Golf Vacations Magazine July 2013

OUR 11th YEAR!

THIS MONTH: SweetStuff • Healthy Game • ChipShots

GOLF VACATIONS JULY 2013

AUSTRALIA GOLF AMONG THE GRAPES

PLANTATION ON

CRYSTAL RIVER FLORIDA YET TO BE DISCOVERED

FLORIDA YET TO BE DISCOVERED

Plus: RESORT REPORT I TUBAC GOLF RESORT & SPA1 www.golfvacationsmag.com

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JULY 2013

GOLF VACATIONS

July is Family Golf Month. Enjoy a round with your favorite golf buddy!

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ChipShots

12 Australia: Golf Among The Grapes by Andrew Marshall “I’ve got something I really want you to try,” says Red Hill Estate’s resident winemaker Michael Kyberd, as he strides purposefully down a row of wine barrels behind the cellar door. With evident delight he draws some wine from a barrel and pours the golden liquid into a glass.

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Plantation On Crystal River by Andy Reistetter Ponce de Leon discovered Florida 500 years ago and it seems like it took me longer than that to find the Plantation on Crystal River. I wasn’t lost I just didn’t know it was there. Don’t make the same mistake!

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Resort Reports: Tubac Golf Resort & Spa

by David R. Holland Long before Kevin Costner played a confounded and aspiring U.S. Open participant named Roy McAvoy in the 1996 movie “Tin Cup,” the land that now occupies Tubac Golf Resort & Spa -- and provided many scenes in the movie -- was a major piece of Arizona history.

SweetStuff

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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

Andy Reistetter is a freelance golf writer as well as a Spotter, Research and Broadcast Assistant for The Golf Channel, NBC and CBS Sports. He spends time on all four major American golf tours and resides near the PGA TOUR headquarters and TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. Andy is a lifetime golfer and enjoys volunteering at the World Golf Hall of Fame and THE PLAYERS, while pursuing his passion for the game of golf.

He can be reached at AndyReistetter@gmail.com

Associate Editor Terry Ross

Features Editor Larry Feldman

Senior Writers Andy Marshall Born in England, Andy has been a professional freelance travel writer for the past 20 years. During that time, he has traveled to over 50 countries, including Sri Lanka, Solomon Islands, Barbados, Panama and Indonesia to cover a diverse range of travel-related features for various magazines around the world. He regularly works with his professional photographer brother, Paul, on different projects, particularly golf, food and drink features. Visit his work at www.bogey.se David R. Holland is an award-winning former sportswriter for The Dallas Morning News, football magazine publisher, and author of The Colorado Golf Bible. Holland, whose favorite golf moment was teeing it up with former Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry, splits home time in Colorado and Texas. He has written for GolfWeek’s Superintendent News, Colorado AvidGolfer, Midwest Golfing Magazine, South Central Golf Magazine, and Fairway to Green (UK). He also worked for the Dallas Cowboys Weekly, United Press International and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

JD Latorre 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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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 2013 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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WALTERS GOLF ANNOUNCES SUMMER GOLF AND TOUR PACKAGES

Just in time for summer, Walters Golf has announced that they will now be offering Golf & Tour packages to their customers. Tourists can now choose from several golf-inclusive adventures that will take them all around the southwest: A wild adventure with a two-day golf and tour package which includes one day of championship golf at the consumer’s choice of Bali Hai Golf Club, Royal Links Golf Club or Desert Pines Golf Club and a breathtaking view of the Grand Canyon and all its glory on day two; a trip to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon in a pink Jeep provided by Grayline Tours and a round of golf; or a 2 hour cruise on the beautiful Lake Mead and a round of golf with a stop at the historic “Welcome to Las Vegas Sign”.

“We are really excited to expand our offerings and partner with Grayline Tours to offer our course visitors incredible experiences at a fraction of the regular price,” said Josh Hill, Corporate Vice President of Marketing for Walters Group. “These packages really allow visitors to Las Vegas to really take advantage of what this part of the country has to offer.”

Golf & Tour packages are available for booking now and start at $260 person. You can find out more about these great offerings here: http://www.balihaigolfclub.com/promotions/ golf-tour-packages/

JULY IS A VERY FAMILY FRIENDLY GOLF MONTH AT GOLDEN HORSESHOE GOLF CLUB WILLIAMSBURG, VA. – July is Family Golf Month and Colonial Williamsburg’s Golden Horseshoe Golf Club is teed up for family fun from now through August 29 with its Kids Stay, Play and Eat Free offer. What could be more family friendly?

Golfing together as a family is a unique and increasingly popular way to enjoy quality time together in the great outdoors, and experience the many unexpected and teachable moments on the links.

Golden Horseshoe Golf Club

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The special package requires a minimum three nights’ stay in one of two Colonial Williamsburg hotels (starting from $78/adult/ night at the Williamsburg Woodlands Hotel and Suites; starting from $90/adult/night at the Williamsburg Lodge. Up to four children (12 and under) accompanied by a paying adult receive free breakfast and dinner daily and can play golf (or tennis) for free, visit the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg, experience the Revolutionary City and play the interactive text-message-based spy game RevQuest: The Black Chambers. The package includes length-of-stay admission to Colonial Williamsburg Historic Area for all children.

The award-winning Gold Course, designed

by Robert Trent Jones Sr., opened in 1963 and plays to 6,817 yards from the championship tees.

The layout’s four heralded par-3 holes – the 3rd, 7th, 12th and 16th – prompted one golf scribe to write, “If there is a stronger set of par-3s than those on the Gold Course, it’s not on this planet.”

Additional golf experiences include Golden Horseshoe’s Green Course, designed by Rees Jones, and the nine-hole Spotswood, perfect for family golf outings. Playing to 1,865-yards, the par-31 course includes one 470-yard par 5, two par 4s of 260 and 325 yards, and six par 3s ranging from 90 to 215 yards.

Just as the Golden Horseshoe helps bring families together on the golf course, Colonial Williamsburg engages children of all ages in the stories of America’s past. Each day – from sun-up until after dark – family programs are available that allow younger guests to step back into the past and be swept up in the daily life of a bustling 18th-century city.

For more information, or to book the Kids Stay, Play and Eat Free offer, call 800-4478679 or visit colonialwilliamsburg.com.

INAUGURAL TOP 100 PRO-AM GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP TO BE HELD AT INNISBROOK Legacy of the Links Co-Founders Taba Dale and Kevin McGrath announced today that the inaugural Top 100 Pro-Am Championship will

be played at one of Florida’s most classic golf venues, Innisbrook -- A Salamander Golf & Spa Resort, just northeast of Tampa from January 2628, 2014.

The first golf event of its kind, The Top 100 Pro-Am Championship will be open to all clubs and courses that have ever been ranked in an official Top 100 Ranking List as published by the main magazines across the globe. It will feature four-person teams from the best and most famous clubs and courses throughout the golfing world and will have golf professionals paired with three amateur partners from the same club or course competing in a truly international tournament.

“The Top 100 Pro-Am Championship promises to be prestigious and competitive with a high degree of camaraderie among participants from all over the world. We are thrilled to have Innisbrook, with all of its historic charm and event production experience, as our host for the inaugural event,” said Kevin McGrath.

Added Taba Dale: “We recently conducted a site visit and we were very pleased to see the results of the $25-million-plus in renovations that have been completed at the resort over the past several years and Innisbrook should be a particularly good venue for our sponsors.”

The tournament will kick off with a fun nine-hole ‘shoot out’ among the professionals on the Sunday afternoon of January 26th followed by a 36-hole championship played on the Monday and Tuesday of January 27th and 28th. Participating teams and sponsors will enjoy cocktail receptions and banquet dinners on each of the three evenings.

The Top 100 Pro-Am Championship will be held at one of the top golf resorts in the USA directly following the annual PGA Merchandise Show held in Orlando each year. The 36-hole event will be played on Innisbrook’s famed Copperhead Course -- where the PGA TOUR competes each March, as well as the resort’s North Course, which has similar terrain to Copperhead.

The Copperhead Course is widely considered by tour pros to be among their favorite each year (ranked as one of their Top 10 by Golf World), and was ranked by Golfweek in 2012 as the #3 Best Golf Course you can play in Florida.

Legacy of the Links is a golf content and asset development company, event production organization and golf tour operator. The Top 100 Pro-Am Championship Management Team, Tournament Committee and Advisory Committee are comprised of golfing business owners and executives from different walks of professional life. Collectively, the team has played most of the courses in the list of eligible clubs, including all of the Top 100 Courses in the official World Rankings. Visit www.legacyofthelinks.com or www.top100proam.com Contact Gary Marsh at 415-453-7045 or gary@legacyofthelinks.com

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CLUB CAR TIP SHEET FOR BUYING A GOLF CAR FROM CRAIG’S LIST OR E-BAY

AUGUSTA, GA. – Pre-owned golf cars can be great investments, or they can be rolling money pits.

According to Ray Bentley, director of aftermarket sales and operations at Club Car, most pre-owned golf cars sold by wholesalers and dealers are former fleet electric cars, reconditioned for personal use. This often includes a speed upgrade. “Make sure the car you buy has a maximum speed of 20 mph.

Anything over that can lead to legal and safety concerns,” Bentley says.

Bentley also suggests buyers: • Identify a clear serial number. This reveals the origin of the vehicle and when it was made.

If the number has been hidden or removed, the seller may be trying to hide something.

• Determine the age of the batteries. The batteries are the most expensive components on electric cars. Lift the seat and find the month and year of manufacture. Look for a car with batteries that are no more than two years old. Months are represented by letters, with A for January and L for December. Years are designated by numbers, with 1 standing for 2011, 2 for 2012 and 3 for 2013.

• Check the batteries. Look for leaks and corrosion and make sure the battery fluid

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is clean and clear. Inspect the battery cables and ask if the charger shuts off automatically when the batteries are charged. This is a better option than a manual timer.

• Inspect the body and frame. Look for misuse, rust or body damage. Look underneath the car for welds or other signs of frame damage. If possible, buy a car built on a rustproof aluminum frame.

• Make sure the vehicle has tail lights, turn signals and other safety gear required for street use.

• Look for tire wear.

• If the vehicle has a canopy, make sure it is secure. Shaking the canopy will help determine if something is loose or broken.

• Test drive the car. Watch for noises and vibrations and test the brakes, acceleration and turning stability.

• Make sure the vehicle is made by a reputable manufacturer. If it’s not, parts and service can be a problem.

“You could also consider a pre-owned golf car that has been factory remanufactured, such as a Club Car Gold Standard Factory Remanufactured Precedent golf car,” Bentley says. “They’re the next best thing to a new car.”

In a demanding 12-step process, skilled Club Car technicians disassemble each of these cars to its aluminum I-beam chassis and carefully inspect the frame to ensure it

is free of damage or defects. After inspecting select components, they install new batteries, body, cowl, bumpers, tires, steering gear-box assembly, pedal-group assembly, on-board computers and many other parts.

The car is test driven, assigned a new serial number and covered by a Club Car warranty.

Gold Standard Remanufactured Precedent golf cars are available in two- or four-passenger models and in cargo models that carry up to 150 pounds. All feature safety equipment and Club Car’s exclusive Monsoon™ canopy top, that channels water directly to the ground.

“These vehicles take the worry out of buying a pre-owned golf car,” Bentley says.

Club Car is part of the Industrial Technology Sector of Ingersoll Rand, and is based in Augusta, Ga. Visit www.clubcar.com.

BOCCIERI GOLF OFFERS NEW ANCHORING ALTERNATIVE WITH LAUNCH OF HEAVY PUTTER SCOTTSDALE, AZ – Boccieri Golf announces the launch of its Extended Length (EL) Series of putters which offer a true alternative to anchoring by combining a slightly longer shaft with the company’s patented, Tourproven system that features a heavier mass head and counterweight in the grip.

Part of the award-winning Heavy Putter line, the EL Series delivers unmatched stability and

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consistency, making it equally suited to players using regular length putters as those relying on belly and long models. Each of the new styles showcases a shaft that extends beyond the hands, but does not attach to the body. This unique design allows golfers to use the same stroke they would with a traditional length putter while benefitting from a 175-gram counterweight that produces a dramatically raised balance point and the industry’s highest MOI. “One reason belly putters became so popular was because the additional grip and shaft materials created a natural back-weight,” says Stephen Boccieri, President and CEO of Boccieri Golf. “Other OEM’s are just now adopting counterweighting while we’ve been touting it for nearly a decade and have now taken it to the next level.”

Available in 36, 38 and 40-inch lengths, the EL Series includes 21 styles in three finishes and three distinct weight categories LITE (840 grams), MID (865 grams) and HEAVY (930 grams). This stands in stark contrast to competing brands that offer only one or two models with longer shafts. In all Heavy Putter models, the extra weight engages the body’s larger, more stable muscles to promote greater control with each stroke.

For more information: www.boccierigolf. com, 888.788.8374.

BUDGET BREAKS: HEAD FOR THE HILLS THIS SUMMER FOR A SCENIC MOUNTAIN GETAWAY courtesy Golf.com The Homestead Resort Hot Springs, Va. Combine outstanding value, a hilly layout that Sam Snead called the greatest mountain course in the country, and the rushing brooks of summertime, and you have the Unlimited Cascades Golf Package.

It includes all the golf you can handle on the Homestead’s Cascades [ranked No. 24 in our Top 100 Courses You Can Play], a room upgrade, cart and range balls. June

rates start at $355 per room, per night, based on double occupancy. 800-838-1766, thehomestead.com The Broadmoor Colorado Springs, Colo.

The highest-altitude Platinum Medal winner in our 2012-13 Premier Resorts awards is the Broadmoor. The property soars with its Five Star Golf Package, which features lodging, one round of golf [plus cart] for each person each night of the package, $60 breakfast credit per night, and range balls, with suites available at 30 percent off published rates. July rates begin at $420 per person, per night, based on double occupancy. 866-837-9520, broadmoor.com The Equinox Resort Manchester Village, Vt. New England mountain scenery? Check.

A classic, playable Walter Travis/Rees Jones golf course? Check. A package to maximize the experience? Checkmate! The Unlimited Equinox Golf Package has everything, including all the golf you can play and lodging in a setting that’s loaded with Yankee charm. July rates begin at $499 per room, per night, based on double occupancy, with a two-night minimum on weekends. 800-3624747, equinoxresort.com Shanty Creek Resorts Bellaire, Mich.

Believe it or not, northern Michigan is almost always gorgeously sunny come summer. All the better to take advantage of Shanty Creek’s Golf ‘Til You Drop package.

Included is lodging, breakfast and two days of unlimited golf on any of the resort’s four courses, among them Shanty Creek’s Legend and Cedar River layouts, plus the Summit and the Schuss. July rates start at $199 per person, per night, based on double occupancy. 800-678-4111, shantycreek.com

The Homestead

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AUSTR Golf among the grapes

Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula offers a vineyard haven for golfers “I’ve got something I really want you to try,” says Red Hill Estate’s resident winemaker Michael Kyberd, as he strides purposefully down a row of wine barrels behind the cellar door. With evident delight he draws some wine from a barrel and pours the golden liquid into a glass. “Ripe, multi-layered, complex, focused without being broad,” he enthuses, warming to his topic as he holds the glass up to the light. “But the wine speaks more articulately than I do.”

Red Hill Estate typifies a large number of enthusiastic wine growers clustered on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula situated only one hour’s drive from Melbourne. Dozens of vineyards such as Willow Creek, Dromana and Paringa Estate are set against a backdrop of stunning rural landscapes and rugged coastlines. From classic grape varieties such as Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon to Merlot and Shiraz, it’s an area where some of Australia’s finest cool climate wines are produced.

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But it’s not just the grape that reigns supreme here. There is golf among the grapes, with a concentration of challenging and affordable courses for players of all abilities. The combination of rich red volcanic soil surrounded by rolling sand dune country makes the Mornington Peninsula a world-class destination for the connoisseur of both golf and fine wines.

From Red Hill Estate’s elevated restaurant patio, acres of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir form abstract patterns of green vines that march down the hillside towards stands of eucalyptus trees backed by the sparkling blue waters of Western Port Bay it clearly boast one of the best views of any vineyard in the world.

Indeed, it might still have been one of the prettiest cattle stations in Victoria if not for the vision of its founders Sir Peter and Lady Derham. They intended to retire here when they bought the

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RALIA

by ANDREW MARSHALL www.golfvacationsmag.com

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property in 1979, but Sir Peter saw the potential for wine and planted the first vines in 1989.

Red Hill Estate wines continue to win Gold, Silver and Bronze medals at Melbourne and other prestigious Wine Shows including a Gold medal in the London Wine and Spirit Challenge. The Pinot Noir and Pinot Grigio are fast becoming cellar door sell-outs with some stocks being exhausted before the next vintage is released.

Grapes and golf live side by side on the Mornington Peninsula and both have their own special challenges, like the testing layout of the National Golf Course the following day. This classic Robert Trent-Jones Jnr. designed course is situated in rugged sand dune country high above the Cape Schanck Coastal and Point Nepean National Parks and offers ocean views from 16 of it’s 18 holes. Trent Jones has molded his course to take full advantage of the visual beauty.

As a stiff southwesterly wind whips across the tee, I line up my ball and take one last look at the green - an emerald island high above a noman’s land of ballhungry woodlands. Hit it left, hit it short or hit it too long and it’s a lost ball. There is little room for error. This is the 121 meter par-3 second, the course’s signature hole and one that typifies the National.

On coastal land next to The National are its two other courses; the Moonah course, which is a links-style layout designed by Greg Norman and debuted in the top ten golf courses in the country, and the Ocean Course designed by Thomson, Wolveridge and Perrett, and based on the great links of Scotland and Ireland. These three top-drawer courses add up to the only 54-hole golfing facility of its kind in Australia.

After my encounter with The National’s deep bunkering, multitiered greens and the howling winds, my golf ego is well and truly broken. Just as well that I am basing myself next door at the RACV Cape Schanck Resort, complete with another top-quality Robert Trent Jones Jnr. Layout. Slipping into the hot bubbling spa is just reward for a demoralized golfer.

From my window-side table at the bistro, the first fairway has topography that bucks and plunges like a raging river, and it draws my eye along its wide ribbon of grass before it crests a final hill between the tea-trees, leaving me with only the tantalizing promise of a green.

The view is enough to whet my appetite for a game tomorrow, and vies for my attention from the masterpiece of an entree placed before me; long slivers of lamb fillets marinated in a Thai honey and ginger The Moonah Course at The National Golf Club

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Red Hill Estate Winery

glaze climb into a complicated spire over a bed of Asian cress. The wind outside is rising in strength whipping the tea-trees into frenzy. Not exactly the weather for golf, but that’s Cape Schanck for you, as tempestuous and unpredictable as the devil.

The RACV Cape Schanck Resort is proving to be and an excellent base for my golf forays in grape country. Close by is the Dunes, a classic links course of championship quality and always highly ranked in Australia’s annual Top 100 Golf Courses rankings. Other quality courses in the region include Portsea, Sorrento, Flinders, Eagle Ridge and the Open and Legends courses that make up the Moonah Links. The Legends course is a resort-style course, and the Open course is an 18-hole championship links designed by Thomson, Wolveridge and Perrett specifically to host the Australian Open that had its debut here in 2003.

Over the next few days, I knock on cellar doors and sample some fine drops while playing some of the most challenging and affordable golf courses to be found anywhere. The driving in between is pure pleasure around the scenic hills of Red Hill. Farmlands interspersed with woodlands, vineyards, craft-wise villages and sudden views over either the ‘Bay’ on one side or the ‘Straights’ on the other.

Along the coast, old resort towns still retain their old charm. Portsea is ‘old money’, boasting more private tennis courts than most suburbs have players. Situated at the end of the long boot-shaped peninsula, it offers both wild ocean beaches and safe bay beaches of golden sand, and if it gets too hot its only a short stroll to the local beachside pub.

Golfing in wine country, or drinking fine wines in golf country? It’s difficult to prioritize, but with soil this good under the greens and vines, it doesn’t really matter.

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GOLF COURSES The National Golf Club (National, Ocean Course & Moonah Courses) www.nationalgolf.com.au The Dunes Golf Club www.thedunes.com.au Portsea Golf Club www.portseagolf.com.au Moonah Links (Open & Legends Course) www.moonahlinks.com.au Red Hill Estate www.redhillestate.com.au

When to Go:

The Mornington Peninsula’s golf courses can be played and the wineries visited year round, though summer temperatures can sometimes be extreme and 30-40 degree Celsius days are not uncommon.

Further Information: www.visitmorningtonpeninsula.org

The Golf Course Guide

“The Golf Course Guide” (Australia’s Best Public Access Courses) offers great discounts on many of Australia’s courses including ones featured here. www.ausgolf.com.au

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By Andy Reistetter

Your Florida Yet To Be Discovered This is the manatee that came over to me and was so friendly!

Golf Writer Andy Reistetter has been a Florida resident now for six years but only recently discovered a true Florida keepsake resort—the Plantation on Crystal River. Seemingly in the middle of nowhere on Florida’s West Coast it is conveniently accessible from everywhere. “Off the beaten path but true Southern Hospitality with Florida Charm,” this is a place you want to experience in all seasons.

Join Reistetter as he shares his lifetime experience of swimming with the Manatees and relives his visit to the Plantation on Crystal River.

Ponce de Leon discovered Florida 500 years ago and it seems like it took me longer than that to find the Plantation on Crystal River. I wasn’t lost I just didn’t know it was there. Don’t make the same mistake!

I found it quite by accident, lured to the area seeking to golf at World Woods Golf Club. You know, the Florida Gem with the two golf courses that are like Pine Valley and Augusta National. Now there are two reasons to venture to what I call Golf Area 51 of the State of Florida— great golf and a great resort. But don’t worry about UFOs, those are only off track golf balls whizzing through the air.

The Plantation on Crystal River is located exactly 98 miles from the Orlando airport to the east, 73 miles from the Tampa airport to the south and 63 miles from Gator Stadium on the University of Florida to the north. Either way you come it is some of the most scenic land in Florida. If you come from the west, you will need a boat but that is alright as the Gulf of Mexico leads to Crystal Bay which leads to Crystal River which leads you right up to the dock at the resort.If you are looking for gators you can probably find them but don’t miss the manatees!

While they are also found throughout the Gulf and Caribbean Sea, in the Amazon in South America and along the coast of West Africa, Crystal River is the largest concentration of manatees in the world.

It was an amazing experience to put on a wet suit, take a short boat ride literally around the corner to the National Wildlife Refuge

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Par 3 17th on the Championship Course‌. great hole!

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I missed the big boat so had to captain my own to get to the manatees!

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and swim with the manatees. One of the aquatic amiable mammals hooked its flippers around my leg and nestled with me as I floated on my back for 20 minutes. It was as if I was burping a baby after mealtime, as it raised its snout above the waterline to breathe every three or four minutes. I thought she (hopefully) was going to kiss me. What a beautiful encounter with nature!

While manatees seek warm water and migrate into the sanctuary for the winter November through March months, the scalloping season runs during the summer July through September months. There are other water activities to partake year round at the Plantation on Crystal River including canoeing, kayaking, snorkeling, and fishing.

Coming off a $3 million upgrade to the rooms, common areas and restaurant, everything looks and feels brand new at the Plantation.

While swimming with the manatees was the aquatic apex of my visit, everything else on land at the resort was A-Plus. In fact you can haul in your fishing successes and they will “cook your catch” in the West 82º Bar and Grill. Since I just hugged the manatee and didn’t catch anything I enjoyed Executive Chef Eric Smith’s grilled medley of fresh shrimp, snow crab legs, and mussels. It was delicious!

I think the name of the resort comes from the size of the guest rooms. They are huge, comfortable and well appointed. With nearly

200 rooms, over 13,000 square feet of indoor meeting space and plenty of fun team-building recreation options the Plantation on Crystal River is an ideal location for corporate meetings and retreats.

Although World Woods is close-by, the Plantation has 27 holes of its own right across the street. The Championship Course was designed by Mark Mahannah in 1958 and is Florida style all the waynarrow fairways guarded by palm trees, sand and water and fairly flat though pleasing to the eye. It was frequented by the likes of Tommy Bolt who used it as a warm up to the Masters back in his day. The Lagoons is a short nine-hole course featuring five par-3s and four par-4s which translates to lots of family fun or a quick tune-up for your short game.

Once a small family fish camp, the Plantation has blossomed into a complete eco-friendly resort with an unparalleled level of service due to long service employees. Everyone feels like family and at home while they are on vacation. Be sure to say hello to Starla Hayes for me when you visit. She has been there for 31 years and doesn’t look a day over 40. Tell me if you can figure out that one.

Remember, it’s okay to snuggle with the manatees if they initiate the contact. There is a five-gallon bucket limit per person per day when you are harvesting those scallops from the marsh grasses. However, there is

Everything is right there for you at Plantation on Crystal River. The DIVE Shop is next to the resort.

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There are gators too.. saw this one on the golf course… took the stroke penalty and safely went on my way golfing…

no limit to the fun times you can have at the Plantation on Crystal River.

For more information visit http://www.plantationoncrystalriver.com/ Can’t make it to Florida this summer? Check out their sister property on Martha’s Vineyard—Harbor View Hotel & Resort: http://www. harbor-view.co

Embark on a “Journey to Olympic Golf” with Reistetter in the Fall of 2013 as he travels from St. Louis, Missouri where golf was played in the 1904 Olympics to Rio de Janiero where it will be played again in the 2016 Olympics. http://www.journeytoolympicgolf.com/

Beautiful Place!

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RESORTREPORT

Walk in the shadows of Roy “Tin 20 Golf Vacations • July 2013

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by David R. Holland

TUBAC GOLF RESORT & SPA • TUBAC, AZ

L

ong before Kevin Costner played a confounded and aspiring U.S. Open participant named Roy McAvoy in the 1996 movie “Tin Cup,” the land that now occupies Tubac Golf Resort & Spa -- and provided many scenes in the movie -- was a major piece of Arizona history.

Situated on 500 acres of historic Otero Ranch, just 35 miles south of Tucson, the resort is set back in time, surrounded by vistas of the Santa Rita and Tumacacori mountain ranges. Cottonwoods and cattle still roam amid Southwest decor and Spanish Colonial architecture of Old Arizona.

And Tubac sports a multimillion-dollar renovation, including a four-acre cluster of Hacienda Suites and Casitas with golf course views, along with the historic Otero House, a new clubhouse and a 17th-century replica chapel.

But Tubac is best known for recreation with 27 holes of golf, tennis, dining, a spa and year-round swimming and relaxation amid historic structures and lush natural vegetation and gardens.

Opened in 1959, Tubac’s early days included visits from movie legend John Wayne, and Bing Crosby was an early lot owner. Bill Gahlberg, another early developer, enjoyed hosting hockey Hall of Famer Bobby Hull’s family, where son Brett learned to play golf before he also became an NHL Hall of Famer.

“I think most golfers like the history that goes with this setting,” said Dennis Palmer, the vice president of golf operations. “It started modestly and has been enhanced over the years, but they have kept the history and the rural feel. No one came in and built a 40-story Ritz-Carlton. I think people like that ambiance, mountain views, the river, cottonwoods, cattle and the great winter weather.”

Speaking of cattle, there’s a local rule: “Ball landing on cow pie: pick, lick, and place no closer to the hole!” Red Lawrence designed the original 18, but a new nine opened in 2006 with eight of the holes routed

by Ken Kavanaugh.

Tubac Golf Resort & Spa: Three nines The Rancho nine, which begins and ends with a tee shot over the Santa Cruz River, features the third hole where in the movie “Tin Cup,” Costner erupts in a tizzy with caddie Cheech Marin over club selection and breaks every club but his 7-iron. Look for several plaques and signs that remember scenes from the movie.

The fifth hole, a 568-yard par 5, was the goad scene in the movie, where McAvoy, serving as Don Johnson’s caddie, provokes Craig Stadler into going for the green in two from 240 yards out. A disgusted Stadler dunks the ball in the water, and the rest of the group, including Phil Mickelson and Gary McCord, get McAvoy to try the shot. He is successful and Johnson immediately fires McAvoy.

n Cup” McAvoy www.golfvacationsmag.com

This nine also includes the Tubac Triangle, a series of holes that are very difficult from the tips. Palmer calls them “three of the best holes in southern Arizona” -- beginning with No. 6, a 464-yard par 4. The seventh is a 254-yard par 3 and the eighth is a 651-yard par 5 called “Trainwreck”.

First you must negotiate a towering cottonwood in the middle of the fairway, then a huge lake teases you on any approach to the green.

The Otero nine is named for the Otero family, the original settlers of

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Tubac Golf Resort & Spa: If you are looking for a laid-back getaway, complete with a colony of artists in town, Tubac is the place for you. The three nines are fun and enjoyable, and there’s an excellent, large practice area with expert instruction.

Visitors can also unwind at the Tucson Salon & Day Spa, a 4,000-square-foot desert oasis specializing in indigenous Southwest techniques and featuring six treatment rooms, indoor and outdoor lounges, hot tubs, a sauna and steam room.

Dining includes unique Mexican specialties and steaks from the Stables Ranch Grille, where you can sit on the patio and enjoy golfers playing the island green. the property. This routing has a parkland feel with some of the original homes skirting the fairways.

Water plays a big part along the way as ponds front the greens on holes No. 5 and No. 8, and a lake runs the entire length of the fairway on No. 9.

risk the ridicule of fellow golfers, as well as that of the resident cows and nearby spectators enjoying the popular patio at Stables Bar.

Visit www.tubacgolfresort.com

The Anza nine is named after Captain Juan Bautista de Anza II, who was the commandant of the Tubac Presidio for 16 years in the late 18th century. Views of the Santa Rita Mountains can be seen here. The first five holes were added in 2006.

The 511-yard, par-5 fifth has fairway bunkers and lots of water.

“The green is reminiscent of the 12th at Augusta National,” Palmer said. “Welcome to Tubac’s Amen Corner.”

The nine finishes with a 140-yard, par-3 island green, making you envision the 17th at TPC Sawgrass. Players failing to reach the green

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SWEETSTUFF A s both a fashion trend and a more practical design to the ageold belt, the use of a ratcheting buckle that removes the need for holes and provides a more comfortable, exact fit is becoming popular as an accessory with golf attire.

While several companies have moved into the golf fashion and casual attire field recently with belts utilizing this type of design, a new entrant that has gained national television attention is also producing one of the better designed belts and is also giving back charitably to the world community from its sales efforts.

lengths, based on waist size, and two widths: 35mm and 40mm. Belts are unisex and can be comfortably and fashionably worn by men, women, and children.

Founded in 2012 to make fashionable, no-hole belts and aggressively fight global hunger and poverty, the Newport Beach-based company decided to work its charitable endeavors into the name and operations of the company on a daily basis.

“Having lived and worked across the globe, our team at Mission Belt Co. has seen firsthand the struggles of many people in developing countries,” Holzapfel added. “There are so many industrious, motivated men and women striving to create a better life for themselves and their families, but they are often held back because they lack capital. We are honored to be a part of an initiative that gives these wonderful people a hand up.”

More information on Mission Belt products can be found at www. missionbelt.com

S Mission Belt Co. was founded with a twofold mission: make worldclass Mission Belts® and fight global hunger and poverty. The Mission Belt Co. team holds tightly to the philosophy that if you give a man a fish, he eats for a day; but teach a man to fish, and he eats for a lifetime.

For that reason, $1 from every belt sold goes into a Kiva Lender Fund, which provides microloans to entrepreneurs around the world, mostly in developing countries, as part of its efforts to alleviate poverty and create more economic opportunity.

The company was featured on ABC’s “Shark Tank” earlier this year, where Mission Belt Co. co-founder Nate Holzapfel captured the attention of Shark Daymond John.

“It was an amazing experience pitching my business to the Sharks,” said Holzapfel. “My partners, Jeff Jensen and Zac Holzapfel, and I are thrilled to be working with Daymond John to help grow our brand and company. Daymond is the dream partner!”

Mission Belts® are designed to be sleek and functional, providing a perfect fit every time, regardless of fluctuations in the wearer’s waistline. They also don’t wear out as quickly as other belts nor broadcast to the world when your belt size fluctuates up or down. Compared with other brands of no-holes belts, the Mission belt is considerably lighter and more functional with a nice selection of styles and colors.

“We were eager to make a belt that will outlast others and that will always look as great as the day you purchased it,” Holzapfel said. “Because we eliminated the holes and use high-quality design and materials, our belts look great and don’t stretch, crack or break like other belts on the market. Plus, the mechanism we use for latching the belt is just plain cool.”

Mission Belts® are made of genuine leather and come in over a dozen belt and buckle color combinations. The belts come in multiple

24 Golf Vacations • July 2013

ecurity for your personal information—especially with credit and debit cards—is of prime importance when traveling today. The trendy and fashionable Wurkin Stiffs’ Wallets are not only a handy accessory for everyday use, but they are great for traveling because they keep the consumer safe in the knowledge that any credit, bank, identity or health cards they have stored in it are protected from identity thieves in addition to looking stylish.

Many are not aware that modern credit cards now incorporate RFID chips (Radio Frequency Identification) into their actual structure, and these constantly transmit personal information digitally through these radio frequency chips that can be scanned and read with inexpensive wireless scanners that are now available.

Wurkin Stiffs Wallets help protect these personal details by blocking

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SWEETSTUFF

by TerryRoss

that signal with a thin alloy matrix that is fused between the embossed Italian calfskin leather, keeping the information secure inside the wallet.

Consumers want their wallets to look great as well as protect their information from that latest technology that thieves use to steal information. After all, it is an accessory that is carried with them each and every day. Not only are these wallets very stylish, they offer constant protection and peace of mind when on the road.

Three secure wallet styles highlight the Wurkin Stiffs collection: The Slim RFID Blocking Wallet has a wrap-around exterior money/ bill pocket; Four interior credit card pockets; two hidden compartments and an exterior card pocket for easy access.

The RFID Blocking Full Size Wallet has two wrap-around exterior money/ bill pockets; four angled interior credit card pockets and two hidden compartments.

The RFID Blocking Passport Wallet has a wrap-around exterior money/bill pocket; interior passport pocket and five, angled credit card slots.

Widely available for purchase at fine retailers like Nordstrom, Sak’s Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Harry Rosen and Bloomingdales across the United States and Canada, they are also available at www.wurkinstiffs.com

W

hen travelers settle back home after a trip, having something to remember it by other than their own snapshots is often times a nice extra treat that can be looked back on for years to come.

The 18 Greatest Golf collection is both a series of luxurious and visually spectacular large format coffee table books as well as stunning framed art prints that certainly fill the bill as mementoes of exciting golf journeys.

Printed and hand-finished in Italy, the high definition and high density treatment of the photographs and illustrations in the 18 Greatest Golf Collection is truly mesmerizing. The Limited Edition 18 Greatest Golf Hole Volumes are large format books that feature stunning and exclusive photography and illustrations as well as insightful text and interviews with the greats of the game, including Rory McIlroy, winner of the 2011 US Open and Graeme McDowell, winner of the 2010 US Open.

Each book and art print features brilliant, unique work from photographer John Kernick combined with the gorgeous art direction of Siobhan Royer-Hardy and the Scottish and Irish editions provide exclusive interviews with the game’s luminaries to truly provide one of the most beautiful and accomplished collections on the market. 18 Greatest Golf’s large format, hand-numbered limited edition framed prints are printed on the finest archival museum paper using the best pigment inks and of-

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fered with a variety of tasteful framing options.

The books are great way for any golfer to relax and get lost in the game even if they don’t have the chance to make it out to the course, especially when the tournament season begins to slow down. They make great additions to memorabilia collections and they are wonderful décor pieces for offices and man caves. With stunningly beautiful photography of the greatest courses in Ireland and Scotland, where the game was born, these are golf must-haves for fans of the sport.

For instance the 18 Greatest Scottish Golf Holes, a large format, limited edition title featuring stunning and exclusive photography and illustration as well as insightful text and interviews with the greats of the game, profiles Scotland’s very best destinations including the Old Course at St Andrews, Turnberry, Carnoustie, Royal Troon and Royal Dornoch.

A second title, 18 Greatest Irish Golf Holes, applies the same meticulous, unrivalled creative processes to Ireland. This book includes insights into the wonderful links at Ballybunion, Portmarnock, Royal County Down and Royal Portrush.

For more information: www.18GreatestGolf.com

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