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TEEING TAHOE IN THE SIERRA NEVADA MOUNTAINS I MORE SWEET STUFF

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GOLF VACATIONS SUMMER 2009

SCENERY STEALS SHOW IN IDAHO

NATURE’S PERFECT PALETTE

ROYAL PARTY IN MOROCCO

HASSAN II GOLF TROPHY PLUS:

JW Marriott’s Desert Oasis I Take The Journey At Pechanga

“Best Overall Golf Experience” – VegasGolfer “Golf’s hidden treasure” – Sports Illustrated cascatagolf.com

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ishes Exotic D

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contents I summer 2009

cover

stories

Teeing Up Tahoe In The Sierra Nevada’s

Scenery Steals The Show In Idaho

Morocco’s Hassan II Golf Trophy

Desert Springs JW Marriott Resort & Spa

by David R. Holland

With the Sierras minutes away, and the awesome beauty of Lake Tahoe less than an hour, the Reno area was a natural for America’s golf boom.

by Larry Feldman

Gene Bates, Scott Miller, John Harbottle, III. Not names that jump out at you. Not names the average golfer is familiar with unless that average golfer happens to be knowledgeable about golf course architects. And appreciates sheer golf course beauty!

by Chuck Miller, “The Traveling Guy”

The Hassan II Golf Trophy golf tournament, held yearly on the Royal Dar Es-Salam’s Red Course in Rabat, Morocco also includes a Pro-AM event. It has been called “The Ultimate Pro-Am”.

by Terry Ross

This Palm Desert, California resort, set with desert, tropics and just about anything else you may want, offers the perfect location to indulge yourself in a variety of experiences.

departments 12 Sweet Stuff

by Terry Ross

Spider Balero, PowerSwing Trainer, Flight Control Technology

24 Personal Postcard

by David R. Holland

Journey at Pechanga

29 Destinations Your Link To Great Resort Golf Locales

on the cover: Circling Raven Golf Club, Worley, Idaho

26 G O L F VA C AT I O N S • S U M M E R 2 0 0 9

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G O L F V A C A T I O N S â&#x20AC;˘ S U M M E R 2009

CONTRIBUTINGWRITERS Larry Feldman is a nationally published freelance golf journalist of more than 17 years. Based in Park City, Utah, his writing has appeared in such high-profile publications as Southern California Golf News, Palm Springs Life, Golf Tips, Sports Profiles and Men’s Look. Executive Editor Jeffrey Diaz

David R. Holland is a former sportswriter for The Dallas Morning News, a football magazine publisher and author of The Colorado Golf Bible. Multiple careers best describes this world traveler, who achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force reserve, serving during the Vietnam and Desert Storm eras. A former sportswriter for The Dallas Morning News, you can follow Dave’s travels on www.twitter.com/David_R_Holland.

Associate Editor Terry Ross Online Content Editor Bruce Binder Features Editor Larry Feldman For Editorial: call: (760) 774-2655 • e-mail: JD@GVLinks.com

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.

Advertising Representatives New York • 518-789-3005 Jon Meigs - jon@meigsmedia.com

Chuck Miller a Southern California native and 11 handicap golfer at Shadowridge Country Club in Vista, California, writes about golf for newspapers, magazines and internet travel sites. His business background includes developing the initial international distribution network for Adams Golf.

Chicago • 630-871-9417 Patrick Keane - patkeane@comcast.net Atlanta • 770-971-1616 John Reock - reock@mindspring.com Dallas • 972-991-4994 Phil Ganz - phil.ganz@gmail.com Hawaii • 760-774-1752 Bruce Binder - bruce@gvlinks.com San Diego • 619-709-4425 Wayne McCollum - wayne@gvlinks.com Inland Empire, CA • 951-237-5042 Tony Smith - tony@gvlinks.com

Published by

President Jeffrey Diaz 100 S. Sunrise Way., Suite 257 Palm Springs, California 92262 1-800-940-7816 • fax 214-889-3667

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 2009 SportsMedia Publications, all rights reserved and may not be reproduced in any manner, in whole or in part, without written permission from the publisher.

G O L F VA C AT I O N S • S U M M E R 2 0 0 9

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M M E R 2009 9 G O L F V A C A T I O N S • S U10/18/07 1:33:10 PM

LAKE TAHOE

by David R. Holland

Natural Golf in the Sierra Nevada Mountains

Golf the High Sierra www.golfthehighsierra.com Phone: (877) 332-4465 2048 Dunlap Drive #11 South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150 Online Brochure: http://golfhs.journalgraphicsdigital.com/pubs/golfhs/current

Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course

f the Wild West areas of Reno and Carson City and the picturesque areas around Lake Tahoe have a cow chip on its shoulder it doesn’t show. Las Vegas may be more glamorous, more glitzy, but give me the down-to-earth people and the awesome, natural golf of the Sierra Nevada Mountains any day. Reno was created as a toll bridge in the 1850s over the Truckee River so pioneers could get to California, which is less than 20 miles away. Now, more than 150 years later, those Californians love getting away to the less-populated mountains of their state and Nevada’s, and the golf has improved to world-class. With the Sierras minutes away, and the awesome beauty of Lake Tahoe less than an hour, the Reno area was a natural for America’s golf boom. Reno didn’t waste any time getting on that stagecoach. I’d start with Edgewood Tahoe on the southern shore of Lake Tahoe then go north of the lake to take in Whitehawk Ranch, Coyote Moon, Old Greenwood and a new semi-private club named Timilick. Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course, home of the annual American Century Championship (celebrity-amateur), is simply one of the most strikingly beautiful golf courses in the world. Measuring 7,445 yards at par-72, it was first designed by George

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Fazio and updated by his nephew Tom. No. 17 is a beautiful 207-yard par-3 on the banks of the lake and the finale is a riskreward award-winner of 572 yards. Rated by Golf Magazine as one of the “Top 500 Holes in the World”, this reachable par-5 dares you to go for eagle, but anything less than perfect could be a double bogey in the lake which fronts the final green. Whitehawk Ranch Golf Club, located north near Clio, is rated one of the toptwenty courses in California by Golf Digest, and is set in the scenic Mohawk Valley, once a cow-patty field, with lupine-flowered meadows and narrow fairways lined with pines, cedars and quaking aspens. Ponds and streams also dare you to be brazen from the tee. Dick Bailey designed this beauty and the 18th, a par-5, is a winner. The fairway splits on this 558-yard hole, but keep it in play and you will have a birdie chance on this double-tiered green. “Whitehawk Ranch is a real pleasure to play,” said Gary McWilliams, a San Antonio physician. “Water comes into play on eight holes, so be sure when you lay-up not to go too far, but this a course that allows you to enjoy your surroundings.” Another course to check out while in the area is Plumas Pines Golf Course in Graeagle. Coyote Moon in Truckee sits in a tranquil mountain setting at more than 6,300 feet above sea level, a 7,177-yard, par-72

designed by former PGA Tour player Brad Bell. It includes 250 secluded acres of rolling hills, granite boulders the size of houses, towering Ponderosa pines and wildflowers without a single home to spoil the view. “Truckee was a real surprise to me,” said McWilliams. “It offered outstanding views for Coyote Moon and Old Greenwood. Coyote Moon has dramatic changes in elevation, forced carries, sloped fairways that always seemed to slope in the opposite direction of the dogleg, and multitiered greens. The real beauty of the course begins on the back nine, where the par-5 No. 12 had the pin tucked on the upper left of the green, just in front of a large trap and huge boulders.” Old Greenwood, a Jack Nicklaus Signature design, is one of North Lake Tahoe’s newest four-season resort community. It is only minutes away from worldclass skiing and offers luxury cabins and town homes for purchase. The course is a hefty 7,518-yard, par-72, and was christened on August 30, 2004, by the threesome of Nicklaus, Jack Nicklaus II and Peter Jacobsen. “This fun layout overlooks the Truckee River and features generous landing areas and approachable greens,” said McWilliams. “By the time you make your way up the climb to the 18th green, you know you've been both tested and treated. This will be a course you'll want to play many times.” The Resort at Squaw Creek rolls through meadows looking up at the granite peaks of the site of the Squaw Valley 1960 Winter Olympics. This Robert Trent Jones Jr. design is an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary www.gvlinks.com

orre T Whitehawk Ranch

Old Greenwood

Palmer. Opened in 1991, this course rolls out with water everywhere and the smoothest greens in the area. Dayton Valley has hosted PGA Tour Qualifying every year since 1995 attesting to its superb and consistent conditions. Nearby, the Genoa Lakes Resort Course has breathtaking rugged mountain views and a 7,290 yards, par-72 championship course designed by John Harbottle and Johnny Miller. But its sister course, the Genoa Lakes Golf Club is my favorite. Designed by Harbottle and PGA Tour professional Peter Jacobsen, this 7,358-yard, par72 is a link-style creation that is consistently

ranked among the best golf courses in Nevada. Lakes, ponds, river and wetlands create a target-style of play that‚s fun and not too difficult if you pay attention. Finally, head back to Reno to admire courses like ArrowCreek Country Club, D’Andrea Golf Club, Lakeridge, The Resort at Red Hawk, Somersett Country Club, Wildcreek and Wolf Run Golf Club. Log on to www.golfthehighsierra.com and the folks who run this outstanding conglomeration of golf, restaurants and hotels can make it easy for your next vacation to one of the most beautiful areas on earth.

Plumas Pines Golf Resort

due to the commitment toward natural, no pesticide greens-keeping methods. Another new semi-private layout now open to the public after 10 a.m. is Timilick Tahoe (7,042 yards, par-71) inspired by golf’s origins in Scotland and Ireland. The design team of Johnny Miller and John Harbottle laid out this beauty in Martis Valley with dramatic views of Northstar and the Carson Range. Lakes, streams and meadows provide an excellent setting for this traditional course. Next, move to the Carson Valley to play Dayton Valley Golf and Country Club (7,218 yards, par-72) designed by Arnold

THE CUISINE OF ITALY

“Combining Old-World Italian comfort food with personalized service, a congenial atmosphere and an extensive wine list, La Torretta excels as one of Arizona’s most impressive restaurants” — Dining Out

With a menu that utilizes the freshest and most authentic ingredients and pasta made fresh in-house daily, the restaurant’s culinary fare is consistently delicious and refreshing.Their Osso Buco,Taglio del Vitello Farcito con Quattro Farmagio and Veal Piccata have become local legends and inspired positive reviews from the Scottsdale Republic, the New Times, Guest Informant, TravelHost, and Scottsdale Magazine. The combination of La Torretta’s sophisticated interior and authentic food make it a prime candidate for intimate dinners to group celebrations of special occasions.

LIVE WELL

LOVE MUCH

LAUGH OFTEN

LA TORRETTA Ristorante & Italian Steakhouse

16640 N. Scottsdale Rd v SW corner Frank Lloyd Wright/Scottsdale Rd Scottsdale v 480.991.2000 v www.latorrettaaz.com Lunch Monday-Friday 11:30am-2pm v Dinner Daily 4:30-9:30pm

S WEETSTUFF T he Spider franchise of putters that TaylorMade Golf introduced in 2008 has a new species with the introduction of the Rossa Monza Spider Balero—a new mallet flat stick that combines extreme perimeter weighting and futuristic look with a lighter frame and a much-improved alignment tool. The Balero’s was designed to be easier to aim with its “ball-incup” feature in the back of the head to provide a visual cue in lining up putts that reinforces the image of a ball against the center of the back lip of the cup. At address, the image of the ball resting in front of the clubface works in conjunction with the white line on Balero's crown and the round hole through the back to help simplify the act of starting the ball rolling on the exact line you've chosen. This putter features an extremely light, feathery feel to go along with the design features that promote better alignment and set up at address. Another advantage to the Balero's shape and design is that it boasts an exceptionally low center of gravity. For more information: www.tmag.com

olfGym of Santa Ana, California has developed a remarkable stable of training DVD’s, resistance training bands, weighted clubs and other products dedicated to helping golfers get fit and improve their games through strength training. The company recently introduced a series of products endorsed by Joey Diovisalvi—or Joey D as he is known on the PGA Tour. One of the most popular products is the GolfGym® PowerSwing Trainer—a training and conditioning tool designed to develop proper swing habits and muscle memory, improve club control and shot accuracy, build strength to add distance, and develop better balance and posture. The GolfGym® PowerBandz is designed for the golfer looking to develop greater rotation, strength, flexibility and balance through golf specific movement patterns and exercises. Using these will help the golfer develop golf specific muscle movement patterns against resistance and ingrain those movement patterns in his or her body and mind. It consists of a set of two 4' bands with individual handles and includes a combination door and loop attachment.

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Among the other GolfGym products are: The GolfGym® Club 38 Weighted Trainer and GolfGym® Club 28 Weighted Trainer that is designed to increase power, flexibility and balance. The exclusive design distributes the weight like that of a standard golf club with half the total weight in the bottom third of the club. The GolfGym® Balance Ball provides a proven time-tested design to help any golfer improve core strength, flexibility, posture and balance. The GolfGym® PowerBall is a great training tool to help develop core strength and balance. The double handled 8 pound PowerBall is designed for the golfer looking for greater rotation and core exercises and strengthening. The GolfGym® PowerStance Loop is a simple tool that when used correctly can make a real difference in your lower body strength and balance. This easy to use loop will help strengthen your legs to stabilize your lower body which will help produce a more powerful swing. For more information visit www.booklegger.com

oupled with its Moveable Weight Technology (MWT) TaylorMade Golf’s new Flight Control Technology (FCT) has pretty much completed the customization process by adding the missing component with the ability to change the face angle, loft and lie in its new R9 driver that has became the favorite of tour players, with more of them now being played professionally than any other model. Most metalwoods can be bent to adjust the face, loft and lie angles; it happens every week on the PGA Tour in the tour equipment trailers, as pros commonly request such tweaks to improve their performance. However, the process requires a tour technician to immobilize the clubhead and bend the hosel by hand. With a simple twist of a wrench, FCT allows one to change the R9's face angle, loft and lie angle. A small metallic sleeve is positioned over the tip of the shaft. The shaft is secured to the clubhead with a specially made bolt in the bottom of the clubhead. The FCT bolt is designed to be retained in the well to eliminate the chance of losing it. You can change the clubhead's characteristics by loosening the FCT bolt, removing the shaft from the head, rotating the sleeve and shaft into a specified position, and then locking them into that position within the head with the FCT bolt. There are 24 club variations possible with the R9. The R9 comes in both a regular and Tour Preferred (TP) version that has some nice custom shaft options, including the Aldila NV6 Voodoo shaft that has gained a wide following on the pro tours and is an outstanding fit with this driver. For more information: www.tmag.com Terry Ross

www.gvlinks.com

G O L F V A C A T I O N S â&#x20AC;˘ S U M M E R 2009

Tee ItUp In

Idaho Circling Raven Golf Club

. . . and throw in a helping of Washington State!

By Larry Feldman

5-Star Dining at Beverly’s at the Coeur d’Alene Resort

Circling Raven Golf Club

Golf On A Road Less Traveled

ene Bates, Scott Miller, John Harbottle, III. Not names that jump out at you. Not names the average golfer is familiar with unless that average golfer happens to be knowledgeable about golf course architects. These three men may not even know each other but they will forever have their names linked together in my mind following my recent golf outing to Northern Idaho and Eastern Washington.

Bates, Miller and Harbottle are the golf architects of three of the Northwest’s finest golf courses…Circling Raven in Worley, Idaho, The Coeur d’Alene Golf & Spa Resort course in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho and the Palouse Ridge Golf Club in Pullman, Washington. Bates, Miller and Harbottle have designed courses that should be on everyone’s “Must Play” list. Although they are considerably different, all three are extremely scenic and all three provide a good test of golf for golfers of all skill levels. Gene Bates, who designed Circling Raven, is no newcomer to course design. His twenty-nine year background in golf course design includes 160 projects, five years with the Jack Nicklaus Design Group, and 15 designs in partnership with PGA Pro Fred Couples. His Circling Raven course, which is owned and operated by the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, has received numerous awards since it opened in 2003. It was named to Golf Magazine’s “Top 100 Courses You Can Play” in 2008-2009, No. 1 in Golfweek’s “America’s Courses You Can Play” by state in 2009, and voted one of Golf Digest’s America’s Greatest 100 Public Courses for 2009-2010. www.gvlinks.com

G O L F V A C A T I O N S • S U M M E R 2009

Spectacular scenery greets your golf at the Coeur d’Alene Resort

Circling Raven’s slogan, “As Nature Intended” is right on. Natural scenic beauty abounds when playing “The Raven” as the course meanders through woodlands, natural grasses and wetlands. Rolling terrain and strategically placed fairway and greenside bunkers provide for challenging golf shots from both the tee and fairway. Depending on which of the five sets of tees is played, the length of the par 72 championship course ranges from 4708 yards to 7189 yards. One of my favorite holes was the Par 4, 8th hole, a 339-yard beauty from the whites. Looking at the view from the tee, it was easy to forget the stresses of our fast paced society. The powder blue sky, the stately green pines on both sides of the sloping fairway, and the long line of manicured bunkers, which flowed gracefully toward the green, took my thoughts away from my golf game. I hooked my left-handed tee shot into the environmentally sensitive forest area that runs from tee to green but managed a “second ball par” and thought…“Wow, what a great hole”. Another of my favorite holes was the 17th, a par 5 that offers challenges from tee to green. The course’s only lake lies between the tee and the fairway. Trees guard the ample fairway on both sides of the lengthy 559-yard hole. A well hidden creek flows the length of the hole on the right side of the fairway. Multiple fairway and greenside bunkers beckon to errant shots as you approach the small sloping green. All these obstacles make 17 a very challenging hole. My unexpected par made me a happy camper. 16

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The Coeur d’Alene Tribe has done a wonderful job of bringing golf to their reservation and the tiny town of Worley, 45 minutes from downtown Spokane, Washington. In building Circling Raven and the nearby 202-room Western style Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel; the tribe has made Worley a destination location. Expansion plans are underway to add two additional hotel wings, a 15,000 square foot spa, and an upscale steak house. According to tribal member David Lasarte-Meeks, who is the Resort CEO, “the amenities we’re going to offer will match or surpass any we currently know of in the Pacific Northwest. The Spa will be worldclass, and the new hotel wings will provide every comfort and luxury of a five-star property”. When completed, the steak house will add another dimension to the already popular Twisted Earth Grill, High Mountain Buffet and Sweetwater Café restaurants which offer an abundant assortment of breakfast, lunch and dinner dining options for golfers and non-golfers alike. Fifty short minutes from Worley, Circling Raven, and the Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel you’ll find the picturesque town of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, home of the Coeur d’Alene Golf & Spa Resort and world’s only moveable floating island green. Resort founder Duane Hagadone turned an old sawmill site into one of the world’s finest resorts, hired Scott Miller to design a course to be remembered…and as the saying goes…“The rest is history”. The famed island green at the Coeur d’Alene Golf & Spa Resort course has been pictured in golf magazines all over the www.gvlinks.com

Palouse Ridge Golf Club next to Washington State University

world. It is unique in every sense of the word. It’s 15,000,000 pounds, covers 15,000 square feet, and is moved daily through Lake Coeur d’Alene’s sky blue water via a one-inch cabled connected to electric winches in the substructure of the green. It plays from 95 to 218 yards depending upon where it is positioned and the tee that is played. Whether you have a successful shot across the water to the green, or send your ball into Lake Coeur d’Alene, you are motored to and from the green via an electric powered boat and given a certificate designating your score on this unique and magnificent hole. Scott Miller’s fame as the course architect is usually centered around the island green. However, the other 17 holes are worthy of praise also. Each and every hole has a view of the lake. Each and every hole is manicured to perfection and each and every hole is its own scenic beauty. Before you play the course don’t be fooled by its 6309-yard length. It plays tough if you try to overpower it. Think strategically placed shots to wide open fairways so you will keep clear of the trees that line almost every fairway. Stay out of the bunkers, the lake, the streams and listen to your caddy. Each foursome has a uniformed caddy who is well trained, will run like a deer to find your ball, knows distances and breaks, and is a godsend to have as a mentor. When you play the course, you will drive luxury golf carts with tilt steering wheels, tee dispensers, club and ball washers, heated seats, and beverage coolers filled with ice and water. Combine www.gvlinks.com

these features with the beauty of the course, its thousands of brightly colored flowers, its manicured fairways with no rough in sight, its lake views from every hole, and the truly spectacular moveable floating island green, and you’ll be sound like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Hollywood movie star turned California Governor, when you say…“I’ll be back”. John Harbottle, III is the third architect I will always remember following my golf trip to Northern Idaho and Eastern Washington. He is the architect of the newly opened Palouse Ridge Golf Club on the campus of Washington State University in Pullman, Washington. The Palouse Region, full of rolling hills full of acres and acres of wheat, provided a wonderful setting for the new golf course home of the WSU Cougar golf team. Because of the many sloping fairways, the environmentally sensitive areas, and the abundance of bunkers on each hole, knowing correct distances is of utmost importance when playing Palouse Ridge. If you want to score well on Harbottle’s beautifully designed course, make sure to get a yardage book when checking in at the pro shop before your round. In addition to correct distances and suggested landing areas, it will also provide you with interesting background information about the course, the area, and Washington State’s role in developing and maintaining the course. Played from the tips at 7308 yards, Palouse Ridge may prove to be a difficult course for mid and high handicap amateurs as G O L F V A C A T I O N S • S U M M E R 2009

Unique entrance to the Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel

length and accuracy are of prime importance. As someone who sprays the ball a great deal, particularly off the tees, I decided to play from the Grey Tees, the middle of the five sets of tees. From the Greys, I found the 6172-yard par 72 course challenging but fair. Palouse Ridge’s five Par 3’s range from 119 to 184 yards but don’t let the short distances fool you. All take skilled shots to sloping greens to make birdies a possibility. At 307 to 414 yards, the Par 4’s also offer challenges. The drivable 307-yard 15th hole sets up a classic risk/reward opportunity. The three bunkers in middle of the fairway are to be avoided at all costs if a birdie or par is your goal.

Hole 12 at Circling Raven Golf Club

The longest Par 4, the 414-yard third hole is handicapped No. 3 and for good reason. Accuracy off the tee is key as right side fairway bunkers narrow the landing area and the greenside bunkers to the left of the green dictate a long and accurate approach shot to the right side of the green. To my way of thinking, a par on this hole is an achievement. The Par 5’s average an even 500 yards with the shortest being 475 yards and the longest 527 yards. An unusual but enjoyable aspect of Palouse Ridge’s design is that the final two holes are both Par 5’s. When playing Palouse Ridge, you will experience closeness with the natural terrain and panoramic views of the beautiful countryside. To me, the following quote from the yardage book sums it up, “throughout your round, you will be aware of the course’s natural setting. Native areas will influence your strategy of play. Great care has been taken to incorporate features that will give the course a true Palouse feel”.

Beverage and a view at Pullman’s Palouse Ridge Golf Club

Gene Bates, Scott Miller and John Harbottle, III worked diligently to capture the Northern Idaho, Eastern Washington region’s natural scenic beauty when they designed Circling Raven, The Coeur d’Alene Golf & Spa Resort course and Palouse Ridge Golf Club. Bates’ Circling Raven, Miller’s Coeur d’Alene course and Harbottle’s Palouse Ridge are three courses that should be included in your golfing itinerary when visiting Northern Idaho and Eastern Washington. They are challenging, fun, extremely scenic and well designed by three very talented golf course architects. For more information about Northern Idaho visit www.visitnorthidaho.com. For details about Circling Raven, the Coeur d’Alene Golf & Spa Resort, and Palouse Ridge golf courses, visit www.cdacasino.com, www.cdaresort.com, and www.palouseridge.com.

G O L F VA C AT I O N S • S U M M E R 2 0 0 9

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GOLF VACATIONS WINTER 2008

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FIND YOUR RHYTHM AT THE ST. KITTS MARRIOTT RESORT

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Story and Photos by

Chuck Miller, “The Traveling Guy”

Marrakech old wall from Sofitel hotel room

ro-Am golf events at most PGA, LPGA and Nationwide golf tournaments generally consist of introductory handshakes on the first tee between a pro and his or her amateur playing partners, and a handshake and tip of the cap after the last putt is dropped on the 18th hole.

Pro-Ams are designed to give the average amateur golfer the opportunity to meet professional players, see tremendous golf shots, and play golf while contributing to a local worthwhile charity. Pro-Am events are ways local host committees raise money to help cover tournament expenses. Most are quite expensive one-day events. The Hassan II Golf Trophy golf tournament, held yearly on the Royal Dar Es-Salam’s Red Course in Rabat, Morocco’s European-styled capital, also includes a Pro-AM event. However, it is much more than a one-day event. It has been called “The Ultimate Pro-Am” as participants take part in ten days of activities in conjunction with the tournament.

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Begun 36 years ago as a result of a friendship developed between golf legend Billy Casper and Hassan II, the now deceased King of Morocco, the Hassan II Golf Trophy is a marvelous event for both professional and amateur players from all over the world. This past year 24 professionals from 17 countries competed as did amateurs from the US, Europe, Asia and Africa. Winners of previous tournaments read like a Who’s Who of Golf and this past year’s winner was no exception as South Africa’s Ernie Els joined the list of top professionals who have won the tournament title. Els’s scored a two stroke victory over Sweden’s Johan Edfors with a 17 under par score on Royal Dar Es-Salam’s lengthy 7000 yard Red Course. Els joins an international elite group of golfers including Casper, Lee Trevino, Payne Stewart and David Toms of the US; Vijay Singh of Fiji; Colin Montgomerie of Scotland; Peter Townsend and Roger Chapman of England; and 2007 winner, Padraig Harrington of Ireland, as a champion of this international tournament.

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Bellmen & Golf bags at Sofitel Marrakech

Entrance to Sofitel Marrakech

Rabat Hilton gardens

Ernie Els and fellow competitor eye putts

Laurie Davies of England took top honors in the women’s Lalla Meryem Cup, held in conjunction with the Hassan II Golf Trophy, by beating an all-star group of 13 women professionals from seven different countries. Davies won with a seven under score on Royal Dar Es-Salam’s 6200-yard Blue Course. She bested Tania Elosegui of Spain by one stroke to take home her 70th international golfing victory. The 2008 “Ultimate Pro-Am” was more than just golf. Way more. It was ten days full of of wonderfully organized golf and activities. An incredible opportunity to speak with professional and amateur golfers from all over the world and an opportunity to meet Moroccans, learn about their intriguing culture, taste palate pleasing food, and sightsee and shop in the centuries-old souks in the medinas of Marrakech and Rabat. It was an opportunity to take a 4-wheel off-road tour into the foothills of the Atlas Mountains; to drive through Berber villages filled with smiling children. It was lunches and dinners with golf

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legend Billy Casper, his wife Shirley, and their son Bob, co-host of the weekly golf show Real Golf Radio. It was an opportunity to trade golf stories with other members of our group who had flown in from Dubai, New York and California to play in the men’s and women’s tournaments. While in Marrakech, it was relishing the exquisite lunch served at the Kasbah Agafay, a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World. It was the dining at Ksar Char-Bagh, a private palace inspired by 14th century Moorish architecture and member of Relais & Chateaux It was dinner at Restaurant Tanjia where belly dancers entertained while we dined on traditional Moroccan delicacies. In Rabat, our group was privileged to spend an evening at the home of Mohamed El Gaharvi, one of Rabat’s leading rug merchants. What an evening. We conversed with Mohamed and his family in their lovely home filled with exquisite Moroccan and Chinese rugs, gorgeous lamps, clocks and family photos. We enjoyed home cooked chicken pastilla, a large elegantly shaped

G O L F V A C A T I O N S • S U M M E R 2009

pie of delicately blended layers of flaky philo pastry, eggs, almond paste, and ground chicken, topped with powdered sugar and cinnamon. We ate mouth watering bites of lamb shoulder covered with tender slices of squash, turnips, carrots, and pumpkin served on a bed of couscous topped with raisins and onions and sprinkled with cinnamon. It was a wonderful experience. Our hotels in Morocco were distinctly different as were the cities of Marrakech and Rabat. The Hotel Sofitel in Marrakech had the feeling of old Morocco with light pastel colored orange walls, tiled floors, carved wooden doors and bellmen dressed in traditional Moroccan attire. The Hilton in Rabat reflected more of the European flavor of Morocco’s capital. The staffs at both hotels were highly trained, extremely courteous and in most cases totally able to decipher the needs of our American group who spoke little French and no Arabic. The pairings party at which the 24 male professionals and 13 lady professionals were presented, and the gala black-tie dinner

for nearly 700 guests which was presided over by His Royal Highness Prince Moulay Rachid, were held in the main banquet room at the Hilton. At the pairings party, Billy Casper personally greeted each professional golfer. The respect shown him was overwhelming, as well it should be. Casper’s golf record includes 80 wins on five continents including 51 wins on the PGA Tour, and nine on the then Senior Tour. He won the US Open twice and donned the famed Green Jacket as Masters Champion once at Augusta National. He also played on nine Ryder Cup teams, was Captain once, and holds the record for most wins by an American in Ryder Cup competition. Casper’s warm personal relationship with the Royal family, members of the Royal Society of Golf of Morocco, and the people of Morocco, was quite evident during our 10-day sojourn. At a private reception for the American amateurs and the Casper family held at the residence of US Ambassador Thomas Riley, Ambassador Riley praised Casper, his relationship with the Royal family, his 65 trips to Morocco since first meeting with King

Roman columns in fairway

Californian Shirley Silbernagel highlights poster on the course

Shopping in the souks of Rabat

Blasting from the bunker

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Hassan II in 1968, and his 40-year tenure as “Goodwill Ambassador to Morocco”. By being with him daily and watching him interact with Moroccan friends new and old, it was obvious to us how much Casper has done to promote positive relations over the years between the US and Morocco. Watching the reverence for Casper among the professional golfers as he greeted them at the pairing party, on the course, and in the player’s dining area was truly inspiring. During the tournament we were able to meet and speak with many of the competing professionals, both men and women. The openness of the tournament allowed me to converse with tournament winners Ernie Els and Laura Davies, four time European Tour winner Paul McGinley of Ireland, Marcel Siem, who teamed with Bernard Langer to win the World Cup for Germany in 2006, Faycal Serghini, Morocco’s number one pro, Johan Edfors, this year’s 2nd place winner from Sweden, women’s runner-up Tania Elosequi of Spain and Patricia Meunier-Lebouc of France, team captain of the winning team in the ladies Friendship Cup for female guests and sponsors of the tournaments.

Ernie Els receives congratulations from Prince Moulay Rachid

During our stay in Rabat, I played Royal Dar Es-Salam’s championship Blue Course, the nine-hole Green Course, and walked with a number of pros on the Red Course. All three courses were tree-lined parkland styled courses. All were well bunkered with heavy red clay sand, much different than the light white sand we are accustomed to in the US. The layout and terrain of the three courses reminded me a great deal of my home course, Shadowridge Country Club in Vista, California. My favorite holes on the Red Course were the 9th hole, a difficult par 3 which required a 200-yard shot to the green over a duck filled lake, and the 11th hole, a par 4 with Roman columns sitting elegantly in the rough to the left of the fairway. Rains during the three weeks prior to the tournament soften the greens and allowed the pros to go for the pin on most occasions although wicked pin placements provided adequate challenge and demanded exacting shots.

Dar es Salam Red Course through the trees

Morocco’s geography and climate are similar to my home state of California. It has lovely sand beaches on its West Coast, the spectacular Atlas Mountains in the middle of the country, the Sahara desert to the East and flat agricultural land for raising fruits and vegetables throughout the country. Morocco, a country that should be on everyone’s “To Visit List”, was the first country to recognize Washington’s new government in the late 1700’ and has been a friend of the US ever since. A great way to visit Morocco is to participate as a golfer or non-golfer in “The Ultimate Pro-Am”. For more information about Morocco, visit www.Morocco.com. For information about the Hassan II Golf Trophy or the Lalle Meryem Cup, email Joan Short at wwg@earthlink.net or Chuck@TheTravelingGuy.com. www.gvlinks.com

Musicians entertain at exclusive Rabat restaurant

G O L F V A C A T I O N S • S U M M E R 2009

PERSONALPOSTCARD

EMECULA, Calif. - Life is truly a journey - even when ancient footsteps lead to a brand-new golf course. Let's retrace the moccasin tracks of the Pechanga Band of the LuiseĂąo Indians. They lived for 10,000 years in the Temecula Valley, but that all changed in 1873 when ranchers convinced a San Francisco District Court to evict the tribe from their ancestral land and placed them on a small plot in the hills south of Temecula. One can just imagine an unhappy band of American Indians. But years later, in 1882, despite bickering in the California Legislature, President Chester A. Arthur gave them back a small part of their original sovereignty, when an executive order returned 4,000 acres creating the Pechanga Indian Reservation. It was here the tribe built the massive Pechanga Resort & Casino in 2002, which is a mere 50 minutes up I-15 from San Diego, and then opened its Arthur Hills/Steve Forrest-designed golf course, Journey at Pechanga, in August of 2008. When Hills and Forrest arrived to survey the land, they found room for reasonably flat holes and hilly terrain that presented some climbs into the rocky, rugged slopes that presented the opportunity for 24

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hang-time tee shots. "The grandeur of panoramic vistas, rock outcroppings, stately old oak trees and the mountain edging one side of the course became a tapestry on which to weave the strategic aspects of the game of golf in order to evoke the spirit of competition," said Hills. "Throughout the design, we have remained dedicated to leaving plenty of room for relaxation and fun along the way." Preserving Tribal Culture Journey at Pechanga, a 7,219-yard, par72 golf course, was not only designed with environmental sensitivity but also with a preservation of the historic tribal culture of the Pechanga Band of LuiseĂąo Indians. Countless sacred oak trees were protected - including one called "The Great Oak" - one of the largest natural-growing, indigenous-coast, live oak trees in the United States and estimated to be anywhere from 850 to 1,500 years old. These trees are amazing to view until your golf ball lands in one. Forrest said it was visualization that the team weaved strategic aspects of the game in to, evoking a spirit of competition with plenty of room for fun. "The first nine was pretty easy to envi-

sion," he said, "being on flat land." The real challenge was using the sloped hillsides that forced the team to go up sometimes 300 feet creating a total of seven miles of cart paths. The Pechanga Creek also adds to strategy as boundaries on some holes. Journey at Pechanga: The Verdict The first truly scenic hole at Journey at Pechanga is the fifth, a par 4 of 351 yards with a lake to carry and a green protected by a snaking, rocky water feature. The tribe's heritage is first seen here - to the right of the green is a crumbling adobe ruin and "Kiicha" huts, built by children as a cultural education. Then your amusement ride expedition really begins as you climb up 300 feet to the 488-yard, par-4 sixth hole. "The hang time there is stupendous," Forrest said of the drive. The fairway is 200 feet below, and there's a wooded ravine beckoning left and right. Even if you smash one to within 100 yards of the green, the putting surface is severely sloped from front to back making it hard to hone in on the flag. My favorite was another hang-glider drop. No. 17 is a par 3 and 180 yards with a www.gvlinks.com

JOURNEY AT PECHANGA by David R. Holland

view of the Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired clubhouse and casino in the panorama. The green presents itself as a tubular, horizontal target. A huge white-sand bunker bumps the putting surface short, actually saving you from a ravine that gobbles up balls into oblivion and red-stake territory. Eagle's Nest appropriately describes No. 18 - a 442-yard, par 4 that descends another 200 feet. Stay right of the large outcropping at the edge of a deep chasm and a huge old oak. But even if you survive the cliff-plunge tee shot, you find a Biarritz green on your approach - a putting surface that has a deep gully in the middle and two halves left and right on higher ground. After finding the gully and seeing your putt up to the hole, Biarritz, named for a French town where the golf-course feature was first used, you might come up with your own slang term for its difficulty.

Don't miss Journey's End, located in the 62,000-square-foot clubhouse. It offers gourmet food, indoor and outdoor dining, a bar and vistas of the golf course and hills. The clubhouse features a 4,000-square-foot foyer that displays a three-story waterfall that ends at the entrance of the locker

rooms on the lower floor. Eight other dining options are located in the casino, including four gourmet restaurants, and a spa is located on the third floor. (David R. Holland is a former sportswriter for The Dallas Morning News and author of The Colorado Golf Bible).

Stay and Play at Pechanga Pechanga Resort & Casino has Four Diamond comfort and amenities in each of its 522 guest rooms and suites. Each oversized deluxe room has floor to ceiling windows, a huge master bath, wet bar and separate sleeping quarters, and some rooms have Jacuzzis. www.gvlinks.com

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The Desert Springs JW Marriott Resort and Spa by terryross

A Desert Oasis For Indulgence

aking a golf vacation in the desert—especially during the warmer months of the year—you can find yourself yearning for the more tropical, lush surroundings found in other regions. But at the Desert Springs JW Marriott Resort and Spa in Palm Desert, California, the desert, tropics and just about anything else you may want is available and makes it a perfect location to indulge yourself in a variety of experiences. Located in the heart of California’s Coachella Valley and framed by three majestic mountain ranges, it is a sprawling resort oasis offering a remarkable contrast to the stark beauty of the desert in a 450-acre setting that offers lakes, wildlife, golf and 884 rooms. It is the largest resort and convention complex in the southwestern United States and sites squarely in the middle of the Palm Springs desert region of Southern California that boasts of more than 120 golf courses within a few minutes’ drive. The Desert Springs Marriott not only has two excellent golf courses on the property, but also offers the city-owned Desert Willow courses across the street from the resort with a Sonorantype desert feel that contrasts with the Marriott’s lush, tropicalstyle Ted Robinson-designed courses. Built around the resort lakes and wildlife that adorn the property, the Palms and Valley courses are excellent resort-style layouts that are fun to play and utilize the many palm trees and mountain vistas that make these very scenic experiences. They offer a nice variety of challenging, yet fair holes with four sets of tees ranging from 6,761 yards to 5,492 yards. The par-3 17th on the Palms course is one of the more scenic in the area and the par-4 18th has been ranked as one of the best finishing holes in the desert region. These courses are somewhat overlooked, but any visit to this resort should include 18 or 36 holes on site. The resort itself has recently undergone a $40 million renova-

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tion and expansion that includes a 38,000 square foot spa and fitness center and upgrades to the public areas in the expansive lobby that includes an indoor/outdoor lake, the famous gondola rides, three lounges, a 2,000-square-foot Starbucks with patio and fireplace and multiple snack bars. The recently reopened Spa at Desert Springs is now the largest in Southern California and includes decadent, private suites with showers, fireplaces and outdoor whirlpools; indoor and outdoor communal areas; and numerous other ways for couples and groups to spa together—including a co-ed relaxation lounge and a VIP suite staffed by a personal spa butler. The Spa also comes equipped with an aromatic hamman steam chamber, a cutting-edge fitness center, Spa Bistro serving organic produce and free-range meats, a full spa retail shop and salon. Gracing the 23 acres of lakes and waterways surrounding Desert Springs Resort & Spa is a range of water fowl. Undoubtedly the most beautiful are the thirty-two Chilean Flamingos, whose distinctive pink coloring is derived from their consumption of algae, shrimp, mollusks, and insect larvae. Nine black swans and four white swans are given free range of the property, but prefer to stay close to the water. Amid the flamingos and swans is the ever-increasing population of ducks, which includes six species ranging from ringed neck teals to black billed whistlers. Swimming contentedly below the surface of the water are swarms of Koi, Comet, Large Mouth Bass and Channel Cat fish. Each year Canadian Geese, Coots, Egrets, and Green Heron use the resort's grounds as a resting stop along their annual migration. The Desert Springs Resort is also home to the largest aquarium in the desert region with many rare and exotic species that aren’t often found. The resort’s famous Venetian-inspired water-

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ways allow guests to board gondolas for transportation to dining or for afternoon tours past cascading waterfalls. Dining options also abound at the Desert Springs Resort ranging from the Ristorante Tuscany for fine Italian fare to the Mikado Japanese Steak House and the casual Oasis Bar and Grill where shirts and shoes are optional. The Costas night club is legendary in the area for entertainment and offers a cigar patio, and if you simply want to go shopping, there are 14 specialty stores within the resort offering everything from designer apparel to sundries. The guest rooms at the Desert Springs are expansive and feature granite tile bathrooms, limestone, and Italian marble, with a separate tub and shower. All rooms also include a CD player, private balcony, movies on demand, a safe, mini bar, and 37-inch high - definition televisions. One of the highlights of the resort is the Oasis pool area, with three swimming pools surrounded by the stunning beauty of the mountains and lakes. Additionally, there are basketball courts; lawn croquet; nationally-ranked tennis facility; biking on ebikes or traditional bikes and even organized powerwalking classes with Bob Lemon, the 90-year-old plus fitness center leader-- if you are ready to go at 7 a.m. The Desert Springs Marriott has something for everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;be it a golf experience or just relaxing during those casual desert evenings. www.desertspringsresort.com.

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G O L F V A C A T I O N S â&#x20AC;˘ S U M M E R 2009

TaylorMade Performance Lab

ne of the most prominent desert destination resorts in California now offers one of the most-advanced club-fitting centers in the country with the opening of the TaylorMade Performance Lab (TMPL) at the Desert Springs JW Marriott Resort and Spa in Palm Desert. Located adjacent to the resort’s pro shop inside the four-diamond resort that sits virtually in the center of the Coachella Valley desert area, the TMPL offers one of the most advanced computerized club-fitting systems around, featuring an indoor hitting area that employs the Motion Analysis Technology by TaylorMade (MAT-T). Originally developed to fit clubs to TaylorMade-adidas Golf tour professionals, MAT-T works by gathering vital swing information and statistics by way of a launch monitor, six high-speed video cameras and a computer to capture the golfer's swing in sharp, 3-D animation – the same technology used in today's popular movies and video games. Golfers are fit by way of 34 reflective markers which are placed on strategic points of the body as well as on the shaft and head of the fitting club to capture a number of swings with the driver, iron, wedge and putter. The two and a-half hour custom fitting experience includes recommendations for a driver, fairway woods, hybrids, irons, wedges, putter and even the correct golf ball. Information about club head speed and path, swing plane, alignment, ball position, center of gravity, lateral motion of the body and posture lines can all be measured for both teaching and club fitting purposes. “The system is extremely specific since we get many different readings at impact,” said Jennifer Yockey, the Manager at the TaylorMade Performance Lab at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort and Spa. “We can see what the club is doing at impact, the angle of attack and what the face is doing— all of which affects ball flight. This all determines how someone’s clubs need to be built.” This information is then used to recommend club specifications, which can immediately be validated on the adjacent driving range at the resort. Custom-built demo clubs can be assembled using the TaylorMade SelectFit system that has thousands of combinations of shafts and club heads to build a custom demo club right on the range in seconds for testing purposes. Yockey noted that as one of only six TMPL in the United States and being centered into one of the nation’s top golf resorts in the California desert, she has had clients fly in from various locations around the country for the hightech fitting sessions. “We can fit dynamically as opposed to statically with a loft and lie board,” she added. “I would guess that only around 20 percent of the people we see are fitted properly for clubs when they come there.” Each player also receives a take-home CD with all captured swings, the swing analysis and MAT-T recommendations--all viewable on computer. In addition to the valuable information for fitting, the CD also allows players to analyze their swing from virtually any angle with the computerized swings, with much more detail available than in a typical swing video. New custom TaylorMade clubs can be built to recommended specifications and shipped directly to the player in as little as 48 hours. For more information on the TaylorMade Performance lab at the Desert Springs Marriott: www.TMPLabs.com

by TerryRoss 28

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DESTINATIONS

WHERE TO STAY • WHERE TO PLAY

Southern California Sat-S Holidaun ys

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$45

$40 rd

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Standa

$35

$30ht

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SUMMER RATES THROUGH OCTOBER 3

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G O L F V A C A T I O N S • S U M M E R 2009

You Don’t Have to Live Here to Play Here...

As a Golf Vacations Magazine subscriber, you are invited to receive a preferred invitation for golf membership at Coto de Caza Golf & Racquet Club. • Enjoy 36 holes of championship golf • Extensive practice facilities • Our new spa and sports club • 10 lighted tennis courts • Active tennis leagues and programs • Swimming pools • A full schedule of social and dining events Limited Memberships available. To find out more about Membership, please call the Membership office

949.858.4100

25291 Vista del Verde Coto de Caza, CA 92679 www.coto-de-caza.com

As a special invitation to experience the Spa at Coto de Caza, please call 949-858-2790 to reserve your 50-minute Swedish massage plus 50-minute deep cleansing facial for only $120. (Just call and mention this postcard.)