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My Turn • SweetStuff • ChipShots
GOLF VACATIONS NOVEMBER 2015
FINDINGFIJI
CORAL COAST CHAMPIONSHIP
RESORT REPORT
DOUBLING DOWN ON PECHANGA RESORT Plus: OREGON’S PUMPKIN RIDGE GOLF CLUB www.golfvacationsmag.com
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GOLF VACATIONS NOVEMBER 2015
Denarau Golf & Racquet Club, Fiji
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Chip Shots
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Resort Report: Doubling Down on Pechanga by Larry Feldman
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Finding Fiji Fabulous
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Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club
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There’s no such thing as a sure thing! If you’re anything like me who likes to throw down a few bucks on a blackjack table or the roulette wheel from time to time, you’ll know full well that the only sure things are death and taxes.
by David R. Holland
NATADOLA, FIJI -- Thank goodness when Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course was finished in 2009, V.J. Singh, a native son and architect didn’t go all Donald Trump on us and declare it was the greatest course ever built. The host course of the Fiji International is certainly breathtaking – located on a pristine, spectacular expanse of the Coral Coast of this boondocks nation in the South Pacific.
by JD Latorre
Oregon appeals to golfers, travelers, and golf-travelers on so many levels. Bandon Dunes, the resorts and courses of Bend, and the Portland metro area combine to create one of the country’s truly great golf “triangles” tailor made for a multi-day sojourn.
Sweet Stuff
by Terry Ross
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CONTRIBUTINGWRITERS Larry Feldman is a nationally published freelance golf journalist of more than 17 years. Based in Park City, Utah, his writing has appeared in such high-profile publications as Southern California Golf News, Palm Springs Life, Golf Tips, Sports Profiles and Men’s Look.
Executive Editor Jeffrey Diaz
David R. Holland is an award-winning former sportswriter for The Dallas Morning News, football magazine publisher, and author of The Colorado Golf Bible. Holland, whose favorite golf moment was teeing it up with former Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry, splits home time in Colorado and Texas. He has written for GolfWeek’s Superintendent News, Colorado AvidGolfer, Midwest Golfing Magazine, South Central Golf Magazine, and Fairway to Green (UK). He also worked for the Dallas Cowboys Weekly, United Press International and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Terry Ross has covered sports as both a print and radio journalist for more than 35 years, and also has served as a consultant to the golf industry in a variety of capacities. He has been a regular columnist for the Long Beach Business Journal and is based in Orange County, California.
JD Latorre is a freelance travel writer currently calling South Florida his home base. He has a knack for finding himself in some of the world’s most exotic locations, including Bangkok, Montego Bay, Bogata, Havana, 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.
Associate Editor Terry Ross
Features Editor Larry Feldman
Senior Writers JD Latorre Andy Reistetter Fred Robledo
For Editorial:
call (760) 774-2655 e-mail: Info@GolfVacationsMag.com
Regional Advertising Los Angeles Terry Ross • 949-279-7801 terryr@GolfVacationsMag.com Atlanta Harold Chambliss • 770-239-7500 haroldc@GolfVacationsMag.com
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Golf Vacations Magazine is published in digital format monthly and distributed online to over 1,000,000 golfer’s email inboxes each issue. Entire contents of this publication is copyright 2015 SportsMedia Publications, all rights reserved and may not be reproduced in any manner, in whole or in part, without written permission from the publisher.
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Global golf travel industry celebrates another successful IGTM in Tenerife, Spain
With over 325 buyers, more than 500 exhibitors and in excess of 11,300 meetings taking place, the International Golf Travel Market (IGTM) 2015, held for the first time in Tenerife, was one of the most successful editions ever. The world’s premier global event for golf tourism suppliers, buyers and media, was again brought to a close by the 16th annual IAGTO Awards ceremony, which saw some of the golf industry’s best-performing destinations celebrated, including Mauritius, Vietnam, Lisboa Golf Coast, the Dominican Republic and Hilton Head Island. The awards ceremony also saw Michael Campbell, one of New Zealand’s most successful sportspeople and winner of the 2005 US Open Championship, presented with an honorary award for his services to golf, following his retirement from the game earlier this year. Campbell, who held off Tiger Woods to
win the major title, along with claiming the HSBC World Match Play Championship title in the same year, was guest of honour at the gala dinner, staged at Siam Park, Costa Adeje, Tenerife, on October 8. Also celebrated during the evening were the Golf Resort of the Year from three geographic regions, with the Seve Ballesteros designed Royal Óbidos Spa & Golf Resort claiming the European award, Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge winning the North America category, while Banyan The Resort Hua Hin, Thailand won the Rest of the World prize. Environmentally friendly golf resorts from Asia, Europe and The Americas were also celebrated during the ceremony, in the 2016 Sustainable Golf Course Of The Year category, in association with the Golf Environment Organisation (GEO). Designed to recognise an exceptional commitment throughout the golf operation, with regards to nature enhancement, resource efficiency and community values, the winners were Mission Hills Haikou, China, La
Galiana Campo de Golf, Valencia, Spain, and PGA National Resort & Spa, Florida, USA respectively. In previous year’s, notable winners of the IAGTO Undiscovered Golf Destination of the Year Award include Bulgaria, Vietnam and Slovenia, with the 2015 prize being claimed by Tasmania, an island off Australia’s south coast and home to more than 65 golf courses. Peter Grimster, IGTM Exhibition Manager, said: “The 2015 IAGTO Awards have once again provided the perfect way to bring the curtain down on what has been another very successful edition of IGTM. “IGTM continues to provide an accurate gauge of the golf travel industry and with key buyers attending the three-day event, along with exhibitors from 65 countries highlighting the vast array of experiences available to golf travellers across the globe, 2016 looks set to be another positive year for the entire market. “Our host venue, Tenerife, fulfilled all of our expectations in terms of infrastructure and hospitality and we are already looking forward
This year’s International Golf Travel Market took place on the beautiful island of Tenerife, in Spain’s Canary Islands
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to welcoming everyone back for the 2016 edition in Mallorca.” The full list of 2015 IAGTO Award Winners is: Golf Destination of the Year • Africa, Gulf States & Indian Ocean: Mauritius • Asia & Australasia: Vietnam • Europe: Lisboa Golf Coast • Latin America & Caribbean: Dominican Republic • North America: Hilton Head Island Golf Resort of the Year • Europe: Royal Óbidos Spa & Golf Resort • North America: Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge • Rest of the World: Banyan The Resort Hua Hin IAGTO Undiscovered Golf Destination of the Year • Tasmania IAGTO Honorary Award • Michael Campbell 2016 Sustainable Golf Course Of The Year • Asia: Mission Hills Haikou
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• Europe: La Galiana Campo de Golf • The Americas: PGA National Resort & Spa
The 2016 edition of IGTM, will be hosted on the Mediterranean island of Mallorca at the Palau de Congressos in Palma, the island’s capital city, November 14-17. For more information about IGTM visit: www.igtm.co.uk
RTJ GOLF TRAIL BEGINS WINTER MEMBERSHIPS
As Old Man Winter approaches, golfers can now rejoice. Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail is launching a new RTJ Winter Membership thus Sunday featuring unlimited golf November through February at nine RTJ locations. Golfers may purchase Winter Memberships in monthly increments for up to four months. Winter Memberships are $150 per month per person or $225 per couple per month. Tee times are scheduled within seven days of play. Carts are not required but are available for an additional fee. “When snow starts to fall, snowbirds
head down I-65 toward Alabama’s beaches,” said John Cannon, president of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. “Snowbirds and other golfers have a great reason to pack their clubs and experience some of the best golf on earth playable all year long,” said Cannon. “RTJ has recently been named one of the best buddy trip destinations by Golf Channel’s Matt Ginella and this Winter Membership encourages golfers to come experience it for themselves. The Alabama courses played by the PGA TOUR and the LPGA are included in these offerings,” he said. “You can play four months of unlimited golf on the RTJ Golf Trail for roughly the same price as one round at Pebble Beach, Trump National Doral or TPC Sawgrass. Golfers looking for great courses at affordable prices, come play RTJ this winter. Between the variety of golf courses, great BBQ and local craft beers, you might need to extend your stay.” For more information on the Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail visit www. rtjgolf.com.
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Monarch Beach Golf Links
Sun, Sand, And Santa: Turn Up The Heat On The Holidays
DANA POINT, CA – Tired of putting away the golf clubs for the winter? Want to keep swinging while the family basks on the beach along the Pacific Ocean? The St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort and Monarch Beach Golf Links are putting the kill on chill with the special “Winter Sandy-land” package. Specially crafted for families seeking a warm seaside getaway during the holidays, the package offers festive touches such a “snowman” sand-building kit for use on our private beach, nightly milk and cookies delivered fresh from the kitchen by legendary St. Regis Butlers, breakfasts for the adults, complimentary meals for children, and a whole lot more. There will be plenty of sun—and hopefully not too much sand—for golfers who play the Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed Monarch Beach Golf Links, which is set along dramatic bluffs amid sweeping views to the sea. There will be no “winter rules” or frost delays on the rolling fairways and clever greens that will charm and challenge golfers of all levels. Guests won’t even need to bring their own clubs thanks to the unique “FLEX Set” premium rental club program that allows golfers to mix and match top brands and technology. Golf cars are included in the greens fee, and “Watermen” forecaddies are available. Golf and rental club fees are in addition to the “Winter Sandy-land” package price. The resort is the recipient of a Silver Medal from GOLF magazine and has been rated 4.5 stars (out of 5) by Golf Digest’s “Best Places to Play.” Warm is wonderful in the Winter Sandyland Package, which also includes: Signature Guestroom accommodations Breakfast for two adults Complimentary kids meals Access to the resort’s private beach and “guests-only” Monarch Bay Club
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Golf car and unlimited use of golf practice area (for those playing golf) To reserve the Winter Sandy-land Package, call 1-(866)-716-8116 or visit www. stregismb.com/offer/holiday-offer. Please mention rate plan “HOLIDAY.”
PGA National Resort & Spa Announces Fall, Winter Getaway Vacation Packages
PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL – PGA National Resort & Spa – South Florida’s worldclass vacation destination – announces three packages ideal for unforgettable getaways to sunshine and lush green fairways this fall and winter. PGA National’s most popular golf offer, the Gold Golf package features a daily round on one of the resort’s five layouts (surcharge for The Champion Course). Rates start at $269 (per person, per night, double occupancy). The Unlimited Escape and Play golf package starts at $269 (per person, per night, double occupancy. Guests enjoy daily golf on The Champion (surcharge), Palmer, Fazio, Squire and Estates courses with complimentary replay rounds for cart fee only (booked after daily round completion). Included in both golf stay-and-plays are nightly deluxe accommodations, complimentary cart fees and club storage, access to PGA TOUR quality practice facilities with unlimited range balls, and full daily breakfast in the Palm Terrace. Resort fees and taxes are additional for both offers. Ideal for spa aficionados, the “Waters of the World” package features a relaxing 50-minute daily treatment (including Swedish Massage, Seaside Solution Facial, Pure Body Glow Body Exfoliation, Detox Seaweed Wrap, or Mediterranean Therapy Body Wrap). Until Dec. 31, the offer begins at $239 (per person, per night, double occupancy). The offer also includes luxury accommodations with private balcony or terrace (upgrade to Spa Suite available), full
breakfast each day in the Palm Terrace, daily lunch at the Spa Cafe (prix fixe menu), access to the Waters of the World mineral pools, and unlimited use of the Spa’s amenities (including sauna, steam and Jacuzzi). “Our vacation packages are perfect to take advantage of our $125 million comprehensive revitalization,” says Joel Paige, Vice President and Managing Director. “Our golf amenities, luxuriously appointed rooms, world-class spa, and fine dining outlets all provide ample reasons why we’re at the pinnacle of South Florida resort destinations.” The legendary locale offers 90 holes of high-caliber golf on five courses including the famed Champion Course, home to the popular PGA TOUR Honda Classic and past host of the Ryder Cup, PGA Championship and several Senior PGA Championships. The Jack Nicklausdesigned layout showcases the famous “Bear Trap” – one of the most challenging three-hole stretches in the game. Guests also enjoy full access to the resort’s newly renovated high-tech 33,000-square-foot Sports & Racquet Club. Highlights include stateof-the-art exercise equipment, indoor racquet ball court, three aerobics studios with new sound systems, five-lane saltwater lap pool, spin room with video road mapping, indoor volleyball court, two lighted pickle / paddle ball courts, 18 Har Tru tennis courts (11 lit for night play) and one lighted hard court with a hitting wall. For more on PGA National Resort & Spa: www.pgaresort.com, 561.627.2000.
Mystical Golf Announces Incomparable Winter Golf Packages
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Mystical Golf – offering “Myrtle Beach’s finest 54 holes of golf” on its Witch, Man-O-War and Wizard courses – announces two stay-and-play packages for incomparable winter golf getaways in temperate South Carolina. All three Mystical Golf courses are consistently recognized by Golf Channel to
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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CHIPSHOTS be among Myrtle Beach’s “five best courses” and “best values.” 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 ninth holes” and The Wizard has earned 4-1/2 stars from Golf Digest. Starting at $267 (per person, taxes included), the three-day Gold Package features three rounds with cart on each of the acclaimed Mystical Golf layouts (plus one complimentary round), three nights’ lodging in well-appointed three-bedroom villa (four beds), free iHOP breakfast daily (available 24 hours per day), and a gratis steak dinner at Logan’s Roadhouse (includes non-alcoholic beverages, taxes). Additional package extras include two free beers and lunch at the course each day, complimentary daily range balls, instant replay round for cart fee only, and $15 gift card toward a golf shirt. Extra night stays are available at a moderate cost per person. Offered during the same time span, the Silver Package starts at $237 (per person, taxes included) and features all the highlights of the Gold Package except the complimentary round, daily breakfast and steak dinner. Both stay-andplays offer one complimentary golfer for booked groups of 20 or more players. “We’re honored our courses have come to be known as the three best places to play in Myrtle Beach,” says Claude Pardue, President and CEO. “We know the ingredients for a great
golf vacation – exceptional layouts, superb course maintenance, comfortable accommodations and friendly customer service – and we provide it all at Mystical Golf.” Mystical Golf’s three layouts are highlighted by wonderfully fun elements including the only backto-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 sod-faced bunkering and castlestyle clubhouse (The Wizard). For Mystical Golf information: www. mysticalgolf.com, 843.282.2977.
Turning Dreams Into Reality
CHARLESTON, SC - Golf aficionados dream of teeing it up on the St. Andrews Old Course at least once. The world’s inaugural layout at the heart of golf’s birthplace has long represented the game’s most popular bucket list item. Of course, its popularity makes securing a tee time at the Old Course a challenging proposition. Fortunately, golfers who have not yet secured their tee time on the Old Course for 2016 can easily “play a provisional.” By now, the only way to guarantee an Old Course tee time in advance on a specific date is through a golf operator such as Golfbreaks. com. Otherwise, the only options are the ballot ... or standing in line at dawn. A seven-night package with Golfbreaks.com that includes a guaranteed Old Course tee time and also includes playing Kingsbarns, Carnoustie,
Gleneagles and the New or Jubilee courses at St Andrews, costs from $5985 per person. For those deciding to enter the ballot, not to worry, as there are plenty of other world-class golf courses in the area to play. Golfbreaks.com is on hand to book your trip and provide you with a stunning week of golf. For example, you could stay in St Andrews for seven nights and play the lesser known Elie, Crail, Scotscraig, Carnoustie Burnside and St Andrews New or Jubilee courses from $1555 per person, and enter yourselves into the Old Course ballot multiple times during the week. If successful, your Old Course green fee will be no more than £175 per person - approx. $270 depending on the exchange rate. “We will do all of the work for you,” said Daniel Grave, CEO of Golfbreaks USA. “Our experienced team in the UK office is on hand to support you when on your trip, give advice and accommodate any last minute changes to your schedule.” Now, anyone booking a golf vacation to the United Kingdom and Ireland for themselves and at least three others will receive a free Callaway Big Bertha Driver. All that participants need to do is inquire for the vacation by November 30, 2015 by contacting one of Golfbreaks.com’s expert sales advisers via the phone or through the website (USA. Golfbreaks.com). If you then go on to book the trip to the UK or Ireland for four or more golfers, you will receive a free Callaway driver. Learn more about 2016 golf packages and the free Callaway Big Bertha Driver at (855) 699-5853 or USA.Golfbreaks.com.
St. Andrews Old Course
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Golf Vacations • November 2015 11
RESORTREPORT
Doubling Down on
Pechanga
Hole #5
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by Larry Feldman
TEMECULA, CALIFORNIA There’s no such thing as a sure thing! If you’re anything like me who likes to throw down a few bucks on a blackjack table or the roulette wheel from time to time, you’ll know full well that the only sure things are death and taxes. But, there may be a loophole to that rule of thumb at the Pechanga Resort & Casino, located in the beautiful Southern California wine country of Temecula Valley. Pechanga offers the luxury and comfort guests expect and deserve from a AAA Four Diamond Award-winning property, something Pechanga has won every year since opening in 2002. And, coming soon, the Pechanga Tribe will embark on a $285 million addition to its current resort amenities that includes a new 568-room hotel wing, a two-story spa, resort-style pool complex, two new restaurants and additional meeting and event space. So, what is already the nicest casino in the entire state might become the finest in the nation. Of course, it takes more than a casino and a good steak (we’ll get to that in a bit) to make for a perfect vacation and The Journey at Pechanga may well be one of the finest golf experiences you’ll ever have. Designed by Arthur Hills and Steve Forrest, The Journey is just that, taking you on a fabulous trip into the native canyons and ravines with 18 holes that are as aesthetically pleasing as one can find that doesn’t include ocean views. Set at 7,219 yards, this Par 72 layout rises and falls more than 300 feet over the 18 holes, including the Signature Par 4, 6th hole in which golfers have to tee off to a fairway 175 feet below. After you ease into things on the nice Par 5, 1st hole, you’re greeted by a beast of a Par 4 at 483 yards on the 2nd hole. A double fairway off the tee seems spacious enough, but the bunkers along the central diagonal face are menacing. Choose the fairway on the right to set up an unobstructed approach angle. A safe drive to the elevated fairway on the left means carrying the bunkers and avoiding the oak grove if the putting surface is to be reached in two. The long green welcomes long straight approach shots with a gentle invitation for a hard-earned par. If you’ve navigated the Signature 6th hole successfully, a dose of target golf is offered up on the short, dogleg left 7th hole. Getting the ball airborne is no problem from the tee on the high ridge above the ravine. The challenge comes in finding the proper approach location on the broad fairway. Long and right will avoid the fairway oak and leave a favorable angle into the smallish green complex on the 330-yard Par 4. The back nine is blessed with some stunning holes as well, including the beautiful Par 5, 13th hole that requires a fairly demanding tee shot over the corner of Little Pechanga. A drive to the left provides a better angle around the sycamore and into the second landing area. The cascading stream becomes more of a factor the closer one gets to the putting surface on the 590-yard hole. Playing close to the stream allows a better view and safer angle into the moderately contoured green.
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The closing stretch of holes is highlighted by the 16th and 18th holes. A long, controlled draw will serve players well on this strong Par 4 that swings around a long lake. A central fairway bunker will give pause to many on
Golf Vacations • November 2015 13
RESORTREPORT Journey Clubhouse
the tee. It is best to play left of the bunker or else one faces a really long and difficult hole even though it only measures 416 yards from the back tees. The green is nestled between a great oak and a sand bunker at the end of the lake. Miss short and right or else go long to avoid a big number. Par is a very good score here. The finishing hole provides a feeling of being on top of the world as the tee sits high atop the fairway. Stay right of the large outcrop at the edge of the chasm to remain safe off the tee and a target bunker down the fairway provides a great line. Once safely on flat land, a mid-iron approach to an elevated, multi-tiered green, guarded by a formidable bunker on the left, provides the final challenge. Miss the correct tier and you’ll probably miss the chance at par. Of course, when your journey ends, the Journey’s End, Pechanga’s 62,000-square foot clubhouse awaits you. An award-winning Pro Shop, restaurant and bar, a great outdoor patio and pristine locker rooms for the men and women make this one helluva 19th hole. If your round of golf put a little too much stress on the bones, Spa Pechanga offers up an intimate indulgence that will pamper your mind and body, allowing you to unwind and escape that triple bogey you might have carded earlier in the day. Everything from Massage Therapy to Body Treatments to Skin Care to Salon Services are available at Spa Pechanga. It might have been the best massage I had in a long, long time. Now that you’re relaxed and all cleaned up, that steak dinner with your name on it is just a few feet away at the Great Oak Steakhouse, winner of the AAA Four Diamond Award and Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence. Whether it’s a big Ribeye on the Bone or the most tender of Filets, this place has it all. Not a meat eater? No worries. The establishment has a diversified menu for the most discerning palates.
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Hole 6 tee box
And, if Surf & Turf is not your thing, Pechanga offers up a total of 11 restaurants to choose from, including Paisano’s Italian, Umi Sushi & Oyster Bar, Blazing Noodles, Kelsey’s Bar & Grill and the always-ready Pechanga Buffet, to name a few. Okay, so you’ve played a beautiful round of golf, relaxed at the spa, refueled with a hearty dinner and now you’re ready to liven up the night with a little wager or two. Well, the Pechanga Casino is the largest in California with more than 200,000 square feet of gaming options, including 3,400 slot machines, 130 Table Games, a 43-table, non-smoking, state-of-the-art, 24hour Poker Room, a 700-seat Bingo parlor and, for those looking to take it up another notch, The Club at Pechanga players’ club is all that and more. Not much of a gamer? Pechanga once again has the answers. Whether it’s the Pechanga Theater with a host of A-List performers appearing regularly, the Comedy Club with stand-up comics making you double over in your seat or Eagle’s Nest with a live DJ every Friday and Saturday nights, Pechanga is sure to entertain you. Plus, the 2,000 seat Grand Ballroom broadcasts Live Championship Boxing, MMA and other events as they occur. So, while you might not break 80 and you might not walk away with a life-changing fortune, the Pechanga Resort & Casino will be as close to a sure-thing vacation as you could ask for. Or, do as I did on the second day of our visit…play another round of golf and go back to the casino and make back some of your money! Contact Info Phone: (877) 711-2946 Website: www.Pechanga.com Email: info@pechanga.com Facebook: www.Facebook.com/Pechanga Twitter: @PechangaCasino Instagram: @PechangaCasino
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PECHANGA RESORT & CASINO Umi Sushi & Oyster Bar
Hole #1
Pechanga Resort & Journey Clubhouse
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Golf Vacations • November 2015 15
Finding Fiji
Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course
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i Fabulous
By David R. Holland
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Golf Vacations • November 2015 17
Finding Fiji Fabulous Denarau Golf & Racquet Club
N
ATADOLA, FIJI -- Thank goodness when Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course was finished in 2009, V.J. Singh, a native son and architect didn’t go all Donald Trump on us and declare it was the greatest course ever built. The host course of the Fiji International is certainly breathtaking – located on a pristine, spectacular expanse of the Coral Coast of this boondocks nation in the South Pacific.
Sunday, when the wind slowed, for a four-stroke victory proving why he is ranked No. 16 in the world. The seven-time PGA Tour winner finished at 4-under 284. No other player was under par. On the second hole of the first round Kuchar was jubliant as his putt went two feet past the hole only to watch, seconds later, the wind blow the ball back in to the hole.
It’s also a blast to play with adventurous, fun holes that have turquoise-ocean views on 15 of the 18 as the surf breaks on coral reefs in the distance.
“This golf course is tough and tight,” Singh continued. “As soon as the tournament concludes we will make a plan to increase the size of the green complexes and widen the fairways because we do want people to come back and play.”
Singh, however, actually left the design team before it was finished and praises the finished product, but says it just doesn’t allow enough room for the gale-force wind that battered this year’s Fiji International.
Translation – novice golfers have been known to lose 12 or more golf balls playing the 7,169-yard layout on such windy days easily making it one of the hardest tracks in the world.
OneAsia and Australasian tours co-sanctioned the event, won by the USA’s Matt Kuchar. It was so windy countless professional golfers were seen muttering as yet another hat blew down the lush fairways.
Fiji golf holiday? Start with the InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa The luxurious, sprawling InterContinental has 35 acres of hotel and outdoors activities -- a sandy beach, four swimming pools, kids club, spa, and concerige ready to schedule snorkeling, scuba diving, deep-sea fishing and even a Sigatoka River Safari.
“That is the hardest wind I’ve played in my entire life,” said Singh of Tuesday’s practice round. If it keeps blowing (30 to 50 mph gusts caused by a rare tropical depression) the winner will be plus six instead of the 10-under 278 that won last year by Steven Jeffress.” “It was a lot like this year’s British Open at St. Andrews when they had to stop play,” said Kuchar. “Conditions like this test a golfer’s best abilities.” Kuchar was up to the task. He shot 3-under 69 on Saturday and
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The 271 rooms, suites and villas include a private terrace complete with a deep bathtub for two, daybeds and view of the ocean. Five restaurants (my favorite was Nuvo), bars, conference facilities and a wedding chapel make this an all-inclusive resort. No need to leave the grounds except for the shuttle bus ride to Natadola Bay golf a mile away.
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Finding Fiji Fabulous Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course
The Port at Denarau About an hour away near the Nadi International Airport is The Port at Denarau. Located on the water’s edge this is Fiji’s largest single collection of shopping and dining and is a launching point for island hop cruises, deep-sea fishing, paddle boarding, kayaking and the occasional ocean liner.
Matt Kuchar - photo by PGA of Australia
It’s also a couple of minutes from several luxury hotels that can be your base for Denarau Golf & Racquet Club, a 6,513-yard, par 72 golf course designed by Eiichi Motobashi. The course plays firm and fast and water traverses your sight line constantly with giant coconut palms. The ocean comes in to view on a couple of back nine holes. Stay across the street from the golf course at the Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa and check in to the adults-only Waitui Beach Club. That simply means that outside my sliding porch door was a swimming complex, infinity pool, champagne bar, restaurant, poolside cabanas and workout area where no children are allowed. By no means is Fiji not children-friendly. In fact Austrailians and New Zealanders love Fiji because some hotels offer free kids activities at certain times. Nanny services are very affordable.
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Golf Vacations • November 2015 19
Finding Fiji Fabulous I also checked out The Pearl South Pacific Championship Golf Course about two and a half hours away. This Robert Trent Jones Jr. layout is lush and green getting more rainfall than the Denarau Island area. Canals, 66 bunkers and numerous water hazards makes this a fun tropical rainforest golf adventure. Fiji Islands -- get away from the hustle and bustle Fiji, a rugby crazy nation, includes about 330 islands and one, Monuriki, was where “Cast Away” was filmed with Tom Hanks. Fiji is renowned for its stunning beaches, beautiful warm climate,
and its unique relaxed island atmosphere. You won’t be able to escape the friendliness of the Fijian people or the sheer natural beauty -- swaying palms and warm, clear water. Consult Tourism Fiji for complete information. Most of the Fiji Islands are not inhabited. The main island Vitu Levu contains the capital Suva in the east and Nadi (pronounced “Nandi”) on the west coast. The Mamanuca Group of islands are located very close to Nadi and contain a number of popular island resorts. Transfers to the closer islands are easily facilitated by boat with air transfers being more common for the outer islands and those further away.
Denarau Golf & Racquet Club
20 Golf Vacations • November 2015
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Fiji Airways your gateway to friendly islanders Getting to Fiji on Fiji Airways sets the tone for a vacation that will slow your pace and bring a smile to your face. Every where you go you will be greeted by “Bula” -- Fijians’ hello. Go in style -- fly Fiji Airways business class from Los Angeles International Airport and be pampered with two hot meals, movies and a vast selection of alcoholic beverages. It is 10 and a half hours, but you will arrive already with a taste of this island’s famous hospitality. Your spacious business class seat assignment reclines to almost flat on an Airbus 330-200 and sleep can reduce that flight time significantly.
Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course
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Golf Vacations • November 2015 21
Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club
A ‘Must Play’ on Any Oregon Golf Itinerary
Witch Hollow Hole #3
22 Golf Vacations • November 2015
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Omni Homestead
By JD Latorre www.golfvacationsmag.com
Golf Vacations • November 2015 23
O
regon appeals to golfers, travelers, and golf-travelers on so many levels. Bandon Dunes, the resorts and courses of Bend, and the Portland metro area combine to create one of the country’s truly great golf “triangles” tailor made for a multi-day sojourn. Meanwhile, oenophiles revel in the Willamette Valley’s numerous wineries -- many boasting world-class Pinot Noir – while craft brew lovers flock to the state that many credit with starting the microbrewery movement in earnest. Aforementioned Portland and its convenient, clean and downright entertaining airport (PDX) serve as the perfect hub for a golf trophy-hunting trek to the Beaver State. And whether in search of a place to tee it upon arrival, or on the tail-end of an Oregon swing, Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club beckons. Located only 30 minutes from PDX in North Plains Pumpkin Ridge opened in 1992 amid golf’s national building boom. The 36hole facility has forged a well-deserved reputation as one of the Pacific Northwest’s iconic golf destinations. This is due in large part to the club’s impressive architectural pedigree, beautiful setting and strong tournament heritage. The Ghost Creek (daily fee) and Witch Hollow (private) courses were both designed by former Golf World “Golf Course Architect of the Year” Bob Cupp, with input from Portland-native and former protégé John Fought. A par 71, 6,871-yard course, Ghost Creek meanders through wetlands punctuated by lush stands of trees. Undulating fairways, immaculate greens, strategic bunkering and the ever-present Ghost Creek are other hallmarks. It is recognized as one of the top eight courses in Oregon by Golf Digest, GOLF Magazine and Golfweek, and ranked 56th in GOLF Magazine’s “Top 100 Courses You Can Play.” Holes like the par-5 eighth (with its postage stamp-sized green) and par-4 ninth (which many believe is the most difficult hole on the entire property) make a round at Ghost Creek one to remember. Moreover, the course has hosted its share of significant tournaments. David Duval took his burgeoning professional career to new heights when he conquered it to win the 1993 NIKE TOUR Championship. LPGA stars Suzann Pettersen and Ai Miyazato topped the Safeway Classic leaderboard during its four-year run. Ghost Creek also hosted the 2000 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship and 2000 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship, giving Pumpkin Ridge the rare honor of hosting five different USGA Championships in a 10-year period.
Not to be outdone, sister track Witch Hollow is perhaps best known as the site of Tiger Woods’ dramatic comeback over Steve Scott to capture the 1996 U.S. Amateur Championship. The 7,017-yard par 72 has been ranked in Golf Digest’s “America’s 100 Greatest Courses,” GOLF Magazine’s “Top 100 Courses in the U.S.” and Golfweek’s “Best Modern Courses.” Set in the shadows of the scenic Tualatin Mountains, the layout is well-defended by mature fir, maple, oak and ash trees. In addition to the aforementioned U.S. Amateur, it has hosted many other prestigious championships like the 1997 and 2003 Women’s U.S. Opens and 2006 U.S. Women’s Amateur. Witch Hollow is also the current venue for the season-ending WinCo Foods Portland Open where the top 25 Web.com players are awarded PGA TOUR status. For those who fall in love with the outstanding golf, gorgeous setting and exemplary service at Pumpkin Ridge, Witch Hollow offers a variety of memberships. They include full golf, business, junior executive and non-resident options. When play is completed for the day, Ghost Creek’s beautiful modern clubhouse serves as a welcoming focal point for dining and special events, with its understated décor, comfortable furnishings and some of the best casual dining in the area. Numerous windows afford stunning golf course views and the fully-stocked golf shop features the latest in Nike merchandise and apparel. Champion’s Grille, recognized by many as the place with the best burgers in town, serves breakfast all day and stocks a full bar. As one would expect from a world-renowned mid-size city, hotel options abound in nearby Portland. Luxury lovers flock to Hotel Monaco and RiverPlace, while the trendy crowd might opt for the Jupiter or Ace hotels. For those on an extended stay, outdoor and indoor activities are nearly endless in the Rose City. Multnomah Falls showcases the power and beauty of the Columbia River Gorge. Less adventurous types can simple wonder the street of downtown and enjoy its vast collection of coffee shops, bookstores and craft breweries. Escalante Golf, a Fort Worth, Texas-based boutique owner-operator of high-end clubs and courses, recently acquired a controlling interest in Pumpkin Ridge and promises to make a great facility even better. For more information: www.pumpkinridge.com.
Ghost Creek at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club
24 Golf Vacations • November 2015
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Ghost Creek Hole #8
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Golf Vacations • November 2015 25
SWEETSTUFF
they can play. With OptiShot2, users have the ability to play the same championship holes the top PGA pros are playing on TV—such as the iconic Riviera Country Club—home of the Northern Trust Open, as well as compete in a tournament of their own with OptiShot Live. Golfers from around the world can compete against each other on any of the Tothe-Tee™ championship course replicas in the OptiShot Golf Course library. Each course provides a realistic and fully-immersive 3D environment for play or practice. “OptiShot Golf has created the ultimate tournament experience for our users. With the addition of more and more championship courses, like the Riviera Country Club, and OptiShot Live our users can play and compete right along with the PGA tour throughout the year and beyond. We’re basically building the world’s biggest golf club.” said Russell Edens, CEO and Co-Founder of OptiShot Golf. More information is available at: www.optishotgolf.com
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n today’s increasingly mobile world of technology, the ability to play or practice golf almost anywhere—even without a green-grass course—is now a reality. With the OptiShot2 simulator you can literally pack dozens of golf courses, a practice range and all the information a club fitter would need into a small briefcase or backpack and take it anywhere. Anyplace that has at least a nine-foot ceiling to swing a club will work indoors, and it can be set up in a garage, family room or even in the backyard with the computerized hitting mat that contains sixteen precisely-tuned, high-speed 48MHz infrared sensors, each calibrated to track your favorite clubs, before, during and after contact and transmit he data to your Mac or Windows PC or tablet in real time after every swing. The simulator tracks speed, tempo, club plane and hand path using either real golf balls, foam/ plastic balls—or nothing if you don’t have a net or other screen to catch them. The OptiShot2 gives realistic swing information using any of these modes and has the ability to fine tune the calibration for each club in your bag to get the most accurate readings. In the play mode the user selects from an exclusive course library which displays realistic 3D images of popular world-class golf courses with multiple camera views, while in the practice mode the OptiShot PinPoint will track and record progress just as if you were on a driving range. With the OptiShot Live feature users can play 18 holes against other golfers from down the street or across the globe without ever leaving their home-Imagine being able to play 18 holes of golf in less than an hour with your friends around the country! This space-saving golf simulator uses the latest in analytic and shot tracer technology with an easy to use interface to create the ultimate real-world golf experience. The OptiShot2 requires no elaborate setup and the software is very intuitive, works with every club in your bag and supports numerous game types, including Stroke Play, Match Play, Best Ball and Skins. In addition, OptiShot2 can turn any course into a practice range where players can choose from six different target greens that further improve shot accuracy. As OptiShot Golf releases more software updates to its simulators, users have more and more options for new courses and games
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racticing a throwing or hitting sport with a smaller target has always been a sound method to develop better skills and a sharper eye, according to most teachers and trainers. And when it comes to golf, the old saying that the hole looks larger is certainly true after using the Dead Zero Putting Disc (DZPD) as a quick, easy training tool when practicing or even warming up for a round. The Dead Zero Putting Disk is an aluminum, above-ground putting target that can be used anywhere at any time. It can build confidence by repeating your putting stroke to a smaller target and designed to help all golfers build confidence to make more putts inside eight feet. It can be used at your local course or for practice indoors as the weather gets colder. “We want to help golfers build confidence in their own putting stroke to make more putts,” said Dead Zero’s designer and president, Eric Schmitt. “Whether it’s to make birdie, save par or prevent doublebogey all golfers can make more putts by practicing with the Dead Zero Putting Disk.” What separates the DZPD from all other putting targets is its patent pending size and its high quality anodized aluminum construction. The diameter is based on research conducted and published by Dave Pelz in his book, Putt Like the Pros. Applying Pelz’s results, the DZPD team measured the point on each side of the cup at which a putt would fall in versus lip-out. This specific diameter ensures that all putts that strike the disk, even with a subtle glance, simulate a made putt. “Successful putting requires the ability to repeat a putting stroke in all situations. I tell my students who want to quickly reduce their scores and handicaps to start making more putts inside eight feet. Eliminating three-putts and making a few one-putts from inside eight feet can knock your score down by five or more strokes per round,” noted Eric
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SWEETSTUFF by TerryRoss
Johnson, director of instruction at Oakmont Country Club (site of the 2016 U.S. Open). “I advise anyone looking to save strokes on the green to start practicing with the Dead Zero Putting Disk.” Available in two models, Original and Pro, each Dead Zero Putting Disk includes one disk along with a matching ball marker and comes in an embroidered pouch. The Pro model includes a bubble-level to help accurately determine the slope of any green. For more information on the Dead Zero Putting Disc, visit: www. DeadZeroPutting.com new and advanced version of the SensoGlove, a golf training device that teaches proper grip pressure throughout the swing, is now available from the German-based company that has developed some highly innovative systems for sports analysis, motion and performance measurement. A unique training tool that helps teach of the core golf basics of a light grip pressure, SensoGlove is the world’s first digital golf glove with wearable sensor technology and brings digital training to golf with a small, sweat-proof, removable 1.2-inch LED digital monitor and highly responsive sensors throughout the glove that analyze the pressure of the swing for real-time audio and visual feedback at 80 times per second. The patented SensoGlove warns you if you exceed your target level of grip pressure and even shows you which fingers are gripping too tightly, so you can adjust your grip accordingly. SensoGlove features an “Automatic Sensitivity Selection” Button to provide automatic, accurate pressure readings for a consistently smooth and powerful golf swing providing greater distances and lower scores, but also allows the user to adjust sensitivity levels. The SensoGlove is easy to use and doesn’t require an app or smartphone, so you don’t have to worry that you will give up with confusing technology or that you will lose your smartphone in the golf course. Developed based on feedback from international PGA professionals, SensoGlove is made of the highest quality cabretta leather. All golfers can quickly learn how to hold the club, improving every part of their game, from backswing, downswing, impact, follow-through, to driving, putting and chipping, using this glove. “Many of the students we teach at our golf school struggle with grip pressure,” noted Mark Durland, Director of Instruction at Naples Grande Golf Club, in Naples, Florida. “More than 90% of our students grip the club too tight. Until now, it has been a challenge to communicate proper grip pressure to a student. SensoGlove gives the student immediate feedback and creates a feeling of the proper grip pressure. I recommend SensoGlove to any student.” Most players want to hit the ball far and the natural instinct is to
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swing harder and faster. But trying to swing with more power causes a death grip, creating tension in the hands, wrists, arms and shoulders. The result is a less than smooth swing and, even worse, tightened muscles. Tight muscles result in slower--not faster-- club head speed. SensoGlove is available for men and women in right or left hand configurations, sizes small to x-large. Made of cabretta leather, the built-in digital monitor can be removed to use SensoGlove as a regular golf glove. For more information: www.sensoglove.com.
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or those that wear prescription glasses and want an easy and economical way to convert them to sunglasses during those bright days on the links, Solar Shield has developed an extensive line of products designed to fit over regular prescription glasses and cover them completely or clip on existing glasses for a smooth transition. A company that goes back to 1979, Solar Shield’s fits-over sun frames slide sleekly and smoothly over reading or optical glasses. They are EPF Certified, giving maximum coverage and protection from the sun’s harmful UV rays, and the polarization allows the sunglass lens to eliminate glare, which is extremely dangerous while driving or traveling at high speeds and helps eliminate glare while being able to see things clearly without any visual discomfort from squinting or fatigue. Solar Shield clip-ons and fits over sunglasses feature designs that conform to the principles of Advanced UV Protection®. Advanced UV Protection® sunglasses not only have lenses that block 100% UVA/ UVB, but the frames wraparound to block stray light. Advanced UV Protection® prevents the majority of unfiltered light from reaching your eyes since the frames feature extra protection on the top and sides. In addition to being 100% UVA/UVB blocking, scratch-resistant, optical-grade lenses, the premium olephobic lens coating repels oil, grime and water for maximum visibility and durability. Also, all of their lens tints meet or exceed U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) standards and are safe for daytime driving. The company even has a handy measuring tool on its web site to select the right fit to go over or clip on prescription sunglasses, making it easy to turn any pair of prescription glasses into high-quality sunglasses. For more on Solar Shield sunglasses, visit www.solarshield.com
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28 Golf Vacations • November 2015
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30 Golf Vacations • November 2015
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