OUR 21st YEAR!
THIS MONTH: My Turn • SweetStuff • ChipShots
GOLF VACATIONS AUGUST 2022
PRIVATE CLUBS
OFFER PERMANENT GOLF VACATIONS
RAINDANCE
NATIONAL GOLF CLUB 8,463 YARDS OF FARMLAND PARADISE
www.golfvacationsmag.com Golf GOLF Vacations •COURSE August 2022 1 Plus: RESORT REPORT: MEXICO’S QUIVIRA
2 Golf Vacations • August 2022
www.golfvacationsmag.com
VISIT: www.swingcaddie.com/sc200plus/golfvacationmagazine OR
www.swingcaddie.com/sc300/golfvacationmagazine www.golfvacationsmag.com
Golf Vacations • August 2022 3
GOLF VACATIONS AUGUST 2022
Quivira Golf Course Comfort Station • Los Cabos, Mexico
8
My Turn
10
Chip Shots
20
Resort Report: Quivira Golf Course
26 30 36
by Tom George
by Dave McKibben
There is a fast-play movement afoot in the sport of golf—15-hole courses, shorter times to find lost balls, maximum scores per hole and time limits per stroke. But that movement hasn’t gained much traction at the Quivira Golf Club in Los Cabos, an epic Jack Nicklaus design marked by massive sand dunes, sheer cliffs, rolling foothills and jaw-dropping views of the Pacific Ocean. The official pace of play on the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula is five hours, 5½-hour rounds are common.
A Private Club Golf Vacation
by Shane Sharp
Just two years ago, country clubs nearly resorted to begging to get new members to join. Many lowered or eliminated initiation fees, significantly impacting their capital budgets. Others reduced monthly dues or waived food and beverage minimum, negatively affecting their operating budgets.
RainDance National Golf Course
by David R. Holland
RainDance National Golf Course -- its where Farmageddon meets North America’s newly crowned longest golf course of 8,463 yards. The July 12 Grand Opening celebrated 300 acres that are aimed to be a part of a master-planned community for Colorado families looking to live, play and work close to amenities that are second to none.
Sweet Stuff
by Terry Ross
4 Golf Vacations • August 2022
www.golfvacationsmag.com
www.golfvacationsmag.com
Golf Vacations • August 2022 5
CONTRIBUTINGWRITERS Terry Ross has covered sports as both a print and radio journalist for more than 35 years, and also has served as a consultant to the golf industry in a variety of capacities. He has been a regular columnist for the Long Beach Business Journal and is based in Orange County, California.
Executive Editor Jeffrey Diaz
Dave McKibben has been battle-tested in raucous newsrooms and dimly-lighted press boxes for nearly 20 years as an award-winning Los Angeles Times journalist. He’s covered the PGA Tour, Major League Baseball, NFL, NBA, NCAA sports and even local high schools sports. In his career he’s interviewed such greats as Muhammad Ali, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Cal Ripken, John McEnroe, Arthur Ashe, Tony Gwynn and Michael Jordan.
Associate Editors Terry Ross Dakota Diaz
Features Editor JD Latorre
David R. Holland is an award-winning former sportswriter for The Dallas Morning News, football magazine publisher, and author of The Colorado Golf Bible. “Multiple careers” best describes this world traveler (visited 35 countries), who achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force reserve. Holland splits home time in Colorado and Texas. He has written for GolfWeek’s Superintendent News, Colorado AvidGolfer, Midwest Golfing Magazine, South Central Golf Magazine and Fairway to Green. He also worked for the Dallas Cowboys Weekly, UPI and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Follow Dave on Twitter @David_R_Holland.
Senior Writers Tim Cotroneo Larry Feldman David R. Holland Dave McKibben
For Editorial:
call (760) 774–2655 e-mail: Info@GolfVacationsMag.com Shane Sharp is a freelance writer and the owner of Southbound 4, a content marketing and PR shop in Greenville, S.C. He’s a contributing editor with GOLF Magazine, Club & Resort Business, Golf Inc. and Club Management.
Regional Advertising
Los Angeles Terry Ross • (949) 279–7801 terryr@GolfVacationsMag.com Atlanta Harold Chambliss • (678) 906-4050 harold@chamblissmediagroup.com Chicago Dakota Diaz •(312) 809–8808 dakota@GolfVacationsMag.com
Published by
President Jeffrey Diaz
PO BOX #222 Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania 18229 (760) 774–2655 StonyCreekMedia.com
Cimarron Communications President/CEO James A. Diaz
Golf Vacations Magazine is published in digital format monthly and distributed online to over 1,000,000 golfer’s email inboxes each issue. Entire contents of this publication is copyright 2022 Stony Creek Media, LLC, all rights reserved and may not be reproduced in any manner, in whole or in part, without written permission from the publisher.
6 Golf Vacations • August 2022
www.golfvacationsmag.com
www.golfvacationsmag.com
Golf Vacations • August 2022 7
MY TURN
by Tom George • F&B Classic, Commissioner
A Unique Competitive Outing
O
K, we were whining. My brother and I, both in our forties, were returning from coaching and watching our daughters compete in a softball tournament and we were bemoaning the loss of true competitive sport in our own lives. We had become vicarious watchers and did not get to feel the pressure, and the satisfaction, of truly competing. We were both avid golfers and weekend warriors, but who can really get the competitive juices flowing playing with the same foursome every Sunday? Playing in charity scrambles was worse. You played a scramble round, shot 58 as a team and still lost to the sandbagging, pencilsharpening foursome with a miraculous 50. Never did we get that emotional edge one feels when one is really trying hard to.... win when it meant something to win. It was on that drive home that we started to develop a golf event format to accomplish the core objective of reinserting meaningful competition back into our sporting lives. Make no mistake, we were not trying to put together an outing. We were endeavoring to put together a true tournament with everything that implies... winners and losers....prize money...trash talking.... tournament lore, bragging rights and most importantly, that incredible tension that precedes either glorious accomplishment or ignominious failure. We succeeded. This summer, on the traditional first weekend of August, we will host our 22nd consecutive event and yes, we survived and endured through every year of Covid. We can easily claim that our competitive objectives have been realized. The event, known as the F&B Classic, is a real tournament. (Note: F&B does not stand for food & beverage. The tournament moniker is an inside story that stands for Flounder & Bass, the derivation of which is not germane to this conversation. The only relevant thing to know is that Hutch is Flounder.) Clearly, the unique format we developed has fueled the friendly, sometimes hilarious, but always super-charged competitive atmosphere that keeps our players coming back year after year and drives our waiting list. We started divining this format with three objectives: 1) Make every stroke count. Provide the motivation for every competitor to grind out every shot. Curling that five-footer in for eight means something because it was not a nine. 2) Find a way for players of widely disparate skill levels to compete evenly and meaningfully. Our format allows for our low-handicapper’s two to compete evenly with my 21. Both low handicapper and hacker can make compelling contributions toward winning. 3) Keep the math off the course. Yes, we utilize handicaps to balance the field and in calculations following play. But on the course, every player is equal....a four is always a four...it is never “five net four,” Here is what we did. It is a format that has stood the tests of time and circumstance, with only minor tweaks, over our 22 years. We created a 16-man field divided into four, four-man teams. The team concept helps drive the competition as you are not just playing for yourself but also for your teammates. Each team is comprised of an
8 Golf Vacations • August 2022
“A” player, the low handicapper, plus a “B”, “C” and “D” player. The slots break down mostly by each player’s handicap level. We try to balance the teams as evenly as possible to heighten the competition and lessen the impact of any single handicap on the round-by-round results. We play our event over three rounds with each round having dual competitions in both total team skins and team low net strokes. Round One: Two-man Teams C’s & D’s vs C’s & D’s A’s & B’s vs A’s & B’s Round Two: Captains Choice Two-Man Teams Note: The A pairings always play against the other team’s A pairings Round Three: Mano a Mano a Mano a Mano The A’s play a foursome vs the other A’s---B’s play the other B’s, etc. We add a little spice by overlaying an auction-bid, low net Calcutta for all four of the Sunday foursomes. Obviously, the largest payouts, funded by the entry fees, is for the overall weekend results in total team skins and in total team low net. We have deemed that the overall team skins winner is the winner of the F&B. Having payouts over each round helps keep everyone competitive. Plus, by math, there are just as many skins available in the third-round singles play as there are cumulatively in the two doubles rounds. This helps keep every team in the hunt going into the final day. There are a couple of key rules that helps drive the competitive fire. First, all skins are carried-over if a hole is halved. If there are any skins left on the course after 18, they are equally divided amongst the competitors. This creates the awesome specter of the 7 or 8 or 9 hole carry-over that could easily decide the event. With each halved hole, the drama and tension builds. It also allows for any player, from scratch to hacker, to make (or miss!) the big shot, the key putt that means the difference between winning and losing. We also have a strict “No Gimme” policy. If it is such an easy putt, then just knock it in. The No Gimme policy is extremely equitable but also adds greatly to the tension. Many players go all year putting aggressively for birdies with the 2-3 foot come-backer guaranteed. The putting strokes tighten when a player must finish those two-three footers. Often, a new entrant with a low handicap balloons his score with a handful of 3-putt bogeys. How do we know that we have succeeded in building a successful, highly competitive event? Mostly, you can feel it. We have had new entrants beg off in subsequent years because the play was so stressful for them. Honest. Others consider it the highlight of their summer. Our players hone their games to peak the first weekend in August. You can hear cries of anguish reverberating over the golf course followed sometimes by the audible whoop-whoop-whoop of a well- thrown club. I have seen good golfers standing over a fourfooter to halve a big carry-over, leave their putt two feet short. It can get pretty emotional though, to our credit, no one has ever come to blows.
www.golfvacationsmag.com
g Format That Really Works We have developed great tournament lore that can only happen when the event means something. Would Sarazen’s double-eagle be famous if it happened during a weekend foursome with his buddies? Consider the iconic controversy of “The Aisenberg Stake.” An OB stake had been taken into the clubhouse to be repaired, allowing our low handicapper, Jeremy Aisenberg, to legally play a ball that was so far right he was directly in front of the driving range tees. The ruling was: No stake....No OB. Of course, he went on to par the hole. Some of our guys still speak of it with raw contempt. And then there was, “The Great Yipster,”an A player who had a bout of the yips that was so bad it had him completely out of the round...until he chipped in from 20 yards out for birdie and the big carry-over that won the tournament. Or, “Hacker 7,” who coaxed in a five foot bender for a seven that won the big carry-over as his fellow D’s all found ways to stumble to an eight. Every year, the F&B is tightly contested. Only one year in 20 produced a blow-out win. Usually, the winning team wins by just a handful of skins, leaving every near-miss-losing player, A-B-C- or D, remembering that one putt that might have made the difference. A golf event becomes legendary not just when your excited about it, not just when you find yourself preparing for it, but when you’re you find yourself a little bit nervous about it. That’s when you know its got meaning.
This August, our competitors we will descend on Penn National Golf Club & Inn, a 36-hole golf resort 20 miles east of Gettysburg, PA. Penn National has been the home of the F&B for 20 years. It is a perfect setting for a real tournament with two Golf-Digest award winning courses and a wonderful inn with 16 person bungalows that suit us perfectly. We hope our unique format sparks some interest.
¯Every real tournament needs a logo and a yearly theme. This is the F&B’s 20th anniversary at Penn National so, naturally, it is “The Penn Twenty”.
The scraggily competitors from the 2021 F&B just before teeing off for Sunday’s rounds of singles separated into their A, B, C & D groups respectively.
www.golfvacationsmag.com
Tom George is a sports marketing industry veteran. Now working as an independent, Tom was a founding member of the sports marketing giant, Octagon, where he led their athlete marketing efforts. He was the lead marketer for athletes as varied as Anna Kournikova, Emmitt Smith, Chris Paul and Billiards legend, Jeanette Lee. His resume includes stints as VP Sports Marketing at Scientific Games and Athletic Director at Division I, American University. Self-dubbed, “The Commish,” Tom is a co-founder of the F&B and its commissioner since 2000. He guards the competitive integrity of the event like it is his first-born child. He has done such a good job running the tournament’s field that he succeeded in making himself the worst golfer in the event. Tom can be reached at 703-628-1456 Tom.george218@gmail.com LinkedIn: Tom George Sports & Literary
Golf Vacations • August 2022 9
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CHIPSHOTS
Coming Soon: OnCore’s Tour-Level VERO X2 OnCore Golf released its critically-acclaimed 2022 ELIXR back in May, and now the Buffalo, N.Y.-based technology company is at it again. In August, it will unveil the highly-anticipated VERO X2, and early results and reviews indicate it’s a Tour-caliber ball to be reckoned with. The VERO X2 is the second iteration of OnCore’s VERO X1, one of the most awarded direct-to-consumer golf balls in recent years. Engineered using a proprietary formulation and manufacturing process, it boasts a high modulus, metal-infused mantle connected to a thin, cast urethane cover by a nano-engineered transition layer. The VERO X2 has a higher compression rating than the VERO X1 – 95 vs. 85 – and firmer feel optimal for players with high swing speeds. Leveraging the same unique core, mantle and cover integration as the VERO X1, the VERO X2 delivers low driver spin and a high, wind-penetrating trajectory for even greater distance and accuracy. This combination brings an optimized spin profile with irons and a trajectory engineered for stopping power on firm greens. VERO X2 features OnCore’s proprietary perimeter-weighting that significantly reduces sidespin and bores through headwinds and crosswinds. This same patented technological advancement
10 Golf Vacations • August 2022
led to the VERO X1 topping Titleist’s Pro V1 and Pro V1x in several categories in independent testing by Golf EQ in 2021. OnCore has cultivated a loyal stable of professional golfers, including PGA TOUR / Korn Ferry Tour player Erik Compton, who originally switched to the VERO X1 after extensive testing and numerous practice rounds. Compton, who put the VERO X2 in play at several Korn Ferry Tour events, described the ball as “crazy hot, baby!” The VERO X2 also landed on Golf Digest’s 2022 Hot List before officially hitting the market. Members of “Club OnCore” – the company’s VIP rewards membership – get first crack at the VERO X2 in August, followed by a release to the general golfing public in late August or early September. Club OnCore affords members free shipping, free customization, early access to new products and free golf balls for signing up. As a true direct-to-consumer golf ball brand, OnCore is on a mission to make premium balls more affordable for the playing public. The company offers free shipping on purchases of $100 or more, and its wildly popular loyal program offers product discount tiers ranging from 10% up to 25%. Visit www.oncoregolf.com for more information or to purchase OnCore golf balls.
www.golfvacationsmag.com
www.golfvacationsmag.com
Golf Vacations • August 2022 11
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CHIPSHOTS
Grande Dunes Resort Course
Grande Dunes Resort Course On Pace To Reopen Sept. 15 Following Renovation Project MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – A comprehensive greens, bunkers and clubhouse renovation project at the Grande Dunes Resort Course is progressing smoothly as one of Myrtle Beach’s most popular properties approaches its September 15 reopening date. The 4-month project began on May 16 and architect John A. Harvey and his team have worked diligently to ensure Grande Dunes, which has been ranked among America’s top 100 public courses, is in pristine condition for the area’s peak fall season. As part of the effort, Harvey is overseeing the restoration of Grande Dunes’ greens to their original specifications, an effort that will reclaim nearly 40,000-square-feet of putting surface. The new TifEagle ultradwarf bermudagrass greens have been sprigged and are growing in beautifully. Harvey’s team is regularly top-dressing, rolling and cutting the greens. With more than five weeks remaining until Grande Dunes reopens, golfers can look forward to smooth, fast putting surfaces. Work on the bunkers, which includes coring out the floors and the installation of Capillary Concrete bunker liners is on schedule as well. The enhancements to the course will be matched by the overhaul of the Grande Dunes clubhouse, which is being renovated to include a new restaurant, greatly expanded outdoor seating, and a larger pro shop. “We are delighted with the progress in all three phases of the Grande Dunes renovation,” said Founders Group International president Steve Mays. “We allowed four months for the completion of
12 Golf Vacations • August 2022
the project, ensuring the course will be in spectacular condition from the moment we welcome players back. As we enter the homestretch and you see the grass growing on the greens and the work being done on the bunkers, it only heightens our anticipation. I can’t wait to play the course again, and hopefully the golfers who flock to the area this fall feel the same way.” Grande Dunes, which opened in 2001, has been ranked among America’s top 100 public courses and has long been regarded as one Myrtle Beach’s premier layouts. The course features five holes that play along the Intracoastal Waterway, including the unforgettable, par 3 14th. The fairways and greens at Grande Dunes are among the area’s largest, providing a cushion for mid to high handicappers while challenging more skilled players. Designed by Roger Rulewich, the course has long been one of Myrtle Beach’s most sought after tee times. Founders Group International owns 21 Myrtle Beach golf courses, making it one of the largest management companies in the Southeast, and FGI has aggressively reinvested in its courses in recent years. FGI has also undertaken significant capital improvement projects at Pine Lakes, Aberdeen Country Club, River Hills, Tradition Club and the PineHills and Palmetto courses at Myrtlewood over the last four years. With additional capital improvement projects on the horizon, FGI is reinforcing its commitment to providing golfers with the best golf vacation experience possible. For more information on Grande Dunes, visit www. GrandeDunesGolf.com. For more information on FGI, visit www.FoundersGolf.com.
www.golfvacationsmag.com
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CHIPSHOTS As Airline Travel Woes Multiply, Explore Branson Golf BRANSON, MO – According to industry research released in June by Skift – the global leader in studying and reporting travel news and trends – for the first time since January “travel health” registered a decline. While a small decline, “this is significant in what it implies. Economic worries, mass cancellations at airports, and price hikes seem to be catching up with the industry,” reported Skift. The canceled flights, major staff shortages, and lost baggage that has plagued airlines and airports for much of the summer, coupled with rising fares, is increasingly dissuading people from flying. For travelers wanting to enjoy vacations this summer and fall but don’t want to fly, Branson is ideally located for drive visitors. One-third of the U.S. population is within and 8-hour drive, while 50 percent are within a 12-hour drive. “The numbers don’t lie, and this is why Branson is increasingly appealing to so many people who aren’t flying currently but don’t want to sacrifice their summer vacations and golf getaways,” said Lynn Berry, Explore Branson Director of Communications. Approximately 10,000,000 visitors came into the region in 2021, a significant increase over COVID-19 impacted 2020, and
more than 10% over 2019, the last non-COVID-19 affected year. While destination’s overall numbers were up, the positive trends held for many of its niches including golf. Branson’s 10 courses, live entertainment theatres, exceptional lakes, and family friendly activities are renowned for their variety and quality. All 10 Branson Golf courses are open to the public and range from luxury resort to daily fee options. Located close to one another, the courses are situated near many lodging options, restaurants, theme park, museums, and countless other attractions without losing their idyllic settings amid the Ozarks’ natural bounty. Five of Missouri’s Top 10-rated courses are in the Branson Golf destination, including the top four. Some of those are ranked among the country’s top 100 public courses by leading magazines. Course designs by Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Bob Cupp, and Tom Fazio combine with first-class playing conditions, welcoming hospitality, and five courses that are certified by Audubon International for their environmental and conservation best practices. Branson is annually voted a TripAdvisor community top U.S. destination, ranking No. 3 in 2021. For more about Branson Golf, visit: ExploreBranson.com/golf Instagram.com/explorebransongolf or Facebook.com/bransongolf
Mountain Top Hole No. 2 par 3 uphill 185 yards
www.golfvacationsmag.com
Golf Vacations • August 2022 13
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CHIPSHOTS Scottish Golf Tourism Week
Dates Set For 2023 Edition Of Scottish Golf Tourism Week Fresh from an overwhelmingly successful return in February 2022, after sitting out 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, the sixth staging of the hugely popular business-to-business showpiece will take place from January 29 to February 2, 2023. The five-star Fairmont St Andrews resort in Fife will once again play host as more than 90 of the world’s leading golf tour operators come face to face with over 100 Scottish golf businesses, creating thousands of meetings in the process. As well as that, familiarisation trips will be organised for visiting international tour operators to six key regions across Scotland. The week will conclude with the latest edition of the annual Scottish Golf Tourism Awards. Entries for the new-look awards open in late August with full details to be communicated in due course. Cara Munro, the Head of Business Development at organisers DC Thomson, remarked: “We are delighted to confirm the dates for the 2023 staging of Scottish Golf Tourism Week and are, in particular, looking forward to returning to the magnificent Fairmont St Andrews resort. “Since its launch in 2016, Scottish Golf Tourism Week has made a substantial contribution to the country’s economy and, as the long recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic continues, we are excited to play our part in reaffirming Scotland’s status as the world’s original and premier golf destination.” Launched in 2016, Scottish Golf Tourism Week is a unique platform that gives businesses in Scotland the opportunity to engage directly with international inbound golf tour operators.
14 Golf Vacations • August 2022
An economic impact report prepared for VisitScotland and Scottish Development International in April 2022 found that suppliers who attend Scottish Golf Tourism Week forecast an average increase in turnover of over £215,000 across the following three years as a direct result of the new connections they build at the event. It is further estimated that the tour operators in attendance bring approximately 50,000 golf tourists into Scotland every year.
Danang Steps Back Onto Vietnam World Masters
Centerstage
at
Danang, Vietnam – Danang returns to the spotlight as one of Asia’s top golf destinations when the AccorHotels Vietnam World Masters Golf Championship returns to Central Vietnam between 1117 September. This year’s event showcases BRG Danang Golf Club, Ba Na Hills, and Hoiana Shores: three of the world-class clubs that have made Vietnam’s glorious central coastline one of the most coveted places for play in world golf. Golfers will also be thrilled by the first-class beachside accommodation at the Pullman Danang Beach Resort: the main partner hotel for the event. Two participating courses — the Robert Trent Jones Jr-designed links at Hoiana Shores and the American-style Nicklaus layout at BRG Danang Golf Club — mark debuts in the tournament line-up. Therefore, the event offers fresh exposure to a destination only set to grow in stature. “With over 100 golfers from around the world attending this event, we could not be happier to host this prestigious event, three years after hosting the last Vietnam World Masters. The two new
www.golfvacationsmag.com
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CHIPSHOTS courses in our event lineup are going to be talked about for weeks to come,” said Mark Siegel, Managing Director of Golfasian. Indeed, the buzz about Vietnam’s golf courses has grown almost as loud as the motorbike horns that soundtrack daily life in major cities like Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Danang itself in recent years. Big-name architects like Sir Nick Faldo, Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, and Robert Trent Jones Jr have made their mark with a string of incredible layouts the length and breadth of the Southeast Asian country. Global accolades for the nation, including the coveted title of World’s Best Golf Destination at the 2021 World Golf Awards, fueled demand for travel during a period when Vietnam’s borders remained closed. With high-quality golf combining with incredible beaches and luxury resorts like the Pullman Danang Beach Resort, Central Vietnam is arguably the nation’s hub for golf tourism. It offers a range of attractions, including the heritage sites in history-steeped Hoi An. But for golfers, the evolving nature of the course scene is the area’s most compelling drawcard. “Many golfers won’t have been in Central Vietnam since 2019. It already had several championship courses at that time,” mentioned Peter McCarthy, Managing Director of Go Golfing. “Now, with the addition of Hoiana Shores and the Nicklaus course at BRG Danang Golf Resort, there’s even more.” For more information and registration details, visit www. vietnamworldmasters.com.
Audubon International Releases New Edition of “A Guide to Environmental Stewardship on the Golf Course” Audubon International – the environmentally focused nonprofit organization offering members numerous certifications and conservation initiatives to protect the areas where we all live, work, and play – has released the newly updated version of its “A Guide to
www.golfvacationsmag.com
Environmental Stewardship on the Golf Course.” This revised 3rd edition is available to all Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses (ASCP) members as part of the organization’s 35th anniversary celebration and replaces the 2nd edition, which was last updated in 2013. The new guide incorporates knowledge gained through Audubon International’s decades of experience helping golf courses serve as ecologically valuable green spaces, while reducing potential environmental impacts associated with golf course operations. “The 3rd edition closely reflects the expertise and experiences of the thousands of golf course superintendents, golf industry professionals, environmental organizations, researchers, and others, who have participated in the ASCP since 1991,” said Audubon International Chief Executive Officer Christine Kane. “We hope our members will refer to this new document frequently and allow it to guide them with sustainable practices already in place, as well as help introduce new ones at their courses, leading to tangible environmental results.” Every chapter in the 3rd edition has been updated to provide current information, resources, and links. Audubon International began its 35th anniversary on July 1 with the announcement that it would waive the enrollment fee for the first 35 new members of the ACSP, by using the code “35Years” during the application process. Bringing on 35 new members will equal an investment of $17,500 and kicked off a calendar year of other important initiatives, such as the release of the new guidebook. To learn more about how your local golf course, community or resort can gain recognition for your environmental efforts or to learn how to expand your initiatives through Audubon International’s numerous environmental certifications, visit www. auduboninternational.org or call toll free: 1-844-767-9051 On Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/AudubonInternational/ https://twitter.com/AudubonIntl
Golf Vacations • August 2022 15
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CHIPSHOTS Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Hole 2
Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club To Host National Golf Invitational Maricopa, AZ – Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club in Maricopa, Ariz. will be the host site for the inaugural National Golf Invitational in May 2023. Presented in partnership with Golfweek, the National Golf Invitational will feature a men’s and women’s competition, each with a maximum of 18 teams playing 54 holes of stroke play. Women will play May 11-14, with the men playing May 18-21. The exciting new collegiate event comes after the NCAA announced in May that it would allow schools to play in one season-ending event, similar to college basketball’s NIT. Golfweek’s Lance Ringler will serve as the National Golf Invitational’s tournament director and the field will be invitationonly as decided by a committee using both the Golfweek/Sagarin and Golfstat rankings along with a committee decision on teams that have a strong regular season. “This is something I have talked about for many years and am extremely excited to make this a reality. Many coaches over that time have expressed a want and a need for a second postseason event like we see in other sports and the sport is ready to support another postseason tournament,” said Ringler. “With the NCAA now allowing teams to play in one postseason event, teams that don’t find a path to the NCAA regional play can now look at what we are doing as an option.” “Ak-Chin Southern Dunes is excited to carry on our proud tradition of hosting high level championship events as the host site for the men’s and women’s National Golf Invitational,” said AkChin Southern Dunes General Manager Brady Wilson. “Certainly, the popularity of golf in the Valley of Sun and the growing exposure of college golf make for perfect timing to have a second National Championship event so that more college programs and student athletes are able to play into the post-season.” Ak-Chin Southern Dunes has played host to numerous major
16 Golf Vacations • August 2022
tournaments and events since opening in 2002, serving as an annual U.S. Open qualifying site, host site for the first stage of the PGA TOUR’s Korn Ferry Tour Q-School, and several top collegiate men’s and women’s golf tournaments, including the Copper Cup, a twoday Ryder Cup-style event featuring in-state rivals the University of Arizona and Arizona State University men’s golf teams. In addition, the course annually hosts top amateurs in the Desert Amateur in December and the Saguaro Amateur held in early January. Both events are part of the Troon Saguaro Amateur Series, a multi-tournament series providing high-level amateurs a chance to compete throughout the year. In 2026, Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club will be a host site for the Men’s Golf NCAA Regionals. The “Top 100 You Can Play” golf course will be one of six Regional sites in the U.S. with each site hosting 14 collegiate teams. The top five teams from each Regional will advance to the NCAA Championships to be held in 2026 at La Costa Resort and Spa in San Diego, Calif. Exact dates for the Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Regionals will be announced at a later date, but the tournament is expected to take place in mid-to-late May 2026. Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club was designed by Brian Curley and PGA TOUR veteran Fred Couples in 2002. Originally developed as a private club by private investors, the championship Australian Sandbelt-style golf course sits on 320 acres of land that was once a part of the Ak-Chin’s May 1912 reservation before it was removed by Presidential Executive Order in late 1912. Nearly 100 years later, in 2010, the Ak-Chin Community recovered its sacred land when it purchased the golf facility and opened the course to public play. The course currently boasts several coveted accolades, including being included on Golfweek’s coveted rankings of the “Top 100 Resort Courses” and “Best Courses You Can Play.” For more information on Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club, visit www.akchinsoutherndunes.com.
www.golfvacationsmag.com
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CHIPSHOTS
Troon Acquires Leading Golf Technology Company, ClubUp
SCOTTSDALE, AZ – Troon®, the leader in providing golf and club-related leisure and hospitality services, is pleased to announce it has acquired ClubUp, a leading golf technology and service company that currently caters to 65 golf clubs and resorts operating caddie programs domestically and internationally. As part of the acquisition, Troon will invest significantly in ClubUp technology, expanding and enhancing the current platform, while adding new features that partner clubs have requested. The existing ClubUp team will continue to lead the company and as part of the transaction, they along with other key ClubUp stakeholders, have elected to invest in Troon. “The team at ClubUp is very excited to be part of Troon,” said ClubUp Founder/ CEO Matthew Rose. “We remain committed to providing a world class platform for the over 8,000 independent contractors using ClubUp to provide caddie services. Our business model and operations will remain unchanged. The support and investment from Troon will enable us to add even more value to our customers. The time was right for ClubUp to be acquired and Troon was the ideal partner to help us take the next step as a leading golf technology company.” Founded in 2016 by brothers Matthew and Michael Rose, ClubUp provides innovative technology which helps improve the caddie experience for golfers and caddies at partner clubs and resorts. Additionally, ClubUp technology offers a more efficient way to schedule and communicate with caddies working at a partner club property. The improved communication and efficient logistics provided by ClubUp technology yield significant productivity improvements for caddie programs. ClubUp has added 25 new partner clubs to date in 2022 and currently has 65 partner clubs and resorts using their technology, including National Golf Links, Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, Los Angeles Country Club, Ridgewood Country Club and Cherry Hills Country Club. “We are proud, and extremely excited, to bring ClubUp into the Troon family of brands and services offered to the industry,” said Troon President and CEO Tim Schantz. “The ClubUp technology is second to none, with smart, dedicated and hard-working leaders who will continue to support the product, business and ClubUp clients moving forward. We are excited to see the next chapter for ClubUp and support their continued dedication to their impressive roster of existing clients and those to come.”
www.golfvacationsmag.com
Troon’s purchase of ClubUp continues its focused effort to build out services, scale and technology for the benefit of its clients. In May 2022, Troon acquired ICON Management Services, a Floridabased golf, tennis, amenity and community association management company, to expand its HOA management capabilities regionally and nationwide. Through the acquisitions of Peter Burwash International and Cliff Drysdale Management, the nation’s largest racket sports management company, Troon has furthered its expertise in racket sports, while the acquisition of RealFood Hospitality, Strategy and Design has furthered the company’s food and beverage knowledge and capabilities. In acquiring and combining industry leading golf management companies, including Honours Golf, Green Golf Partners, OB Sports Golf Management, Premier Golf Centers and Indigo Golf Partners, Troon has infused additional support, expertise and resources to associates as well as current and prospective clients. For more information on ClubUp, visit www.ClubUp.com.
Ed Oliver Golf Club Announces Namesake’s Biography Receives Top National Honor ZION CROSSROADS, VA – Ed Oliver Golf Club – located on the original site of Wilmington Country Club and serving the local community for over a century – announces the recent biography How He Played the Game: Ed “Porky” Oliver and Golf’s Greatest Generation, written by award-winning author John Riley garnered first place honors for nonfiction biography / history at the National Federation of Press Women’s annual awards ceremony. The annual competition considered over 2000 submissions in multiple categories from thirty-nine states. The biography had earlier received the top nonfiction book award of the Delaware Press Association in March. The story explores how Ed Oliver rose from the caddie ranks to become one of the leading professional golfers in the world. After winning the prestigious Western Open, he was suddenly pulled into the U.S. Army with an early draft call and would be away from the game longer than any of his tour competitors. After the war he would become a member of three Ryder Cup teams, serve as honorary captain of the 1961 team, and finish second in three major championships. This book portrays more than Oliver’s story. It is a look into how many professionals returned home
after serving their country and built the modern golf tour. They could be called, “Golf’s Greatest Generation.” “Unfortunately, golf history has lost sight of one of its finest. While Porky Oliver is sometimes mentioned by writers and historians, he has never received the acclaim he deserves,” says Riley. “Beloved by fans and fellow players, a 1957 Sports Illustrated profile called him the most popular player on the circuit. His outstanding record will be recalled next month when the BMW Championship comes to his hometown - to the club that gave him his start.” Ed Oliver Golf Club was built on the old site of Wilmington Country Club, which opened in 1901. All that remains of the original design is a 100-year-old chimney located on the signature 18th hole. John Reid designed the first layout that was later recrafted twice, first by Alfred H. Tull, and later by Edmund B. Ault in 1971. The layout has essentially remained the same since and continues to be an asset for the Wilmington community. “We are honored to carry Ed Oliver’s namesake and legacy that John Riley described so well in his book, How He Played the Game,” says Mary Leneweaver, general manager of Ed Oliver Golf Club. “Oliver’s perseverance and commitment to the game set the roadmap for Wilmington’s golf community today. We have changed tremendously from the place where Oliver caddied, but his spirit lives on at the oldest course in the state.” For more information or to order the book, please visit: https://www. olivergolfbook.com/.
Golf Vacations • August 2022 17
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CHIPSHOTS Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco
New, Exclusive Tuscany Golf Experience at Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco Golfers travelling to Italy, where The Ryder Cup will be played in 2023, are being invited to a new, exclusive Tuscany golf experience at Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco, Travel + Leisure’s newly crowned No. 1 Hotel in the World. Residents staying at the five-star luxury hilltop resort near Montalcino, set within a 5,000-acre, 800-year-old Tuscan estate, now benefit from exclusive access to The Club at Castiglion del Bosco, Italy’s only private golf club. The 18-hole championship golf course, which ranks No.1 course in Italy by Leading Courses (July 2022), is one of the finest private courses in Europe and the only Continental European design of acclaimed architect Tom Weiskopf. The former Open Champion and Ryder Cup player’s Tuscan masterpiece is exquisitely blended into the soft curves and contours of the estate’s rolling hills and valleys, with panoramic views across the Val d’Orcia, a UNESCO protected landscape. Famously, Weiskopf added a short 19th hole, The Brunello Hole, where Members and Residents can settle matches and play for a Magnum of Brunello di Montalcino from the estate’s prestigious winery. In addition to heading the list of The 100 Best Hotels in the World*, Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco was also ranked Best Resort in Europe and Best Resort in Italy by readers of Travel + Leisure. “Italy is now a sought-after golf travel destination and for the many discerning golf travellers coming to Italy ahead of next year’s Ryder Cup, we wished to create a unique opportunity to
18 Golf Vacations • August 2022
experience the very best of Tuscany at the World’s No.1 hotel and Italy’s only private golf club,” said David Waters, General Manager of The Club at Castiglion del Bosco. “So we are delighted to be able to offer limited reserved tee times exclusively to our hotel residents including privileged access to the clubhouse for lunch and dinner.” Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco offers 42 suites that exude a rich sense of authenticity, with heritage features, antique furnishings, local textiles and artisanal accessories. In addition, 11 one-of-a-kind luxury Tuscan villas dot the landscape, each created from restored 17th- and 18th-century Tuscan farmhouses. These private homes provide luxurious lodging and feature heated pools, terraces, pergolas and gardens—all framed by the unmatched natural beauty of the Tuscan countryside. The estate’s organic-certified vineyards occupy 62 hectares of stunningly beautiful Tuscan hillsides, planted solely with the Sangiovese red wine grape variety responsible for the soughtafter Brunello di Montalcino wines. The state-of-the-art winery, named one of the top ten wineries to visit in Tuscany by Decanter magazine, regularly hosts tours and tastings, as well as private social events. The new, exclusive Tuscany Golf Experience includes: • A stay at Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco for two guests in a Suite • Daily breakfast for two • 2 x 18-hole rounds (advanced reserved tee times, 8am-10am only, subject to availability) per day of stay • Rental equipment
www.golfvacationsmag.com
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CHIPSHOTS • Golf cart • Practice range • One meal a day for two (either lunch or dinner, excluding alcoholic beverages) at one of the Resort’s restaurants: – Osteria La Canonica, open for lunch and dinner – Restaurant Campo del Drago, open for dinner (closed on Sunday and Monday) – The Clubhouse Restaurant open for dinner on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday (closed from October 31st, 2022) Tuscany Golf Experience prices start from: € 1,870 per day on a half board, double occupancy basis. Golf is subject to availability and by advanced reservation only. Information and reservations: rosewoodhotels. com, castigliondelbosco. com, cdelbosco.reservations@ rosewoodhotels.com
www.golfvacationsmag.com
Hole #2 at Castiglion del Bosco - photo by Steve Carr
Golf Vacations • August 2022 19
RESORT REPORT
Quivira Golf Course
in a word: Unbeliev Breathtaking, Sp 20 Golf Vacations • August 2022
www.golfvacationsmag.com
by DAVE MCKIBBEN
LOS CABOS, MEXICO 8th Green
12th Green at Sunset
vable, pectacular www.golfvacationsmag.com
Golf Vacations • August 2022 21
RESORT REPORT
T
here is a fast-play movement afoot in the sport of golf—15-hole courses, shorter times to find lost balls, maximum scores per hole and time limits per stroke. But that movement hasn’t gained much traction at the Quivira Golf Club in Los Cabos, an epic Jack Nicklaus design marked by massive sand dunes, sheer cliffs, rolling foothills and jaw-dropping views of the Pacific Ocean. The official pace of play on the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula is five hours, 5½-hour rounds are common. “Golf here in Cabo has become a very unique experience,” said Antonio Reynante, Quivira’s director of golf. “People know they’re not going to play as fast as they would on their local course. The vibe is different and since we have a lot of heat in the summertime, it’s always good to have some refreshment areas and that’s the spirit of the comfort stations.” Comfort stations, which rose to popularity in the 1940s and 1950s at Mexican Country Clubs, are strategically sprinkled around Quivira, giving players a compelling reason to pause or reset their round. The four refreshment stations are included in the green fees, which range from $233 to $380, depending on the season and time of day. A fifth comfort station may be in the works on the back nine. The most remote and stunning comfort station, “The Cliffs,” is perched atop a cliff that overlooks the Pacific Ocean
22 Golf Vacations • August 2022
and the Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Golf & Spa Resort. The adventurous 10-minute trek from the fourth green up the side of a mountain along a narrow cart path is well worth it. What awaits golfers who need a break from the Cabo heat and Quivira’s tight fairways, tricky greens and blind approach shots is a small restaurant packed with croissant sandwiches, breakfast burritos, fresh fruit and brownies. The bar is stocked with high-end tequila, an assortment of cervezas and bottled waters. While sipping a mango margarita, you can check out the jumping manta rays show in the ocean, some 300 feet below. “We get a lot of ‘unbelievable,’ ‘breathtaking’ and ‘spectacular’ comments from golfers the first time they experience it,” Reynante said. “What I love about the comfort stations is you can literally have a sit-down lunch experience while you’re playing, rather than having a hot dog in your golf cart from an ugly beverage cart.” A halfway house situated near the eighth green, called the “Oasis” showcases the culinary talents of the resort’s chefs, with flavorful, inventive takes on regional Baja cuisine. In addition, a full bar features Blanco, reposado and anejo tequilas. Players can refresh themselves a final time at the “Cañada” comfort station, next to the 16th tee, which sits high above the course and marks the layout’s return home.
www.golfvacationsmag.com
LOS CABOS, MEXICO Aire Poolside Restaurant at Pacifica Pueblo Bonito
Drinks at the popular Comfort Stations
www.golfvacationsmag.com
Four Comfort Stations give players a break to rest and cool off
Golf Vacations • August 2022 23
RESORT REPORT The semi-private Quivira course, 15 minutes from downtown Cabo San Lucas, is available only to Pueblo Bonito resort guests and homeowners in the Quivira Los Cabos Community. Debuting in 2014, Quivira quickly established itself as one of the elite courses in Mexico and the world--Golf Digest included it in its list of the “World’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses.” The golf course isn’t the only spot at the Pueblo Bonito Resort & Spa where comfort can be found. The Pueblo Bonito Pacifica, located on a mile stretch of pristine beach on the Pacific Ocean is a tranquil and romantic retreat for adults that offers full-service amenities
and facilities, including four restaurants, a wellness-inspired spa, a large pool with a swim-up bar and a butler. The butler manages check-in and check-out, arranges dinner reservations, spa treatments and can order specialty items for your mini bar. The property also features a luxury all-inclusive plan that includes not only Pacifica’s four restaurants, but also the restaurants at three sister resorts in Cabo San Lucas. It wasn’t that long ago that San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas were known more for sport fishing than golf. But thanks to an abundance of prime real estate along the Sea of Cortez and Pacific Ocean and imaginative layouts by
Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Golf & Spa Resort
24 Golf Vacations • August 2022
www.golfvacationsmag.com
LOS CABOS, MEXICO legendary golfers-turned architects such as Nicklaus, Davis Love III, Greg Norman and Tiger Woods, Cabo is now clearly a golfer’s paradise.
second course will be protected by the mountain of the new lighthouse from the strong winds. The fairways will be wider, so people can really go after it.”
And it won’t be long before Quivira golfers will have another place to play. A second course, another Nicklaus signature design, will break ground in the fall and is scheduled to open in mid-2024.
In April, Pueblo Bonito announced the formation of a new brand—Pueblo Bonito Vantage, for the discerning, experienced traveler who seeks superior service, highend design and unique experiences. Vantage will include upscale accommodations, oversized suites, enhanced amenities, superior service and authentic experiences. The first property to represent the new brand, the Pueblo Bonito Vantage San Miguel de Allende, is scheduled to open during the first half of next year.
Reynante said the second course promises to be less challenging than the first course. “The land is more gentle, so the slope will be easier,” he said. “The first course has a lot of exposure to the Pacific Ocean breezes. The
www.golfvacationsmag.com
Golf Vacations • August 2022 25
Private Clubs Offer a Pe
Champion Hills Firepit
26 Golf Vacations • August 2022
www.golfvacationsmag.com
ermanent Golf Vacation by Shane Sharp
www.golfvacationsmag.com
Golf Vacations • August 2022 27
J
ust two years ago, country clubs nearly resorted to begging to get new members to join. Many lowered or eliminated initiation fees, significantly impacting their capital budgets. Others reduced monthly dues or waived food and beverage minimum, negatively affecting their operating budgets. Fast forward to the midway point of 2022, and my how the times have changed. Private golf clubs from Florida to California have not only reinstated initiation fees, but many have also doubled or even tripled the price to join. According to several industry sources, the average monthly dues for full golf memberships at clubs throughout the U.S. have increased by as much as 15%. In white-hot Sun Belt markets in Florida, the Carolinas, Texas, Arizona and Utah, up to 80% of clubs have waitlists now extending beyond six months. And if you think it’s just the lower tier properties, think again. A recent survey by Golf Life Navigators revealed that clubs with initiation fees over $90,000 had the longest waitlists. Against this backdrop, what’s a golfer in the market for a new country club membership to do? For starters, they need to do their research, and plenty of it. There are still plenty of options in dozens of markets as hundreds of clubs
have responded with new and creative membership categories to meet this unprecedented demand. 55: The New 65 If you see Heather Myers with her feet propped up in her office in Champion Hills’ clubhouse, she’s not blowing off work. Rather, the club’s long-time membership and marketing director just needs to take a load off. Over the past two years, she’d hosted hundreds of tours for prospective members. That’s not a type-o. “We’ve hosted a record number of club tours so far this year and don’t expect it to slow down anytime soon,” Myers says. “Our buyers have flexibility when it comes to remote work. They can work from their home here at Champion Hills or commute to an office several times a month.” Like many private clubs, Champion Hills is quickly approaching its full golf membership limit. This, in large part, is due to the club’s foresight in creating innovative, flexible membership categories that respond to the current demand from generations X and Y. In 2021, Champion Hills rolled out its Equity 55 Membership, or “E-55” for short. E-55 was designed to meet the uptick in demand from a younger demographic that discovered country
clubs during the pandemic. For many of them, golf – then deemed a safe outdoor activity – was the attraction. For others, it was access to kids’ camps, programming, and amenities like swimming pools and tennis courts. With E-55, the club’s initiation fee is divided into four equal payments over four years, dues and replacement reserve fund contributions are reduced by 50% and the club’s annual food and beverage minimum is prorated for new members for the first year. “It’s been a game-changer for us in terms of being able to respond to a seismic shift in the market,” Myers says. “We have more members who are still working full time with school or collegeage kids, and the percentage of members who live here year-round has increased dramatically.” At Santa Lucia Preserve, Carmel, Calif., the target demo is just as young or younger. Its Preserve Golf Club and Ranch Club offer an “Associate Program” for those under age 45 for the “Legacy” and “Traditional Club Memberships” on a limited basis. The program allows those who qualify and are approved to join either club (or both) with less upfront investment. The Associate Program requires payment of 50% of the total initiation fee upon joining with the remaining balance
The Club at Olde Cypress 18th Hole & Clubhouse
28 Golf Vacations • August 2022
www.golfvacationsmag.com
Apple Valley No. 14 Red Rocks
due no later than the 45th birthdate. Associate members pay regular, annual dues commensurate with the Legacy or Traditional category. For golf in particular, the program has proven to be a great opportunity for younger people to explore membership comfortably. Naples Renewed Naples, Fla., affectionately dubbed “The Golf Capital of the World,” once had no shortage of private club options for newly relocated golfers from points north. Now, local industry experts estimate that around 80% of country clubs in Collier County have waitlists. At The Club at Olde Cypress, the full golf membership category recently sold out. However, the club still offers an “Associate Golf Membership” that affords the same privileges during the off-season from May through October. According to Director of Membership and Marketing Melissa Hansen, the “AGM” is ideal for golfers transitioning from public or semi-private golf into a private golf club situation or those working full-time and having less time to play golf during the peak season. The AGM grants unlimited use of the golf course for those six months for cart fee only and unrestricted use of the practice facilities year-round. Tee times are available two days in advance – more than ample given the limited number of members utilizing the club during that span. During the peak season (November through April), AGMs are allotted 12 tee times for a reduced green and cart fee. Olde Cypress’ reciprocal program is one of the most robust in the region. It allows AGMs (and full golf members) to play 40 other private clubs in the area from May through October. Naples-area clubs stagger the days they’re closed in the summer, so all Olde Cypress members have a place to play seven days a week. Privately owned and operated, the influx of new members at Olde Cypress over the past few years has helped the club reinvest in its future. Its P.B. Dye-designed golf course was completely remastered in 2021 with new turf grass on tees, www.golfvacationsmag.com
fairways and greens, and the golf shop and second floor of the 34,000-square-foot clubhouse were updated with contemporary furniture, fixtures and décor. Semi-Private, Semi-Retired In the golf industry, the saying used to be “semi-private means semi-public.” But as the game strives for inclusivity, a bifurcated public-private business model is overwhelmingly positive. Semi-private courses offer many of the same benefits as private clubs, such as members only events, seasonal tournaments, golf shop discounts and member charge accounts. Rumbling Bald on Lake Lure in Western N.C. recently dropped “resort” from its official title and has leaned into its persona as a semi-private operation. The 3,000-acre golf panacea is a mountain golf community with two 18-hole golf courses, rental villas and homes, and ample amenities including a spa, tennis courts and marina. Rumbling Bald is now positioned as a “retreat,” whether it be for a long weekend or year-round relocation. On its Apple Valley and Bald Mountain golf courses, members blend seamlessly with vacation rental guests and daily fee players from around the area. The initiation fee is waived for those who sign a 12-month promissory note and monthly dues for both the individual and family memberships include all greens and cart fees and unlimited range balls. Variety is a big part of the allure of Rumbling Bald. Not only do members have access to 36 holes, but Apple Valley and Bald Mountain serve up two divergent golf experiences. Apple Valley, designed by Dan Maples, features a layout devoid of the usual blind tee shots and uneven lies typically associated with mountain courses. Bald Mountain, on the other hand, makes its way up and around its namesake via numerous doglegs and changes in direction. “Our mission is subterfuge: we want to get you outside, not just the golf but the lake, hiking and fishing,” Rumbling Bald General Manager Jeff Geisler told Metro Golf Magazine, recently. “We think if we do that, you’ll fall in love with the place.” Golf Vacations • August 2022 29
RainDance Natio
Farmageddon Meets North Am
30 Golf Vacations • August 2022
www.golfvacationsmag.com
onal Golf Course:
merica’s Longest Golf Course
by David R. Holland
Photos by David R. Holland and RainDance National Golf
www.golfvacationsmag.com
Golf Vacations • August 2022 31
W
INDSOR, Colo. -- RainDance National Golf Course -- its where Farmageddon meets North America’s newly crowned longest golf course of 8,463 yards.
and metal from Lind’s farm equipment scrap heap. Weathered fence posts serve as the course signage. The address is 1775 Hoedown Hill.
The July 12 Grand Opening celebrated 300 acres that are aimed to be a part of a master-planned community for Colorado families looking to live, play and work close to amenities that are second to none.
Sure, courses have been developed on farm land before, but never one this creative and entertaining.
All the while RainDance National pays homage to four generations of Northern Colorado farming where developer Martin Lind’s family worked sweet corn, wheat and sugar beet fields, endured grueling Depression hard times and eventually redirected the dream to residential, commercial, industrial developments and golf.
The RainDance Dream A meeting between Lind and PGA Tour player Fred Funk some 11 years ago was the beginning.
The farm-themed golf exhibition is apparent from first sight of The Country Store Silo complex that serves as the pro shop. One passes a dust-bowl era 1932 Ford Model A pickup on the way to the first tee. A John Deere 45 combine is positioned behind the 11th green serving as an aiming point for uphill approach shots. Rotary hoe cultivators are your tee markers and there are thousands of them incorporated into the countless welded landscape features. Even the G.O.A.T. Ranch pitch-and-putt course and parking lot illumination comes from sculpted towers of welded parts 32 Golf Vacations • August 2022
Yee haw.
When the 2008 recession hit Lind said he was going broke fast, dimming his vision to create more communities where people could stay close to home and play and work. The financial institutions weren’t cooperating, but he discovered if he had a jet he could borrow against it. At the same time Funk was looking to unload his jet since paydays on the Champions Tour were not as hefty as when he played on the PGA Tour. They met, had an instant connection and talked about creating a new golf course on this dramatic land with 20- to 30-foot deep, rugged arroyos that flow down to the Cache la Poudre River some 55 miles north of Denver. Lind did have experience after building Pelican Lakes, a 27www.golfvacationsmag.com
hole golf community in 1999. He had purchased more land over 36 years, founded The Water Valley Company, but the pesky gnat was that recession. “I asked Fred if he had ever designed a golf course,” Lind said. “Fred said no but it is on my bucket list and he had a million ideas.” Harrison Minchew was hired as the designer with Funk as consultant. Minchew is a 37-year member of the American Society of Golf Course Architects who spent 26 years with Arnold Palmer Design. Design is a big Rocky Mountain adventure “It’s an amazing setting with the river and the riparian area allowing all the wildlife to play and have safe harbor in these arroyos that have been here for thousands of years,” Lind said. “I think it is going to be a fun course for the novice, but challenging also for the studs.” Lind also loves that at the high point you are in this very arid terrain with prickly-pear cactus, but when you get down to the bottom of the golf course (225-foot elevation change) in the river bottom you have a tee box next to the 100-year-old cottonwoods and wetlands of the Cache la Poudre River. Back on top, the vista of the Rocky Mountains is something Lind thinks everyone will pause and take time to gaze upon. “The land demands big,” Funk said. “There are big fairways, big greens and big bunkers, and right out of the gate we’re starting at the top of the property aiming the tee, the fairway and the green at 14,259-foot Longs Peak and that’s part of why it was just a perfect property to become one of the top locations anywhere.” Minchew said he had never worked with arroyos like at RainDance. “When you have huge arroyos, native grasses and vegetation, those are features that give an architect an
www.golfvacationsmag.com
extraordinary opportunity for a great golf course,” Minchew said. The Funkyard, The Firepit, G.O.A.T. Ranch More farming “art” pieces can be found in The Funkyard driving range (there’s actually two plots where you pound balls) and nearby Firepit where views of holes four, seven and eight open up for fellowship and star gazing. Lind said Minchew designed the No. 9 green into the G.O.A.T. Ranch (61,500- square feet). “That’s Colorado’s largest green right there,” Lind said. “We think it will be a fun place for the whole family to spend time and enjoy golf with friends.” The mammoth green is shaped like a triangle and has six bunkers. One can also use the complex as a par-three hitting shots to it from the first and second tees, measuring up to 160 yards. Then there’s Hoedown Hill, a 12-acre plot adjacent to the Silo pro shop that is the highest point in Windsor and is scheduled for bunny slope skiing and sledding, mountain biking and a proposed hotel. The RainDance Roadhouse, the BBQ food truck, is open during your round of golf. It is situated in The Country Store Silo pro shop complex. A clubhouse in the planning might be placed in an area above the 18th green and cabins or glamping opportunities are possible in the future. RainDance’s place in new course history “Just think about it,” Lind said during the grand opening ceremonies. “How many courses do you know of opening in the past 20 years? Not many.” In Colorado, a renovated City Park Golf Course opened a couple
Golf Vacations • August 2022 33
Aurora. The community will have approximately 1,700 homes as well as a PGA level golf course and country club on the site, located at E-470 and Parker Road. So, back to that longest course in North America tagline. Longest in the world is Dragon Snow Mountain Golf Club in Lijiang, China, at 8,548 yards. In Colorado, Antler Creek in Falcon (8,058 yards) and TPC Colorado are long. The Korn Ferry Tour’s TPC Colorado Championship at Heron Lakes plays at 7,991. Other USA qualifiers? That’s The International Golf Club’s Pines Course in Bolton, Mass. (8,325 yards), Ross Bridge in Hoover, Ala. (8,191), and the Pete Dye Course at French Link Resort in Indiana (8,102). RainDance National Golf Course is so well done it has to be on your list of travel golf opportunities in Colorado. “The first thing that caught my eye at RainDance National was the dramatic property. The course is big in scale, and sits on exceptional land with extraordinary natural landforms throughout,” said Allan Long, Director of Event Services at The Broadmoor World Arena. “Harrison Minchew and Fred Funk did a wonderful job incorporating the arroyos and other native features into the design to create a great variety of holes that are equal parts challenging, stunning and fun. of years ago in Denver along with TPC Colorado in 2018 in Berthoud. Flying Horse Ranch in Colorado Springs opened its North Course in 2019. The Oakwood Land Company announced recently it has purchased Kings Point, the 907-acre property in southeast
34 Golf Vacations • August 2022
“At the end of the day, I found RainDance National to be a memorable golf experience, and the minute I holed out on number 18, I wanted to go back to the first tee.” Yep, let’s play 36. RainDance National is not to be missed.
www.golfvacationsmag.com
www.golfvacationsmag.com
Golf Vacations • August 2022 35
SWEETSTUFF by Terry Ross
Titleist Introduces Tour Speed and Tour Soft Balls
A
s has been their tradition, Titleist has produced golf balls that allow players to select a model to suit their needs and type of game. Two new Titleist golf balls that have hit the market continue to provide innovation and allow a customization that is impressive. The initial Tour Speed golf ball by Titleist was first introduced two years ago--and was the company’s first high performance, multilayer golf ball with a proprietary cover. This ball was built for maximum speed and a penetrating flight—but still allowing for control and feel around the greens with good spin and a soft feel for a distance ball. The new 2022 edition of this ball has a reformulated core that delivers high speed, and a proprietary high flex casing layer, uniquely designed for this golf ball to maintain low long game spin. This ball maintains its proprietary Titleist Performance Urethane (TPU) cover – specifically formulated by Titleist Golf Ball R&D chemists--and 346 quadrilateral dipyramid dimple design.
“The key to the development process was successfully reformulating the core and high-flex casing layer to perform in conjunction with the proprietary Titleist Performance Urethane (TPU) cover to our stringent quality tolerances, so the golf ball performs consistently on every shot,” said Frederick Waddell, Director of Product Management for Titleist. “The Titleist Performance Urethane cover material is innovative and best in class,” said Mike Madson, Senior Director, Research and Engineering. “We did maintain the 346 quadrilateral dipyramid dimple pattern based on feedback from the Tour Speed golfer who prefers its penetrating mid-flight trajectory and long distance.” The Titleist Tour Speed ball is now available in global markets in both white and yellow. For those players looking for an emphasis on feel and softness, the third generation of the Titleist Tour Soft ball now offers even more feel and tightness coming off the putter head than in previous editions of this ball. It is the company’s ultimate ball for feel. “The Tour Soft golfer prioritizes feel and seeks the softest possible, but they are also looking for all around performance,” said Jeremy Stone, Vice President, Titleist Golf Ball Marketing. “The new Tour Soft has been
36 Golf Vacations • August 2022
reengineered for improved performance from tee through green.” At 1.600 inches, the Tour Soft retains one of the largest core sizes in the Titleist golf ball portfolio and the same soft compression as the current generation. Such a large core requires an extremely thin cover, and Titleist developed the thin 4CE grafted cover which helps generate reliable greenside spin for short game playability. The Tour Soft golf ball features a new aerodynamic design--the 346 quadrilateral dipyramid dimple design--that delivers optimized ball flight for longer distance. “Just like any of our golf ball products, we are always looking for a dimple pattern that is specific to each model and works best for that design,” noted Madson. “In the new Tour Soft, we saw an opportunity to improve upon the aerodynamics and improve upon the longer distance players were seeking.” According to Madson, the 346 quadrilateral dipyramid dimple design was not on the original radar for the new Tour Soft golf ball: “Our team developed many designs and went down a myriad of paths from a research standpoint, but it wasn’t until the Tour Speed golf ball when we tested and determined the quadrilateral dipyramid dimple pattern made for an efficient way to process an injection molded cover. We never planned to put the same pattern on the Tour Soft, and we looked at a multitude of other dimple counts and patterns within the same family that might work better. But when it came to optimized ball flight and total performance, the 346 quadrilateral dipyramid pattern was clearly the best.” While it may have the same aerodynamic package as the reformulated Tour Speed, in comparison, the Tour Soft will fly slightly lower due to the unique construction, primarily the large soft core as compared to the multi-layer Tour Speed. The Tour Speed ball is also available in both white and yellow. The new alignment markings on both new models are a huge improvement for many players that use these to help with setting up their putts. For more information on the new Titleist golf balls: www.titleist.com.
FJ Tour Alpha
T
he new FootJoy Tour Alpha is the company’s ultimate Tour and performance shoe that combines super stability during the swing—yet is extremely comfortable to walk in and needs no breaking in. The feeling of this shoe is like you are attached to the ground— which is the basis for a solid golf swing. In addition to the light feel of the ChromoSkin leather, developed by Pittards® of England, the shoe is guaranteed 100% waterproof for at least two years. Tour Alpha also features the proprietary Optimized Performance Stabilizer system (OPS) that works to lock you in, allowing you to swing away with full force. This is the most advanced stability system ever created by FootJoy. The Laser Plus Last offers a full rounded toe character, standard fit across forefoot and instep, with a slightly narrow heel. Thicker insole provides increased underfoot cushioning for enhanced comfort. The insert system refers to the type of receptacle found on the sole of your golf shoes. The insert system also determines the type of cleat that will fit your golf shoes. This model utilizes the Fast Twist 3.0 cleat system with Pulsar spikes. The Fast Twist 3.0 cleat system is the most advanced insert system on the market. The lower profile
www.golfvacationsmag.com
SWEETSTUFF
design offers improved comfort while still securing each cleat with consistent torque for maximum comfort. The proprietary TruFit System and Dual-Durometer FTF+ Foam midsole provides stability where you need it and cushioning where you want it. OrthoLite® ImpressionsTM FitBed® provides immediate step-in comfort and molds to the shape of your foot over time to provide even greater comfort. Another feature of this advance shoe is it not only comes in a laced model, but also has a BOA and Dual BOA model, which enables the wearer to eliminate the laces and dial in an even greater custom fit. This is a great shoe for those looking for stability during the swing—yet extremely light and comfortable to wear for 18 holes. The Tour Alpha comes in several attractive color combinations, including White/Gray/Lime; White/Gray/Blue and Black/Red. In addition, it comes in Gray/Orange (BOA); White/Gray/Lime (BOA) and White/Navy/Gray (Dual BOA). For more information: www.FootJoy.com
extraordinary courses designed by The King himself, bringing the most iconic holes to life on a canopy built for the most tumultuous of the back nines. The Fairway Camo features holes from Bay Hill Club & Lodge, among others--and is available in both collapsible and golf size--which measures 62 inches open. Stirred from the legend’s favorite beverage, the green Arnold Palmer Micro Drink umbrella features a tone-on-tone design for an elevated nod to The King’s lasting legacy. The micropattern displays tiny umbrellas as well as drink glasses, bottles and lemon wedges of the famed Arnold Palmer drink. The Arnold Palmer Micro Drink is available in both collapsible and golf sizes as well. “We’re so grateful to be partners with the team at Arnold Palmer Enterprises and we’ve thoroughly enjoyed bringing the Arnold Palmer Fairway Camo and Arnold Palmer Micro Drink designs to life,” said Tyler Kupper, Partner at Weatherman Umbrella. “Mr. Palmer’s legacy is one that reaches beyond the golf world and we’re fortunate to play a small role in keeping his story alive.” Weatherman has won numerous golf industry awards for its designs and quality and has been part of the official Ryder Cup equipment used by the U.S. team. The new releases continue the tradition of sturdy and substantial products designed with not only industrial-strength fiberglass framing to withstand winds up to 55 mph and repel the rain, but also UPF 50+ coverage within the fabric for when the sun’s rays are really heating up. A special water-repelling technology is used for fast drying, an ergonomic handle for a comfortable grip and reflective accents for safety are all included--and each is covered by a lifetime warranty. For the golf umbrellas, a new smaller yet still automatic handle has been developed that will universally fit every pushcart used on any golf course. Each golf product also includes a pocket inside the canopy for tees and gloves, as well as a silicon coated rib to hang your towel on—eliminating any worry about it slipping off and getting wet. More information on the entire Weatherman Umbrella Arnold Palmer Collection can be found at: https://www. weathermanumbrella.com/arnold-palmer/
Weatherman Arnold Palmer Umbrellas
F
or anyone wanting to add a little style to their golf bag—not to mention the real necessity of protection from the elements, the Arnold Palmer-themed umbrellas from Weatherman accomplishes all of that and more while paying homage to the king himself. Two new releases to the Arnold Palmer Collection by Weatherman pay tribute to his golf course designs and to his contribution to the famous beverage named after him. The Arnold Palmer Fairway Camo is inspired by the most
www.golfvacationsmag.com
Golf Vacations • August 2022 37
38 Golf Vacations • August 2022
www.golfvacationsmag.com
www.golfvacationsmag.com
Golf Vacations • August 2022 39
40 Golf Vacations • August 2022
www.golfvacationsmag.com
