las Vegas Strip, Cascata is the ultimate in privacy, luxury and uncompromising service. From the moment you arrive our accommodating staff is there to ensure you have an unforgettable day. Few places on Earth offer such extravagance.

(702) 294-2005 | www.golfcascata.com One Cascata Drive, Boulder City, Nevada 89005

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3 Unique and Exciting

Las Vegas Golf Courses from only $

75*!

All 3 Courses ranked in the “Top 50 Public Golf Courses In The Country” – GolfWorld Magazine

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rom a tropical paradise at Bali Hai, and holes inspired by the British Open at Royal Links, to the sandhills of the

Carolinas at Desert Pines, playing these courses will leave you breathless. Choose from an unparalleled variety of golf experiences all in one fabulous city. *Some restrictions apply.

For Tee Time Reservations Call 866-861-9783 www.waltersgolf.com/golfersguide

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Spectacular

LAS VEGAS Golf

Book online for best rates guaranteed!

angelpark.com 800.347.6344

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aliantegolf.com 866.627.0571

thelegacygc.com 800.347.6344

11/13/10 9:44:58 AM

Las Vegas’ Golf Directory ALIANTE GOLF CLUB

ARROYO GOLF CLUB @ RED ROCK

PAINTED DESERT GOLF CLUB

3100 West Elkhorn, North Las Vegas, 89084

2250 C Red Springs Drive, Las Vegas, 89135

5555 Painted Mirage Drive Las Vegas, 89129

702. 399.4888 www.aliantegolf.com

702.258.2300 www.thearroyogolfclub.com

702.645.2570 www.painteddesertgc.com

BADLANDS GOLF CLUB 9119 Alta Drive, Las Vegas, 89145

PRIMM VALLEY GOLF CLUB

100 South Rampart Boulevard, Las Vegas, 89145

702.363.0754 www.badlandsgc.com

31900 Las Vegas Boulevard South Primm, 89019

720. 254.4653 www.angelpark.com

BLACK MOUNTAIN GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

ANGEL PARK GOLF CLUB

BALI HAI GOLF CLUB

702.679.5509 www.primmvalleygolf.com

500 Greenway Road, Henderson, 89015

REVERE GOLF CLUB

702.565.7933 www.golfblackmountain.com

2600 Hampton Road, Las Vegas, 89052

866.809.0996 www.reveregolf.com

5160 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas, 89119

BOULDER CITY GOLF COURSE

888.427.6678 www.balihaigolfclub.com

1 Club House Drive, Boulder City, 89005

RHODES RANCH GOLF CLUB

702.293.9236 www.bouldercitygolf.com

20 Rhodes Ranch Parkway, Las Vegas, 89148

CASCATA

BOULDER CREEK GOLF CLUB

702.740.4114 www.rhodesranchgolf.com

One Cascata Drive, Boulder City, 89005

1501 Veterans Memorial Drive, Boulder City, 89005

RIO SECCO GOLF CLUB

702.294.2000 www.cascatagolf.com

702.294.6534 www.bouldercitygolf.com

702.777.2400 www.riosecco.net ROYAL LINKS GOLF CLUB

DESERT PINES GOLF CLUB

CONESTOGA GOLF CLUB 1499 Falcon Ridge Pkwy, Mesquite, NV 89034 877.489.0777 www.conestogagolf.com

3415 East Bonanza Road, Las Vegas, 89101

888.427.6678 www.desertpinesgolfclub.com LEGACY GOLF CLUB

2851 Grand Hills Drive, Henderson, 89052

5995 East Vegas Valley, Las Vegas, 89142

702.450.8123 www.royallinksgolfclub.com SIENA GOLF CLUB

LAS VEGAS GOLF CLUB

10575 Siena Monte Avenue, Las Vegas, 89135

1911 E. Desert Inn Road, Las Vegas, 89109

702.341.9200 www.sienagolfclub.com

702.646.3003 www.lasvegasgc.com

130 Par Excellence Drive, Henderson, 89014

WILDHORSE GOLF CLUB

702.897.2187 www.thelegacygc.com

702. 434.9000 www.golfwildhorse.com

2100 Warm Springs Road, Henderson, 89014

RIO SECCO GOLF CLUB 2851 Grand Hills Drive, Henderson, 89052

702.777.2400 www.riosecco.net ONLY ON GOLFERSGUIDE.COM

ROYAL LINKS GOLF CLUB 5995 East Vegas Valley, Las Vegas, 89142

Save money by booking your tee times at www.TeeTimesSavings.com

702.450.8123 www.royallinksgolfclub.com

Right Now on Las LasVegas.GolfersGuide.com sVegas.GolfersGuide Play – No matter where you want to play we have the list.

Travel – Discover the latest deals on golf travel Live – Find the perfect home on your favorite golf course Enjoy – We bring you the best of golf on www.golfersguide.com

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PGA Tour | Golfer’s Guide Lifestyles

The 16th at TPC Scottsdale became the PGA Tour’s firstever fully-enclosed stadium golf hole in 2009.

Debauchery in the Desert

Written by Luke Kerr-Dineen

Somewhere out in the lonely deserts of Arizona lies a rather unspectacular golf hole. It maxes out at 162 yards, and ranks as the second shortest and second easiest hole on the golf course.

Guarding a medium-sized green there are four small bunkers, which help funnel shots toward the middle of the putting surface. For amateurs it’s potential birdie hole, yet when the PGA Tour comes to town every year this hole transforms—literally overnight—into one of the most demanding and intimidating arenas in golf.

Without any alterations to the hole’s length, width, or rough depth, John Felix, with the backing of PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem, encloses the usually toothless par 3 in a 360-degree, 20,000-person stadium of rowdy golf fans.

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Players are quickly tunneled in then tunneled out. They’re booed if they miss the green and loudly praised if they stick it close, all the while playing to the back drop of cheep beer and Arizona State co-eds.

“The Amphitheater,” as it is so appropriately named, succeeds in matching its Roman counterparts’ ability to strike fear in the hearts of its opponents. Its resemblance mirrors less of a golf hole than it does Pamplona’s annual “running of the bulls” ceremony.

“I’m not sure I’d want a steady diet of this,” complained

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THE ONE F O R G O L F 6 F O R T E N N I S 6 F O R F I T N E S S 6 F O R C LU B S E RV I C E S FOR SECURITY 6 FOR ACCESSIBILITY 6 FOR CONGENIALITY F O R NAT U R A L B E AU T Y 6 F O R S E R E N I T Y 6 F O R P R E ST I G E

10040 East Happy Valley Road, Scottsdale, Arizona 85255 • 480-419-3745 • www.deserthighlandsscottsdale.com

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three time PGA tour winner Bart Bryant when speaking of the hole, his sentiments shared by another multiple tour winner.

“It is the shortest, easiest, most intimidating hole in golf,” lamented Aaron Baddeley.”

Every year we watch in amazement as over 500,000 spectators who make the trip to watch the “Greatest Show on Grass,” its hard to remind ourselves that without the efforts of one man, this hole, and this tournament, would have been lost from the golfing spectrum all together.

In 1932, The Phoenix Open held its first annual event at the Phoenix Country Club, but with the Great Depression still a looming cloud over the nation’s economy, the tournament collapsed in three years.

Seven years later a man by the name of Robert “Bob” Goldwater strolled onto the scene and announced his mission to bring the tournament back to Phoenix. Goldwater was a big businessman from a staunchly conservative background. His brother Barry had been a five-term Republican Senator in Arizona, and sought the Presidency in 1964.

Yet while Barry spent his time opposing the Civil Rights Bill and the censure of Senator McCarthy, Robert Goldwater was seeking a slightly more noble cause. He wanted to use golf, the game he loved since he was just a child, as a way to reinvigorate the local economy, and bring prosperity to a community he felt so a part of.

Goldwater had been a golf addict since the day he was born. At 14 he finished second in the Arizona State Amateur Championship, eventually winning that title (three times) along with three Southwest Amateur victories, a victory in the Broadmoor Invitational, and an appearance at the U.S Amateur.

Golf had given a lot to Goldwater—and he was about to give a lot more back.

In 1939 Goldwater joined a Arizona Civic organization called the Thunderbirds, where he immediately set to work reviving the discontinued Phoenix Open. His hopes for the golf tournament were met with fierce opposition from then Chief of the thunderbirds Ken Burton.

But Goldwater continued on unrelentingly. He met with the Chamber of Commerce and spoke with such a vision that inspired them to support the idea. Goldwater would wake

It is the shortest, easiest, most intimidating hole in golf

Timeline 1939

Revival of the Pheonix Open; Bryon Nelson wins by 12 over ben Hogan

1944

Harold Mcspaden wins tournament and collects war bonds

early to print tickets and stay up late negotiating sponsorship deals and appearance fees with the headline golfers of the time.

His unwavering work ethic would eventually succeed.

Later that year Byron Nelson won the first annual Phoenix Open by 12 shots over Ben Hogan – and thus the Phoenix Open was made a permanent fixture on the PGA Tour’s calendar. Even during World War II, a time when the world of sports was teetering on the edge of existence, the tournament continued by awarding the winner just over $700 in war bonds.

In 1987 the tournament had grown in popularity so much that its venue needed to be moved, and thus Goldwater oversaw the tournament’s transition to its current home—the TPC of Scottsdale’s Stadium Course.

Today, the Waste Management Phoenix Open is, in the words of Mike Haenel “the largest-attended and one of the most successful golf tournaments in the world.”

Fans cheer for their favorite players at the 16th hole during the third round of the FBR Open held at TPC Scottsdale in Scottsdale, Arizona

1946/47 Ben Hogan wins back to back phoenix Opens

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Johnny Miller shoots 24 under to win Pheonix Open by 14

1987

Tournament moved to TPC Scottsdale

1997

Tiger Woods makes Hole in one on infamous par3 16th

2001

Mark Calcaveccia wins shooting a tournament record 256 (-28)

2008

FBR Open sets new single day attendance record, J.B. Homes becomes 11 two time winner of the event.

Getty Images

1975

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IT DOESN’T GET ANY BETTER THAN THE DESERT. Arizona is the place to be for an unparalleled golf experience.

And if you’re going to play in Arizona, you’ve got to play the Raven at Verrado. With breathtaking views and a thrilling design crafted by Tom Lehman and John Fought, the Raven at Verrado offers the finest elements of Arizona golf.

See for yourself why golf here defines golf everywhere.

www.ravenatverrado.com 4242 North Golf Drive, Buckeye, AZ 85396 | 623.388.3000

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Arizona’s Golf Directory Desert Highlands Golf Club

Flagstaff Ranch Golf Club

Sedona Golf Resort

10040 E. Happy Valley Road, Scottsdale 85255

3605 S. Flagstaff Ranch Road, Flagstaff 86001

35 Ridge Trail Drive, Sedona 86351

(928) 226 -3111 www.flagstaffranch.com

(928) 284-9355 www.sedonagolfresort.com

Grayhawk Golf Club

StoneRidge Golf Course

8620 E. Thompson Peak Parkway, Scottsdale 85255

1601 N. Bluff Top Road, Prescott Valley 86314

(480) 585-8521 www.deserthighlandsscottsdale.com Raven at Verrado 4242 N. Golf Drive, Buckeye, AZ 85326

(480) 502-1800 www.grayhawkgolf.com

(623) 388-3008 www.ravenatverrado.com

(928) 772-6500 www.stoneridgegolf.com SunRidge Canyon Golf Club

Omni Tucson National Golf Resort

13100 N. SunRidge Drive, Fountain Hills 85268

2727 W. Club Drive, Tucson 85741

(480) 837-5100 www.sunridgegolf.com

Omni Tucson National Resort

(520) 575-7540 www.omnitucsonnational.com

2727 West Club Drive, Tucson, AZ 85742

Poston Butte Golf Club

Superstition Mountain Golf & Country Club

6100 W. Merrill Ranch Parkway, Florence 85232

8000 E. Club Village Drive, Superstition Mountain 85219

(520) 723-1880 www.postonbutte.com

(480) 983-1411 www.superstitionmountain.com

Quarry Pines Golf Club

The Pointe Golf Club at Lookout Mountain

(520) 297-2271 www.tucsonnational.com Exclusive Golf Properties 8701 E. Vista Bonita Drive, Scottsdale, AZ 85255

8480 N. Continental Links Drive, Tucson 85743

(480) 515-0600 www.exclusiveproperties.com

(602) 866-6356 http://tapatiocliffshilton.com/golf Troon North Golf Club

Desert Highlands Golf Club

Raven at Verrado

16400 S. 14th Avenue, Phoenix 85045

10040 E. Happy Valley Road, Scottsdale 85255 4242 N. Golf Drive, Buckeye, AZ 85326

(480) 460-4400 www.clubwestgolf.com

(480) 585-8521 www.deserthighlandsscottsdale.com

(623) 388-3008 www.ravenatverrado.com

Copper Canyon Golf Club

Desert Mountain

Ritz-Carlton Golf Club

26577 W. Desert Vista Boulevard, Buckeye 85396

10333 Rockaway Hills, Scottsdale 85262

Club West Golf Club

(928) 252-6783 www.coppercanyongolfclub.com

(480) 488-1362 www.desertmountain.com

11111 N. 7th Street, Phoenix 85020

(520) 744-7443 www.playthepines.com

10320 E. Dynamite Boulevard, Scottsdale 85255

(480) 585-5300 www.troonnorthgolf.com

6501 Boulder Bridge Pass, Marana 85658

We-Ko-Pa Golf Club

(520) 572-3500 www.ritzcarlton.com/dovemountain

18200 E. Toh Vee Circle, Fountain Hills 85264

(480) 836-9000 www.wekopa.com

Eagle Mountain Golf Club Desert Canyon Golf Club

14915 E. Eagle Mountain Parkway, 10440 Indian Wells Drive, Fountain Hills 85268 Fountain Hills 85268

ONLY ON GOLFERSGUIDE.COM

(480) 837-1173 www.desertcanyongolf.com

Save money by booking your tee times at www.TeeTimesSavings.com

(480) 816-1234 www.eaglemtn.com

Right Now on Ariizona.GolfersGuide.c Arizona.GolfersGuide.com GolfersGuide.c com Featured Articles

Digital Magazine

Play – No matter where you want to play we have the list.

Travel – Discover the latest deals on golf travel Live – Find the perfect home on your favorite golf course Enjoy – We bring you the best of golf on www.golfersguide.com

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Featured Courses

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Advertorial | InterGolf Vacations

Photo by Evan Schiller

Extra Value Every Way from InterGolf Vacations Saving money is a lot like playing the historic links layouts of the British Isles. It never gets old. InterGolf Vacations gives its clients both. Founded in 1970 as one of international golf’s earliest full-service tour operators, InterGolf has always worked to serve the golfer whose priorities are great golf at smart prices from a professional provider.

Scotland and Ireland attract most of the attention, an estimated 7 of every 10 golf visitors who travel “across the pond.”

“The Old Course explains that, along with Royal County Down, Turnberry, Ballybunion, Royal Dornoch and Old Head,” said InterGolf Marketing Vice President Mark Barnes. “Famous and world top 100 golf courses are everywhere you go. It’s truly a treat to play any of these old, historic, championship clubs, but the Old Course stands alone. Waiting to tee off is like getting ready for a tournament round. You watch other people hit, and putt a little there beside the tee and the starter hut. Then they call your group’s name and all the sudden you can’t find your glove or a tee.

It’s completely different when you return. The first is normally a blur, but you’ll savor 18.”

The appeal of such easy access to so many great courses is powerful, but England and Wales don’t play second fiddle lightly. England’s Northwest coast is frequently home to the Claret Jug with three British Open venues at Royal Birkdale,

104

Royal Lytham & St Annes and Royal Liverpool. Plus, you’ll be next door to highly respected local qualifying sites: Formby, Wallasey and Hillside. Wales requires a little travel but it’s not a big place to begin with, and it offers more than enough impressive golf to be enjoyed as a full trip.

“Golfers should check out Royal Porthcawl, Royal St David’s, Nefyn & District, Pennard online,” said Barnes. “Its classic, traditional links golf. And if you’re a traveler who likes to include an exceptional resort experience, Celtic Manor which just hosted the Ryder Cup, promises one of the finest in Great Britain.”

InterGolf clients value the routine expertise with which the company arranges a sensible, efficient itinerary. It helps of course to bring nearly four decades of experience to the table, but it’s also very much a function of highly knowledgeable golf travel advisors working with a broad network of seasoned suppliers. InterGolf’s resources produce options that can save you time and money.

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Photo by Evan Schiller

Do-It-Yourself Savings Value pricing from InterGolf is possible because they can pull a lot of strings. One you can pull that helps is their exclusive online trip calculator. Price Your Own Tour™ at the company’s website (www.intergolfvacations.com) allows you can create and price a complete itinerary of your choosing in a matter of minutes and entirely online.

The calculator’s design provides guidance so that someone with even a casual understanding of the land can accomplish their objective. It’s a single webpage divided into regionalized sections of each country where you’ll find golf and hotel choices that make geographic sense to each other. An overview for each golf and hotel choice is there for the clicking.

Add the dates you want to travel, the size of your group, and the type of rental vehicle you wish to drive. Click once for your price which is calculated on the spot.

InterGolf is always available to help but it’s totally up to you. If you’re actively planning a trip then obviously you’ll need to interact with a travel advisor who will help you finalize the itinerary and execute the various arrangements for your golf, hotel and lodging. On the other hand, if you’re looking two years out and just curious it may not be time to dig into the details. Either way, Price Your Own Tour™ ensures you control the pace.

EDITOR’S REVIEW I’m a habitual planner. I can’t go on a dinner date, organize a road trip or watch television without some semblance of research. I think I enjoy this aspect more than the actual event itself. Just starting in the golf travel writing trade, finding all of the information I require to format an itinerary is always time consuming.

There is no doubt in my mind that “Price Your Own Tour” is an extremely valuable research tool. I fired up my browser and created my ideal vacation to Ireland. I was sure to include Ballybunion, Old Head and Lahinch, plus a few extras just so I could make the journey to the St. James Gate brewery in Dublin. My vacation planning normally centers on supplemental activities and historic hotels.

What a great resource for finding lodging overlooking the Irish Sea and across the street from the world’s oldest distillery.

Brandon Underwood, Editor GolfersGuide.com

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Commentary | Golfer’s Guide Lifestyles

Brandon R.

UNDERWOOD

A Pulitzer for Public Shame Journalistic standards are on the decline, but if the behavior of professional athletes is any indication, decency has also taken a plunge. Tabloids and blogs have broken a series of scandals this year, starting with Tiger Woods and ending with Ben Roethlisberger and Brett Favre.

Each incident attracted an unsettling amount of attention. Woods appeared on the cover of the New York Post for 20 consecutive days, unseating the 9/11 terrorist attacks as the longest running lead story in the publication’s history. Observers detested the coverage of these scandals, but couldn’t manage to move on. Fans have forgotten. Roethlisberger received a rousing ovation when he finally returned from a four-game suspension to the lead the Pittsburgh Steelers.

These are our athletes, and we’ve grown accustomed to learning of their shortcomings and bad judgment. In turn, the media is often chastised for salacious and intrusive reporting. Would things be different if quarterbacks and golfers had a say in our tax structure? What if Tiger Woods were former North Carolina Senator and Democratic Presidential candidate John Edwards? Does reporting on sleazy subject matter become more reputable if high-profile public officials are involved?

Fortunately for us, Woods and Edwards shared the shame podium in 2010, and perception of media coverage does change depending on whom it is that’s being exposed.

The National Enquirer, the same salacious publication that broke the news of Tiger Woods’ dalliances with socialite Rachel Uchitel, reported of an extramarital affair involving Edwards in 2007 that resulted in a love child.

When the poverty crusading law professor with Ken doll hair finally admitted to all of the gory details in early 2010, including fathering a child with his former videographer behind the back of his cancer-stricken wife, the Enquirer was vindicated.

Shortly after Edwards’ admission, the National Enquirer

was officially accepted as a nominee for the prestigious Pulitzer Prize in two categories – Investigative Reporting and National Reporting. While the publication didn’t win the coveted award, its tireless work on a story of vital importance missed, or outright ignored, by the major media outlets, was recognized.

we’ve grown accustomed to learning of their shortcomings and bad judgment

106

“That persistence, that old-fashioned, shoe-leather reporting that we exhibited on this story, at the end of the day, is what the Pulitzer committee recognized,” Editor Barry Levine told ABC News.

I favor traditional media outlets, but I’ve come to recognize the merit of more questionable entities.

If we continued to see Woods independent of his rampant infidelity and literally finance his lies that would be a shame.

Now you can make an informed choice of whether or not he deserves your support and dollars.

Tiger Woods makes first statement since crash.

E-mail your thoughts and suggestions to Brandon at brandon@golfersguide.com

golfersguide.com

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Imagine the possibilitiesâ&#x20AC;Ś

Great golf (over 240 courses in the valley) as well as beautiful, affordable homes in this unique landscape called Arizona!

There has never been a better time to consider an investment in your future.

Real estate prices at an all time low and deals hotter than the Desert sunshine.

Knowing the real estate market and inventory, is like knowing every shot on every golf course. I will not let you make a bad decision.

Having a trusted realtor is like playing a new golf course with a knowledgeable caddy. No surprises.

Think Arizona this winter. I personally promise you a rewarding experience and a great golf partner for life!

Visit my websites for a complete overview of my real estate services and my commitment to you and your lifestyle goals. www.exclusivearizonagolfproperties.com www.amazinggolfproperties.com www.viewscottsdalehomes.com I look forward to meeting you on the first tee!

John F Trojan Realtor, PLLC International Relocation Specialist

480.577.0192 cell 480.268.9210 fax 866.508.8114 toll free john.trojan@yahoo.com

www.exclusivearizonagolfproperties.com

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