OUR 16th YEAR!
THIS MONTH: My Turn • SweetStuff • ChipShots
GOLF VACATIONS MARCH 2017
RESORT REPORT:
THE WIGWAM RESORT
PETE DYE
HIS TOP DESIGNS TO PLAY IN 2017
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GOLF VACATIONS MARCH 2017
Shepherd’s Rock at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, Farmington, PA
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Chip Shots
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Top Pete Dye Designs To Play in 2017
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Resort Report: The Wigwam Resort
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Sweet Stuff by Terry Ross
by JD Latorre Whatever drives Pete Dye, we’ll take numerous helpings. He could’ve rode off to the sunset years ago – left behind the grind of getting up every morning for work or dealing with the tribulations of traveling to a job site – and still left a legacy unrivaled in golf course design.
by Hal Quinn The feeling that this is something special, that this is like no other Arizona resort arrives like a soothing and welcoming cool towel. The long driveway winds through a manicured, almost tropical garden setting to the concierge station that, remarkably, looks like it belongs there. The pathway is cobbled, passing under a flowered trellis, and leads to a doorway in a low-slung building with no garish signage, that looks more like the entrance to a friend’s cottage than to one of America’s finest resorts. From that first impression on, everything about the Wigwam Resort is understated but immaculately executed, a throwback to bygone era of civility but enveloped in state-of-the-art conveniences.
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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
Hal Quinn has played, and written about, the game’s finest courses and resorts across four continents, with some interesting small islands in between. You can read more about those travels at www.passporttogolf.com
Associate Editor Terry Ross
Features Editor Larry Feldman
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
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, Tenerife, 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.
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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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 The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort Receives coveted Five Star and Five Diamond Awards KIAWAH ISLAND, SC – For the ninth year in a row, the Forbes Travel Guide has awarded The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort with their highest awards -- Five Stars. No other hotel in South Carolina earned a Forbes Five Star award in 2017. AAA awarded The Sanctuary Five Diamonds for the 11th year in a row. Additionally, the Forbes Travel Guide recognized The Spa at The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort with Five Stars for the ninth year in a row. The Ocean Room at The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort, the resort’s high-end steakhouse, earned both Forbes Four Star and AAA Four Diamond awards. It is one of only six steakhouses nationally to earn both Forbes Four Stars and AAA Four Diamonds. There are no Five Star or Five Diamond steakhouses. “It is an honor to receive these distinguished and coveted awards,” said Bill Lacey, General Manager of The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort. “To win them year after year is a tremendous credit to our staff who has continued to maintain the highest standards of service making The
Sanctuary one of the finest destinations in the world.” The Sanctuary, which opened in August 2004, features 255 rooms and suites, also joins its sister property, The Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, VA, in achieving the coveted Forbes Five Star and AAA Five Diamond awards. The Sanctuary’s other sister property, The Inn at Harbour Town on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina, earned Forbes Travel Guide Four Star award. The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort is an oceanfront hotel and spa and is part of Kiawah Island Golf Resort, which features five championship golf courses, two tennis centers, 18 dining establishments and a variety of recreation and nature programs. It is a member of Preferred Hotels and Resorts Worldwide. Forbes Travel Guide’s 2017 Five and Four Star awards feature properties in destinations throughout North America, as well as our newest international ratings. The North American winners include 81 Five Star hotels, 39 Five-Star restaurants and 30 Five Star spas. For more information about The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort, visit www.kiawahresort.com For more information about Forbes Travel Awards, visit www.forbestravelguide.com
Arroyo, Siena Offer TwoDay, Two-Course Vegas Golf Packages LAS VEGAS, NV – Whether you’re a resident of our great city or just visiting Las Vegas, the chances are good that golf may fit into your schedule. And, like the rest of us, you’re going to be looking for variety when it comes to courses as well as good deals. Arroyo Golf Club and Siena Golf Club have just the deal for golfers in their two-day, two-round package. It’s simple: Play both courses within a five-day timeframe for one low price. –By Bill Bowman. While prices vary depending on time of day players tee off as well as the season they play, golfers can tee it up on both courses for as little as $88. That’s just $44 per round. And making reservations is easy as tee times can be reserved up to 90 days in advance. Call 702.341.9200 to reserve your tee times. One reminder: Both tee times must be made at the same time. The Arroyo Golf Club is an Arnold Palmer layout that stretches out to 6,883 yards from the tips. The par-72 layout, with impressive water features, white-sand bunkering and lush surroundings, winds through the terrain along the base of Red Rock Canyon.
The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island
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Siena Golf Club in Las Vegas
Siena Golf Club is a par-72 course that plays to 6,843 yards from the tips and was designed by the team of Schmidt/Curley. An impressive array of bunkering (more than 90 on the course) will definitely put players’ sand play to the test if they stray from the rolling fairways and undulating greens. And if you’re planning on staying in the Vegas area a little longer, check out their stay-and-play packages that include a variety of Las Vegas resort options and golf rounds. Whether it’s a one-night, one-round getaway or a week-long golf vacation, they can help tailor a package to fit your needs.
Troon Announces Partnership With Ship Sticks SCOTTSDALE, AZ – Troon,® the leader in golf course management, development, and marketing, has selected Ship Sticks, the world’s premiere golf club shipping provider, as the company’s preferred partner for golf club shipping. As part of the partnership, Ship Sticks
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will utilize a number of Troon’s dynamic marketing platforms including digital and print media through Troon Golf & Travel, customer engagement through Troon’s expansive database, and other Troon marketing channels that reach a number of key golfer demographics. Participating Troon facilities will also utilize Ship Sticks to offer customers reliable club and luggage shipping services to and from the golf course at rates up to 60 percent less than major logistics providers. “Our new partnership with Ship Sticks is exciting on many fronts as the relationship benefits both Troon customers and Troon Privé club members, along with Troon facilities across the globe,” said Mike Ryan, co-chief operating officer and executive vice president, Troon. “Ship Sticks makes it easy for golfers to ship their clubs anywhere in the world. The ease of their service ultimately encourages golfers to travel more and play more golf.” In addition, Ship Sticks becomes an
official sponsor of both the Troon Cup and Troon Challenge annual golf tournaments – two nationwide events that attract more than 1,300 players. Participants playing in both tournaments will receive special offers from Ship Sticks on shipping their clubs to and from the event destinations. “We are excited to launch our partnership with Troon and look forward to offering our services to their extensive membership and managed facilities.” said Nick Coleman, CEO. “Our goal is to simplify the way one travels with their clubs, and drive more rounds of golf worldwide.” Founded in 2011, Ship Sticks provides a door-to-door shipping solution for the traveling golfer who desires a hasslefree traveling experience. For additional information visit www.shipsticks.com. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., Troon is the world’s largest golf management company, with more than 270 golf courses in its portfolio. For additional news and information, visit www.Troon.com
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Master Your Game In Myrtle Beach This April With Special Packages From Myrtle Beach Golf Trips
MYRTLE BEACH, SC – April is the time to get swinging with golf packages offered by Myrtle Beach Golf Trips, the Grand Strand company that has been putting together great golf experiences since 1927. As the golf season bursts into full bloom this April with The Masters Tournament, golfers can begin to master their own 2017 games through the Azalea Golf Package or the April 2-Round Package. Both packages include award-winning Myrtle Beach courses at the lowest rates that will be offered for spring. The April 2-Round Package offers golfers the opportunity to play two or more rounds of golf and receive discounts at 22 of Myrtle Beach’s favorite designs, called the Founders Collection. Some of the most popular courses include Myrtle Beach National King’s North, an Arnold Palmer-designed classic; TPC Myrtle Beach, a Tour-caliber course with great practice areas; and River Club, which earned 4.5 out of 5 Stars from Golf Digest’s “Places to Play.” Each golfer will save $5 per round for tee times before 8:30 a.m. and after 1 p.m. This package includes rates starting as low as $78. The April 2-Round Package is valid during the month of April. Available from April 3 to June 4, the Azalea Golf Package allows players to enjoy
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championship golf courses at special prices, as well as spectacular azaleas in bloom and the Lowcountry’s own version of The Masters’ signature pimento cheese sandwiches. This three-round package starts at $178 and includes tee times booked before 8 a.m. or after 1 p.m. at Litchfield Country Club, Willbrook Plantation Golf Club and Tradition Golf Club courses in Pawleys Island, S.C. “These packages offer the opportunity to take advantage of warm weather and the lowest spring prices we’ll be offering,” said Steve Mays, director of marketing and sales for Founders Group International, owner of Myrtle Beach Golf Trips. “With nearly 100 courses, golfers can select from a wide variety of award-winning courses. For example, the April 2-Round package gives them the opportunity to get a taste of The Masters Tournament at World Tour. That’s where they’ll find a course that pays tribute to some of the greatest holes in golf, including Augusta’s iconic ‘Amen Corner.’ If they choose the Azalea Golf Package, they can enjoy the massive blooming azaleas at the Litchfield, Willbrook and Tradition courses. Or they can book both packages back to back and enjoy an extended golf vacation at the spring’s most affordable rates.” Litchfield Country Club was selected as the 2016 Golf Course of the Year by the Myrtle Beach Area Golf Course Owners Association. It’s easy to see why. The course is a classic design that is one of the most popular golf
courses along the Grand Strand. Built on the site of a former rice plantation 50 years ago, Litchfield Country Club has an antebellumstyle clubhouse surrounded by massive azaleas. It is one of the oldest courses in the Lichfield/Pawleys Island area, and is one of ten layouts etched into a historic peninsula of land that is now home to the Waccamaw Golf Trail which runs between the Waccamaw River and the Atlantic Ocean. Also built on the former site of a historic rice plantation, Willbrook Plantation Golf Club offers more than just 18 holes of lush fairways. Weaving among moss-draped, centuries-old live oaks and beside beautiful marshlands, Willbrook is accented by large azaleas and other blooming plants. Historic markers along the course tell the story of Willbrook, enhancing the golf experience. The course is also home to a beautiful array of waterfowl and other wildlife that can be spotted during a round. Named the South Carolina Golf Course of the Year in 2000, Tradition Golf Club has a creative yet simple design and well-protected greens also built on the site of a former rice plantation. Routinely honored by regional and national publications, Tradition boasts a best-in-class Mega Practice Complex to help golfers tune up their games. More information about The Azalea and April 2-Round Packages are available at MyrtleBeachGolfTrips.com or by calling 800882-3420 to book tee times now.
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Golf In Miami At The Biltmore Hotel Golf Resort
A few steps away from The Biltmore Hotel is a 6,800-yard championship course with almost a century’s worth of history. Designed in 1925 by legendary golf course architect Donald Ross, the hotel’s 18-hole, 71-par course truly offers a fully-integrated experience with endless amenities. Early in its storied history, the course was host to The Miami – Biltmore Open, one of the richest prize purse professional golf tournaments of its time. Also the site of the Junior Orange Bowl International Golf Championship since 1964, the course has been home to many notable golf legends since its inception, including Tiger Woods and Ricky Fowler. Guests can take advantage of the golf clubhouse, a stocked golf shop, as well as 60 sets of current model rental golf clubs and the Biltmore Instructional Programs conducted by PGA-certified golf professionals. The 19th
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Hole Restaurant & Bar is perfect for those wanting a lunch break or a drink after a game. The Golf Channel Academy, operated by Justin Bruton, is also available at The Biltmore Hotel. The academy provides players with the opportunity to improve at a rapid pace by teaching through testing, proper instruction, detailed structure, accountability and positive motivation. Multiple program options are available to accommodate a wide range of skill, from the new golfer to an elite level. “In order to fulfill our ongoing vision of making The Biltmore Hotel golf experience one of the best in South Florida, we constantly strive to enhance our guests’ golf experience,” said Matthias Kammerer, Managing Director of The Biltmore Hotel. “Through physical improvements as well as new services, we will continue to enhance and complement our renowned course.” Since the opening of the golf course, it has undergone two renovations – the first being an extensive $5 million renovation in 2007,
including the implementation of Tifdwarf Bermuda grass surfaces, restoration of bunkers to their original designs, and preservation of the original playing characteristics in an ongoing commitment to honor the traditions and decorum of the sport. Significant improvements were also completed in late 2014, including upgrades to the driving range, practice areas, hitting stations and The Biltmore Golf Pro Shop. The hotel also introduced a new fleet of 2014 Club Car electric passenger golf carts fully equipped with high-tech Visage GPS units. In addition to its physical enhancements, The Biltmore Hotel has partnered with Planet Golf, a leader in state-of-the-art club fitting, manufacturing and repair, to provide golfers with custom clubs designed for optimum performance. With a 675-square-foot showroom, Planet Golf offers club fitting and repair services on property. To book your stay, please visit www. biltmorehotel.com
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Top Pete D
to Play Full Cry at Keswick Golf Club No. 8
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Dye Designs
in 2017 by JD Latorre
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Whatever drives Pete Dye, we’ll take numerous helpings.
H
e could’ve rode off to the sunset years ago – left behind the grind of getting up every morning for work or dealing with the tribulations of traveling to a job site – and still left a legacy unrivaled in golf course design. Instead, the famous course designer – who recently turned 91(!) – is still hard at work creating new layouts to test golfers. Rather than resting on his laurels in 2017, he’s at the drafting table and visiting the Laurel Highlands in southwestern Pennsylvania, putting the finishing touches on Shepherd’s Rock at the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort. Set to open this July, Shepherd’s Rock is a Dye-Tim Liddy collaboration will amaze anyone who tees it up here. The layout – Dye’s only new creation set to open this year – joins an incredible list of courses designed by the legendary Hoosier. More about his latest design can be found below, as well as his other courses – both well-known and hidden gems – that you should play in 2017. AT&T Canyons Course – Dye designed the AT&T Canyons Course at TPC San Antonio, but saved his trademark railroad ties for another
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golf course. Instead, all of Dye’s superb design qualities that rarely make headlines are wonderfully showcased – breathtaking vistas, superb hole designs and incredible shot values. Oh, and there are plenty of memorable holes. Like the par-3 fourth, which features water all down the left, and the amazing par-5 fifth, a three-shotter with incredible views off the tee and exceptional elevation changes to the green. The back nine also boasts some dramatic holes, like the par-3 16th, a 224-yard beauty with a 50-foot drop from tee to green, and the stellar finishing hole, a par-4 with plenty of bunkering and the resort hotel providing a dramatic backdrop. The AT&T Canyons played host the San Antonio Championship on the Champions Tour from 2011-2015. And while it doesn’t get the fanfare like its sister course and site of the PGA Tour’s Valero Texas Open, the AT&T Oaks, the Canyons often gets tabbed the best and most picturesque layout at TPC San Antonio. www.tpc.com/sanantonio/att-canyons-course; 210-491-5800 Full Cry at Keswick Golf Club – Situated on 600 rolling acres just down the road from Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello estate in the Hunt Country outside Charlottesville is Keswick Hall & Golf Club. The resort’s acclaimed Pete Dye-designed golf course – Full Cry at Keswick Golf Club – opened in 2014 to wide acclaim.
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Harbour Town Golf Links
“Full Cry” is a hunting term describing the call of hounds that have found the scent and are in hot pursuit of their mark. The superb and fun-to-play 18 negotiates the gently sloping terrain below the inn’s perch on the property’s high ground. The fanfare has come quickly. The course is ranked No. 46 in Golfweek’s “Best 100 Resort Courses” and was named in Golf Digest’s 2015 “Best New Courses” list. When stepping on the first tee, the layout’s beauty and clarity of the challenge are displayed wonderfully. Dye has done a masterful job of using “old world” architectural traits found at the classic courses of Scotland and Ireland. Except for one hole, the greens have open fronts and are approachable by low “links-style” run-up shots or through the air allowing for great shot variety. The last three holes on the back nine are as fine a finish as you’ll find. The par-3 16th is modeled after the famous “Redan” hole at Scotland’s North Berwick. With train tracks running parallel the entire length of the right side, the superlative par-5 17th is called the “Railroad Hole” and plays much longer than the yardage due to fighting the prevailing wind. The tee box of the demanding par-4 No. 18 provides the crescendo of the layout with a panoramic view of the sprawling Hunt Country, serene mountains off on the horizon and inn above. Full Cry truly a delightful place to tee it up and showcases Dye’s imagination and genius. www.keswick.com/page/golf; 888-778-2565 Harbour Town Golf Links – The most revered and iconic golf course on Hilton Head Island is Harbour Town Golf Links, site of the RBC Heritage. Situated on the south part of the island, Harbour Town is a Dye design that hugs the beautiful Calibogue Sound and boasts the famous candy-cane striped marina lighthouse behind the 18th hole. The course is the signature amenity of The Sea Pines Resort, a 5,200-acre recreational haven that kick-started the island’s development in 1957.
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Harbour Town recently underwent a series of agronomic enhancements including a comprehensive re-grassing of the golf course and the installation of a new irrigation system. That followed a substantial renovation of its clubhouse, which was part of the Sea Pines Resort capital investment project. The effort introduced one of the largest beach clubs on the Atlantic Coast as well as a new Plantation clubhouse servicing the resort’s other stellar layouts, Heron Point and the Ocean Course. While most of the country is shivering and shoveling snow, Hilton Head Island enjoys sunshine and mild temperatures that set up perfectly for 18 to 36-hole days. “Golf Island” is the warmest of South Carolina’s great golf destinations. Average high temperatures hover around 60 in January, while the mercury can jump into the 70s in February and March, on par with northern Florida. What’s more, golfers are treated to pristine conditions as courses island-wide often sport lush rye grass over-seeding. www.seapines.com; 866-561-8802 Nemacolin Woodlands Resort – Only a few U.S. resorts can boast two Pete Dye courses, and Nemacolin, situated on nearly 2,000 acres about an hour southeast of Pittsburgh, will join those ranks in July when it unveils Shepherd’s Rock. Sitting high atop the Allegheny Mountains, Shepherd’s Rock is expected to rival the highest-rated courses in the country. The tree-lined front side will be a shotmaker’s delight, as precision and accuracy will be key to successfully navigating its rippling fairways flanked by the ever-present Dye-created mounds, natural wetlands and cleverly situated greens. The stout back nine is brawny and wide open, with jaw-dropping vistas of the Laurel Highlands. The dramatic par5 18th, under the gaze of Nemacolin’s posh Falling Rock boutique hotel, features a green sitting atop the property’s high ground and a single, magnificent oak tree standing sentinel on the right.
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Mystic Back Tee at Nemacolin
Nemacolin’s existing Dye design, Mystic Rock, once hosted the PGA TOUR’s 84 Lumber Classic and ranks in the top-60 in Golf Digest’s “America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses.” A brawny par-72 layout stretching to over 7,500 yards from the tips, the layout features five sets of tees making the course more than playable for golfers of any and all abilities. Even better, caddies are included in the green fee to make the golf experience something to long savor. www.nemacolin.com, 866.344.6957 Pound Ridge Golf Club – Opened in 2008 to critical acclaim, Pound Ridge is located in tony Westchester County, roughly an hour from Manhattan and just minutes from the financial and business hubs of Greenwich, Stamford and Norwalk, Conn. Crafted by Pete, his son Perry (of Dye Designs) and long-time construction manager/lead shaper Michael Langkau, Pound Ridge is a wall-to-wall bentgrass facility, hewn from 172 acres of magnificent cliffs, streams and wooded hills. Dramatic rock formations and boulders were left onsite by the Dye team, creating one of the most visually stunning settings for golf in the United States. More than
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14,000-linear-feet of rock walls frame a strikingly natural property graced with thousands of trees, subtle wetlands and (in strategic locations) severely-sloped hills. Contoured fairways wind through hardwood forests and fescue mounds, leading to open meadows crowned by picturesque green complexes. The par-72, 7,165-yard layout features some of the highest points in the region, with a number of tee boxes offering expansive vistas of the surrounding countryside. Notable holes include: the par-5, 13th, home to “Pete’s Rock,” a giant boulder that rests in the middle of the fairway; and the par-3 15th hole, dubbed “Headstone,” which is flanked on the right by a large rock outcropping that protrudes into the elongated, 9,000-squarefoot green. www.poundridgegolf.com, 914.764.5771 TPC Sawgrass, Stadium Course – The site of THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP is now open after an extensive renovation project done to the course a year ago.
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No worries, the signature island green on No. 17 remains, but several holes on Dye’s crown jewel significantly changed. The most prominent alteration: the 12th is now a drivable par-4 that doglegs left. Water creeps along the left side of a yawning bunker on the approach and left of the putting surface. The right side also presents trouble thanks to three bunkers and trees.
trademark railroad ties, which are mainly found on the course’s spectacular par 3s. Another eye-opening feature: the multitude of bunkers scattered throughout. In total, there are more than 1,000 bunkers in various shapes and sizes – pot, directional, some measuring over 100 yards – and there’s even a hole named “Sand Box” for the plethora of traps from tee to green.
The sixth and seventh holes were also tweaked, and every green on the Stadium Course were regrassed with TifEagle. In addition, the practice area received numerous upgrades including a larger teeing area with uneven lies and target greens, and two practice greens for guests to work on straight putts and those found on the course. www.tpc.com/sawgrass; 888.877.9193
What epitomizes Dye’s greatness for course routing and design are the par 3s found on the Straits Course. Each provides a captivating scene with Lake Michigan hugging the right side. The body of the water and ever-present wind also make these holes formidable challenges.
Whistling Straits, Straits Course – Once a flat, abandoned army air base, Dye transformed this two-mile piece of land hugging the shores of Lake Michigan into America’s ode to Irish golf. On the Straits Course, patrons will find a smorgasbord of unique traits that make a round here so memorable. First there are Dye’s
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Tee times on the Straits Course are starting to mirror Willy Wonka’s golden ticket, as prominent professional tournaments are spotlighting Dye’s wonder in Wisconsin and alluring golfers to play where the pros play. The Straits Course played host to several USGA and PGA Championships, and will be site of the 2020 Ryder Cup. www.americanclubresort.com/golf/whistling-straits; 800-618-5535
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RESORTREPORT
The Wigwam Resort
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by Hal Quinn
LITCHFIELD PARK, ARIZONA
T
he feeling that this is something special, that this is like no other Arizona resort arrives like a soothing and welcoming cool towel. The long driveway winds through a manicured, almost tropical garden setting to the concierge station that, remarkably, looks like it belongs there. The pathway is cobbled, passing under a flowered trellis, and leads to a doorway in a low-slung building with no garish signage, that looks more like the entrance to a friend’s cottage than to one of America’s finest resorts. From that first impression on, everything about the Wigwam Resort is understated but immaculately executed, a throwback to bygone era of civility but enveloped in state-of-the-art conveniences. The Living Room, not the ‘lobby,’ introduces guests to not only the storied history of the building and the entire site, but to a reverence and respect for the past. The Room is appointed with antiques and photos and knickknacks worth lingering over. Unlike other resorts, with faux rustic lobby displays of an old lariat and some jade jewelry, at the Wigwam they are the genuine article and so interesting that there’s no rush to check in. But once introduced to the expansive rooms, pools, restaurants, three superb golf courses, and all other amenities, the dominant feeling is that there is no rush to leave. The Wigwam is not just steeped in history; in fact it is the history of the area. A century ago, automobile tires were partly made with Egyptian cotton. When it was discovered that cotton every bit as good, and much cheaper, would thrive in the vast wastelands of the Arizona desert, the Goodyear Tire Co. established a cotton planation. In 1917, the local town was renamed Litchfield Park after Goodyear chairman Paul Litchfield who founded Goodyear Farms and propelled the development of the Wigwam. In 1918 an Organization House was built for sales reps supplying the ranchers. The Living Room is today part of that original building. Gradually Goodyear executives came out to inspect the cotton operations and so bedrooms were added. The executives started bringing their families from head office in Ohio to escape Eastern winters, and so in 1929 the Wigwam opened as a winter guest ranch with room for two dozen visitors. It became a bit of a Goodyear retreat. A nine-hole course was added in 1930, and in 1935 V.O. ‘Red’ Allen – whose name lives on at Red’s Bar & Grill – became the first golf pro and expanded the layout to 18 holes. Today, Wigwam has 54 holes – two of the three championship courses were designed by the legendary Robert Trent Jones – on 440 acres with 331 casita-style guest rooms (including 72 suites), a 26,000 sq. ft. Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa, four swimming pools, and five restaurants and bars. There were many turns in the road from cotton plantation admin building to ‘Historic Hotel of America’ and AAA Four-Diamond resort status. In 1987 Goodyear sold the Wigwam and property to SunCor Corp, which sold it in 1990 to Kabuto Arizona Properties. Current owners JDM Partners bought it out of bankruptcy in 2009 and are responsible for the stunning restoration of the resort and the golf courses.
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“We spent the first six months doing what I called ‘living out there,’” said Tom O’Malley, Wigwam GM and JDM COO. “I’d meet people, introduced myself to the Mayor, go into the restaurants, and just watch and observe. We went and talked with the ministers and local business folks and young people and just asked: ‘What does the Wigwam mean to you and to the city?’” The city of Litchfield Park, 25 minutes by freeway west of Phoenix in the aptly named West Valley (Arizona Cardinals and Phoenix Coyotes territory), is home to barely 5,500 souls, 20 Golf Vacations • March 2017
but the bordering city of Goodyear has a current population of over 400,000 and is projected as the fastest growing Arizona city over the next decade. From ‘living out there’ O’Malley and the folks at JDM learned that the Wigwam had not only sentimental but real value to the locals and the local economy. “We then decided to renovate while capturing as much of the history and connection to the local community as we could,” O’Malley explained. JDM found a photo book and O’Malley gave copies to every architect and interior designer on the project and gave them an astounding directive. “We told them that whatever you do on the reno, you have to point www.golfvacationsmag.com
to the drop off, through the ‘living room,’ restaurants and pool area. “We’ve touched every inch of that property,” O’Malley said, without exaggeration, but with justifiable pride. “The previous owners had wanted it to look like every other hotel, and what we found was that a lot of things had been covered up, the 80-year-old wood beams in the ceilings, the intricate glass work in the windows. A lot of the history was gone.” Thanks to the $30 million dollar (approx.) inspired renovation, the Wigwam is competitive again with all the top resorts in the Phoenix area. And it was accomplished with care and creativity. O’Malley told all the designers that he wanted them to re-created the ‘collective experience’ fans had at JDM’s local arena, home to the NBA Phoenix Suns (formerly owned by the J in JDM, Jerry Colangelo). He told them that at a Suns game, fans paid $3,000 for a courtside seat, or $5 for one in the back row; they could have the finest cuisine or a hot dog and beer; whatever experience they want or can afford, they get, but they’re all there together. He wanted that feeling of shared experience at the Wigwam. So that’s how the Wigwam is designed. In all the resort’s open spaces there are different types of seating areas. There are high top tables with four chairs; there are outdoor fireside tables, long community tables. Litchfield’s farm-to-table is a brilliant upscale restaurant, but just one of many options. Outdoor seating is all near the new pool complex (that has both adult and family areas), but natural barriers separate the pool and open area. The space can be enjoyed as a single, couple, foursome, family, or as a large group. Everything happens in the main area – there is even a bandstand and dance floor, and a play area for children that are easily monitored.
Fairway Suite
“Every night there will be locals, members, guests from around the world; there will be music; they are having cocktails and beers; they are having dinner; there are expensive places and not expensive places,” O’Malley explained. “You are all, sort of, together creating an energy but you can have a unique experience if you want it, a private dinner if you want it; as high end as expensive as you want, as casual and low end as you want. And you’re doing it together, with everybody else.”
“It’s not old, it’s not cowboys and Indians, it’s not kitchy, it’s a modern resort with all the modern amenities. But it’s not a box where everyone meets in the lobby where the elevators open, it’s got its own historic character.”
At some resorts, poolside, bars, lobbies, you get the feeling that things are sooo busy, a frenetic pace you’ve travelled a long way to escape. You see other people, guests you really don’t want to see in a Speedo, or elbowing up beside you at the bar, or engaging in that awful ‘weather’ conversation as you wait for the elevator. Your small room and CNN is the only escape. It’s the opposite at Wigwam. It’s all so spread out, tranquil, relaxed, civilized. It’s like you just moved into an idyllic community that you have always dreamed of and are in no hurry to leave.
So the work began, starting at the front gates right through
O’Malley’s vision caught on, and the new-found popularity
out a photo and either have to reproduce what you see or be inspired by it,” he said. “We wanted to have people show up at the property and immediately love it and feel like they were in an historic place.
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Wigwam Arrival Court
triggered the need to renovate the rooms. About $18 million later, all 331 rooms have been fully renovated. Because back in the 1960’s Phoenix resorts were 3-4 month winter havens for wealthy east coasters, the rooms are like small apartments, 600 to 800 sq. ft. (The standard hotel room is about 200 sq. ft.) The larger rooms, like the casitas along the first fairway, have kitchens and living rooms with fireplaces and big TVs. The last stage of the full-blown reno was the three golf courses. The Gold and Patriot courses were fully renovated, and the Heritage just needed a little buffing – turf and irrigation. “We are so lucky to have three great golf courses, just steps from the resort, that are challenging yet enjoyable,” said Director of Golf Leo Simonetta. “It’s not desert golf as people expect in Arizona, but beautiful parkland golf. And with a great old school designer like Trent Jones, it’s traditional and easy to walk over gentle terrain with the next tee box just a short distance from the green. You can’t see homes but on a couple of holes, a rarity in the Scottsdale/Phoenix golf universe. “Of course for guests looking for desert golf, we suggest courses in the area. For the average golfer, desert is tough, for the higher handicap player this is just an easier environment. 22 Golf Vacations • March 2017
With three distinctly different courses, with all the tee options, most guests play multiple rounds here. You don’t have to go anywhere else.” For generations, golfers have appreciated Trent Jones designs wherever they’re lucky enough to play one. Having two on one spectacular site is like winning the lottery. And just as the JDM-directed restoration of the Wigwam casitas and buildings has been true to the original, so too have the renos of the Jones Gold and Patriot courses and the Heritage course. “The long tee decks are a Jones trademark,” said Simonetta. “Today most courses would break those up. It would be so much less maintenance for us, but we prefer to keep the original tees and keep that look of an old school golf course.” The course renos – the Gold by Tom Lehman, tee to green on every hole – have earned the layouts Top 100 in America rankings. Over the decades the trees have grown and bunkers were added. In fact, when the original Jones designs were uncovered behind a boiler in the superintendent’s office they were able to go back to the future. A great example is the par 4, 430-yd #13. In Jones’ design, it had no bunkers. When Lehman arrived at the course, it www.golfvacationsmag.com
had six, four greenside. Lehman removed all six, restored the Jones green complex, and now the 13th green is one of the most challenging on the course. Jonesean once more. So is the par 4 #5, one of Simonetta’s favorites. “You have to hit a very good tee shot on a short-ish hole [405 yds from Jones tees] to avoid a very well-placed fairway bunker where Lehman replaced three small ones with a large one and brought it out onto the fairway a little bit. On the tee, the hole is framed so well by the pine trees down each side, the way the bunkers are, the way the green is shaped at an angle, I just love the way that hole looks.” On the Patriot course, 30 bunkers were removed and the remaining 38 were reshaped and the light brown sand replaced with white. As Simonetta said of the 52-year-old layout: “The Patriot looks and feels like a new golf course. It’s every bit as challenging as the Gold, just shorter.” The Heritage, designed by renowned architect Red Lawrence, is longer than Patriot but not as long as Gold (7,430) and has all the charm and character of the two other courses. A midwest traditional course, the greens are not as elevated and invite you to run the ball up if you have to. Heritage’s 7,200
yards can stretch to 7,500. Thanks to Superintendent Jason Schneider – at Wigwam since 2014 after working at such stellar clubs as Winged Foot and Olympic – and his crews, the conditions are exceptional on all three. In January, he installed a system [at a cost of $250,000, not personal] of submerged electronic reading devices that provide data on every section of the greens – temperature, moisture level – so that he can water sections without flooding the rest of it. It also tells the temperature of the subsoil so Schneider knows when to put fertilizer down. “For the fairways we just bought a fertilizer spreader with sensors reading the soil indicating what areas need fertilizer and which don’t,” explained GM O’Malley. “You just drive down the fairway and the spreader turns on and off, only putting fertilizer where needed. It saves money and areas that don’t need it aren’t over fertilized.” No wonder O’Malley says of his Super Schneider: “Jason has been a super star with us. He’s in hog heaven right now.” Speaking of stars, Wigwam is within a 15 drive of eight Major League Baseball Spring Training compounds (of the multi-multimillion dollar variety) and there’s a NASCAR track nearby too.
Gold #5
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Wigwam Casita
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The club recently introduced foot golf, and much to Simonetta’s surprise, it’s a big hit. “I was totally skeptical,” he admits. “So I talked to a lot of courses that were doing it, and the pros said they were skeptical too ... before they tried it. So I said ok, and after watching it for a about a week, I thought, ‘we’re on to something.’ We have a lot of members and guests who come over with their kids who play foot golf while they play golf. With all the kids and families coming out, it’s pretty cool.” It was so cool during Christmas break that they ran out of soccer balls and Simonetta had to head to Wal-Mart and buy all the balls he could find. After a day of golf, or a round of foot golf, there is no better place to head than Red’s Bar & Grill. There’s a big bar, and lots of TVs, and couches and tables, and a great patio. The menu has every post-round snack or sandwich or meal that you can ever crave. But once – once won’t end up being enough – you have to try The Jesse. It’s a delicious big burger with smoked bacon, tomatoes, lettuce, cheddar, and Red’s famous and secret sauce. Best of all it’s named for Jesse Davis, the official greeter at Red’s. The Grill’s most popular burger was created in honor of Jesse being the longest serving employee at the Resort. He’s now in his 47th year at the Wigwam, has a street named after him too near the entrance to Red’s, and will josh with you saying: “I’m still on probation.” Jess embodies what this unique place is all about. There is a feeling about it and makes you relax and want to just
The Jesse Burger
settle in. “We understand how important Wigwam is to the community,” said O’Malley. “We are the economic engine. You look at the restaurant menus and realize that these are not resort prices. It’s because we live inside a community, and this is their home. You’ll see local residents at the restaurants, local members on the course and at the resort. It’s the heart of the community.” That feeling pervades every aspect of the sprawling resort, envelops you on the drive in, and never leaves.
Bacabi
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SWEETSTUFF
club and still maintain feel. The Dyla-wedge grip gives you reference points, if you like to grip down the shaft in order to vary the distance the ball goes with the same length of swing. This is an extremely clever and useful device and it is good to see it continued as an option to the standard variable width PING grips. Lofts are available for both left-handed golfers and right-handed golfers in 46,50,52,54,56,58 and 60-degree models. For more information: www.pinggolf.com
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L
ooking for a new wedge that is a dart throwing pin seeker? Then look no further than the new PING Glide 2.0 wedges These superbly engineered wedges have redesigned grooves that vary by the loft of club and compared to the original Glide, increase spin by 300+ rpm on full shots and 200+ rpm on pitch shots, resulting in more control and precision. The additional two grooves on higherlofted models afford greater finesse from close in. Tour players are seeing spin-rate increases of 1,000-1,500 rpm on partial shots (40 to 70 yards) and gains of more than 500 rpm on full shots, compared to their current wedges! In addition, the wedge has a hydrophobic finish that repels water to enhance spin and amplify control. They will, of course, blend in particularly well with the PING i200 and iBlade, thanks to the similar looks. The feel of the wedges is buttery and getting out of a bunker is a dream. The only change in the lofts is that the SS (standard sole) starts at 46° instead of 47°, so there is no 48° version, and that is probably because this is there as an alternative to the 45° or 46° set wedges that you get in the i200 and iBlade irons, respectively. All the models come with Ping’s AWT 2.0 Wedge shaft which weighs slightly less than the previous CFS shaft and should give a little higher trajectory. There is the same choice of 4 sole grinds to vary the bounce, from the lower bounce. The Thin Sole (TS) is ideal for shallow attack angles and divots, the Standard Sole (SS) is ideal for moderate attack angles and divots; the Wide Sole (WS) is ideal for steep attack angles and deep divots; and the Eye Sole (ES), which has the inverted cavity from the classic PING Eye 2 wedge, is particularly good out of sand. To help golfers hit touch shots around the greens more easily, PING gave the Glide 2.0 wedges the Dyla-wedge grip that is ¾-inches longer than standard, so players can choke down on the
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he science behind this putter is spot on! Only after studying the facts presented by its inventor, William Presse, one can see that one of the biggest issues facing putting manufacturers, is torque. Players have been battling their putter’s natural head rotation for years — the majority of which never realize they’re doing it at all. In the field testing, our group of 15 players were simply overwhelmed with the feel and performance of the putter. Many smiles permeated our group! The actual design is different, but if it lowers your score, adaptability is the key word. Caveat--the aesthetics of the putter, the overall feel and forced-forward-press grip, will likely take getting used to, but well worth the extra effort. Directed Force putters can immediately add consistency to a golfer’s stroke, albeit with some practice. Most golfers have learned to correct for it by adding uneven hand pressure to the club — introducing yet another variable into their putting stroke. Even today’s largest club manufacturers have acknowledged the issue, marketing putters with a variety of balance types — face balanced and counterbalanced, for example. Yet, none of these products solve the problem. This putter has a very high moment of inertia (MOI) coming from the displacement of so much weight well behind the face. That means it hardly matters whether you hit it off the toe, heel or center of the face. The putter allows you — and I have confirmed this — to hit 30+ foot putts dead off the heel or toe without much, or any,
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SWEETSTUFF by Barry Lotz
noticeable effect on distance or direction. Most putters on the market today are either face-balanced or what have what’s called “toe hang and “flop open” as soon as the backswing is initiated — creating accuracy issues and the need to apply uneven wrist and hand pressure to keep the face square. Directed Force putters are designed specifically to achieve a smooth, effortless, lieangle balanced stroke. Every putter built by Directed Force has their proprietary lie-angle balancing formula built-in, ensuring you achieve the pure putting stroke you desire — and sink more putts! Every putter ships fully assembled with one Directed Force’s revolutionary PressGrips — which features integrated forward press technology. The putter shaft travels through the grip’s elliptical shape off-axis by three degrees, not through the center of the grip, as found on most putters. Directed Force’s putter technologies are not dependent on the PressGrip, however, so the putters can be made with the aftermarket grip of your choice. Presse says the grip size and weight affect weighting in the head, so make sure to factor that in during your purchase. This unique shaft alignment creates the forward lean players are looking for, to hit up through impact without increasing the loft of the putter. With every stroke, the ball rolls top over more easily and the player is rewarded with a consistent feel. According to William Presse, lie angle balance is the solution and to that end, he has developed an entirely new formula and approach to club balance that eliminates unwanted head rotation and torque, once and for all. Lie-angle balance is best defined as the putter head’s ability to stay square through the ball during the putting stroke without any adjustments from your hands. The result — the body’s smaller and less reliable muscle groups relax, allowing a player’s stronger muscles to maintain control over swing speed and path. Lie-angle balancing creates a “pendulum-like” stroke with unmatched stability, ball direction and distance control. Through Directed Force’s advanced engineering, their proprietary formula and head design ensures consistent center of gravity for every putter produced — regardless of a player’s unique specifications. The putters are mechanically forged from 6061 aircraft aluminum and heat treated to eliminate any natural inconsistencies in the metal. Using precision HAAS CNC machines, the head is then CNC-milled to the proper shape and finished with a type-3 anodized coating. Directed Force’s engineers interpolate the shaft hole to create a snug fit and clean look where the shaft connects to the head. If you decide to purchase a putter, it is preferable to be custom fitted, so Directed Force has set up a network of qualified fitters. Remember, it’s designed to work with your specific lie angle, and isn’t going to be as effective as it could be if it’s more than a few degrees off. Their locations can be found online. For more information: www.directedforce.com
so when not competing. Its founder, Dean Snell, holder of 38 golf patents, is a highlyrespected golf ball expert with over 25 years in research and development roles for companies such as Titleist and Taylormade, and is the inventor or co-inventor of the Pro V1, Professional, Penta and Tour Preferred balls. The Core has been developed with a very low compression, soft feel, with high velocity to help with ball speed, regardless of swing speed, and creates low driver spin rates for longer distances. The Mantle layer works on longer shots to keep control of the spin and works with the thin soft cast urethane cover on shorter irons and chip shots to create higher spin rates for better control into the green. The Cover layer is made of a thermoset cast urethane. This technology allows very thin covers for better short game spin control and is very soft and durable. Snell also manufactures the Get Sum ball, a high performance 2-pc golf ball that offers excellent feel and control. The large, soft low compression core again allows for the ball to have very low spin rates, which increases distance and creates less hooks and slices. The thin, soft Surlyn® cover contributes to the soft feel of the ball. This core cover combination has been designed to help golfers get the ball in the air easier, and has reduced spin rates for straighter shots from tee to green. All with fast ball speeds for any swing speed, and exceptional soft feel and control. For more information: www.snellgolf.com
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ood golfers like this ball. Great players, including Tour players, are enthralled with Snell Golf’s My Tour ball. An up and coming ball manufacturer who has years of experience and is delivering probably one of the best golf balls on the market. Many Tour pros have tested this ball and many feel it is equal to, if not better, than any golf ball currently available. But due to their contractual obligations, cannot play the balls in competition, but do
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28 Golf Vacations • March 2017
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30 Golf Vacations • March 2017
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