OUR 13th YEAR!
THIS MONTH: My Turn • SweetStuff • ChipShots
GOLF VACATIONS AUGUST 2015
COLORADO’S IRONBRIDGE REBORN
FEEL THE RUSH
CANADIAN ROCKIES Plus: GOLF ATLANTIC CITY • TPC PACKAGE PLAYS www.golfvacationsmag.com
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GOLF VACATIONS AUGUST 2015
Silvertip Resort Golf Course – Canmore, Alberta, Canada
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Chip Shots
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Colorado’s Ironbridge Reborn by David R. Holland GLENWOOD SPRINGS, CO – The Lost Horizon is a beautiful, rugged, trailblazer-like stretch of four golf holes starting the back nine of Ironbridge Golf Club. It is for adventurous, ravine-crossing, proficient golfers and begins after a one mile cart climb in elevation from the clubhouse high above the Roaring Fork Valley floor.
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Canadian Rockies Golf by Tim Cotroneo Rush is Canada’s most famous rock band. A rush is also the sensation you can’t help but feel when playing golf in the Alberta Canadian Rockies. Where else in the world do golf courses embrace skyscraping mountain vistas on every hole? Where else is there a 50/50 chance of spying an elk or a bear at any moment during your 18 holes? Where else can you top off a picturesque round with the thrill of adding 10 yards to each shot by playing in altitude with an attitude?
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Golf Atlantic City
ATLANTIC CITY, NJ — Incorporating the area’s proper parlance, it would be a safe bet to call Atlantic City one of the finest midsized golf destinations east of the Mississippi: A “Shore Thing” if you will.
Sweet Stuff
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by Terry Ross
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CONTRIBUTINGWRITERS Tim Cotroneo is a Mineapolis-based freelance writer specializing in Caribbean travel, business, and golf. Tim is a long-time contributor to Tee Times Press and he’s also the Travel Writer for American Business Magazine.
Executive Editor Jeffrey Diaz
David R. Holland is an award-winning former sportswriter for The Dallas Morning News, football magazine publisher, and author of The Colorado Golf Bible. Holland, whose favorite golf moment was teeing it up with former Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry, 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 (UK). He also worked for the Dallas Cowboys Weekly, United Press International and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
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.
JD Latorre is a freelance travel writer currently calling South Florida his home base. He has a knack for finding himself in some of the world’s most exotic locations, including Bangkok, Montego Bay, Bogata, Havana, Cabo San Lucas, St. Kitts, Cancun and Marseilles. His past lives included working for the Miami Herald, Chicago Daily Herald, Boston Globe, Daily News of Los Angles and Southern California Golf Newspaper.
Associate Editor Terry Ross
Features Editor Larry Feldman
Senior Writers JD Latorre Andy Reistetter Fred Robledo
For Editorial:
call (760) 774-2655 e-mail: Info@GolfVacationsMag.com
Regional Advertising Los Angeles Terry Ross • 949-279-7801 terryr@GolfVacationsMag.com Atlanta Harold Chambliss • 770-239-7500 haroldc@GolfVacationsMag.com
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portsMedia publications
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Destiny Media, LLC 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 2015 SportsMedia Publications, all rights reserved and may not be reproduced in any manner, in whole or in part, without written permission from the publisher.
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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CHIPSHOTS
Sheraton Hacienda Del Mar Golf & Spa Resort Entices Golf Enthusiasts With Unlimited Play At Cabo Del Sol
Los Cabos, Mexico – The all new Sheraton Hacienda del Mar Golf & Spa Resort, Los Cabos has introduced an Unlimited Golf Package that invites golfers of all levels to golf till they drop at Cabo del Sol’s two worldrenowned championship-style golf courses. The AAA Four Diamond resort’s Unlimited Golf Package includes a fournight stay for two in deluxe guest room accommodations and unlimited golf at Cabo del Sol’s Jack Nicklaus Signature Ocean course and the Tom Weiskopf-designed Desert course. Complimentary daily buffet breakfast at the resort’s Tomatoes Restaurant overlooking the Sea of Cortez and full access to the resort’s gym, sauna and steam room are also included. “With two of the world’s best golf courses just a chip shot away, we often welcome passionate golfers to our resort,” said Renato Mendonca, General Manager of the Sheraton Hacienda del Mar. “Their love of the game inspired us to introduce a limited-time package that would provide them with the opportunity to enjoy unlimited play at Cabo del Sol during their stay.”
Guests can book the Unlimited Golf Package for visits between October 1, 2015 and May 31, 2016, with rates starting at $415 a night. For more information on the Sheraton Hacienda del Mar Golf & Spa Resort’s Unlimited Golf Package, or to make reservations, please call 52-624-145-8000 or visit www.sheratonloscabos.com. The Sheraton Hacienda del Mar Golf & Spa Resort, one of the first properties to reopen after Hurricane Odile, recently completed a multi-million dollar renovation throughout. All guestrooms, public areas, restaurants, fitness facilities and function spaces have been updated and improved to offer the ultimate in guest comfort and amenities.
Hilton Head Golf Island Unveils 2015 Fall Golf Packages
HILTON HEAD, SC – Hilton Head Golf Island (HHGI) – a collection of premier resorts and courses in one of the world’s greatest golf destinations – announces numerous golf group packages for the fall. Exclusive offers, exceptional values and awe-inspiring Lowcountry scenery are all available for groups through these golf packages. Two national publications recently recognized HHGI with prestigious honors.
Golf Digest ranked HHGI in the top 10 in seven categories including “Best Courses” and “Best Weather,” and GOLF.com’s inaugural “Golfers’ Choice Awards” tabbed it a Top 10 Most Dreamed About U.S. Golf Destination. A sampling of packages offered at www. hiltonheadgolfisland.com: The Heritage Golf Collection “Fore” Golf Package – Golfers stay four nights in villa accommodations and select four rounds from Port Royal Golf & Racquet Club, Shipyard, Palmetto Hall Plantation and Oyster Reef with complimentary range balls, all starting at $155 per person/per night (based on quad occupancy). The package also includes a welcome tee gift, breakfast at the golf clubs, a Heritage Golf Collection VIP discount card, and all taxes and fees. Available Sept. 8 – Nov. 7, the package is not valid on previous purchases, and availability and pricing are subject to change. Palmetto Dunes “President’s Cup Group Golf Package” – Valid daily through Dec. 31 for groups of 12 or more, guests enjoy four days/three nights accommodations and three rounds of golf on the resort’s championship courses: Robert Trent Jones Oceanfront, Arthur Hills and George Fazio. Starting at $138 per golfer/per night, the promotion includes team shirts, an on-site
Sheraton Hacienda del Mar
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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CHIPSHOTS group golf coordinator, breakfast prior to each round, two hours of tennis or Pickleball court time at the Tennis Center and other discounts and inclusions. Subject to availability, some restrictions may apply. The offer is not valid on existing reservations and may not be combined with any other offer. The Sea Pines Resort “Pete Dye Signature Group Golf Package” – Starting at $225 per golfer/per night, this getaway features deluxe villa accommodations for three nights and three rounds of Pete Dye golf, including at the famed Harbour Town Golf Links, site of the PGA TOUR’s RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing. The offer also includes a complimentary gift card and the group organizer plays for free. Other restrictions may apply. “Coming off our successful summer golf promotions, the fall packages offer great opportunities for golf groups to experience Hilton Head Golf Island at incredible rates,” says Cary Corbitt, President of the Lowcountry Golf Course Owners Association
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and Vice President of Sports and Operations at Sea Pines Resort. “Pristine conditions, mild temperatures and exceptional incentives – the fall is an ideal time of year for golf in the Lowcountry.” For additional information about rates, restrictions and other package inclusions, or to receive a quote: www.hiltonheadgolfisland. com, 800.523.3373.
New Surf & Turf Golf and Fishing Package at Mexico’s Velas Resorts
Mexico’s Velas Resorts in VallartaNayarit now offer a new three-night Surf & Turf Package for guests seeking fun both in the water and on land. The experience includes a six-hour fishing trip, cook-yourcatch dinner, two days of championship golf, and more. A unique from sea-to-plate offering, the Surf & Turf package takes guests on a sixhour fishing session in Banderas Bay where
guests can reel in a variety of fish, including: Tuna, Rooster, Striped Marlin, Mahi Mahi, Jack Crevalle, and Black and Blue Marlin. Later that evening, the resort chef will transform each guest’s catch of the day into a delicious and uniquely prepared meal. With the package, guests also enjoy two days at the Marina and Vista Vallarta’s championship golf courses, designed by Joe Finger, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Weiskopf. The Surf & Turf Package is available at Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit, Velas Vallarta and Casa Velas. The three-night package starts at $4,092 (Velas Vallarta), $4,480 (Casa Velas) and $5,900 (Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit) for up to four people and also include spacious accommodations, gourmet meals, premium liquor and wine, 24-hour suite service, use of the fitness center facilities, WIFI, taxes and gratuities. For more information or reservations at Velas Resorts, please call 1-866-847-4609 or visit www.velasresorts.com.
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Streamsong Resort challenges guests to labor day weekend competition ‘Great Escape Golf Vacation’
STREAMSONG, FL – This Labor Day Weekend, Streamsong Resort invites guests to test their skills at the inaugural Streamsong Challenge, an unforgettable event where teams from across the country will vie to be the best in three of Streamsong’s signature activities -golf, bass fishing and sporting clays. Open to teams of two, the competition will take place from Sept. 5-7. Throughout the weekend, teams will face off against each other on one of Streamsong’s iconic golf courses in an 18 hole best ball competition and a closest to the pin contest on Streamsong’s bye hole. In addition to the golf portion of the event, teams will battle for the heaviest bass caught in its fishing lakes and the greatest accuracy on its picturesque sporting clays course. The three teams with the best performance across all activities will receive an assortment of sportsthemed prizes and, of course, bragging rights. The Streamsong Weekend Challenge is $350 plus tax per person (includes two nights) on double occupancy or $450 plus tax per person (includes two nights) based on single. Every participant will receive a round of walking golf on one of Streamsong’s critically-
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acclaimed courses, entrance to the closest to the pin bye hole contest, 50 sporting clays, two hours of bass fishing, a welcome package, access to an exclusive reception, prizes and two night’s accommodation at Streamsong’s Lodge. Advanced reservations are required to participate in the event. To register a team for the Streamsong Challenge, please call 863.428.1000 or visit www.streamsongresort.com.
TPC Sawgrass Package Plays
TPC Sawgrass Ultimate Buddy Package Built in 1982 to host the PLAYERS Championship, TPC Sawgrass was the first true “Stadium Course” in the industry. Its signature island green on 17 is one of the most widely-recognized golf holes in the world, designed specially by Pete Dye to help it and its sister course, Dye’s Valley, be consistently ranked among the top golf courses in the world.. Rates from $287 per person, per night – based on double occupancy • One round on THE PLAYERS Stadium course at TPC Sawgrass • One round on the Dye’s Valley course at TPC Sawgrass • Two-night stay at the Sawgrass Marriott
Golf Resort & Spa • “Floating Hole Challenge” at Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa • $50 credit to be used towards food and beverage at the Sawgrass Marriott (per room) • $25 TPC Sawgrass gift card to be used at the TPC Sawgrass clubhouse (per player) • Bag tag welcome gift on day of THE PLAYERS Stadium round • Complimentary storyteller tour of the TPC Sawgrass clubhouse • Complimentary transportation to/from the golf course *Valid for arrivals between September 1 through December 31, 2015. (904) 273-3235 or visit http://www.tpc.com/sawgrass TPC Sawgrass Summer Replay Rate Special Enjoy the long summer days with two rounds of golf at TPC Sawgrass, host of the PGA TOUR’s PLAYERS Championship. THE PLAYERS Stadium Course: • $99 Replay Rate | Valid through September 24, 2015** Dye’s Valley Course: • $49 Replay Rate| Valid through August 21, 2015** • $59 Replay Rate| Valid through October 4, 2015**
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“Fit Fore VIPs” Golf Experience Has Everything But Red Carpet
DANA POINT, CA – For golfers who want to be treated like tour stars, the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort is rolling out the red-carpet treatment with a “Fit Fore VIPs” golf package that will be an experience of a lifetime. And there’s no need to pack the clubs, since this package includes a personal fitting at world headquarters of a major equipment manufacturer. Escape to the luxurious Forbes Five-Star, AAA Five-Diamond property in Southern California’s beautiful Orange County, where creating individual experiences to rejuvenate the mind, body and spirit are a specialty at this peaceful sanctuary along the Pacific. “The “Fit Fore VIPs” golf package is an ultimate guys’ golf getaway, as well as an ideal vacation for avid golfing couples,” said Eric Lohman, PGA, General Manager of Monarch Beach Golf Links, “either for a weekend trip or an extended stay.” Lohman notes that guests will be guided throughout the experience by a PGA golf professional from the Monarch Beach Golf Links staff. “About the only thing missing is an actual red carpet,” said Lohman, who is personally
coordinating each “Fit Fore VIPs” golf experience. Guests will be chauffeured to and from the selected company’s elite full-service facilities exactly where the tour pros go for their club testing. After a personalized club-fitting using the latest technology, the golfer can order custom-made clubs that will be shipped to the golfer’s home. Available throughout 2015, the package starts at $1,630 per person and includes: • Private limousine service (to and from airport, club-fitting) • A luxurious suite for two nights at the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort (double occupancy) • St. Regis Butler Service throughout the stay • Club-fitting at world headquarters of Titleist, TaylorMade, or Callaway (cost of new equipment is additional) • Unlimited golf daily on the Monarch Beach Golf Links • “FlexSet” golf club rental (while the new set is being built) • Golf car and Monarch Beach “Waterman” personal forecaddie service for each round • Access to the resort’s private beach and “guests-only” Monarch Bay Club • Breakfast daily
“Fit Fore VIPs” guests are surrounded by the refined amenities of a spacious coastal retreat. The resort is the recipient of a Silver Medal from GOLF magazine and has been rated 4.5 stars (out of 5) by Golf Digest’s “Best Places to Play.” The 6,600-yard, par-70 Monarch Beach Golf Links is set along dramatic bluffs where master architect Robert Trent Jones, Jr. has fashioned a modern design inspired by the legendary seaside Scottish links. Amid sweeping views of the Pacific, Monarch Beach Golf Links is a well-crafted routing of tight fairways and rolling greens that provide challenge as well as enjoyment to golfers of all levels. Down at the beach, guests can relax to the sounds of rolling waves, or enjoy surfing, body-boarding, body-surfing, stand up paddleboarding, and ocean kayaking. Private lessons in all these sports are available. The resort also features the award-wining Spa Gaucin, six restaurants (all looking out over the blue Pacific), three swimming pools, and a host of guest-friendly programs. The “Fit Fore VIPs” package is based on availability; some blackout dates may apply. For more details and reservations call Eric Lohman at (949) 248-3021 or email him at elohman@monarchbeachgolf.com
Streamsong Resort
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Colorado’s Ironbridge Reborn
Softened Under Tom Lehman Retooling
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By David R. Holland
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LENWOOD SPRINGS, CO – The Lost Horizon is a beautiful, rugged, trailblazer-like stretch of four golf holes starting the back nine of Ironbridge Golf Club.
It is for adventurous, ravine-crossing, proficient golfers and begins after a one mile cart climb in elevation from the clubhouse high above the Roaring Fork Valley floor. But beginners and hacks can find solace in just experiencing a golf club that includes the famous Roaring Fork River and an incredible view of 12,966-foot Mt. Sopris off in the distance toward Aspen. Irongbridge was born in 2003 as an Arthur Hills Master design, but there’s history here. It was first the nine-hole Westbank Golf Course that included twoacre lots within view of the Roaring Fork. The Sienna Club at Rose Ranch was the first name tossed around when the expansion to 18 holes commenced -- then The Club at Ironbridge opened as a private course. There was a grand opening with Hills attending, saying “this course comes alive with sienna-colored cliffs encircling the 18 holes and the Roaring Fork River, blending naturally into the riparian and mountain environment.” Seven holes of the old Westbank layout were zapped and the new routing, a hefty 7,224 yards at par 72, was laid over sections of the old routing. There’s a meadows front nine that skirts the trout-laden Roaring Fork River and a mountainous back nine that climbs into ravines lined with piñons and junipers 300 feet above the river valley. Well, hard times followed with bankruptcy and a change of ownership. Today members and the public can tee it up at Ironbridge. And the club even has an instant celebrity in Director of Golf Doug Rohrbaugh, 53, who qualified this summer for the Senior PGA Championship in French Lick, Indiana, and also played in the U.S. Senior Open in Sacramento, California in June. He’s had 25 years as a teaching pro and worked as director of junior golf in Aspen.
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“I think the first golfers who played back in 2003 gave it a WOW,” Rohrbaugh remembered. “But then they said it kicked their back side.”
“We also created more options for golfers to run the ball on to greens,” he said.
The softening of Ironbridge So the new ownership hired PGA Tour star Tom Lehman, a Colorado lover, to “soften” the routing and make it more playable for mid-handippers and novices.
On your first visit you can’t really imagine what is ahead on that cart ride to No. 10. “I think most people have no idea what they are about to see,” said Rohrbaugh. “It begins four beautiful holes and golfers love how quiet it is up there.”
“One of the first things Lehman pointed out was Augusta National has 44 bunkers and Ironbridge had around 70,” Rohrbaugh said. So the bunker count went down to 40 and some bunkers that pinched in fairways were eliminated. If a bunker was deemed “enormous” it was whittled down and sometimes eliminated.
Pay attention as you enter The Lost Horizon The 10th hole is the most intimidating visual, an uphill drive over a ravine. To be successful you must aim toward the right side of the fairway because everything slopes to another ravine running left of the fairway. Then the green is elevated and contoured sloping toward the fairway.
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The next three Lost Horizon holes are pure fun beginning with a par 3 of 161 yards, a handsome scene, with ravine left, and a rock wall holding the comma-shaped green in place. There are lots of ways to get in trouble. From a lofty tee box No. 12 sweeps downhill and turns dramatically right. Don’t be surprised if a bear darts across the fairway. A perfect, long fade on this 435-yard, par 4 sets you up for an approach over a deep gully to an elevated green that is wide and shallow. The 13th hole will test your mental prowess. This 621-yard par 5 requires a deep tee shot and then a decision. Do you lay up or go for a green over a huge ravine with the fairway on the other side heading right with a fade toward the putting surface. “When you emerge from The Lost Horizon to holes 14-18 you get another look with few trees, strategy and views of Mt. Sopris,” Rohrbaugh said. “Actually, it is almost like there are three sections to the course with the front nine in a meadow with holes in sight of the Roaring Fork. There are no gimmes.” The front nine’s pasture setting has water in play and plenty of ways to get in trouble. Every par three is a solid hole and has water in play, a ravine or a flag that can be tucked and almost hidden. Management is billing Ironbridge as an “Arthur Hills course refined by Tom Lehman”. But as the locals refer to it as “the best kept secret in the Roaring Fork Valley” members and management are stressing that time at Ironbridge is a lifestyle. Ironbridge includes two streams, five lakes, three tunnels, 19 bridges and more than eight miles of continuous cart path. Don’t even dream of walking the back nine which includes tee boxes that climb up and dives downward with red-hued mountain vistas. Check out the Recreation Area with a family pool, hot tub, kids’ water park, kids’ climbing wall, basketball, tennis, playground area, and clubhouse. Take a hike on the four miles of paths, suitable for biking, too. Then throw your fly into the Roaring Fork or the catch-and-release trophy fishing ponds. The Ironbridge Grill, serves lunch and dinner, and is open to the public. The menu for the elevated, casual fare features fresh, organic, and local ingredients. Sandwiches with free-range chicken, burgers with grass-fed beef, and organic salads with house-made dressings are just a few examples of menu items. When you call to book a tee-time ask for Stay and Play packages. Ironbridge rounds never exceed $100. Twilight rounds run $49, and kids play free after 2 p.m. (www.ironbridgeclub.com) Best of all just stand on the beautifully manicured and conditioned fairways and do a pirouette. The views of the red-hued mountains, the river, and Mt. Sopris will make you think of a John Denver song. Is Ironbridge one of Colorado’s best kept secrets? You bet. Visit Glenwood Springs Glenwood Springs, established in 1888 by Walter Devereaux, is one of Colorado’s top five tourist stops and is famous for several reasons. First is the world-renowned Glenwood Hot Springs Pool, more than 100 years old and the world’s largest. Swimmers pick from two pools — one at 90 degrees and the other at 104.
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Secondly, this is the final resting place for Doc Holliday, who scrambled all around the state back in the 1880s, as a sometime dentist and full-time hooligan and gambler. It was probably his only taste of heaven -- there were 22 saloons in a two-block area. Tuberculosis claimed him and annually many still visit his grave. He came hoping the hot springs would cure his ails. Third, some claim that the Teddy Bear was invented here. President Theodore Roosevelt, as the story goes, came to Glenwood Springs in 1905 to hunt bear in the area forests, and when he struck out on a bear kill he returned to the Hotel Colorado where the staff wanted to make him feel better. They presented him with a hand-made stuffed miniature bear. Where to stay Book a suite at The Residence Inn Glenwood Springs (Marriott) and enjoy full kitchen, living room, work area, free wi-fi and the Mix on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings including complimentary food and beer or wine. A full, hot breakfast is also included in the price. Address: 125 Wulfsohn Rd, Glenwood Springs, CO 81601 Phone: (970) 928-0900
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Canadian R
Feel the
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Rockies Golf
e Rush
By Tim Cotroneo www.golfvacationsmag.com
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R
ush is Canada’s most famous rock band. A rush is also the sensation you can’t help but feel when playing golf in the Alberta Canadian Rockies.
Where else in the world do golf courses embrace skyscraping mountain vistas on every hole? Where else is there a 50/50 chance of spying an elk or a bear at any moment during your 18 holes? Where else can you top off a picturesque round with the thrill of adding 10 yards to each shot by playing in altitude with an attitude? Arrive for your Canadian Rockies golf experience by flying into Calgary’s airport, and then breathe the freshest air known to man. Prepare to revel in an all-natural mountain theater and a golf setting that is second to none. From Calgary to Jasper, you’ll find five rarified 18-hole options for taking in the best of Rocky Mountain golf Like Golfing on Top of the World Silvertip Resort Golf Course – Canmore, Alberta Silvertip Resort Golf Course will have you at hello. Before you even tee off, the Silvertip driving range is one you’ll never forget. Golfers hit their practice shots into the face of Mount Lady MacDonald. Topping out at over 8,000-feet, Lady MacDonald leans out so far, not even your highest drive will near its peak. . You’ll enjoy listening for accents among the Silvertip staff. More than a dozen members of the Silvertip team hail from Australia. Many of the Aussies are drawn to Canmore’s world-class mountain climbing, hiking,
and skiing opportunities. It’s hard to resist not falling in love with Silvertip’s 18th hole. You’ll need to duck to keep from brushing your golf cap on the clouds just above the elevated tee box. Once you reach the green, keep on walking to the outdoor deck at Stoney’s Bar & Grill. All Alberta Canadian Rockies golf courses pride themselves in offering outdoor dining and imbibing options with views that are to die for. Stoney’s features an awesome view of the 18th green. The emerald green lake next to the putting green is blindingly brilliant on a sunny day. Rated 4.5 Stars by Golf Digest Stewart Creek Golf & Country Club – Canmore Stewart Creek is one of Alberta’s most luxurious golf properties and a winner of numerous Best in Golf awards. If you’re a mountain lover, at Stewart Creek you’ll witness no fewer than four mountain ranges over 18 holes. Your head will swivel at the Cascade, Pigeon, and Three Sisters mountains, as well as Ha Ling Peak. History buffs will buzz over the fact that Stewart Creek is built on what was formerly an abandoned coal mining site. The course architect kept two historical remnants of these mine shafts visible on the front and back nine. Before or after your round, it’s hard not to appreciate the visuals and ambiance of the Stewart Creek clubhouse. This two-tiered facility’s glass
Canmore
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Silvertip
wall exterior features high-def views of the 18th hole and the Rundle Mountain Range. Inside the clubhouse you’ll rub elbows with members and vacationers who’ve played golf around the world. The Stewart Creek vibe is one of an international flavor with fellow players exuding a real appreciation for the game of golf. At Stewart Creek you’ll be reminded how small the world has gotten and the intercontinental pull of golf. Several of the Stewart Creek staffers arrived in Canmore to take advantage of the plethora of mountain sport opportunities. You’ll hear multiple mentions of Canmore’s Nordic Center where athletes can take part in biathlon training. Spend a couple of days in Canmore, and you’ll observe that this town of 12,000 people may be one of the fittest cities in the world. Canmore Hometown Hero Canmore Golf & Curling Club Canadian Rockies golf makes a point of immediately drawing you in. On the first hole at Canmore Golf & Curling Club, you’re advised to hit your drive toward the crevasse separating the Rundle and Cascade mountains. Is there another course in the universe where your target points at not one, but two mountain ranges? There is something to be said for researching the nuances of your vacation destination. At the Canmore Golf & Curling Club, you’ll discover Canmore is located smack dab in the middle of the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames hockey rivalry. It may be wise to ask your playing
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partner which side of this intense rivalry he or she leans before spewing your own take on who should rule in the coming season. Upon commenting that Canmore Golf and Curling Club is even more beautiful in person than in the photographs you viewed prior to your trip, be prepared to receive a smile and this common refrain, “The photos don’t lie.” This golf course, along with its friendly inhabitants, is often referred to as the “Canadian Cheers.” Considering the spectacular views and conditions, Canmore Golf and Curling Club’s modest greens fees may be the Canadian Rockies best golf value. Canada’s #1 Golf Resort Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Golf Club – Jasper Fairmont Jasper Park treats golfers like rock stars. On the first tee, the starter announces each player’s name and hometown. You’ll note that on each tee box, every golf hole has a name that honors a chapter in Jasper history, geography, or a famous individual. The most storied moniker is on the 9th hole, a long par three. The name Cleopatra is based on the way course designer Stanley Thompson configured the mounds surrounding the putting green to match his minds-eye image of the Egyptian Queen.
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Over the years, movie stars and British royalty have trekked to Jasper to see if the spectacular surroundings were indeed as beautiful as the hype. Crooner Bing Crosby stayed long enough, in 1947, to win the Jasper Park Golf Club’s Totem Pole Tournament. Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Golf Club recently celebrated its 90th anniversary. Today it takes four hours to drive to Jasper from Banff. When the course opened in 1925, it took 30 days to travel on horseback. Golfers choose Jasper Park Lodge Golf Club to not only be surrounded by its mountain range, but also to inhabit an environment where animal life thrives. It’s not uncommon to awaken to find elk grazing right outside your cabin. To say that animals thrive in these surroundings is an understatement. The antlers of the elk living in Jasper National Park are said to grow 2 ½ centimeters per day. Canada’s Castle in the Rockies Fairmont Banff Springs – Stanley Thompson Golf Course Four million visitors choose Banff as a vacation destination every year. The nine-story Fairmont Banff Springs Castle in the Rockies is one of the city’s main drawing cards. The 6,900-yard, 18 hole “Thompson Course” at Banff Springs is surrounded by Sulphur Mountain and Mount Rundle. The mountain ranges are visible everywhere you look on this Stanley Thompson design.
The number of signature holes at Banff Springs are too numerous to count. One hole that is particularly impressive is the Par 5, 527-yard 14th hole. This hole is the ultimate photo opportunity. As you approach the 14th green, the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel juts out from the woods and serves as a striking backdrop. Elk appear on the golf course almost daily around sunset. A few years ago, a famous elk confrontation occurred on the 16th hole when two bull elks started fighting. Scenes from the 1954 movie “River of No Return,” starring Marilyn Monroe and Robert Mitchum, were shot on the golf course grounds. A photograph of Monroe awkwardly holding a golf club can be seen in the Banff Springs hotel. Play One, Play All Whether you play one or play all of the Canadian Rockies top five golf courses, each venue promises a golf rush. This is extreme golf with a premium placed on magnificent mountain views in a setting that is so quiet you’ll feel obliged to look skyward before speaking. If God plays golf, the Canadian Rockies is where he’d book his first tee time. http://silvertipresort.com/ http://canmoregolf.net/ http://www.stewartcreekgolf.com/ http://www.fairmont.com/jasper/golf/ http://www.fairmont.com/banff-springs/golf/
Fairmont Banff Springs
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Silvertip
Stewart Creek
Where to stay while you play: Canmore Blackstone Mountain Lodge or Stoneridge Mountain Resort Jasper Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Banff Fairmont Banff Springs Where to eat: Canmore The Iron Goat Pub & Grill Grizzly Paw Pub Tavern 1883 Where to explore after you play: Canmore Alpine Helicopter Tours Icefields Parkway Brewster Travel Canada Glacier Skywalk
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TLANTIC CITY, NJ — Incorporating the area’s proper parlance, it would be a safe bet to call Atlantic City one of the finest midsized golf destinations east of the Mississippi: A “Shore Thing” if you will. An easy driving distance from most of the East Coast’s major metropolitan areas, today Atlantic City regularly boasts half or more of the Top 10 New Jersey golf experiences, according to Golfweek magazine, representing a wide range of style, design and history — including golf courses to suit most any budget or expectation regarding conditions and amenities. Atlantic City has the advantage of being able to offer golfers a wide variety of accommodations — from budget rooms to full-scale suites, casinos, more than 150 restaurants and bars, nightclubs, 24/7 entertainment, beach, boardwalk — literally more off-course activities than any golf destination in the Eastern Time Zone. Golf history buffs should visit venerable Atlantic City Country Club — most recently restored by renowned designer Tom Doak around its 100th birthday — one of the nation’s great-granddaddies of clubs. ACCC’s rich background alone makes it a bucket list play, as does its spectacular setting along Lakes Bay overlooking the Atlantic City skyline. And the golf experience only improves in 2015 with newly restored greenside bunkers on Holes 4, 6, 8, 12, 15 and 17, a new halfway house and a significant clubhouse renovation. Atlantic City Country Club has played host to six USGA events, our country’s national championships, and the term “birdie” famously originated there. Not to be outdone, Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club is the site where Sam Snead’s won his first PGA Championship title and is also currently host to the ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer. Brigantine Golf Links is where Harry Vardon and Walter Hagen would
Bolstered by a majority of the finest golf experiences the course, Atlantic City is fast becoming known as on tune up their games before heading over to play the British Open. Meanwhile, Twisted Dune Golf Club stands as quite possibly the most visually striking golf course in the Atlantic City golf arsenal. With its inland links representation, if one was sent blindfolded to any course in the state, this is the one that they’d recognize by its name most readily. That’s because every hole is so dramatic, you have nowhere to turn but in circles. One local pro described Twisted Dune as the spot where “Phoenix meets Scotland.” Designer Archie Struthers moved two million cubic yards of earth to bring this remarkable course to fruition; creating a true taste of the Scottish Coast, right along the Jersey Shore. Shore Gate Golf Club is the area’s only layout designed by a California architect firm, that of Ron Fream and David Dale. Though only a couple of miles from the beach, the landscape at Shore Gate is remarkably rolling and diverse. It also has a “vibe,” to put it more Jersey terms, that is similar to the state’s internationally renowned jewel, Pine Valley. “Everything (Fream and Dale) have done, they’ve done well,” said general manager Harry Bittner said of the design team. “The whole goal was to build a golf course that was pretty dramatic and different to give people something special — something they will remember. They had a really great piece of land with which to work.” A bit closer to AC, golfers at Blue Heron Pines Golf Club enjoy the new 7 Tap & Tavern. The name of the new establishment originates from owner Ron Jaworski’s jersey number worn during his long and distinguished NFL career with the Philadelphia Eagles, and the friendly new neighborhood tavern features craft beers, an exciting menu and an abundance of large screen televisions
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throughout the gaming area, new chairs at table games and mirrored accents throughout the casino. Of course, the famed Atlantic City Boardwalk features four miles of sun and fun just steps away from free, clean sandy beaches, and thanks to an expanded Ambassador program, visitors to the city are treated to a safe, informative and pleasurable experience. Visitors can also find an eclectic mix of amenities and activities along the Boardwalk from bicycle rentals, free volleyball courts and miniature golf to world-class casino hotels, dining, shopping and entertainment. Indeed, word is quickly spreading that golf groups can visit Atlantic City and expect top-rated golf courses, hotels and casinos options, along with the best nightlife and fantastic restaurants. Learn more about all 17 Atlantic City courses and book your golf getaway at www.PlayACGolf.com. PlayAC Golf in 2015 For all the glitz and glimmer of the high-rise gambling casinos that light up the night across this unique Atlantic Ocean-side city, there’s another side to the destination — a daylight version beyond the reimagined world-famous boardwalk and beaches. An easy drive from the major metropolitan areas along the East Coast, Atlantic City caters to golfers with a wide variety of accommodations from economy rooms to full-scale suites, casinos, more than 150 restaurants and bars, world-class spas, top name concerts and comedy shows, innovative nightlife, designer shopping, the beach, the boardwalk and pulsating casino games. These layouts range from links style to parkland style to classic gems to out-of-control modern marvels. Whatever your passion, every golf course within the Atlantic City arsenal has been ordered to deliver an experience that you will not soon forget.
s in New Jersey and unlimited activities away from ne of the East Coast’s most sought-after destinations. Site of the Jaws Celebrity Golf Challenge, Blue Heron Pines is renowned for having not one, but two replica holes from the aforementioned Pine Valley, the New Jersey icon consistently ranked among the world’s best. Architect Stephen Kay patterned Blue Heron’s No. 14 off Pine Valley’s seventh and he similarly replicated a PV hole on his No. 10 offering. Kay also planned Blue Heron as a good walker’s course — more like a private club experience.
PlayACGolf social media access available at: Facebook – www.facebook.com/playacgolf Twitter – www.twitter.com/playacgolf Instagram – www.instagram.com/playacgolf
A very popular spot for golf groups, Resorts Casino Hotel was the first casino hotel inside of Atlantic City, and the first legal casino outside of Nevada. Buzzing with activity after the recent opening of Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville, its LandShark Bar & Grill is the only yearround full-service bar and restaurant on the sand side of the Boardwalk located on prime beach frontage at the site of the Old Steeplechase Pier. Resorts also features the world-class Gallagher’s Steakhouse. Another golfer mainstay, Tropicana Atlantic City completed a recent $50 million renovation. The revitalization includes far-reaching upgrades to its North Tower hotel rooms, a completely revamped casino featuring new games, an all-new AtlantiCare LifeCenter Fitness center and the spectacular must-see Tropicana Multimedia Light and Sound Show. “From the vibrant and exciting multimedia light and sound show on the boardwalk façade to the elegant upgrades we’ve made to the casino floor, we’ve taken the guest experience to a new level,” said General Manager Steve Callender. “We’ve even decided to introduce a brand new resort logo.” In its first major renovation since 2008, early last year Bally’s Atlantic City unveiled its $5.6 million renovation and reconfiguration project to the casino floor. The overhaul included fresh carpeting
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ith Jordan Speith being the hottest golfer on the planet right now—the driver that he has used to help him win the first two majors of the year with historic performances is getting a lot of attention in the world of golf equipment as well. The Titleist 915 drivers that have become the flagship of the company’s woods offerings are built with loads of new technology that offer players the ability to customize the club to their liking while taking advantage of the latest developments in forgiveness and producing higher ball speeds and distance. While the 915 driver is a rich-looking, classically designed club that has a light, solid feel and is easy to hit, the technology under the hood is impressive and fosters added forgiveness and distance. The solid, striking sound is one that players look for in today’s drivers. The new Active Recoil Channel--a long, wide, deep channel, positioned along the sole of the pear-shaped clubhead, close to the leading edge--delivers more distance by actively flexing at impact to launch the ball with lower spin and higher speed. It allows the entire clubface, both crown and sole, to deflect at impact for high speed, while clubs without this technology have a more rigid sole and deflect mostly in the face and crown at impact resulting in less speed and higher spin. “The new 915 drivers are a game-chang-
er for us,” said Dan Stone, Vice President of Research and Development for Titleist Golf Clubs. “We’ve increased speed and lowered spin without sacrificing MOI or forgiveness. The Active Recoil Channel is a major technical leap in the area of spin reduction. In player testing, we’ve seen significant distance gains, up to 15 yards for players who need spin control. “We began incorporating Active Recoil Channel in the prototype phase about four years ago, but this kind of technology requires a lot of fine-tuning if you’re going to do something that’s different, as opposed to making a cosmetic or marketing change. By adding significant technology for speed and spin without sacrificing MOI, we think we’ve done something very special that nobody’s done to this point. “With the Active Recoil Channel, the ball is compressing in a different manner and doesn’t have the chance to gather as much rotational energy so it departs the club face with less spin. It also creates a greater recoil effect, which imparts more speed, particularly low on the face. Properly managing spin benefits us through all levels of swing speeds and player types. High spin players get longer, straighter flight with more carry distance. Players that already manage spin well can further increase their distance by a slight loft increase.”
The 915D2 driver (the one that Speith has in his bag) is a 460cc full-pear shaped head designed for maximum forgiveness and a slight draw bias. The 915D3 features a 440cc pear shape that is forgiving and workable, and offers 250rpm less spin than the 915D2 to produce a lower peak trajectory. Both models launch similar to their previous generation Titleist 913 models. The two additional technologies that make this an outstanding performing clubhead include the Radial Speed Face, a high-speed forged face insert with a radially thinner perimeter in the heel and toe that works with the Active Recoil Channel to increase ball speed on off-center hits; and a precise, high-MOI design with a low and deep center of gravity location that delivers stability and forgiveness by preserving off-center ball speed for more distance. For the tinkerer or anyone wanting to get the best fit possible with their driver, the dualangle SureFit Tour adjustable hosel technology provides an array of options to fine tune these drivers by allowing loft and lie adjustments for customization previously available only on a tour van. It allows golfers to set loft and lie independently of each other to optimize ball flight-higher or lower--and for more draw or fade for improved shot control and maximum distance. The SureFit Tour hosel features a sleeve and ring, each with four settings. The sleeve settings are numbered 1, 2, 3, 4 and the ring settings are lettered A, B, C, D. In total there are 16 settings, each creating a unique loft and lie combination. With the optional SureFit Tour weights, coupled with the selection of shafts available, a precise feel, ball flight and swing weight can dialed in for the player. Titleist offers a number of after-market shafts, but the stock offerings are impressive on their own and include the Aldila Rogue Black 70 (mid-launch) and Aldila Rogue Silver 60 (lower-mid launch); the Mitsubishi Diamana D+ White 70 (low launch), Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Blue 60 (mid launch), and Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Red 50 (high launch). For more information: www.titleist. com/915
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alvin Green, a family-owned manufacturer of fine golf clothing that pioneered the multi-layer concept for golfers more than a decade ago, has introduced some new fabrics for their 2015 lineup that are
24 Golf Vacations • August 2015
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SWEETSTUFF by TerryRoss
play your best.” Highlighting the men’s items are the Maddox body mapping polo that transports moisture twice as quickly as a conventional technical golf shirt, as well as the Ned pants and Phil shorts which boast a remarkably comfortable fit and soft hand feel. The women’s offerings include the Millie short sleeved shirt, Nicole pants, Nadia capris and Petra shorts. Each item can be cleaned after use with a simple machine wash. A pure golf brand, Calvin Green products-including premium outerwear, tops, bottoms and accessories--are available for purchase at better green grass shops and golf-specialty retail locations in more than 20 countries. For more information about Galvin Green clothing visit: www.GalvinGreen.com
involves active cooling through a chemical reaction. Inside Real X Gear towels and caps are chemical beads that drop in temperature rapidly when wet, and stay cool for hours. These chemicals are completely safe and environmentally friendly. Using cold water on the collar or towel gets the best and fastest results, like what you’d get from a water fountain or sink, but even using water that’s about the same temperature as the air will keep your skin at least 12 degrees cooler in just a matter of minutes. The towel will then remain cool from two to eight hours depending on the saturation of the towel and outside conditions.
G both lightweight and breathable with a flair for an athletic look and feel. The new polos, shorts and pants crafted from new Ventil8 fabrics are designed with this revolutionary fabric that keep men and women cooler and drier on hot, humid summer days. This is accomplished via a proprietary blend of premium materials that transport moisture away from the skin while incorporating exclusive anti-bacterial technology and UV protection (20+). Engineered directly into the fibers, these distinctive performance characteristics will never wash- or wear-out. The polo cut is definitely athletic, but with a styling for on or off the course look that is popular with today’s fashions. It is a very light, soft and flexible shirt with excellent breathability and moisture transportation-properties that keep you cool and dry. Subtle yet sporty appearance with logo print and stitching in contrasting colors. The stretch fabric in the NED pants makes the trousers extremely flexible and comfortable to wear. Featuring an elastic waistband for this well-crafted, single-color model, it is the perfect pair of slacks for hot and humid conditions. “As the signature cool Layer selections in our Multi-Layer Concept, Ventil8 tops and bottoms help passionate golfers deal with and overcome excessive heat,” noted Andrew Creed, President of Galvin Green USA. “Each piece helps you stay comfortable and
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olf in the summertime can be hot in most areas—and staying cool becomes job one venturing onto the links at home or on a trip. One relatively new company has made its mission to keep people cool during sports and outdoor activity—especially golf. Real X Gear has developed, tested and brought to market a number of valuable cooling products over the past four years that range from cooling caps, visors, towels, collars and even a portable air conditioning mister that is perfect for a golf cart. Chris Maher, who was inspired to shield his son from the heat during outdoor sports matches in Texas, started Real X Gear as a hobby but turned it into a business by taking the simple evaporative technology into various products that enables the wearer or user to be 20 or 30 degrees cooler than the ambient atmosphere—even if it is 100 degrees outside. The cooling collars, for instance, are constructed from highly evaporated material that lasts for hours in the sun. The technology works on two fronts: first water evaporates between 76-79 °F and the nonwoven Poly-Vinyl Alcohol (PVA) retains water but stays dry to the touch. Simply put: the sponge-like material will maintain a 20 to 30 degrees cooler temperature than the outside atmosphere. If it’s 100 degrees outdoors, the cooling collar will keep the temperature around you at 80 degrees. In addition to the passive evaporative cooling benefits of a wet towel on hot skin, Real X Gear cooling technology also
The most unique product from Real X Gear is its personal mister called “The Fogger”, which is a battery operated, rechargeable, personal portable misting device that utilizes a powerful pump that produces enough pressure to have those water particles flash evaporate to keep you cool like a compact personal air conditioner. This is great for golf carts, backyards or even at the beach and will provide up to 35 degrees of cooling. The Fogger weighs in at just 1.1 pounds and fits into any standard cup holder. It is fully automatic--cool off with a flip of a switch. The hands-free hose points in any direction with a super-fine mist instead of getting you soaked. For more information on Real X Gear: www.realxgear.com
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