Golf Vacations Magazine September 2015 by Golf Vacations Magazine

OUR 13th YEAR!

THIS MONTH: My Turn • SweetStuff • ChipShots

GOLF VACATIONS SEPTEMBER 2015

FALL IS THE TIME TO

PLAY GOLF

GLACIER CLUB

ON A GRAND SCALE Plus: LATE SEASON GOLF AT SWITZERLAND’S TICINO www.golfvacationsmag.com

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GOLF VACATIONS SEPTEMBER 2015

Keswick Hall & Golf Club – Virginia

Chip Shots

Glacier Club

Fall is the Time to Play Golf

by David R. Holland

by JD Latorre

Real golfers know playing in the fall is where it’s at. Comfortable temperatures, little or no humidity, the colors of autumn, plus the likelihood of smaller crowds after the bustling tourist months is appealing to those wanting to get as many rounds in as possible before stowing the clubs for winter.

Late Season Golf at Switzerland’s Ticino

Ascona, Switzerland – The unique micro-climate of Ticino, the Italian-speaking canton in southern Switzerland, allows golfers to continue playing in warm, balmy weather well into October. To make the most of the fantastic playing conditions, Giardino Ascona (www.giardino-ascona.ch/) has teamed up with its next-door neighbor Golf Club Patriziale Ascona, where the course was designed with the help of the legendary Harry Colt.

Sweet Stuff

by Terry Ross

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CONTRIBUTINGWRITERS 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.

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, Cabo San Lucas, St. Kitts, Cancun and Marseilles. His past lives included working for the Miami Herald, Chicago Daily Herald, Boston Globe, Daily News of Los Angles and Southern California Golf Newspaper.

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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portsMedia publications

President Jeffrey Diaz

455 NE 5th Avenue, Suite D-151 Delray Beach, Florida 33483 (760) 774-2655

and

Destiny Media, LLC President/CEO James A. Diaz

Golf Vacations Magazine is published in digital format monthly and distributed online to over 1,000,000 golfer’s email inboxes each issue. Entire contents of this publication is copyright 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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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CHIPSHOTS

Kaua‘i Golf Trail Card Offers Substantial Savings at Renowned Courses

(KAUA‘I, Hawaii) – The Kaua‘i golfand-resort destination partners – www. golfkauaihawaii.com – present the Kaua‘i Golf Trail Card, saving 15 percent on green fees at the highly acclaimed Garden Isle courses. For $450, including tax, golfers receive three rounds at a choice of four participating courses – Princeville Makai Golf Club, Poipu Bay Golf Course, Kaua‘i Lagoons Golf Club and Puakea Golf Course. Additionally, Kaua‘i Golf Trail Card holders get 10 percent off regular-priced pro shop items on the day of play. At Puakea, players get a $50 credit to be used for merchandise, rental clubs or green fees. Golfers can purchase cards at any of the courses. There are no restrictions on time of play. Rounds are non-transferable and must be used at three different courses within 30 days of purchase. “Kaua‘i offers an amazing collection of unforgettable courses and resorts,” said Sue Kanoho, executive director of the Kaua‘i Visitor’s Bureau. “The Kaua‘i Golf Trail Card provides an ideal opportunity for golfers to

enjoy this group of courses at a great value.” In June, Kaua‘i was voted a “Most ‘Dreamed-About’ Golf Destination” in GOLF Magazine’s inaugural Readers’ Choice Awards. Participating Kaua‘i Golf Trail Card courses and resorts have also earned an array of “best-in-kind” honors from multiple media outlets, including Conde Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, Golf Digest, Golfweek, LINKS, GolfWorld, Celebrated Living and others. In addition, Wailua Golf Course, easily accessible from Lihue Airport, is regarded as one of the most beautiful municipal courses in the U.S. and was named the No. 3 public course in Hawaii by Golf Channel. For details on the Kaua‘i Golf Card, as well as resort information and stay-and-play packages, visit the newly launched Kaua‘i Golf website at www.GolfKauaiHawaii.com or call any of the courses: •Princeville 808.826.1912

Makai

Golf

Club:

• Poipu Bay Golf Course: 800.858.6300 • Kaua‘i Lagoons Golf Club: 800.634.6400 • Puakea Golf Course: 866.773.5554

About Kaua‘i Golf Kaua‘i offers more than 50 miles of white sand beaches -- more beach per mile than any other island in Hawaii -- with only five percent of the island developed for commercial and residential use. The Kaua‘i golf destination is a cooperative of five world-class golf courses and three awardwinning resorts: 1. Princeville Makai Golf Club www.makaigolf.com, 808.826.1912

• Re-opened in 2010 following an extensive renovation. The Makai Course has since been ranked by Golf Digest as one of “America’s 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses” 2015 and ranked No. 4 by Golfweek in Hawaii’s “Best Courses You Can Play” 2015. • Designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., the 18-hole Makai Course incorporates serene lakes and stunning ocean coastline; the leisurely 9-hole Woods Course winds through native woodlands against a backdrop of lush mountains • The St. Regis Princeville Resort is home to the Halele’a Spa and The Kaua‘i Grill by Jean-Georges Vongerichten

Kaua‘i Lagoons Golf Club

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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CHIPSHOTS 2. Kaua‘i Lagoons Golf Club www.kauailagoonsgolf.com, 800.634.6400

• In 2015 was voted No. 10 in Hawaii in Golfweek magazine’s “Best Courses You Can Play” by State. It has also been named one of the “World’s Most Beautiful Golf Courses” by MSN Travel. • The championship 18-hole Kiele course features the longest continuous stretch of ocean holes in Hawaii with over ½ mile of oceanfront golf. • The front nine holes are highlighted by the par-3, fifth green encircled by a tropical Mango and Guava tree forest • The only Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf experience on Kaua‘i 3. Poipu Bay Golf Course www.poipubaygolf.com, 800.858.6300

• Along with Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort & Spa, Poipu Bay has been honored by Conde Nast Traveler as one of the top golf resorts in the U.S. • Named to Golf Digest’s “America’s 100

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Greatest Public Golf Courses” 2013-2014 and GOLF Magazine’s “Top Resort Courses by State” rankings in 2014 • Home to the PGA Grand Slam of Golf from 1994 through 2006, it has frequently hosted players like Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh and other major champions. • A Robert Trent Jones, Jr. design, the course underwent renovation and unveiled the eco-friendly Seashore Paspalum turf on all greens in 2011. Its four closing holes play atop a 150-foot sea cliff. • The Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort & Spa completed a renovation in 2012 and features a water playground with river pool, waterfalls, a saltwater lagoon, tennis and the celebrated Anara Spa 4. Puakea Golf Course www.puakeagolf.com, 866.773.5554

• Consistently rated a favorite among Kaua‘i golfers in local media outlets and ranked as the No. 15 course in Hawaii by

Golfweek • Golf Course Architect Robin Nelson used the natural layout of the land when he planned the course, testing all levels of play • Puakea’s 18 holes treat golfers to beautiful views of Mt. Ha’upu and deep lush ravines on several holes, which served as the backdrop to the original Jurassic Park movie • Owned by AOL co-Founder Steve Case 5. Wailua Golf Course www.golfkauaihawaii.com/ wailua-golf-club, 808.241.6666

• Regarded as one of the most beautiful municipal courses in the U.S., Wailua was recently named the No. 3 public course in Hawaii by Golf Channel • The course’s original holes date back to the 1920’s. The course expanded to 18 holes in 1962 under the direction of Hawaii Golf Hall of Famer Toyo Shirai. • Easily accessible from the Lihue airport, the scenic public course is a favorite of island golfers and tourists alike.

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La Manga Club Tees Up Perfect Pre-Xmas Winter Golf Open

Renowned as one of the world’s premier golf resorts, Spain’s La Manga Club is serving up the perfect way for golf lovers to finish 2015 under sunny skies by staging its popular La Manga Club Golf Open from December 1-5. Taking place for the 15th year in a row, the 36-hole Stableford competition is the ideal opportunity for golfers to enjoy a warmweather winter break before Christmas – with packages starting from only €386 (approx £275) per person for a four-night stay including three rounds of golf. Widely regarded as Spain’s flagship resort, La Manga Club’s outstanding golf facilities include three 18-hole golf courses and a recently redeveloped teaching and practice centre including a new Leadbetter Golf Academy – the only one in mainland Spain. Away from the fairways, the venue boasts an array of other outstanding sports and leisure amenities, bars and restaurants, helping establishit as a firm favourite with visiting golfers from the UK, Europe and beyond.

Competition at December’s event, which is being held on La Manga Club’s famous North and South courses, is expected to be as fierce as ever across the different handicap categories for men and women, with a selection of luxury golf and leisure breaks and golfing equipment among the prizes available to be won. Tournament packages feature four nights’ accommodation, including breakfast and a welcome pack; a cocktail reception; a gala dinner and prize-giving ceremony, and are available from just €464 (£330 approx) per person in the five-star Hotel La Manga Club Principe Felipe, or only €386 per person in the fully-serviced four-star Las Lomas apartments. Prices, which are based on two people sharing a room, include tournament entry for golfers, along with a green fee for the practice day, practice ball card and on-course refreshments during the event. Free Wi-Fi and VAT are also included and, what’s more, all tournament guests will receive a 25 per cent discount on any spa treatments booked; savings of 15 per cent when eating at any of the resort’s Amapola,

Asia, Luigi’s and La Bodega restaurants and Deli-Café, and complimentary access to the five-star Spa La Manga Club’s fitness centre, indoor pool, saunas and steam rooms. Running alongside the golf event, La Manga Club is also hosting the 13th La Manga Club Seniors’ Tennis Open from November 29 to December 4, with both competitions helping to confirm the award-winning venue’s reputation as Europe’s leading sports and leisure destination resort. The official overseas training base of the Lawn Tennis Association and a long-term partner of Tennis Europe, the resort’s other recent highlights include being named Spain’s Best Golf Hotel at the 2014 World Golf Awards and being voted by readers of Today’s Golfer magazine as the best golf resort in Spain for the last four years. La Manga Club features unrivalled facilities as a sports and leisure destination and, as well as its golf courses, includes a 28-court tennis centre and a 2,000sqm spa and fitness centre. It also offers the choice of a five-star hotel, four-star serviced apartments and townhouses and more than 20 bars and restaurants.

La Manga Club

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

Inaugural US Golf Tourism Survey Off To A Flyer As Golf Courses And Tourist Boards Sign Up In Droves

Just two months since the launch of the Brand USA-backed National Golf Tourism Survey conducted by global golf tourism organisation IAGTO, the initiative has proved a huge success with tourist boards and golf courses across the U.S. giving it their backing. Aimed at identifying the current value of golf tourism in the US prior to the development of a strategy to boost the number of international golfers to the country, the initiative was unveiled during the 7th annual North America Golf Tourism Convention held by IAGTO (International Association of Golf Tour Operators) in Palm Springs, California, in June. IAGTO Project Coordinator Guillaume Post explained: “Calculating the current value of golf tourism and assessing its capacity for growth on a regional basis is an essential first step to developing an effective golf tourism strategy. This survey and service is being conducted entirely free of charge and we would like to invite every state tourist board, regional

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tourism organisation and commerciallyminded golf course to get on board.” US tourist boards and golf courses can register at iagto.com/brandusa. The results of the survey will be published at the 8th IAGTO North America Golf Tourism Convention (NAC), taking place at Pinehurst Resort, NC, from 26-29 June 2016. Peter Walton, IAGTO’s Chief Executive, is inviting all tourist boards, however small their golf destination, along with their golf courses, hotels and DMCs to attend NAC next year. He said: “Not only will the NAC be their chance to meet with over 100 golf tour operators from 25 countries, all selling golf vacations to the US, but it will double up next year as an educational forum helping every golf destination in the US find the most effective ways to develop international golf tourism.” Details of the NAC event at Pinehurst Resort are available at iagto.com/NAC. Tourist boards and golf courses already signed up and participating in the National Golf Tourism Survey are from 20 states: North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, California, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, Colorado, Mississippi, Louisiana,

Tennessee, Alabama, Oregon, Washington State, Montana, Maine, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Virginia and Hawaii.

MOROCCO: AGADIR GOLF FESTIVAL to take place from 17 to 24 November 2015

The international amateur golf tournament “AGADIR GOLF FESTIVAL” will be played on 4 different golf courses in AGADIR (OCEAN Golf + SOLEIL GOLF + DUNES GOLF + TAZEGZOUT GOLF) - This event is open to Amateur golfers of all levels (Men + Ladies + Senior men + Senior Ladies) Golfers will be playing in separate categories and will see them play 5 rounds of Stableford competition of their official handicap (no slope rating adjustment). This tournament week is great fun and an enjoyable way of making new friends in a friendly competition. For further details please contact the Tournament Director, Mr BENJAMIN OOSTERVEER by email: benjaminoosterveer@hotmail.com or contact the tournament organisers PREMIUM LEISURE & EVENTS by email: info@ moroccogolf.ma

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Glacier Nine No. 7 par 3

Glacie

has grander s

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er Club

By David R. Holland

scale in mind www.golfvacationsmag.com

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Hermosa Nine No. 1 at The Glacier Club

DURANGO, CO – Prospectors rushed here in the 1870s to rummage over the hills, said to be ladened with silver and gold.

a much grander stage that actually began in 2004 when the club opened its third nine, Glacier, to go with the renamed Cliffs and Hermosa nines.

The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad came nine years later and laid out the Old West downtown complete with gas street lamps and saloon girls.

A spectacular 20,000-square-foot clubhouse was also unveiled, sitting on a cliff 200 feet above the first fairway of the Glacier nine, designed by Todd Schoeder and Hale Irwin.

Those fortune hunters never had a clue that more than a 100 years later golf at Glacier Club would be what the rich, the laid back, the ranchers and the fortunate would be seeking in a country club environment with just about any amenity available.

Glacier Club’s future So what’s next? Another nine will be completed and rerouted with the existing Glacier nine to become a totally private Glacier Course, opening Spring 2017, as a Hale Irwin-Todd Schoeder Signature Design. The land, occupying 228 acres at Glacier Club’s north end was acquired as part of a land swap with the U.S. Forest Service in 2010.

Today’s Glacier Club is surrounded by the towering Hermosa Cliffs, rising 3,000 feet in the blue southwestern Colorado sky, bordered by 3 million acres of the San Juan National Forest. Talk about an idyllic setting – it is 18 miles, 1,300 feet and 10 degrees cooler uphill from historic Durango on Highway 550’s San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway. Head further north and the road becomes the Million Dollar Highway, a 25-mile stretch between Silverton and Ouray amongst the San Juan Mountains. It began as an Arthur Hills design called The Cliffs at Tamarron in 1975, a 6,885-yard par 72, a neck-straining beauty complete with a resort hotel. No one envisioned that 40 years later it would be in the midst of taking

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Today Glacier Club is a private 27-hole complex, but the plan is to have the Cliffs and Hermosa nines become a daily-fee Cliffs Course open to the public and some day having its own clubhouse and resort amenities. “The views are absolutely spectacular,” Irwin said of the site for the new course at Glacier Club. “There’s not one bad look anywhere. In the design process we wanted to make every hole a painting – each uniquely different, and pleasing to the eye. At Glacier Club we’ve had this great canvas on which to paint a beautiful golf course.” The Glacier Course will feature a new out-and-back routing that will play to par 72, between 5,000 and 7,100 yards.

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Glacier Club view from private clubhouse to Glacier Nine No. 1

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Golf Vacations â&#x20AC;˘ September 2015 15

Hideout condo

“When the nines are combined, you will have some flatter shots on the new nine,” Irwin said. “We have made some of the uphill and downhill shots more friendly. But for the most part, it’s hilly. I think we’ve made something that is uniquely different. It’s beautiful. Once we get it grassed, I think people are going to be awe-struck with what’s out there.”

There are countless programs to keep your kids busy including junior tennis and golf along with Camp Glacier for Kids that provides age appropriate programs where children can connect with others who have similar interests. All programs are conducted by professionals to ensure quality instruction and safety.

Josh Coccagna, head golf professional, has witnessed the strengths of Schoeder and Irwin.

Membership in the Glacier Club includes access to a network of premier golf clubs throughout the United States via ClubCorp. Learn more about this special golf community, memberships, amenities and lifestyle at (866) 521-8575 or info@theglacierclub.com.

“Schoeder has shown the ability to make a strong routing using the hilly topography in a limited space,” Coccagna said. “And I like the way Irwin sees the lines of play making it playable for all skill levels. He makes it look different from the back tees to the forward tees while making it challenging for better players and fun for the novice.” Glacier Club has created golf heaven without a pretentious attitude. So don’t be surprised when you enter the amazing clubhouse, complete with antler chandeliers, for a concert by the Los Angeles Cello Quartet and seeing folks dressed to the nines or ranchers wearing their best new Wranglers and Lucchese cowboy boots. More than golf: Premier residential opportunities Glacier Club is building some of the country’s premier residential property. Homes range from 1,200-square feet to more than 6,500-square feet, on half-acre to 2.5-acre sites. The community offers abundant fourseason amenities and activities—many designed with families in mind. I got to bunk down in a Hideout Cabin that had three bedrooms and three and a half baths. Western luxury at it best – now this is an upscale version of camping in the mountains taken to an extreme, awesome level. Dining in the clubhouse was superb from wines and hand-crafted beers to a Bison Burger to Elk Medallions and just about anything you can imagine.

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If you enjoy just being in a spectacular location like the San Juan Mountains, and the chance to see a deer, elk or marmot on the fairways, Glacier Club is the place for you. Explore Durango: historic and an outdoor’s playground In 1879 Durango was designed to be the most modern city in Colorado. Signs of progress began to appear everywhere in the late 1880s and early 1890s, including the four-story brick Strater Hotel, electric lights with a home-owned electric company, telephones, electric trolley and a three-story “sky scraper”, the Newman Building, with an electric elevator. When Louis L’Amour, the western novelist visited, he stayed at the historic Strater Hotel, where you can still book a room. Old-timers say he always asked for the room directly above the Diamond Belle Saloon, Room 222, because the honky-tonk music helped set the mood for his novels of the Old West. Some say a good part of his Sackett’s novels were written at the Strater. Today, Durango still has its Old West setting, but it is known more as a year-round playground. Ski in the winter at Purgatory, play golf, fly fish, take jeep tours, hike, mountain bike, take glider rides, go rafting, play tennis and go horseback riding in summer.

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Glacier Club private clubhouse opened in 2004

Glacier Club Cliffs Nine has lots of water

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Fall is the T

By JD Latorre

Full Cry at Keswick Golf Club No. 8

18 Golf Vacations â&#x20AC;˘ September 2015

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Time to

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Golf Vacations â&#x20AC;˘ September 2015 19

eal golfers know playing in the fall is where it’s at. Comfortable temperatures, little or no humidity, the colors of autumn, plus the likelihood of smaller crowds after the bustling tourist months is appealing to those wanting to get as many rounds in as possible before stowing the clubs for winter. This sampling of courses ranging from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina’s Lowcountry, Virginia’s Hunt Country, upstate New York, Northern Michigan and Southern Missouri offer designs from Pete Dye, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Fazio and other top architects. Grab your favorite golf sweater and tee it up! Pound Ridge Golf Club www.poundridgegolfclub.com Opened in 2008 to critical acclaim, Pound Ridge is roughly an hour from Manhattan and just minutes from the financial and business hubs of Greenwich, Stamford and Norwalk, Conn. The only Pete Dye design in New York, Pound Ridge is hewn from 172 acres of magnificent cliffs, streams and wooded hills. Those used to playing on Bermuda grass will relish the course’s bentgrass greens, fairways and tees. Stay and play packages are offered with the luxury Delamar Greenwich Harbor. The Sea Pines Resort www.seapines.com One of the crown jewels in the world of golf, The Sea Pines Resort is home to Pete Dye’s classic Harbour Town Golf Links (home of the PGA TOUR’s RBC Heritage), Heron Point by Pete Dye, and the Ocean Course. The legendary Lowcountry destination now enters the upper echelon of the world’s finest golf resorts via recent multi-million dol-

lar investments in its golf, accommodations and amenities including the spectacular new Harbour Town Clubhouse. Simply put, the best has gotten even better. The resort offers a full range of golf package options. Keswick Hall & Golf Club www.keswick.com Few resort destinations combine luxury, history and spectacular vistas as does Keswick Hall & Golf Club in central Virginia’s “Hunt Country.” Situated on 600 acres at the foot of the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains just outside Charlottesville, its new Pete Dye-designed golf course, Full Cry at Keswick Golf Club, is a “must play” and the signature amenity to resort’s 48-room five-star inn and club. Its array of stay-and-play packages is ideal to see what the fuss is all about. Mystical Golf www.mysticalgolf.com Mystical Golf – owner and operator of The Witch, Man-O-War and The Wizard courses – is acclaimed as the “best 54 holes of golf in Myrtle Beach” and is widely known as the ultimate “golf buddy” trip destination as the result of its excellent stay-and-play packages. Mystical Golf’s three layouts are highlighted by wonderfully fun elements including the only back-to-back island greens in the game (Man-O-War), a front nine of dramatic holes weaving through secluded swampland teeming with wildlife (The Witch), and a splendid layout reminiscent of Scotland and Ireland’s classic courses complete with authentic sod-faced bunkering and castle-style clubhouse (The Wizard).

Bay Harbor Golf Club - Links Hole 4

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Man-O-War Island Greens

Pound Ridge Golf Club

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Golf Vacations â&#x20AC;˘ September 2015 21

Hilton Head Golf Island www.hiltonheadgolfisland.com

BOYNE Golf www.BOYNEGolf.com

One of the top golf destinations in the U.S., Hilton Head Golf Island features more than 30 member courses on Hilton Head and Fripp Islands, as well as surrounding Bluffton and Beaufort. Golf enthusiasts can enjoy Hilton Head Island’s Southern hospitality and world-class designs sculpted by vaunted architects Pete Dye, Jack Nicklaus and Robert Trent Jones. A wide array of value-laden fall golf packages is available on www.hiltonheadgolfisland.com.

BOYNE Golf offers the largest collection of courses (11) in the Midwest shared among three resorts in northwest Michigan’s Petoskey area: Boyne Highlands Resort in Harbor Springs, Boyne Mountain Resort in Boyne Falls, and The Inn at Bay Harbor - A Renaissance Golf Resort in Bay Harbor. Golfers play up to 72 holes daily thanks to the region’s long daylight hours and ideal summer and fall temperatures. Myriad stay-and-play packages are available, depending on just how long golfers prefer to soak up the mild temperatures and long, languid evenings.

Sweetgrass Golf Club www.sweetgrassgolfclub.com Sweetgrass Golf Club and the Island Resort & Casino are located in the unspoiled beauty of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Designed by Michigan native Paul Albanese, Sweetgrass Golf Club has been named a “Best Casino Course” and a “Best Course You Can Play” by Golfweek and GOLF Magazine. The 18-hole championship layout is renowned for its five historic bridges rescued from around the region that lend the course a unique feel. Fall rates begin Sept. 21, 18-hole green fees at $45, a near 50 percent savings off the regular rate. The resort’s most popular golf package, the Perfect Foursome, starts at just $230 per person after Sept. 21 and includes a two-night stay and rounds of golf at Sweetgrass and nearby TimberStone and Greywalls. Other package combinations are also available upon request.

Branson / Lakes Area Golf Destination www.explorebranson.com/golf Known as “Golf’s Ozark Mountain Oasis,” the Branson Lakes / Area destination averages 70 degrees in October – ideal for playing one of its eight courses… and more coming. A “family-friendly” course designed by Hall of Famer Gary Player is planned to open late this season or early next, and a championship Coore & Crenshaw design is currently being designed. From short courses to venues hosting the PGA Champions TOUR Legends of Golf – and existing facilities designed by Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Tom Fazio, Tom Watson and others – there are courses for every level of player.

Branson Hills Golf Club Aerial Course View

22 Golf Vacations • September 2015

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Robert Trent Jones Course Palmetto Dunes

Sweetgrass Golf Club

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Head to Switzerland’s Ticino A

scona, Switzerland, August 2015: The unique micro-climate of Ticino, the Italian-speaking canton in southern Switzerland, allows golfers to continue playing in warm, balmy weather well into October. To make the most of the fantastic playing conditions, Giardino Ascona (www.giardino-ascona.ch/) has teamed up with its next-door neighbor Golf Club Patriziale Ascona, where the course was designed with the help of the legendary Harry Colt. Located along the banks of Lake Maggiore against a backdrop of magnificent Alpine mountains, the feel of the golf club remains very much that of a private, stylish golf facility, even though it is now managed by the City of Ascona. Established in 1928 as a nine-hole layout, the golf club soon became a meeting place for local businessmen, wealthy tourists and celebrities who chose this little paradise at the foothills of the Alps as their regular spot to play golf. Such was the popularity of the club that the course was extended to 18

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holes with the help of eminent golf course architects, Harry Colt & Charles Alison, who created a classic, tree-lined parkland course that weaves its way down to one of Europe’s most famous lakes. The par-4 16th and par-3 17th holes run directly alongside the picturesque lake whilst the rest of the course meanders through avenues of mature trees and expansive but shallow bunkers that defend many of the tricky, undulating greens. This par 71 course, which is open all year round, was awarded the title of “Best Golf Course in Switzerland” in 1999. Golfers stay at the 72-room Giardino Ascona, a luxurious retreat hotel adjacent to the golf club, which offers fine dining in the 2 Michelinstarred Ecco where Rolf Fliegauf (one of Switzerland’s most decorated chefs) resides, a less formal restaurant known as Aphrodite, the HotelBar overlooking a lush Mediterranean garden and extensive fitness facilities, including a dipiù Spa. For golfers experiencing a few aches and pains after a busy summer of

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o for Some Late-Season Golf golf, the Giardino Ascona offers an exclusive ‘Golf Perfekt’ programme run in collaboration with renowned physiotherapist Cornelia Albrecht. After a full body check-up lasting an hour and a half, Cornelia accompanies her clients onto the golf course to get a detailed picture of the rotation, stability and coordination of their bodies as they play golf so that she can then provide advice and individually-tailored exercises to suit each golfer’s own body and movement. Cornelia aims to resolve any issues that are affecting player performance and, with her help, many golfers have managed to increase their driving capability considerably. A dipiù massage in the hotel spa provides the perfect way to relax after Cornelia’s session and is included in the offer. For those just looking for an 18-hole green fee at the Golf Club Patriziale Ascona, the cost is Euros120/UK£85 during the week and Euros138/UK£98 at the weekends and on public holidays.

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Dedicated golfers may wish to travel further afield to the other two courses in the area. The Golf Gerre Losone, opened in 2001, offers a complete contrast from Ascona Patriziale; it is a modern, open and very challenging course thanks to a number of tight fairways, unnerving OB possibilities and several rock-lined streams and ponds that demand good course management and accurate shot making. A few kilometers away on the shores of Lake Lugano, the Lugano golf course is laid out over gently undulating terrain that is bisected by the River Magliasina that often brings water into play. The tight, technical layout with numerous bunkers is tempered by large greens, whilst azaleas and rhododendrons add splashes of color on various holes. For further information on the golf offer, visit www.giardino-ascona.ch/ en/news/golf-perfekt or to book the hotel and/or a ‘Golf Perfekt’ package, call the hotel at +41 91 785 8888 or email welcome@giardino-ascona.ch.

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SWEETSTUFF I

t is a pretty simple idea really. But apparently Harry Briggs was the first person to put a full-fledged alignment aid “on ball” for practicing putting and short game mechanics. He now has introduced his Sight Ball training aid golf ball that has markings to help players align their eyes, feet, shoulders and putter to produce better mechanics in the short game. Sight Ball has six sights, or targets--four of which are used to help the golfer to correctly align themselves with the ball. One points in the desired direction of the ball, one points upward toward the golfer’s face as they look down, another at the feet to gauge proper stance, and the last lines up with the club at the back of the ball. The intention is for a player using the ball during practice to begin by pointing a sight toward the target and one face up toward the golfer. The golfer also looks at a sight pointing at his or her feet to get the correct stance and then

ollege football and golf always seem to go together, and with the gridiron season well underway, Imperial headwear is commemorating the current campaign with a new line of unique designs called the Tailgate Collection. In a departure from the traditional school logo or mascot on this collection of preppy cotton baseball, Oxford bucket hats and Tour visors, the Tailgate collection features the colors of some of the most well-known colleges in America with an outline of the school’s respective state and one of its defining characteristics. The states included in the collection are: Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. “Our Tailgate Collection is a state pride themed line of headwear,” noted David Shaffer, director of marketing at Imperial Headwear. “Anybody who wants to show their loyalty on game day, at a party, or any other day of the week will enjoy this new collection of preppy caps. It’s a perfect way to show your team spirit this season.” A unique feature of these hats is that while the outline of the state remains constant in the collections for each of the 14 states available, the school colors of the hat and logo are available for many of the most popular major colleges in those states so that fans can where their school colors and promote their home state at the same time. The hats have a classic look and fit that most college football fans will enjoy. They are available on-line or at many fine golf shops that carry Imperial headwear. For more information visit www.imperialsports.com/product-category/tailgate-collection/

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SWEETSTUFF by TerryRoss

lines up a club with a sight in the back before swinging. Currently, the ball used for the Sight Ball method is a Top Flight, but Briggs would like to see it expanded to all of the top brands. Briggs, an avid golfer and industry employee with eight years of on-course experience, noticed that there were no golf training aides that were actual golf balls, except for simple putting alignment lines. “I figured there should be something on the actual ball to help your game,” Briggs said. “This ball helps with a golfer’s stance, focus and accuracy.” Briggs added that Sight Ball can be used to help with tee shots as well as a player’s short game and putting--and can be used on a golf course whereas most golf training aides cannot. It took more than three years for Briggs to bring his concept from idea to market. He spent more than a year developing the first Sight Ball prototype, and it would take another year of research and development to create the final Sight Ball design or Method; the six sighted golf ball training aid. Further testing indicated that the Sights lined up on the ball actually did help golfers with focus, accuracy and their stance; an ideal “in-play” training aid. Already being used by some PGA teaching professionals and as a training device with high school golf teams, the Sight Ball can be purchased in a six pack or in a bucket of 36 for those who want to use it for full-swing range work in helping improve their alignment. For more information on Sight Ball: www.sightball.com

sories. The Z 360 allows golfers to easily maneuver all types of terrain, including hilly courses that can be difficult to navigate with other push carts. For additional stability, the front wheel can be locked into place when descending steep slopes. Designed with a fast and easy folding mechanism, the cart collapses into a small, compact size ideal for quick and efficient storage. The adjustable handle features a conveniently located handbrake while the deluxe organizer panel, magnetic ball marker and the option to fasten accessories such as an umbrella, glove, storage net and a GPS holder make the cart very versatile. “The rotating front wheel design of the Z 360 makes this model a very unique offering among push carts in the American market,” said Kelly Walker, CEO of Big Max Golf. “Golfers who like to walk will certainly appreciate the fluid motion and ergonomic design of the cart. All Big Max products are designed to make walking as enjoyable and comfortable as possible for golfers of all ages and skill levels.”

The company’s products showcase smart, functional and durable designs while helping golfers personalize their carts with built-in Quick Lok and Quick Fix mechanisms that allow the user to quickly and easily mount a variety of accessories, including storage nets and hand warmers. For more information on the Z 360 push cart: www.BigMaxUSA. com

or players who like to walk the golf course but don’t want to carry their bags, the top European maker of golf push carts has introduced the Z 360 Push Cart that features a swiveling front wheel that allows the cart to effortlessly rotate in a complete circle for ease of use. Big Max Golf pioneered the three-wheeled push cart in 2000 and is currently Europe’s #1 manufacturer. The company entered the US market in 2014 after winning the Golf Europe Best Product Award and offers a range of push carts, bags and acces-

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Big Max Golf has quickly gained popularity in the United States by offering sleek, lightweight and easy to use push carts in a variety of colors and prices. The company’s ultraslim Blade model folds into a five-inch profile that helps create a minimal storage footprint. Other popular options include the compact IQ Plus and the Autofold+ model with its unique folding mechanism.

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30 Golf Vacations â&#x20AC;˘ September 2015