TEEING OFF

VOLUME 13 • ISSUE 1 • 2021

Destination Golfer is published and owned by Varsity Communications, Inc.

VARSITY COMMUNICATIONS

2128 Sahalee Drive East Sammamish, WA 98074 Sales (206) 930-2400 Editorial (206) 484-5284 varsitycommunications.com

EDITORIAL STAFF

PUBLISHERS Kirk Tourtillotte & Dick Stephens

ART DIRECTION & GRAPHIC DESIGN Robert Becker

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Tony Dear

STAFF WRITERS Mike Kord & Simon McMahon Stephens

EDITOR EMERITUS Brian Beaky

FOR EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS stephens@varsitycommunications.com

ADVERTISING & MARKETING STAFF

GOLF MARKETING MANAGER Simon Dubiel

FOR ADVERTISING & ACCOUNTING INQUIRIES CONTACT Kirk Tourtillotte • (206) 930-2400 kirk@varsitycommunications.com

COPYRIGHT 2021 Destination Golfer. PUBLISHED IN THE USA. All rights reserved. Articles, photos, advertising and /or graphics may not be reprinted without the written permission of the publisher. Advertising and editorial contained herein does not constitute endorsement of Destination Golfer or Varsity Communications, Inc. Publisher reserves the right to edit letters, photos and copy submitted and publish only excerpts. The publisher has made every effort to ensure the accuracy of all material contained in this issue. However, as unpredictable changes and errors do occur, the publisher can assume no liability for errors, omissions or changes.

All photos are courtesy of the course or individual unless otherwise noted.

PROUD CHARTER MEMBER

Golf’s booming — 2021 trips abound for golfers ready to hit the highways and byways

BY KIRK TOURTILLOTTE

PUBLISHER

s anyone else ready for 2021? I know we are here at Destination Golfer.I

Like many of you, I have played more than my fair share of golf since the pandemic hit like millions of other golfing Americans. I just haven’t traveled much from my home to play so

I could stay safe. But, I am ready to do it big in 2021 and publishing Destination Golfer has only whetted my appetite even more.

My wife and I are snow birding in Palm

Springs for February and March and we are loving it. It’s something we’ve always dreamed of.

We’re blessed to get out of the winter cold of Seattle into the sunshine here in the desert and getting to play golf! Although, I am bit rusty after a two month layoff.

I’m hoping like all of you, to enjoy more destination golf this year as we look to put this pandemic in the rear view mirror. If COVID has hit your household, I pray that you and your family are healthy and safe. We have great news about our publication as we are going fully digital and will be publishing twice for the first time ever with issues in March and May. And, reaching a new readership that is our largest yet.

Our March issue is featuring a fandango travelogue by my business partner Dick Stephens.

His trek took him from Seattle to Pebble Beach — playing all the West Coast links courses in a two-week span. Something I’m sure that has never been done before. It’s a great read and part one features his start in Chambers Bay, Wash., with a layover at Bandon Dunes, Ore. Part two, will showcase the California coast in our May issue.

We also take a deep dive into Michigan golf featuring our friends from Gaylord Golf Mecca and all their scenic resorts and courses. Michigan golf in the summer is gaining in global popularity. We continue our Midwest focus with a drive through Kentuckiana. We tip our visor to the Pete Dye Golf Trail in Indiana featuring French Lick and a snapshot the Kentucky State Parks golf courses.

We can never forget how fun lake life is as we travel to the Lake of the Ozarks including playing Old Kinderhook, Lodge of Four Seasons and others. A quick swing west to Kansas lands you at Prairie Band Casino & Resort and their spectacular course designed by Notah Begay named Firekeeper.

We finish up this issue with a trip south along the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Alabama and then swing over to Mississippi where golf pairs perfectly with music, food and drink — with a gulf flair.

There are also some observations on how we return to travel in the post COVID world and how the pandemic has changed our golfing lives. We will miss our longtime editor and friend Brian Beaky, who ran this magazine since we launched it over a decade ago. He’s a stalwart and we wish him well. And, we warmly welcome our English gentleman journalist Tony Dear as our 2021 editor. Enjoy his Global Golfer piece he penned. His styling has been fun and welcomed.

Whatever your plans are in 2021, I wish you good health and of course — hit ‘em straight!