OUR 16th YEAR!
THIS MONTH: My Turn • SweetStuff • ChipShots
GOLF VACATIONS OCTOBER 2017
HAWAII
MAUNA KEA & HAPUNA WHERE THE OCEAN MEETS THE MOUNTAINS
KAUAI’S PRINCEVILLE MAKAI GOLF COURSE
SUNRISE TO SUNSET GOLF
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GOLF VACATIONS OCTOBER 2017
Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Waimea, HI
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Chip Shots
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Princeville Makai: Spectacular Sunrise to Sunset Golf
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Mauna Kea & Hapuna: Ocean Meets The Mountains by Larry Feldman Wouldn’t it be great to stand in the middle of the world’s tallest mountain and dip your toes into warm ocean water? Well, you can!
by Tim Cotroneo There’s a golf course on the northern shore of Kauai where sunrises are celebrated by the unlikeliest of golf ceremonies. On Mondays and Wednesdays, a dozen people gather on Princeville Makai Golf Course’s most famous Par 3 to practice yoga amidst a backdrop that is second to none.
And, even better, it’s in Hawaii smack dab on the Big Island. Get out?!?! That’s right. Mauna Kea, from its base at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, rises more than 33,000 feet to its highest peak, yet at the 19,000 foot mark, you can swim, surf, snorkel, paddleboard or whatever you want right at the Mauna Kea and Hapuna Beach resorts. How good is that?
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Sweet Stuff by Terry Ross
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CONTRIBUTINGWRITERS Terry Ross has covered sports as both a print and radio journalist for more than 35 years, and also has served as a consultant to the golf industry in a variety of capacities. He has been a regular columnist for the Long Beach Business Journal and is based in Orange County, California.
Executive Editor Jeffrey Diaz
David R. Holland is an award-winning former sportswriter for The Dallas Morning News, football magazine publisher, and author of The Colorado Golf Bible. “Multiple careers” best describes this world traveler (visited 35 countries), who achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force reserve. Holland splits home time in Colorado and Texas. He has written for GolfWeek’s Superintendent News, Colorado AvidGolfer, Midwest Golfing Magazine, South Central Golf Magazine and Fairway to Green. He also worked for the Dallas Cowboys Weekly, UPI and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Follow Dave on Twitter @David_R_Holland.
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.
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
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.
Regional Advertising Los Angeles Terry Ross • 949-279-7801 terryr@GolfVacationsMag.com Atlanta Harold Chambliss • 770-239-7500 haroldc@GolfVacationsMag.com
Published by
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portsMedia publications
President Jeffrey Diaz
455 NE 5th Avenue, Suite D-151 Delray Beach, Florida 33483 (760) 774-2655
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Golf Vacations Magazine is published in digital format monthly and distributed online to over 1,000,000 golfer’s email inboxes each issue. Entire contents of this publication is copyright 2017 SportsMedia Publications, all rights reserved and may not be reproduced in any manner, in whole or in part, without written permission from the publisher.
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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CHIPSHOTS Stay & Play Four Nights At Four Seasons Resort Lanai LANAI, HI – With so much to experience on the 90,000-acre island of Lanai, Four Seasons Resort Lanai’s Stay Longer – Fifth Night Complimentary offer affords guests an extra day in an exotic paradise to ensure they experience everything the island offers. That’s good news for all vacationers, especially golfers who have a bonus day to play another round on the Signature Jack Nicklaus Manele Golf Course with its 18 stunning ocean-view holes. The complimentary fifth night is available with every four consecutive paid nights. Available now (with blackout dates from Nov.17-23), the package may be booked back to back. Rates are based on the resort’s best available room rate for the
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dates selected. Situated on Lanai’s southern coast, Four Seasons Resort Lanai offers a gateway to an unspoiled, exotic Hawaiian paradise. Stay in one of 213 guestrooms and suites, savor exquisite cuisine in the signature ONE FORTY restaurant or NOBU LANAI, and enjoy a variety of complimentary daily activities. Play golf, ace your tennis game on Plexipave or Har-Tru green clay courts, lounge by the pool or beach, shop in luxury retail boutiques, or simply relax in the spa. Adventure on Lanai includes an unmatched diversity of activities outside the resort: horseback riding, guided Polaris off-road tours, hiking and biking on land. The Resort’s Adventure Center rents 4x4 jeeps to explore the island’s distinctive landscapes, to visit the charming plantation
town of Lanai City or beachcomb some of Hawai’i’s most pristine sands. Take to the air for helicopter journeys around Lanai and Maui Nui or day trips to Oahu and the Big Island. Or learn to fly a plane with a series of flight lessons covering take off, landing, and cruising. Dive into the blue sea with snorkel sails and scuba adventures, set off on a sunset sail, or book a private excursion for a customized ocean voyage. For more information, or to make a reservation, please contact Four Seasons at 1-800-321-4666, visit your travel professional, fourseasons.com/lanai or join our online communities at Facebook @FourSeasonsResortsLanai, Twitter/ Instagram @fslanai. Learn more about the destination at www.fourseasons.com/ discoverlanai.
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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CHIPSHOTS Color Autumn Green and Gold with the Fall Unlimited Golf Package at Colonial Williamsburg Williamsburg, VA – Colonial Williamsburg’s newly restored Golden Horseshoe Golf Club unveils its new fall package for golfers to enjoy the cooler temperatures and excitement of the newly restored golf venue. The new “Fall Unlimited Golf Package” gives golfers the option of playing any of Golden Horseshoe’s three courses, including the recently renovated Gold Course. A perennial Golf Digest Top 100, the Gold—originally designed in 1963 by Robert Trent Jones Sr.—reopened in July following a restoration directed by his son, “The Open Doctor,” golf course architect Rees Jones. Golden Horseshoe also claims the first side-by-side, father-sondesigned layout with the Green Course, which Rees Jones designed in 1991. The Spotswood Course, a classic short course layout also designed by Trent Jones Sr. is perfect for quick rounds, family play or settling bets with your group. The Fall Unlimited Golf Package is available now through November 26, 2017. The per-person, per-night price depends on Four Seasons Resort Lanai
which of Colonial Williamsburg’s five hotel accommodations is selected (ranging from $179 at Governor’s Inn to $349 at Williamsburg Inn), and includes: • Nightly accommodations at choice of Colonial Williamsburg hotels • 18 holes at choice of Gold, Green, or Spotswood Courses each day • Complimentary same day replay on same course • Golf Cart • Unlimited range balls • Golden Horseshoe yardage book • All guests at Colonial Williamsburg Hotels also are entitled to discounts at official Colonial Williamsburg exhibits and museums. Golf tee-time reservations must be made in advance by calling 1-800648-6653. The complimentary replay rounds may be booked on the day of play at check-in for the first round and are subject to availability. Revenue from golf play on the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club’s three courses supports The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, keeping this vital piece of American history alive and thriving. For additional information call 800/648-6653 or access www. colonialwilliamsburg.com/golf.
PGA National Resort & Spa Announces Fall Golf Vacation Packages PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL – PGA National Resort & Spa – the world-class vacation, meetings and golf destination – announces a trio of golf packages ideal for fun and relaxing fall getaways in South Florida. PGA National is a golf lover’s dream. 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 resort’s superb Palmer Course reopens Nov. 1 after undergoing a renovation over the summer. Perfect for players of all abilities, the popular Gold Golf package features luxury accommodations with a private balcony or terrace, full breakfast daily in the Palm Terrace, one round per day as well as unlimited range balls and complimentary bag storage. Rates start at $279 per person from Oct. 1 – Dec. 31. Also beginning at $279 over the same time frame, the Fall Escape and Unlimited Play package features all the highlights of the Gold Golf package above as well as complimentary daily replay rounds (confirmed on day of play), 50% off daily golf clinics and access to the therapeutic Waters of the World mineral pools at the resort’s luxurious spa. The Dual Delights Golf & Spa Package is the perfect vehicle for couples’ getaways. This offer includes luxury accommodations with a private balcony or terrace, one round of golf and one select 50-minute spa treatment (per room each day) with daily breakfast at the Palm Terrace. Rates start at $260 per person, per night from Oct. 1 – Dec. 31. “Autumn is the ideal time of year here in South Florida to enjoy our incredible courses, outstanding accommodations and full array of resort amenities,” says Greg Saunders, Vice President, Managing Director. “We invite everyone to come visit us and discover for themselves why we’re at the pinnacle of U.S. golf destinations.” Resort guests can also enjoy the new high-tech 33,000-squarefoot Sports & Racquet Club featuring a wide array of fitness activities and classes, including pickle ball and tennis on the 18 Har-Tru tennis courts (11 lit for night play). For more on PGA National Resort & Spa: www.pgaresort.com, 561.627.2000.
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The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club in Offering Thanksgiving Week Stay Special
NAPLES, FL – If you do not yet have plans for Thanksgiving Week, you should consider heading to The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club in Southwest Florida to take advantage of an enticing special offer the AAA Four-Diamond beachfront resort just announced. If you stay at the resort for four or more nights from November 20-26, 2017, you will receive a complimentary coupon for two adults to enjoy the resort’s elaborate Thanksgiving Day Buffet on Thursday, November 23, 2017. In addition, guests at the lush resort always benefit from no resort fees, complimentary valet parking and self-parking, and complimentary access to the resort’s fitness center. Featuring a truly beautiful setting on the pristine soft white-sand beaches of the Gulf of Mexico, the resort has spent more than $50 million in impressive renovations and enhancements over the last few years. This included the dramatic renovation -- almost reinvention -of its championship golf course. Completed in November 2016, the $9 million total redesign of the resort’s course was done by golf icon and acclaimed course designer Jack Nicklaus in collaboration with renowned course architect John Sanford. Taking advantage of this appealing offer is a great way to experience the resort’s beautifully redesigned par-71 golf course. Featuring five tees, ranging from 4,800 yards to over 6,900 yards, the course was redesigned to challenge the best players but also be enjoyable for all golfers. In addition, the resort added a 300-yard practice and teaching range, and now has golf carts with GPS tracking systems to aid golfers with yardages on each hole, thus helping pace of play.
Not a golfer? Certainly not a problem. Set on 125 lush acres, the picturesque beachfront resort also features an impressive array of other on-site recreational options. In fact, the resort is Southwest Florida’s only beachfront resort with a championship golf course, a world-class spa, and an award-winning tennis center all on-site. The resort’s full-service spa offers an impressive array of relaxing massages, refreshing body treatments, restorative facials, manicures, pedicures, and salon services. Featuring nine individual spa treatment rooms, The Spa has separate women’s and men’s relaxation areas and locker rooms, saunas, steam rooms, whirlpool baths, a fitness center, an aerobics studio, and a full-service salon. Among the many enticing services offered are the Signature Medley Massage, AromaReflexology, Hot Stone Massage, Essential Facial, Express Mud Detoxifying Body Wrap, Lemon Verbena Body Polish, and Tropical Glow Sugar Scrub. Complemented by seven miles of pristine white-sand beach, the resort also features a beachfront pool complex with two pools, whirlpools and locker facilities; the Mary C. Watkins Tennis Center with six Har-Tru courts; Beach Kids Club, a complimentary daily recreational program for children ages 5 to 12; beach rentals; and retail shops. Providing a comfortable, friendly atmosphere, the resort is an exceptional tropical getaway. Owned and operated by the Watkins family for three generations, the resort is located at 851 Gulf Shore Blvd. North in Naples, Florida. Contact the resort at (800) 237-7600 or (239) 261-2222, and visit NaplesBeachHotel.com . For additional information about the resort’s Thanksgiving Day Buffet, call 239-659-4328.
Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club
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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CHIPSHOTS Diamante Cabo San Lucas
Diamante Cabo San Lucas Introduces Direct Booking For Vacationers Cabo San Lucas, Mexico – Diamante Cabo San Lucas, a master-planned luxury resort community, now offers direct booking for stays in their vacation residences. Set on 1,500 acres of stunning Pacific Ocean coastline and magnificent dunes, visitors can call one of Diamante’s luxuriously appointed residences—ranging from studios to six bedroom villas—home for their Mexican vacation. While staying at Diamante, visitors will enjoy amenities ranging from awardwinning golf courses and a 10-acre Crystal Lagoon to incredible dining options and a full-service spa. Reservations can be made by visiting https://diamantecabosanlucas.com/ accommodations/. Diamante is a members-only resort, but allows non-member guests residing in homeowners’ residences to have access to its amenities and experience the Diamante lifestyle. Accommodations Diamante offers accommodations ranging from fully appointed studios with kitchens to luxurious six- bedroom villas. With such a diverse array of vacation residences, Diamante is a perfect retreat for a couple, family or extended family, or group of friends. Golf Diamante is home to one of the most spectacular golf course facilities anywhere in the world, hosting three world-class golf
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courses, multiple clubhouses, private drivingrange hitting bays, indoor golf simulators and refreshment bars. The Dunes Course by Davis Love III is a world-renowned golf course and is ranked #1 in Latin America and #36 in the world by Golf Magazine. The 18-hole course is known for the links style of golf featuring rolling terrain and sand dunes similar to the links-style courses in Scotland (but in an always-sunny climate). El Cardonal opened in 2014 and was Tiger Woods’ first completed golf course design. The course is influenced by the oldstyle courses of Southern California that Tiger grew up playing. Tiger designed the course to provide players with several shot options to navigate during each hole, thus infusing strategy into play. The Oasis Short Course, which opened in December 2016 and is also designed by Tiger Woods, is the most recent addition to Diamante. The course layout is extremely flexible and can be played as a 12-hole par three course or a three-hole loop with a par 3, 4 and 5, among other potential configurations. The Oasis Short Course features a palapa bar, practice green, event lawn, and a mile-long jogging and hiking trail. The course is ideal for families and beginners, but is also a fun practice course for experienced golfers. Amenities Diamante Cabo San Lucas offers a 10acre saltwater Crystal Lagoon for swimming, sailing, paddle boarding, kayaking or lounging
nearby in private cabanas. The water reaches 12 feet deep and is surrounded by expansive beach areas, La Palapa Bar & Restaurant with a swim-up bar and Jacuzzi, and other familycentric amenities including beach volleyball, soccer, card games, and ping pong. The Spa at Diamante features comforting and restorative treatments including a wide range of massages, body treatments, facials, manicures and pedicures. The 4,000-square-foot Health and Fitness facility features the same level of first-class service found throughout Diamante. The heart and soul of Diamante’s fitness center is the cutting-edge training program run by internationally renowned trainer, Modu Seye. Dining While all accommodations feature fullyoutfitted kitchens, Diamante also offers multiple locations for dining or beverages. Izzy’s Restaurant serves an international à la carte menu of fresh daily creations that include Sonora Beef from Rancho 17, produce directly from Diamante’s organic garden and sustainable seafood from the Baja waters. The Sports Bar has 10 televisions and a full line of premium wines and spirits and is a great spot for a casual meal or drinks. The Market is open 24-hours a day offering a complete breakfast and lunch menu and a variety of “grab and go” food and beverage options. Book a Stay Rates start at $400/night. Visit www. diamantecabosanlucas.com for more information and to book a stay.
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Sandy Creek Sporting Grounds To Open This Fall At Reynolds Lake Oconee
Greensboro, Ga. – The initial phase of the Sandy Creek Sporting Grounds is scheduled to debut this fall at Reynolds Lake Oconee, offering a variety of outdoor experiences at the award-winning community located on 12,000 acres surrounded by the majestic Lake Oconee, between Atlanta and Augusta. Named for the beautiful stream that flows into Lake Oconee and shapes the property’s topography, Sandy Creek Sporting Grounds is under the design direction of international shooting champion Justin Jones of Great Britain, one of the world’s foremost experts in the development and management of elite resort shooting facilities. The Sporting Grounds complex encompasses nearly 100 acres and features a 20-station sporting clays course, fivestand shooting range and air rifle facility, as well as archery and instructional/games areas and a hiking course. The guest center
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will be adjacent to the existing, 1800s-era Sandy Creek Barn and a 40-acre lake. “Not only do we have the best collection of golf courses in Georgia, but now we will have one of the most impressive sportsman’s venues in the country,” said Rabun Neal, president at Reynolds Lake Oconee. “Indeed, Reynolds Lake Oconee has it all.” The Sandy Creek Sporting Grounds project is the latest in a multi-million-dollar improvement plan designed to touch nearly every facet of the Reynolds Lake Oconee community and resort. The aesthetic of the 20-station Sporting Clays course is created much like a golf course. The first key element is variation and interest in the overall “hole-by-hole” layout that embraces the natural topography of the land. The clays course is laid out in a series of stations (holes) with each specifically designed to offer shot variation of length, angle and trajectory, emulating the unpredictable and challenging nature of a classic British shoot, with clays launched
at a variety of speeds, trajectories, angles, elevations, and distances. It is in such variety that shooters are challenged throughout the course with a diverse mixture of shot selections. The stands have been individually designed and created with the assistance of the Reynolds Signature Homes architectural design team. Great Britain-based Promatic International, the leading manufacturer of shooting club machinery and equipment, has been retained for its services as well, and its solar-powered units are in use throughout the course. Certified instructors will be available for lessons, and a personal guide will accompany guests through all activities. Shooters on the sporting clays course will traverse the course in a specially-outfitted sporting clays buggy. Fishing and water sports activities (kayak, canoe, motorized paddleboards) are also available at the Sporting Grounds. Already recognized among the “25 Best Golf Communities in North America”
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by GOLF Magazine, Reynolds Lake Oconee is not only building a world-class sporting facility, but is building on its longestablished reputation as an outstanding place to live. Reynolds Lake Oconee has 117 holes of golf, all designed by legendary golf architects, including Jack Nicklaus, Rees Jones and Tom Fazio. Beyond the “Top 100” ranked golf courses and additional sporting activities, the Reynolds community offers a wide array of recreational opportunities along the more than 350 miles of Lake Oconee shoreline. Vacation guests at Reynolds can choose from individual cottages within the private gates, while enjoying a variety of amenities. Accommodations also are available at The Ritz-Carlton. A variety of vacation packages, some incorporating golf and shooting, will be available. For more information about Reynolds Lake Oconee, visit www.reynoldslakeoconee. com or call (877) 809-3324.
Troon Unveils 2018 Troon Cards For Big Savings
Scottsdale, AZ – Troon announced the launch of the 2018 Troon Cards. Offering preferred Troon Card golf fees of up to 50 percent at participating Troon facilities around the world, Troon Cards are the best way to play Troon’s top courses at preferred rates. Troon Cards are available as TwoSome Cards and FourSome Cards and are offered for specific states and regions of the country. Some state-specific cards also include “bonus states” so Cardholders can tee it up in neighboring states and all Troon Cards offer discounts at Troon’s international locations. The National Troon Card offers Cardholders preferred rates at all participating Troon facilities, including properties across the continental United States, Hawaii, and international facilities. 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. “2018 marks the 20th anniversary of Troon Cards,” said Guy Sugden, vice president, operations, sales & marketing, Troon. “With thousands of Cardholders playing and saving at hundreds of golf courses around the world, Troon Cards are the industry’s leading frequent player cards. It’s a program that continues to grow year after year.” 2018 Troon Cards are valid November 1, 2017 through December 31, 2018 with “early bird” pricing available through December 1, 2017. To view a list of participating courses, see Troon Card rates or to purchase a Troon Card online, go to www.TroonCards.com or visit any participating facility.
Sandy Creek Sporting Grounds
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Princeville Mak
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kai Golf Course
Spectacular Sunrise to Sunset Golf By Tim Cotroneo
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Makai Seventh Hole Sign
Makai Seventh Hole
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Princeville Statue of Poseidon
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here’s a golf course on the northern shore of Kauai where sunrises are celebrated by the unlikeliest of golf ceremonies. On Mondays and Wednesdays, a dozen people gather on Princeville Makai Golf Course’s most famous Par 3 to practice yoga amidst a backdrop that is second to none.
Sutter took this audience expansion a step further by adding a Sunset Golf Tour to maximize Princeville’s epic sunsets. A guide leads guests first to the Makai Grill for Happy Hour, then on an 18-hole tour with strategic stops for photos, romance, or just absorbing the aura emanating from the Bali Hai mountain range and Hanalei Bay.
Yoga Specialist Tulasi Adeva found Princeville Makai’s signature 7th hole to be the ultimate setting for tapping into Kauai’s spectacular trifecta of energy, ocean, and mountains. In fact, Makai’s entire 7,200yard layout is so stunning that National Geographic Traveler ranked it to be one of the Top 5 golf courses in America.
Princeville Makai is one of those courses in which each day adds a new chapter to the mystique shaping its personality. With no fewer than five ocean holes, the witnessing of whales breaching or dolphins dancing is a uncommonly common occurrence. Makai offers enough birdlife to make a zookeeper salivate. Nene, Albatross, and Brazilian Cardinals all call Princeville Makai home. Of course there are spontaneous rainbows that pop up out of nowhere. There’s so much to see you’ll need a special golf cap that turns 360-degrees in order to not miss anything.
For those who travel to Kauai for more traditional golf purposes, you’ll find the Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed Princeville Makai to be a heaven on earth. If there is any doubt that Kauai is special, not only for a vacation but for planting island roots, consider that the globetrotting Trent Jones Jr. planted roots of his own by purchasing a home that’s within shouting distance of his Makai creation. Wedded to Golf When General Manager Doug Sutter came on board at Princeville Makai in 2013, his goal was to stretch his new workplace’s audience. Sutter thought that if Makai’s 7th hole was good enough for his own wedding ceremony, then imagine what this Pacific Ocean hugging peninsula could do for yoga enthusiasts.
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Greek God of Golf When a visitor enters the luxurious Princeville locale for the first time, the entrance is enough to make you wonder, “What does Makai golf do for an encore?” Where else in the world does a towering statue of Poseidon, the Greek God of the Sea, greet newcomers? Every meticulous detail of the Princeville community lures you west toward the Princeville Makai Golf Course and its luxurious hospitality counterpart, the St. Regis Princeville Resort. The serenity factor is off the charts at Princeville Makai. With the Makana Mountains buffering one side of the course and
the Pacific Ocean on the other, it’s hard to imagine another course that tweaks a golfer’s five senses like Princeville Makai’s amazing ambiance. Princeville Makai goes above and beyond by making a golfer feel like a VIP. On the back nine, an attendant serves the juiciest fresh pineapple slices to recharge your taste buds and round. Upon finishing the 18th hole, golfers are refreshed with a cold towel that is presented in a miniature outrigger canoe. The ultimate capper to a great day of golf is sampling a secret recipe Makai Mai Tai on their outdoor patio. Paradise with Personality The dedication to making your Princeville Makai golf experience something special is evident in the people you meet at this course which underwent a $6 million renovation in 2010. From the early morning aura of Yoga leader Tulasi Adeva, to the bilingual banter of starter Hidecki, to the smiles from Pineapple Steve on the back nine, to the aloha spirit of GM Doug Sutter, Princeville Makai is a golf course with personality plus. If you have any doubt how much this crew loves golf, ask Sutter what he and his wife named their newborn son. A hint can be found on each of your “Calloway” rental clubs. The Princeville Makai Golf Course in Kauai is your sunrise, to sunset, to first born son’s best bet for Hawaiian golf. For more info visit www.makaigolf.com and www.stregisprinceville.com
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Mauna Kea
Where the Ocean Meets the
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& Hapuna
e Mountains
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by LARRY FELDMAN
Mauna Kea Beach Hotel - Hole 3 from back tee box Golf Vacations • October 2017 19
W
ouldn’t it be great to stand in the middle of the world’s tallest mountain and dip your toes into warm ocean water?
Well, you can! And, even better, it’s in Hawaii smack dab on the Big Island. Get out?!?! That’s right. Mauna Kea, from its base at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, rises more than 33,000 feet to its highest peak, yet at the 19,000 foot mark, you can swim, surf, snorkel, paddleboard or whatever you want right at the Mauna Kea and Hapuna Beach resorts. How good is that? Well, it goes up another notch. The two hotels at Mauna Kea Resort possess possibly the finest beaches in the world, ranking in the Top 10 on almost everyone’s list. Throw in world-class restaurants, spas and amenities and it’s a no-brainer. But, maybe the best part is that the two championship golf courses are truly that, not some hit-and-giggle resort course that typically is found at most Hawaiian hotels. These are true tests of golf, so if you hope to bring your A Game to a course that demands it, then this is the spot for you. But, we’ll get into the golf in a bit. After a long flight, my guess is that you’re like me and want to check in and unwind at the beach. So, whether you’re at Mauna Kea Beach Hotel or Hapuna Beach Hotel, you can’t go wrong as tranquil white-sand beaches await your arrival.
Mauna Kea Beach Hotel is the Grande Dame on the island, opening in 1965 by none other than visionary Laurance S. Rockefeller with the hope that it would stand the test of time with a timeless tradition of understated elegance. It does just that. Many of the other luxury hotels on the Big Island are more about the glitz than what the island is all about, so it’s refreshing to have an option like Mauna Kea. Don’t get me wrong, Mauna Kea stands toe-to-toe with the other resorts on the island, offering incredibly beautiful, well-appointed accommodations, spa facilities that will relax every muscle and dining options that make your mouth water even before you sit down. But, for me, when I go to Hawaii, I want to feel like I’m in Hawaii, so the thoughts of trams shuttling you around the hotel and water slides with a million kids running amuck simply doesn’t appeal to me. Mauna Kea is just so perfect for that relaxing getaway from the hectic, daily rat race we call life. From the time you’re greeted at checkin with a cool towel and a glass of mango juice to the time you check out, the resort says “chill” at every turn. The Mauna Kea Spa by Mandara is ideal for a late-afternoon massage. They offer a wide variety of treatments, so if you just want to unwind or you need to get really kneaded, the therapists have just the prescription. Top that off with a spectacular dinner at Manta, Hau Tree or Copper Bar restaurants with an even more spectacular setting and all that’s left is to slip into your robe, sit on your lanai and watch the stars before turning in. Mauna Kea’s baby sister is the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel, and when it joins the Westin Hotels & Resorts family in February 2018,
Manta Ray Point and Kauna’oa Bay
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Mauna Kea Golf Course - Scenic view of hole #11
Mauna Kea Beach Hotel - Deluxe Oceanview Room
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Hapuna Sunset
you can safely say that little sister is now all grown up. To bring the Westin brand to the hotel, hotel owners committed to $46 million in renovations and the hotel will participate in Starwood Preferred Guest, one of Marriott International’s award-winning loyalty programs, allowing guests to earn and redeem points to stay at the hotel. The hotel will still be owned and managed by Prince Resorts Hawaii. “Well-being is a big part of the local culture here, so we couldn’t be more excited to bring the Westin brand to the island of Hawaii,” said Donn Takahashi, President of Prince Resorts Hawaii. With longtime Westin-veteran Craig Anderson at the helm, we’re confident that his leadership will allow us to leverage the brand’s successful lifestyle positioning and elevate the guest experience.” Situated on the sunny Kohala Coast, the Westin Hapuna Beach Resort (the resort’s future new name) has defined Big Island luxury since its opening in 1994. As the second phase in Rockefeller’s creation of Mauna Kea Resort, the hotel shares 1,839 acres of oceanfront paradise with Mauna Kea. Perfectly nestled into the bluffs above the idyllic Hapuna Beach, the hotel presents a flowing, contemporary Hawaiian style where guests experience the true essence of rejuvenation. Okay, time for golf. It’s pretty simple. Mauna Kea is not only the best golf course on the Big Island, it’s the best golf course on any of the islands. The famed 3rd Hole, a Par 3 Hapuna Lobby
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Mauna Kea Beach Hotel - Hole #3
over the ocean is its calling card but nearly every hole on the course demands your attention. Fortunately, every hole has an amazing aesthetic appeal as well, so it’s the best of both worlds. Put simply, it’s world-class. Words don’t do it justice. Just play it. And then play it again. With its seemingly endless views and dramatic elevation changes beginning at sea level and rising to 700 feet, Hapuna Golf Course nestles into the rugged desert terrain above the west shore of Hawaii’s Big Island. This Arnold Palmer/Ed Seay golf course is a championship “links-style” design that was built in 1992 and stretches to just under 6,900 yards. The Pacific Ocean serves as the picture perfect backdrop and can be seen from every hole. Teeing off at just under 700 feet of elevation, the signature par 4, 12th hole provides one of the most spectacular panoramic views on Hawaii’s Big Island - including Maui in the distance. Both resorts, naturally, offer an abundance of activities for the resort guests…all the stuff that you would normally expect from a worldclass resort. But if you have a sweet tooth like me, then you might want to head over to Hapuna’s Coast Grille, which will reopen as Meridia after the renovation. You see, Mauna Kea Resort is debuting their own honey for guests to enjoy and infusing it into a variety of items at the signature restaurant. Thanks to on-property apiaries, both hotels are harvesting honey and Flow Hives at Mauna Kea Beach Hotel produced 45 pounds of honey within weeks of installation. The honey is now feature on regular dinner specials and menu Hapuna Guestroom
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Mauna Kea Beach Hotel - Copper Bar
items including, the Hudson Valley Foie Gras, in addition to sauces and dressings such as the barbeque sauce on the Duroc Pork Ribs and red wine vinaigrette on the Greens Salad. At Mauna Kea, Manta Restaurant chefs are incorporating the honey into a new signature biscotti item and Copper Bar is using the honey to enhance the house-made dough used for all flatbreads on the menu. Another cool buzz item is the relationship with Sunshine Helicopters, stationed on-property at Hapuna Beach Resort. Spend a day at the beach, clean up and walk to the valet, where you will be shuttled
Mauna Kea Beach Hotel - At Dusk
directly to the helipad about a mile or so away. Then enjoy the ride of your life, seeing the Big Island in all its glory with a birds-eye view. Speaking of bird’s eye views, take a trek to the top of Mauna Kea for a truly memorable afternoon. Not only will you marvel at the amazing vistas of the Pacific from its summit, you’ll come home with some bragging rights. After all, you can honestly say that you stood on top of the tallest mountain in the world. Not many, if any, of your friends can make that claim! Hapuna Golf Course - Couple teeing off hole #11
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SWEETSTUFF
inside the core of the liner, allowing the surface of the product to be completely dry, even when it is fully saturated. NoSweat keeps perspiration out of the eyes, helps prevent skin irritation and reduces sweat stains as this patented technology wicks away sweat by pulling it into the product, keeping the user sweat free with a clean dry surface. These liners are easy to install and replace--and make that souvenir hat from that favorite resort something you can wear for years to come. For more information: www.nosweatco.com
HackersRX
P
ractice aids come in all shapes, sizes and degree of difficulty when it comes to using them. But sometimes simplicity is the key element and the HackersRX has taken that cue from many products on the market to combine several practice tools into one, small easy-to-use device. Invented and patented by Dr. Dick Miller—a retired periodontal surgeon—the HackersRX is what he calls the “prescription for proper practice.” This training aid consists of three adjustable telescoping alignment rods anchored on each end by a plastic golf ball. It folds to less than 10 inches in length and is lighter than a sleeve of balls, so is perfect to store in a golf bag accessory pocket. The unique aspect of this practice aid is that it is very multifunctional and excellent for use on the range, on the practice green or in a practice bunker. The key fundamentals of golf—aim, stance and ball position—can all be improved by doing drills with the HackersRX. It can be unfolded to a “T” configuration and is adjustable for a variety of club and stance positions, such as setting up for a draw or a fade. You can even adjust the rods to help with achieving the proper take-away angle and visualizing it during practice.
NoSweat
S
weating and sweat stains are two things that golfers would rather do without. Not only is it irritating to the eyes and face, it is no fun when your favorite hat takes a beating from a day on the links and you end up throwing it away with stains. Now there is an innovative disposable liner for hats called NoSweat, and the technology is designed to lock sweat inside, provide a clean dry surface, and prevent sweat from dripping in your eyes. Currently, athletes across all of the pro leagues and every NHL official is using this product, according to company--and they have endorsement deals with athletes that play for the NHL, NFL, MLB, and PGA Tour as well as drivers that race with both Formula One and NASCAR. The hat liner that this company makes (they also have helmet and hard hat liners for those uses) is easy to install and very effective in absorbing forehead sweat and keeping perspiration out of the line of vision. These peel and stick liners lock and seal sweat
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The 15-page illustrated How-to-Guide that the company supplies on-line to go with the HackersRX is well-done and supplies an array of uses for it-- including drills for improving ball position, flighting the ball, drawing the ball, fading the ball, hitting pitch shots, chips shots, bunker and lop/flop shots—as well as improving the putting stroke. “This is one of the best teaching aids I have ever used,” noted Leonard Thompson, who has played in more than 1065 Tour events
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SWEETSTUFF by Terry Ross
offer a simplified process and an instant comparison across the different venues the company has to offer. “We are extremely excited to release this new app, which will allow golfers in the UAE and beyond a simple and straightforward way to book their tee times with us at one of our outstanding golf courses,” noted Mark Chapleski, President Troon International. “Considerable thought has gone into this and we are very happy with the end result. “We know that apps are becoming increasingly popular as a method of booking tee times and this development demonstrates our commitment to offering our consumers a more modern and much simpler approach to booking their golf.” In addition to the app, Troon International has also launched a new website at international.troonteetimes. com which offers easy functionality and allows golfers to book multiple rounds
at Troon International courses in one basket. To plan their golfing itineraries, website users can filter Troon International managed golf courses by course name, location, nearby hotels and book play and stay packages. Each course includes a full description on the site, providing detailed information on the layout and local attractions that surround it, along with an extensive list of general amenities that each one offers, from the delivery of corporate events to the quality of practice facilities available. Further courses from within the Troon International portfolio will be added over time. Troon Golf is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona and manages more than 270 golf courses around the world. Troon International is rapidly expanding from its offices in Geneva, Switzerland and Dubai in the UAE. For more information: www.Troon.com or www.international.troonteetimes.com
over a 40-year career and has won six titles. “It will help players at every level. Compact and very easy to carry in your golf bag. All in all, a device I would recommend to any golfer who is interested in improving quickly.” HackersRx can be found in many specialty and pro shops in the US and internationally; and on the web at: www. HackersRX.com
Troon International App
T
roon golf, which lays claim to being the largest golf course management company in the world, now is offering a new app for smartphones that will allow users to book tee times at the company’s rapidly expanding portfolio of international properties. The app will initially concentrate on offering opportunities to secure rounds at Troon International venues within the UAE, Bahrain, Egypt and India, with plans to eventually encompass all 44 Troon International managed facilities across Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Africa. The app, titled ‘Troon International’, will allow golfers a quick and easy method for booking tee times and will
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The Best Gift Of The Year!
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