OUR 12th YEAR!
THIS MONTH: My Turn • SweetStuff • ChipShots
GOLF VACATIONS MAY 2014
ROYAL ISABELA PUERTO RICO POWERHOUSE
NBA PLAYOFF GOLF TEE IT UP BEFORE TIPOFF
Plus: SKI VERMONT: GREAT GREEN MOUNTAIN GOLF www.golfvacationsmag.com
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GOLF VACATIONS MAY 2014
Old American Golf Club in The Colony, Texas
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Chip Shots
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My Turn: Tailgating at The Masters by Harold Chambliss Like most people I’ve always thought The Masters was the premiere golf event in the world. What many didn’t know about was the availability last year, for the first time, of tailgating slots down the magnolia-lined front entrance of Augusta National and other select locations on the course.
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Royal Isabela by David R. Holland ISABELA, Puerto Rico – By the second time you play Royal Isabela’s treacherous, rugged coastline hugging back nine you will know to keep it low and smoke it.
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NBA Playoffs: Pack Your Golf Clubs
by JD Latorre
The NBA’s “second season” tapped off this month and while the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs are expected to meet in the finals for a second straight year, there are (were!) many upstart teams (Hello, Clippers, Bobcats and Grizzlies!) with realistic hopes of knocking off the heavy conference favorites.
Tee Time with Ski Vermont
by David R. Holland
Vermont’s majestic mountains are well-known ski destinations in the winter, but they also serve as the backdrop for some of Vermont’s best golf resorts. To tee up in the Green Mountain state, just check out the listing of resort golf courses and events below.
Sweet Stuff
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by Terry Ross www.golfvacationsmag.com
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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 Chuck Miller (The Traveling Guy) is a resident of the golfing community of Hot Springs Village, Arkansas. For the past 20 years he has traveled extensively throughout the US and around the world writing about “Places to Play and Places to Stay”. In 2012 he played golf in every state during a 50-week, 50-state driving tour of the US.
Jeffrey Diaz
Associate Editor Terry Ross
Features Editor Larry Feldman
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.
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.
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 2014 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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WOODSTOCK INN & RESORT OPENS ITS AWARDWINNING, 18-HOLE GOLF COURSE ON MAY 2
WOODSTOCK, VT – Home to the oldest golf course in Vermont, the state’s only Robert Trent Jones, Sr. designed course, and where PGA champion Keegan Bradley learned his skills and hosts his annual charity golf classic, the Woodstock Inn & Resort announces that its classic 18-hole golf course will open for the season on May 2, 2014. Golfers of all levels are invited with three premier stay-over packages. Unlimited Golf Package Golfers can play as many rounds as they please on Woodstock’s par-70 course complete with breathtaking views of the Kedron Valley from nearly every green, challenging sequences of fairways, sand traps and over a dozen water hazards guaranteed to test even the most seasoned golfer. Unlimited Golf Package includes: One night luxury accommodations Unlimited golf at the Golf Club Golf cart rental Complimentary use of the practice facility One yardage booklet Package rates start at $249 per night for two people
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Spa and Golf Package After a day of all-you-can-play golf, visitors can smooth out their swing and indulge in ultimate relaxation with a $100 spa credit to Woodstock’s luxurious, LEED-certified spa. Spa & Golf Package includes: One night luxury accommodations $100 spa credit per stay (Receive $100 spa credit per night when booking additional nights.) Unlimited golf at the Golf Club Golf cart rental Complimentary use of the practice facility One yardage booklet Package rates start at $334 per night for two people Woodstock – Quechee Golf Package Golf enthusiasts can experience two of New England’s premier golf clubs: Woodstock’s Golf Club and The Quechee Club, a private course located 15 minutes from Woodstock. The Quechee Club features two Geoffrey Cornish designed championship golf courses that offer 36 challenging holes of legendary golf. Woodstock–Quechee Golf Package includes: Two night’s luxury accommodation at The
Woodstock Inn & Resort One round of golf at The Quechee Club One Round of golf at Woodstock’s Golf Club Complimentary use of the practice facility Package rates start at $790 for two people for two nights Golfers can make use of the full-service Woodstock Inn & Resort Golf Club which includes a practice range, putting green, fully equipped Pro Shop, and golf carts. Golf pros are onsite to help guests perfect their stroke, and provide guidance on club choices. Keegan Bradley, winner of 2011 PGA Championship and named 2011 Tour Rookie of the Year, returns to Woodstock Inn & Resort each summer to host the annual Keegan Bradley Charity Golf Classic. Proceeds from the event benefit the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation and support the Vermont Cancer Center and the Vermont Children’s Hospital at Fletcher Allen. For additional information become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook. com/Woodstock-Inn-Resort, visit www. woodstockinn.com or call the sales department at 802-457-6632.
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SUMMER IS ‘SUNSATIONAL’ AT SHERATON HACIENDA DEL MAR GOLF & SPA RESORT
Richard Karn, JoBeth Willams and Tim Allen at the SAG Foundation 4th Annual L.A. Golf Classic
TIM ALLEN & RICHARD KARN TO CO-HOST SAG FOUNDATION’S 5TH ANNUAL LOS ANGELES GOLF CLASSIC ON JUNE 9TH
The Screen Actors Guild Foundation will hold its 5th Annual Los Angeles Golf Classic benefiting its Catastrophic Health Fund and Emergency Assistance programs for SAGAFTRA performers and their families on Monday, June 9, at the Lakeside Golf Club in Burbank. The charity tournament will be cohosted by SAG Foundation supporters and former Home Improvement co-stars Tim Allen and Richard Karn. Allen currently stars in the ABC comedy Last Man Standing and Karn, a recurring guest star on Last Man Standing, recently headlined a regional production of I Ought to Be in Pictures. The L.A. Golf Classic brings together celebrities and executives from the entertainment industry and beyond to raise vital funds for the SAG Foundation’s charitable initiatives. Presenting Sponsor Integrated Wealth Management will return for its fourth consecutive year. Additional major sponsors include United Airlines, the Carson Foundation and Fairway & Greene. “Richard and I play the SAG Foundation L.A. Golf Classic every year, so it’s about time the SAG Foundation asked us to host. All kidding aside, it’s a great cause. We help raise money for the Foundation’s assistance programs which help our fellow actors. We also spend the day golfing with friends which does wonders for our games. It’s a win-win,” says Tim Allen, co-host of the SAG Foundation’s L.A. Golf Classic. “Tim and I are honored to host the L.A. Golf Classic. We’re both big supporters of the SAG Foundation and this tournament
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in particular. We’re hoping if we step up our participation as hosts, it might karmically translate to our scorecards,” said Richard Karn, co-host of the SAG Foundation’s L.A. Golf Classic. The 2014 L.A. Golf Classic Host Committee includes Allen and Karn along with Matt Adler, Tom Bower, Jim Casey, Michael Daniels, Mathis Dunn, Greg Ellis, Patrick Fabian, Jay Ferguson, Robert French, Carmine Giovinazzo, MarkPaul Gosselaar, Mitch Haber, Robert Hays, Jeff Herold, Dave Hutton, Greg Itzin, Brandt Kuhn, Dan Lauria, Joe Mantegna, Danny Masterson, Jeff Nordling, Kevin Rahm, Pamela Reed, Chris Rich, Erin Scott, Jonathan St. Clair, Ron Perlman, SAG Foundation Executive Director Jill Seltzer, SAG Foundation President JoBeth Williams and David White. With the support of the entertainment community and generous sponsors during the past four L.A. Golf Classics and the inaugural New York Golf Classic, the SAG Foundation has raised over $1.2 million for performers facing life-threatening illness and severe economic hardship. To assist in this effort, please visit golf.sagfoundation.org for registration information and sponsorship packages (limited while availability remains). “The SAG Foundation’s LA Golf Classic has become the biggest celebrity golf tournament in the country. We have more celebrity golfers playing in our charity fundraiser than any other, which makes us feel tremendously proud because it’s all about actors helping their fellow actors. We work in what can be a very erratic and unsteady profession, so it’s vital we support our own when they fall on hard times. This is our fifth year doing it and it just gets better each year,” says JoBeth Williams, President of the SAG Foundation.
LOS CABOS, MEXICO – The Sheraton Hacienda del Mar Golf & Spa Resort, Los Cabos, a AAA Four Diamond Hotel perched just steps from the beautiful Sea of Cortez, is offering a Sunsational Savings guest room package perfect for summer getaways. The Sunsational Savings package includes a stay in the resort’s Deluxe Room featuring Sheraton’s signature Sweet Sleeper® Bed, a Jacuzzi tub, a separate walk-in shower and a large private terrace. The package also offers guests the third night of their stay free, a $150 food & beverage credit for every three nights and a $50 spa credit to use at the resort’s Cactus Spa. When available, guests will also receive a room upgrade upon arrival. Rates for the Sheraton Hacienda del Mar’s Sunsational Saving guest room package begin at $249 per night. “During the busy summer season, our Sunsational Savings room package allows guests traveling in larger groups, or even just as a couple, to take that much needed summer vacation without feeling like they have to strain their budget to enjoy paradise,” said Renato Mendonca, General Manager of the Sheraton Hacienda del Mar. The Sheraton Hacienda del Mar is located on 28 acres of beautiful beach front property in Los Cabos, providing plenty of recreational and relaxing diversions for guests of all ages to take part in. Adults can enjoy nearby championship golf courses, the relaxing spa and newly renovated fitness center, several sparkling pools, and two fabulous Five Star Diamond Award-wining restaurants including De Cortez Mezquite Grill and Pitahayas. Guests will also revel in having access to the resort’s private white sand beaches and the entrancing Sea of Cortez. For families, the resort offers a kids club, complete with a kid’s pool and water slide, where children can play and enjoy activities throughout their stay. For more information on the Sheraton Hacienda del Mar Golf & Spa Resort’s packages, or to make reservations, please call 52-624-1458000 or visit www.sheratonloscabos.com. Sheraton Hacienda del Mar Golf & Spa Resort Perched on 28 acres overlooking the Sea of Cortez, the Sheraton Hacienda Del Mar Golf & Spa Resort with 270 guest rooms, each featuring the Sheraton Sweet Sleeper Bed, is located in an environment that is reminiscent of an upscale seaside village. The sprawling, Hacienda-inspired resort is home to five restaurants and six bars, four pools, the acclaimed Cactus Spa and Fitness Center (part of the Starwood Spa Collection), and a broad selection of outdoor activities. More than 18,018 square feet of function space welcomes meetings and special events. For more information, visit www.sheratonloscabos.com
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KAUA‘I GOLF COURSES EARN TOP-10 DISTINCTION IN HAWAII
KAUA‘I, HI – Four member courses of the golf-resort destination “Kaua’i: Discover Golf’s Ultimate Island Green” earned top-10 status in Golfweek’s recently released 2014 “America’s Best Courses You Can Play” by state. For the second straight year, The Prince Course at Princeville Golf Club ranked No. 2 on the list, followed by Princeville Makai Golf Club (No. 4), Kaua‘i Lagoons Golf Club (No. 8) and Poipu Bay Golf Course (No. 10). “Golfweek conveying that Kaua‘i is an excellent golf destination with high-quality courses, resorts and after-golf activities is a humbling third-party endorsement,” said Sue Kanoho, executive director of the Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau. “These award-winning courses combine with Puakea Golf Course to offer an array of memorable experiences.” Golfweek annually sends hundreds of “America’s Best” raters to review courses in key areas, from natural setting and conditioning to variety and memorability of holes. For more information about golf on Kaua‘i “Like” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/
KauaiGolf, visit www.gohawaii.com/kauai/ experiences/golf or call 800.262.1400. Kaua‘i Courses Offer Family Friendly Deals and Junior Specials Spring and summer visitors to the Garden Isle can take advantage of the following specials. • Puakea Golf Course: The new Junior Summer Golf Academy features four dates: June 2-13, June 16-27, June 30-July 22 and July 14-18. Each session runs from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and cost $50 per child. Two sessions are $90, four sessions are $160 and if an attendee participates in the first three sessions, the fourth session is free. For more information: www.puakeagolf.com or call 866.773.5554. • Princeville Makai Golf Club: With each paying adult, kids age 6 to 15 receive complimentary green fees and rental clubs and players ages 16 and 17 receive 50% off green fees. Juniors also receive free instruction when taking a lesson with a paying adult. For more information: www.makaigolf.com or call 808.826.1912. • “Mini Prince” at The Prince Course at Princeville Golf Club: Opening daily at 4 p.m., the “Mini Prince” offers six holes ranging from
48 to 91 yards and uses eight-inch cups for increased playability. Cost is $15 for adults and complimentary if golfers played The Prince Course on the same day. Juniors ages 17 and under play for free when accompanied by a paid adult or pay $5 when not with an adult. All rounds include complimentary rental clubs. For more information: www.princeville.com or call 800.826.1105. About “Kaua‘i: Discover Golf’s Ultimate Island Green” Kaua‘i offers more than 50 miles of white sand beaches -- more beach per mile than any other island in Hawaii -- with only five percent of the island developed for commercial and residential use. The Kaua‘i golf destination is a cooperative of five world-class golf courses and three award-winning resorts: 1. Prince Course at Princeville Golf Club (www.princeville.com, 800.826.1105) Ranked as the No. 1 course in Hawaii by GOLF Magazine (2012) and No. 22 among “America’s 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses” 2013-2014 by Golf Digest Robert Trent Jones Jr. design re-opened in 2012 following an extensive refurbishment
Kaua’i Lagoons Golf Club
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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CHIPSHOTS project that restored original design aspect, and improved playability for all skill levels The 66,000-square-foot clubhouse features The Tavern Restaurant, by celebrity chef Roy Yamaguchi, and the beautifully appointed 5,500-square-foot Prince Golf Shop 2. Princeville Makai Golf Club (www. makaigolf.com, 808.826.1912) Re-opened in 2010 following an extensive renovation. The Makai Course has since been ranked by Golf Digest as one of “America’s 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses” 2013/2014 and ranked #4 by Golfweek in Hawaii’s “Best Courses You Can Play” 2013. Designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., the 18-hole Makai Course incorporates serene lakes and stunning ocean coastline; the leisurely 9-hole Woods Course winds through native woodlands against a backdrop of lush mountains The St. Regis Princeville Resort recently completed a multi-million-dollar renovation and is home to the Halele’a Spa and The Kaua‘i Grill by Jean-Georges Vongerichten 3. Kaua‘i Lagoons Golf Club (www. kauailagoonsgolf.com, 800.634.6400) In 2012 was voted No. 6 in Hawaii in
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Golfweek magazine’s Best Courses: State by State, No. 7 on GOLF Magazine’s “Best-Of” state rankings and one of the “World’s Most Beautiful Golf Courses” on MSN Travel Amenity of the Kaua‘i Marriot Resort on Kalapaki Beach, which recently underwent major upgrades to all of its guestrooms, suites, restaurants and pool deck The championship 18-hole Kiele course features the longest continuous stretch of ocean holes in Hawaii with over ½ mile of oceanfront golf. The front nine holes feature the par-3, fifth green encircled by a tropical Mango and Guava tree forest Features the only Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf experience on Kaua‘i 4. Poipu Bay Golf Course (www. poipubaygolf.com, 800.858.6300) Along with Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort & Spa, Poipu Bay has been honored by Conde Nast Traveler as one of the top golf resorts in the U.S. from 2000 through 2013 Named to Golf Digest’s “America’s 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses” 2013-2014 and Golfweek’s “Top 100 Resort Courses in
America” 2012. Home to the PGA Grand Slam of Golf from 1994 through 2006, it has frequently hosted players like Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh and other major champions A Robert Trent Jones, Jr. design, the course underwent renovation and unveiled the eco-friendly Seashore Paspalum turf on all greens in 2011. Its four closing holes play atop a 150-foot sea cliff. The Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort & Spa completed a renovation in 2012 and features a water playground with river pool, waterfalls, a saltwater lagoon, tennis and the celebrated Anara Spa 5. Puakea Golf Course (www.puakeagolf. com, 866.773.5554) Consistently rated a favorite among Kaua‘i golfers in local media outlets and ranked as the No. 15 course in Hawaii by Golfweek Golf Course Architect Robin Nelson used the natural layout of the land when he planned this layout, testing golfers of all levels and treating them to beautiful views of Mt. Ha’upu and deep lush ravines on several holes Owned by AOL co-Founder Steve Case
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Kierland Golf Club
COUPLES CAN ENJOY “TEE FOR TWO” PROGRAM AT POIPU BAY GOLF COURSE POIPU, KAUAI, HAWAII – Kauai’s acclaimed Poipu Bay Golf Course, situated on the island’s sunny south shore, offers a “Tee For Two” program designed specifically for couples who want to enjoy an afternoon round on the course--just the two of them--at a great value. Tee For Two allows couples to tee off from 1:00 to 1:50 p.m. any day of the week and play an 18-hole round together as a twosome, based on course availability. The Tee For Two rate is just $135 (plus tax) per person--a substantial savings over Poipu Bay’s standard rate of $240. The rate includes rental clubs (a $55 value per person), if needed, featuring the course’s Callaway X Hot clubs. For many couples, one individual is a more confident golfer than the other, and it can be intimidating for the less experienced player to be placed in a foursome with people they don’t know. For couples on the Tee For Two program, Poipu Bay will send them out as a twosome, if at all possible (depending upon how busy the course is at that time.) Poipu Bay Golf Course is situated on 210 oceanfront acres adjacent to the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa on Kauai’s south shore. The spectacular course gained fame as the host
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site for the PGA Grand Slam of Golf from 1994 through 2006. A Robert Trent Jones, Jr. design, Poipu Bay has been consistently ranked over the years among the top resort courses in the U.S. It was named to Golf Digest’s 2013/2014 list of “America’s 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses” and Golfweek’s top 10 “Best Courses You Can Play” in Hawaii for 2014. For more information or to book tee times, call the Poipu Bay Golf Shop at toll free 1-800858-6300 or direct (808) 742-8711. Visit Poipu Bay’s website at www.poipubaygolf.com and check out the live webcam looking over the 18th hole.
KIERLAND GOLF CLUB PUTS NEW SPIN ON GAME SCOTTSDALE, AZ – Long known for its popular Segway golf, the innovative Kierland Golf Club at The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa has introduced yet another new way for golfers to enjoy the course – by bicycle. New golf bikes allow golfers to enjoy the game while getting a workout. Designed to create minimal impact on the course and maximum fun and fitness for the golfer, the bicycles feature small-diameter wheels and wide rubber tires and have two customdesigned golf bags mounted to the rear of the bike to carry a full set of clubs.
Nancy Dickens, director of golf at The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa, believes that many golfers are looking for fun, new ways to enjoy the game through innovative programs and products. “The new golf bikes are another opportunity for us to make golf even more enjoyable for those who enjoy the fitness aspect of riding on the course and who may want to trim the time it takes to play a round,” she said. She estimates that it takes an average of one hour to play nine holes when playing on bikes. For information about the new golf bikes at the Kierland Golf Club or to book a tee time, call 480-922-9283 or visit www.kierlandresort. com. The Kierland Golf Club is a Troonmanaged course designed by Scott Miller featuring 27 holes that form a complementary collection of nines – each with its own flavor and strategy, but all equally enjoyable and challenging. Golfers can enjoy the luxury of air-conditioned golf carts and a covered driving range. Kierland Golf Club’s innovative FORE-MAX program helps golfers step up their performance through improved fitness, flexibility and nutrition. With its customized workouts, FORE-MAX is also a popular fitness
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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CHIPSHOTS option for those who don’t play golf. For a unique golf experience, Kierland Golf Club offers a Scottish golf program, where golfers play in a traditional Scottish kilt, and Segway Golf, where golfers traverse the course on a Segway specially crafted to carry their golf bag. Traditional golf instruction by award-winning instructors Mike and Sandy LaBauve is offered at the LaBauve Golf Academy and ProFit custom club fitting also is available.
PAIRS IN PARADISE SCHEDULED JULY 18-25 IN COSTA RICA Landy Blank of Costa Rica Golf Adventures has announced that the Pairs in Paradise Golf Tournament has been scheduled July 18-25 in Costa Rica. “It will be open to couples, two men or two women who want to partner up,” Blank said. The schedule calls for arrival on July 18 in Liberia and an overnight stay at the nearby Hilton Garden Inn. “This will allow participants the chance to play the Four Seasons golf course the following day,” Blank said. “The Arnold Palmer design offers spectacular vistas of the Pacific Ocean and may now be the best course in Costa Rica.” Then participants will transfer to the Westin Playa Conchal for the remaining six days where they will get a practice round and play the 36-hole tournament on the Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed Reserva Conchal Golf Course. “The Westin is all-inclusive with all meals, beverages and alcohol included,” Blank added. James McAfee of Garland, a former executive director of both the Northern Texas PGA and the Dallas District Golf Association, has been named tournament director. McAfee was also director of golf at Garra de Leon, former name for Reserva Conchal, from 1998-2001. To register for Pairs in Paradise, go to http://www.golfcr.com.
“Our team has worked with the canvas Mother Nature provided to create what we hope is one of the most spectacular courses in the world,” Nicklaus said of Nicklaus Design’s sixth course in Los Cabos. “This property afforded us a rare opportunity because of its topographic diversity and natural environment.” The formal opening of the 7,224yard, par-72 layout on Oct. 1 will mark a watershed moment in the history of golf development in Los Cabos, a destination revered for its consistently sunny weather and unique mountain-desert-ocean ecosystem. In addition to its stunning panoramas and breathtaking drops from tee to fairway, Quivira offers players more oceanfront exposure than any other course in Los Cabos. All 18 holes feature outstanding vistas of the Pacific and, in the winter months, views of breaching whales. The $40 million golf facility at Quivira, more than eight years in the making, commences at sea level near the rolling surf before climbing to a highest point of more than 350 feet above sea level, where the views are a match for the challenge. During the round, players can refresh themselves at four comfort stations interspersed throughout the all-inclusive facility. A halfway house situated near the eighth green, called the “Oasis,” will showcase the culinary talents of the resort’s chefs, with tuna sliders, fish tacos and Mexican specialties available. The first three holes at Quivira head inland away from the sea before reversing direction at the par-5 fourth hole, which plays over a pond to a broad fairway framed by rolling dunes and raw desert. The three-quarter mile drive to the fifth hole, which crosses arroyo-spanning bridges
and traces a switchback route up the side of a mountain, has already been dubbed the “Greatest Drive in Golf.” At more than 200 feet above sea level, the tee at the short par-4 fifth hole offers splendid views of the beach and crashing waves far below. The par-3 sixth, its concave cliff-top green carved from the base of a massive dune, is equally dramatic. The layout then weaves through the dunes, returns to the cliffs at the dazzling par-3 13th hole, proceeds inland through the desert toward distant mountain peaks, and drops sharply from a set of elevated tees at Nos. 16 and 17, a pair of thrilling par 4s. Quivira’s par-4 18th hole, stretching to 469 yards, is a classic links-style creation that plays to an infinity-edge green overlooking the sea. Completing the experience at Quivira Golf Club is a stylish, thatched-roof clubhouse between the first tee and 18th green that offers a large rectangular bar, a casual steakhouse, and ample outdoor seating overlooking the sea. Beside the clubhouse is a spacious double-ended practice facility that parallels the ocean, as well as an elongated practice putting green and an expanded short-game practice area. Quivira Golf Club is accessible to guests of the four Pueblo Bonito Oceanfront Resorts and Spas in Los Cabos, and to owners of properties in Copala, Montecristo Estates Luxury Villas, and Novaispania Residences. Each of the Pueblo Bonito Resorts welcomes guests with lavish accommodations, unsurpassed service, fine dining and a host of on-site amenities. Complimentary shuttle service to and from Quivira Golf Club will be included within the Quivira development. For reservations, tee times or further information access the web site at www. pueblobonito.com or call 1-800-990-8250.
QUIVIRA GOLF CLUB IN LOS CABOS TO DEBUT OCT. 1, 2014 Los Cabos, Mexico (May 6, 2014) – In a dramatic setting at the tip of the Baja Peninsula, marked by windswept dunes, sheer cliffs and desert foothills 10 minutes from downtown Cabo San Lucas, Jack Nicklaus has crafted a golf course that is poised to redefine the Cabo golf experience. Quivira Golf Club is the centerpiece of Quivira, the newest luxury development in Los Cabos, which encompasses two resorts—Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Resort & Spa and Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach Resort & Spa—and three highend real estate communities: Montecristo Estates Luxury Villas by Pueblo Bonito, Copala, and Novaispania Residences.
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Quivira Golf Club
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MYTURN
by HAROLDCHAMBLISS
No More Tailgating at the Masters
L
ike most people I’ve always thought The Masters was the premiere golf event in the world. What many didn’t know about was the availability last year, for the first time, of tailgating slots down the magnolialined front entrance of Augusta National and other select locations on the course. It was pricy (positions started at $20,000) but if you could find enough people to chip in (get it?) you could spread the cost around. My good friend, Luther Stumpley, arranged to have the Stumpley family reunion over there last year spreading the cost among 60 family members. They got the position between the 3rd and fourth magnolia on the right for four days for a little over $330.00 apiece. They were sort of cramped once they set up Luther’s unique two-story grill (“The Piggy Back”) so family members were supposed to rotate in and out over the four days. One of the highlights of Stumpley family reunions and/or tailgating is always the first day when they have the hog-killing and cleaning. It has always been a family tradition as this is when the children learn the intricacies of BBQ
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preparation. Luther said the only problem this time was other people at the tournament, especially the golfers, seemed bothered by the squealing of the pigs. This had never been a problem before as the Stumpley’s usually tailgated at football games or stock car races and nobody seemed offended. They got through the first day after promising officials that there would be no more pig noises. However, the cooking of chitlins Friday morning spread such a foul odor over the entire area that they were asked to fold up their tents and vacate the premises (with a partial refund.) The really hurtful thing about this is Luther had already been refused access to the course on Sunday for the traditional Stumpley family Easter egg hunt so this was the last straw for him anyway. You’d think they would have shared some of the outrageous rules with him before he got over there. Luther assumed that he could also get a tee time on Sunday after the tournament was over. (Luther loves him some golf.) But NO, that wasn’t going to happen, either.
It’s really too bad that this experiment in Augusta didn’t work. It would have been a wonderful new profit center for the club. I mean, how can they make any money on $2.00 pimento cheese sandwiches? They need to think about this a little more and make the Master’s more family-friendly, or at least set some rules before people go to all the trouble and expense of making the trip and carting livestock and grills over there. They frown upon hanging laundry from the magnolia branches, too, but that’s another story. Don’t get Mavis Stampley started on that. She wanted to have the reunion out at Pebble Beach anyway so they could catch some catfish to go with the chitlins and BBQ. I imagine the rules out there are a little more liberal since it is a public golf course. Harold Chambliss is a freelance writer in Atlanta, GA. This story was written with tongue firmly placed in-cheek. The story appeared in the May/Jun issue of Tailgater Magazine, a national print and on-line magazine devoted to all things tailgating.
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Golf Vacations • May 2014 15
RoyalI
One of Carib By David R. Holland
16 Golf Vacations • May 2014
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Isabela
bbean’s best might even get better
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Golf Vacations • May 2014 17
I
SABELA, Puerto Rico – By the second time you play Royal Isabela’s treacherous, rugged coastline hugging back nine you will know to keep it low and smoke it.
That’s a testament to playing golf high above the Atlantic Ocean coastline where the views are turquoise spectacular and the wind is so stiff in your face that a 130-yard shot to a contoured green is going to require a six iron instead of a nine with a trajectory akin to a cannon shot. Imagine the creativity you need downwind. Putt it from 50 yards out? That could be your best option. Opened in 2009, Royal Isabela was recently named the “best resort in Puerto Rico” by Islands magazine. It also won the World Travel Award as “Puerto Rico’s Leading Golf Resort” and was nominated as the island’s “leading boutique hotel.” And it has received numerous awards for its stunning golf course, resort, restaurant and amenities. Some have called it the Pebble Beach of the Caribbean. Perhaps, but you will need a purist love of a brown-tinged layout that plays fast and firm and requires keeping the ball under the wind, avoiding some stacked-sod bunkers, trusting your mandatory fore caddie on some blind shots, playing contours and making heroic shots sometimes with an aim over the cliffs trusting the wind will bring it back to fairway. And below those spectacular cliffs, 200 to 300 feet down, is lots of beach access that will challenge any for its beauty and blue water. And as a guest of Royal Isabela, you have access to that beach. This 7,667-yard, par 73, however, is anything but typical either. Envisioned by two world-class tennis playing brothers, Stanley and
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Charlie Pasarell, who grew up nearby, and designed by David W. Pfaff, who sadly passed away last year, Royal Isabela is a must play. It begins in a parkland setting that goes inland with a sweeping par 5 that narrows toward the green giving you a first view of the ocean through a V-shaped gap to the left of the green. The sixth hole gives you a choice of going right for a par four or going left for a par five with two completely separate fairways. As the back nine heads toward the ocean there’s a choice again at No. 11 – an inland 285-yard par three – or travel right toward the bluff for a short but breezy “private” par three that requires a ride on the wind over the bluff to have a chance at landing on the green. The 17th, however, a par three of 200 yards is one of the best and daunting in the Caribbean. Played over a huge chasm it requires a perfect shot or you will card a five from coming up short or going too long. Origins of Royal Isabela The Royal Isabela project had roots as far back as 1988, with Nicklaus, Player and Palmer all submitting ideas on how to build on such a spectacular 426 acres. But the project sat idle through the 90s. When 2000 rolled around the Pasarell brothers had Royal Isabela back on track. Mother nature, the brothers proclaim, is responsible for the result. “This is the best golf course for the land we found,” Stanley Pasarell says. “It evolved from the ideas and experiences my brother and I have playing Scottish and Irish courses. We kept telling David we wanted
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to do all these things and had all these concepts. To his credit, David stuck with us and we came up with a great result.” “We located and developed the golf course that nature gave us,” is how Pfaff, who worked with Pete Dye on Teeth of the Dog, once described the process. Pfaff wanted each hole to have a sweet spot. “The closer you are to that spot, the more you are rewarded for the next shot,” he said. He also believed that “if a green is easy to hit in regulation, then it should be more difficult to putt. But you don’t need a hole to have both.” Another extreme entertainment hole is No. 12, a 435-yard uphill par four that includes a Kodak moment tee box. The tee shot is struck over the bluff and ocean angling toward the fairway. “Tropical Scotland,” Stanley Pasarell calls it. “If the Open ever leaves the British Isles, this could be a venue.”
Library Lounge or watch the sun set from a seat at the Bar at La Casa. A great swimming complex will also cool you after a day on the links. Tennis, fitness facility and croquet are also on the grounds. Located just steps from La Casa are 20 freestanding Casitas -- true “little houses” designed in luxury. You will love that each Casita encompasses 1,500 square feet of indoor and outdoor space and is situated to best catch Royal Isabela’s stunning ocean vistas with minimal impact to the environment. Cool off in your own private splash pool and enjoy the airy living room and bedroom with natural wood floors and ceilings, as well as a huge bathroom with separate tub and large shower room that also opens to your private deck. Each morning the Chef visits Royal Isabela’s River Farm and Gatehouse Garden to gather vegetables and fruits for the day. The menu is devised combing European cooking techniques with Puerto Rican ingredients to create the restaurant’s signature farmto-table cuisine. Local fishermen also particpate, along with cheesemakers and small family farms.
But this experience might not be concluded. In dreams the brothers see adding more holes down near the beach at the base of the bluff. If and when this vision comes true there will be a rerouting of the original 18. And there’s plenty of room for more golf in the future.
Available now through September 30 Royal Isabela is on sale with its summer packages. Check out www.royalisabela.com for the special details.
Royal Isabela: Stay and play La Casa is center for the entire Royal Isabela golf community. There’s an included breakfast, with lunch and dinner also served at the Restaurant at La Casa. Or you can enjoy comfortable chairs in the
Royal Isabela is an hour and a half from San Juan International Airport on the far northwest coast of Puerto Rico. Far from the big city it’s perfect for gazing at a starry sky, relaxing on a hot day by the pools, and being challenged on a world-class golf course.
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Golf Vacations • May 2014 19
NBA PLAYOFFS
T
he NBA’s “second season” tapped off this month and while the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs are expected to meet in the finals for a second straight year, there are (were!) many upstart teams (Hello, Clippers, Bobcats and Grizzlies!) with realistic hopes of knocking off the heavy conference favorites.
Spa or try your hand at blackjack, roulette or slots on the newly renovated casino floor that features the largest non-smoking area in the region. The best spot to catch some of the other NBA Playoff action is in one of the comfy leather chairs inside the Skookum Creek Cigar & Wine Lounge.
The good news for NBA fans who are also avid golfers: Every city that hosts a playoff game is also convenient to a top-notch course. So, if your favorite team is still alive and vying for the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy and you’re making the road trip along with them, there is good reason to pack your golf clubs.
And with stay-and-play deals that start at $129 per night, per golfer, you’ll have plenty left in the bankroll to visit the resort’s popular poker room.
Miami Heat
PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida www.PGAResort.com The only thing more exciting than watching King James and the defending NBA champs tear up the court at American Airlines Arena is following it up with a round on the famed Champion Course at PGA National. The legendary location is also home to four other awardwinning tournament-ready courses designed by the biggest names in golf course architecture including golf’s very own king, Arnold Palmer. PGA National Resort & Spa is a veritable golf-mecca. Since 1981 PGA National has been home to the most celebrated moments in the sport’s history including the PGA Tour’s Honda Classic, the 25th Ryder Cup, the 69th PGA Championship and nearly two decades of Senior PGA Championships.
Dallas Mavericks
Old American Golf Club in The Colony, Texas www.oldamericangolfclub.com The 2011 NBA Champs had a down season, but the quality of golf in the Dallas area remains top-notch. With easy access through two airports – Love Field and DFW International – the “Metroplex” is easy to get in and out of. Big “D” is all about business, so golfers in search of a traditional golf resort experience have limited options. Those who appreciate high quality daily fee and semi-private courses, however, will find an embarrassment of riches spread throughout the region. Old American opened in 2010 to acclaim from Golfweek, Golf Digest and LINKS, and is located about 40 minutes north of DFW on sce-
Fresh off its comprehensive $100-million revitalization, PGA National Resort & Spa is a AAA Four Diamond hotel featuring 379 rooms, a 40,000 square-foot European Spa with 32 treatment areas and the exclusive “Waters of the World” outdoor mineral pools, a world-class 33,000 square-foot health and racquet club with 19 Har Tru tennis courts, and nine on-site restaurants and lounges.
Portland Trail Blazers
Salish Cliffs Golf Club in Shelton, Washington www.Salish-Cliffs.com The Trail Blazers drew a tough first-round match-up against the Houston Rockets but are guaranteed at least a pair of playoff games. The best way to spend the off day (Saturday, April 26) between the two games at the “Rose Garden” is to make the easy, two-hour ride up I-5 North and tee it up at one of the country’s newest and most talked-about courses. Since opening in 2011, Salish Cliffs Golf Club at Little Creek Casino Resort has soared to Top-10 status in Golfweek’s “Best Casino Courses” and Golf Digest’s “Best-in-State” lists, and for good reason. The Gene Bates design has become renowned for its pristine conditions – particularly the greens – as well as a secluded and scenic layout boasting 360-degree views of Kamilche Valley. Owned and operated by the Squaxin Island Tribe, the course is just one of many new amenities recently introduced at Little Creek Casino Resort. After golf, you can treat yourself to a massage at Seven Inlets
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PACK YOUR GOLF CLUBS! by JD Latorre
nic Lake Lewisville. The muscular layout was designed by Oklahomabased Tripp Davis and PGA TOUR / Ryder Cup star Justin Leonard. Its architectural elements were inspired by the “Golden Age” of golf course architecture, from 1910 to 1937.
Cordillera Ranch, just north of the Alamo City in Boerne, just grabbed a No. 1 ranking of its own. The Jack Nicklaus-designed signature course and private club was named “Course of the Year” by the National Golf Course Owners Association.
So “pure” is Old American that homes only brush up against one hole, as the balance of the layout bobs and weaves along a stunning peninsula jutting into the lake. Owner Jack Matthews is driving home the “Classic American” theme with unique additions like a turn of the century Red River railroad bridge connecting the second and third holes, and a restored Midwestern farm barn serving as the cart storage area.
Suffice it to say, the members are proud. One of whom happens to be white hot PGA TOUR player Jimmy Walker, winner of three events since October and currently No. 1 in the TOUR’s FedExCup Standings. Walker was attracted to the tournament-caliber Nicklaus Signature Course, ranked No. 5 in the state by the Dallas Morning News, as well as the TOUR-level practice facilities turfed with Zeon Zoysia.
For traveling golfers, Old American teams with the NYLO family of boutique hotels, the closest of which is the Plano location near vibrant shopping, dining and entertainment at the Shops at Legacy. Packages start at just $213 per player, per night. Those looking to double down for two rounds in two days can tee it up across from Old American at The Tribute Golf Links, another Davis design ranked among the top courses in the area.
While Cordillera Ranch is private, guests are able to play with members, and a Discovery Weekend package is available for prospective members. Opened in 2007, the course has consistently been ranked among the best in Texas, most recently placing fifth on the Dallas Morning News’ annual poll. Its par-3 16th has claimed the No. 1 spot as “Most Beautiful Hole” by the same publication for the past five years.
San Antonio Spurs
The layout meanders through the rugged Hill County landscape, skirting native grasses, limestone ravines and bucolic prairieland. Zeon Zoysia covers its tee boxes and fairways, the same advanced grass strain to be employed on the 2016 Olympic field in Brazil, noted for its drought resistance and stellar teed-up lies.
Cordillera Ranch in Boerne, Texas www.cordilleraranch.com Don’t look now, but the Spurs have grabbed yet another No. 1 seed. Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili host the Mavericks in the first round.
Brooklyn Nets
Pound Ridge Golf Club near NYC www.poundridgegolf.com Spring in the Hudson Valley means Technicolor blooms, breathtaking views and (hopefully) shirt sleeves. Brooklyn Nets fans – both visitors to and residents of the Big Apple – will delight in discovering the only Pete Dye designed course in New York: Pound Ridge Golf Club. Opened in 2008 to critical acclaim, Pound Ridge is situated in upscale Westchester County, roughly an hour from Manhattan and just minutes from the financial and business hubs of Greenwich, Stamford and Norwalk, Connecticut. Crafted by Dye, his son Perry (of Dye Designs) and long-time construction manager/lead shaper Michael Langkau, Pound Ridge is a full bentgrass facility, hewn from 172 acres of magnificent cliffs, streams and wooded hills. In a region populated by famous private clubs, Pound Ridge stands out as a beacon for daily fee play. Dramatic rock formations and boulders were left onsite, creating one of the most visually stunning settings for golf in the U.S. More than 14,000-linear-feet of rock wall surrounds trees, wetlands and water hazards. Pound Ridge houses a practice range, short game area and putting green. All guests receive a complimentary yardage book for fine-tuning tee shot placement and approaches, bottled water and complimentary range balls. Carts are now equipped with GPS to dead-aimaccurate yardages from any position.
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Golf Vacations • May 2014 21
Tee Time with Ski Vermont Golfing in the
Green Mountains Okemo Mountain Resort
V
ermont’s majestic mountains are well-known ski destinations in the winter, but they also serve as the backdrop for some of Vermont’s best golf resorts. To tee up in the Green Mountain state, just check out the listing of resort golf courses and events below.
Jay Peak Resort Jay Peak’s championship golf course welcomes two premiere events this summer with the Kingdom Invitational and the Vermont MidAmateur Championship. The first (and soon-to-be annual) Kingdom Invitational will run from 6/26-29 and feature two-person, 54 hole, stroke-play competition. The Mid-Amateur is open to any Vermont amateur 25 years and older. The Championship consists of an 18-hole stroke play qualifier on Thursday with the field cut to the low 32 for Match Play starting on Friday and culminating with the final match on Sunday. 8/21-24. Killington Resort On May 24, Killington’s golf season begins on its 6,186-yard,
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par 72, 18-hole Championship Golf Course and continues through October 13, 2014. The Geoffrey Cornish designed course takes full advantage of the local mountain terrain and offers a refreshing round for any golfer complete with snowmelt streams and elevation changes. Private lessons, multi-day golf schools and junior specialty experience are offered in addition to weekly public league nights and private tournaments. Hone your skills on the 12,000 square-foot putting green and practice bunker, then satisfy your hunger and thirst inside or out at the Clubhouse Grill overlooking the Green Mountains, at the on-course caddy shack or via the roving beverage cart. Mount Snow Mount Snow Golf Club, surrounded by the Green Mountains of southern Vermont in the resort village of West Dover, is an 18-hole championship course that combines challenge, forgiveness and aesthetics into one. Stretching nearly 7,000 yards from the championship tees, the course features wide fairways, large greens and strategically placed bunkers and water hazards. Fairways Restaurant offers a great menu of fresh food and a full bar and you can gear up in the fully stocked pro
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shop. MSGC is also home to vast practice facilities and The Original Golf School which offers multi day programs. This season’s projected opening date is May 10. Okemo Mountain Resort Two championship 18-hole courses and a Family Fore course make Okemo Mountain Resort a choice destination for golfers of all ages and abilities. Okemo Valley Golf Club is Vermont’s premier heartland-style course. The par-70, 18-hole championship layout features wide, emerald fairways framed with rolling fields of golden fescue. Moderate elevation changes, strategically placed hazards and undulating greens, are the hallmarks of this scenic course. Okemo’s Family Fore Course is a four-hole family fun course offering beginners and future players all the course attributes with none of the pressures of championship course play. Available throughout the season weekend afternoons, this condensed, fun round of golf comes at an affordable hourly rate. Call (802) 228-1396. Tater Hill Golf Club, a par-71,18-hole championship course, offers plenty of challenge for low handicaps, golfers of all ability levels can enjoy a layout that features undulating fairways, spectacular views, flower gardens and the casual ambience of an old Vermont hill-farm. Smugglers’ Notch Resort While vacationing at Smugglers’ Notch Resort, golf enthusiasts can enjoy a driving range, clinics for never-evers and beginners, and special rates at nearby courses. The driving range is open daily. An introductory clinic is held twice weekly for children ages 5-17, offering a focus on the fundamentals, golf etiquette, and beginning to swing. (www.smuggs.com/skivts; 855-581-5906) Stowe Mountain Resort Stowe boasts two of New England’s finest golf courses, both on and off the mountain. In the heart of Stowe’s town you’ll find the Stowe Country Club. With its undulating fairways and manicured greens, the public country club occupies what was a turn of the century dairy farm.
Stowe Mountain Golf Club was recognized by Golf Magazine as one of the ‘Top Ten New Courses in the United States that you can play,’ wandering along the slopes of Spruce Peak, reaching an elevation of more than 1,800 feet. The mountain course is available to Stowe Mountain Club members, as well as guests of the new Stowe Mountain Lodge. www.stowe.com/golf/ Stratton Mountain Resort This year the Stratton Mountain Golf Course celebrates its 50th anniversary! The first 9 holes opened in 1964 and the course has since grown and matured into 27-hole championship course. Let the Green Mountain terrain challenge you against the beautiful backdrop of mountains, forests and lake. The Stratton Mountain Golf School has programs for players of any level to hone their game with special sessions geared toward women, families and kids. Adult Golf School programs start at $199. Both course and school open May 17, 2014. More information and booking are available online or by calling 1-800-STRATTON. Sugarbush Resort The Sugarbush Resort Golf Club is slated to open on May 2, 2014 weather depending. The par-71 Robert Trent Jones Sr. golf course is designed with respect for the natural setting and boasts breathtaking views of Sugarbush and the Mad River Valley. It also offers one-on-one instruction with PGA professionals RJ Austin and Paul Menier, catering to all skill levels as well as group clinics and custom club fitting. Woodstock Inn & Resort The Woodstock Inn & Resort Golf Club in Vermont has been named one of the world’s “ Top 100 Golf Resorts” by Golf Magazine. It is an 18-hole masterpiece designed by legendary course architect Robert Trent Jones, Sr. This 6,000-yard, par-70 course is a challenging sequence of fairways, sand traps and water hazards guaranteed to test even the most seasoned golfer. The course will open May 2, 2014. Ask about our New Woodstock Player’s Card for great deals this summer! www.woodstockinn.com
Stratton Mountain
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Golf Vacations • May 2014 23
SWEETSTUFF T
he Antigua Group, Inc.--one of the nation’s leading designers and marketers of lifestyle and golf apparel under the distinguished Antigua brand – has unveiled its Spring ‘14 Men’s Performance 72 Golf Collection. “It’s bright and bold – really colorful,” said Ron McPherson, president and CEO of Antigua. “Golf has always been a colorful business and this year just a little bit more intense. The consumer is really wearing bright colors right now and having fun with it. This line has vivid color, sophisticated styling and luxurious fabrics...truly a winning combination.”
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Antigua’s Spring ‘14 Performance 72 Golf Collection for men includes 17 shirt models, 12 outerwear tops and seven hats – as well as their proprietary Desert Dry and Desert Dry Xtra-Lite moisture management technology that wicks away moisture. “We were one of the first adopters of tech fabrics,” added McPherson. “We developed Desert Dry and Desert Dry XtraLite, and we use them across our men’s and women’s products. They perform extremely well.” Along with the performance technology and bright colors, this collection brings an ideal fit that’s specific to golf. Attention to details includes the likes of eliminating the sleeve cap, so that the garment performs with you and not against you, allowing golfers freedom of swing motion. We’ve also used lightweight stretch material in the outerwear to keep golfers comfortable in a wide outside temperature range. The Antigua Group is also celebrating its 35th anniversary throughout 2014. “We have been in the industry for 35 great years because of our people – those in the home office and those in the field,” noted McPherson “A strong company culture has allowed us to withstand the ebbs and flows of business, as well as the changes in the economy. Our brand is now stronger than ever, and we have exciting plans to commemorate this special year.” As part of the celebration, the company’s Tour Ambassadors will be wearing a 35th Anniversary logo on their garments during 2014 and several special 35th Anniversary promotions will also be initiated in the company’s four business channels. Headquartered in Peoria, Arizona, The Antigua Group, through its license sports division, holds license agreements with National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), Minor League Baseball (MiLB), the National Hockey League (NHL) and the National Basketball
Association (NBA), along with numerous American universities and colleges for men’s, women’s and children’s apparel, headwear and outerwear. Antigua additionally designs, produces and supplies product for corporate America and specialty retail managed under its corporate division. Its golf division also holds license agreements with the PGA TOUR, LPGA and the PGA of America. Antigua products can also be found online at shop.antigua.com For more details on Antigua’s Spring ‘14 Men’s Performance 72 Golf Collection, visit www.antigua.com
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SWEETSTUFF S ometimes the simplest solutions are the best. Avid golfer and inventor Derek Queener has developed and marketed a new product called Snap-Hookz Golf that solves the age-old problem of what to do with all of those accessories for the golf course that you want to hang on your golf bag. It is designed to give golfers accessory placement options to quickly and easily attach a Y-shaped web strap hanger onto the existing rain hood snaps that are on most golf bags--and with a simple adjustment makes accessibility to accessories literally, a snap. Having the ability to change the position of accessories based on whether you’re driving or you are the passenger of the golf cart is something that most players should find very handy. Another feature that really stands out is the option to separate accessories. If you have a wet towel for club cleaning and a dry towel for your hands and face, this conveniently keeps them separated. In addition to its sturdy construction, it is very versatile and can be customized in dozens of ways. “When I made the first golf accessory hanger, I did so for my own personal needs and preferences. I wanted my accessories to be in an area on my bag that made them easily accessible and better organized,” said Queener. “It was a simple idea that not only made sense, it gave
by TerryRoss and FredRobledo
me what I wanted when it came to accessory placement options. What this product brings to each individual is what I feel makes it a product golfers will want and need on their golf bag.” For those that use the larger towels and can’t hang them for fear of them dragging the ground or getting lost, the 2 inch center ring solves that problem. If you want to separate multiple towels, this allows you to do so by placing one on your factory hanger and the other on your Snap-Hookz hanger. For those that have left towels behind on the green and realized it only when you arrive at the next green or lost it because it blew off your cart--there is a the belt attachment that comes with the Snap Hookz and detachable lower section. When you take your towel to the green or fairway on cart path only days, you simply unclip your towel from your accessory hanger and clip it onto the standard belt attachment. It won’t affect your putting stroke or swing and you will never lose your towel and slow up pace of play. Having a second glove for hot and sweaty days is also made easier with this product that lets you hang it with your accessories, blowing in the breeze and drying out. This Made in America product allows you to attach accessories without worry of detachment since the snaps are pro-grade and the side release buckles are able to hold range finders, water bottles and will not accidentally separate in even the roughest terrain. The Snap-Hookz comes in a variety of colors to fit any color golf bag and/or personality. For more information, visit www.snaphookzgolf.com
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Golf Vacations • May 2014 25
SWEETSTUFF F inally! There really is a driver on the market that delivers on its promise of significant yardage, not only to those with swing speeds of 100 mph and up, but also to the vast majority of golfers in the 85 to 100 mph range as well as seniors who swing in the 70s and low 80s. That driver is PowerBilt’s Air Force One DFX (Deep Face Extreme). Golf Vacation Magazine testers took brief rides on the Air Force One DFX and all reported amazement. “Where can I buy one?” asked Joe Silvio, a senior with a 12-handicap who is longer than most players his age. “The ball really takes off the club head and it feels so smooth.” “Man, that really did go a lot farther than I expected,” said Danny Ganguin, a senior with a 26-handicap who appreciated the extra distance. “What’s in this club?” Others who tried it say there were getting at least 10-15 yards more, just as promised in the company’s ads. How does it deliver on its promise? It’s all about technology. The club head is filled with Nitrogen and the face is 5 millimeters taller than the previous model, which allows it to catch the ball at impact slightly longer, and combines with its Nitrogen technology to create reduced spin and more distance. This is not technological double-speak. This technology is coming from PowerBilt, a brand that has been in existence since 1916. The company earned a reputation for producing the finest line of persimmon woods in the golf industry and has now jumped to the front of its competition in the ever-changing technology race with its patented Nitrogenpacked club heads. Why Nitrogen? That question was posed to Ross Kvinga, the president of PowerBilt. “Because it’s a compressed gas which is used to reinforce the club face without adding any internal bracing or weight,” Kvinga said. The benefit is obvious – greater club head speed plus improved accuracy because of a larger sweet spot. This is a huge advantage for PowerBilt club designers. While other high-end drivers have a face thickness of 3 mm or more, PowerBilt has been able to get that thickness down to 2.6 mm which enhances the club’s trampoline effect. PowerBilt coats its club heads inside with a leak-proof resin and then charges them with nitrogen pressure to provide the appropriate face support to ensure each driver performs to USGA regulation. Dispersion of shots matters, too, and in all tests conducted, PowerBilt drivers have consistently performed better than its competitors. Because of the Nitrogen technology, which PowerBilt first launched in 2010, engineers have been able to tweak the shape and move the
26 Golf Vacations • May 2014
weight around in search of more distance and better feel. “The 2010 model had more nitrogen pressure,” explained Kvinge. “We reduced the nitrogen pressure to 80 pounds, for better impact feel. This new amount of nitrogen generates a tremendous trampoline effect for increased ball speed. In fact, now the trampoline effect is up to the USGA maximum limit. Shot dispersion is the tightest ever in our drivers. And by adding 6 grams low and forward in the club head, we moved the CG lower and more forward than in any other Air Force One driver. We did this to appease our club fitters who requested a better smash factor. I can confidently say that this is the most solid driver we have ever produced.” Besides having faces as thin as 2.6 millimeters and the largest sweetspot in drivers, PowerBilt further enhances its drivers using customized speed-rated shafts from Fujikura. The bonus for players of all abilities is it really doesn’t matter what kind of golf ball they use – it is going to take off to club head of the Air Force One DFX. The Air Force One DFX features a forged titanium body with titanium cup face technology, as well as aerodynamic clubhead shaping. It’s available in both the high MOI and Tour Series, in lofts of 8.5°, 9.5°, 10.5° and 12.5°. Standard shaft length is 45 ½”. The club is offered in several leading shaft models from the top OEM shaft brands, so that golfers will achieve the optimum launch angle and spin rate for their unique swing. MSRP starts at $299.99, and there is an upcharge for ultra premium shaft options Since the earth 20th century, PowerBilt Golf has designed golf clubs the world’s best have used to win such tournaments as The Masters, the U.S. Open and the PGA Championship. Originating in 1916 when JohnHillerich, the great-grandfather of current CEO and President John Hillerich IV and founder of the Louisville Slugger company, first started making golf clubs from persimmon, the PowerBilt brand produced the finest line of persimmon woods in the golf industry. PowerBilt is a division of the Hillerich & Bradsby Co., a familyowned company which has been making golf clubs since 1916. Based in Louisville, Ky., Hillerich & Bradsby is also the maker of world-famous Louisville Slugger bats. For more information on PowerBilt’s Air Force One DFX:www. powerbilt.com
F
ila has been a well-known apparel maker in the world of tennis for many years, but is rapidly becoming one of the premier brands in quality golf apparel with its Fila Golf line of fine clothing for on and off the course. The latest developments from this classic heritage sportswear brand include a variety of soft-shell, wind and waterproof outerwear, perfect for those chilly spring rounds. With the task of keeping Mother Nature at bay, both the Auckland and Rockingham Waterproof Performance Jackets are designed specifically for the unpredictable and often wet weather during this time of year. The exterior fabric boasts superior water resistance and a detachable hood that allows the garment to change along with the elements, also providing a versatile feature. Additionally, the mechanical stretch is designed not to inhibit the golf swing, while the mesh lining keeps the jacket breathable and lightweight when the weather is warm, but conditions are adverse. Two large inside facing cargo pockets provide a lot of extra storage opportunities to store score-
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SWEETSTUFF by TerryRoss and FredRobledo
cards, gloves and other items. The stylish fit and design are classic, along with the self-adjustable sleeve closure with Velcro adjustments. This waterproof performance jacket (5,000mm waterproofness / 3,000gm breathability) also features mesh lamination and fleece lining, contrasting color collar, shoulder, side seam and under sleeve panels, technical zipper front, two hip pockets with technical zippers, security pocket, shock cord and drawstring with plastic toggles, FILA linear logo embroidered tonal on right back shoulder and extended sport hem. Both of these jacks are very functional both on and off the course for country club or casual wear and weather that is wet, windy or both. For more information, please visit: www.shopfilagolf.com
M
edicus Golf, which has become one of the most successful golf training companies in the business through a variety of devices and accessories, including various videos on the short game, has entered the golf club development arena with the introduction of its new line of performance clubs and products, including drivers, fairway woods, irons, putters and golf balls. The Kick X Golf by Medicus brand represents more than three years of exhaustive research, development and testing. Developed by Medicus Founder Bob Koch with Mark Adams, former vice president of research and development at Tommy Armour Golf, the Kick X Golf by Medicus clubs feature innovative designs and new, leading edge technologies that create larger and hotter sweet spots on the faces of drivers and irons. The innovations in the clubs enable golfers to more rapidly and effectively apply the lessons learned from Medicus swing training devices and teaching methodology. “It’s often hard to get ahead of the curve in this industry,” said Adams, who is now Medicus Golf’s vice president of product development. “But I believe we’ve accomplished this with our Kick X Golf by Medicus designs and technologies.” Koch sees the Kick X line as the natural progression of the Medicus training method and the next step in helping golfers by building performance clubs that took the training onto the course. “But we needed a new brand, so that players wouldn’t confuse the products with Medicus training devices,” he explains. “So we formed Kick X Golf by Medicus, and brought Mark Adams on board to make it happen.” As with the array of Medicus training products, the Kick X Golf performance clubs, added Koch, “Will make it easier for people to play golf: to play it better, faster, and ultimately get maximum enjoyment out of the game.” Adams is a onetime General Motors tool and die designer but for the
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past two decades he’s been involved in golf club innovation, including R&D work at Tommy Armour. He also developed the sliding weight found in the back of the Kick X Golf hybrid, a feature now adopted by several other manufacturers. Called the Tracker SRT™ With Sliding Response Technology™, it enables players to move weight across the back of the club head and lock it into place. The shift in weighting can help golfers eliminate slices and hooks without changing their swing. “This is a tremendous opportunity to develop clubs that are truly game-improvement equipment,” said Adams. “For example, the Kick X Golf by Medicus MA-9 irons are cast, but have the feel of a forged club and a larger sweet spot than what’s traditional.” The Kick X Golf by Medicus “Blast Driveway” is the longest fairwaywood ever, a 12.5-degree club that can double as an effective and efficient driver. Boasting what’s called Compression Cavity Technology, or CCT, the club is designed to produce more power by compressing the entire clubface, and even the interior of the head, at impact. The CCT effectively has a trampoline effect, giving the ball more velocity off the tee, and thus distance. And like all other Kick X Golf by Medicus products, it conforms to USGA standards. Kick X Golf also offers four models of Zball™ putters, with lines that match up to those on the company’s new TourZ™ golf balls, for pure alignment during putting. The TourZ golf ball’s triple-layered cover provides a soft feel around greens, while its proprietary Metal Fuzion Core™ delivers explosive distance off the tee. Many of the Kick X Golf by Medicus clubs have undergone real world tests by Bruce Fleisher, the hugely successful PGA Champions Tour player. Fleisher has used the clubs in tournaments, provides feedback to Adams and Koch, and serves as the brand’s ambassador. Another major move for the company is that after more than 20 years with its headquarters in Ohio it is now consolidated all operations and expanding by moving all of its operations to Vista, Calif., in north San Diego County that together with Carlsbad is the epicenter of the golf equipment industry. For more information visit www.KickXGolf.com
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