5 minute read
Ride in Style
from Kingdom 53
GOLF & RV’ING
Bubba Watson adds elegance to his drive with a new Marathon Coach
Having travelled the country as a professional golfer for nearly 20 years, Bubba Watson has experienced his share of magnificent surroundings. But it was only recently that the two-time Masters champion decided to have some of his favorite luxuries and creature comforts custom-designed into an elegant home away from home on wheels, and it’s made a big difference for his family. Watson’s vision of a luxury RV came to life in April when he took delivery of his new quad-slide Marathon/ Prevost H3-45 coach. It’s a spectacular, one-of-a-kind drive (and ride), the motorcoach equivalent, if you will, of the 424-yarder Watson lasered down the 16th fairway at the Bridgestone Invitational a few years back. Just like that other-worldly drive, Watson’s new Marathon Coach has to be seen to be truly appreciated. From the custom exterior paint with metallic blue accents to the comfortable, contemporary interior, the luxury styling certainly meets the expectations of a 12-time tournament champion. And, with room to spare, Watson’s family can also join him on his travels. All of this begs the question: What convinced Watson to become the latest in a line of pro golfers to embrace luxury RV’ing on the road? “I never really considered getting an RV until a few years ago,” says Watson. “Wish I had done it sooner. It is so much nicer than I imagined. I used to worry if my hotel room would have a comfortable bed or a funny smell. Not anymore. With my RV, I know exactly what to expect at every tournament, and it is really nice. It’s easy to see why so many people think of RVs as their home away from home but, like a lot of people, I didn’t really understand until I gave it a try.” Watson’s first try sealed the deal. It came during a golf tournament in Orlando, Florida, during which Lee Pharris, owner of Pros Home on Tour, convinced the Watsons to stay in a coach built by Marathon’s Quebec-based partner, Prevost. Pharris has a long track record of successfully introducing professional golfers to the benefits of the luxury RV lifestyle. “My whole selling point with delivering luxury, on-site tour accommodations is players can have a greater sense of stability and a home life by getting a motorhome, and living on the road that way, as opposed to the hotel,” Pharris says. “They’re not living out of a suitcase all of the time.” Founded in 1983, Marathon Coach is the world’s largest and most experienced luxury bus-conversion company, turning shells built by Prevost into lavish traveling residences. In its nearly four decades in business, Marathon Coach has produced more than 1,300 custom bus conversions worldwide, by far an industry record. The company has earned its standing by producing innovative luxury coaches that meet and exceed their
[left ] Exterior of a Marathon/Prevost coach; [right] Interior of Bubba Watson’s home away from home
Interior shots from Bubba Watson’s Marathon Coach
owners’ exacting standards for quality and design then backing them with an unwavering commitment to exemplary service after the sale. That commitment is demonstrated in countless ways and is no more evidenced than in Marathon Coach’s commitment to operate sales and service facilities in Oregon, Florida and Texas to best serve its family of valued owners and future customers. Watson and his wife, Angie, are among the more recent owners to experience Marathon Coach’s exceptional quality and service. Once they made the decision to buy, the Watsons connected with Marathon Coach sales representative, Kasey Hess, and Marathon’s design teams, who guided Watson and Angie through the tailoring process. “The Watsons were so great to work with,” says Hess. “Creating a ‘home on the road’ for Bubba, Angie and the kids became a great project.” The Watsons and Marathon Coach designer Brenda Kraft customized their interior together. “The challenges that come with an RV are quite different than residential design,” Kraft says. “From our years of experience making a small space feel larger, we know that scale is everything. In such a limited space, every choice matters. “If design isn’t thought out thoroughly, you can quickly get a lot of visual noise from too much going on, like patterns, lines and colors. Knowing where to place eye-catching elements and where to use a ‘quieter’ material is so important. It takes a judicious eye and a lot of experience to walk the line between too much and not enough when every fabric, leather and tile in the world is at your disposal.” Because Watson isn’t the first professional athlete Hess has worked with, he knows first-hand how dramatically a Marathon Coach enhances the life of someone who spends so much time on the road. “The pros who’ve established the motorcoach lifestyle are able to stay near the courses they’re playing and bring their families along; they are basically taking their homes with them,” Hess says. “It provides a sense of normalcy and consistency from week to week.” There’s no telling what all the benefits of Bubba Watson’s luxurious new home will add to his already great game. It remains to be seen, for example, whether there’s another 424-yard swing in his future. But as long as he owns his Marathon Coach, he’ll always have a spectacular drive. Marathon Coach is the world leader in luxury motorhomes, known for top workmanship, craftspeople and clients. Since 1983, the family-owned firm has produced over 1,300 Prevost luxury motorhomes for customers. These unique works of art are complete with almost every modification imaginable, including many industry-patented amenities. Whether chasing the luxury RV lifestyle or in need of a luxury motorcoach for business interests, Marathon Coach has the answer.
