OUR 16th YEAR!
THIS MONTH: My Turn • SweetStuff • ChipShots
GOLF VACATIONS JANUARY 2017
A DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH
QUINTERO GOLF CLUB
PGA CATALUNYA RESORT
SPAIN’S NUMBER ONE GOLF COURSE www.golfvacationsmag.com Golf Vacations •SPRINGS January 2017 1 Plus: RESORT REPORT: SAN ANTONIO’S TAPATIO
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GOLF VACATIONS JANUARY 2017
Quintero Golf Club, Peoria, Arizona
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Chip Shots
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Spain’s PGA Catalunya Resort
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Arizona’s Quintero Golf Club
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by Chris Stratford
An invitation came to play the PGA Catalunya Resort Stadium course – annual stage for the European Tour’s Qualifying School – as part of a trip to explore the golf and gastronomy of Girona.
by Terry Ross
You sometimes hear that golf clubs are “hidden gems” or a “diamond in the rough” because they go unknown or are overshadowed by other courses nearby.
Resort Report: Tapatio Springs
by James McAfee
I can remember when the Texas State Open was played at Tapatio Springs in Boerne 30+ years ago when it was the first destination resort in the San Antonio area and one of the top 10 golf resorts in the state. However, on a visit five years ago, I found the course had really gone downhill and didn’t even have grass on the greens. Floods in May of 2015 also caused some damage.
Sweet Stuff
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by Terry Ross
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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
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, 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. He also worked for the Dallas Cowboys Weekly, UPI and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Follow Dave on Twitter @David_R_Holland.
Chris Stratford is Deputy Sports Editor & Golf Writer at The Yorkshire Post/Evening Post in West Yorkshire, England.
Barry Lotz is the director of the Professional Golf Teachers Association of America. He is a member of the Golf Writers Association of America and serves both as a consultant and mediator to the golf industry. He is also the author of numerous books, including “333 Best Web Sites for Golfers” and “How to Build Business Relationships through Golf”. His latest book, “The Right Mind for Golf”, is now in its 8th printing. He can be reached at www.pgtaa.com or drlotz@cbsgolf.net
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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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 2017 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 Timbers Resorts Completes Renovations Of The Ocean Course At Hokuala
Timbers Resorts, one of the largest independent developers and operators of private boutique resorts and residence clubs, has completed the renovation of the renowned Ocean Course at Hokuala, now open to the public. In addition to the substantial improvements to the golf course, formerly known as the Kiele Course at Kauai Lagoons, work has also begun on the course’s expanded practice facility. Construction is set to begin later this year on a luxurious new clubhouse featuring an enhanced pro shop, lagoon-side restaurant and bar, and Tennis Garden. In addition to the multi-million dollar investment in the golf experience, Timbers has appointed industry veteran Fran Roach as the new General Manager of the Ocean Course at Hokuala to oversee golf operations, as well as to lead the launch of the new clubhouse and restaurant. With more than 15 years of experience as a General Manager in the golf industry and 26 years as a Class “A” member of the PGA of America, Roach will establish Hokuala as one of the top resort golf experiences in the world. The Ocean Course at Hokuala, an awardwinning Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course featuring the longest stretch of continuous oceanfront holes in Hawaii
The Ocean Course at Hokuala, an awardwinning Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course featuring the longest stretch of continuous oceanfront holes in Hawaii “Hokuala is living up to its namesake as a new ‘rising star,’ as we have invested millions to renovate the golf club to exceptional resort conditions that match the exceptional services we already provide,” said David A. Burden, Founder & Executive Chairman of Timbers Resorts. “Between Fran’s seasoned background in exceptional course management and the new designs that are nothing short of spectacular, we are excited to share the recently upgraded course with players.” The newly renovated front nine holes of the golf course complete those previously made to the Ocean Course back nine, including new world-class putting surfaces with TifEagle grass and new bright white silica sand bunkers. Landscape enhancements not only improve the visual aesthetics of the course by featuring the exceptional natural beauty of the Garden Isle, but also provide new innovative designs for players. The expanded and improved driving range and practice facility will soon accommodate a diverse offering of player improvement programs. “Both experienced players and novices will find that the Ocean Course complements each player’s level, providing an enjoyable
game for all. We are thrilled to introduce a new tier of golf in Hawaii to both travelers and the local community,” said Fran Roach, General Manager of the Ocean Course at Hokuala. “Our swift completion of these renovations of this first phase will allow visitors to look forward to the upcoming chapters for Hokuala.” Hokuala is the newest resort in the Timbers portfolio that also includes the No. 1 resort in Europe, Castello di Casole, ranked by Travel + Leisure. Owners in Timbers Kaua’i - Ocean Club & Residences, the first residential offering within Hokuala, will garner membership in the renowned Timbers Collection, offering a host of perks and privileges from some of the most recognized travel and lifestyle partners in the world, with the opportunity to trade vacation time with other owners and experience destinations throughout the entire portfolio. Hokuala – A Timbers Resort is a 450acre oceanfront resort community that will include a private residence club, luxury whole ownership residences, custom golf course home sites, a retail shopping village and a boutique hotel featuring a destination spa, multiple dining options, extensive pools and multiple wedding venues. The Hokuala resort experience revolves around its idyllic setting with golf, tennis, hiking and biking trails, beach activities, and ocean and mountain adventures.
Ocean Course at Hokuala
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The Best Gift Of The New Year! Enjoy a vicarious trip with Chuck Miller “The Traveling Guy” as he reflects on his incredible, fun and amazing 50-week, 50-state golf odyssey. Golfing The U.S. makes for a delightful and inexpensive birthday or holiday present.
available on Amazon.com at $14.95 and on Amazon Kindle at $8.95.! www.golfvacationsmag.com
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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CHIPSHOTS
Active Nfl Players To Tee It Up At Diamond Resorts Invitational
ORLANDO, FL – The Diamond Resorts Invitational™ benefiting Florida Hospital for Children expanded the most unique field in golf with the addition of three active National Football League stars: Arizona Cardinals AllPros Larry Fitzgerald and Patrick Peterson, as well as Jacksonville Jaguars Bryan Walters. They’ll join 27 PGA TOUR Champions, three LPGA stars and 45 other sports and entertainment celebrities vying for separate purses totaling $1.25 million at Tranquilo Golf Club at Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort, Jan. 13-15. (www. DiamondResortsInvitational.com) The NFL will also be represented by Hall of Famers Marcus Allen and Richard Dent; former Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher, Green Bay Packers receiver Sterling Sharpe and Washington Redskins Super Bowl MVP Mark Rypien. Active Major League Baseball standouts feature Justin Verlander, Josh Donaldson and Brian McCann, as well as Jon Lester and John Lackey of the World Champion Chicago Cubs. Roger Clemens and Hall of Famers Reggie Jackson, John Smoltz, Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and Gaylord Perry will also be on hand.
Former All-Stars and World Series champions include a tournament favorite Mark Mulder, a two-time celebrity golf winner at Lake Tahoe, Tim Wakefield, Eric Gagne and Kevin Millar. Entertainers and television personalities include Larry the Cable Guy, Alfonso Ribeiro, country music stars Jake Owen, Colt Ford and Cole Swindell, Jack Wagner and Golf Channel’s Blair O’Neal. National Hockey League participants feature Mike Modano and Jeremy Roenick. Former U.S tennis star Mardy Fish is defending champion. PGA TOUR Champions include John Daly, Colin Montgomerie, Kenny Perry, Mark Calcavecchia, Ian Woosnam, John Cook, Lee Janzen, Scott Hoch, Jeff Sluman, Tommy Armour III, Gil Morgan and Billy Mayfair. The LPGA Tour will feature three of its top American players Lexi Thompson, Brittany Lang and Brittany Lincicome. All three rounds will be nationally televised live on Golf Channel: Friday, Jan. 13 and Saturday, Jan. 14 from 1:30 – 4:30 p.m. ET, and Sunday, Jan. 15’s final from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET. Competition will utilize a Modified Stableford scoring format which awards points as opposed to strokes – similar to the PGA TOUR’s Barracuda Championship. The singular format allows for a distinct
competition as all professionals and celebrities play their own ball and compete from the same tees for 54 holes. LPGA players and PGA TOUR Champions players will compete for $750,000 over the 54-hole tournament, while the celebrities will play for a $500,000 purse. Threesomes will include one PGA TOUR Champion or one LPGA professional and two celebrities. The fun continues off the course during evening activities throughout the week at special dinners and concerts. A super-charged country flavor will prevail as stars Jake Owen, Colt Ford, Jana Kramer and Cole Swindell will be stepping out of golf shoes into cowboy boots to entertain players, celebrities, sponsors and guests with live performances at Mystic Dunes Resort & Golf Club. Golf tournament tickets are available online at www.DiamondResortsInvitational. com or at any of 200 participating Walgreens stores throughout Central Florida. Online, the 1-Day Grounds Pass, good for any of the three days (Friday-Sunday), is $30; a 3-Day Grounds Pass, good all three days, is $60. If purchased at Walgreens stores, the 1-Day Grounds Pass is $20 and the 3-Day Grounds pass is $40. Prepurchased tickets are required as tickets will not be available at the gate.
The Diamonds Resort Invitational
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Wigwam Golf Club Unveils New Footgolf Course And Program
The Wigwam Golf Club has unveiled a new FootGolf program on the club’s Patriot Course. Every day after 2:30 PM, FootGolfers can enjoy 18-holes of FootGolf for just $15 per person, while kids 15 and under are charged their age. FootGolf balls (soccer balls) are available to rent in The Wigwam Golf Shop for $3. The Wigwam’s FootGolf course is American FootGolf League certified and is the first of its kind at an Arizona resort property. FootGolf is a fun and growing sport that requires players to kick a soccer ball into cups/ holes located yards away from golf greens by using as few attempts as possible. Combining elements found on a soccer field with those found on a golf course, FootGolf is easy for anyone to pick-up and enjoy. The course is shorter, the cups are bigger (21-inches) and the entire family can play together. Plus, FootGolf can be played in about half the time
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as a round of golf. “We’re excited to offer this new amenity to the community and our resort guests,” said Leo Simonetta, director of golf, The Wigwam Golf Club. “FootGolf is a great way for families to enjoy time outdoors together. It’s fun and easy to play and our Patriot Course is the perfect venue for it. The course is very walkable and the FootGolf routing fits seamlessly within the traditional golf layout. In fact, we’ve already had parents play traditional golf right alongside their kids playing Footgolf.” On The Wigwam Golf Club website, interested FootGolfers can book a tee time and find out more about this exciting new sport. Like traditional golf, FootGolf participants are asked to adhere to a dress code as shirts with collars and sneakers or turf soccer shoes are required. Soccer cleats and uniforms are not allowed on the course. For more information about The Wigwam Golf Club or to reserve a FootGolf tee time, visit www.wigwamgolf.com or call (623) 935-9414.
National Golf Day 2017 Set for April 26 in Washington, D.C.
WE ARE GOLF – a coalition of the game’s leading associations and industry partners – today announces the 10th annual National Golf Day will be held Wednesday, April 26 on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. National Golf Day celebrates the game’s nearly $70 billion economy, $4 billion annual charitable impact and many environmental and fitness benefits. Industry leaders will meet with Members of Congress, the Executive Branch and federal agencies to discuss golf’s 15,200-plus diverse businesses, two million jobs impacted, tax revenue creation and tourism value. In May 2016, National Golf Day was the most successful to date with over 120 scheduled Congressional meetings in one day. Globally, the #NGD16 Twitter campaign eclipsed 52 million impressions and reached 17.7 million accounts, including 4.4 million users in a one-hour span.
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PGA Catalu
Stadium
by Chr
Spain’s Number One Golf Course 12 Golf Vacations • January 2017
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unya Resort
m Course
ris Stratford
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A
n invitation came to play the PGA Catalunya Resort Stadium course – annual stage for the European Tour’s Qualifying School – as part of a trip to explore the golf and gastronomy of Girona.
Emporda offers its visitors 36 holes in two separate layouts: the Links and Forest, their one-word appellations providing a succinct pointer as to what to expect.
For a mid-handicapper golfer such as myself, to be asked to sit the exam faced annually by players hoping to win a card to compete at European tournament golf’s elite level seems a bit like asking a primary school pupil to tackle a Pure Maths A level exam paper.
The former’s path wends its way through a tract of dunes and huge, rolling bunkers, its barren, treeless landscape made all the more stark by playing it on a rare occasion when the rain chose to fall on this area just north of Barcelona, which sees more than 300 days of sunshine per year.
But standing on the tee at the opening hole of a course acclaimed as Spain’s No 1 (pgacatalunya.com), it was clear this was going to be an awesome treat rather than absolute torture. Particularly with the ‘cheat sheet’ that is playing off the forward tees.
As if apologetic for its absence in the morning, the sun emerged as we tackled the Forest course, hewn through a dense Mediterranean pine forest. This is more pleasing on the eye to this golfer, but challenges still abound.
Its high elevation gave a wonderful view across a course of dipping and twisting fairways flanked by trees and water: visually stunning and endlessly challenging.
For those with limited time, such as ourselves – constricted even further by the need to escape the ravages of the rain for a few hours while indulging in the excellent fare on offer in Emporda’s clubhouse – a round can be played by mixing nine from each course.
It was the first of many tees to afford the player a view of both a hole’s aesthetic appeal and its abundant dangers, golfing femme fatales yielding up either great pleasure of a par or the pain of several dropped shots. The Costa Brava boasts nine golfing destinations in all, including Emporda Golf Resort (empordagolf.com) and Golf de Pals (golfplatjadepals.com), the other sporting tests on a trip that would offer a rigorous test of my alleged determination to combat a thickening waist as I march towards old age. PGA Catalunya Resort has a second course, the Tour, and similarly
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And so on to Golf de Pals, Costa Brava’s oldest course and one that holds a place in the history of Yorkshire golf as it was here that Rotherham’s Danny Willett won his final major event as an amateur. Read more at: http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/lifestyle/travel/ travel-review-spain-s-number-one-golf-course-1-8311527 Willett lifted the Spanish Amateur Championship, the Copa SM El Rey, in March 2008 just two months before turning professional. The club’s affinity with the Ryder Cup player was enhanced when he won the Masters just as Golf de Pals was celebrating its 50th anniversary.
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It is a British-style parkland course with largely flat fairways, where par is protected by strategic use of bunkers both on the way to greens and at their sides. Water is also a peril to be faced on a few holes, particularly at the beautiful par-3 ninth, where a tee shot that will test the nerve is played to a small green enclosed within a horseshoe of umbrella pines. In the same way Spain hails its golfing kings such as the late and great Seve Ballesteros and current Ryder Cup player Sergio Garcia, so within the sphere of Girona gastronomy are lauded the likes of Ferran Adrià and the Roca brothers, Joan, Josep and Jordi. All have helped bring Michelin stars to the region, where a gourmand can indulge in an intoxicating fusion of traditional and innovative cuisine that uses the area’s bounteous harvest from its fields and coastal waters. From a show cooking demonstration at Bulthaup (lb.bulthaup.com) through fine dining at the Hotel Aiguablava, at Aiguablava Bay, in Begur, a curtain was drawn back to offer a glimpse – and several tastings – of a region that was at once both heavenly and satanic. Heavenly in that it was sumptuous, satanic in that it will be the devil’s own job trying to work off its damage to my aforementioned expanding waistline. It is a price worth paying for Girona deserves its growing reputation as a destination for holidaymakers with a discerning palette. Girona, golfing and gastronomy: a pleasing alliteration and a pleasure to have savoured.
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QUINTERO
A Diamond I
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GOLF CLUB
In The Rough www.golfvacationsmag.com
by TERRY ROSS
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Y
ou sometimes hear that golf clubs are “hidden gems” or a “diamond in the rough” because they go unknown or are overshadowed by other courses nearby.
If that is the case, then Quintero Golf Club could be in the witness protection program of golf with it being situated in a remote area of Highway 74 in Peoria, Arizona -- and the closest thing to an outside eatery, gas station or store being 20 miles away with nothing more than a two-lane road, cactus and tumble weed in between. This is not to say that Quintero is not a great golf course - it is ranked by Golfweek in its Top 100 courses - but this is certainly not the downtown, glitzy desert experience of say, Las Vegas and everything about this quaint, understated community says it is for those that want to get away, relax and enjoy one great desert golf trip. The gated community of Quintero, which is less than an hour from the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, contains only about a half dozen designer homes that are available for some unique stay and play opportunities. The golf course itself does a brisk visitor business from locals in the Phoenix and Scottsdale area, but as a place to go and stay - this is a real experience. Quintero Golf Club, formerly Quintero Golf and Country Club, is a semi-private club that opened for daily-fee play in November of 2011and sits at elevations between 1,986 and 2,670 feet in the stunning Hieroglyphic Mountains. The homes on-site come complete with all the comforts that a luxury traveler or executive would want - entertaining spaces with large
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kitchens, wet bar, family rooms with big-screen TV’s, formal dining areas, pool table and even putting machines to work on your game indoors. All the comforts of home and then some. A chef is even available to provide meals and host a party, if you are so inclined. When whoever coined the terms Guys Getaway or Corporate Retreat - this is the kind of place they had in mind - secluded places to hang out, play cards and shoot pool by night and experience great golf by day. The kid glove service that goes along with providing this type of stay is overseen by Mike Poe, the General Manager at Quintero, who directs a staff that prides itself on customer care and feedback to provide the best stay-and-play experience possible. The remodeled clubhouse and grill has an expanded outdoor dining area and updated menu items, and the renovated golf shop now features collections of logoed apparel by Nike and Greg Norman. Among the other recent upgrades to the facility is a newly-constructed pergola, aptly named “The View from the Q”, that overlooks the practice range and includes a barbecue and service area that allows golfers to order food and refreshments while warming up on the range or waiting to tee off. Other added amenities include a newlydeveloped 6,500 square foot putting green, additional tee boxes that will allow the course to offer seven different sets of rated tees for men and four sets of rated tees for women, so the course can be played anywhere from 7,249 yards to 5,043 yards. The Reese Jones design that meanders through this Sonoran Desert is kept in immaculate condition and is an excellent test of golf. The lush fairways that break up this desert countryside are a little more generous
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than they appear at first glance, but this is a strategic layout that is better served using long irons, hybrids and fairway woods off the tee in many areas to avoid the many bunkers and the native desert areas that can add to your score in a hurry. The greens are relatively flat, but getting the right speeds takes some work on the practice greens to get an accurate feel for them. Knowing the course and getting familiar with its quirks is the key to scoring at Quintero, and their excellent web site has some great flyover videos and helpful hints on learning about this course before taking it on. The Par 5 8th Hole--which also happens to be the No. 1 handicap - could be the most spectacular and the most interesting to play. The first shot is to a wide split fairway, but placement is the key here because the second shot needs to go over a deep wash and into the second half of the fairway that is much tighter. This hole plays anywhere from 586 yards to 453, depending on which set of tees being played. Because of the many combinations of teeing areas such as the Gold, Gold-Silver Combo, Silver, SilverCopper Combo and the Copper tees, etc., you can find a comfortable distance for most players at 6,655, 6,437 and 6,069 yards - in addition to three longer and two shorter options than these. If you are looking for great customer service and an experience that has a relaxed, luxury feel, then a trip to Quintero Golf Club is well worth it. To learn more about the course and the amenities, you can go to the website: www.quinterogolf.com
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RESORTREPORT
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SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
by James McAfee
I
can remember when the Texas State Open was played at Tapatio Springs in Boerne 30+ years ago when it was the first destination resort in the San Antonio area and one of the top 10 golf resorts in the state. However, on a visit five years ago, I found the course had really gone downhill and didn’t even have grass on the greens. Floods in May of 2015 also caused some damage. The good news is that the resort course at Tapatio Springs Hill County Resort and Spa has undergone a $2 million restoration by Tripp Davis and Associates that has turned an outdated landscape of tired holes into a “must play” golf experience again. “There was a time in the late 1980s and 1990s when the Tapatio Springs Resort Course was regarded as one of the best in the state, if not the region,” Davis stated. “The golf course is simply beautiful with great rolling terrain, huge old live oaks and stunning vistas. Our focus has been simple; to regain the best of its original character and add certain unique enhancements for today’s playing styles and the resort’s many guests and members. I’m extremely proud of the work we’ve done.” “Attractive bunkering is one of the key ingredients in defining the visual character of a golf course; the greater the visual and strategic character, the greater the experience,” offered Davis. “I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a bunker and tee project have as big an impact on the visual and strategic interest of a golf course as what’s been achieved here. The new bunker designs incorporate turf faces and flatter bottoms, which together provide a less sever obstacle than years past. The result is stunning, including less penalization for the high handicap golfers.” My cousin Eldon Tarver, a member of a Texas Golf Association course rating team, and I both liked the new and artful bunker designs. At least until Eldon’s drive on No. 10 ended up near the lip and a 9 spoiled another effort for the then 74-year-old to shoot his age. It’s a player-friendly course that is short by today’s standards at only 6, 504 yards from the back tees. Resort guests can enjoy it from 6,114 yards, seniors at 5,843 and women from 5,185. Members play a mix of gold and white tees at 5,843. Long hitters will have opportunities for putts at eagles as three of the par 5s are reachable in two at under 500 yards. As part of the renovation, many of the tees were relocated to provide better sightlines, the fairways were re-graded to improve the playing surfaces and drainage, three of the greens were resurfaced and a new putting green added. Matt Reams, the director of golf, believes Davis did a great job of restoring the playing conditions for golfers of all skill levels. “Based on our guest
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feedback, we’re well on our way to regaining our proud position as one of the top 10 golf courses in Texas,” he said. “We now have a solid stand of good turf and guests continue to say they’ve never seen it in as good of shape as it is now. When my wife and I visited, we also got to see a new $1 million swimming pool and really enjoyed our min-suite and the fine dining options. Since our visit, golfers are now able to get an even better www.golfvacationsmag.com
practice experience as the range was lengthened, a teaching tee added at the other end and new target greens added. The 19th hole also has been upgraded. Davis definitely brought the course back to life and the new management team has made great strides with other improvements. So if you haven’t visited in a long time, it’s time to return For more visit: www.tapatioresort.com Golf Vacations • January 2017 23
SWEETSTUFF W
ith a number of new fairway woods hitting the market in 2017, one that is getting a lot of attention for its performance is the newly-released XJ1 by Tour Edge. Containing many of the technological advances earlier released in the company’s driver of the same name, the Tour Edge XJ1 Fairway is one of the lightest of its kind ever produced at 286 grams (270 grams for the ladies’ version). Hitting this club from off the fairway or teeing it up as a more accurate driver, it delivers exceptional distance and driver-like distances in a more compact package. Tests show that with the ultra-light 45-gram Fujikura AIR SPEEDER shaft—which is 25-30 grams lighter than the typical fairway wood shaft— coupled with the lighter head, produce a notable increase in swing speed and ball speed for greater distances than some drivers produce. The XJ1 fairway wood’s lightweight body allows most of the weight in the club to be in the sole for improved trajectory. The heavy Tungsten sole holds 124-grams, two-thirds of the entire mass of the clubhead. The added weight generates high launch angels and produces a low center of gravity for extremely easy to hit shots from any lie with optimal results. The Tour Edge R&D team utilized combo brazing in the XJ1 fairway woods to adhere the titanium body to the tungsten sole. Experience dictated that combo brazing was the most effective method to combine the two materials and maintain the Tour Edge level of quality control. The XJ1 face technology features SP 700 Beta Titanium to create super high C.O.R., all over the face for impressive distance gains. The face is laser bonded to the body for consistent weighting along the seams and allowing for a larger face. Double V variable face thickness (VFT) technology offers multiple levels of thickness that maximizes the spring like effect from more points on the face. By thinning and thickening the face, the V-shapes produce a powerful launch for explosive distance, even on off-center hits. Like its driver big brother, the XJ1 fairways are designed for the average player with an easy feel and the light weight. This is a club that you don’t have to hit hard to get good results from. The new ultralightweight 9-1-1 titanium body and a heavy tungsten sole combine to give performance and an explosive sound at impact. The fairway wood body is constructed entirely of the brand new 9-1-1 titanium which is remarkably light, 10 percent lighter than 6A4v titanium, allowing engineers to save significant weight in the body. The unprecedented strength of 9-1-1 enables it to be thinner and more reactive, even at lower swing speeds. According to David Glod, the founder of Tour Edge Golf, the XJ1 fairways were intended to use the most advanced technologies for these new clubs. “I am thrilled that the XJ1 fairway woods perform better for all golfers, but especially for low to mid swing speed players,” he noted. “Finally, an advanced technological club, with the Exotics stamp of approval, that improves the game for those who need it most.” Technicians of the XJ1 fairway woods also included a 12-gram tungsten screw in the heel positioned strategically for draw enhancement and faster release of the club head through impact. Additional weights are available in a kit; 10, 14, 16 grams. The XJ1 fairway wood is available in 3-wood (15 degree), 4-wood (17 degree), 5-wood (18 degree), and 7-wood (21 degree), right hand only. For more information on the Tour Edge XJ1 fairway woods: www.touredge.com
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SWEETSTUFF W
hile there is no magic potion that you can drink that will make you play better golf, it is well-known that certain foods, minerals and supplements contribute to overall health and healthier bodies make for better golfers. That’s where the new drink called swingOIL comes in with its blend of seven key minerals that support flexibility and focus. swingOIL helps golfers everywhere get loose, swing smooth, and focus on what matters most: feeling great on—and off—the course. Trainers and nutritionists have advocated for years that key natural ingredients help with flexibility and focus, and now Back9Beverages has introduced a quick, handy, good tasting 3 oz. liquid packet that you can drink quickly and get some of the key nutrients that can be vital to both health and performance. The company notes that more players drank swingOIL at the Senior U.S. Open last year than played the top brand of golf ball, and has the top-ranked golfer on the planet— Jason Day—as its headline spokesperson who uses the beverage as part of his daily routine. The key ingredients include: 1. Glucosamine (100 mg.) & 2. -Chondroitin (50mg.) These two supplements promote joint health and can help make those big swings easier. 3. Turmeric (40 mg.) This helps kick out inflammation and muscle soreness. 4. Taurine (100 mg.) A low-cal, sugar free pickme-up that helps with energy levels. 5 - Citrulline Malate (100 mg.) Provides the
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by Terry Ross
one-two punch of bringing additional blood— and subsequently, oxygen and nutrients— to exercising muscles, as well as providing increased energy to boost performance levels. 6. Ginseng Extract (100 mg.) Focus matters, and this helps with brain function and reducing stress. 7. Rhodiola Rosea Extract (50 mg.) This is a known stress reducer and helps with stamina and increased energy. Available in three delicious flavors: Lemon-Lime, Orange and Strawberrybanana, swingOIL comes in in a convenient 3 oz. pouch that you can drink before tee-time, to stay loose; during your rounds, to avoid playing getting tight when it matters most; and after the final putt, to help your body prepare for tomorrow’s game. To learn more visit www.swingoil.com
T
raveling can be stressful--worrying about making connection flights, clearing security and customs, packing in a carry-on to avoid bag check fees, and one of the biggest challenges, calculating time changes. Instead of relying on a smartphone to determine time of day, REACTOR, makers of some of the most progressive sport watches on the market, has created the Proton World Time watch that can be used to calculate time of day in any city by simply twisting the bezel. This is ideal for leisure or business travel. The REACTOR Proton World Time watch is available in three styles--a sleek 316L solid stainless steel bracelet with a bright blue or black dial and a two-tone IP yellow gold and 316L stainless steel bracelet with a navy dial. Each watch carries a 200-meter watertight rating making it durable to wear to the beach and stylish enough for to an elegant dinner. To calculate the time anywhere in the world using the Proton World Time watch, simply set the watch to local time then align the closest major city with the hour hand on the dial. The local time in any time zone can then be read off the bezel. The numbers next to the cities listed on the bezel represent the positive offset from GMT time and a red asterisk indicates a city that does not follow daylight savings time. The Proton World Time watch is built on the REACTOR DNA platform with a solid forged 316L stainless steel case and case back and solid link bracelet construction. It features a precise timing chronograph and
locking push buttons. And, for the first time ever, the Proton World Time Watch is now available with REACTOR’s patented Never Dark® illumination technology. Never Dark® is the first technology to combine the intense brightness of Superluminova with the multiyear longevity of tritium, providing optimal illumination under all lighting conditions. Because it can take up to 30 minutes for the human eye to fully adjust to the dark, Superluminova’s intense peak brightness makes a Never Dark™ watch easily visible during that initial adjustment period. In situations where the watch will remain in the dark for many hours, the tritium will remain visible for years, even if the watch is never returned to the light. For more information, visit: http:// reactorwatch.com/reactor_proton.html
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28 Golf Vacations • January 2017
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