Golf Vacations Magazine - May 2021

OUR 20th YEAR!

THIS MONTH: My Turn • SweetStuff • ChipShots

GOLF VACATIONS MAY 2021

VIRGINIA IS FOR LOVERS - OF GOLF! HITTING THE LINKS IN WILLIAMSBURG

COSTA NAVARINO GREECE GETS SET FOR 5TH ANNUAL MESSINIA PRO-AM Plus: GOLF LOVING DOG ON NEVIS ISLAND www.golfvacationsmag.com

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VISIT: www.swingcaddie.com/SC200plus/golfvacationmagazine OR

www.swingcaddie.com/SC300/golfvacationmagazine www.golfvacationsmag.com

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GOLF VACATIONS MAY 2021

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Costa Navarino - The Bay Course, Greece

Chip Shots Discover Golf in Williamsburg

by Dakota Diaz Williamsburg has top-ranked premier courses that bring golfers to the area and great supporting courses that bring golfers back. The region is home to more than 12 championship courses ranked 4 stars or better and is very affordable compared to similar golf courses in other golf destinations.

The Island of Nevis’ Golf Loving Dog

by Tim Cotroneo I lined up my golf shot looking straight in the face of Mount Nevis, a 3,200-foot potentially active volcano located on the Caribbean island of Nevis. About one second into my backswing on this 375-yard hole, out of the corner of my eye I noticed a speeding black object heading straight towards me.

Costa Navarino Unveils Navarino Hill

The fifth annual Messinia Pro-Am has been confirmed for 24-27 November 2021 and for the first time attendees will have the opportunity to play across three courses, including the brand new José María Olazábal-designed West Course at Navarino Hills Costa Navarino, and the award-winning The Dunes Course and The Bay Course.

Sweet Stuff

by Terry Ross

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CONTRIBUTINGWRITERS Dakota Diaz is a Chicago-based freelance writer. Growing up in the golf mecca of Palm Springs, CA, Dakota is no stranger to the golf resort lifestyle. You’ll find him at his “real job” as Partner/Chief Investment Officer at Green Cloud Capital, a Southern Californa based private equity firm.

Executive Editor Jeffrey Diaz

Associate Editors 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.

Terry Ross Dakota Diaz

Features Editor JD Latorre

Senior Writers Tim Cotroneo is a Mineapolis-based freelance writer specializing in Caribbean travel, business, and golf.

Tim is a long-time contributor to Tee Times Press and he’s also the Travel Writer for American Business Magazine.

Tim Cotroneo Larry Feldman David R. Holland Dave McKibben

For Editorial:

call (760) 774–2655 e-mail: Info@GolfVacationsMag.com JD Latorre is a freelance travel writer currently calling the Pocono Mountains 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.

Regional Advertising

Los Angeles Terry Ross • (949) 279–7801 terryr@GolfVacationsMag.com Atlanta Harold Chambliss • (678) 906-4050 harold@chamblissmediagroup.com Chicago Dakota Diaz •(312) 809–8808 dakota@GolfVacationsMag.com

Published by

President Jeffrey Diaz

PO BOX #222 Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania 18229 (760) 774–2655 StonyCreekMedia.com

Cimarron Communications President/CEO James A. Diaz

Golf Vacations Magazine is published in digital format monthly and distributed online to over 1,000,000 golfer’s email inboxes each issue.

Entire contents of this publication is copyright 2021 Stony Creek Media, LLC, all rights reserved and may not be reproduced in any manner, in whole or in part, without written permission from the publisher.

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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CHIPSHOTS SIR NICK FALDO HONORED BY SILVER CELEBRATIONS WITH FALDO SERIES

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K, WINDSOR – Sir Nick Faldo celebrates 25 years of growing the game as the Faldo Series announces its global schedules for the 2021 season.

Following last year’s record-breaking season in Europe, the 25th Faldo Series Europe is set to kick off on 12th July at Brocket Hall, staging 10 events through the summer with winners competing for a coveted invite to the 25th Faldo Series Europe Grand Final hosted at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club, Abu Dhabi this November.

The new season celebrates a significant milestone for the six time Major champion, who founded the Series after his final green jacket in 1996 with a vision to create a junior golf legacy that lasts a lifetime and develops tomorrow’s champions. 25 years on, the Series’ achievements now include: • Hosted over 45,000 aspiring junior golfers across the boys’ and girls’ categories • Staged over 750 Faldo Series events worldwide • Visited 45 countries across 6 continents • Produced over 70 Professional Faldo Series Alumni on global Tours • Celebrated a total of 84 European Tour and Ladies European Tour

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Faldo Series Alumni wins • Pledged support to an equal playing field as a R&A Women in Golf Charter signatory Looking back on 25 years of growing the game, Faldo Series Founder, Sir Nick Faldo, said: “The Series has been my way of giving back to golf and celebrating just how great the game is. From day one it has been about creating unique experiences for juniors to be competitive, learn through competition and have fun while doing so, and I’m honoured by the players who have made a huge effort to play in the events with great ambition every year.”

“It has been a huge privilege to have played a part in supporting the game to grow all around the world and to now be able to look back and celebrate how far we have come is hugely rewarding.

In true Series form, we are excited about what’s to come and we look forward to many more competitive seasons ahead with tomorrow’s champions.”

This year the Faldo Series has stepped up its North America Series following the announcement of the Faldo Hurricane Series; a junior golf partnership formed between the Faldo Series and the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour. The 26-event Series will give juniors the opportunity to play on America’s finest golf courses

and compete for an invite to the North America Grand Final at Barefoot Resort and Golf, which will air on CBS Sports.

Whilst the 2021 season is set to continue momentum for the Asia Series, which has supercharged the Faldo Series’ efforts to grow golf globally since launching in 2006, with a full calendar of events planned to run from August to November, culminating at Laguna Lang Co for the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final.

With eyes on a consecutive historic season ahead, Faldo Series Director, Matthew Faldo, said, “2020’s recordingbreaking year will be a tough act to follow, but the upcoming season promises to be our biggest and best in all 25 years of the Series. We can’t wait to get back to the action after such a difficult year for everyone.”

“To launch the Faldo Hurricane Series this year too is game-changing and presents great opportunities for young players in North America to experience the Series and take their game to the next level, whilst a return of a full calendar of events for Europe and Asia Series sets up an exciting summer of junior golf ahead.”

The full schedule of each Faldo Series Europe and Asia can be found at www.faldoseries.com and for the Faldo Hurricane Series schedule head to www. faldohurricane.com.

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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CHIPSHOTS Dumbarnie Links To Host 2021 Women’s Scottish Open FIFE, SCOTLAND – Dumbarnie Links, Scotland’s newest true links golf course, will host the Women’s Scottish Open August 9 – 15, 2021. The co-sanctioned Women’s Scottish Open is an integral part of the golf calendar, sitting on both the Ladies European Tour and the LPGA schedules, and is held a week prior to the AIG Women’s Open.

Trust Golf, part of the TCT Corporation, will title sponsor the Women’s Scottish Open this year, giving the prestigious event a major boost alongside a new long-term commitment from the Scottish Government.

Dumbarnie Links opened for play on May 29, 2020 and has since received the highest of accolades and praise throughout the golf world. The stunning Clive Clark design, located eleven miles from St Andrews, measures 6,905-yards and plays to a par of 72. Dumbarnie Links is built upon land that is part of the historic 5,000-acre Balcarres Estate. Its 345 acres of genuine sandy links land offers unobstructed views over Largo Bay and the Firth of Forth, a 10mile wide stretch of water, with views across to Muirfield, North Berwick and Edinburgh.

The routing is a departure from the usual.

Instead of the traditional out-and-back layout, Clark incorporated a mix of two big loops with elevated tees facing into the Firth of Forth.

First staged in 1986, the Women’s Scottish Open is played with a full 156-strong player field and has a $1.5 million (U.S.) purse. The event underlines Scotland’s commitment to growing women’s golf. Previous winners include Stacy Lewis in 2020, Mi Jung Hur, Ariya Jutanugarn, Mi Hyang Lee, Isabelle Boineau, Rebecca Artis, Trish Johnson as well as Scotland’s Carly Booth and Catriona Matthew who is a double winner.

“We are honoured to have been selected to host the 2021 Women’s Scottish Open and look forward to welcoming the players to our genuine links course,” said Dumbarnie Links Founder and Architect Clive Clark.

With travel restrictions in place since the Club opened, the Scottish golf community embraced the Links as their own and enjoyed

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many, many rounds at Dumbarnie, with golf journalist and Fife local Malcolm Campbell prophetically proclaiming on opening day: “You could play The Open Championship on this course right now! It is first-class as this piece of land was just made for a true links course.”

“August the 12th and day 1 of the Championship can’t come soon enough,” said David Scott, PGA, general manager, Dumbarnie Links. “The Team and I are so looking forward to welcoming the best women players in the world and showcasing Dumbarnie Links across the globe.”

For more information on Dumbarnie Links, visit www.dumbarnielinks.com or call 833-691-0403 in the U.S. and Canada, or 0-800-085-1280 in the United Kingdom.

Golf Industry Leaders and Representatives to Gather Virtually for 2021 National Golf Day, Focusing on Game’s Momentum PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FL – A diverse cross-section of golf industry representatives will come together May 10-12 as part of 2021 National Golf Day to celebrate and focus on continuing the momentum the sport has seen through the COVID-19 pandemic.

National Golf Day, traditionally held in Washington, D.C., will kick off virtually on Monday, May 10, during a general session that includes PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan, PGA of America Chief Executive Seth Waugh, and LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan, among other industry leaders.

“While 2020 presented challenges, the industry is bolstered by the interest, engagement and growth of our sport,” said Greg McLaughlin, CEO of World Golf Foundation. “We look forward to hearing from individuals across the golf ecosystem as we work collectively to continue the positive momentum and ensure golf is a game and industry for all.”

In March and April 2020, nearly half of all U.S. golf courses were temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic; however,

by May these courses re-opened and golf’s resurgence began as many turned to outdoor, socially distanced activities. Even

during a stretch that saw an estimated loss of 20 million rounds, a total of 60 million additional rounds of golf were played by the end of 2020 vs. 2019, according to the National Golf Foundation. As a result, the industry saw the largest increase of new and returning players ever recorded, including an additional 630,000 youth golfers and 570,000 beginners.

“With almost 2 million American jobs tied to the sport, National Golf Day is an important platform to share our collective impact and unify on strengthening the sport for years to come,” says Rhett Evans, CEO of Golf Course Superintendents Association of America and Chair of WE ARE GOLF. “As our way of life returns to a sense of normality, the industry is committed to a healthy and inclusive sport that plays an even greater role in charitable, economic and environmental aspects of local communities.”

As part of this year’s National Golf Day, the industry will preview a multi-faceted, multiyear movement to grow and diversify golf.

The industry-wide collaboration is aimed at growing and diversifying the sport in the areas of education and skill development, talent acquisition, procurement, youth and adult player development, human resources, and marketing and communication.

The marketing element will show golf in new and non-traditional ways and will provide the industry with a platform – including national media exposure and creative assets – to use locally in support of inviting newcomers to the game, and especially those traditionally underrepresented in golf.

On May 12, individuals from across the golf industry will meet virtually with more than 250 elected officials to place a spotlight on the game’s $84.1 billion economy, nearly $4 billion charitable impact, 15,000 diverse businesses and 2 million jobs impacted across the United States annually. This will mark the 13th year the industry has come together under the banner of National Golf Day. WE ARE GOLF is an industry coalition that promotes the game and its positive impact on individuals and communities, as well as the economy, environment and wellness in America.

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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CHIPSHOTS Danzante Bay

Tpc Danzante Bay Captures Golf Digest Editor’s Choice Award

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ORETO, Baja California, Mexico – TPC Danzante Bay, the only TPC facility in Mexico, has received a 2021 Golf Digest Editors’ Choice Award in the ‘Best Golf Resorts in the Mexico & Central America’ category.

“We couldn’t be happier to receive this honor,” said Owen Perry, co-owner of the Villa Group. “Being selected as the only golf course in Mexico and Central America is not only a thrill but comes at a perfect time when we are welcoming our loyal guests are back to the Resort.”

Additionally, TPC Danzante Bay will be featured this month (April 24) with a dedicated segment on Driven Golf Show on NBC Sports Bay Area, reaching 8.1 million households in the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento Valley areas. The show’s co-hosts, World’s Longest Hitter and Ryan “Manbear” Winther and Charlie “Hustle” Zamora, a fitness industry leader, travel the world to enjoy golf’s greatest courses.

“TPC Danzante Bay was incredible,” said Zamora. “I had heard so many great things about the course and when I saw it for myself, I was not disappointed.” “It is everything people had told me – and more.”

Designed by golf course architect Rees Jones, TPC Danzante Bay is part of a luxury master-planned community adjacent to the coastline of Baja’s inland marine sanctuary and flanked by the rugged Sierra de La Giganta Mountains and the Sea of Cortez. Since opening in 2018 and joining the TPC Network, the course has established itself as one of Mexico’s premier golf courses with accolades including, but not limited to, being named ‘Mexico’s Best Golf Course’ by The World Golf Awards and one of the ‘Top Luxury Golf Courses in

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the World’ by Elite Travel.

Offering five sets of tees, the course ranges between 4,916 and 7,237 yards and features wide fairways and greens. Most of the entrances to the greens are open, allowing approach shots to run on safely, while the holes along the cliffs feature strategically placed collection areas to keep errant shots from taking the plunge into the blue water below.

“This is the sixth year of our annual Editors’ Choice Awards package, offering once again an assortment of products that can help golfers play better, smarter and healthier in 2021,” said Ryan Herrington, the magazine’s deputy digital editor.

Airlines, including American and Alaska, fly into Loreto International Airport (LTO) from LAX, Phoenix (PHX) and Dallas (DFW). For additional information on how to get to Loreto, visit https://villadelpalmarloreto.com/getting-here.

Accommodations at Villa del Palmar Resort & Spa at The Islands of Loreto offer travelers a sprawling stretch of quiet beaches, scenic vistas and astounding natural habitat. While the resort reflects the historic culture of Mexico, guests have access to every modern amenity and convenience. In addition to Sabila Spa and golf, guests have access to exhilarating sporting opportunities including worldclass fishing, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, swimming, paddle boarding, kayaking and whale watching in coastal waters declared a World Heritage Site, known for being home to 900 species of fish.

For additional information or to make a reservation, access the web site at www.villadelpalmarloreto.com or www.tpcdanzantebay.com.

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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CHIPSHOTS The Saint Andrew’s Golf Club – America’s Oldest – Debuts New Historical Exhibit

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ASTINGS-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. – The Saint Andrew’s Golf Club – America’s oldest golf club and a founding member of the USGA – has unveiled a new exhibit documenting its unprecedented place in the game’s early history.

The exhibit’s debut was marked by a ribbon-cutting ceremony held Saturday, April 17, attended by members, emblazoned in their traditional red jackets, as well as dignitaries including Archie Reid, great-grandson of Club founder John Reid; Mrs. Karen Reid, and their son, John Reid.

The exhibit, nearly two years in the making, features key historical documents, photographs, invitations, and more charting the Club’s early milestones, beginning in 1888 when The Saint Andrew’s Golf Club was founded in Yonkers, N.Y. (Today, the Club is in the village of Hastings-on-Hudson.) The minutes from the founding meeting, held at Reid’s home, lead off the exhibit.

On October 11, 12 and 13, 1894, the Saint Andrew’s Grey Oaks Golf Course in Yonkers played host to the firstever U.S. National Amateur Match Play Championship. The day after that event ended, the Club again made history by hosting the first U.S. Open Championship.

An original Currier & Ives print depicting the Saint Andrew’s U.S. Amateur Championship is included in the display as is the invitation to participate in the competition which was sent to golf clubs across the country in the summer of 1894.

“This marks the first time, within one formal display, that we have captured the leading role The Saint Andrew’s Golf Club played in the early history of golf,” remarked Vik Atal, Club President. “It depicts one leadership accomplishment after another throughout this most formative decade in the history of American golf.”

Bruce Clark, Chair of the Club’s Historical Committee, expounded on the role Henry O. Tallmadge, founding Secretary of the Club, played in creating a governing body for the game of golf in America. Tallmadge invited four other prominent American golf clubs— Chicago Golf Club, Newport Country Club, Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, and The Country Club of Brookline—to join with Saint Andrew’s in forming such an

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organization, which led to a December 1894 meeting in New York City and the birth of the United States Golf Association.

“Not only are we proud to be recognized as America’s oldest golf club and founding member of the USGA, but we are also proud of the leadership role Saint Andrew’s played in so many important ways during the formative years of the game of golf in this country,” said Clark. “The pieces we have chosen to display as part of this exhibit were carefully selected to illustrate our very rich history and contribute in a meaningful way to telling the complete story.”

That first U.S. Open Championship, conducted at match play, was won by Shinnecock Hills Professional Willie B. Dunn, who proudly wore the Saint Andrew’s U.S. Open medal throughout his lifetime, and even, it’s said, being buried with it. A photo taken of the champion wearing the medal is included in the new exhibit, courtesy of the London Scottish Club.

“We are indebted to the London Scottish Club and many other individuals and organizations who collectively helped us with the exhibit contents,” said Rick

Powers, a member of the Club’s Historical Committee. “This display is the proud accomplishment of a large team of people who have worked together carefully and thoughtfully for the better part of two years.”

The exhibit pays tribute to several other notable “firsts” recorded by The Saint Andrew’s Golf Club: the first mixed foursome match in 1889; organization and funding of the first U.S. Public Links Championship in 1896; and Saint Andrew’s member Charles E. Sands’ victory in the first Men’s Golf competition at the Paris Olympic Games in 1900. Sands remains America’s only Men’s Olympic Golf Champion Located only 20 miles from New York City, The Saint Andrew’s Golf Club is one of golf’s venerated historical venues.

Members and their guests enjoy the game in a spectacular setting and play one of the area’s best-conditioned and exciting layouts—a challenging par-71 golf course redesigned by Jack Nicklaus in 1983.

For additional information about The Saint Andrew’s Golf Club, access the website at www.saintandrewsgolfclub.com, follow on Instagram @theappletreegang, or on Twitter @sagc1888.

The Saint Andrews Golf Club Ribbon Cutting

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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CHIPSHOTS Red Hawk Golf and Resort - Sparks, Nevada

Troon Announces Schedule For 2021 Troon Challenge Scottsdale, AZ – The regional qualifying schedule for the 2021 Troon Challenge sponsored by Callaway Golf® is set. From May through October regional qualifying events will be held at 38 facilities in 13 different states. Two-person teams in both Net and Gross Divisions will compete to qualify for spots in the Troon Challenge National Finals. The National Finals will be held in Arizona with dates and location announced at a later date. Now in its 19th year, the Troon Challenge is Troon’s largest amateur golf event, attracting more than 1,600 golfers annually competing in regional qualifying events across the United States.

Regional qualifying events kickoff on Sunday, May 2 at Red Hawk Golf and Resort in Sparks, Nev. Golfers will compete in a Modified 2-Person Best Ball format. Entry fees for regional qualifiers vary by course, but the cost of all qualifying events includes green fee, cart,

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practice balls, a Callaway cooler, Callaway golf balls, an official AHEAD Troon Challenge hat, on-course contests, live scoring powered by Golf Genius and event prizes. For a complete list of regional qualifying dates and locations, visit www.TroonChallenge. com.

“We are thrilled to begin our 19th year of the Troon Challenge and regional qualifiers at clubs across the country,” said Kris Strauss, senior vice president, sales and marketing, Troon. “With the recent boom in golf, we expect the 2021 edition to be bigger and better than ever. We’ve added more qualifying sites across more states, with a chance to compete in our National Finals. The goal of the 2021 Troon Challenge remains the same as 19 years ago, to provide a fun, competitive, well-run golf event for amateur golfers from our Troon-managed facilities.”

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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CHIPSHOTS

The 2021 Troon Challenge is sponsored

by Callaway Golf, along with supporting partners, AHEAD, Synchronicity, Phat Scooters, Pepsi and Avis with scoring powered by Golf Genius. For more information or to register for the 2021 Troon Challenge, visit www.TroonChallenge.com.

2021 Troon Challenge Schedule: Alabama Highland Park, Birmingham – Wednesday, July 14 Arizona Troon North Golf Club, Scottsdale – Sunday, May 16 Wickenburg Ranch Golf & Social Club, Wickenburg – Sunday, June 27 Lookout Mountain Golf Club, Phoenix

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– Sunday, June 27 Copper Canyon Golf Club, Buckeye – Saturday, July 10 Poston Butte Golf Club, Florence – Sunday, July 18 Whirlwind Golf Club, Chandler – Sunday, July 25 Boulders Resort & Spa, Cave Creek – Sunday, August 1 The Westin Kierland Golf Club, Scottsdale – Sunday, August 8 The Phoenician, Scottsdale – Sunday, August 15 Sterling Grove, Surprise – Sunday, August 22 Golf Club of Estrella, Goodyear – Saturday, August 28

Ak-Chin Southern Dunes, Maricopa – Sunday, August 29 Longbow Golf Club, Mesa – Saturday, September 18 California Shadow Hills Golf Club, Indio – Sunday, June 6 The Club at Moffett Field, Mountain View – Sunday, June 6 Classic Club, Palm Desert – Sunday, June 13 Silverado Resort and Spa, Napa – Sunday, July 11 Hiddenbrooke Golf Club, Vallejo – Sunday, July 25 Native Oaks Golf Club, Valley Center – Sunday, August 1 Yocha Dehe Golf Club, Brooks – Sunday, August 8 Baylands Golf Links, Palo Alto – Sunday, August 22 Maderas Golf Club, Poway – Sunday, September 26 Indian Wells Golf Resort, Indian Wells – Sunday, October 3 Colorado The Ridge, Castle Pines – Tuesday, October 12 Florida Westchase Golf Club, Tampa – Sunday, June 6 Tiburón Golf Club, Naples – Sunday, July 11 King & Bear at World Golf Village, St. Augustine – Sunday, August 15 Georgia Château Élan Golf Club, Braselton – Sunday, August 1 Iowa Finkbine Golf Club, Iowa City – Sunday, May 23 Kansas Ironhorse Golf Club, Leawood – Saturday, August 7 Nevada Red Hawk Golf and Resort, Sparks – Sunday, May 2 Rio Secco Golf Club, Henderson – Sunday, July 18 New Jersey Seaview Golf Club, Galloway Township – Sunday, June 13 New York The Golf Club at Mansion Ridge, Monroe – Monday, May 17 Oregon Pronghorn, Bend – Sunday, June 6 Texas La Cantera Hill Country Resort, San Antonio – Wednesday, May 19 The Rawls Course at Texas Tech, Lubbock – Sunday, July 25

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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CHIPSHOTS Ocean Course at Hokuala

30 New Courses Added To Troon Card Program Scottsdale, AZ – Troon’s® acquisition of Indigo Golf Partners earlier this year has created even more playing opportunities for Troon Cardholders as the company has added 30 new Indigo Golf Partners-managed courses to its popular Troon Card frequent player program and Troon Rewards, golf’s premier loyalty program. Troon Cards provide Cardholders with preferred rates at participating Troon-managed and brand-affiliated courses. The golf industry’s leading frequent player program has been around for more than two decades with 170+ Troon-affiliated courses worldwide participating.

Troon Cardholders enjoy special Troon Card rates, can utilize Troon Card “2 for 1” golf offers, and earn Troon Rewards points towards more rounds of golf. Of the 30 new courses added, nine are in Florida, six in Arizona, four in California, four in Hawaii, two in Oklahoma, two in Tennessee, and one each in Georgia, Louisiana and Washington. For a full list of the 170+ courses participating in the Troon Card program, visit www.TroonCard.com.

With Troon Rewards, registered members earn one point for every dollar spent on golf fees, golf instruction fees, club-sponsored clinics, and on merchandise purchased at participating daily-fee facilities. Troon Rewards members can earn and redeem points at more than 160 Troon-managed and brand-affiliated courses around the world, including 70 Troon Golf locations in the United States, 40 Indigo Golf Partners facilities, 22 OB Sports facilities, and 34 Troon International locations. To become a member of Troon Rewards and begin earning points towards rewards, golfers should visit www.TroonRewards.com.

Troon Cards are available as a TwoSome Card or a FourSome Card, and are offered for specific states, regions of the country, or for those looking to play golf across the country, National, Patriot, and Inspire Troon Cards are available. State and region-specific Troon

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Cards currently available for purchase include: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kansas/Missouri, New York, Midwest U.S., Northeast U.S., Southeast U.S., and West Coast U.S. Plus, some state-specific cards also include “bonus states” so Cardholders can tee it up in neighboring states. All Troon Cards offer Troon Card rates at Troon’s international locations.

The Patriot Troon Card is available to first responders as well as active duty, veterans, reserve, and U.S. military retirees, while the Inspire Troon Card is available to healthcare professionals and teachers, with preferred pricing offered to those qualifying groups.

Both the Patriot and Inspire Troon Card offer the same incredible benefits as a National Troon TwoSome Card with preferred rates at all participating Troon facilities, including properties across the continental United States, Hawaii, and international facilities.

A portion of all proceeds from Patriot and Inspire Troon Card sales are donated to charitable organizations that support military (Folds of Honor Foundation), first responders (Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation), healthcare professionals (Direct Relief) and teachers (Donors Choose). Those interested in purchasing a Patriot Troon Card or an Inspire Troon Card are required to register (free of charge) through the Sheer ID employment verification program.

Troon Cardholders can reserve tee times within three-days of their desired date of play and enjoy up to 50 percent off golf fees. For those who can’t wait until three days out to book their tee time, with Troon Card’s Best Rate Guarantee, Troon Cardholders can book any online rate and still receive 15 percent off their golf fees at check in. The benefits of being a Troon Cardholder go beyond savings on golf. Troon Cardholders can improve their golf games by participating in complimentary clinics, play more golf with exclusive replay rates and explore the world of Troon with customized experience packages. Troon Cardholders can treat their friends, and themselves, to “2 for 1” golf offers and can celebrate

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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CHIPSHOTS their birthday in style with “birthday round” discounts.

Additional Troon Card benefits include the Troon Card Facebook Group and special offers exclusively to Cardholders, 10 percent off merchandise at participating golf shops and golf course restaurants, Troon Card E-News with monthly special offers and the ability to book tee times online at www.TroonCardTeeTimes.com.

2021 Troon Cards are valid through December 31, 2021. To view the entire list of participating courses, see Troon Card rates or to purchase a Troon Card online, go to www.TroonCard.com or visit any participating facility.

Casa de Campo Resort & Villas Announces Spring Golf School LA ROMANA, Dominican Republic – Casa de Campo Resort & Villas – home to the Caribbean’s premier, luxury golf experiences, including the iconic Teeth of the Dog course – announces its “Spring Golf School” stay-and-play package hosted by the resort’s acclaimed teaching professional Eric Lillibridge will be held May 12 – 16.

Starting at $2,661 (per person, double occupancy) for golfers seeking to improve their game at one of the world’s exceptional destinations, the offer features over 18 hours of personal instruction at the resort’s world-class Golf Learning Center as well as out on the resort’s three celebrated Pete Dye-designed layouts including Teeth of the Dog, widely known as the No. 1 course in the Caribbean.

The package also features unlimited green fees with shared carts on the trio of courses, range balls and club storage; four nights’ Elite accommodations with daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner; unlimited drinks by the glass in all resort bars and restaurants; drinks at the Oasis bars and beverage carts on the golf courses; a welcome and farewell dinner, welcoming gifts; and complimentary transfer from La Romana (LRM), Santo Domingo (SDQ) and Punta Cana (PUJ) airports.

Attendees will additionally receive video analysis and coaching in state-ofthe-art TRACKMAN studios with personal video instruction voiceover as well as a student workbook containing tips and drills to practice with when back home.

Casa de Campo’s outstanding Golf Learning Center also features two indoor hitting bays for rapid game improvement, year-round training, individual and group golf lessons and schools, and expert clubfitting and repair. Residing on 21 acres of

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Golf Learning Center - Casa de Campo

“pure grass,” the PGA TOUR-quality facility also showcases practice greens for honing putting, chipping, and pitching games as well as unlimited use of the pristine outdoor range for full shots.

Golf Learning Center - Casa de Campo “There is no better setting to improve your golf game than here in paradise at Casa de Campo,” says Lillibridge. “We invite you to come visit us and let our targeted, focused instruction get your game right on track while savoring one of the world’s great resort experiences.”

Since opening in 1971, Teeth of the Dog has been a “bucket list” layout for those seeking to play one of the top 50 golf courses in the world. Dye’s design hallmarks are all present: railroad ties, vast waste areas, peninsula greens and tees, hand-sculpted putting surfaces and a unique assortment of pot bunkers. “The Heaven 7” oceanfront holes are astoundingly beautiful, causing Dye to famously quip: “I created 11 holes and God created seven.”

In the aftermath of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the resort initiated its new “Casa Cares” program touching virtually every area of the property including significant investment in new equipment and employee training. The robust health and safety practices will continue to remain a top priority extend to updated procedures for its golf courses as well. A full list of the new measures may be found here.

Casa de Campo additionally offers a COVID testing center at the resort if documentation is needed for return travel.

For more information on Casa de Campo Resort & Villas please call 800.877.3643, email golf@ccampo.com.do or visit: www. casadecampo.com.do/.

The Marriott Resort & Spa Puerto Vallarta Golf Getaway Eat, sleep, play golf, repeat. The Marriott Resort & Spa Puerto Vallarta is offering an inclusive golf getaway package perfect for those who like to start their day playing a few holes, be poolside with a cocktail in hand by afternoon, and cap it all off with Mexico’s best flavors served with a side of sunset.

Starting at $339 for two adults with a minimum stay of three nights, the deal includes one 18 hole game per person at the Marina Vallarta Golf Course, designed

by Joe Finger and located just a few minutes from the resort. For an extra $100, guests can play at the Vista Vallarta Golf Course too. After a long day of golf, unwind in your deluxe (recently renovated) room with an ocean view balcony.

With the resort fee and gratuity included, guests can indulge in a complimentary tequila tasting of the resort’s own brand of tequila and use kayaks and paddle boards on the property’s private stretch of beach.

Meals and drinks are also included in this package at any of the hotel’s delicious restaurants, including room service.

The package is available to book now through April 30, 2021 for travel through October 31, 2021 with code ZJ4 at www. puertovallartamarriott.com.

Marriott Puerto Vallarta has a flexible, 24-hour cancellation policy and also offers guests complimentary COVID-19 testing valid for up to two registered guests per room per stay for guests staying 3 consecutive nights or longer. In addition, Marriott is extending a Discounted Extended Stay up to 50% off Flexible Rate to guests who cannot complete their travel due to test-related reasons.

Golf Vacations • May 2021 15

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CHIPSHOTS A.J. Avoli works with a student at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa

Omni La Costa Resort & Spa Named Among “Best Resorts in The Americas” and “Best Golf Schools and Academies” by Golf Digest’s CARLSBAD, CA – The accolades continue to pour in for Omni La Costa Resort & Spa, Southern California’s premier golf and luxury resort and newly-named host site for the 2024, 2025 and 2026 Division I Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships. The famed resort received two prestigious Golf Digest Editors’ Choice Awards for 2021, being named among the “Best Resorts in the Americas” and the “Best Golf Schools and Academies.”

Launched in 2016, the Editors’ Choice Awards honors the best of the best in the golf industry ranging from golf courses and resorts to products and services. We all want to play the greatest courses and stay in the most luxurious hotels and inns, and when our thoughts drift to where we might travel, we often settle on the legendary destinations with names that are synonymous with the game… Our Editors’ Choice awards are intended to get readers to dream big,” reads the Golf Digest article that also awarded Omni La Costa in its esteemed “Best Golf Schools and Academies” category.

Touched by fresh ocean breezes and set within a captivating 400acre Spanish Mission-style village, Omni La Costa Resort & Spa, is home to 36 holes of award-winning golf on the Champions and Legends Courses along with a host of luxurious recreation and leisure amenities.

“It is an honor to have the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa recognized

by Golf Digest as one of the Best Resorts in the Americas along with other acclaimed Omni golf resorts,” said Peter Strebel, president of Omni Hotels & Resorts. “The experience at Omni La Costa grows richer with the passing of time and many exciting days are ahead. It’s

16 Golf Vacations • May 2021

always gratifying when the industry feels as strongly as we do about this cherished resort.”

Complementing the world-class golf at Omni La Costa, the highlyacclaimed Golf Performance Institute is a 2021 Golf Digest Editors’ Choice “Best Golf Schools and Academies” winner. Offering Southern California’s most comprehensive game improvement and fitness program, including private lessons and golf clinics with Golf Digest “Best Young Teacher” A.J. Avoli, who is trained on state-of-the-art technology, like the RoboGolfPro®, which precisely tracks your swing in order to identify necessary adjustments. The resort’s new partnership with Ryan Faust from Fausty Golf focuses on improving swing speed through unique training methods. Omni La Costa is also home to the acclaimed Dave Pelz Scoring Game School. The Golf Performance Institute is also home to a True Spec master club fitting location.

The photo (above) is of Avoli, who returned to the “Best Young Teachers” list for the fifth time earlier this year, working with a student.

The photo graces the Editors’ Choice article. “There are a lot of great, talented teachers on that list and I’m happy to be considered as one of the top instructors in the country by Golf Digest,” Avoli said.

Late last year, it was announced that Omni La Costa Resort & Spa will be the host site for the 2024, 2025 and 2026 Division I Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships. Play will be conducted on the resort’s famed Champions Course following a planned 2022 renovation by acclaimed golf course architect Gil Hanse. The Men’s and Women’s Championships will be contested over consecutive weeks starting in 2024, the first year each culminating national championship will be played in combination at a “truly neutral” site. Plans for Hanse’s bold reimagining of the Champions Course will be revealed in the coming

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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CHIPSHOTS months leading up to the project.

Omni La Costa boasts a full history of stars and professional golf events. In 1965, shortly after La Costa opened, the original Dick Wilson designed course hosted the made-for-TV CBS Golf Classic. The PGA TOUR’s Tournament of Champions (later called the Mercedes Championship and the Sentry Tournament of Champions) was hosted from 1969 until 1998 with a parade of Hall of Famers, including Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Tom Watson, Lee Trevino, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods further cementing their winning legacies at Omni La Costa. In 1999, the WGC Andersen Consulting World Match Play Championship was played on the original course layout.

For more information, visit https://www.omnihotels.com/hotels/ san-diego-la-costa.

Pronghorn Resort Announces 2021 Stay & Play Packages BEND, Ore. – In preparation for what experts predict to be a busy travel season, Pronghorn Resort, a leading luxury hotel and residential community in Bend, Ore., announces its 2021 Stay & Play golf packages. Packages include luxury accommodations at Pronghorn Resort’s Huntington Lodge, the beautiful 104 guest room and suite hotel which opened on the property in 2019. Surrounded by views of the Cascade Mountains, Pronghorn’s Jack Nicklaus Signature Course and Tom Fazio Championship Course are bucket-list destinations for golfers of all levels.

Stay and Play at Pronghorn – Created for the golf enthusiast, the Stay and Play at Pronghorn package includes a night in the Huntington Lodge and two rounds on Pronghorn’s Jack Nicklaus Signature Course.

Special midweek rates are available. Guests booking this package save 10 percent on lodging.

Midweek Golf Getaway – Play hooky and getaway during the week when the crowds are slim and rounds are fast. This sweet deal includes four rounds of golf, dinner and drinks for two. Valid for twonight minimum stays Monday-Thursday, with guests saving 15 percent on lodging.

The Ultimate Pronghorn Experience Golf Package – This experience has all the essentials covered with four rounds of golf and two nights in the Huntington Lodge. The Ultimate Pronghorn Experience Golf Package is valid for stays Sunday through Saturday, with guests saving 10 percent on lodging.

Stay, Play and Get Fit – For a limited time at Pronghorn Resort, True Spec Golf, the world’s premier brand agnostic club fitter, is offering 50 percent off custom club fittings. With over 35,000 club head and shaft combinations, True Spec Golf will custom-fit and hand-build the most precise set of golf clubs you’ve ever played. To schedule a fitting, email info@truespecgolf.com or call (844) 729-8809. Mention promo code PRONGHORN50 to receive 50 percent off your fitting at True Spec Bend.

Each of Pronghorn Resort’s Stay and Play packages can be scheduled at https://pronghornresort.com/special-offers or by calling 866-320-5024.

Located at the heart of the 640-acre community of Pronghorn Resort, Huntington Lodge overlooks the 18th hole of the Tom Faziodesigned Championship Golf Course and offers stunning views of the surrounding juniper groves and nine peaks along the Cascade Mountain Range. The Lodge features a vibrant lobby lounge and gathering place that connects indoor and outdoor dining spaces; an outdoor pool created for year-round use with a spacious deck and a central fireplace. The Lodge is conveniently located near the 55,000-square-foot clubhouse and the Trailhead recreation center with a family swimming pool and fitness center.

For more information on Pronghorn Resort, visit www. pronghornresort.com.

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Inn at Bay Harbor and BOYNE Golf Academy Earn Golf Digest Editor’s Choice Awards PETOSKEY, MI – BOYNE Golf announces that it has two award winners among the annual Golf Digest Editor’s Choice Awards for 2021. The Inn at Bay Harbor in Bay Harbor, Mich. earned the honors as one of the Best Resorts in the Americas, while BOYNE Golf Academy in Harbor Springs, Mich. graces the Best Golf Schools & Academies.

Within the awards announcement, Golf Digest describes the resort as “Built on the former home of a cement factory and quarry, Arthur Hills’ 27 holes at this Northern Michigan resort include the Quarry, Links and Preserve. Dramatic views along the bluffs of Lake Michigan make for scenic holes that play tough when the wind is up. The views are just as good from the Inn at Bay Harbor, which offers shuttle service from the resort to this quaint harbor town.” It’s no wonder that Golf Digest keeps coming back to honor the resort.

“It is very gratifying and humbling that the Inn at Bay Harbor has been recognized by Golf Digest each of the past four years with the Editor’s Choice Awards as a Best Golf Resort,” says Ken Griffin, Director of Golf Sales and Marketing for BOYNE Golf. “The resort and Bay Harbor Golf Club are the flagship of our 10 courses and three resorts in Michigan, and they represent the variety and quality of the golf experience across all of our properties.”

The Inn at Bay Harbor

Meanwhile, BOYNE Golf Academy is honored to have now received the Editor’s Choice Award in both 2018 and 2021. The Academy has been one of the top golf schools in the country since 1986. Based at Boyne Mountain and Boyne Highlands, the Academy features nationally recognized professional instructors who have developed a variety of programs for juniors, adults, and women of all skill levels that improves every aspect of the game from short game to the long game utilizing the top state-of-the-art teaching technology. In addition, the Academy is the leader in growing the game with programs and destination golf schools specifically designed for women, couples, and juniors as well as lapsed/ new golfers looking to brush up on their skills.

“It is an honor for the BOYNE Golf Academy to again be recognized as one of the top four Golf Schools and Academies in the Midwest by Golf Digest,” says Griffin. “Through private instruction and our golf schools, our experienced staff combine the latest in technologies from GEARS, TrackMan, and now TrackMan Range with their vast knowledge to simplify the game and make every round more enjoyable.”

This is the sixth year that Golf Digest has put together these prestigious awards that recognize an assortment of products which help golfers play better, smarter and healthier; destinations where golfers can relax and enjoy a first-rate golf vacation; and esteemed schools and academies that are renowned for offering the best combination of instructors, technology, programs and setting to help golfers improve in a beautiful environment.

Golf Vacations • May 2021 17

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CHIPSHOTS Marco Island Golf

Marco Island, Where The Golf Is Always Good!

Marco Island, Florida – Where can you go where the golf is always good? Florida! More specifically, down south to Marco Island.

At JW Marriott Marco Island you can enjoy not one, but two Resort Private Championship courses. Enjoy a little bit of greenery during the day while you play some golf, and head to the beach on day 2 for some fun in the sand. It really is the best of both worlds.

At the resort, enjoy relaxation on a whole new level. With 3 miles of pristine private beaches and cuisine from around the world at 12 resort restaurants, your stay at Marco Island is bound to be exceptional. Golf enthusiasts love the two championship courses at the resort, one of them being a Gold Certified Signature Sanctuary designated

by Audubon International. The Rookery is designed by Robert Cupp, Jr. and holds generous fairways, oversized and receptive greens, and the option to tee off from five locations. Hammock Bay is perfect for the risk taker and the novice golfer. It has recently had a $4.8 million Turfgrass replacement project and this improvement shows.

Stay at JW Marriott Marco Island between June 1st and September 7th and enjoy the Tee for Two package for your next getaway. To reserve this mid-week package which includes golf daily for two and a $50 Resort Credit, use promo code GFP. Visit www.marriott.com/reservation to book your next trip.

Dumbarnie Links Named 2021 Development Of The Year By Golf Inc. FIFE, SCOTLAND – Dumbarnie Links, a daily-fee links course located on the east coast of Scotland near St Andrews, has been honoured by Golf Inc. magazine as the 2021 Development of the Year. Golf Inc., the world’s only magazine for golf course developers, owners and management company executives, annually recognizes the best golf developments around the globe in its Development of the Year competition.

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According to Golf Inc., judges selected Dumbarnie Links as the competition winner for its world-class design and its focus on environmental stewardship and long-term sustainability. Dumbarnie Links opened for play on May 29, 2020 and has since received high acclaim throughout the golf world. The stunning Clive Clark design, located eleven miles from St Andrews, measures 6,905-yards (can be stretched to 7,600 yards for professional competitions) and plays to a par of 72. Dumbarnie Links is built upon land that is part of the historic 5,000-acre Balcarres Estate.

Its 345 acres of genuine sandy links land offers unobstructed views over Largo Bay and the Firth of Forth, a 10-mile wide stretch of water with views across to Muirfield, North Berwick and Edinburgh.

The routing is a departure from the usual. Instead of the traditional out-and-back layout, Clark incorporated a mix of two big loops with elevated tees facing into the Firth of Forth.

Golf Inc. Competition Judge Casey Paulson said of Dumbarnie Links, “Beautiful seaside golf links with great shaping and routing.

Looks like this will be another wonderful course for golf vacationers.”

Judge Mike Nuzzo commented, “By far the best routing of the entrants. The course zigzags through what looks almost like links land, expertly creating variety and interest throughout the round.”

“My vision was to design a traditional links on what is a rare piece of genuine links land, but with a modern twist,” said Dumbarnie Links Founder and Architect Clive Clark. “There are a number of ‘risk and reward’ holes such that Dumbarnie Links becomes a strategic thinking man’s (or woman’s) golf course, but is fun for all. There are three driveable par-4s (under favourable conditions) but in order to cut the doglegs the golfer has to take a gamble and decide whether he or she is going to be a hero. There are also some twin fairways which create choices off the tee.”

With Covid-19 travel restrictions in place since the Club opened, the Scottish golf community has embraced the Links as their own

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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CHIPSHOTS and have enjoyed many, many rounds at Dumbarnie. This summer the rest of the world will get to see Dumbarnie Links on television as the course will host the Women’s Scottish Open August 9 – 15, 2021.

For more information on Dumbarnie Links, visit www.dumbarnielinks.com or call 833-691-0403 in the U.S. and Canada, or 0-800-085-1280 in the United Kingdom.

Man-O-War Island Greens

Enjoy Three Celebrated ‘Completely Green’ Myrtle Beach Layouts, Deluxe Villa Accommodations MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Mystical Golf – showcasing “Myrtle Beach’s finest 54 holes of golf” on its acclaimed Witch, Man-O-War and Wizard designs – announces its trio of “completely green” courses are currently in peak condition for extraordinary spring “golf buddy” trips.

Showcasing the lush beauty and vibrancy of spring, now is the ideal time to savor Mystical Golf’s outstanding course conditions which are unrivaled in Myrtle Beach and the region due to the results of its considerable yearly investments in overseeding with Ryegrass emulating the agronomic practices of top echelon courses like Augusta National. “Wall-to-wall” emerald green fairways, rough and putting surfaces allow Mystical Golf’s guests to play golf from dawn to dusk while savoring the impeccable course conditions few public facilities can match.

Mystical Golf additionally showcases the striking results of a comprehensive $750,000 renovation. The 142 bunkers on all three layouts were completely rebuilt and now display vibrant, eye-catching white

sand creating an incredible contrast with the brilliant green fairways and greens.

“The sea of green on our three layouts has never looked more magnificent and we currently have the best course conditions in Myrtle Beach by far,” says Claude Pardue, President and CEO. “Come visit us and enjoy a stress-free and fun golf getaway to start the golf season off with a bang right here at Mystical Golf.”

Its three layouts are highlighted by wonderfully fun elements including the only back-to-back island greens in the game (Man-O-War), a front nine of dramatic holes weaving through secluded swampland teeming with wildlife (The Witch), and a splendid

layout reminiscent of Scotland and Ireland’s classic courses complete with authentic sodfaced bunkering and castle-style clubhouse (The Wizard).

Man-O-War’s 15th hole ranks among GOLF Magazine’s “Five Most Memorable Island Greens” alongside No. 17 at TPC Sawgrass, the “Alcatraz” hole at PGA West’s Stadium Course and Coeur d’Alene Resort’s movable, floating putting surface.

The Witch is praised by PGA.com for presenting one of America’s “great 9th holes” and The Wizard has earned 4-1/2 stars from Golf Digest.

For Mystical Golf information: www. mysticalgolf.com, 843.282.2977.

Dumbarnie Links Fairway

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Golf Vacations • May 2021 19

VIRGINIA IS FOR LOVERS - (OF GOLF!)

by Dakota Diaz

Discover Golf In Williamsburg Williamsburg has top-ranked premier courses that bring golfers to the area and great supporting courses that bring golfers back. The region is home to more than 12 championship courses ranked 4 stars or better and is very affordable compared to similar golf courses in other golf destinations. Several facilities have multiple courses on-site, allowing golfers to easily play two different courses on the same day.

Williamsburg National Golf Club Voted “Best Golf Course in Williamsburg” by the Virginia Gazette two years in a row, this open-to-the-public private club features two very different courses when it comes to layout and putting surfaces (Bermuda vs. bent).

The Jamestown Course, developed by Nicklaus Design, is a 4-star Golf Digest winner. The par-72 course measures close to 7,000 yards from the championship tees with five different sets of tees appealing to golfers of all skill levels. It has received several awards, including being named “One of the Ten Best Courses you can play in Virginia”

by Golf Digest magazine.

The Yorktown Course layout offers a great mix of classic course design with a few modern twists. In addition to being ranked No. 7 of the most-improved courses in the nation by Golf Advisor (now GolfPass) in 2018, it has the area’s most interesting back nine featuring three par-5s, three par-4s and three par-3s. Bermuda fairways, bent grass putting greens, and a course full of fun challenges await.

Golden Horseshoe Golf Club Just as Colonial Williamsburg brings America’s history to life, the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club honors the classic traditions of the game—while still creating an entertaining challenge for today’s

player. Designed by the father-and-son team of Robert Trent Jones Sr. and Rees Jones, players will experience 45 walkable holes over three courses, surrounded by mature woodlands.

The Gold Course is a classic reimagined. Recently renovated by “the Open Doctor” Rees Jones, the Gold Course now features cutting-edge turf grasses, new grass on the fairways, greens and surrounding roughs, and utilizes “Better Billy Bunker” construction.

Tees have been re-leveled and resurfaced, and the expansion of the practice putting green and range gives golfers plenty of opportunity to work on their long and short games.

Opened in 1991, Rees Jones drew inspiration from his father Robert Trent Jones Sr.’s iconic Gold Course to create the acclaimed Green Course. Carved from the same beautiful parkland terrain, the Green Course is longer than the Gold Course but also more forgiving— creating an enjoyable challenge for golfers of every skill level.

Perfect for networking or a quick golf getaway, the Spotswood Course is Robert Trent Jones Sr.’s updated version of the original 1947 Williamsburg Inn course. Called the “best short nine-hole course in the country” by Golf magazine, this par-31 course includes six par3s, two par-4s and one par-5 to test your whole game. Spotswood is family-friendly and fun for beginners and juniors, but still presents a signature Jones contest for the more experienced golfer.

Kingsmill Golf

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VIRGINIA IS FOR LOVERS - (OF GOLF!)

Williamsburg National - Yorktown Course (photo courtesy Visit Williamsburg)

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Golf Vacations • May 2021 21

VIRGINIA IS FOR LOVERS - (OF GOLF!) Kingsmill Resort Championship golf is the centerpiece of the Kingsmill Resort experience. It has hosted 38 PGA and LPGA events with golf legends Payne Stewart, Jack Nicklaus, and Arnold Palmer among those who have played the famed courses. Additionally, the Kingsmill Golf Academy offers expert advice for all level of players.

The River Course, a Golfweek “Top 200 Resort Course,” is designed by prominent architect Pete Dye and home to the LPGA Pure Silk Tournament. This course has welcomed presidents Gerald Ford, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama.

Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay designed the Plantation Course to test the skills of all types of players with its generous fairways, water hazards, and undulating greens.

Kiskiack Golf Club Kiskiack Golf Club is home to one of the top-ranked 18-hole golf courses in the state of Virginia. Designed by John LaFoy, it’s nestled along a ridge of a natural bluff in Williamsburg. Kiskiack’s public course features tree-lined fairways, gorgeous water features, and is easily walkable. While the course can be demanding even for the experienced player, the course’s open fairways and picturesque views will allow beginners to enjoy a round of golf as well. It’s the only golf course in Williamsburg with no houses on the course.

Stonehouse Golf Club The 18-hole golf course at Stonehouse Golf Club in Toano features 7,013 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par 72. Stonehouse

was originally designed by one of the most innovative golf course architects in the business, Mike Strantz, a former protégé of Tom Fazio. Strantz envisioned a mountain-style course that disturbed nature as little as possible. With deep bunkers and wide fairways, the par-72 layout features dramatic elevation changes and enormous putting greens perched on the edges of natural cliff formations with constant challenges for all levels. Williamsburg golf travelers looking for a unique golf experience will find it at Stonehouse.

Ford’s Colony Country Club Located just minutes away from historic Williamsburg, Ford’s Colony offers some of the best resort golf in Virginia. This semiprivate golf club features 54 holes with three distinct championship golf courses designed by Dan Maples. Each course brings its own challenges and highlights.

Blackheath is the most picturesque of the three courses with water coming into play on 13 holes. Every green on the course is guarded by bunkers and the course also features many doglegs with rolling fairways. The Blackheath course is the only course at Ford’s Colony that plays to a par 71.

Blue Heron is a continuous 18 that has long, challenging par3s and par-5s. The Blue Heron has generous fairways carved out of dense wetlands. The course has new Champion Bermuda greens which provide the smoothest surfaces throughout the year. Blue Heron is the longest of the three courses and contains many different species of birds, fish, and other wildlife.

Williamsburg National (photo courtesy Visit Williamsburg)

22 Golf Vacations • May 2021

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VIRGINIA IS FOR LOVERS - (OF GOLF!) Kingsmill Golf

Marsh Hawk features traditional treelined fairways. It has small, undulating greens with strategically placed bunkers.

The narrow fairways, well-placed bunkers, natural lakes, and elevation changes are the defenses of this course. Marsh Hawk was the host of the 1998 and 1999 Virginia State Opens, a Monday Qualifier for the 2005 – 2007 Henrico County Open, and a Monday Qualifier for the PGA Tour’s Michelob Championship for 12 straight years.

Colonial Heritage Golf Club Featuring the only Arthur Hills signaturedesigned golf course in Williamsburg, Colonial Heritage is open to the public and offers pristine playing conditions on an exceptional layout that winds through rolling hills, streams, and pine forests. This artfully crafted masterpiece emulates the classic beauty and refinement of the natural terrain of its southern Virginia surroundings.

Thoughtfully planned bunkers, undulating fairways, and well-arranged water features create an enjoyable golfing experience for novices and experts alike. Each year since 2013, Colonial Heritage has been ranked “Best in Region” by Coastal Virginia Magazine.

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Stonehouse (photo courtesy Visit Williamsburg)

Golf Vacations • May 2021 23

The Island of Nevis’ Golf Loving Dog

By Tim Cotroneo

I

lined up my golf shot looking straight in the face of Mount Nevis, a 3,200-foot potentially active volcano located on the Caribbean island of Nevis. About one second into my backswing on this 375yard hole, out of the corner of my eye I noticed a speeding black object heading straight towards me.

With her tongue flapping in the breeze, a combination Labrador Doberman Pincher stopped within 10 feet of my golf ball. I looked over towards my wife, who was seated in our golf cart and said, “Where did she come from?”

Prior to the start of my round at the Four Seasons Nevis Golf Course, I didn’t give a second thought to this same dog sunning herself near the patio of the pro shop entrance. Now I realized this mutt was silently trying to tell me something.

Dog Day Afternoon Once I realized that perhaps I was on this dog’s turf, I swung and hit my five iron toward the green situated at the base of the volcano.

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Moments after my ball settled just in front of the green, my fourlegged pal took off in a sprint.

As I joined my wife in the golf cart, I could see that this currently nameless dog had parked herself to the side of the green and was waiting for us to catch up. Sure enough, after I chipped on to the green and two putted for a bogey, the pup rose from her yoga “downdoggie” pose and sauntered over to the next tee box.

My wife and I couldn’t help but wonder if our twosome had turned into a threesome. As soon as I hit my drive, man’s best friend galloped off in the direction of where my golf ball landed on the right side of the fairway.

What’s Her Story?

Around the 8th hole I asked the cart girl if she could tell me anything newsworthy about our tail-wagging escort. She relayed that the staffers at the golf course dubbed her Cocoa in reference to her chocolate color.

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I asked who owned the dog? The cart girl replied that this dog was a stray who felt at home hanging around the Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed golf course. She also said that Cocoa rarely let anyone pet her.

After completing 18 holes, my wife and I returned to our Four Seasons hotel room. We agreed that this golf close encounter of the four-legged kind added a touch of spice to our vacation. We assumed this was the last we’d seen of Cocoa.

Guess Who on the Beach The next day we thought we’d take advantage of the Four Seasons pristine section of Pinney’s Beach. After a few minutes of reading, we decided to take a long walk along this three-mile stretch of beach.

of water could bring out such joy in an animal?

Over the final two days of our stay in Nevis, we did not see Cocoa again. I could only assume that this Nevis ambassador had found some other unsuspecting golfers, and she was brightening their day.

On an island that is known for its volcano, its rum, and for being the birthplace of Alexander Hamilton, I’ll never forget a golf loving dog named Cocoa.

www.fourseasons.com/nevis

Five minutes into our walk, we felt a presence to our left. You guessed it; Cocoa decided today was beach day. Not only that, she seemed to like our company.

After our walk, I found a makeshift bowl and topped it off with water. I placed the bowl in the sand, and I called to Cocoa, “Are you thirsty?” Cocoa streaked straight toward the bowl and slurped until the water was gone.

A Simple Act of Unforgettable Joy What happened next nearly brought a tear to me eye. After quenching her thirst, Cocoa started bounding back and forth in a manner that appeared that she was on happy dust. Who knew a bowl

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Golf Vacations • May 2021 25

Costa Navarino

To Unveil Navarino Hills at 2021 Messinia Pro-Am

R

egister now for the biggest tournament yet, played across three courses The fifth annual Messinia Pro-Am has been confirmed for 24-27 November 2021 and for the first time attendees will have the opportunity to play across three courses, including the brand new José María Olazábaldesigned West Course at Navarino Hills Costa Navarino, and the awardwinning The Dunes Course and The Bay Course.

Designed by two-time Masters champion and Ryder Cup legend José María Olazábal, the two new courses will both play to par 72 and measure 6,466m and 6,280m respectively and stretch over 125 hectares (1,250,000sq.m.), overlooking the historic Bay of Navarino and the surrounding hills.

Sanctioned by the Confederation of Professional Golf and held under the auspices of the PGAs of Greece and the Hellenic Golf Federation, this year’s Messinia Pro-Am will feature a record entry of 75 teams with professionals competing for a €50,000 prize fund under the Messinian sun.

Navarino Hills, recently named as the ‘World’s Best New Golf Development’ at the 2020 World Golf Awards stretches over 500 hectares of rugged natural terrain overlooking Navarino Bay and provides the ideal complement to the existing courses.

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Complementing this, the par-71, 6,018m, Bernhard Langer and EGDdesigned The Dunes Course, offers spectacular sea and river views and incorporates links-style features in areas closest to the sea, while occasionally venturing into olive and fruit groves.

The official carrier of the Messinia Pro-Am for the fifth consecutive year is AEGEAN Airlines (www.aegeanair. com), a member of Star Alliance, the strongest global aviation alliance who is in partnership with Costa Navarino, the Confederation of Professional Golf (CPG) and PGA of Greece. Aegean offers special airline ticket prices for Messinia Pro-Am participants.

The 54-hole international event – which saw record breaking attendance in 2020 with more than 20 participating countries and 50 teams – has welcomed professional and celebrity golfers over the years, such as Bill Murray, Mike Tindall and Sepp Maier.

An established part of the global golf calendar and with a host of top professionals and celebrities competing, the four-day event also includes a fascinating programme of themed events and dinners with the emphasis on fun and friendship.

opened and award-winning earthsheltered Bay Clubhouse which blends seamlessly into the natural landscape.

Erasmus Conference & Events is the official event organizer and travel partner, which is coordinating and ensuring a smooth registration and accommodation process.

When the project is fully completed in spring 2022, the Mediterranean’s prime, sustainable destination will be in the enviable position of being able to offer its guests four signature 18hole golf courses – all within a 13km radius.

Surrounded by olive groves and overlooking the historic Bay of Navarino, the par-71, 5,422m The Bay Course was designed by Robert Trent Jones II and meanders through three distinct settings – seaside, canyon, and grove – to provide striking contrasts.

Golfers can also enjoy the newly

Team registration – which is strictly on a first-come, first-served basis is now open.

For more information on the 2021 Messinia Pro-Am, please visit messiniaproam.costanavarino.com To find out more about Costa Navarino, please visit: www.costanavarino.com www.facebook.com/ CostaNavarinoGolf www.youtube.com/costanavarino Instagram: @costanavarinogolf Twitter: @costanavarinogolf

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SWEETSTUFF Projekt Luggage

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ith travel now on the comeback trail as destinations reopen in the wake of the pandemic, golfers are looking to get out on the road again for new experiences and to play courses they have never seen--or have not visited in a while.

For many travelers, it is time to execute a reboot with not only new golf gear, but new travel gear with some of the latest innovations and styling. Projekt™, a relatively new company founded in Vancouver, British Columbia, by three industry experts, has made quite an impact on the sports luggage industry over the past few years and now promises to make an impact with golf travelers with a wide assortment of ultra-premium luggage and accessories that has a modern blending of style, performance and innovation.

Projekt has its roots in the wellknown golf bag/accessory manufacturer Ogio. After more than a decade of building the Ogio division in Canada, the founders of Projekt broke off on their own in 2012 and keep expanding.

Their products have caught on in a big way in professional sports. The Toronto Raptors all used Projekt luggage when they won the NBA title in 2019, and 31 of 32 NHL teams get their luggage from them for their players, trainers and scouts. In fact, the last seven straight Stanley Cup Champions have all used Projekt bags when they have won, noted Chad Haralson, the VP of sales at Projekt.

“We wanted to spare no expense to make a product that goes above and beyond for premium customers—and that’s what we did and continue to do,”

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noted Haralson.

For the traveling golfer, Projekt produces an assortment of fine luggage—everything you would need for a weekend trip-- or lengthy sojourn overseas. Nice large zippers that are military grade, aircraft grade aluminum handles and super quiet 5-inch poly urethane wheels are used throughout the Projekt line--and are just some of the finer touches.

One of the most versatile pieces and a starting place for many travelers is a backpack—and Projekt has one of the best we have seen in the Gravy Silverado that sports four total pockets on the front (two of which are plush-lined for valuables and devices), a fur-lined side pocket designed for a tablet or laptop and the main compartment that offers room for just about everything. This backpack’s middle front pocket has everything you need for your electronic essentials on the road with an organizer panel for your passport, battery chargers, thumb drives and even a key holder.

Other features include a side-entry file sleeve, dual expandable hydration pockets on the side, elastic webbing containment loops, molded ergonomic back panel, adjustable sternum strap, P-Shox™ adjustable shoulder straps and a custom injected soft grab handle.

One of the other nice features is the luggage handle tunnel on the backside of the backpack that fits neatly over the aluminum telescopic handle of the Projekt Puddle Jumper wheeled carry-on, which is a great compliment to the Silverado.

The Puddle Jumper is light, sturdy and fits the international regulations for carry-on luggage with dimensions of 21”H X 14”

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SWEETSTUFF

by Terry Ross

shoe compartment that fits up to a 13-size. This bag has an internal sleeve pocket for accessories—and the neoprene-wrapped handle has a nice buckle feature that lets you attach it to your golf bag.

These five pieces make a very functional and stylish Golf Bundle that will make getting back out on the road much easier.

Golf Vacations Magazine readers can get a 20% discount on their purchase of Projekt luggage by visiting their website at: www.projektco.com and using the promo code: GolfVacay20.

Adidas Sport Eyewear for Golf

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didas Sport is expanding its eyewear collection this spring with the introduction of a new golf-inspired collection of sunglasses that is geared towards the needs of players oncourse looking for both sun protection and clarity.

Building on the framework of the adidas Sport Eyewear collection, this offering focuses on the golf course while providing better clarity as

W and 10” D. It has an internal 2,900 CU inch capacity that is expandable to 3,400 CU inches with the zippered 2” expansion.

It also has a front outside panel that is very handy for quick access.

It also has a fur-lined crush resistant valuables pocket, internal mesh zippered compartment, three multiple reinforced soft grip handles along the sides and front and a heavy-duty chassis with 5” smooth-ride urethane wheels. Ergonomically designed, the Puddle Jumper has all the right touches and looks to be able to handle a lot of trips.

For your toiletries, the Loo Bag will fit nicely in either the backpack or the Puddle Jumper and can carry a lot in a small space.

It weighs less than one pound but has seven pockets/compartments, including a main pocket that holds full-size toiletries. Other features include quick-entry side pockets that have antibacterial lining that prevents odor and mildew, a fur-lined valuables pocket and a top hook to hang the bag from a bar or rack that tucks away when not in use. Two travel-size plastic containers are included for liquids.

Two more items round out this Projekt stable for a golf trip. The Bantam Travel cover offers loads of protection for your golf bag and fits in nicely with Projekt’s personal luggage gear. The smooth urethane wheels make it easy to maneuver through the airports, and the large, coffin-style opening lets you pack your clubs easily and securely with dual external cinch straps and club head protection with a fully padded top. This rolling case has neoprene wrapped top grade handles and a front-zippered sleeve pocket on top. The case is tip-resistant and fits both stand and cart-sized bags.

To round out the collection, a shoe bag is a must--and the Primo Dagrey not only matches the other bags by Projekt in style and durability, but it is also very functional with an easy-clean interior

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Golf Vacations • May 2021 29

SWEETSTUFF your ball leaves the club face. For lenses that appear dark and would block out a lot of light, these glasses are extremely bright and offer excellent clarity with a natural feel that is extremely comfortable.

From the top-level athletic materials with the impact-resistant and ultra-lightweight TR90 injection molding for the frame, as well as the visual enhancement of surrounding light, these Polarized sunglasses provide great color and contrast—especially with the Kolor Up™ technology that enhances colors while maintaining a high level of sun protection. These scratch resistant lenses also make it easier to see differences in the green’s breaks.

The frames are contemporary and versatile in style--very light and comfortable--with its 12-hole ventilation system to promote a cool feel, security block hinges and four- position adjustable nose pad.

The line is available at PGA Tour Superstore in Men’s and Women’s frames and comes with a padded deluxe adidas cloth carry bag.

For more information on the new adidas Sport Eyewear offerings: www.pgatoursuperstore.com

Towel Tag

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n ingenious new accessory called the Towel Tag looks to become one of this season’s most popular golf bag additions with a much handier way to keep a towel ready—not to mention a great way to personalize your golf bag and add some flair!

The innovative Towel Tag utilizes “Pull-Thru Technology” to create an entirely new generation of functional bag tags. Towel Tag is designed to temporarily secure your golf towel without the use of grommets or hooks. Each tag is manufactured using two separate compounds to create a functional bag tag with exceptional durability.

They are ideal for temporary storage of golf towels, head covers, rain gear, outdoor and layered clothing. Towel Tag uses the latest printing technology to create a customized Towel Tag suited for every golfer—and can be ordered for team, organizations, or golf events.

“For me, creating the Towel Tag arose out of my frustration to access my golf towel during a round of play,” said Craig Holub, Founder and President of Towel Tag. “Specifically, there wasn’t a simple way to temporarily secure your golf towel and to quickly release it and take my towel with me to the green from the golf bag or golf cart.”

Prior to the Towel Tag, most golf towels were secured to the golf bag by means of a standard grommet and hook like those used on a

shower curtain. This traditional attachment made it difficult to easily release the towel when required, for example as a player walks to the golf green to spot, lift and clean their golf ball after reaching the green and prior to lining up your putt.

“I decided to combine the simple features of the traditional bag tag and an accessible towel holder,” said Holub, “and then we figured out a way to personalize it and make it unique for the golfer and unlike anything else currently available on the market.”

The Towel Tag is extremely functional in that it keeps your towel compact and secure in one location on your bag—a real plus in keeping things organized. The high-quality golf towels that can be purchased with the tags can also be personalized with both names and logos—to match the tags.

Towel Tag is a Canadian company that manufactures and custom prints each tag in Canada, with headquarters in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario.

For more information on Towel Tag visit: www.TowelTag.com

cbdMD

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mong the new CBD products being used by athletes the world over, cbdMD has emerged as one of the largest and most varied companies with products ranging from pet chews to gummies—and just about everything in-between.

For golfers, the topicals are probably the most popular to help

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SWEETSTUFF muscle soreness, strains and general discomfort--and cbdMD has one of the widest varieties of creams, gels and sprays to help you feel better both on the golf course and after a round.

Professional golfer Bubba Watson uses and endorses the company’s products, which are THC-free, sourced from USA-grown hemp and are third party, ISO-Certified lab tested for purity and potency.

One of the more unique topical blends that the company produces is the Premium Relieve 500, a CBD-infused Lidocaine spray that works very well for aches and pain after exercising or playing. Lidocaine has been used for years as a local anesthetic for temporary relief from aches and pain, and this spray can bring fastacting temporary relief.

It includes Aloe Vera to soothe skin and a superior BroadSpectrum CBD (Cannabidiol, Cannabinol, Cannabigerol) formula in every product batch. It comes in a travel-friendly size and is available in two convenient options: Spray delivery system that features Bag-on-Valve Technology which means it can be sprayed at any angle – even upside down! It provides a wide coverage area for larger parts of the body and is perfect for difficult to reach areas.

There is also a roll-on for a mess-free and smooth application to any common areas of discomfort. It comes in 500, 1500 and 3000 mg concentrations.

The Premium Freeze Roll-on gel combines the proven painrelief properties of menthol with the natural power of domestically sourced CBD for a non-greasy, deep skin absorption. It also features arnica montana and aloe vera, which has been combined in a highquality manufacturing process for wholesome hemp properties in a superior Broad-Spectrum formula. It is available in roll-on and squeeze-tube applicators and comes in 300, 750, 1500, 3000 mg CBD concentrations.

For after-round relief, the cbdMD Premium Recover offers a cream infused with hemp extracts, moisturizing agents and more to relieve minor aches and pains. It includes histamine dihydrochloride, along with arnica, MSM and vitamin B6. Histamine dihydrochloride, similar to menthol, can provide temporary relief from aches and pains by providing a warming sensation to areas of discomfort. This rub-on features oils of rosemary, orange, geranium, and fir, along

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with a moisturizing coconut-oil base with shea butter. It is available in tub or squeeze-tube applicators and comes in 300, 750, 1500, 3000 mg CBD concentrations.

For more information, visit the company website at: www. cbdmd.com

GolfErasers

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ne of the more unique and effective new tools we have seen to keep your gear clean during and after a round of golf are the GolfERASERS—a disposable, handy cleaning sponge that is not much bigger than a large poker chip, yet takes on tough cleaning tasks for clubs, balls and even your golf shoes.

The dual-sided white and green cleaning sponge replaces hard, prickly brushes for good. GolfERASERS’ multi-layer design helps get rid of sand, grass, mud and scuff marks and is ideal to use on dirty scuffed-up golf shoes--increasing the life, durability and cleaning power for golf equipment. Convenient, effective, and disposable, GolfERASERS comes with a free silicone bag tag tether for easy access during play.

Just add water to the sponges and you have a tool that is much smaller and more effective than a towel or brush either on the course, the range or at home after a round. Use the green side to scrub away dirt, grime and scuff marks. Then use the white side to finish the job and make your clubs, balls and shoes shine!

The sponges come in a convenient six-pack with the bag tag tether—and can be used multiple times. Twelve-pack refills are also available. The GolfERASERS are available on Amazon and carried at 30,000 retailers nationwide, including PGA Superstores.

For more info about GolfERASERS, visit: www.golferasers.com

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