golfers dream book

Hiking to the Bottom of the Grand Canyon

2011-11-16T06:09:00.000-08:00

The Grand Canyon is one of the seven natural wonders of the world

The date is 11/1/11. There are 4 dates this year that have all the same digits and this is an unusual phenomena. We have just arrived at the South rim of the Grand Canyon. If you think that Arizona is all just one big hot desert, think again. The overnight low in Grand Canyon Village, tonight, is 30 degrees and they are predicting snow showers in two days. But we are planning to leave tomorrow morning to hike 7 miles to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. We will be descending almost a mile in elevation, through 5 different climate zones to stay at Phantom Ranch on the banks of the Colorado River.

There are several places to stay here in Grand Canyon Village; we are staying in Maswick Lodge, just a couple hundred yards from the rim of the Canyon. The accommodations are rustic but all we need. Very clean, plenty of heat-- newly remodeled and just right....

The next morning

We descended the Kaibab trail where we are passing through a goelogic timetable of almost 2 billion years (the bottom layers of the canyon are almost 2 billion years old and the top layers are a mere 270 million years old). Every step up or down the trail, we are stepping through 60,000 years of geologic history. Imagine that! Every turn of the trail and every hour of the day--the view keeps changing, the beauty more awsome, until in the last hour we finally see the Colorado River.

We arrived at Phantom Ranch around 3:00, to find bunk houses (male and female) with showers and ranger talks and even a few cabins that sleep 4 on bunk beds. There are 2 dinner seatings, ours is at 5:00 with a very welcome family style steak dinner. “You can eat as much as you want except only 1 steak per person,” the head cook informs us.

The hike in and out of the canyon is very challenging and I wondered weather this is a good family activity. But if you are an active family, this could be for you. We met the Chapman family, from Minnesota; 3 generations, from 10 years old and up, who were there hiking on Grandpas 80th birthday. This was grandpas 15th hike to the bottom

We also met a family from San Diego. Every year their kids have to take a hike: 1 mile for every year, their 10 year old had done a 10 mile hike this year.

The next day is was a hike up Bright Angel trail. 9 miles, less steep, both beautiful and exhausting-especially as the top which is the steepest part and we are at over 6000 feet of elevation. Rain was predicted on the day of the hike out-- that made me nervous. But we got lucky-- we arrived at the Rim at 2:00 in the afternoon. It started raining at 5:00 and the next morning there was 3” of snow on the ground!! whew!!!

If this all sounds too exhausting you can ride to Phantom Ranch on a mule.

The demand for lodging at Phantom Ranch is very high-- they open reservations on the first of the month for 13 months later. Call them for more information.

Even if hiking down to the bottom isn’t your thing the Grand Canyon may be, because of all the visitors that visit the Grand Canyon every year only 1% stay overnight in the canyon. The rest stay at the rim. There are plenty of rim hikes, day hikes into and around the canyon ranger programs. For example there is Trail of Time, a 1.3 mile stroll that shows you how the canyon was formed.

There is also the Hopi house, where you learn about the lifestyle of the Hopi Indians who inhabited parts of the canyon in the 1500s.

Most people think the Grand Canyon is named for its grand size, but The Colorado River was originally called the Grand River, till the state of Colorado came along and changed its name to plenty of opposition. However prevailing wisdom says the Grand CAnyon was named by John Wesley Powell, the man who discovered it.

You can drive to the Grand Canyon or take the Grand Canyon Express train from Williams.

http://www.nps.gov/grca

Grand Golf in Grand Junction CO

2011-11-01T12:26:00.000-07:00

Golf in Colorado can be wonderful. Of course, golf anywhere can be wonderful, but it’s hard for other places to compete with Colorado at its best. When you combine golf with the state’s spectacular geography, such as the Colorado National Monument, there’s a thrill that you just can’t get anywhere else. A visit to the National Monument in far western Colorado can be almost as spectacular as a visit to the Grand Canyon, and playing golf along its base is simply breathtaking. That’s the irresistible appeal of golf in and around Grand Junction, a city of 59,000 that nestles right up to the National Monument.

Tiara Rado Golf Course

Grand Junction’s Tiara Rado Golf Course sits at the foot of the red cliffs of the Colorado National Monument. The locals translate Tiara Rado as Red Crown. Framed by the red rock cliffs of the National Monument, Tiara Rado has an awesome location. It began in 1971 as a six- hole course, and is now a full 18 owned and operated by the city of Grand Junction. It plays 6400 yards and is a real “walk in the park” as you enjoy the surrounding red bookcliffs and experience the wide variety of bird species as this course is certified in the Audubon cooperative sanctuary program. We even had an encounter with the resident kitty, who greeted us on the third hole by batting my ball across the green and then bumping up against my leg and putter. After we moved on, he gave the foursome behind us the same treatment.

This course is in wonderful condition. The homes on the front 9 are pretty average homes, and this section of the course is a non threatening way to open your round. The course changes dramatically on the back where there is water on several holes much more elevation change and more contemporary homes lining the course. The views of Grand Mesa,the worlds largest flat top mountain, are spectacular.

The sign over the desk in the pro shop says “No work boots and no cowboy boots,” which tells you all you need to know about the neighborhood.

Green fee: $43.75 weekdays and $50.75 weekends, including cart. Tiara Rado is open ten months a year. Phone: 970-254-3830

Golf Club at Redlands Mesa

"Positioned beneath the slopes of jagged buttes south of Grand Junction, Colorado, in the shadow of the towering pink and red sandstone face of the Colorado National Monument, Redlands Mesa is like playing golf along the bottom of the Grand Canyon, with a couple of sojourns to the Garden of the Gods thrown in." –Golf Digest

Redlands Mesa, a few miles down the road from Tiara Rado, also sits at the base of the Colorado National Monument. This mountain masterpiece by architect Jim Engh has won many accolades, including Top 30 Public from Golf Digest five years running. It was also voted #1 Best New Affordable Public Golf Course in America. It deserves all this and more.

Engh, who has three courses on the Top 100 list, may be the king of mountain golf course architects. He has an incredible ability to take dramatic mountain terrain and place golf holes on it that look like they belong there. When I asked Engh about his design philosophy, he said, “I am in the entertainment business. I want to delight, entertain, fully engage and inspire golfers who play my courses. I hope they have gone on an emotional ride from frustration to complete intrigue when they play Redlands Mesa.”

The mounding on Redlands Mesa echoes the surrounding mountain terrain, and hidden among those mounds are some bunkers—a modest 41 in all—that you just don’t want to get in. In this mountainous environment, almost every hole plays down hill, some dramatically, as in tee boxes that are 100-150 feet above the fairway. It’s just a spectacular golf course. I did learn from Engh that, as much as golfers love down hill tee shots, they are more likely to drift off line than uphill tee shots because of the extended time the ball is in the air. That may be the one respect in which uphill tee shots are easier.

The views are dramatic enough that you may forget you came here to play golf. The greens have more movement in them than a bowl of jelly and are almost all uniquely shaped. The good news is many of them are actually bowls, so if you hit around the edges, you will probably get a favorable roll. But miss the edges by a few yards and you have a very challenging chip shot, down hill from a down hill lie, one of the toughest shots in golf. “Golf is a gathering game,” said Engh, “The question is, ‘Is your ball gathered onto the quadrant of the green where the pin is placed that day?’”

Here are a few examples of the kinds of holes that will launch you on the “emotional ride” Jim Engh wants you to take at Redlands Mesa. Number 2 has a breathtaking tee shot as you look out at the Grand Mesa, Number 8 is a spectacular par 3 across a lake that will certainly test your nerves. Number 17 may be the most memorable tee shot on the course—218 yards from the back tees with a 150-foot plus drop from tee to green which is framed by a rock amphitheatre. Water, rock outcroppings, and endless views make this a wonderful day

Redlands Mesa is a par 72 playing from tees ranging from 4890 to 7007 yards. At 6000 feet of elevation these yardages will play shorter. This example of wonderful golf is easily the centerpiece of a golf trip to Grand Junction.

Green fee: $89.00

www.redlandsmesa.com

Devil’s Thumb Golf Course

Devil’s Thumb is 40 miles down the road in Delta, Colorado, and it’s another must-play on your Grand Junction golf trip. The course is surrounded by foothills which are basically volcanic mud. Rick Phelps, the course designer, describes it as a Prairie style course. This landscape has an almost lunar look and in some cases comes right down next to the fairways. Grand Mesa, the largest mesa in the U.S., looms large in the background. There are five holes, all featuring dramatic downhill elevation changes, which could serve as signature holes at Devil’s Thumb: 3, 4, 5, 13 and 14. One is a drivable par 4 with a split fairway, the second fairway going around the rock cliff is by far the safer way to go. A few of the holes on the back nine even have streams and ponds running through them. This is a very good golf course in a stunning setting and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Green fee: $25 weekdays and $31 weekends, plus cart.

http://devilsthumbgolfclub.com

Cedaredge Lodge

Forty miles east of Grand Junction and just below the Grand Mesa, Cedaredge Lodge is an old 1950s style motel that proprietors Donna and Gary have turned into a small piece of heaven. It has quaint little rooms, all with tiny kitchenettes, and sits by a stream—open the window and let the rushing water lull you to sleep. There’s more—a clever little game room, putt-putt course, hot tub, fire pit and outdoor barbecue. Donna, in her prior life, was a massage therapist at a body building gym. She offers fantastic bodywork. This unusual motel is completely worth the stay. There is not a restaurant on the property, but Donna and Gary will gladly barbeque dinner for their guests. It is very convient to Devils Thumb but could be a good central point for most of the golf courses in the area.

www.thecedaredgelodge.com

The Links at Cobble Creek

A river (more a stream, perhaps) runs through almost every hole of The Links at Cobble Creek in Montrose, Colorado. We are half way between Telluride and Grand Junction in the western part of the state. Cobble Creek actually runs through 15 of the 18 holes, developing into ponds and ten different lakes along the way and bringing beauty and intrigue to this wonderful layout. The course, which runs through an attractive housing development, has four sets of tees ranging from 6970 yards down to 5177. There’s a game for every player.

The front nine is three par threes, three par fours, and three par fives. Par fives and par threes are usually the most interesting holes in golf architecture, and that certainly is the case here. The opening par five is a sweeping dog leg right followed two holes later by another par five that sweeps left. The third par five on the front is relatively straight. Numbers two and four bring you straight on to the breathtaking views of Mt. Sneffels, one of Colorado’s towering 14,000 foot peaks You get the same view from the seventh tee, if you turn around (maybe this hole should play the other direction). There are two wonderful, short (some would say drivable) par fours that are superbly designed with plenty of trouble. ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT THE BACK?

This is an almost level golf course, which is unusual in a mountain setting. It has half private play and half public play, and is beautifully maintained. What I found most intriguing about Cobble Creek is that it was designed by Craig Cherry. He got the job because his father-in-law was the property developer. This was the first, last and only golf course he ever designed. Creating a golf course requires skill and art, and for someone to create one this good with no training is remarkable.

Green fee: $38.00 on weekdays and $41.00 on weekends. Carts are an additional $13.00 per player.

www.cobblecreek.com

The Bridges Golf Club

The Bridges, in Montrose, Colorado, is a wonderful Nicklaus design that was included in the Top 10 new courses by Golf Magazine in 2005. The Bent grass fairways are generous and in terrific condition. There are too many wetlands, streams, and ponds to count, crossed by many bridges (guess how it got its name).

Number three boasts a challenging double fairway. Number five brings the San Juan Mountains into view, including Mount Buckhorn. Number six is a double dogleg, so hit your tee shot carefully. Number 13 is a devilishly designed drivable par four. Number 15 is a long par five with two different greens, which make the hole dramatically different from day to day. Number 16 is a mid-iron par three with a very shallow, well protected green. Club selection is key here. The greens have lots of undulation, making the putting very challenging.

The Bridges is private, but nearly two-thirds of its play is public and you will be warmly welcomed and feel like a member for a day. The clubhouse is 23,000 square feet, but more importantly there are four sleeping rooms (suites) upstairs that are wonderfully appointed. The rates vary from $125 per night to $175 per night. If you are headed this way, this would make a wonderful base for playing and touring.

Green fee: $72.00 plus $13.00 cart.

www.montrosebridges.com

Black Canyon National Park

Black Canyon is just a few minutes drive from the Bridges and has some views that are as spectacular as the Grand Canyon. No other canyon in North America combines the narrow opening, sheer walls, and startling depths offered by the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Views from Painted Wall, Chasm Point and Sunset View are as good as it gets. If you are in the area, don’t miss this.

www.nps.gov/blca/index.htm

The Colorado National Monument is also well worth a few hours to visit. The redrocks are spectacualar, especially near sunrise or sunset. It has towering monoliths and extensive plateau and canyon panoramas. As your eyes drink in all this spectacular scenery, don’t forget to keep an eye out for soaring eagles and Big horn sheep who call the area home. You can hike it some or all of it-- or just gather it all in from the comfort of your car on the 23 mile Rim-Rock Drive

www.nps.gov/colm

Golf in Glorious St George Utah

2011-09-21T22:01:00.000-07:00

St. George, Utah is about two hours from Las Vegas and less than an hour from Zion National Park. But St. George holds its own with these two overwhelming attractions by occupying a special niche--great golf at reasonable prices. And there’s no extra charge for the great weather. St. George has its own micro weather system and is usually a warm, dry, wonderful place to play golf.

The Golf Course at Sand Hollow Resort

At Sand Hollow Resort, think green, as in more grass than you’ve ever seen on a desert course. Designer John Fought clearly wants you to hit his fairways and greens. He does get a little cross, though, with those who don’t take advantage of his generosity. That’s why you also better think red, as in the deep orange red of the sand in the 90 or so vast and very deep bunkers that await shots that somehow stray from fairways and greens that are almost too big to miss. There’s also the red of the desert and the surrounding rocks, but at Sand Hollow there are no white out-of-bounds stakes. If you can find it, you can hit it.

The combination of red and green is not only stunningly beautiful--it makes a trip around Sand Hollow challenging, rewarding and, above all, enjoyable. My overall impression of the course is of bright waves of fairway, punctuated by bunkers, sweeping up and down the desert slopes to greens that are huge but not too severe. Every shot you hit rises against the mountains in the distance, or the massive red rocks and cliffs that dot the course, or simply the blue desert sky. A good example is number six, rated the number one handicap hole on the course. A dogleg left, the point where the sixth fairway turns is marked by a beautiful red boulder. Cut the corner by flying it if you can, or play right and look down from a hill top to a green guarded by bunkers on both sides. The flight of a well-struck second shot will be so enchanting that you’ll want to hit it again.

The front nine will make you smile, but eleven through fifteen on the back turn your smile into a thrill. Here is where red rock cliffs, falling 200 feet to the Virgin River valley below, will make you stop and just breathe in the scenery. At the beginning of the round, the starter said, “Pace of play is approximately 4:40--faster on the front nine, slower on the back, giving you extra time to drink in the scenery.” Numbers 12, 13 and 14 play along the cliff, uphill and then back down, bringing visual drama into every shot. But the real payoff is number 15, a breathtaking 160-yard downhill par three that inspires awe as your ball seems to hang in the air forever before falling onto the emerald green.

You may think that no out of bounds, not a single tree, wide fairways--and no water--would make Sand Hollow a bit of pushover. Guess again. The cunningly placed bunkers will take care of that notion, but it’s a challenge of the most enjoyable kind. And if you haven’t had enough fun after 18, Sand Hollow also offers an attractive, walkable nine-hole links style course and an 18-hole putting course called the Himalaya (yes, it’s that steep). The putting course alone may be worth the trip.

The Sand Hollow Resort golf course is a real bargain during the off season (mid-May through September 30)--only $50 including cart and range balls. Twilight fees are even less. The green fee doubles during peak season. Annual passes are available.

If you go:
www.sandhollowresort.com
435-656- golf (4653)

Coral Canyon Golf Club

Coral Canyon Golf Club, located in Washington UT, is just a few miles up the road from St. George. We are in a low lying desert and the design
of this golf course truly reflects its environment. Coral Canyon has its share of drama--both the front and back nines begin on tees 75 to 100 feet above the fairway. These tee shots have hang time that would make an NFL punter proud. But the real strength of this course is its connection to its desert setting.

The challenge here is not only to keep your ball out of the desert that lines the fairways, but also to keep it out of the desert washes that cross the fairways. These washes are strategically placed to challenge your courage to carry them, especially if you haven’t hit your best tee shot. Don’t take these washes lightly. Not just sandy stream beds, they are filled with golfball-eating vegetation. On two of the par fives--two and fourteen--a weak drive will cause you to think long and hard about trying to carry the wash on your second shot. Hoping to avoid this dilemma, you may feel a little added pressure on the tees of these holes. But the most interesting use of these cross-fairway washes is on the 15th, an intimidating par four that requires you to carry washes on the drive and second shot. The hole is flat, so bushes may even interfere with your view of the green. Par is a really good score here.

Coral Canyon’s back nine is particularly interesting because it has 3 par threes, 3 par fours and 3 par fives. This may make things more enjoyable for the average golfer, since par threes and par fives are usually easier to play. Plus, they are usually the most interesting hole designs as well.

The service here is wonderful. Be sure to greet Jan, the outside services person, with a big smile when you arrive. They don’t get much friendlier or more helpful than Jan.

If you go:
Rates range from $48-$105 plus tax and range balls, depending on the season. You may reserve up to 60 days in advance

www.coralcanyongolf.com
435-688-1700
www.golfmesquite.com

Accommodations: Mesquite, only 30 miles from St. George, has a couple casino hotels. We found a very nice two-bedroom condo in St George in Sports Village. The condo was clean and well equipped. The complex has a clubhouse, workout room, 3 swimming pools, hot tubs, racquetball, volleyball, tennis and other amenities. The rates are $120 per night in the high season, and $100 per night low season.Talk to the folks at www.fununderthesun.net about the four condos they have available in the complex.

There are many things to do in the St. George Area. You are 30 minutes from Nevada casinos and less than an hour from Zion National Park. In St. George you can visit the oldest Mormon Temple in the world and the winter home of Brigham Young, as well as St. George Dinosaur Discovery, where there are some of the best fossil footprints from the Jurassic period to be seen anywhere.

Golf and Dude Ranches of Granby Colorado

2011-09-20T07:42:00.000-07:00

Home James met us at the Denver Airport heading 65 miles west of Denver and in less than two hours we had climbed nearly 3000 feet in elevation to our snuggly condo in Granby Ranch. Although we are in the heart of ski country, this area may get more tourists in the summer. We are a few miles from Rocky Mountain National Park, There are numerous dude ranches and several golf courses in the area and we are close to the banks of the Colorado River. There is also plenty of wildlife roaming the neighborhood including Elk, Black Bear, Antelope, Coyote and Mountain Lions.

Grand Lake Golf Course

Today, Sept 2, I arrived at Grand Lake Golf Course to find there was a 45 minute frost delay. WOW!! That’s early!! This course may have one of the shortest seasons in golf--they are basically open from mid-May to early Oct.Thats short, but for those few months this is open, it’s well worth the trip.
This is a true mountain course, with elevation changes and vistas galore. Sitting a few miles from the southern boarder of Rocky Mountain National Park, Grand Lake is par 72 playing 6650 yards. However, at 8400 feet of elevation it plays more like 6200 yards, and like many mountain courses, the challenge of the golf can be matched by the challenge of the distracting views.

When it was originally designed, all the fairways were tightly tree-lined but several years ago there was a Bark Beatle infestation and they lost 200,000 trees. Now it looks very links style with sweeping views of not only adjacent holes but miles of mountain views as well. I like it like this.

As you look out over the panoramas of the majestic Rocky Mountains that surround you, you’ll see acres and acres of brown dead trees peppered in contrast to some green areas of new growth. It reminds you of the infestation but stuns you nonetheless.
The carts all have graphic GPS so distances to everything are very clear, but be careful of club selection, 8400 feet of elevation can fool you if you don’t pay attention.
Many of the greens are postage stamp in size but they were in terrific shape and putted very well. Several of the holes on the back nine could be signature holes, particularly number 10 a sweeping downhill dogleg left and number 11,a 180 yard par three from an elevated tee, to an elevated green over a pond.

As we made the turn about, just after noon, the wind showed up and changed everything. Apparently, this is common in the mountains.

I played with two wonderful partners, who I met on the first tee, Art and Rich. Art was from New York, but Rich went to Bloomington High School, one suburb over from me in Minneapolis. Small World!

Grand Lake Golf Course- www.GrandLakeGolf.com. 970-627-8008
Rates are $64 in high season and $44 in low season plus cart

Home James airport shuttle: www.ridehj.com 800-359-7536 shuttles to Granby from DIA $75.00 one way
Alpine Resort Properties: www.AlpineResortProperties.com 800-551-9943 Two bedroom condo at Granby Ranch was $149 per night.

Pole Creek Golf Club is located just outside of Winter Park CO 70 miles west of Denver. It is a magnificent 27 hole facility and today I played 18 holes (Ridge and Meadow). We played it from 6600 yards but there are 4 sets of tees so you can play any distance you are comfortable with. Remember 6600 at this elevation plays more like 6200 at sea level.

The Ridge nine is fascinating with elevation changes and undulations galore. It starts with a dogleg left, uphill par 4 and then travels up and down along the ridge from there. The par threes are wonderful and the par-five, ninth is spectacular. You can see for miles from the tee box even to many of the ski runs of Winter Park. This 532 yard hole tumbles down the hill, like a water fall and even I was able to get within 40 yards of the green in two. The contrast of the vast blue skies against the shimmering emerald fairways is surreal in its own way.

The Meadow is laid out on a more level portion of the property. Just after 1:00 the notorious afternoon winds showed up and changed everything.

Number 5 is a split fairway, I chose the right fairway, but having played it once I would play the left fairway which gives you a much clearer view of the green. Number seven is an almost horseshoe shaped hole where at first glance it appears you could go straight for the green, but even the longest of hitters can’t really reach it. It took someone with quite a vision to design this hole. So the conventional way is straight over a fairway bunker, then almost 90 degrees dogleg left over a pond and back up hill and further left to an elevated green. I would love to play this hole a couple more times, It is such an interesting and unique design.
There are some spectacular homes dotting these fairways and there are many spots that make you feel like you are looking at the best Golf coffee table book in existence.

Pole Creek Golf Club www.PoleCreekGolf.com 970-887-9195
Rates $83-$89 regular season plus cart

Dude Ranches of Colorado
This is my first visit to a Dude Ranch and I can’t help but think about the movie “City Slickers.” Maybe I’ll meet Curley, but I am more hoping to meet Norman, the cow that Billy Crystal helped birth and effectively adopted.

There is something about the outside of a horse: that is good
for the inside of a cowboy” - anon

If you have dreamed of trying out the cowboy life, and a week away from cell phones, TV and your Blackberry sounds enticing, then Dude ranches may be the place for you.

Drowsy Water Ranch is a dude ranch located near Granby, CO about 90 miles west of Denver and 3000 feet higher in elevation. This has been a working ranch for many years and was bought by the Fosha Family in 1977. This ranch is a family affair in many ways. One couple who is here this week from Indiana has been coming for 28 years. They have brought the kids and now bring the grandkids as well. He said, “I was here the year the Foshas had their first kid and I have seen their entire family grow up. They are like family to me”
Guests are not the only family members; there are the 120 horses with their varying temperaments and personalities who seem to be separate but equal family members. Ken told us the story of two of the horses, Gus and Navajo who hang out together all the time in the pasture and seem to be inseparable. Then there are the friendships that get built here as people bond during their weeks and arrange to come back the following year or years at the same time.

It’s also a family affair in that 75% of the visitors here are families. They have 3 adult weeks after Labor Day and thats it. This week is “art week” where people interested in painting come to paint in the morning and ride in the afternoon.
So what do you do at a Dude Ranch? Well, of course there is horseback riding, but there is also mountain biking, trout fishing, guided hikes, river rafting, yoga, horseshoes, steak frys, songfests and campfires, country dancing, hay rides and more. I forgot to mention the family style meals in the dining room for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

This morning started with a full breakfast from the menu and our introduction to trail riding. We walked down to the stable to meet our horse (mine is Gus, the lovebird I mentioned earlier). We got about 1/2 hour of training (how to ride, trot, command them etc)--this was followed by a 1 hour trail ride. The instruction was thorough and outstanding.
The staff here is as friendly and helpful as can be. After a delicious spaghetti dinner it was off to the Teepee for an evening of line dancing and square dancing (with plenty of instruction to help us novices) It was more fun than I would have at first imagined.
Come for a week and you will soon be familiar with words like “Howdy!!” “Come and Get it!” and the sound of the dinner bell.
I can see why people come back here year after year.
Drowsy Water Ranch www.drowsywater.com 800-845-2292. rates are $1820 to $1890 per week

Bar Lazy J Guest Ranch is the oldest continuous dude ranch in Colorado, and in 2012 they will celebrate their 100th anniversary. They are located 105 miles west of Denver on the bank of the Colorado River (the river source is 20 miles upriver) at an altitude of 7500 feet. We are just a few miles down the road from Drowsy Water Ranch. Drowsy Water Ranch and Bar Lazy J seem similar at first (especially when you review their daily activities list) but the similarities stop there. The capacity here is approx 45.

My cabin is called Gingerquill and the Colorado River is right out my front door. It’s raining today, but that does not really seem to matter. It’s so tranquil to just look out the window at the running river. Or just curl up with a book in the living room of the ranch house in front of the fireplace and pretty soon its lunchtime.

There is plenty to do, even if you don’t like riding horses, such as: fishing, white water rafting, high country rides, hiking, steak, shrimp and, BBQ rib cookouts and even a cattle drive (Billy Crystal, watch out). These are for everyone.
Then especially for the kids, there are programs for swimming, arts and crafts, treasure hunts, feeding baby animals and nature walks and more. They have a kids Pow Wow and on Friday nights they have staff skits followed by a kids skit--which the kids get totally immersed in.

There are specific multigenerational family activities as well, like the Wed morning breakfast ride and “GymKahna,” relay races on horses that involve family teams.

The guest books in the rooms are a perfect way to wile away a couple hours on a rainy morning. The stories and appreciation are awe inspiring. Here are three examples
“To the guest who come after us, If this is your first visit, get
ready for the single most magical experience of your life.
This is our third visit”
“Our family came half way round the world from France for
this fantastic week. We plan to return”
“I know I am one of many, but I so feel like family.. This place
is like nowhere else, a place to forget reality for a while and
simply enjoy life”

But the most telling story I heard this week was about a very successful lawyer from New York City who was here with his family. His firm had managed to reach him by phone at the ranch and told him to return to New York for a very important deposition. The senior partner of the firm had asked “can we land a helicopter on the ranch to pick you up and take you to a private jet?” He thought it over for about a minute and said, “Let someone else handle that deposition, I am stayin here with my family”
After he hung up the phone he recounted the conversation to the Ranch owners. “This is the first time I ever said NO to my work colleages.”

One more story is about a family from Arkansas. The kids had never been out of Arkansas before and came to Bar Lazy J. For weeks after the visit the kids begged, “Lets move to Colorado, buy 40 acres and three horses”
Several months later the family pulled up stakes and made the move.

75-80 percent of their guests are repeat guests. Personally I am surprised that there is ever room for new guests.
There is one small 8x8 room remotely located on the ranch property called “Internet Jailhouse” in case you just have to get on line.

Bar Lazy J Guest Ranch: www.barlazyj.com 800-369-6279 Weekly Rates: $1825 (adults) $1295 (7-12 yr old) $1095 (3-6 yr old) They are sold out for 2012 except for 2 weeks in Sept

Happy Trails!!

To get to my next destination, Salt Lake City, I decided to take the train from Granby, CO to Salt Lake City. Its about 10 or 11 hours. But it is the most relaxing scenic day you may ever spend, as the train winds through the canyons along side the mighty Colorado River.-- What a way to travel!

A Wales of a Golf Trip

2011-08-19T11:28:00.000-07:00

A WALES OF A GOLF TRIP

When I used to think of golf in the British Isles, I thought of Scotland or Ireland. Golf in Wales was not on my bucket list. But, after a recent golf trip to the south of Wales, I think you may want to put it on yours. Wales was good enough for the 2010 Ryder Cup, and it was plenty good enough for me.

There are more than 200 golf courses packed into this land of unpronounceable counties and villages, many of which cluster along the Heritage Coastline on the Bay of Bristol. You will find 800 miles of quaint townships such as Cwmyllynfell and Dolyddelan, but don’t bother traveling to Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoc, a landlocked city that has 56 letters in its name but not a single golf course.

From the U.S., we flew to London Heathrow and then took a two-hour train ride to Cardiff. From Cardiff, travel by car southwest, through winding roadways along the craggy shoreline. Here in Wales, you’ll find true links golf—fast firm fairways, steep walled bunkers, plenty of gorse to eat up errant shots, sea views with crashing waves, grassy dunes with bleating sheep, and, naturally, the whims of Mother Nature. Expect wind to move your ball around all day. And expect to walk these courses. There are almost no carts available and no one uses them anyway.
www.golfasitshouldbe.com

Royal Porthcawl.com

Royal Porthcawl is now rated number 94 in the Golf Magazine “Top 100 Golf Courses in the World.”
On the first tee box of Royal Porthcawl, the most inspiring comment your golf partner can make is not “Good shot!” but rather, “I can still see your ball!” That’s because, the moment you launch your ball into the costal air, it seems to disappear into reflections of sea and sky.
This Welsh links course, founded in 1888, is both private and public and boasts expansive views of the ocean from almost every tee and fairway. The fairways run at lightning speed, giving you up to 90 yards of roll off the tee! Unless, of course, you veer into the gorse and broom, which makes up most of the rough. This dense stuff will steal your ball and rack up your scorecard.

Judging distance is a constant challenge at Royal Porthcawl G.C. since there aren’t any trees or buildings to use as a reference. One scrub brush looks the same as all the others! And the local heather seems to run seamlessly along every hole. If you manage to keep your ball in the relatively narrow fairways, you can run it onto most of the greens. Tiger Woods played his final event as an amateur here in 1995, losing in match play, with a few detours off the fairways. So, take care to control the roll!

The wind and rain are constant variables and tease your stroke-count. And finding your way to the12th and 17th tees might frustrate the first-timer, since there is little signage and some crossover fairways to negotiate. Often, one must scurry to find the tee and keep ahead of the well seasoned, fast-walking members! We played the final three holes withTwo Welshmen, both named Robert, guided us back to the cottage-like clubhouse with smiles and Welsh hospitality.

The “Royal” status of Royal Porthcawl G.C. was bestowed on the club by King Edward VII. How does a golf course get “Royal” status? Easy. If a member of the royal family plays it and likes it, they can dub it royal. There are just over 60 commonwealth golf clubs that carry this moniker.

Greens fees range from 55 GBP to 125 GBP depending on the day and season and package rates are also available.
www.royalprothcawl.com

Pyle and Kenfig Golf Club

This much younger course is almost next door to Royal Porthcawl. Nine holes were opened in 1922 and the back nine, which plays like a new golf course, opened in 1942. We were lucky these past two days with no wind and no rain—wind is usually your companion here by the sea. The greens here are in outstanding shape, better today than at neighboring Royal Porthcawl.

The front nine is inland and the rough on the front nine is light and it’s easy to find a shot that misses the fairway.

The back nine is like a different golf course altogether, as you cross the road and get closer to the sea It offers more elevation changes and twisted doglegs all nestled along the coast. Number twelve, for example, is a severe dogleg right and the instructions were “tee off toward the bouy out in the sea.” It is much more challenging and more likely to cost you a sleeve or two of balls. The course also has a yardage book, which helps find your way around.

Green fees are 50 GBP weekdays and 75 GPB on weekends.
www.pandkgolfclub.co.uk

Pennard Golf Club

The fabled “links in the sky” sits 200 feet above Three Cliffs Bay on the Gower Peninsula, was founded in 1886. The seventh hole alone may be worthy of a trip half way round the world. The seventh fairway is framed by a ruined church on one side and the ruins of Pennard Castle on the other. The green hangs on a ledge overlooking the bay. If that’s not enough, then the par-5 16th hole has bay views that may stop your golf game for a while.

Holes 1-5 are a welcoming start to your golf day, then 6-10 play over much harsher undulating land and 11-18 provide the grand finish.
Authentic links is the sandy soil that is the buffer between land and sea. What is unusual here at Pennard, is that this soil has been blown onto the bluffs up to 200 feet about sea level. Many would say playing Pennard is a bit like playing on the moon. It certainly is dramatic. We were fortunate that Jeff Joseph, a former captain of the club, joined us on the front nine and helped us find our way around this course. We did have a yardage book and there are aim posts on many of the holes, but there are plenty of blind shots here and several holes, like seven and eight, that move like a rollercoaster, or maybe more like a pinball machine. The fairways undulate and tumble through hillocks, hummocks and dunes. I rarely had a flat lie, but that may be one of the charms of Pennard. The greens were in terrific shape and the sand (I was in one too many bunkers) was quite playable.

One interesting aspect of Pennard is the land has what they call “commoner rights”. That allows for hikers, horseback riders and even some cows to roam the course. There are short fences around the greens to keep the cattle from grazing. You will rarely find a course like this, and if you are anywhere near here, you gotta come experience it. But be prepared for a challenging walk. I would love to come back and take this on after having seen it once.

Pennard, like many clubs in the UK, is private but welcomes guests and the public to play.
40 GBP on weekdays and 60 GBP on weekends.
www.pennardgolfclub.com

Park Plaza Hotel Cardiff
This was a wonderful welcome to Wales, right in the heart of the city. It is a contemporary, boutique hotel with all modern amenities, including a fitness center, swimming pool, steam bath and whirlpool, delicious restaurant, and a very helpful staff.

www/parkplazacardiff.com

Coed-y-Mwstwr Hotel in Coychurch
This is a quaint 35-room European hotel of distinction and a golfers’ favorite. Located outside of Coychurch, it is an old manor house built in 1888 for the Arthur John Williams family. If you want a quiet countryside retreat, this has all the charm, comfort and tradition you can ask for. The stained glass windows and floral fabrics help make it a cozy, peaceful respite on the hillside.

Enjoy menu selections of Welsh Lamb Rump, Loin of Breconshire Venison, or hearty Cottage Pie with Creamy Mash after a long walk on the links, or bathe in the steam and sauna before retiring. Just ask our stuffed animal—a dog named Cayuga whose collar reads, “Put me outside of your room if you do not wish to be disturbed, and let sleeping dogs lay.”

www.coed-y-mwstwr.com

Cafe Valance in Mumbles
This was, by far, the best accommodation we had on this trip. We just loved it. It is in Mumbles, just down the road from Swansea, a very quaint beach town with wonderful shopping and great activities. Cafe Valance is a coffee shop, restaurant, and four-room hotel. The rooms have all been remodeled and the service is wonderful. So wonderful that when we asked for directions to the gas station, Andy, the proprietor, said, “I will get in the car with you and show you the way.” Now that’s service!! The dinner was wonderful too.

How did a town like Mumbles get its name? There are two islands off the coast that look like breasts and when the Romans landed here centuries ago they named it using the Latin word for breasts, which now translates to Mumbles. The tide in the channel here has nearly 35 feet of tidal change, one of the largest in the world. When the tide is high, the coast line is especially beautiful.

www.cafevalance.com

Golf in Wales is a treat. It may be as good as Ireland or Scotland at a fraction of the cost and much closer proximity to London.

Golf in Mississippi or is Mississippi burning up?

2011-07-28T13:52:00.000-07:00

“To understand the world you must first understand a place like Mississippi”—William Faulkner

When I say burning up, I mean temperature. The state of Mississippi has changed dramatically from what was depicted in the film Mississippi Burning, but it’s still stifling in summer. It’s the middle of July and it’s just plain hot and humid—not too steamy, though, to play a few of Mississippi’s wonderful golf courses.

If you like our blues, you will love our greens
Spring and fall are the prime seasons here, but whenever you come, you’ll find lots to do between rounds. Some of the major artists of the 20th century were from Mississippi: Elvis Presley, born in Tupelo; Tennessee Williams, born in Columbus; William Faulkner, born in Oxford; and B. B. King, who first saw light in Indianola. There are fascinating museums at each of these birthplaces. Having promoted many concert dates with BB King, and getting to know him as well as I did, I especially wish I had had time to visit his museum, which gives a taste of the social history of the Mississippi Delta and a firsthand account of Riley B. King’s life on the farm as a sharecropper and all the way through to his worldwide fame as a musician.

People have referred to Mississippi as the birthplace of American music, The fact that it is home to to such music greats as Tammy Wynette, Faith HIll, Jimmy Rogers, Bo Didley and Willie Dixon may be evidence enough of that.

But back to business. Where should you be making tee times in Mississippi? There are some great choices.

Old Waverly Golf Club

Old Waverly in West Point, just two hours south of the Memphis airport, hosted the 1999 U.S. Women’s Open and has been rated in Golf Digest’s top 100—and you can play it. Old Waverly gets nearly half of its revenue from guest play, mostly thru stay and play packages at the club’s own lodgings—townhomes, cabins, and cottages that can accommodate over 100 people. Given the reasonable prices and the wonderful course designed by Jerry Pate and Bob Cupp, Old Waverly is a real deal.

Lake Waverly, a forty-acre lake is the centerpiece of this development with holes 10,11,12,17 and 18 playing along its shores. There are several other small lakes on the property, so water is in play on many holes. Greens are very firm and very fast, even after a downpour of rain, we went back out and they remained firm and fast. The fairways are generous and play well, most of the holes are tree lined and the sand is extremely well maintained.

The clubhouse at Old Waverly was built when the course opened but as you wander through, it looks and feels like an old southern Antebellum home, a bit like walking onto the set of Gone with the Wind. Even the dining room is built with such an intimate look, it feels as though you are eating in someone’s home.

In the proshop,there is a framed display of 4 signed golf gloves. The plaque reads: The only 4 men to ever win all 4 major championships Gene Sarazan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan. Conspicuously missing , is Tiger Woods. I assume this went up before Tiger accomplished this ,and when he was in Mississippi for rehab, he just didn’t have time to get over to Old Waverly to sign a glove.

If you go: www.oldwaverly.com
662-494-6463
Unaccompanied guest fees $165.00, but check out their stay and play packages.

Dancing Rabbit Golf Club at Pearl River Resort, Choctaw MS

Dancing Rabbit sits on ancestral lands of the Mississippi band of Choctaw Indians, and was named for its location along the banks of the Big and Little Dancing Rabbit Creeks. Many casinos now come with golf courses, but few have two courses of such high caliber—The Azaleas and The Oaks, both designed by acclaimed golf course designer Tom Fazio and PGA great Jerry Pate. They both play from about 7100 yards down to 5000 yards so there is plenty of challenge for all levels of players.

Towering pines and stunning Oaks frame both of these courses, and today I am thankful for that, because it 95 degrees with over 90% humidity and the shade on the cart paths is a lifesaver.

The courses are very different. For starters, the Oaks fairways are Zoysia grass with bermuda greens. Azaleas, on the other hand, has bermuda fairways and bent grass greens. These two types of grasses play very differently. Bent grass is difficult to grow in extreme heat, so its an uncommon grass in this climate.
Every hole at Dancing Rabbit is a work of art laid upon land that is wrapped in over 5 miles of meandering spring-fed streams. Most of these beauties will leave an indelible mark on your memory.

The Oaks meanders through many elevation changes with some outstanding views. As you stand on most of the tee boxes the holes lay out clearly in front of you. The Par threes are all down hill to stunning framed greens. And Tom Fazio sure knows how to bring excitement to drivable short par fours.
Azelias is rated as more difficult and it is. The fairways are tighter and with the bermuda fairways and bentgrass greens almost every approach is likely to take one more club than would be the case on The Oaks.

There are 8 sleeping rooms in the clubhouse, and it’s a very charming place to stay. Having experienced this I will take staying in a clubhouse like this over a hotel any day. There is also one 3 bedroom house on property which is a nice way to go as well. You can always stay at the Casino hotel, which is nice, but you can find accommodations like that anywhere. If you go, stay in the clubhouse!! You won’t regret it.

Restaurants-- There are several here to choose from, in the clubhouse and in the casino offering a large variety of food choices. But Miko Steakhouse, their upscale steakhouse is fabulous. The ribeye steak accompanied by a sweetcorn soufle may be worth the visit all by itself.

If you love gambling, then you have come to the right place. They not only have plenty of slot machines but all the table games as well.
www.dancingrabbitgolf.com
601-663-0011

Annandale Golf Club
Annandale Golf Club, just outside of Jackson, is an early Jack Nicklaus design. The Viking Classic is being played there this week and several golf travel writers on this trip are playing in the pro-am. Our team teed off at 8:30 am with Chris Riley. His regular caddie was off this week, so his wife Michelle was on his bag. She was a great competitive golfer in her day, playing not only on her college team but on an LPGA mini tour as well. It was interesting to watch her gather the yardage and map pin positions and green slope information that Chris would need later that week for the competition.

This is the first Pro-am I have ever played in and I have to say it is a real treat. The gifts alone are worth it, but the best part is playing with a pro. There is no other sport where you can play alongside a pro and once you do stand there, you really appreciate the vast difference between their skill level and the skill level of us average Joe golfers.

The southern hospitality really shone through in this event as well. The volunteers did not have signs that read “Quiet.” Instead they read “Hush Y’all.” The service was fabulous, the food was non stop and we truly felt welcome at every turn.

Southern hospitality was king, not only at the Viking Classic, but throughout Mississippi. It is a much more interesting state than I had imagined. Just do your best to avoid the heat of the summer, unless you are headed to the gulf coast.

www.VisitMississippi.org

Larry Berle is a travel writer who writes on many travel topics but specializes in golf travel. He is author of A GOLFERS DREAM: HOW A REGULAR GUY CONQUERED THE GOLF DIGEST LIST OF AMERICAS TOP 100 GOLF COURSES. Learn more about his book at www.GolfersDreamBook.com and from there you can also access his travel blog.

Park City Utah golf part 2

2011-07-07T05:23:00.000-07:00

Park City Golf Club (formerly Park City municipal)

Park City Golf Club is located right in the middle of Park City, snuggled up close to the base of Park City Ski resort. In fact, part of the course is used as for cross country skiing in the winter.
First of all, this is a very walkable course, with some elevation changes, but not so much as to make it unwalkable. There is water on many holes here. The streams today are rushing very quickly as the snow melt from the winter tumbles down from the mountains. There is so much snow melt, that one fairway is partly underwater (not enough to make the hole unplayable and a couple spots where they had to do some light sandbagging to keep the tee box from flooding.)
It plays from 6622 yards to 5558 yards, a good challenge for most players (possible exception the longest of hitters).

The front nine is enjoyable but the back nine is in better condition and the holes are more interesting. More elevation change, playing along the back of the hotel and condos and just a prettier stroll in the park. It is certainly not the least expensive public course in the valley but still a good value at
$43 to walk plus $14 per person for a cart. Rates go down by $11.00 after 3:00 PM.

Promontory
Promontory, just outside of Park City UT, is a 10 square mile development. It is designed to appeal to golfers and non-golfers alike and it certainly does that. If they build a grocery store in here--you may never have to leave.
There are currently two golf courses, one designed by Pete Dye which opened in 2002 and the other designed by Jack Nicklaus opened in 2007.
They plan 3 more, the next one will be designed by Tom Weiskopf.

Promontory is private, with an initiation fee just over $100,000 and monthly dues of $650 but the Dye course takes 8 public tee times per day (32 players) at $200.00 a round. There are currently 400 members and the membership is growing, even in this flat economy. Custom homes start in the $900,000 range and home sites start at $300,000. The master plan calls for 1900 homes. AS of Jan 2011 783 have been sold

The two courses couldn’t be any more different. First of all the views from all over the property are expansive and breathtaking. I am sure there are spots where you can see for 30 or 40 miles. Every tee box is a picture postcard, and most of the holes are downhill, so you can see clearly the hole as it lays out in front of you.
The Dye course takes you on an elevation rolller-coaster ride through a desert meadow on the front 9, with the back 9 taking you through sage covered mountain valleys. There is plenty of elevation change and rarely a flat lie.
The Nicklaus course, in contrast has generous flat fairways, (that Jack makes look narrow from the tee) half as many bunkers but 15 holes where water comes into play. The water brings an entire new level of beauty to this course. The true challenge is the green complexes. It has been rated as the toughest course in Utah.In 2009 it was awarded #3 Best New Private Course by Golf Digest.
This is only the second course I have been to that is over 8000 yards from the tips (8098) but remember the ball flys 10% further at this altitude and there are many sets of tees to make this playable for all levels.

If you visit www.promontoryclub.com and click come for a weekend getaway, two people can stay here for three nights in a luxury 3 bedroom cabin, golf for two and complete access to the clubs amenities for $499. When you consider the golf is $200.00 a round then you are getting this luxury home for $50.00 a night and full access to all the other club activities.

Golf is only one thing here--Here are some of the others. A world class fitness center with a ski trainer like I have never seen before, A kids cabin with more kids activities than you can shake a stick at. An Equestrian center. On July 4 they announced the building of “the shed” it will have basketball, bowling, movie theatre, sports bar, arts studio and more.
Do I even have to mention the world class spa? There is Tennis, snow shoeing, sledding and tubing, mountain biking ice skating and guided hiking (over 50 miles of private trails), fly fishing with a guide all right on property.

World class skiing is 20 minutes away in Park City and the Salt Lake City airport is less than 30 minutes away
If your social life revolves around your house and you dont like a day full of activities, this is not the place for you.

They had a very clever event here last week. On June 21, the longest day of the year, they set the Nicklaus course up to play as the longest course in the world at approx 8400 yards (the very back of every back tee). Now that is a solstice celebration, if I ever saw one.

www.promontoryclub.com
435-333-4022

Park City Utah golf part 3

2011-07-07T05:21:00.000-07:00

Victory Ranch Club
There is a reason that Rees Jones has been called “The Open Doctor” and that the USGA uses him to redesign many of the U.S. Open venues. Simply put, Rees has quite a vision and that is why Victory Ranch hired him to design this golf course. Lets start with Rees Jones design philosophy. He says “Primarily, the style of a course is dictated by the contours of the land. The importance of the visual impact of a golf hole from the tee should never be underestimated.”
This mountain course definitely accomplishes both of these philosophical statements.
Victory Ranch is in Kamas UT (but to most golfers is in the Park City cluster of golf courses), sits 12 miles from the center of Park City. It opened as a private club, which it still is, in fall of 2009. The entire Victory Ranch development is 5600 acres, over half of which is and will remain protected land. It offers magnificent sweeping views of the surrounding mountains for at least 20 miles at some points.

Almost every hole plays somewhat down hill so you can see exactly what lays in front of you. Number 12 was the only hole where I stood on the tee box and was not sure if it was a dog leg right or left. All the holes are wonderful, but as is often the case the par fives and especially the par threes are spectacular.
As you stand on the picture postcard Number six tee box, a par three ranging from 104-235 yards across a cavernous gorge, you have to wonder “just how did a course architect stand here and envision a golf hole?” And this hole has 9 different tee boxes for different wind conditions. This is only one of three par threes that play over a gorge or old stone quarry.

The lack of trees and buildings makes everything appear farther than it is. A couple par five greens appear to be over a mile away from their tee boxes--but they are not. The course plays 7599 yards down to 5422 I played 6726) which is long for me but keep in mind that at almost 7,000 feet of elevation the ball travels over 5% further.
You would be hard pressed to find a stretch of holes as impressive as Victory Ranches three closing holes.Number sixteen, an uphill 520 yard par five, seems to hang on a cliff on one side and is framed by a canyon wall on the other. climbing its way to a narrow steep green. Choose one of eleven tee boxes on the par three number seventeen from 242 yards or less while you stand on the highest spot on the course, and prepare to hit across an old rock quarry. This can be quite intimidating when the wind is blowing as hard as it was this afternoon. Number 18 tumbles down the hill back home to finish out a wonderful day on the golf course. It’s 465 yards from the member tees (520 from the tips) but if you catch the hill just right you may have only 150 yards in.

Few trees, few houses, no problem! Almost all the holes are framed by sage and colorful heather which appeared like a moving Monet painting as the wind picked up. The Upper Provo River, which runs through the property was rushing full steam as the snow melt crashes down from the surrounding mountains. No wonder Golfweek named it “Top 10 Best New Courses in the Country”

In spring of 2013 March madness will descend on Salt Lake City and a planning meeting must be underway because there was a small NCAA tournament behind us and one of the foursomes had Jim Nantz, best known for years of being the broadcast voice of the Masters and Sean McMannus chairman of CBS Sports. When the wind wasn’t howling, it was as if I could hear the famous hushed tones of Jim Nantz speaking softly into a microphone as my 40 foot putt fell into the hole.

It is not a busy place, only 60 members so far, so in these tough economic times they have hired OB Sports to manage the facility and allow public to play as “club guests” at $150.00 a round (but get a replay rate within 48 hours for $50). If you pick the right day and time it will be like your own private course
Its worth the trip to Park City-- so just get on a plane and go play it.

Victory Ranch Club phone 435-785-5030
or visit www.victoryranchclub.com

Golf PARK CITY UTAH Part 1

2011-06-30T22:22:00.000-07:00

Utah has more than its share of public golf courses and good ones too. The greens fees are some of the greatest values in America. This is one of the things that makes Park City such a wonderful golf destination. Another is Park City is less than 40 minutes from the Salt Lake City airport.

They have far fewer private clubs than most states (between 15-20 in the entire state). When I asked why, I was told “ Most people join clubs for a sense of community and family activities. In Utah the LDS church serves that function, thus a decreased need for private clubs.” Approx one third of these private clubs are in the Park City area. That is compared to over 125 public golf courses in the state.

Wasatch State Park Mountain

Wasatch State Park is home to 2, 18 hole golf courses, the Lakes Course and the Mountain Course. The Lakes Course is nestled on the floor of the Wasatch Valley, while the Mountain Course appears to be sculpted into the Wasatch Mountain Range.

In todays golf course world, shorter is usually synonymous with easier. And, at 6459 yards from the tips, this course initially seems to be a short course. But don’t let this distance con you. Keep your winning bets in your pocket if you are a short hitter. What the Mountain Course lacks in distance, it makes up in plentiful challenges, with dense rough, limited fairway rolls, and a handful of green-protecting bunkers.

Even though it’s true that at 6000 feet of elevation the ball travels 10% further, you might not find this bonus at Wasatch Mountain. The crisp alpine air and chilly breezes often create additional challenges while keeping your ball from soaring and rolling, and you will rarely find your ball on a flat surface. At times, your ball will lie so high above your feet that you may feel like you are whacking a baseball bat rather than swinging a golf club.

When we headed out to the first teebox, the course manager, named Steakhouse, warned us about the local squirrels; “They not only steal any food from your cart, but they have been known to haul off with your wallets, money clips and cell phones.” You may also see elk, deer, moose and wild turkeys here. All of this wildlife adds to the charm and beauty of this public course.

The clubhouse sits at 5800 feet of elevation and the 12th tee box sits at 7200 feet. That 1400 foot elevation change gives you an idea of the dramatic climb necessary to reach some of the greens, and makes this course restricted to carts only. In fact, walking is not allowed. Throughout your assent, you will play a few narrow fairways and “draw-up” on your club choice. You may even find yourself coming up short to the green. However, the green-side bunkers are shallow and fine, making it easy to lob a shot near the pins.

But what goes up, must come down, and at hole # 8, you will be tempted to “grip it and rip it” some 591 yards down the mountain. But, before you do, take a moment to enjoy the snowcapped mountain view.

There are few areas that offer penalty lies, with water comming into play on less than 3 holes. Hazard markings are scarce and you’ll find little that is out of bounds.

This par 71 layout has 6 par threes and 5 par fives. That leaves only 7 par fours. I generally love courses with an abundance of par fives and threes because these are usually the most creative holes. My theory is upheld on this very scenic course, with the par fives offering spectacular and vast alpine beauty.

These two courses are located in the Midway, about a 25 minute drive from the center of Park City. The quaint, historically Swiss area, boasts additional uniqueness with artisan cheese shops and lively horse stables. So it is no wonder that Golf Digest voted it “one of the best places to play.”
I will bet this place is glorious when the fall colors are in their full spectacle.

Greens fees are $29.00, plus $13.00 for a cart
Season passes are available for $750.00

Golf wasatch telephone: 888-wasatch

Soldier Hollow Golf
At Soldier Hollow in Heber, UT (just a 20 min drive from Park City) there are 2 18-hole courses, Golf and Silver. The Gold course will host the U.S. Amateur Public Links in July 2012, the first major USGA championship for Utah in many years. You can play this as a USGA major venue, except for the second hole for which they will create a composite hole #2 that tees off from a tee box on the silver course and most of the hole is on the Gold course. It will be a 550 yard par 4 the longest par 4 in USGA championship history.

The first thing I noticed as we turned our car toward the clubhouse was the lack of trees--It is links style although certainly not on linksland. But don’t let the lack of trees fool you-there is plenty of places to loose your ball if you stray too far off the fairway into the thick vegetation. This complex was opened in 2004 to relieve the demand for Wasatch Mountain, just down the road. It was the site for a couple Olympic events (Biathlon and cross country) and the state park system decided to make the land a golf course after the Olympics were completed. They brought in Gene Bates who gave them this wonderful design. Of course this beautiful clubhouse cannot go unnoticed. It has a very contemporary look with a sloping roof that appears to mirror the mountain in its background. It features beautiful exposed beams, with floor to ceiling windows, so you can take in the breathtaking views from here.

This course definitely has plenty of length ranging from 7598 yards down to 5658, so there is something to challenge all levels of players.
Hole number one is very inviting with no trees, no bunkers and no water.
The first 7 holes are somewhat level and quite inviting--but as you work your way up into the foothills everything changes.

The mountain holes are the most spectacular but if you don’t play here first thing in the morning or late in the evening, you are almost certain to encounter some serious wind, which we did, just after noon. It was almost as if someone opened a big door at noon and let the wind come rushing through. It meant a 2-3 club difference in many cases.

Number 11 is a beautiful downhill downwind par four of 440 yards. I felt like superman with my 300 yard tee shot. But number 12 turns the other way into the teeth of the wind. Number 14 is not only a long par three but it has a green depth of 45 yards, that is nearly a half of a football field.
Number 15 tee box is probably the highest spot on the course and the view from here is expansive. I am sure you can see almost every one of the 36 golf holes here at Soldiers Hollow.
Number 16 is a fabulous par 3 that must tumble 150 feet down hill to a large green. Its just wonderful to watch your ball soar with majestic Mount Timpanogos in the background.
Number 17 is a deceptive par 5 double dogleg that looks very tight off the tee but truly has plenty of landing area.
You almost wish #18 wouldn’t arrive as you approach the beautiful clubhouse in the background.

Greens fees here are $42 plus cart

Ambassadors of the Environment at Ritz-Carlton Laguna Nigel

2011-06-30T22:17:00.000-07:00

This Ritz Carlton is located half way between Los Angeles and San Diego--just 25 miles south of the John Wayne Airport. It sits on a bluff 150 feet over the Pacific Ocean at Dana Point. There are 370 rooms and 25% of the guest stays here are families.

The Raya restaurant is the signature restaurant featuring 80% seafood and they are becoming more organic and using more locally grown items thanks to the influence of the ambassadors of the environment program that is the centerpiece of family activities here. It may be mostly seafood but the Spring Pea Soup with black beans and the NY strip steak with a jalapeno hollandaise sauce were delicious.
There is a more casual restaurant and Enology: a wine/cheese/ chocolate bar--what a combo... and several other places to eat here as well.

It is Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ambassadors of the Environment program that is unique and completely captivated my attention. It started as a program for kids, and it still is, but increasingly parents join in and love it enough to bring the family back.

The central gathering point is furninshed with all products that are recycled or made from recycled material (carpet tables, chairs etc).

Tour the organic garden and compost area in the outdoor center and learn about sustainable gardening. Then put on your chef hat and apron and work with hotel chefs and learn cooking with organic ingredients.

The Forests Under the Sea program teaches about the underwater kelp forests and what function it serves in the sustainability of the ocean. Kelp is used in many of the products we use everyday, cosmetics, ice cream. Bandaids yogurt toothpaste and many more. Then take a snorkeling trip through a kelp forest and see the many creatures that live there. You may also be able to observe kelp as it grows, since it grows at a rate of almost an inch per hour. I took the snorkeling tour and swimming among these kelp is beautiful.

Take a tide-pool tour on the beach and see the many sea creatures that live between the tides, in the tide-pools.

Dana Point may be one of the greatest places in the world for whale watching. The gray whales migrate through here in winter--but summer season the Blue whales are here. These are the largest creatures (over 100 feet long) to ever inhabit the earth, even larger than dinosaurs. Scientists now believe that they find their way for their annual migration, thousands of miles by the magnetic field of the earth (their own form of GPS).

There are also nighttime programs. One teaches about creatures of the night down by the ocean after sunset and the night sky program teaches about constellations and the night sky.

You can even learn to surf and boogie board if you want.

This has led the hotel to some environmental innovations. Such as the water bottles are made 100% from plants and are completely compostable. They even sell paper made from Cow and elephant dung. These animals eat large amounts of fiber and don’t digest it well--so paper can be made from it. Its called poopoopaper.

This is a Ritz-Carlton and the place is fabulous, but I did observe one thing. All the bathrooms are smaller than I expected and all the showers are still tub showers. Did I mention the Fitness center? Well, you gotta have a chandelier in the entrance to any fitness center right? And every fitness center should have sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean and a view of Santa Catalina Island, 26 miles away.
If you are going to bring your kids--You should also bring your Pet. Check out their posh pooch program.

There are many other things to do in the area--like visit the Mission San Juan Capistrano--a fascinating place built in 1776. Visit the numerous art galleries of Laguna Beach, just 3 miles up the coast. Relax by the pool and hang out down on the beach--just to name a few

More information at:
www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/LagunaNiguel

www.oceanfutures.org to learn more about the Ambassadors of the Environment program

Golf Mesquite Nevada

2011-06-23T08:02:00.000-07:00

Trophy-course golf trips with their mortgage-payment greens fees can be unforgettable, but sometimes you just want value—great golf and great scenery at great prices. That’s when you have to look at Golf Mesquite Nevada. Just an hour north of Las Vegas, it’s a one-stop-shop for championship golf—nine quality courses plus hotel resorts and casinos.
Mesquite is a small town of 15,000 in a beautiful setting where the desert meets the surrounding 10,000 foot peaks. The weather is as spectacular as the views. In the winter you can ski in the morning, drive an hour back to town and golf in the afternoon.

Casa Blanca Golf Club:
Just behind the Casa Blanca resort and casino, this 1996 layout measure 7036 yards from the tips, but also plays down to 5209 yards, making it fun and challenging for all skill levels. There are wetlands or water on more than half the holes, and an abundance of wild life, cranes, turtles and birds. We had Scott Sullivan, the director of golf, to point us in the right directions. Some of the holes inspire calmness—a relative term on a golf course—with soothing waterfalls, quiet streams, and warbling birds.
Even with all the water, the landing areas are generous and the bent grass greens putt very true. On many of the holes this looks like a stadium course, with rolling mounds framing the greens beautifully. Casa Blanca starts and ends gently. Seven through eleven is the most challenging stretch of the course, playing down and back along a pond, where the water poses a constant threat. Number thirteen is a drivable par-4 (for some), which always adds a thrill. Number fifteen, a 565-yard par-5 from the tips, was reached by John Daly in two earlier this year. That is two big shots! But this course is definitely not only for big hitters. My wife says that the Casa Blanca Golf Club, with its wide fairways and lack of punishing holes, is also a truly “women-friendly” course.

The Palms Golf Club
is 7008 yards, par 71, with two very different nines. This is the oldest, most varied course in Mesquite. Over 200 palm trees define this beautiful property. The front nine is wide open, almost to the point where it can be hard to distinguish your fairway from the neighboring one. You have to pay attention to the monuments at tee boxes to be certain of the direction you should be heading.
Number 10 marks the beginning of a very different journey. As you enter the foothills, there are sweeping elevation changes on almost every hole. Number 11 is a big down hill par-3, and number 12 a short but steeply uphill par 4. Number 15, a par-5, has a spectacular 100- foot drop from the tee box to the fairway. If you want variety in one round, the Palms Golf Club is the place for you.

Resort Hotels
There are four casino/resort, hotels to choose from. We stayed at the Casa Blanca. The rooms were very nice, and the staff was wonderful. There are three restaurants, a full-feature casino, a large lagoon style pool, and a world class spa. The showroom has free comedy on weekends—the comedian we saw on Saturday night was hilarious. I would tell you it’s centrally located, but Mesquite is so small, everything is centrally located.

If you go: www.golfmesquitenevada.com
866-720-7111

Green Fees: $45-90 depending on the time of year

The Grand Canyon Skybridge

2011-06-09T05:27:00.000-07:00

Imagine standing on a plexiglass floor, 45 feet over the edge of the Grand Canyon and looking straight down between your feet nearly 1 mile, into the Grand Canyon, which spans over 270 miles.. That is exactly what the Hualapai Nation hired David Chin to design, a forty four foot bridge, with a plexiglass floor cantilevered over the west rim of the Grand Canyon

This is one gravity defying architectural feat of 1.5 million pounds of steel and plexiglass, that will hold over 70 million pounds of people (more than you could possible fit on there. ) Put all your personal belongings in a locker, go thru a metal detector and put on the paper booties over your shoes so the plexiglass floor you are about to walk on does not get scratched. And while you are out there, lay face down on the plexiglass floor. If that does not take your breath away, I don’t know what will.

Come for the Skybridge and get a whole lot more. There are several places a tourist can see the Grand Canyon, but this may be the most remote and breath-taking spot from which to do so. Children will screech in fascination.

Eagle Point and the Skybridge attract an average of 2,000 people a day 365 days a year from all over the world, China and Japan bringing the most people.

The skybridge is located about 4 hours drive north of Phoenix and about 3 hours drive from Las Vegas. There is also an airport less than a mile from the Skybridge that is serviced by Sundance Air, Grand Canyon Air, Pappion and a couple other small airlines. so you can fly there.

There is quite a bit more here than the Skybridge. We went to Guano point with breathtaking views of both the canyon and the Colorado River that, for years, has carved the canyon.

We visited a Native American village and learned how several tribes of the area built their dwellings. It also featured an outdoor amphitheater with performances and demonstrations of the Hopi, Navajo, Plains and Hualapai tribes of the area.
There are several ways to take in all of Grand Canyon West. The land only portion, which we took, A helicopter tour above the rim of the canyon--or a helicopter ride to the bottom of the canyon and a short river raft ride and helicopter ride back to Eagle Point.

Make the most of a 24 hour stay at Hualapai Ranch, just a couple miles down the road with 26 overnight cabins a small western town and plenty of activities for the whole family: Horse drawn wagon rides, roping, horse back riding. Learn quick draw and tomahawk toss, there was a closeup magic show in the restaurant that was sure to fool even the quickest eye. This is also the home to “Norman” the cow that Billy Crystal befriended in “City Slickers -- Take advantage of all the activities here and you may go home feeling like a sure fire gunslinger.

If you go: visit Grand Canyon West $43.00
Add the skywalk $32.00
reservations: 928-769-2636
www.hulapaitourism.com

Golf the Alabama Gulf Coast

2011-06-01T14:58:00.000-07:00

Golf the Alabama Gulf Coast
Mix two parts sugar-white sand with one part crystal blue water, stir in nine lovely golf courses, and you have one Sweet Home Alabama Golf.

When I first heard I was going to the Gulf coast of Alabama, my friends said, “You are headed for the Redneck Riviera.” But perception and reality turned out to be quite different. This is a beautiful place to visit with great golf, fine food and beautiful beaches. Hurricane Katrina missed this part of the Gulf, and the effects of last year’s oil spill are minimal. It’s a beautiful vacation spot that draws southerners escaping the heat of summer and snowbirds escaping the cold of winter.
Fly to Pensacola or Mobile for easy access to the Gulf coast of Alabama, which is halfway between these two communities. The accommodations are plentiful, ranging from RV and camping grounds all the way up to beach houses and luxurious condos. We stayed in the Turquoise Place condos, 24 stories of luxurious three-, four- and five-bedroom residences, perched right on the beach with sweeping gulf views and all the upscale amenities you would expect, including hot tubs and outdoor kitchens on the balconies.
There are plenty of things to see and do on the Alabama Gulf coast besides golf and hanging out on the stunning white sand beaches. The Blue Angels, the Navy acrobatic flying team, is based in Pensacola and you might see them practicing Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. You can visit the Battleship Alabama. This is a bird lover’s paradise, and there are bird watching trails that help you appreciate the large diversity of native and migratory species. It is the last stop for migratory birds heading across the Gulf of Mexico. As you might imagine, you can do some great deep sea fishing here. Or you can do what I did—play lots and lots of golf on some wonderful courses.

Gulf Shores Golf Club
Our golfing adventure started at the Gulf Shores Golf Club (formerly known as The Golf Club of the Wharf). It was built in the 1960s and was the first golf course in the Gulf Shores area. In 2005 it underwent a substantial renovation by Jay Moorish and his son, Carter. Jay Morrish is best known for designing some great courses in partnership with Tom Weiskopf. The renovated Gulf Shores course offers options for all skill levels. You can tackle this par 71 layout from the tips— 6900 yards—all the way down to 4866 yards. The renovation added water features, new bunkers and wider fairways. People who remember this course before the renovation say “You would never recognize it.”
There are 5 par threes, a feature I like because the par threes—and par fives—are usually the most interesting holes on a golf course. Pine trees frame the generous fairways, the greens are large and fast, and many are open in the front, meaning you can run the ball up. Gotta love it when one of those, uh, thin shots we’re all prone to ends up the green. The grass is a new strain of Bermuda called Mini Verde, with reduced grain that makes it similar to Bent. There are some homes on the course, but in most cases they are set well back and are not intrusive. There is water on a majority of the holes, but in many cases it’s not actually in play.
This place is fun and all levels of golfers should enjoy it. There’s GPS on the carts so you always have a visual of the holes and the distances you’re facing.

Peninsula Golf Club and Kiva Dunes
These are probably the best—and most expensive—golf courses in the Gulf Shores region. They both are wonderful.
Peninsula Golf club sits on 820 acres and is adjacent on two sides to the Bon Secour Wildlife preserve. It was designed by Earl Stone, whom I had never heard of, but he clearly knows how to design a golf course. The Peninsula course sports plenty of streams and ponds, with holes framed by cypress trees, pine trees and natural vegetation. It’s like being in a bird sanctuary. The hundreds of birds singing were music to my ears. As I walked a golf course years ago at dawn someone said to me that the singing birds were “the sound of a golf course waking up.” That statement has stuck with me. My awareness of the sounds of nature on a golf course has increased since then and makes the game even more enjoyable.
The course was in excellent condition with fast greens—the day we were there they were running almost 11 on the stimpmeter. The greens are large—one is almost 50 yards deep—which makes for plenty of pin placements. To put that in perspective, 50 yards is pushing the limit of many NFL field goal kickers. There could easily be a three or four club difference between back and front pins. Walking is allowed here, but it would be a challenge because of lots of elevation changes and some long hikes between greens and tees.

Kiva Dunes is a Jerry Pate design built in 1995, and a spectacular one at that. It sits very close to the Gulf shore—you are never close enough to see the water, but you can feel the wind and smell the salt air. There are 4 sets of tees ranging from 5006 to 7092 yards. It meanders through the dunes including a couple places that are part of a preserve—your ball may go in, but you can’t—and plenty of streams, lakes and ponds. Watch out for gators. Most of the entire course plays east or west. There are some doglegs, but hardly anything runs north and south, so you are usually hitting downwind or into the wind, and there is plenty of breeze here most days.
We played with the director of Golf, Rea Schuessler, and he shot 64. What a display—it’s not that easy!

Rock Creek Golf Club is another Earl Stone design and is owned by the same company as the Peninsula. Houses line the fairways of this course. There are many elevation changes and many doglegs, but with generous landing areas and beautifully contoured greens. I was surprised to see the incredible elevation changes in this part of the state that make this golf course so interesting.

The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail
The now-famous Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail is the brainchild of Dr. David Bronner, who grew up in Minnesota, went to the University of Alabama, and never returned to Minnesota. He is CEO of Retirement Systems of Alabama, the pension fund for teachers and state employees, and in the early 1990s he decided to invest $150 million of the pension fund’s money in what became the RTJ Golf Trail. Bronner’s vision was to build several 54-hole golf stops immediately and simultaneously. He wrote letters to five leading golf architects, most of whom were skeptical about his ability to pull off such a grandiose project. Robert Trent Jones was the only one who took him seriously, came for an interview, and got the job. Needless to say, Dr. Bronner was able to pull it off. The Trail now has 11 locations and 26 courses—468 holes of fabulous and affordable golf. Green fees range from $45 to $64, plus cart fees.
When Dr. Bronner couldn’t attract a major luxury hotel chain to the Trail, he built the hotels himself. It has been quite a profitable investment, but perhaps more important, it has boosted the image of Alabama as a tourist destination and as a business location. At least three car manufacturers have opened plants in the state since the Trail opened. Hailed by the New York Times as “some of the best public golf on earth,” the RTJ Golf Trail celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2012.

Magnolia Grove is the most southern location on the RTJ golf trail, located just outside of Mobile. There’s an 18-hole par three course plus two full-length courses: The Falls and The Crossings. Both make the list of America’s Top 50 Affordable Courses. Both courses feature quite generous fairways framed by towering pines, sprawling live oaks (some over 200 years old), dogwoods, and, of course, magnolias. Magnolia Grove is somewhat reminiscent of Augusta National because of its elevation changes, the tall pines with pine straw below, and the same beautiful white sand you are accustomed to seeing on TV. Stepping into one of those sand traps in bright sunlight without sun glasses can be almost blinding. The greens are firm and quick.

The Falls course is named for the waterfall that tumbles across the fairway in front of the tenth green. If you are out to play nine holes, this is not the course, because number nine does not return to the clubhouse. The only par 71 on the trail, the Falls winds its way through creeks, marshland and lakes. Some of the waste areas have been spread with crushed oyster shell waste, which gives an intriguing and unique look.

The Crossings course hosts an annual LPGA event. It has plenty of pulpit and cloverleaf bunkers to test your skills. They have been renovating the Crossings by softening the contours of the greens and clearing some of the brush under the trees along the fairways (makes it much easier to find balls that run through the rough). Number 14, formerly a long uphill par three, now features a shorter downhill shot over water. The new hole is so beautiful that I would consider it a signature hole.

Lakewood Golf Club, at The Marriott Grand Resort in Point Clear, Alabama, is also part of the RTJ Trail. There are two 18-hole championship courses here, Azalea and Dogwood
With tee choices ranging from 7500 yards down to 4725 yards, they offer good challenges for all levels. Part of the original course was designed by the legendary Perry Maxwell. Lakewood is the only spot on the trail that has a membership in addition to being open to public play. Therefore it only gets 30,000 rounds a year. For comparison’s sake, Minneapolis City courses probably see twice that. The fairways are wide open and the cart paths are all concrete.
Because of the light play in winter, they do not overseed here. That makes its easier to grow good turf grass. The Azalea course’s signature hole is the par-5 number 14. It winds its way to an island green surrounded by a four-acre lake. The approach shot demands pinpoint accuracy.

The Dogwood course is equally wonderful. The front nine is lined with houses—there are virtually no houses on the back nine. Both of the par-threes on the front nine have two greens. They are small and this is so every other day they can rest one green. Needless to say, different greens change the hole dramataically.
Twenty five years ago on number 10 one of their giant sprawling oak trees blew down. Rather than digging it up by the roots and disposing of it, they piled dirt on top of the tree trunk, and tree still lives. Number 12 is a wonderful double dog leg and Number 13, a par three, features a bunker 40 yards off the tee with a mound behind it. The director of golf told us it is there to create the illusion that the hole plays shorter than its published distance. Many players are deceived. Even with forewarning, it got me too—I came up 15 yards short.
Yes, the golf courses are wonderful, but the Marriott Grand hotel and all its amenities are absolutely fabulous. Come for the golf, but stay at the Grand—you won’t regret it.

www.lakewooodatthegrand.com
251-990-6312

The Battle House
I know this seems like a very odd name for a hotel but don’t let that stop you. It sits on a site that was Andrew Jackson’s military headquarters during the War of 1812; however, it’s actually named for James and Samuel Battles. This grand old hotel was originally built in 1852 and re-opened with a shiny new renovation in 2007. When you walk in the door, you step back to a time of opulence and gracious living. It has a wonderful fitness facility and pool and a hot tub on the roof, where I sat and soothed my weary bones as I watched a beautiful sunset.
Mobile is a wonderful bayside town. and it came as a surprise to me that one of its claims to fame is that it was the home of the first known American Mardi Gras celebrations (yes, even before New Orleans). And for you baseball fans, it was the childhood home of Hank Aaron.

Great Eats
Here are three wonderful restaurants I ate at on this trip—and how to find each of them. They were all very good but Lulu’s was especially memorable—on the water, owned by Jimmy Buffet’s sister, and just a very fun place. I don’t eat seafood, but my travel companions feasted on shrimp, oysters, flounder and other bounty pulled from the gulf waters. Fried, boiled or blackened Cajun style, my pals made it clear it’s wonderful down here. I can tell you the steaks and barbecue are as good as anywhere.

Southbeach at The Beach Club, Gulf Shores, AL:
www. thebeachclub.spectrumresorts.com
Live Bait at The Wharf, Orange Beach, AL: www.livebaitrestaurant.com
Lulu’s at Homeport Marina, Gulf Shores, AL: www.lulusathomeport.com

IF YOU GO
www.gulfshores.com
www.spectrumresorts.com
www.facebook.com/rtjgolf
www.rtjgolf.com

SunDog Sunglasses

2011-04-27T21:11:00.000-07:00

I have been trying Sundog sunglasses on the golf course for the past few weeks. They seem quite durable and are certainly comfortable. They look good and the ones I tried wrap around my face giving protection from the sides as well.

Most important is their new lens technology, Mela- Lens. It eases eye strain and has strong UV protection. The contrast is good enough that I can see drives in flight all the way to their end.

The thing that I found most impressive is the color balance and the visual acuity. I found that this balance actually helped in seeing subtle breaks on the greens. This is rare in sunglasses, usually I have to remove them when trying to read greens. This applies to the non polarized lenses-- The polarized lenses may bring less eye strain but I can’t read green breaks with polarized lenses.

The style I tested was the charge and I liked them very much

You can learn more at www.sundogeyewear.com

Mesa Country Club Mesa AZ

2011-03-31T23:41:00.000-07:00

MESA COUNTRY CLUB
Mesa, Arizona

With its tall trees, sleek clubhouse, and rolling green lawns and fairways, Mesa Country Club looks like a Hollywood film’s vision of the good life, circa mid-twentieth century. You won’t see any stars in their perfect golf outfits at Mesa CC, which was founded in 1948, but what you will find is much better: a delightful traditional golf course with holes defined by more than 1,100 mature trees. One of the oldest private clubs in Arizona, Mesa CC dates from the era before “golf” and “desert” became inseparable. Here, you have grass, trees, sand, water—and a lot of happy golfers. With five sets of tees measuring from 6786 yards down to 5789 yards, this course is playable for everyone. Par is 72 for men, 73 for women

This parkland course in the desert has some interesting features. For one, its collection of holes is not the usual. It has five par 5s, five par 3s, and eight par 4s. This is intriguing because I have found that the par 5s and par 3s are usually the most interesting designs in golf architecture. That is often the case here. For sheer beauty and challenge, two downhill par threes—holes 7 and 16—are especially memorable. So is the outstanding par-four sixth, which sweeps uphill and leftward through an impressive and intimidating corridor of trees. This hole has often been voted one of Arizona’s best.

Mesa CC has very small greens. They’re in great shape, but they are firm and hard-to-hold with subtle, hard-to-read breaks. Unless you’ve got the high soft fade in your bag, you’ll want to think British Isles because on numerous holes hitting short and running it up is the way to keep your approach on the green, preferably below the hole. On several holes, such as 8 and 13, with greens sloping severely from back to front, over is pretty much dead. Complicating the approaches are the beautifully shaped bunkers that guard many holes. They are meticulously maintained, giving you a good chance of an up-and-down, but you really don’t want to be in them.

As for water, the Arizona Canal cuts through the course and is very much in play on holes five, six and seven, especially on the par-five fifth, where the canal crosses the fairway 120 yards short of the green and may force a layup on the second shot. There are also beautiful little ponds on the par-five 9th and guarding the green of the eleventh, a very tough par three.

The design of Mesa CC makes for an efficient as well as enjoyable round of golf. Though there are some hills, most of the course is level. The greens and tees are very close together, and you won’t spend time looking for your ball in a cactus bush. This all adds up, according to assistant pro Dan Walker, to an average round of three and a half hours—even walking. Charles and I walked it in 3:40, and we were taking our time. On a warm March day, those 1,100 trees provided some welcome shade. You can imagine how welcome it would be on a really hot day.

Mesa Country Club is private, but does accept reciprocal play from other clubs around the country, so if you are a member somewhere, your pro can probably arrange for you to play here. The pro shop’s number is 480/964-3514.

Like clubs everywhere, Mesa CC wants members, and is currently offering this deal: Join for no initiation and pay the $500 a month dues for up to a year. If you want to continue on to full membership after a year, $5,000 of the dues you paid will be applied to the $10,000 initiation fee. And since there’s no penalty for early cancellation during that first year, you could join for just the winter season. For fun on the links, you could hardly beat it.

Moon Valley Golf Club Phoenix AZ

2011-03-06T12:01:00.000-08:00

Moon Valley Country Club
Phoenix AZMoon Valley CC is a member owned golf and country club in Phoenix AZ. The members purchased the club in 2004 from Karsten Manufacturing, the maker of Ping Golf Clubs who developed and ran Moon Valley for 20 years. It is now managed by Troon Golf a leader in the luxury brand golf management.

The 18-hole "Moon Valley" course features 7,210 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 72 and down to 5278 yards making it user friendly for all levels of golfers.
The course rating is 74.3 and it has a slope rating of 131 on Bermuda grass. It was designed by Dick Wilson and renovated by Bob Cupp in 1999,
Moon Valley Country Club has hosted many championship events, the most prominent being the LPGA Standard Register Ping Tournament, which was played at Moon Valley from 1987 through 2003. This is the course where Annika Sorenstam shot her famous round of 59 (the course record).

This Parkland style course has water in play on 7 holes and has wonderful bunkering through out to clearly define the holes and create plenty of challenge. The greens were in outstanding shape as were the bunkers. The fairways are over seeded with Rye grass and the Bermuda rough is left dormant which helps give a clear visual for each hole as you play it. But unlike many other courses in the Phoenix area, they have grown real rough about 2 –3 feet on each side of many of the fairways.
One thing I liked about it is it is very walkable and many members there walk, as it winds its way through the neighborhood home development, in the shadows of Moon Mountain.
It is located in central Phoenix just a few miles north of downtown.

Thanks to Karsten Mfg, it boasts one of the most extensive practice facilities I have ever seen; A very large driving range with a multitude of targets, a large short range where you can practice shots from Sand to chips to 50 and 75 yard pitches. Near the first tee there are three extensive practice greens.

It also is home to The Moon Walk 1687 yard, 18hole, par-3 course that will be outstanding as a short game tune up.

Don’t miss the clubhouse!! In 2009 Moon Valley Country Club was judged best in the “Remodels and Renovations” category by Golf Inc. The designers have changed a completely outdated clubhouse into a modern, functional hub for member activity. It has an extensive fitness center and golf fitness academy, locker rooms and 2 beautiful dining rooms, with plenty of space to eat outdoors
2 swimming pools, it has everything you could ask for in a country club.

The financial stress of Moon Valley is not too different from those of many clubs these days—so they accept limited public play at a winter rate of $50.00 Mon- Thurs and $75.00 Fri- Sunday. This may be one of the best golf bargains in the Phoenix area

IF YOU GO:
151 W Moon Valley Dr
Phoenix, AZ 85023-6200

P: (602) 942-0000

http://www.moonvalleycc.com

using the V Harness--- golf swing training aid

2010-12-17T11:53:00.000-08:00

The V Harness is a golf training aid that has been promoted on the Golf Channel lately by Rocco Mediate and Jimmy Ballard.
This is a very simple training aid, designed to promote your swing arc to be as big as possible, when taking the club back, and it helps promote good posture and proper tension in your arms and shoulders and a proper turn.

Just put it on like a vest, adjust the shoulder straps to the proper length (something I had trouble with in the beginning) connect the v- chords to your club and Presto you have a self-coaching lesson in the connected golf swing. I worked with it several times, before I wrote about it and each time I could feel my swing improve. I could even feel the changes after I removed it and swung without it. It took some time for me to get used to but the more times I have used it the better I see the benefits.

The instructional DVD with Jimmy Ballard and Roco may be worth the price alone.

Find out more at

www.vharness.com

A GOLFERS DREAM now available on IPAD

2010-12-05T16:21:00.000-08:00

My book, A GOLFERS DREAM, is now available for download on the IPAD. So if you have a new IPAD or know someone who does, let them know. Just go to the itunes store and download the kindle Ap. (its free) then go to Amazon.com enter the Kindle store and download the book.

If you have a kindle you can download it for the kindle as well

This book is a wonderful holiday gift both in printed form and in ebook form

2010-10-18T09:24:00.001-07:00

LEGEND TRAIL GOLF CLUB
SCOTTSDALE AZ
Legend Trail is located in north Scottsdale AZ very close to Cave Creek and Carefree. It was designed by Rees Jones, one of today’s leading architects who also hails from the leading family of Golf Architects in America. Rees is now known as “The Open Doctor” since he is the USGA’s regular choice to design renovations for courses that have been designated as upcoming U.S. Open sites.

Legend Trail, which opened in 1995, is a very popular, daily fee course in the Sonoran Desert. It will fit the game of all level of players from its 4 sets of tees ranging from 6,845 yards down to 5,,000 yards. There are generous landing areas and distinctive putting surfaces, and plenty of elevation changes here to give you wonderful views of the valley, as you meander through the high sonoran desert, A there is water on only one hole, #7.

Just when you are getting lulled into thinking “this course ain’t so tough” you step up to the tee on #11 and from here thru #17 you will find plenty of challenge.

In addition to this wonderful golf course it is home to the Hot Stix golf club fitting center, and the John Jacobs Golf Academy. Hot Stix has a reputation among the best club fitters around, and certainly John Jacobs’s schools have one of the best reputations among golf schools

If you go:
9462 E. Legendary Lane
Scottsdale, AZ 85262
From the Phoenix Airport travel east on I-202, then north on I-101 then North on Pima to Legend Trail,
(480) 488-7434
www.legendtrailgc.com/

Prague Chezc Republic

2010-08-21T14:34:00.000-07:00

Prague
By Larry Berle

Prague may be one of the oldest, primarily intact cities in Europe that did not get wiped out by the World Wars.

We are staying at the Mosaic House a new form of accommodation that is a combined youth hostel and hotel.
It Opened in Spring of 2010, so its brand new.

It has 330 beds 64 of them are secure and contemporary hotel rooms and the rest are dorm rooms of 4,6,and 8 beds.
They have one all girls dorm room. The entire place has AC, is very eco friendly, has free Wi Fi and Internet access with their computers. All rooms have bathrooms in the rooms. The entire hotel is Non-smoking and has 24-hour reception. Hostel beds range from 15 to 25 dollars a night. The hotel rooms range from $45-95 depending on the season. For a family of four booking a 4-bed hostel room, you just can’t beat the price.

Inside our hotel room we found a double bed with oversized pillows, flat screen TV, telephone, desk, iPod docking station, mini-fridge, pin-code safe for valuables, air-conditioning, and a stylish bathroom with low-flow rain head shower. We also have an outdoor deck overlooking the city.

Belusi’s is the lobby bar, where young people from all over the world meet to discuss their travels. They also have wonderful food, including a full menu of gourmet burgers, and tonight we had the spare rib special with salad and fries. It was outstanding and under $15. Its also a sports bar with several big screen TV’s. and several times a month they have live music on their stage. It’s hard to believe it’s a hostel.!!
Mosaic House is also a very environmentally friendly and green bldg. The roof is totally solar panels. One thing I had never seen before was Gray water recycling. Sink and shower water is reclaimed, heat extracted, and reused for flushing of the toilets. The staff, which is very helpful, is from 19 different countries. So the staff is diverse as the guests.

We took a free walking tour of the old town (just tip the guide at the end if you want; most did) visiting most of the important sites of Prague, which has beautiful old bldgs and wonderful windy cobblestone streets. The Spanish synagogue is the oldest synagogue in Europe. And the nearby castle is the largest in Europe. It was the birthplace of the composer Dvorcak and of course Franz Kafka. The Jewish quarter is the oldest in Europe and we were told it stayed in tact because Hitler planed to use it as a museum to an extinct race, after he completed his mission of exterminating every Jew.

This is a fascinating old city, with lots of Jazz clubs lots of history to learn from the old sites and we even went to see the “Image” black light theatre. www.imagetheatre.cz A silly story tying together dance performance done all in black light with fascinating moving images.
And if you are coming you will love Mosaic House It’s like a 5 star experience for a 1 star price.

If you go www.mosaichouse.com

Ich Bin Ein Berliner

2010-08-14T07:40:00.000-07:00

Ich Bin ein Berliner

These are the famous words uttered by President Kennedy when he was here in 1961 and “ Open this gate, Mr. Gorbachev, and tear down this wall” are famous words uttered by President Regan when he was here in 1987 in front of the Brandenburg gate. In Nov 1989 the wall finally came down. We have talked to several people who were alive then and were kids. It was quite a day of celebration on both sides of the wall. It was a school holiday. Did I mention that the hotel right next to the Brandenburg gate is where Michael Jackson decided to hang his baby off the balcony for the world to see? The story of the Berlin wall is in itself, enough reason to visit Berlin.

We are at the Ritz Carlton in Berlin and just outside our front door, on Pottsdammer Platz, is an exhibit and remnants of the Berlin Wall, which stood here less than 25 years ago. In fact, it actually may have gone down the middle of our hotel lobby. Amazing to comprehend.

75% of Berlin was bombed out during the Second World War. Consequently this city is loaded with brand new contemporary bldgs.
Many leading architects have contributed to this cities landscape in the last 20 years, and Embassy row, where all major countries have embassies, is one architectural gem after another. Potsdammer platz was a no-mans-land in the late 80’s. Today it too is filled with contemporary bldgs. All this mixed with some of the beautiful old buildings that did remain standing, create quite a contrast.
And if that is not enough, of course Berlin was the Nazi Gestapo headquarters during their reign.

Antje’s story
I met a woman today who lived in East Berlin, behind the wall, until the age of 6, when it came down. She now has a very successful job here in Berlin, with and International corp., something that would have been impossible for her had the wall remained.

When she was growing up, No one in East Berlin had phones (a privileged few) but there was no one to call anyway. No one had TV’s. The stores had little or no food. Families grew most of their food in their own backyard. Her family had a car but the floor of the backseat was completely gone and it was impossible to get it repaired, even if they could afford it. She had to ride with her feet propped up on a piece of the chassis.

She does not know her father, nor has she seen him in many years.
To the best of her knowledge he had been arrested and jailed and made a deal with the East Germans to become a spy in exchange for his life. Her grandparents, on her mother’s side, were prominent citizens in East Berlin and she has every reason to believe that he married her Mother in order to get spy information on her grandparents. She has learned that the name of her father as she knew it was not his real name, (he was undercover, after all). The story goes on and on. The most important part is when the wall came down a world of opportunity opened up to her that could not have been there until that day!!!

Warren Buffet once said, “I am a member of the lucky sperm club and am lucky to have been born and raised in the U.S.” Had I been raised anywhere else in the world, I may have been just as smart, may have been just as financially savvy, but I could have never accomplished what I have accomplished and I certainly would not be standing before you today as the wealthiest man in the world.

Apply that thought to this woman or all the people who were liberated from that wall on that beautiful Nov day of 1989. This may be history, but its hardly ancient history. This is less than 25 years ago. You and I were alive and this story could just as easily be you or me.
I would guess that for every “getting over the wall” success story there are hundreds that do not have this happy ending.
This could bring new meaning to the words “Wall Street”

Ritz Carlton Berlin at Potsdammer Platz where kids are kings and queens.When a family with kids under 12 years old checks in to the Ritz Carlton- Berlin, someone comes from behind the desk to welcome this kid personally to the hotel. He/she is given a treasure hunt map with four tasks and 4 stamps to collect on his map. If he collects all 4 stamps he brings it back and gets a prize. When he and his folks have breakfast in the morning (a breakfast buffet like I can’t even begin to describe) the kid is invited into the boulengeree with the chef and can learn from him how to make his own waffles or crepes. He leaves with his own little apron. He is given a drink voucher and goes to the bar, just like Mom and Dad, to order his non-alcoholic drink. If he is the right size, they bring out a Mercedes car (pedal car) that he can ride around in the lobby or on the front sidewalk. Oh yeah!! Mom and Dad pay rack rate of approx 295 euros per night and the kids adjoining room is 99 euros and his food and beverage are ½ price. I wanna be that kid!!! And when Mom goes to the Spa. Ritz Carlton supplies a nanny.
High tea is served everyday at 4:00. What do you do with your kid? They have a game table at high tea with hot chocolate and cakes.

This Ritz Carlton has a charity, Sonnenhof” of the Bjoern Schulz Foundation. This is a hospice for kids with cancer. This hotel supports this foundation not only with money but also with many services of the staff. At Christmas time kids can post wishes on the lobby tree and guests can contribute to make these wishes come true.

Oh yeah, it’s great for adults too. The staff is international and provides un-matched service. “Ladies and Gentlemen, serving Ladies and Gentlemen” is one of the staff mottos. The lead concierge was named concierge of the year for all of Europe last year. And if you have ever stayed at a Ritz Carlton than I don’t even have to tell you about the 5 star luxuries you will experience. U.S. Presidents even stay here.

But this city is great for kids too I can’t list everything but here are a few examples
2 zoos
Kids science museum
Kids arts museum
There are many lakes and Parks in Berlin so there are all the activities you would associate with that. In fact I learned today that Berlin has more water and bridges than Venice and Amsterdam. What a surprise!!
And of course they will experience a part of history that we lived through “the story of the Berlin Wall”

This is a great city, perhaps the most contemporary in all of Europe. Fantastic gastronomy, the number one Symphony in the world and more cultural activity than you can possibly take in. Even better it is one of the lesser expensive cities to visit in Western Europe.

If you go:

http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/Berlin
http://www.berlin-tourist-information.de

Cruising the Mediterranean

2010-08-12T10:04:00.000-07:00

Cruising the Mediterranean

Costa Cruises promotes itself as the largest cruise line in Europe. It is an Italian company and seeks the bulk of its customers from the European continent, with as little as 10 percent patronage from the United States on any given ship.

The boat we were on, the Costa Serena, was built in 2007 and has a passenger capacity of 3800 plus 1100 crew. That may sound quite large, but the largest ship in the world holds over 6000. The itinerary we chose included the following ports; Venice and Bari, Italy, Olympia, Greece, Izmir and Istanbul, Turkey, and Dubrovnik, Croatia. One may board the ship at several different locations, so the composite profile of passengers is in a constant flux, with the majority being Italian, with German and Spanish patrons in a close tie for second place. Less than 10% of the guests were from the U.S.

On board this ship you will never tire for lack of activity, including gambling in the casino, bingo games, dance lessons, spa and gymnasium services, cooking lessons, dance lessons, arts and crafts projects, and much more. It’s a buffet of options for any adult.
The nightlife can be found in one of many on-board bars with live music and various themed programs. There are singing contests, and costume nights to add to the pleasure. But the largest area for entertainment is found in the 1200 seat theater, where you will find specialty performances on a nightly basis. It is not uncommon to be entertained by skillful acrobats, multi-talented musicians, spell-binding magicians, or even the Costa Crew itself.

For children, the Costa Serena is paradise. A giant, two-story slide plunges into a refreshing pool on the top deck for starters. And if that doesn’t give you a scream, then the Formula One simulated race-car will certainly excite them. There are video games, table tournaments, play parlour, deck-side contests, and pizza parties at all hours. So, if you want your children to have a multicultural interaction with other cruisers, than this is the spot! Our cruise was host to over 700 children. Parents who share their cabin with the children can do so at no additional cost, and there are plenty of activities with competent staff to supervise.

There are daily excursions, which, if led by Costa, may be purchased for an addition fee (no less than 50 euros per tour). But you are welcome to enter each port individually and self-explore.
My wife and I chose to explore the port in Bari on our own with great success. We could walk directly into the old city where we visited two historic churches, complete with weddings in progress. It was beautiful to see the wedding parties lavished in flowers and rice. And on a Monday as well! One of these was the Basilica of St. Nicholas. It holds the tomb of this patron saint and the locals say that here lies the tomb of Santa Claus (although I believe the Russians may take issue with that).

Excursion to Ephesus
Ephesus is one of the most visited, ancient excavations in the world, getting approximately 10,000 visitors per day. The day we visited, it was crowded. This ancient city survived thousands of years, invading armies, geological disasters, and tyrannical rulers. The population at its onset rose to 250,000 inhabitants and you will also find an amphitheatre that seats over 4,000 people. It was a costal port, at one time, but, over the decades, the land has risen to a point that the sea is now five miles away. Once the sea became too far away, the city was abandoned.
The excavations are extensive, possibly the largest in the world.
The city was famed for the Temple of Artemis (completed around 550 BC), one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The temple was destroyed in 401 AD.

Kitchen Tour
We took a tour of the Main onboard kitchen with the Executive Chef. This is one awesome operation. There are 4 kitchens on board and they serve 15,000 meals per day all served by a kitchen staff of 180 people working 7 days a week 11 hours a day. 1,000 of them are crew meals which are prepared and served in a separate location.

Just to give you an example of the lengths they go to for everyone on board, the 1,000 ships staff come from all over the world ( over 85 countries on this trip) and they do their best to cater to each of their tastes. They carry 2 kinds of rice, they see that Muslims do not even get offered pork. The Chinese, Philipinos, Indians and other countries have far different eating habits and they do their best to cater to them all.
We learned that when an American asks for Espresso café, he has one expectation. When an Italian asks for Espresso he has another and French a third. So they know the nation of origin of every passenger and staff and what their preferences are. The same goes for the consistency of the cooking of Pasta, Italians expect Al Dente and other nationalities may expect it to be cooked to a different consistency. All the bread and rolls are baked fresh daily by a staff of 8 bakers. They serve 3800 guest dinners per night ordered from a limited menu and with two seatings they can predict what percentage of people will order what and at the end of the night may waste 5-20 meals. Amazing!!! Did I mention that they wash 150,000 dishes a day not to mention silverware and glasses

Hello Istanbul
Where West meets East
From my visit 40 years ago I used to tell people “Istanbul is where West clashes with East” Now I would say that “Istanbul is where West meets East.” This city is over 6 million people and it is the only city in the world to sit on two continents, Asia and Europe. It has had several names over the years including Byzantium, New Rome and Constantinople. Turkey is 98% Muslin but it is by far, the most westernized of the Arabic countries. Most women dress western style but there are some that still cover up completely in burka’s. We even saw some who were middle ground; head and arms completely covered but with blue jeans and tennis shoes.

Turkey’s relations with the US are extremely strong and unlike other Arabic countries, are not based on Oil production. They have equal pay and equal rights for women and a democratic society.

Islam requires that everyone give 2 1/2% of their earnings to the poor. So Turkey has its share of poor people but little or no poverty or homeless.
The Blue Mosque with its 6 minarets is one of the most beautiful and popular Islamic religious centers of the world. St.Sophia Basilica is an extraordinary architecture example dressed in marble and precious stones decorating its walls and galleries.

I remember the Grand Bazaar from 40 years ago and it was a fascinating place to visit and haggle with the vendors throughout its small alleys and stalls. It has changed now and haggling is still the main stay of negotiating prices but its much more commercial now.

The museum at Topkapi Palace is by far the most interesting, built for and by ancient sultans it is a beautiful place with exquisite jewels and treasures on display.

Dubrovnik, Croatia
Dubrovnik was certainly the most pleasant surprise of this cruise. What a beautiful and wonderful city. Croatia was part of Yugoslavia and when communism fell, so did Yugoslavia which divided into 5 countries. It survived a nasty war with Bosnia in the early 1990’s and some evidence of the damage still exists today.
It is set in front of a picturesque hillside on the Dalmatian coast across the Adriatic Sea from Italy. The old city is lined with cobbled streets, fountains, and churches and surrounded by a 700-year-old city wall, which is mostly still intact. We walked on top of most of the wall and the perspective it gives you of Dubrovnik is wonderful. They have rebuilt the cable car that goes up the mountain which has some beautiful panoramic views of the city, coast and surrounding islands.

Pageantry
Dinner, on most of the nights closes with fun and bravura from the staff. One night, as the lights went out, desert was presented to a recording of O’ sole Mia as the staff appeared around the periphery of the restaurant with desert in one hand and sparklers in the other…. Patrons lifted their napkins and swirled them like homer hankies at a baseball game.

The staff appears to be very happy, jovial and full of life as they take care of your every need. They are a pleasure to be with.

If you go
www.costacruise.com

St Moritz Switzerland

2010-07-25T01:01:00.000-07:00

St. Moritz Switzerland

Nestled in the Engadine Valley in the heart of the majestic Swiss Alps lays the village of St. Moritz. At 6,000 feet above sea level it overlooks the beautiful, aqua blue, Lake St. Moritz. It is Europe’s version of Aspen, Colorado . And home to international vacationers, sports enthusiasts, and spa seekers and certainly has its share of the rich and famous.

The Kulm Hotel, ranked 4th best in Switzerland in the five-star category, is a magnificent, 173 room property in the heart of St. Moritz built in 1856. It’s charm and elegance attract those is seek of a get-away fit for royalty and brings to mind this saying; “Only the possibility of realizing a dream makes life worth living.”

To that end, the hotel has added a 6th rating star which includes the motto: “Whatever You Like!” The staff is dedicated to make your every wish come true. In fact, they tell a story of one such patrons dream to ski with her favorite soccer star. Done.

This year, The Klum Hotel introduced a valley-wide, stay and play golf package, which includes four golf courses. The first is a 9-hole executive course right here on the Kulm property. All of the tee boxes have artificial mats from which to tee off, and the longest hole is about 140 yards. But don’t let that fool you. Even if you are a big hitter, you will find this course sporty and pleasant. Every hole, with all of its elevation changes, is a small gem.
I am reminded of the par-3 course at Augusta National Golf Club to which you can compare the beauty and majesty of this small golf course. If there were a rating of top 100, par-3 golf courses in the world, this would have to be on it. Not only is it challenging, but it is very romantic as well. When you stand on the tee box of hole # 5, you see a lovely heart-shaped green some 100 yards below the elevated tee box. My wife cooed with emotion and even gave me a big kiss!
Handy divot tools hang from every flagstick and the rakes in the bunkers have leaning stands. It’s Swiss efficiency at its finest. But it is the views of the surrounding Alps that are truely awe-inspiring. If you come for golf, don’t ignore this little treasure.

Golf Club Alvaneu Bad
This is part of the hotels stay and play package, and when they told me it was an hour and twenty minute drive, I began to question the sensibility of that. But the drive alone is well worth the trip. The road itself winds dramatically over the Alvaneu Pass, which often becomes a single-laned road, and reaches a summit of over 7500 feet. Along the way you will dodge a myriad of bikers, hikers, motorcyclists, and perhaps a cow or two. Wunderbar!
The course is a par 72 playing at 6400 yards. It lies at the base of the Alvaneu Valley. So, while I was prepared for a mountain course with a lot of elevation changes, this course plays horizontally within the valley, with mostly level holes. And these holes are beautifully framed by the tall, wooded forests growing mountainside, with rivers and streams cutting through many of the holes. It is level enough that there are hardly any players choosing to hire carts. It is the splendor of the walk that enhances a players’ experience.
The manager, Roland Fisher, told me it is regularly rated in the top 10 in Switzerland, but keep in mind there are only about 100 courses in the entire country.
Because of its sunny valley locale, their season of golf lasts from May through September. Aside from the golf package, the greens fees are 100 Swiss Francs on weekdays and 120 on weekends.

If you go:
info@kulmhotel-stmoritz.ch
www.klumhotel-stmoritz.ch

www.golfalvaneu.ch

Zouz- Madullain
Zouz is less than 10 miles from St. Moritz and was built just seven years ago. It is a par 72 playing 6600 yards from the tips. It plays mostly level through the enchanting Engadin Valley. The course is tightly built with very few trees to line the fairways, so it is easy to hit your ball into the adjoining fairways. This is evident on a few of the par-5’s where it can be a challenge to direct your ball onto its proper fairway. There are holes with 45 degree, dog-legs, and holes whose tight, small greens require accurate approach shots. My wife protests the difficult golf shots here, but marveled at the courses scenic beauty. In fact, she photographed many holes laying next to active farmland, mountain streams, quaint ponds, and even distant Swiss trains.
Be prepared for altitude accommodations and sun intensity here in Zouz. And be prepared to have fun too!

Zouz is a Romansch word, and the primary language of the village of Zouz. Romansch is a form of ancient Latin and one of the four official languages of Switzerland. The others are German (with many speaking Switzer-Deutsch), French, and Italian. The head Professional here is one of the 10,000-20,000 Swiss who speak Romansch. And that number dwindles each year. With a population of 7 million, it is interesting that this language that is spoken by so few people remains one of Switzerland’s official languages. Those who speak this language live in a very small section of Switzerland, and the Engadin Valley is home to most of them. It all adds to the charm of this golf vacation.

Grand Hotel Kronenhof Pontresina
The Hotel Kronenhof is a sister hotel to the Klum , and approximately ten miles away. It has 112 luxury rooms and is also 5 stars. The original part, like the Klum Hotel, is very traditional. But there is a newer part that is quite contemporary and we stayed in one such room.
Vibrant red colors and sleek design lines define the room with a leather headboard and electrical blinds that block the bath from the bed. Many of the rooms have large windows and patios that allow viewing of the nearby glacier.
The hotel also has a newly designed spa, which features pools of water that massage, soothe, relax, invigorate, and transform your entire body. There is a floating, relaxation pool with accompanying light projections on the ceiling that is sure to delight any spa enthusiast, weary golfer or skier. A massive central Jacuzzi generates bubbles in every shape and form, designed to target different parts of the body; neck, back, legs, etc. And the pool uses underwater music to enhance the relaxation process. One may very well forego golf and lavish into this sensual world of water.

But is the impeccable service at the Hotel Kronenhof that defines its elegance. The entire staff offers friendly, inviting stays. It is not uncommon to find the General Manager awaiting your arrival or visiting your dining table to welcome and enrich your experience.

KIDS ACTIVITES
Like many upscale resort hotels, kids activities are becoming a priority. There is a kid’s club space with loads of activities, and even a kid’s dining room. The Hotel Klum has a VIK program (very important kid)
If you bring your children during the ski season, the hotel will take care of them to whatever degree you desire. Take them to ski school, pick them up, keep them busy, and dine them in the kid’s dining room. It’s almost like having the hotel staff as your private nanny.

Samedan Golf Club
Samedan Golf Club was built in 1893 and is the oldest golf course in Switzerland. It is no more than 7 miles from St. Moritz and plays 6800 yards from the tips. Today I played it from 6500 yards, but keep in mind that, at this elevation, balls travel between 5% and 10% further. I played with Wault (from the Netherlands) and Frank (from Austria) and we had a blast today. This course is much flatter than Zouz but has much more water. Of the 18 holes only 5 have no water in play, so pay attention to your accuracy The greens were in excellent shape and most of the fairways were too, but there is the occasional bad patch of fairway.
The sand, which I found more than once, is very will cared for and the bunkers play very well. There is a diagram board at each tee box so the water hazards, some of which may seem hidden, are quite obvious if you pay attention to the board on the tee box. The Engadin Valley is broad so there is plenty of flat terrain on which to build a course. High approach shots look magnificent with the Alps in the background.
If you go:
www.engadin-golf.ch
samedan@engadin-golf.ch

Badrutt’s Palace

There are 6 hotels with 5 star ratings in the St. Moritz area and Badrutt’s Palace is one of them, featuring 159 rooms 38 of which are suites. The senior member of the Badrutt’s family built the Kulm hotel and his son built Badrutt’s Palace which was completed shortly after his father died. It has a very British feel to it, serving high tea everyday and customer service is at the forefront of everything.
It seems that Mr. Badrutt had a bet with some British friends that if they came in winter they would experience at least 90 days of sunshine “otherwise I will pay the bill for your entire stay” He not only won the bet but started a tradition of the British visiting the St. Moritz area.
In addition to the skiing in the winter, which St. Moritz is known for, there are lots of activities: Hiking, biking, curling, tennis, polo, sailing, wind surfing, bridge. . The list is almost endless!!
80% of the customers return regularly and the staff knows everything about them, from names of parents, kids and even pets. Regular returning guests have robes and towels that are personally monogrammed for them. There is even a resident who has lived in Badrutt’s Palace for 38 years and has his own table in the dining room at which no one else is ever allowed to sit. The kitchen keeps his own personal place settings on hand at all times for use exclusively by this man. The history book of the hotel and family have dozens of stories like this, mostly about the many royalty and celebrities that have spent time at Badrutt’s. Some guests return so regularly that they leave everything when they checkout. The staff then photographs the placement of everything in the room, packs it up and stores it until they return and places everything just where it was when they checked out.
A couple more interesting facts: Every winter season the kitchen goes through 2 ½ tons of chocolate!! I love this place. The wine cellar, which very few people ever get to see houses 40,000 bottles of wine.

“Kids are the clients of Tomorrow” is a creed of the entire staff, and it reflects in the commitment they have to the younger generation There is a kids club here with a capacity of nearly 40, for kids age 2-14 and there are up to 5 nurses on call to take care of these kids at all times. In addition to the adult activities, mentioned above, they can take lessons in almost all of these as well as cooking classes from the head chef. In winter the hotel has access to nearly 60 ski instructors. They will arrange family picnics, have an arts and crafts room and the activities range from both indoors to outdoors. No wonder generations of families keep returning to Badrutt’s Palace.

www.badruttspalace.com

Cinque Terre

2010-07-25T00:57:00.000-07:00

Cinque Terre, Italy

We are in Cinque Terre, Italy. The 5 villages date as far back as the 13th century and sit on the hillsides that plunge into the Mediterranean Sea.
A little over 150 miles across the Mediterranean Coast lies Monte Carlo, which also sits on the hillside over-looking the same sea. But that is where the similarity ends. Monte Carlo fashions itself with the very best that money can buy, while Cinque Terre takes great joy in the simple life. Colorful houses seem to hang on the cliffs. Local churches sound their daily chime. And the land is terrace farmed for food. Surrounding these five villages is an infinite mosaic of vineyards, olive and lemon groves, and fruited trees. These agricultural plots seem to hang onto the sheer cliffs above the sea. And from these marvelous fields, we receive tangy local wines such as Sciacchetra, purely extracted olive oils, and delightful herbed pesto.

The agriculture is of main concern here in Cinque Terre. All of the 5 towns and other rural villages are tied to each other in their quest to keep local farming alive. The towns people, like their forefathers, preserve the terraced farms as a means of income and property stability. While some of the farmland has been abandoned and is scrub, most have been passed on from generation-to-generation. They farm mostly wine grapes, olives, pears, and herbs. Each family plot is divided by old, dry-rock, stonewalls, built hundreds of years ago.

We visited an Olive Oil mill that housed both old and new technology. The old is powered by a water wheel at the foot of a water fall, which spins two large stone wheels one of which presses the olives. Then heat is applied to separate out the water and the extra virgin olive oil. The new technology accomplished the same task with an electric press.
In old days these terraces were very difficult to access, to plant, fertilize and harvest. Now they have a monorail with a small-motorized cart that can take whatever they need up and down the mountain to their plots.

Today, the area is sought by tourists from all countries. We were told that there are 800-1000 residents here who mingle quite well with the two million annual tourists.

On our first night here and as we walked the streets of Riomaggiore after dinner, we heard music in the distance. We were drawn towards the drumming of the Alleluya Band from Malawi Africa, who were singing and dancing for the village of Riomagiorrie. No less than 15 singers and dancers, who were wildly dressed in multi-colored costumes, were gyrating to a rhythmic, African beat. The local Catholic Church sponsored the event for all of the towns residents to enjoy. The audience was captivated. What a treat!!

Cinque Terre (5 lands) consists of 5 tiny villages sitting on the bluffs over the bays on the Northwest coast of Italy.
Monterosso al Mare is the most western of the 5 towns and the closest to being a classic beach town of the Italian Riviera. Vernazza, and Corniglia are just a few kilometers down the coastline. The later is different from the others because it is situated on a plateau, over 300 feet above sea level, while the others lie next to the Sea. And Manarola and Riomaggiore lie on the eastern end. All of the villages are linked by charming cobblestone pathways that make home to local musicians. One can have a quiet seaside stroll while listening to melodic accordion music. But be prepared to take in a few sets of stairways, as each village is scattered with scenic steps that reach high into the mountains. It seems that every street, alleyway, passageway is a long stairway to somewhere. Who knows how many outside stairways exist in these 5 villages!!

These five communities discourage auto traffic to preserve the tradition and ecological impact of the area – so they are best reached by train. It has now become a World Heritage Site and a UNESCO National Park. In fact, certain parts of the nearby sea are part of the National Park system as well. And it is the preservation of this area that makes for some clear water scuba diving and snorkeling.
The water is temperate and refreshing while keeping a swimmer bouyant and tireless.
But it is the view from the boat back to the towns that is truly breathtaking. If you don’t want to plunge into the sea, there is plenty of kayaking, canoeing, and beach time to fill your day. And for those preferring the countryside, you may go horseback riding, or rent a mountain bicycle, or hike almost 100 miles of trails. There are plenty of activities for all families here in Cinque Terra.

If you want to have your kids interact with a culture rich in history, this is the place for you and your family. In this town of Riomaggiore which is almost all hills, there is one flat Piazza, where all the kids of the village gather daily to skateboard and ride their bikes. On the walkways, pictorial photographs recall a time when nearly 1000 hectors of land was cultivated for farming. Scenes of harvest are murals of the landscapes, with Italian locals briskly carrying baskets of grapes on top of their heads. By taking a walk into the vineyards, one may recall such a time.

The main street is doted with tiny restaurants (capacity of 20-25), a few souvenir shops, and several grocery stores. We are talking tiny stores with fresh fruits and vegetables out front, and a bakery and meat counter inside. You wont find much in the way of packaged food here.

Activities
· Visit the terraced farms and learn how farmers worked hundreds of years ago
· On the Sea: snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, swimming and even surfing
· Hiking: nearly 100 miles of hiking trails cris-cross the area. These trails can be explored on horseback and mountain bike as well

If you go:
Fly to Pisa Italy and take the train to Cinque Terre about 1-½ hours or fly to Genova and take the train. You can drive there but once you arrive your car will be useless.
More information: www.agenziaviaggi5terre.it
Email: info@parconazionale5terre.it
More: don’t bother with a car and don’t show up in high season without a room reservation. Rooms (mostly small apartments)
Range from 80-$125.00 per night.

Monaco Golf club

2010-07-20T22:07:00.000-07:00

Monaco Golf club

When the assistant golf pro, who lives only 30 miles away, in Nice, France, was scheduling an interview to work at The Monaco Golf Club, he asked the manager; “A golf course in Monaco? How do I find it?” And that was our first challenge of the day; finding the course.

Monaco’s sole golf course lays 3000 feet above the Mediterranean Sea, yet only a couple of miles away from the center of town. Narrow switch-back roads ascend dramatically from the seaside to a cliff-hanging locale at the top of Mont Agel approximately 8 driving miles away from the center of Monte Carlo. The golf course is technically in France, but it is owned and operated by the Principality of Monaco. It is the sole golf course in the area and boasts Prince Ranier and the royal family among its famous patrons. There are 500 members in all.

The Monaco Golf Club will celebrate its 100-year anniversary next year, and it is truly a wonder how this course was carved into the mountain in 1911. And only a few changes have been made to its original design by a committee of members.

The front 9 boasts panoramic views of the Mediterranean Sea. Standing on the 5th tee box, one can see Italy in one direction and France in other. And, on a clear day, the views reach Cannes, nearly 50 miles away. Today, I am able to span the entire city of Monte Carlo, some 3000 feet below, with its yacht filled harbor and meandering coastline.There may not be another course in the world where you can see three separate countries on one tee box.

It is 8:00 AM and birds are singing. The grass is covered with dew, and the sun is playing hide and seek behind the mountain, creating exotic, long, shadows from the mountain peaks. Taking in account the severe elevation changes and the deep shadows, a golfer must carefully examine the depth and width of each hole. A golf shot 20 yards into the rough may well send your ball into a different country!
Before you finish the first half of the course, you will have mastered playing the fairways for a convenient roll, sacrificed distance for accuracy, and used a high-lofted wedge onto the many smaller greens. And be sure to calculate your endurance, since most players choose to walk the course.

Be prepared to hold onto your chariot on the back 9 holes, as hole number 12 plunges down the mountain towards the cup. And as you meander back up the remaining 6 golf holes with relative ease, remember to take in the enchanting cliffside villages on hole number 14,15, and 16. Bowled fairways and strategically placed bunkers will probably save you from rolling off the course. And you may even thank a bunker or two. But for the average golfer, an errant shot may be trapped by the heavy brush and hedges that frame the holes.
If you have a fear of heights, hole #16 will sure to send you packing. The green is cloaked in an amphitheatre of rock that hangs cliffside. The visual splendor of this course brings to mind a German word that I have recently learned: Augenschmaus. It means “a feast for the eyes”. And the Monaco Golf Club is certainly one such feast.

If you go:
Length 6341 yards par 71
Cost: 120 euros weekdays and 150 weekends
Website: www.hoteldeparismontecarlo.com
Email: monte-carlo-golf-club@wanadoo.fr

Goodbye Salzburg Hello adventure travel

2010-07-20T22:01:00.000-07:00

Auf Vidersehen Salzburg
Hello adventure travel

We are leaving Salzburg via train to Milan and then plan to pick up a rental car and drive to Monte Carlo. I bought the train ticket 2 days ago and was told “on Thus and Fri there is a train strike in Italy, so go to Innsbruck on Fri, stay overnight and continue on, Sat morning. When we got to the train station we were told, “change in plans! Now travel to Innsbruck, change for Brenner (a boarder town) and take a bus to Verona and a train from there will continue to Milan.”

Somehow all that worked, and as unexpected and unpleasant as it was changing to the busses with a train full of people, the bus ride through the Alps to Verona was beautiful and we actually loved it. It turns out the continuing train to Milan is a German train, leasing track space from Italy, and our conductor was American born (in Orange County) and living in Innsbruck for the past 18 years. We left ½ hour late but we got to Milan and he actually found us a room at the hotel he stays at.
The next day was another story. Rental cars are sold out in Milan, so we set up a car rental in Genova, 90 miles past Milan and on the Mediterranean Sea. Took a cab to Milan Central Train station to get our train to Genova. Remember that I told you about the train strike? Well, 12 hours ago it was over, and the train station is packed with huge lines everywhere. We were in line to buy our ticket from a machine and a very nice guy helped us. The line to purchase a ticket from a human ticket agent was at least an hour long.

Got a ticket for a noon train, a regional train with no AC and very dirty train cars… I mean dirty. Boarded 20 minutes before departure, the train is almost completely full, and a conductor comes on and announces in Italian “this train is cancelled and is not going anywhere”. We did not know what to do, got off and we were told get on the train on the next track and take it to another of the Milan train stations and change for Genova. We took that train on faith, hoping that what we were being told in English was accurate Hundreds of us got off and we were directed to track 1.
We asked the conductor “is this train going to Genova?” He never looked up “no” is all he mumbled.!!, But someone else informed us its going to _______ and you can change there for Genova. We took that on faith and hoped on this dirty, regional hot train.
“Welcome to Italy” our seat mate told us, “this is how our train system operates on a regular basis”. As you can imagine it’s still crowded with people trying to get to Genova.

Got to this intermediate stop, waited an hour and, low and behold, a train for Genova showed up. It was full, but we all got on anyway filling the aisles with bags and people and an hour later we got to Genova.Most of us were standing, but I managed to sit between cars on the step to get on and off the train.

Throughout all of this we never saw a conductor on the train and were never asked for a ticket. Hoped in a taxi to get our rental car at the airport. “I hope I never see an Italian train again as long as I live” said Annie and I agree!!!
We had a rental car reservation with Dollar, but guess what??? There is no Dollar counter at the airport, what a day. We went to all the counters and finally Avis said, “I have one car left” So we were off. Its approx 90 miles to Monte Carlo and there are two ways “the toll road and the beach road. We ended up on the beach road through 20-30 miles of the Italian Riviera. Windy, beautiful, packed with cars and scooters and motorcycles, both driving and parked in every imaginable spot. It was a challenging, slow drive, but after an hour of that we found the toll way. I see why it’s a toll way!! It is bridges connected to tunnels and not short tunnels and very high long bridges. Whoever figured out how to get a highway here was truly an engineering genius. We finally got to Sam Remo where we found a hotel, and a fell fast asleep. What a day.

Up at 8 am and on the road at 9:00 AM. Up the beach road< which at 9:00 AM on a Sunday is not nearly as crowded. 10 miles of that and 10 miles of toll road and we are in Monaco.

Monaco is a principality, completely surrounded by France and otherwise its own government. A few thousand live here permanently and several thousand call it home (I am guessing tax purposes has something to do with it). The municipality of Monaco consists of 6 communities one of which is Monte Carlo. From this day forward when I think of Monte Carlo I will think of the show “lifestyles of the rich and famous.” We are staying at the Hermitage Hotel across from the Casino and a cheap room is 700 euros per night. Don’t even ask about the cost of restaurants. Condo’s which are everywhere start at ½ million for a studio and go up from there. We saw several advertised for 5-10 million.
If you are not staying at one of the hotels that is owned by the principality, a beach chair at their private beach cost 100 euros and if you want to rent one of their cabanas it could cost you 300-400 euros per day. All of the taxis are Mercedes, the cars parked in front of the casino are Aston Martins, Ferraris, Bentleys, etc. making a Porsche look cheap
Did I mention the port yet? 80-foot yachts look like bathtub toys compared to some of the yachts here. And every kind of high-end shop you can imagine is here.

All that said, it is a fascinating place to visit and a beautiful community sitting on a bluff overlooking the Med.

Trains and Boats and Planes

2010-07-11T21:29:00.000-07:00

Trains and Boats and Planes

That is how the song goes but we took every form of trans I can think of today -- Metro and bus to the airport, plane to Memingen, bus to Munich and Train to Salzburg. We have been told that they have had a couple weeks of straight rain. Good thing we missed all that. Found our new apartment in the walking section of the city and fell fast asleep.

This is a great walking city, like Barcelona, and we walked and saw plenty. But tonight we went to see the Salzburg Marionette Theatre, performing the Sound of Music. Imangine choosing that piece in Salzburg. (we did however learn that the Sound of Music is the 3rd most seen movie in history behind GONE WITH THE WIND and CASABLANCA. This Marionette Theatre is 97 years old. I was overwhelmed and the show was fabulous… As an encore they deploy a mirror so you can see the puppeteers working their magic. A big surprise…

Last night we found a bridge club and played bridge—Can you say hearts,clubs,diamonds, spades in German? I can now… we met some great people there whom we will get to know.

We have made a couple friends thru “expat blog” someone from Ireland and someone named David from Chi who works here. We spent the afternoon with David and went to Hohen Salzburg the fortress high above the city. Quite a hike and a beautiful old place.

Our small apartment is on Linzergasse and last week Linzergassefest was in full swing, just outside of our window. 5 bands food, beer and sales from all the shops, just like every street festival you would expect.

I was surprised to learn that Salzburg is only 150,000 people. I guess because of the festivals, and its notoriety from the movie and the home of Mozart, people group it in conversations with the major cities of Europe.

I finally convinced someone at the Mozarteum to let me use a practice room to play piano. The number of pianos in this city is too numerous to even cotemplate but so are people here studying piano and voice as well (they need piano accompaniment). I feel like I am playing pianos, where great piano players may have preceded me. Yesterday I even got a Boesendorfer, originally an Austrian company.

We have also found a couple swimming pools where we go for exercise. We walk to the pool and swim laps.
.
Yesterday we went on the Salt Mine tour. It is approx 20-25 miles from Salzburg and its no coincidence that the Salz in Salzburg means salt. It was a beautiful bus ride, near Bertchesgarden. We were issued protective clothing to wear and walked to a little railroad that takes you into the tunnel, deep in the mountain. The mine is at a constant 55 degrees. We walked from our little train and then, as the miners did years ago took a slide down approx 100 feet. It was a riot.

Hundreds of years ago they mined the salt with picks and axes. Then they discovered a way to inject water into it and let it leach out into a lake that creates a 27% solution which is piped out of the mine and dried and taken to market.

Today we toured the catacombs of Salzburg, dug out of the mountainside this is where the monks prayed years ago.
Then we wandered across a couple beautiful churches and finally toured the Festspiel halls. This is the center of the Mozart festival that takes place later this month.
Since I made my living renting theatres all my life this was a very interesting tour for me. There are 3 theatres, 1400, 1600 and 2200 seats. The 1600 has a retractable roof and when the opera director wants it open, it's open, if the director wants it closed, it's closed. It turns out, however, that the roof is not strong enough to hold the winter snow, so, in winter, they open it up, retract the seats and cover everything in plastic for the season.

We were told the large theatre has the largest stage in the world at over 350 feet wide and over 100 feet deep. I can’t imagine that it is bigger than the met opera stage but google showed me that it truly is, by a few feet each way. Mozart festival, which does not begin for another 3 weeks, is 95% sold out. Cheap tickets are $ 50-60 and top tickets go for over $500 a seat.

We met two wonderful women at bridge club and the other night they invited us to one of their homes for dinner and bridge. This is what I was hoping for in getting integrated into the community. We had a great time and we are getting together again Monday and on Thurs I am playing golf with her son.

I am getting to be a regular in the practice rooms at the Mozarteum and I just love going there.

Wally (a female), the woman we met at bridge who invited us to dinner, introduced us to Laurie and Gene. They also play bridge and he is a very successful doctor and quite an avid golfer, he has golfed all over the world. We were at their house for dinner last night. In high school Gene was a foreign exchange student in Denver and both of them speak perfect English and they are very willing to help us in our learning. So I increased my German vocabulary today.

We finally started doing the tourist things. We bought the Salzburg Card, for which you pay by the day and it gives you free admission to the attractions. We visited the house where Mozart lived and learned of this child prodigies story. He was already a superstar at 6 years old, pushed by his “stage dad” and died at age 36, no one knows the cause of death and even more importantly noone knows where he is buried, only in Vienna, seems he died a pauper and went to a common mans cemetery.
Then we went to visit Schloss Helbroon which has magnificent grounds. It turns out the Prince who built the castle was quite the practical joker. He had fountain features through out the property and through them he would have his guests squirted with water. One example, he had an outdoor wine table for 8, When the guests got tipsy, he would turn on his fountain so it not only sprinkled on the guests but the cement seats they were sitting on shot up a stream of water to soak everyone’s pants, except his own chair, of course

Finally we went to the cable car at Unterberg. About 6-10 miles out of the city. This cable car rises to almost 7000 feet and the panorama views are breathtaking. Worth every minute.
Our last day in Salzburg today and Laurie and Oegen invited us to play gof at Altantann, the first Jack Nicklaus golf course designed in Europe. Gene had a match so Annie and I played with Laurie and Marcos, their son who is a banker. Beautiful day, beautiful course. I am gonna miss it here. Auf Viedersehen, Salzburg

Barcelona

2010-07-11T21:25:00.000-07:00

We are in
Barcelona at the Caledonian Hotel in the heart of the city.

This is a great walking city and the Ramblas is full of people. Shops and restaurants galore and several street performers on every block--- some of them have come up with fabulous costumes and characters.

We flew on Ryan Air, which is cheap, not great customer service but cheap. The seats don’t recline and the flight attendants are up and down the aisle selling you food drink and even lottery tickets. Its non stop, but its cheap. I think Annie and I paid about $70 for both tickets from Malaga to Girona (Girona is a secondary airport for Barcelona approx 60 miles from city center.

Today we walked thru the park, came a cross a very big Harley Davidson rally (its funny to see a rally in Barcelona based on a company based in Wisconsin. Then we visited the Joan Miro museum. He lived here in Barcelona and this is the largest collection of his work anywhere.

We went on a harbor cruise and saw Barcelona from the water then we went to the Picasso Museum and saw a large retrospective of his work. He was born in Malaga, but spent a substantial part of his life here in Barcelona. We must have walked 5 hours today.

Attention Harley Lovers
Annie and I were trying to figure out why so many hotels were sold out when we were looking for a room in Barcelona. This morning the reason went right by our hotel window. The Harley Days Barcelona 2010 is here this weekend. The final event is the flag parade and I am sure over 10,000 motorcycles just went past our little balcony . What a sight. The last one was in 2008 and over 100,000 people visited the city for that one. I don’t know how many people go to Sturgis, but if this isn’t bigger, this cant be far behind. WOW!!!

Today we took the .bus tour of Barcelona. This is a wonderful,clean cosmopolitan city and I could see living here. We saw several bldgs designed by Gaudi which are big tourist attractions. But there are also 4 projects here by Jean Nouvel, who designed the Guthrie Theatre in Mpls.
He has 2 park projects here and 2 bldgs.
One is definitely an icon of Barcelona—all glass shaped like a very tall cucumber with lights that change color in the night.
This man will make an impact on this city.

This eve we went to see Barcelona Opera Flamenc. This is a combination I never heard of before but there are a couple famous opera composers from Spain. It was a combination of Arias, flamenco music and dancing. Quite the interesting evening

Villa Padierna Marbella Spain

2010-06-20T10:21:00.000-07:00

Fly to Malaga on the Costa del Sol in Spain, then get yourself to Villa Padiernain Marbella. When you walk in the door you will think you are walking into an Italian Villa. Not a hotel, more like someone’s private home, complete with tapestries, artwork and white-marbled sculptures. Then you are greeted by one of many Ritz Carlton employees who seem as glad to see you as though you are an old friend.
This a small hotel compared to the others I have visited this week. The hotel is sold out tonight and to look through the lobby you would think it was nearly empty.
And that’s the beauty of this courtyard style design; public, yet private.

There are 131 rooms and twelve of them are marvelous villas with private entrances. One of these has its own private pool fit for visiting Royals. Even the Saudi Royal Family comes here to book all of the 12 villas. And the going rate is well over a thousand of dollars per night.

I learned today that on Expedia.com, Villa Padierna is rated as the number one hotel in Spain and 28th in the world. In fact, even the hotels’ chef was recently voted best chef in Marbella. I concur with this assessment having eaten a luscious T-Bone steak dinner with seasoned potatoes and crisp watercress and béarnaise. Followed the next night by a Risotto like I have never tasted before.

The Golf Courses
I came here specifically to play golf, and they have two wonderfully challenging golf courses; the Flamingos Course, and the Alferini Course.

Los Flamingos is a par 71 that plays approximately 6300 yards from the tips, but everything here is measured in meters including the distance markers in the fairways, so you have to calculate an additional ten percent to account for the difference into yards. Once you get that down, there is club differential could change all that on this beautiful mountain course with lots of elevation changes and sweeping vistas, with the Mediterranean Sea in the distance.

We teed off on the Flamingos Course immediately after check-in since the driving range was not open.
Most of the fairways have ample driving room and provide a generous roll. Only a few such as number 9 and number 10 give little wiggle-room for a well-hit drive.
The greens are easy to read and are sure to hold your ball on line.
The tee box at hole number 14 is the highest spot on the course with panoramic views of the Costa del Sol and Marbella below. And it gives a player a chance to take in some fresh mountain air rolling up from the Mediterranean Sea. Los Flamingos is surrounded by hundreds of condo developments to take in its generous beauty. The course will host the Women’s’ Spanish Open for the next 3 years.

Adjacent to the Los Flamingos Golf Club is the Alferini Course. And one may say that it is completely opposite in nature to its neighbor.
Built into the highland valley, the Alferini Golf Course delights in solitude and splendor. There is no development, in view, rather, sweeping pastoral fairways and valley walls that frame the beauty in each hole.
The opening fairways sport large meandering gorges that dissect the pathways towards the distant greens. And the player is immediately put on guard to place each shot strategically into segments when calculating their par strokes. Number 3, the first par 3 on the course may have the largest green I have ever seen. It looks like a huge target, until you start thinking about mile long putts.

Midway through the front nine we began our assent into the mountain gorges and were rewarded with ample Bermuda grasses and a teasingly easy par 4 on hole number 6.
But this slight break in challenge is only temporary since it is followed by a nearly 510-yard par 5, a 175-yard par 3 (with a green protected entirely by a large man-made lake), and a 410-yard par 4.
The back nine brings the golfer into a meadowland of mountain grasses and stone-lined cliffs. Back to back par 5’s test your endurance while giving you the opportunity to unleash the “John Daly” within you. And you are reminded why you ever took up this game in the first place.
Midway through the back nine, with its ups and downs, you realize why nobody EVER walks this course! Every player needs all of their strength to blast off each and every shot on this 7000-yard course. The finishing holes fully challenge each player with a tempting par-3 green and a skinny 18th hole fairway for a last chance to lower your score. And while you may not like the total tally, you will definitely want to play this course again.

If you go
www.villapadierna.com
www.ritzcarlton.com

Delta airlines flys non-stop from the U.S to Malaga

Abama Golf & Spa Resort Canary Islands Spain

2010-06-17T08:58:00.000-07:00

The Abama Resort is on the island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands. The Canary Islands are part of Spain, but are actually located approximately two hundred miles off the coast of Morocco, in the Atlantic Ocean.
This is a very large and luxurious resort, with 476 suites and private casitas. It resembles a Turkish fortress with domed spires and large courtyards housing large tropical ponds complete with rainbow colored coy.
The spa has all of the normal spa treatments, but it has a unique hydro-center that plunges you into a sea of water sensations. It is beyond anything I have ever experienced.
We put on our bathing suits in the changing rooms and entered the dewy center. First up was the “world of showers” with three distinct full body showers. One of these was a large wooden bucket filed with cold water for dousing. Additional showers sprayed fine mists and messaging pellets of water.
The area is complete with a range of steam rooms. One is a herbal steam with healing scents. Another is a bath designed after a Turkish hammam beautifully tiled in silver and green mosaics.
There is also a snow cabin and a cold plunge bath, to activate the circulation. Of course, there is also the super-hot African sauna to cleanse all of your pores.
In the center of the room there is a whirlpool to beat all whirlpools. It had 5 separate sections, each concentrating the water pressure on different parts of your body; lower back, shoulders, neck and even a tube of hard running warm water that can make any knot in your body melt away. The entire hydro-therapeutic experience indulges all of your senses and ultimately leaves you tension free.
Abama, which sits on a bluff above the Atlantic Ocean, has multiple restaurants and seven swimming pools. There is a funicular that takes you down to the main beach where there are several “ocean pools” built into the seaside. The waves naturally bring fresh water into these pools nestled among the rocks. T
hey have almost ideal weather year round here with the temperatures varying only six-ten degrees. Last week we were fortunate to miss a windstorm that arrives a few times a year with intense heat and strong winds. And these storms from the Sahara desert of Africa bring lots of sand in its path. Surely, it is not a good time to be here.

Breakfast has everything you can think of to offer…. Enough said!!!
It is best to save your appetite for one of the gourmet eateries such as El Mirador where you can marvel at the technique of salt-fish cookery.
Over half of Abama guests are families with kids. They have a very active kids club and in their busy seasons (Easter Christmas and August) the club can have 50 to 60 kids doing activities each day. .

Then there is the golf
This golf course was designed by Dave Thomas, who is best known for his design of the Belfry Golf Course in Ireland. It sits on the south face of the Teide Volcana, which is the highest point in Spain. This is a mountain course on a tropical Isle and boasts 22 lakes, streams and waterfalls, and thousands of palm trees. There are views of the Atlantic Ocean looming in every direction. But it is the dramatic elevation changes that define the Abama course.
The first fairway is extremely up hill and it is better if you shoot a shot directly into the rough to prevent your ball from back-sliding to the tee. The next holes continue to climb higher until the course eventually flattens out. From a design point of view, the Par-5’s and Par-3s are the most interesting. On the downhill holes, it’s a thrill to watch your ball hang in the sky with the Atlantic Ocean in the background for several seconds.
Number 5 is probably the weakest hole on the course a short par 4 with a blind second shot to the green.
The greens roll true but with plenty of movement and some are two tiered. The rolling greens are a big part of the challenge here. And one must keep an eye out for the direction of the ocean since it is likely to pull your putt to the sea.
They say this course is walkable but the hills will take it out of you if you are not fit.
The carts have GPS which you can change from meters to yards so you can tell your distances but it is always a club or two different for the elevation changes. There is plenty of bottled water and bananas available everywhere. We used the Taylor made rental clubs and they were the current models and in outstanding condition.

There are many flights here from all over Europe, especially London . Frankfurt, Barcelona and Madrid. There is at least one regular direct flight from the U.S. on Air Europa.

If you go
www.abamahotelresort.com
Email re.tfszr.reservation@ritzcarlton.com

Life Aboard the Scotish Highlander

2010-06-14T14:21:00.000-07:00

European Waterways operates river barge cruses throughout Europe. One of their unique destinations is the West Highlands of Scotland.

We flew to Glasgow and took an enchanting four-hour train ride to Fort William. We spent the night in the lovely Inverlochy Castle Hotel and boarded the barge for our six-day cruise onboard the sixty mile Caledonian Canal. Twenty-two of these miles is completely man- made, with 29 locks to adjust for the various water levels.

The Scottish Highlander is 117 feet long and, several years ago, it was converted into a luxury hotel barge with a capacity of 8 passengers. It travels on the canal at a maximum speed of 7 miles per hour. You can ride, get off and walk, or bike along its towpath and be as active or relaxed as you wish.
The fees are all inclusive: including 3 gourmet meals a day with unlimited wine and cocktails and all the entrance tickets to all the activities. There is a crew of 4 (captain, cook, tour guide, and server) for 8 passengers (however there are only 6 on our trip).
Our travel mates are very interesting; one couple, Andrew and Susan, are from London. He is an author, having written a couple of travel books and she is an interpreter from English to German. The other couple, Steve and Jill, are from Melbourne, Australia. He is a retired Hydrologist who ran a very large consulting company working in the area of water management for governments and mining companies worldwide. They have traveled the world, and it is most interesting to learn so much about water as I have in these few days. Every meal brings stimulating conversation.
The Highlands of Scotland are breathtaking, as I am sure you have seen in many films— Most recently, you may have seen the Steam Train in the Harry Potter film—very nearby.

Sunday
We boarded the boat at 4:00 P.M. after a safety briefing from the Captain and a quick overview of the coming days. We were escorted to our cabins to un-pack and get moved in for the next 6 days. Our cabin has a full bath, king size bed and plenty of storage for our luggage. But not much passing room. So it’s a bit cozy.

This was followed by a tasty dinner of Risotto Appetizer, Roasted Duck, Roasted Root Vegetables, and Hearty Crusted Bread. A fine selection of regional wines, and tortes or pie follow, with a finishing round of local cheeses and fruit to cap off a simply splendid meal. If this is what the food is going to be like on this trip--- its gonna be a gastronomical feast!

Monday
A colloquial breakfast was served at 8:00 A.M. with fresh slabs of Scottish Ham and eggs. At 9:15 we were off in a van to the valley of Glencoe, a lush and green valley of mountains and streams. This was followed by a detailed tour of the Ben Nevis Distillery, maker of single malt scotch whiskey. And by tours’ end, one may want to build a distillery right at home! At 2:00, we pulled away from the dock, headed up the canal, winding our way through glens of heather, rolling mountains, and ever changing cloud formations. Ft. William, and many other Highland towns, is loaded with B&B’s. It often seems that there is a local inn as often as every other home.
Our tour guide, Linda, took us to what she called “Fairy Glen” along a path hidden in the woods where locals have brought many items to create this little secret spot. Its’ primary charm is the fact that this is a secret place that few discover. “Our little secret” if you will. You will not see any thing about this enchanting spot in the tour books, and even if you parked 100 yards away, you still may not find it.
Imagine walking through the woods and coming onto a group of tiny dollhouses. That is not what is here, but that image will give you a taste of what we experienced.
It was probably started by a group of kids from a nearby town, who walked into the woods and left a group of stuffed animals among the trees. Then some other kids not only discovered it but added to it, perhaps a few yards down the path, until you now have a couple hundred yards of pathway decorated with all these little angelic collections. I would describe it in more detail if I could but that would spoil the fun of the discovery.

Tuesday
As things clouded up and a bit of rain appeared, our plan for the day changed. The boat was supposed to move in the afternoon but we moved in the morning in stead. In the afternoon we visited a woolen mill chuck-loaded with colorful Scottish plaids, and then took a gondola ride up the Ben Nevis Mountain.
This gondola is used for the ski area in the winter but last week it was the transportation for the World Cup Downhill Mountain Biking Championships. The views from 2000 feet up are panoramic and spectacular, even as the clouds rolled in and out taking our view from panoramic to almost white-out.

Wednesday
We set sail in the morning, moved through another set of locks and arrived in Ft. Augustus around 10:00 AM. Ft. Augustus is a charming little town hugging the side of the Loch Ness. Its’ streets are lined with stone covered cottages and local inns with flower pots hanging on almost every porch. However, no monster sightings as of yet, but it’s early.
In the afternoon we took a beautiful one-hour drive to the Eilean Donan Castle. Eilean (pronounced Ellen) is Gaelic for island and Bishop Donan was one of the early settlers of the area. Hence the name.
This castle was built in the early 1300’s. It was destroyed a couple hundred years later, then rebuilt and destroyed a second time. Finally, in the 1930’s it was restored to its current glory. For all those years it has been in the MacRae family and continues to be today. There is a private apartment that the MacRae family uses from time to time and the banquet hall is available to rent for weddings.
This is probably the most photographed castle in all of Scotland and has been a location for several movies, including one James Bond film. It is furnished so you can see what life was like in those times. The kitchen is redone to a point that you get a very clear picture of what food preparation was like back then. Eilean Donan Castle is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Scotland.

Thursday
Its takes almost an hour to go through the four locks that take us 40 feet down to the level of Loch Ness. After lunch, we drove one-half hour to Urquhart Castle. This sits on the bank of Loch Ness and was built in the 1300’s it has been destroyed a couple times, the last time by its own inhabitants. It seems the area was being overtaken and they destroyed it so that the conquering enemy could not use it as a strong hold. Unlike Eilean Donan, It still sits in ruin to this day. But the gigantic trebouchet that sits on the front lawn is sure to delight every child with an imagination.
Returning to the barge, we visited a thrashing waterfall in Invermoriston.
Friday
Our trip is coming to a close. We cruised up the Loch Ness, but still no sightings of the Monster. This is the deepest Loch in the Highlands at nearly 1,000 feet, so there is plenty of room for a monster to hide. This afternoon we visited the 14th century Cawdor Castle famously associated with Macbeth. However this castle was built over 200 years after Macbeth reigned, but the castle owners let the association live in our minds. Unlike the other castles, this one is still inhabited. The dwellers move out each year during tourist season. The gardens here are ripe with bloom and cared for by eight full time gardeners. There is even a maze of holly in the garden. Spectacular! And local residents come to the castle in their own vintage costumes to play around with all of the visitors. It’s great fun to pretend you are a fighting soldier for a Scottish clan.
I’ve made an interesting observation throughout the area: I do not think we have seen a billboard since we arrived.
Motorcycles and bicycles leisurely roam along the windy, narrow roadways.

The Highlands of Scotland

2010-06-06T02:43:00.000-07:00

Take the train from Glasgow Queen Street station to Ft. William, in the West Highlands and you will be in for a truely scenic trip. We boarded the train at 8:20 AM and arrived in Ft William around noon. Soon we were riding along the "bonnie bonnie banks of Loch Lomond. But with the scenery of the ride into the Highlands, we were in no hurry for it to end. Alec and Richard, two local Scotsmen, were taking the trip one hour beyond our stop for the day and returning home. They were doing it mostly for the train ride. So were several other people who surrounded us in our car, several of whom had brought an abundance of sausage and ale. It was like a rolling party. Several people on the train were on their way to a hiking trip on “The West Highland Way” which is a 90 miles trek from Glasgow to Ft William. Many choose smaller portions of the hike as well.

Inverlochy Castle Hotel in Ft. William

We are staying here for one night before our departure on a six day barge cruise in the north of Scotland on the Scottish Highlander, but I wish we were staying here longer. It sits on the river Lochy and was built in 1873. Many notables have stayed here including Jefferson Davis (yes the one who was head of the confederacy in the U.S.), and numerous Hollywood celebrities, including Justin Timberlake, Charlene Tilton, from Dallas fame, not to mention the star of the hugely famous Harry Potter film.

This place is luxury personified. Even the hotel car is a Rolls Royce. These rooms are fit for a queen, as they were once fit for Queen Victoria, who stayed here in 1873. Brocaided curtains, antique floral wallpaper, and masterful artwork decorate every nook and crannie. It’s just like you would expect a castle to be except it also has all of the modern amenities; flat screen TV, state of the art in-room stereo and wireless wi-fi. Other than that it takes you back in time with 17 luscious suites. The names include; the Kings Suite,the Queens Suite etc.
get more information at:

www.inverlochycastlehotel.com
info@inverlochy.co.uk
1-888-424-0106 (toll free from the U.S.)

Penha Longa golf resort Sintra Portugal

2010-06-06T02:41:00.000-07:00

The Penha Longa Resort is located 30 miles north of Lisbon, Portugal, in a beautiful city called Sintra. Penha Longa means “long rock” in English and was originally built in 1357 as a Monastery. During the sixteenth century it became the summer residence of Portugal’s’ Royal family. And today it is the site of a luxury Ritz-Carlton hotel and spa.
The hotel, with its 194 guest rooms, was built next door 17 years ago. Ritz-Carlton has made a substantial investment in the renovation of the Monastery and has used the charming aspects of the medieval past for modern day wedding and conventions alike. Even its splendid, marble church has been preserved with unequaled beauty. The monastery itself has retained colorful ceramic tiles, large wooden doors, spacious gardens, vaulted ceilings, and more. It is truly a dream locale for any bride.
The resort itself has two golf courses. One is a 9-hole course called “The Monastery.” The other is a championship course called “The Atlantic”, which is regularly rated in the top 40 in Europe and was designed by renowned golf architect Robert Trent Jones Jr. In fact, the course was recently renovated to the tune of two million dollars.
The Atlantic Course is sculpted into the high hills of Sintra. One can see for miles and even onto the Atlantic Ocean in spots. The elevation changes are what bring drama and beauty to this golf course.

The fescue fairways are a generous surfacing that seem to hold a rolling ball. They are lined with shading pine trees and occasional water ponds. But the most unique feature is the ancient aqua-duct and sentry look-out post framing the 6th green. These 14th century stone walls may even tempt you to pull out your putter and pretend it’s a sword….ChiChi Rodriguez style. VIVA
The bent grass greens run very true, Often, you will find them elevated and blind,. And well protected by bunkers. So accurate chip shots are a must. A general avoidance of the deep sand traps will surely lighten your scorecard. The back 9 is much more interesting the front, and the two finishing, downhill holes, with the Resort in the background, are a wonderful completion to a beautiful golf course.
The Portugal Open is being played here next week.. so watch for it on TV.
The Monastery course is a 9-hole par 35 course that is both challenging and a fun to play. It is not in the pristine shape of the Atlantic but excellent greens that roll true. The finishing hole #9 a downhill par 4 can rival many finishing holes in all of golf. A drive hangs in the air in such a way it would make an NFL punter proud.

Both courses are fescue and the fescue rough is much more challenging than normal U.S. rough. Thin in parts and thick and knurly in other parts. It’s easy to loose balls in some of the spots.

Distance is a challenge for us Americans too. There are markers for 200,150,100 but its in meters not yards. It would improve if there were more accurate yardage markers on the courses. Even with that minor drawback—I recommend you come and try it
.

Cuisine is always front and center at Ritz-Carlton. And the five international restaurants will satisfy every palate. The assiMassa with its authentic Portuguese flavors, Midori a spectacular, traditional Japanese restaurant, and the ultra contemporary Hole-In-One bar in the clubhouse all have delicious selections and provide spectacular, pastoral views. One should not miss the Butterfish Entrée with Black Truffles or the sporty Club Sandwich with Cracked Egg in two of these locations.

Next door, also housed in a 14th century bldg, is the six senses spa. They offer all the traditional spa services but in quite a unique setting. There are contemporary furnishings combined with antiques in this beautiful historic bldg. A very unique place for a spa visit.

Kids Club at Penha Longa

Ritz Carlton at Penha Longa resort has a kid clubs that will make you want to bring your kids with you on vacation to this luxury resort.
You can put your kids in there for part of or all of a day including evening if you wish. They have 3 activities per day; morning, afternoon, and evening. Each day is different but includes things such as Pastry Arts, golf lessons, visit the horse paddock, gardening, creating puppet shows and even nighttime star and moon observation. It is so popular that kids even ask their parents to bring them back year after year. It’s very affordable. This is a growing commitment at Ritz-Carlton resorts (not all hotels) as they grow their commitment to becoming a destination for the whole family

If you go
Penha Longa Hotel, Spa and Resort
Sintra Portugal
www.penhalonga.com
resort@penhalonga.com .
Greens fees for the Monastery 30 euros
Greens fees for Atlantic approx 90 euros but discounts from travel packagers should be easy to find.

Volvos new saftey braking system

2010-06-02T04:46:00.000-07:00

I never write about automobiles but I just participated in a demonstration that screams to be written about.

I am at Penha Longa resort near Lisbon and Volvo is hosting this years model introductions for auto journalists from all across Europe. I managed to get a demonstration ride showing their new auto-braking safety feature. It is called
Collision Warning with Full Auto Brake and Pedestrian Detection. I was blown away. It is a $2,000 option they are introducing this year on the S-60 and on all Volvos in the near future.

The average person takes 1.2 seconds to react to a danger and initiate an action to avoid it. A substantial distance can be traveled in that time causing a fatal accident. In this demonstration we drove at approx 25 MPH toward a mannequin. When the driver would still have his 1.2 seconds to react and take action, a warning light flashes in the windshield. If the driver did nothing, the brakes were automatically applied and we stopped several feet short of the mannequin. As we approached the mannequin I flinched and it appeared to me that we were much too close to avoid hitting him, but this system is amazing.
If that isn’t enough, it can detect “drowsy drivers,” when they change lanes without signaling and it sounds a warning, and also flashes a light when someone drives into your blind spot. This detection is good at all speeds.

I asked the engineer “ if every car in the world had this, by how much would traffic fatalities be reduced?” Their current estimate is 20%

A week in Portugal

2010-05-31T23:41:00.000-07:00

For years, Annie and I have talked about renting a place in Europe for a few months to get a feel for “living in another culture” rather than visiting as a tourist. We were offered a wonderful rental deal for our home in Minneapolis for an entire year. And some would call this “an offer you just can’t refuse”. So we decided to stay 7 of those months in Phoenix and take off across the ocean for the rest of the year.

On May 25 we flew to Lisbon. We rented a small, one bedroom apartment in the Alfama district of Portugal’s’ capitol for five nights. Lisbon, like Rome, is built on seven hills. In 1755, Lisbon was devastated by an earthquake and the Alfama district is one of the few Lisbon neighborhoods that remains Medieval in nature. This neighborhood is made up of old, twisty, curvy, narrow, cobblestone streets, where stray dogs and feral cats roam the barrio. If there is one outdoor stairwell cutting through this neighborhood, there must be 100.
The culture of this area here has not caught up with 20th century America. Laundry hangs from every window, public telephones mark every corner, local grocers carry simple basics and only the seasonal fruit. Artists paint pictures and ceramic tiles in small groups.

Fada is the music that Lison is known for, and it is performed in the local cafes and restaurants.
Annie and I were lucky enough to stumble upon one such café last evening where all of the staff (waitress, cook, hostess alike) sang the Fada at full volume. Each song is accompanied by two guitars; one being a12 string Portuguese guitar. And the performers are sure to don a fringed shawl with a rose as they bellow out a song of love, passion and beauty. The Restaurant Viela d Alfalma, on Calcada de S. Vicente #26 is a treasure of neighborhood song-birds to be enjoyed with grilled sardines, a fist full of green olives, fried potatoes, mango pudding and sweet cherry wine.

This is a wonderful walking and public transportation city. The trams that run through Alfama and the Bario alto takes you everywhere you want to go. There is plenty to do here just in seeing the city. Bldgs from the 1300’s to bldgs of the 17 and 1800’s. This is a city with lots of history.
Yesterday we visited the Castle of Sao Georg

Today we took the train to Cassias and Estroil, suburban beach communities of Lisbon. Where Lisbon is a protected port on the mouth of a river these communities are directly on the Atlantic Ocean where the wealthy come to play. Its beautiful here and new, quite a contrast to the rest of Lisbon.

Golf At Chaparral Pines

2010-05-19T22:24:00.000-07:00

Our day began with a 70 mile drive up hwy 87 from Phoenix. We are climbing 4000 feet in elevation and winding through high sonoran desert with hundreds of Suguarros, followed by stacked boulders and finally reaching the Pine forest of Payson Az.

The Golf Club at Chaparral Pines is a bit of northern Minnesota dropped in Payson Arizona. It was opened in 1997 and designed by David Graham and Gary Panks. It was awarded best private modern design by Golf Digest the year it opened and is consistently ranked #12 in Arizona.

Chaparral Pines is private with an almost completely built out housing development in Payson AZ, just 75 miles north of Phx. It is open year round but its high season is May- Oct just the opposite of Phoenix. That is because it sits at over 5000 ft of altitude (Phx is 4000 feet lower) and in the summer days are 8-12 degrees cooler and the evenings are 20-30 degrees cooler-- You can sleep with the windows open and no AC. Quite the contrast to Phoenix, 70 miles away.

This course winds its way through the mountains, cutting its way through the pine forests of Payson. It has lots of elevation changes and rarely a flat lie or a flat hole. Today was very windy, calling for 2-3 club variations not to mention the club variations based on up-hill or downhill shots. I played with my friend Todd the dir. of golf at Blackstone CC here in AZ and we had a terrific time--- twice today (not just once) Todd drove the green on a par 4 (he 3 putted one and birdied the other)
One fascinating architectural feature is there are 5 par 5s and 5 par 3s which, to me, makes for a much more interesting design because usually signature holes tend to be par 5’s and par 3’s

There are lots of trees, rock outcroppings and water hazards on this course which makes accuracy a premium (a big challenge when its windy)
Number 4 is a par 3 over water with a creek running along the right side, flowing into a waterfall just right of the green. A fantastic hole.

This is Elk country and herds of them inhabit the area. Several of the greens, like # 4, have wire elk fences around them. Many of the greens have deep elk hoof marks from when they come through at dusk and dawn and this damages to the greens.
Hole #7 winds its way down the hill just like #13 at Augusta National, one of the more beautiful par-5’s on the course.

Scenic views are everywhere up here, some that sweep for miles but none better than the tee box at #12, where the yardage book says
“Enjoy the view, now turn around and face the hole” You can see the Mogollon rim stretch for miles.
Even the cart paths are notable because it had to take some imagination, the way they wind their way up and down these mountains. We had to cross many bridges over ravines and washes, so many that I lost count.

This must have taken some imagination to route this course through this terrain, and make no mistake about it its not an easy place There are 7 sets of tee boxes ranging from 7019 yards down to 5197
The tips are rated 73.4 and sloped at 142. That is up there.

There is Tennis, a fitness spa and a beautiful lodge-like clubhouse, and plenty more to do in the area, fabulous hiking thru the mountains
Picnics hunting,fishing and horseback riding are widely available. Payson is even home to the oldest continuous running rodeo in the nation which began in 1884.

For more information visit www.chaparralpines.com

Golf in Portugal

2010-05-10T06:38:00.000-07:00

Portugal is quickly becoming a sought after golf destination, with all the great golf courses it has to offer and its wonderful weather.
Mostly they are the courses in the south of Portugal (Algrave) but the Lisbon area is a growing golf destination as well, not to mention the island of Madeira.
As the euro drops in value against the American Dollar, Portugal is becoming, more affordable and more appealing to Americans.

Penha Longa, a Ritz Carlton golf resort just outside of Lisbon, in Sintra, is one I am looking forward to playing on my trip there next month. They have 2 courses surrounded by majestic forests and jagged Sintra Mountains. The Atlantic course is designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. with wonderful views of the Atlantic Ocean. I will post the details the first week of June

Mariott Praia D’el Rey Golf & Beach Resort about an hour north of Lisbon has an 18-hole par 72 golf course that looks wonderful and has a 5 star Marriott resort on property.

The Island of Madria just off the coast of Portugal has Santo da Serra golf club which has hosted the PGA European Tour for the Madeira Open and Palheiro Golf Club affords fine city views and views over the Atlantic coastline.
Robert Trent Jones Sr. is the credited architect of Santo da Serra golf club. It was built originally in 1937 and redone (quite substantially I think) in 1991 by Robert Trent Jones. But if you look at the credit on their website it says Robert Trent Jones Sr and Mother Nature. That alone says a lot. It is nestled in the mountains and overlooks the bay of Machico… No wonder the pros love to come here.
Palheiro Golf Club has magnificent views overlooking the town and bay and is set within the stunning 200-year-old Palheiro Estate.The 18-hole par 72 course was designed by Cabell Robinson and opened in 1993. The spectacular clubhouse sits in a bluff 1500 feet above the ocean with commanding ocean views. Casa Velha do Palheiro is an exquisite hotel situated right on the course. The best source of information for all of this is golf in Portugal

There are 3 commercial airports that service Portugal. Lisbon being the largest and most central. There is also Faro in the very south and Porto in the very north both of which have many inter-Europe flights of the discount airlines such as Easy Jet and Ryan Air. Of course there is an airport on the island of Madria as well
To find more information about golf in Portugal”:

For more information visit golf in Portugal

New Generation takes over the PGA Tour

2010-05-03T13:00:00.000-07:00

The PGA tour showed us some fresh young faces this week. Rory Mcllroy, the Irish youngster just a few days short of his 21st birthday, not only won the Quail Hollow but blasted the course record by 2 shots on Sunday shooting a 10 under par 62… WOW. Tiger, was one month younger than that when he won his first PGA tour event. And on Friday Mcllory was one shot above the cut line. He almost didn’t make the cut.
Did I mention that Tiger missed the cut? If you tuned off your TV after Tiger got eliminated, you missed some great golf.

In addition to that Eighteen-year-old Ryo Ishikawa from Japan shot a world record single round low score of 58 (12 under par) for a comeback win on the last day of the Crowns professional tournament in Japan. This kid was causing a stir at the PGA Championship at Hazeltine last fall and now he is causing a stir in the golfing world again.

La Manga resort on the Med coast of Spain

2010-04-26T20:10:00.000-07:00

La Manga is a 15-mile strip of land that sits between the Mediterranean Sea and Mar Menor. It is home to La Manga golf resort located on the southeast coast of Spain.
It is 400 miles south of Barcelona and less than 40 miles from Murcia, its closest airport and approx 80 miles north of Gibraltar.

This 1400-acre resort sits on rolling hills and is home to 3 championship golf courses. It has hosted many international tournaments including the Spanish Open, Spanish PGA Championships, Spanish Junior Championships, Ladies' Spanish Open and Senior Spanish Open. It has also been voted Europe’s Top Golf resorts several times.

La Manga Resort has 28 multi surface tennis courts and a world-class spa… and some of the most consistently sunny weather in Europe.

There are two types of accommodation at La Manga, The, five-star La Manga Club: Hotel Príncipe Felipe or the more private apartments in Las Lomas Village. The apartments and townhouses are like renting a private home, but with all the hotel services avail to you as well. Ya wanna cook your meal. Fine, Ya want room service, that’s fine too.

La Manga is also an ideal place for water sports. There is sailing and windsurfing, and catamarans. The Mediterranean can be enjoyed by those who prefer high waves for windsurfing and there are several ideally suited sites for scuba diving.

The hotel and resort restaurants get high ratings but from the reviews I read, there are some truly outstanding restaurants in the area.

I am going to Europe in a month and now that I know about LaManga, I am going to include it on my trip. Everything tells me it’s a wonderful spot for a golf vacation.
For more information: http://www.yourgolftravel.com/la-manga-las-lomas.html

Par at amen corner

2010-04-09T07:01:00.000-07:00

As I was watching the tourn yesterday, my memory kicked in when I saw Tiger hit it close at #12 the opening hole of Amen Corner, cause that is where I got my first par of the day when I played there in my Top 100 quest. More about that in my book A GOLFERS DREAM. I could have tied him on that hole today!!

The Young and the old make a Splash at The Masters

2010-04-09T06:48:00.000-07:00

Matteo Manassero is a 16-year-old phenom, not only the youngest player in this year’s event, but also the youngest competitor in Masters history. Manassero shot 1 under par Thursday, to put himself 5 shots behind the leader.

On the other end of that age spectrum sits Tom Watson, 60 years old who shot 5 under to be in second place and was the leader for most of his round yesterday.

But sitting on top of the leader board is Fred Couples, 50 years old. At 6 under par Wow!! Can you imagine a 50 or 60 year old playing at such a highly competitive level in any other major sport? And the news media thinks its a big story that Bret Farve became a grandfather a few weeks ago.

If you are following these interesting characters at the Masters this weekend, keep an eye on Y. Yang, also at 5 under par. This is the man who beat Tiger Woods head to head at the last major Tiger played in, the PGA Championship at Hazeltine. Here they are at another major and he leads Tiger by one shot.

There is no need to mention Tiger, cause the whole world is already following him at a mere 4 under. He shot his best ever opening round at the Masters.

Some history is going to be made this year --- keep your eyes open

Blackstone Country Club a wonderful private reciprocal experience

2010-03-09T09:58:00.000-08:00

Blackstone Country Club
Peoria AZ
If you are a member of a club anywhere in the world, and are looking for reciprocal play in the Phoenix area, then you have to look at Blackstone CC.

Blackstone opened in 2005 and is a private club within the master-planned community of Vistancia. (There is also a public course in the development).

This course was designed by Jim Engh and if you have not heard of him, you certainly will. (http://www.enghgolf.com ) He is getting accolade after accolade for his designs, being named Golf course architect of the year in 2003 by Golf Digest Magazine should be enough to get your attention. Several years ago, on my quest to play the Top 100 I played the Sanctuary just north of Denver and just loved that course, just like I love this one.

My wife Annie and I played today with Todd Cernohous the Director of Golf on one of their busier days of the year with 70 rounds, that is less than 20 foursomes. Just for comparison sake, a public course can send that many off in two hours.

The practice area is wonderful. First of all the range is stocked with Titelist Prov-1’s and the targets are plenty and well marked. Not only that, but as you finish hitting a club on the range one of the rangers comes up and cleans it for you before it goes back in your bag. Now that’s service.!! Right next to the first tee is the short game area and practice putting green and the green is contoured similarly to the course, so you know what lies ahead. Today the greens are running at a speed of about 11, which is quite fast. But I love this speed.

Blackstone is par 72 and can be played anywhere from 7089 to 4738
Yards. I played it from 6400 which was plenty for me.
If you play this course and pay attention to the design, you will know the next time you set foot on a Jim Engh course. There is water on only 2 of the holes, and after a few holes you will see that he loves bowl shaped greens (my wife called them toilet bowl shaped) some of which sit down below the fairway and many of which are surrounded by substantial mounding. Usually this means that if you are just off the green you are going to have a fast running downhill chip. Most of his bunkers are very small, but they are hidden in mounds so they can collect balls from a pretty broad radius. Having said that, there are only 70 bunkers on the entire course.

Jim Engh sets his courses up much differently from a visual perspective than most golf course architects. The landing area are generous, but the mounding and bowling of the greens can trick your eye, Annie called it visual trickery. To me this is what makes this course visually exciting. Jim Engh said “ I know 4 out of 5 players will love this course and the fifth will not like it at all”. It’s that different.

There were a couple holes, that I would design differently, par-5 number 9 a double dog leg, has a short approach to a postage stamp green surrounded by lots of trouble. (although I did get up and down there which Todd later told me was next to impossible) You have to hit your very best shot here. On the par-3 number 17 the entire green surface and the entire flag are hidden from view by high mounds. You have to be careful that the previous group has left the green. At this point Todd told me he has never had a hole-in-one. I said “wouldn’t it be ironic if you get one here and we can’t even see it?” He didn’t get one but his ball mark was 4 inches right of the hole and his ball had come to rest 5 inches left of the hole. It had to roll right over the hole.
On the next hole I asked Todd about the course record. “65 held by Jeff Quinny” but later he sheepishly admitted he has also shot 65 there. I am not sure how many birdies Todd had today but it was a lot.

The 30,000 square foot clubhouse, which they call the Hacienda, is stunning and the food is outstanding. Annie loved the potato chips which are made daily right on premises. It turns out everything that comes out of the kitchen is fresh made on site.

Blackstone is also an Audubon certified golf club, which means it keeps use of pesticides and herbicides to a minimum.

It was $75,000 for an equity membership but that was recently reduced to $15,000 and a non-equity membership is $7500 all with monthly dues of $675. They currently have only 66 members so there is plenty of room for you to join, and when the development is built out there will only 200 homes.

They are promoting reciprocal play with other clubs at $125.00 per round. If you are headed to Phoenix, this course should be on your list. Have your head pro call to set it up.

If you go : www.blackstonecountryclub.com
Phone 623.707.8700
They are located approx 45 minutes north west of Sky Harbor airport in Peoria

A high end experience at an affordable price

2010-02-27T16:37:00.000-08:00

I played Encanterra Golf Club today in Queen Creek AZ a southeast suburb of Phoenix, about 40 minutes east of Sky Harbor airport. I came for the golf but was most impressed by the people and the clubhouse.

The Tom Lehman designed course opened 2 years ago to great accolades, but the clubhouse, which they call La Casa (home in Spanish), made me want to open my wallet and join on the spot. It is 60,000 luxurious square feet that just opened in early Feb 2010. Do you have any idea how expansive 60,000 square feet is?
There is a ballroom that seats 288 with an adjoining brides and grooms dressing room. That was a new one on me, but they intend to be the wedding destination of the SE valley. It is Mediterranean in style; very colorful and warm. It has several private dining areas, a working kitchen to service the restaurants but also a more “public kitchen”/ party room, because everyone at a party wants to gather in the kitchen—the host can cook themselves or have the chef staff do the work.

There is a chef’s table that seats 10, adjacent to the kitchen so you can interact with the chef about what you want to eat and watch the kitchen action closeup. There are four distinct restaurants priced very reasonably so that members will return again and again without breaking the bank. A member can even keep a private wine locker in La Casa. And all the mailboxes for the community are in La Casa making the mail area almost a social gathering place. The elegant locker room has a barber chair, pool table and poker table—a huge spa and state of the art workout room and 3 outdoor pools and two indoors as well…. And it seemed like every room we were in, had walls that collapsed to open to the out of doors. What more could you want in a club.

Then we went to the golf course, first encountering the practice facility which is first class, there is plenty of room to practice every kind of shot and even has pro v-1’s as range balls.

This 2-year-old golf course has already hosted the Gateway tour championship and that event produced the course record of 60, but my game did not put the course record in any jeopardy.
The golf course is not your typical desert style golf course; it’s more like a northern parkland course. It has no desert surrounding the holes and all the homes are around the perimeter of the course.
There is water on over half of the holes and there is real rough, and I mean real rough surrounding every hole. The bunkers were in fabulous condition but make no mistake, they are penal. Quite a challenge. Many of the greens are raised with false sides and fronts and greens running at 11 on the stimpmeter. I loved these greens.

If you are a big hitter you can play it back to 7174 yards but there are 5 sets of tees so every level of golfer will enjoy this course. One thing I questioned was the next two sets of tees were 6734 yards and 6078. That is a big difference, but they told me there will soon be a set at 6350. Did I mention how walkable it is? Nearly half the members walk when they play golf.

I didn’t get to tour the model homes, there will be 2300 homes when the community is completely built out, but they are committed to being a “green development” Every home will have a 3 KW solar electric system which could cut a $400 monthly summer air conditioning bill in 1/2, low e glass windows, solar attic fans and many other green components.

This is a private club but the golf initiation is $25,000 and the dues is only $425 per month. For comparison sake a similar club in Scottsdale will be 4 times the initiation and twice the dues.

There are currently 100 golf members and 122 homes have been sold, so you can still easily choose your neighborhood with prices in the low 200’s to the high 300’s.
More information at: www.enanterra.com

Half Moon Bay Award

2010-02-18T06:38:00.000-08:00

Half Moon Bay Golf Links -- set against the dramatic cliffs of the Pacific Ocean just minutes from San Francisco and San Jose which I visited recently and wrote about in my previous post -received a "Gold Medal" rating in GOLF Magazine's 2010 edition of "Premier Resorts."

Half Moon Bay come for the ocean stay for the golf

2010-02-16T21:10:00.000-08:00

Half Moon Bay Golf Links
Memorable golf on coastal bluffs
less than an hour from San Francisco

I am back at that “city by the bay,” as Tony Bennett would sing. Well, almost. I’m actually at Half Moon Bay golf links, just 45 minutes south on Highway 1, but a world away from San Francisco with its soaring pyramid and urban feel. A couple of the holes at Half Moon Bay even run next to a farm.

On bluffs overlooking the Pacific, historic mansions with expansive ocean views line the highway. Surfers come to test their skills at Maverick Point, and the town of Half Moon Bay offers up a cultural hodgepodge of old hippies, good restaurants, coffee houses and eclectic shopping. In the right season, there is even whale watching.

Oh, yes, the golf. Half Moon Bay Golf Links has two courses—the Old course designed by Arnold Palmer, and the Ocean course by Arthur Hills. I played the Ocean Course, a links style layout with stunning sweeping vistas of the ocean and many other holes, which are separated by costal mounding and native fescue. On thirteen tee, I could see so many holes that I had to pay close attention to make sure I aimed at the correct fairway. The greens are poa annua, which most golf courses try to get rid of, but these babies putt straight, true and quick.

Number four is a 481-yard par five that usually plays down wind. It is followed by a 465-yard par four that usually plays into the wind. That made no sense to me till the pro explained that Arthur Hills’ strategy was to make four an easy birdie and five a tough bogie. He was trying to get a birdie-bogie sequence. That was a new one on me, but the more I thought about it, the more I liked it.

The great holes on the Ocean course are the signature finishing holes—16,17 and 18— that play along a bluff high above the ocean. If you hit it left, reload— you’re probably on the beach, at least a hundred feet straight down the cliff.

I stayed at the Half Moon Bay Lodge, a Best Western that is affiliated with the golf links. The Ritz Carlton down the road is the luxury spot, but it is the Lodge that offers the bargain “stay and play package.” My room was cozy and comfortable. A fire crackled in the real fireplace as I wrote this review. They put an easy to use Duraflame log in every fireplace. Add in the pool and fitness room, and this is a very nice Best Western.

February may not be the best month here. It was chilly and the course was soaked from previous rains, but come fall, spring or summer, it should be fabulous. Half Moon Bay Links hosts about 250 golf events a year—more than any other course on the west coast. All the staff I met were wonderfully helpful, including Al the ranger, who made a point of coming by when I was about halfway around to see if there was anything he could help with. Since he could not, help me with my swing, I declined with a smile.

If you go:
www.hmbgolflinks.com
Rates: $180 weekdays and $205 weekends
Pro shop: 650-726-1800
To organize an event, contact Brett Armstrong, tournament director
Stay and play: www.halfmoonbaylodge.com

Superstition Mountain AZ

2010-01-30T20:55:00.000-08:00

Superstition Mountain
Apache Junction AZ
We all know that the state of golf today isn’t the greatest. Play is down and memberships at clubs is hurting. Superstition Mountain, which takes its name from the ancient Pima tribes name for the surrounding mountains, in Apache Junction is no exception. But this may be a case where it truly benefits the public golfer who is looking for a private club experience.

Superstition Mountain is located about 25 miles east of the Phoenix airport, brushing against the base of the rugged Superstition Mountains and bordered by the 2.9-million-acre Tonto National Forest. It is a very private, upscale, housing community with 2 Jack Nicklaus design golf courses, Prospector and Lost Gold.
It has hosted 7 Champions and LPGA tour events. So, you may have seen it on TV.

Originally founded by Lyle Anderson, it has fallen on hard times in this economic recession, fell into bankruptcy and has recently been purchased by James Hladky, out of that bankruptcy for $13.5 million. I would guess that the elegant, 50,000 square foot old world clubhouse alone cost over $13 million to build. In 2008 the operation lost over $4 million and in 2009 lost almost $1 million. Mr. Hladky has dropped the initiation fee to $15,000, and hopes to attract enough new members in the next few years to take it back to private.

Part of their plan is to rotate one of the courses into public use every day.
The members keep a private course and the public gets access to a private club. “Everyone wins”, said one of my member playing partners. “At least there is now a plan to get things here back on track.”

I played the Prospector course, today, with my friend Paul Inderbitzen and two resident members from Superstition Mountain. This course has generous, friendly fairways which are in superb condition and large greens with very subtle, hard to read breaks. The greens play fast, which I love. The desert frames many of the holes but a few of the holes resemble Midwest parkland courses with fairways adjacent to each other. There is plenty of room for your tee shots and plenty of challenge once you get up to the greens. It has five sets of tee boxes stretching from 7225 yards to a very woman friendly 5223 yards. We played it from 6300 today which still presents plenty of challenge. The inspirational vistas of the surrounding Superstition Mtns are worth the trip alone.

Number 18 may be the prettiest hole on the course. A slightly raised tee overlooking a par 5 ribbon of green with water down the left side. There are several other beautiful holes some that are framed by the mountain vistas. It’s a wonderful site, seeing your ball soar against a mountain background.

Play late enough in the day to bask in one of their breathtaking desert sunsets. You will be glad you did.

If you go: visit http://www.superstitionmountain.com/
Phone: 480-983-3200
Fees: high season (winter) $165 Mon- Thursday
$180 Fri and Sat
Twilight: $85 and 95 weekends

SeeMore putter latest stats

2010-01-23T07:59:00.000-08:00

In 2009, five players using SeeMore putters on a regular basis on the PGA Tour finished in the top 80 positions on the money list. All told 10 players in the final 125 on the money list used SeeMore's patented and proven RifleScope alignment technology at key times during the season, including 3 victories and eleven top 10 finishes.
SeeMore also had 2 of the top 20 on the final 2009 LPGA Tour Money list use its putters prominently
SeeMore originally became recognized when Payne Stewart won the 1999 U.S. Open playing a SeeMore putter. Stewart one-putted the last three holes to win the championship by one stroke. He sunk what's considered to be the longest putt in Open history on the 18th hole to win the tournament. See my previous posts for my review of SeeMore Putters

Ritz Carlton At Dove Mountain golf club

2010-01-21T14:50:00.000-08:00

RITZ CARLTON AT DOVE MOUNTIAN

It’s luxury personified.

Come for the golf, stay for the elegance, the comfort,
the cuisine—and the desert.

The Ritz Carlton at Dove Mountain, with 209 guest rooms and 44 casitas, opened for business less than a month ago. This beautiful resort is luxury personified, its design a stunning balance of contemporary and southwestern elements. We stayed on the Club level, where we enjoyed cocktails and appetizers in the evening, and Guava juice and a pineapple-banana smoothie for breakfast—the perfect way to start the day. If you want elegance combined with an active outdoor lifestyle, topped off each evening with great dining, then this is the place for you.

Golf course
The Ritz Carlton Golf Club at Dove Mountain is world-class. In February, it will host the Accenture Match Play Championship for the second time. Jeff Ogilvy, the defending champion, told us about changes to the course, a Jack Nicklaus design nestled against the Tortolita Mountains and routed through a forest of saguaro cactuses. (MIGHT MENTION CHANGES HERE—IF THEY ARE IMPORTANT)
In typical Nicklaus style, there are many uphill approaches to elevated greens with lots of undulation and a wide variety of pin placements. They will be a true challenge for the top 64 players in the world, and are a fair challenge for you too—if you play from the right tee boxes. The choices range from 7800 down to 5300 yards. The fairways are firm, so the length is not as harsh as it appears on the scorecard, but watch out for those rolling greens. One thing surprised me—no yardage book and no GPS on the carts, so you have to pay close attention to where you are going and work out distances for yourself. There are actually 27 holes of golf here, but the third nine is not open yet.

Cuisine
There were 14 travel writers on this trip. The first night, we all had dinner at Cayton’s in the golf clubhouse. It may be the most spectacular clubhouse I have ever been in, and I saw some good ones while playing the top 100 golf courses in the U.S. It’s 45,000 square feet of pure luxury. For the second year in a row, I had the short rib sliders, Cayton’s to-die-for signature dish. Short rib sliders?! You’ll be begging for the recipe after the first bite.

The second night we had dinner in Chef Joel Harrington’s Core Kitchen, the hotel’s most elegant restaurant. I had the Sweet Potato Puree, an outstanding soup, and Wyoming buffalo medallions with garlic fries. Never had buffalo before, but this was outstanding. Joel is a creative, passionate and exuberant chef who visits all the tables and explains just why his dishes taste so great. If you didn’t believe in his gastronomical magic before, you will after you talk with him. He even graced our table with a side of avocado fries. New to me . . . but yum!

Spa

The 17,000 square-foot spa and fitness center offers a selection of treatments that reflect Dove Mountain’s peaceful natural surroundings, including wellness counseling, body (IS SOMETHING MISSING HERE?) and anti-aging therapies. The fitness center is open 24 hours a day. I had a massage from Edward, who is strong and specializes in deep tissue sports massage. He dug deep into muscles that were tightening up after a round of golf.

Hiking trip and desert jeep tour
At 7 A.M. we took a one hour hike into the foothills to learn about desert wildlife and see a beautiful sunrise over the Sonoran desert. Our guide was superb.
This was followed by a 90-minute jeep tour through the desert, where we learned about the medicinal values of various cactuses and even tasted some of their flowers. Then our guide found a tarantula, which we held in our hands. That was an experience. I had come for the golf, but the hike and jeep ride are not to be missed
LocationDove Mountain is 30 minutes north of the Tucson International Airport, 80 minutes south of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, or 15 minutes from Marana Regional Airport. Just a few miles away is the Pinal Airpark, where the major airlines are parking excess planes as they cut capacity. There are thousands of planes there, but don’t try flying in—unless it’s to deliver a plane for storage.

Oh, did I mention the pools? You will just have to go see them for yourself!
for more information visit
http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/DoveMountain/Default.htm?om_a=map

More on Tiger

2010-01-01T17:11:00.000-08:00

Word is out today that Tiger has checked into a addiction rehab clinic here in Arizona. The question is this!!! Does he really feel a need for rehab? Is this just the "public Tiger" doing what he thinks the public wants to see? or as a friend of mine asked the other day: is he there to meet new women? See my blog post 2 posts ago where I discuss his use of the media for his gain and his desire for the media to lay off when it goes against him

Kierland Golf Club Scottsdale AZ

2009-12-20T20:28:00.000-08:00

Kierland Golf Club Dec 14, 2009

. This is a wonderful course centrally located in North Scottsdale AZ, with beautifully designed holes and wonderful greens. They have added a very clever feature there. One transportation option they give you, in addition to walking (and not many places allow you to walk around here) or riding a cart, is taking a segway. You have probably seen these around, maybe even tried one. You stand on it and with the shifting of your body weight you get it to move forward, backward and turn from side to side. The ones there are even set up with hardware to carry your golf bag… Pretty slick.

We started with about ½ hour of training, learning how to get on and off and steer and adjust the speed. Hills are a challenge, especially side hills, but after a few holes I was completely comfortable on it and had a blast using it on my round. Unfortunately we were still a couple weeks from not being cart path only for the season. I think this would be much more fun and practical when you can take it on the fairway. Learn more about these at www.segwayofscottsdale.com.

The practice facility is outstanding with plenty of well-marked targets and practice green that seems to run at a similar speed to the rest of the course and a good short game area, which many clubs seem to overlook.

Kierland is centrally located in north Scottsdale and has 27 holes of wonderful golf designed by Scott Miller, one of the leading golf architects here in the Phoenix valley.

The clubhouse is stunning and even has a locker room, which very few public clubs have here in the Phoenix area, so if you need a shower before you dash to the airport, you can do that here. The proshop is a work of art in itself and has won several “ top 100 golf shop” awards

We played the Acacia and Ironwood nines (there is a Mesquite too). There are more than 300 bunkers on these courses and plenty of water to make it a most picturesque golf course. One of the things that sets it apart from many golf courses here in Phoenix is that if you hit a wayward tee shot, it may end up in an adjacent fairway rather than lost in the desert. But don’t let that fool you into thinking this is easy. There is plenty of challenge around the greens and the greens are tricky to read.

We played it from 6300 yards but for the big hitters, it can be stretched to almost 7000 yards or just under 5,000 for the ladies. One nice thing, is there are only a couple of forced carries over the desert, so it’s quite friendly in that way.

If you need help with your game, Mike and Sandy LaBauve run the instruction academy here and both are top 100 instructors. I have not taken a lesson from either, but their reputations are stellar.

This course is affiliated with the Westin Kierland Resort and Spa which features 735 rooms and all of that great Westin quality.

They also feature a fore-max golf fitness program which I am hoping to try and write about in my next article

You should check the rates on the website because they vary so much, but they range from$140.00 in the fall to as high at $215 in the winter, but they do have some more affordable twilight rates as well. For more information:
http://www.kierlandgolf.com
phone 480-922-9283

Sweetgrass nabs new Golf Digest award

2009-12-18T05:40:00.000-08:00

Sweetgrass Golf Club, at Island Resort & Casino on the Michigan Upper Peninsula, announced it earned Golf Digest magazine's "America's Best New Courses 2009" honor, adding to the roster of awards garnered from high-profile, national publications.

Owned and operated by the Hannahville Band of the Potawatomi Nation, Sweetgrass is an 18-hole, par-72 designed by Paul Albanese. The layout interestingly pays homage to Native American lore of the tribe. Historic bridges rescued from the region, intricate rockwork and a liberal sprinkling of the namesake sweetgrass add to the course's unique look and feel.

See my older posts for a more complete review.

Waste Management replaces FBR as title sponsor for Phoenix Open

2009-12-10T16:50:00.000-08:00

Waste Management is the new title sponsor of the Phoenix Open.
In a deal announced on Dec 10 at the TPC Scottsdale, Waste Management, a Houston-based company with a large Arizona presence, will take over as title sponsor of the PGA Tour's February stop in the Valley, with it's new name: Waste Management Phoenix Open.

FBR is out. They had the rights to renew for 2010 but are now being replaced.
The 2010 event will be held , Feb. 25-28. and is expected to return to its regularly scheduled dates opposite the Superbowl in the future.

This event has the largest crowds on the PGA tour and often refers to itself as the Greatest show on grass. Its crowds are also known as the biggest partiers. So jokes will abound with crowds on the famed #16 getting wasted etc. Maybe they will change the name of the birds nest to the Dumpster dive.

At least they still have a sponsor and probably won't care if Tiger even shows up, which he rarely does anyway

Does Tiger deserve what he is going through

2009-12-09T09:32:00.000-08:00

For years now Tiger has used the media to his great advantage, becoming the most recognizable athlete in the world and from that he has earned hundreds of millions of dollars of endorsements.

Now the media has caught him in some bad behavior and he wants his privacy. Well he can't have it both ways. You either live with the media or you don't.
Unfortunately America loves stories like this and thus the media, give them to us, because they want the viewers and readers.

If Tiger wants his privacy back he should consider dropping all of his endorsements and anything else that brings him into the limelight. I am sure a few million in future income is not going to effect his lifestyle

Pete Dye Golf Club at French Lick

2009-12-08T06:11:00.000-08:00

French Lick Resort, the award winning resort destination located in southern Indiana, has earned its most accomplished golf honor to date. The new Pete Dye course has been selected "Best New Public Course" in the country by Golf Digest.

Golf Digest's annual review of America's Best New Courses appears in the January 2010 issue and covers the best new courses in the public, private, Canadian, and remodeled categories.

If you go to my older posts you will see review of this golf course, which from the tips, plays to 8102 yards.

Talking Rock Prescott AZ

2009-12-06T12:07:00.000-08:00

Talking Rock
Prescott AZ
The traditional architecture of the great ranches of Central Arizona lives at Talking Rock. Located 12 miles north of Prescott AZ (and approx 2 hours north of Phoenix), this pristine piece of property sits at approx 5,000 feet of elevation and most of the property provides the visitor endless 75 mile vistas over the rolling hills that engulf you in this neck of the woods. As you approach the gate it is clear you are in ranch country.

The golf course, built in 2000, designed by Jay Morrish, who until several years ago was teamed with Tom Weiskopf and together they designed many award winning and top 100 golf courses. About an hour away they designed the top rated course in AZ, Forest Highlands in Flagstaff. They also designed the TPC of Scottsdale where the FBR Open is played every year.

It plays to 7350 yards, but that is too much for me so we played it at 6400 yards. The fairways provide generous landing areas but the challenge really creeps in as you close in on the greens. Moorish has a certain genius about his visual acuity and set up. He has a devilish way of fooling the eye with bunkers that appear near a green that are really 20-30 yards in front and washes and gorges that are hidden from view, unless you studied the yardage book on each hole.
The greatest example of this is number 15, what some would call a drivable par-4. but a fooler to the eye. Drivable par-4’s are a signature of Jay Morrish.
He uses that same sneaky capability on the greens, which are large and appear rather flat, but are far from it and very tricky to read. The greens run quick and true and leave many a visitor making three putts. This may sound daunting but it is truly a fabulous golf course and if you have the opportunity to play it, carpe diem. I was reminded of a great quote by Alister Mackenzie. He was asked how he made such flat looking greens so devlish and he said” I try to hire the village idiot and instruct him to produce perfectly flat greens”
The fairways are firm giving you plenty of roll and supporting crisp iron play. The greens,similarly were in wonderful condition. Its Dec 4 and its their winter here, because there is occasional frost, they don’t move the pin positions on a daily basis this time of year. There are 3 or 4 hole locations per green and the pin positions not in use that day still have their cup but are fitted with a cover over the top. Well enough done that I am sure you could putt over them.
The greens are large, creating several pin locations to choose from to change things up from day to day. The largest green on the course, number 18, is 51 yards deep. Just to give you some perspective that is farther than most NFL kickers can kick a field goal.
It was warm from 1:00 to 3:00 and not so warm after that, but this is not Phoenix weather and high season here is May through Oct

In true ranch tradition, rather than an opulent club house they have created the “Ranch compound” a group of bldgs that blend magnificiently into the environmental surroundings. The compound consists of The Ranch House, with its wonderful restaurant, The barn fitness center, the tack house with its locker rooms and Pro Shop. The layout offers plenty of enterainment spaces in the great outdoors surrounding the compound. You see the great outdoors is a way of life around here.

.

Threre are almost 1500 homesites on this 3500 acre ranch, but they are well set back from the holes and do not infringe on the course. The concept is “traditional rural ranch” with stone and wood exteriors (no stucco here). If you look at the homes that have been built here you know you are on a ranch.

In addition to the golf there is swimming, tennis and 30 miles of nature and hiking trails. So there is plenty of activities to choose from. Homesites range from $100,000-$350,000 and completed homes from $600k.

It is 12-20 degrees cooler here than Phoenix, so this is the place to be in the summer and the summer nights are even cooler. An ideal respite from the stifling heat of Phoenix’s summer.

This is a private club, but in the interest of attracting new members, thay now have a stay and play package. For $450 you get either 2 rounds of golf or spa treatments and a stay in a georgeous 2400 square foot 3 bedroom villa. If you are in the area this is a must do.

If you go:
Located 2 hours north of the Phoenix airport and 12 miles north of Prescott.
www.talkingrockranch.com
877-922-4440

Grayhawk Golf Club Scottsdale AZ

2009-11-20T07:35:00.000-08:00

Grayhawk Golf Club Scottsdale AZ

Today I played the Grayhawk Golf Club Talon course, in Scottsdale AZ. Their second course is called Raptor This is one of the premier public tracks here in the Phoenix area and many people come to play it. It was designed by Gary Panks and David Graham and is definitely one of the more challenging tracks in the valley. From the tips it plays nearly 7000 yards and is rated at 73.6 with a slope of 143. For comparison sake, the hardest slope the USGA gives out is 151.

Many PGA tour pros play and hang out here in “Phil’s Grill” Today I saw Gary McCord on the practice putting green, getting ready for his round. We played it from 6400 yards and it’s plenty challenging from that distance. The landing areas appear tighter than they actually are, which is intimidating from the tee box and the greens and collection areas around the greens are good sized with lots of undulations. The greens may be challenging but they are in terrific condition and putt true and beautifully. One saving grace on the scorecard is what they refer to as the local desert rule. If you hit it in the desert, play it as a lateral hazard rather than a lost ball. The holes have names like Bogle, Deception and Heaven or Hell which should give you a picture of the challenge that faces you at the Talon course.

The clubhouse here is one of the most inviting and beautiful of all the public courses in the Phoenix area. The proshop wins awards regularly and it is warmly laid out. It even boasts a locker room, one of the few daily fee courses to do so, with lots of Tour player memorabilia and a shower and towels if you have to clean up after sweating yourself through 18 holes.

The front nine blends beautifully with the surrounding McDowell Mountains and keeping your eye on Pinacle Peak in the distance will give you a big clue as to how your putts will break “down valley” on these multi-tiered greens. The back 9 is built around several box canyons, that love to gobble up ProV1’s.

For the last couple years they have hosted the Frys.com open. Also it is home to the Kostis McCord learning school, a great place to tune up your game before trying this course out. For more info visit www.grayhawkgolf.com

GOLF DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS

2009-11-17T22:00:00.000-08:00

San Antonio TX
Nov 9-14 2009
The stars at night are big and bright
Deep in the heart of Texas

So the song goes, I am deep in the heart of Texas. San Antonio is the second largest city nestled in the midst of our nations second largest state.
An earlier Spanish territory, fifty legendary missions settled in Texas. And five of these settlements are still standing in San Antonio. The most famous is the historic Alamo, still popular today for mans overwhelming desire for freedom at any cost, and Texas’ most popular tourist attraction.
As popular as it has been for tourists visiting the Alamo and the famed river walk, San Antonio is fast becoming a leading golf destination.

Westin La Cantara
A visit to the Westin La Cantera Hotel draws from the colorful bounty of Texas history. The lobby recalls a time when gigantic wooden doors, wrought iron gates, and oversized, leather furniture graced the homes of massive landowners such as the “Big House” of the King Ranch in Texas. Large, welcoming fireplaces are patterned after this million-acre estate. (just how big is one million acres?)The surrounding casita village also has design elements from other noteworthy ranches in Texas, with the brand of each ranch over the fireplace of each casita. The hotels multi-million dollar renovation features plush sleeping rooms, a 7600 square foot workout facility and spa, lost quarry pools, tennis courts and an extensive meeting space to satisfy both vacationer and business clientele. All this but it is the terrific golf courses that got my attention and that are starting to draw golf enthusiasts from near and far.

The Resort Course at La Cantera has hosted the Texas Open for the past 14 years. It is a Weiskopf-Morrish design that opened in 1995. The fairways and rough are in pristine condition with year round Bermuda grass. Over-seeding the tee boxes and greens with rye for the winter ensures a beautifully lush landscape. The elevation changes mimic a mountain golf course and add to the sprawling scenery.
Hole # 1 is an eye opener, over 600 yard long, downhill, “grip it and rip it” beginning, sure to super-charge even the longest of hitters. Number 2 is a virtual u-turn par 4; one shot out from the tee and turn back for your second shot towards the cup. Hole #7 is one of the more interesting holes on the course. Teeing off from the top of an old limestone rock quarry wall to a fairway 100 feet below, you aim your tee shot towards the top of the Six Flags Theme Park rollercoaster.
. Sporting many elevated tees, the course comes to life in the second half with it ‘s more private setting. In fact, the tee box on 11 is the highest point on the property. Number 12 is the former signature hole. Following an easy tee shot, the second approach shot carries over a ravine that beautifully guards the green. Hole #16 is a challenging 340-yard par 3 with pot bunkers all through the fairway. It looks like a minefield and is sure to rattle your grip.
The Resort Course at La Cantera is going to stay a great place even after the Texas Open moves next year. Steve Shields, his staff, and all of the employees at the Westin enhance your experience with friendly, courteous, Texas hospitality. It’s a perfect golf destination during its peak weather conditions in October, November, March, and April.

The Palmer Course at La Cantara

The Palmer Course at the Westin La Cantara opened in 2001, and it is my personal favorite. Sprawling vistas, sprouting rock outcroppings, and flowing waterways bedazzle even the most spoiled golfers. It boasts a higher slope rating than the Resort Course and adds about 8 shots to your scorecard.
Hole # 1 is an easy par 4 that invites a cheery disposition. You are then introduced to the beauty of San Antonio from the hilltop view from the second tee box. And from then on, you are guaranteed to be awed by the stunning sights below.
Number 4 is one of the prettiest par threes I have ever seen. It is here that Arnold Palmer pays homage to his loving wife Winnie with a hole featuring a tranquil pond, a flower studded island, a rock waterfall and an artful wooden bridge dedicated to her memory. Holes #8 and #9 are both uphill treks heading back towards the beautiful Spanish style clubhouse, framed by a stepped rock waterfall that feeds into a running stream in front of the green. It is here you may want to grab a cold drink and enjoy the splendid course design.
Then its back up a hill on #10 to a blind green that is sculpted into a grotto, and soon followed by #13, a down hill, 100 foot drop par three. It all finishes with an up and down par 4 that drops steeply to the green in front of the clubhouse. Wow! This may be Arnold Palmers best vision as an architect.
The scenic ride on the golf course is sure to spawn your appetite, so be sure to dine at the magnificent Francescos Restaurant in the Westin Hotel where we found the veal loin in a spicy mole sauce, a unique cornbread tourine, and a Ceasar salad with a Texas-style kick to make for an outstanding dining experience following golf.

Boudro’s Dinner Cruise along the River Walk
When the sun sets and golf has to stop, Take some time to explore the famous river walk of downtown San Antonio. And try a dinner cruise departing from Broudro’s Restaurant. The riverboat seats about 20 people and boasts a tasty menu of Texas ribeye, crab filled enchiladas, prickly-pear margaritas, and pecan coated ice cream treats. The entertaining guide on our boat explained the history of Texas and specifically, San Antonio. It would take a complete article unto itself to tell you the colorful history of the Alamo, San Antonio Cathedral, the waterways construction, and other aspects of life in San Antonio. So I will just leave this to a qualified tour guide.
We met with just such a charming city guide, named Sissy the next day who detailed the unique lore of San Antonio and a few local landmarks. Aside from the ever- popular Alamo, San Antonio features a Mexican Mercantile (with authentic Mexican vanilla), cobblestone courtyards, city parks, and an old brewery built by its German citizens a century ago. It explains why you might hear an accordion among the instruments of a serenading Mexican street band.

www.lacanteragolfclub.com
guest fees: $125 Mon thru Thurs $140 Fri thru Sun

The Quarry Golf Club
This is our last day in San Antonio and we are playing the Quarry Golf Club. It was built in 1993 and designed by Keith Foster, one of his first and a terrific track. It plays like 2 different golf courses: the front nine is links style and the back nine is through an old limestone quarry, that used to be the source for the Alamo cement company. There are no trees in play and maybe not a tree in sight, but don’t let that fool you, that just makes it easier for the wind to get you. If the wind isn’t enough, it has plenty of rock, boulders, water and ledges and fescue.

Unlike La Cantara it is all Bermuda grass. Not having been over seeded, the fairways run firm and fast. For a public course it was in wonderful condition. . It plays 6740 from the tips, short by today’s standards and to par 71.
Number One is a welcoming opener and on number three water starts coming into play on a beautiful par-three. Number 5, called watery grave, is the only par-five on the front 9 and has water on both sides. And plenty of fescue surrounding the fairways. Be careful here!!

As you pass through the tunnel to number 10 a whole new world of golf opens up as you enter the old quarry. You can see every hole on the back 9 from the 10th tee box. These holes back here are the most interesting and challenging as you wind your way through quarry walls rock outcroppings and water that fills in the deepest part of the old quarry. Numbers 13 and 16 are by far the most unique as you hit around the water and tee off from an old rock ledge down to the old quarry floor.

Annie liked how the course sets up for women, and the Callaway clubs we used today were wonderful. In fact I may like the irons better than my own

The service was outstanding from the proshop to the starter and beverage girl. But on #7 the pro even showed up to take a lunch order for the turn. Now that’s service!!
For more info visit www.quarrygolf.com
Rates this time of year are $65.00 Sun – Thurs, $95 on Fri and Sat. and $49 twilight

Pete Dye Golf Club at French Lick

2009-11-17T05:25:00.000-08:00

Last summer I wrote about the new Pete Dye Golf Club at French Lick (see old posts May 2009) and told you it was the longest course I have ever seen and it turns out to be one of the very longest courses in existence at 8102 yards.

It's latest accolade comes from Golfweek magazine, . The new Pete Dye course, which opened this year, is ranked No. 27, and will be the host site of the 2010 PGA of America's Professional National Championship.

It is interesting that at the PGA Championship, I had a conversation with Pete Dye and he very clearly took a stand on the fact that the USGA needs to better regulate the golf ball so that it does not go so far. He talked about how the length of golf courses today is getting ridiculously long, well beyond the capability of the average golfer and requires too much land and subsequently too much maintenance. All this after building an 8102 yard golf course.

Julie and Julia

2009-08-24T19:59:00.000-07:00

I just saw the movie Julie and Julia. Why would I write about that in a golf blog you ask? Good question!!! The way I saw this movie, Julies life in the kitchen was just like my life on the golf course… She decided to cook 524 Julia Child recipes in 365 days. She started a blog about it which eventually led to a book and then a movie (I do not have a movie deal).
Meryl Streep was fantastic as Julia Child and this was a thoroughly entertaining movie as it moved from flashbacks of Julia Child’s life and her dream of getting published to Julies dream of completing her very long-term goal of cooking all this food. To me it was a reflection of my life lived out in the kitchen rather than a golf course. She was tenacious in her goal!! There were several sacrifices to achieve it!! She had her ups and down and came close to quitting more than once!! And finally came a book and notoriety in the press. Like me she felt like she was writing in the blogesphere and no one was reading it, but eventually they were. It’s a wonderful story and I recommend it.

In Korea they are singin “Everybody Yang Chung Tonight”

2009-08-17T07:30:00.000-07:00

In Korea they are singin “Everybody Yang Chung Tonight”
Hazeltine National Golf Club, Chaska MN

Y.E Yang pulled off quite the upset today, beating Tiger Woods in the final round of the PGA Championship. He took home the Wanamaker trophy and 1.3 million dollars. Not bad for a weeks work for a man who came to Chaska MN ranked 110 in the World Golf Rankings, and didn’t take up the game of golf until the age of 19. He has moved to Dallas TX but at his press conference on Sunday, it became clear that he can barely speak English. He conducted this press conference (the longest of his life according to him) through an interpreter.
He played in the last group with Tiger, facing not only Tigers intimidating demeanor but the intimidating crowds and media that follow Tiger.
He became the first ever to beat Tiger Woods in 15 tries in the final round of a major championship when Woods either held or shared the lead after the third round.
He also records the largest comeback ever to win a PGA Championship, rallying from nine strokes back of Woods after the fifth hole of the second round this week.

This man is no longer “a regular Joe” and the media spotlight will shine brightly on him for the next year. It would not surprise me if he gets a "Ticker Tape parade" when he returns to Korea. The demands on his time will be extraordinary from every direction that you can possibly imagine.
Is he a “one hit wonder” a term they would use in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? There are several examples in recent years of people who could not get used to having their lives so seriously turned upside down, which was followed by a fall from grace. I hope he handles it well. As a player he deserves to continue standing on a great championship stage.

One more interesting note, the media guide that is issued by the PGA lists the player’s biographies in alphabetical order. The final two in the guide are the same two as in yesterdays final pairing. Woods and Yang.

More from the PGA Championship

2009-08-15T14:19:00.000-07:00

American Express has a promotion here at the PGA Championship. If you have an Am Ex card they loan you a portable TV for the day. The video feed is from Kangaroo TV and it has several channels: leader boards, XM radio coverage, weather, tee times, TNT, CBS coverage, marquee channel (following Mickelson in the morning and Tiger in the afternoon) and it even has a find a player feature: enter their name and you can find their exact location on the course. I have always said “ Golf is a wonderful TV sport. It’s better to watch golf on TV rather than live, because you have to be lucky to be at the right place at the right time if you are on the course” This gives the patron the best of all worlds.

Two interesting stories are being followed closely here in the media room in addition to Tigers dominance. Ryo Ishikawa, from Saitama Japan is 17 years old and 5’7” and 140 pounds sopping wet. He ranks 59th in the world, made the cut and shot 74/74/ so far. On Friday he wore the brightest lime green pants I have ever seen, you almost needed sunglasses to look at him.

The other is Alvaro Quiros from Cadiz, Spain. The media guide calls him “a player clearly licensed to thrill” He is as handsome as they come, also made the cut with 69/76 and on the first two days his driving average is 328 yards, the longest in this field, 12 yards longer than Tiger. If he ever decides to give up professional golf, he could probably make a fortune endorsing clothing.

91st PGA Championship at Hazeltine

2009-08-12T05:25:00.000-07:00

I am covering the PGA Championship at Hazeltine Golf club in Chaska MN. I have written about golf travel, but this is my first time covering tournament golf.

I just attended a press conference with Tiger Woods, commenting about the “on the clock” issue he was involved in last week. He said that he has heard from the PGA and there will be no fine. Thank goodness for that, because I feel like that was a call by an official who was just seeking his 15 minutes of fame. He seems to have gotten it, unfortunately.
Some of the questions the media ask Tiger are ridiculous. One man asked “You are known for a strong finish in golf tournaments. In college when you ran cross country, did you have a strong kick at the end?” Really what kind of question is that and who cares? But Tigers answer was clever. “That poor kick, is one of the reasons I took up golf”

I played Hazeltine several times, and of course it is on the Golf Digest Top 100, so I wrote about one of my experiences in my book “A Golfers Dream” www.golfersdreambook.com They have lengenthed it to 7674 yards now and even Tiger said today after his practice round how tough and long its playing. “But its in great shape.” For the first time in major championship history, three of the par-5s this week will stretch at least 600 yards. The third hole at Hazeltine National Golf Club measures 633 yards; No. 11 is 606 yards; and the 15th hole covers 642 yards. The 572-yard seventh hole at Hazeltine National is the lone par-5 of less than 600 yards. You can’t mention this without noting that #12 is a 518- yard par 4

Of course when I played it, I did so at 6400-6500 yards and I can’t even imagine trying to conquer this at a beastly 7600. I will say, however that a few weeks ago I played the new Pete Dye Golf Club at French Lick IN and it plays 8102 from the tips. Is this length thing ever going to stop? It puts many courses out of tournament range and brings havoc to course maintenance budgets.

The clubhouse at Hazeltine will be torn down and replaced this year. I guess when you have the revenue of the PGA Championship behind you, a club has many options. It is a pretty worn out bldg, but I hate to see the locker room go. With the several championships that have been played here, many greats of golf have sat, changed clothes, and showered in that lockeroom. That makes it a very special place, like the lockerooms at Augusta, Shinnecock, Winged Foot. I wish there was a way to keep the lockeroom and build a new clubhouse around it, but I certainly do not expect that to happen
98 of the top 100 players are in this field, making it the strongest field of the season. There were 99 but Trevor Immelman withdrew today with a wrist injury.
More later

Aquafina a sponsor of the PGA Championship

2009-08-12T01:27:00.000-07:00

I am a working member of the media for th PGA Championship at Hazeltine this week. This is a privlidge and an honor to be working with some of the best golf writers in the world.
Aquafina water is a sponsor of the PGA Championship here at Hazeltine GC. Aquafina, as you may know, is owned by Pepsi Cola. They are the official water of the tournament. If you bring a plastic bottle of water onto the championship grounds, they require you to tear off the label if its not Aquafina. Pepsi says it is not a contractual requirement of the sponsorship and that it is a courtesy extended by the Championship, but I think that this restrictive policy is generating bad vibes for both the tournament and Aquafina. Whoever made this decision should reverse it. The publicity they are getting makes them both look foolish.

A GOLFER'S DREAM now avail on Kindle

2009-07-27T04:04:00.000-07:00

My book A GOLFER’S DREAM; HOW A REGULAR GUY CONQUERED THE GOLF DIGEST LIST OF AMERICA’S TOP 100 GOLF COURSES is now available on the Kindle from Amazon.

· If you have a kindle, or know someone who does, visit or send them to:
· www.amazon.com
· click on get your kindle today
· look in the kindle store and click kindle books
· then in the search bar type A Golfer’s Dream

It can be purchased and downloaded to the Kindle for $8.95

July 2009 Golf trip to Iowa

2009-07-14T18:44:00.000-07:00

Sat 11 July, 2009
I am visiting 2 friends of mine in Fairfield IA. This was a typical IA farm town until 20 some years ago when Parson’s college went out of business and sold the campus to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.. and the Maharishi University was born. Now the community of just under 10,000 is 55% old town folks and approx 45% meditators who are there to support the university community.

We went to play golf yesterday at Ottumwa golf club which is 109 years old and has to be one of the oldest golf courses west of the Mississippi. Bob Moreland, the head pro showed me a picture on the wall. “See this group of men?” This is the first ever Masters field at Augusta” Then he pointed to a man in the back row. “That’s my dad” Now that photo took my breath away.

Today we played Spirit Hollow in Burlington IA, in the southern part of the state and just a few miles from the Mississippi River. My day began by asking the starter how
Spirit Hollow got its name. He did not know so one of us gave him a story that could at least suffice as an answer if he were ever asked again.
It was not widely known that the fictional character of Ichabod Crane ever traveled west of the Mississippi, but after his encounter with the Headless horseman in Sleepy Hollow, he did escape to this land in Burlington IA and following a very spiritual experience here, fell asleep for weeks, right in one of their craggy canyons of this golf course.

Spirit Hollow was honored by Golf Magazines Thrifty fifty a few years ago, a list of top courses you can play for under $50.00. This 7300-yard course, from the tips, meanders its way through hundred-year-old trees, streams, and many 40-80 yard elevation changes. The views from some of the elevated tee boxes are stunning. It is designed by Rick Jacobson, whom I had never heard of, but I learned, used to work for Jack Nicklaus design. He may be unknown now, but if this is any example of his work, you are gonna hear about him in the future. This was one of his first projects, completed in 1999 and he must have had quite a vision to take the terrain he found and turn it into such an interesting and enjoyable golf course.

There is water and streams on 8 of the holes and many of them play down hill, where you can see exactly how the hole lays out in front of you and enjoy some breathtaking views of the rolling hills of IA. The stream babbles across and next to many of the holes on the course adding plenty of challenge, beauty and serenity.
Most recently they played host to a 2007 U.S. Amateur qualifier, quite an accomplishment unto itself.
#9 is a teriffic risk- reward hole playing from 410- 321 yards. You can risk it and try to drive the green over a wetlands and pond, which drops through a waterfall to another pond behind the green, into a blind landing area, in front of or on the green, or take the down hill fairway to the left and come back right to the green. Its not only beautiful but an outstanding challenging design. I was very happy with the 44 I shot on the front 9.
The back 9 is a bit more challenging and I also did not play as well, so my score went up a bit.
#18 is a teriffic downhill finishing par-5 crossing the stream on the tee shot and back over the stream to a slightly elevated green as we brought this wonderful day to a conclusion.

The rates are a bargain at $60.00 including unlimited range balls and carts with very accurate GPS systems. They have a wonderful junior golf program where they let the kids play for $16.00 with a cart. They do have “stay and play packages” at both the PZAZZ! or Catfish Bend Inn and Spa luxury suite hotel. call Spirit Hollow toll-free at 1-866-898-9349 or visit www.spirothollowgolfcourse.com For this money, if I lived here, I would be proud to call this my home course.

Sunday July 12, 2009
We are off to play Amana Colonies golf course just 15 miles from the Cedar Rapids IA airport. I have heard wonderful things about this course for years and it is a terrific layout. Unfortunately, they had 2” of rain two days prior. Yesterday they were cart path only, today you can drive on it but it’s soggy like a sponge, not the greatest conditions. Balls are plugging in the fairways, there is no roll and the greens are running slow. They have not been able to get a mower out for a couple days, so this causes the greens to be even slower and many of the bunkers either have standing water in them or have been washed out. Having said that, this is still a wonderful track.
There are woods and gorse along most of the holes and lots of elevation changes, leaving some pretty wonderful vistas from the tee boxes, probably more than yesterday. This makes it a beautiful course as it meanders through the woods and its slope from the tips is 142, that is pretty difficult. By comparison the highest slope the USGA issues used to be 151, although I have heard that some courses are getting higher slopes these days.

This course is celebrating its 20th anniversary and was designed by Jim Spears, another designer I have never heard of, but this is wonderful. Golf Magazine recognized it as one of the “Top 10 best new public courses in America in 1990 and I can see why.

The Amana Colonies are just outside of Cedar Rapids. Their website tells the following history:
Amana colonies was founded in 1855. Amana means to remain true. Six villages were established, a mile or two apart, across a river valley tract of some 25,000 acres . The Amana Colonies became one of America's longest-lived and largest religious communal society.
In the seven villages, residents received a home, medical care, meals, all household necessities and schooling for their children. Property and resources were shared. Men and women were assigned jobs by their village council . No one received a wage. No one needed one.
Farming and the production of wool and calico supported the community, but village enterprises, everything from clock making to brewing, were vital, and well-crafted products became a hallmark of the Amanas. Craftsmen took special pride in their work as a testament of both their faith and their community spirit. The Amana villages became well known for their high quality goods and strong work ethic.
Over 50 communal kitchens provided three meals daily to Colonists. These kitchens were operated by the women of the Colony and well supplied by the village smokehouse, bakery, ice house and dairy and by huge gardens, orchards and vineyards maintained by the villagers.
Children attended school six days a week year-round until the age of 14. Boys were assigned jobs on the farm or in the craft shops, while girls were assigned to a communal kitchen or garden. A few boys were sent to college for training as teachers, doctors and dentists.
In 1932, amidst America's Great Depression, Amana set aside its communal way of life. A ruinous farm market and changes in the rural economy contributed, but what finally propelled the change was a strong desire on the part of residents to maintain their community. By 1932, the communal way of life was seen as a barrier to achieving individual goals, so rather than leave or watch their children leave, they changed. They established the Amana Society, Inc., a profit-sharing corporation, to manage the farmland, the mills and the larger enterprises. Private enterprise was encouraged. The Amana Church was maintained.
Evocative of another age, the streets of the Amana Colonies with brick, stone and clapboard homes, flower and vegetable gardens, lanterns and walkways, recall Amana yesterday. This community today is vibrant, celebrating both its past and its future.
If you want to visit the Amana colonies and play this wonderful golf course they do have a stay and play package. Visit www.amanacolonies.com or call 800-383-3636

PETE DYE COURSE AT FRENCH LICK

2009-05-26T15:29:00.000-07:00

Pete Dye Course at French Lick
This course just opened April 24. It is so new that it has not even had 100 rounds played on it yet. It is also so new that it has not been sloped or rated yet. And if Pete Dye and the developer have their way, it should be rated as the toughest course in America, if not it will be damn close. Their goal is to attract major golf competitions and they should be successful at that.
The rack rate for this course is going to be $350, but they gave the media a break, to get some of the press it deserves. Have I mentioned its length yet? Its 8102 yards from the tips, with a 301 yard par-3 and the finishing hole a 657yard par-5. If that is not the longest in the world, it has to be close. The GPS on the carts clearly recommends that you be 5 or less handicap to play the tips, 6-12 the blacks at 7200 yards 13-20 to play 6700 yards and over that play 6100. I thought 6100 was short- but it turned out to be the right length for me. The GPS screen has very helpful tips on how to play each hole, that are so insightful they could have been written by Pete Dye himself.

Pete Dye moved over 20 million cubic yards of dirt to build this course. I can’t envision how much that is, but it sounds like a lot. This course sits on the second highest point in Indiana, which isn’t really that high, but it has lots of elevation changes and apparently they had to clear lots of trees for this course. The pro told me of Pete’s first trip here trudging through the tree and brush at his spry age of 83. “Some of the younger people working with him had trouble keeping up with him, as he made his way through the dense trees and brush on his first site visit” said Deven Trueblood, the assistant golf professional. Many trees were cleared and it is a links style course now with hardly any trees, and holes that are framed by a vast horizon that challenges your depth perception, especially on the doglegs, trying to figure out how much to cut off. The good news is you have views for miles, perhaps 30 miles in some cases. Quite the panaoramas.

The cart paths are white sand and gravel, which as you look from above makes a beautiful contrast with the course and saves from the large bounces you can get from blacktop paths.
# 2 is a short par 4 with plenty of mounding and bunkers #3 is a twisty turny, rolly pollie, ribbon of fairway all leading to a green that hangs on the precipice of the hill. Many of the narrow fairways sit up on a ledge and if your shots are off line you are either in fescue up the hill or 10-15 feet below the fairway on the other side. Ouch!!!
#6, has 20 bunkers lining just the left side of the fairway and the par-5#14 has a split fairway. One of them (unfortunately the one I hit to) is 50-75 feet below the pin; I was hitting a wedge up over a tall wall of grass. I made bogie and was proud of it.

I lost lots of balls on the front and shot 47 yikes!! But on the back I hit more fairways, made a few pars and shot 42 that’s more like it. For all the elevation change, they told me it is quite walkable and there is only a 5% grade differential on the entire course if you walk. I guess I will have to come back and try that. They had suggested I take a caddie or at least a forecaddie, and after I finished, I wished I had. Knowing where to aim is a big factor here.

If you want a challenge, this will be a good place for you, but don’t play tees that are too long for you or you will regret it
Deven shared with me an interesting observation from Brett Melton, an outstanding player who played from the tips “I could play this course with 4 clubs; driver, 3 wood, wedge and putter, because you are hitting 3 wood into almost every green and then your short game takes over.

I did ask about the course record and so far it’s 82 from the tips--- so go out there and let me know if you can beat that. Visit www.Frenchlick.com

If you go: stay at the French Lick resort and Casino (I guess the casino qualifies as a riverboat but don’t ask me how since it’s inside the bldg.) The restaurants are wonderful the spa is first class. Or stay at the West Baden Springs hotel which has an amazing atrium (worth a visit even if you don’t stay there)

New Golf products and Golf Network conference

2009-05-21T08:08:00.000-07:00

May 19,2009
I am at the ING conference in French Lick IN. This conference is a networking conference of Golf writers, Golf Publications, and Golf Manufacturers. I have never been to French Lick before, but I know I have heard of it and was trying to figure out why. Then I was talking to a friend of mine on the phone, when I told him where I was he said “Oh the birthplace of Larry Bird” which it is… there is even a street called Larry Bird Way. All this in a very poor town with a population of less than 3,000.

It is also home to the French Lick resort and Casino which is a very big resort with two golf courses, One by Donald Ross and a brand new course by Pete Dye. This new course is why our meeting is here. More on the course at my next entry.

I tried a couple new products while I was here, both of which are interesting. One was the Air force driver, which is filled with Nitrogen, making the club head a bit lighter and the pressure of the nitrogen, makes it possible to manufacture the club head with a thinner face, Thinner face, better response and longer hits, in some cases 20-30 yards.

I also spent some time with a new putting training device called Clockworx putting. (www.clockworxputting.com ) . This is a training aid that is basically a level that you place on the hole and it shows which way the green is sloping. The concept is you find 3,6,9, and 12 o’clock place the 6:00 line to indicate where the putt is exactly up hill. Then you take 4 ball marks at 3,6,9,and 12 directly around the hole and then place a dozen balls in a 3-4 foot radius of the hole and putt. Each putt has a slightly different break and your slowly learn where to aim to play the break properly and it also trains you in learning to interpret subtle breaks. If you use it enough and properly, it works wonderfully.
Larry Berle
www.GolfersDreamBook.com

Golf at Mirabel in Phoenix AZ

2009-03-29T12:28:00.000-07:00

Mirabel Golf
Annie and I played Mirabel in the very north of the Phoenix Area yesterday with our friends Mark and Kim. Mark had bought these rounds at a charity auction several months ago and invited us along. I am so glad he did.
The development is at approx 3000 feet in elevation, a couple thousand feet above central Phoenix, and is a bit cooler than the rest of the valley, with some spectacular sweeping views of the Phoenix valley and Pinnacle Peak. It plays anywhere from 5000 to 7200 yards with generous landing areas and strategically, well-guarded greens, with plenty of undulation in them. This style of course design is Tom Fazio's forte. So it’s a great test for the low handicapper, yet fun for your average Sunday golfer.

The course was originally designed by Greg Norman, but Tom Fazio has redone it, to what extent I do not know, but it is a terrific track now.

The 34,000 square foot clubhouse, which they appropriately call the Desert Lodge, is like a mecca of decadence with a world class restaurant, a highly rated locker room and a full service spa in each of the women’s and men’s locker rooms…. WOW. Golf Digest regularly rates the locker room amount the top 50 locker rooms.

If the clubhouse were not enough; they decided to extend the clubhouse to the course where there are two “comfort stations” like refreshment stands on steroids, with every drink imaginable, cheese and crackers, ice cream bars, hard boiled eggs, fruit, freshly baked cookies and some of the best beef jerky you ever tasted. Our caddie even said “ put some in a bag and take it home, everyone else does” and all at no additional charge.
We passed a BBQ grill on the 8th tee box where, we were told, the chef usually prepares one of his wonderful creations, but not today. That was disappointing. They even have chair massage on the driving range. With all these services, I can’t even imagine what the dues are, but who cares, I don’t have to pay em.

The greens have lots of movement and ran very fast, I would guess 12 on the stimpmeter. I know keeping them at speeds like that takes quite an effort on the part of the maintenance staff. Personally, I love greens like this, although a at least one of my golf partners today found them confounding and frustrating. I birdied number one and was even par after 6 holes, which is unusually good for me, but 7,8,9 my usual game was back. Still I shot 85 for the day, which made me happy.

This course is very walkable, and they encourage walking. We had carts but I would guess I walked over half the course. Our caddie, Mike, was an eagle eye for balls hit into the desert and a true expert at reading these challenging greens. There is a valley effect here and many times the breaks are not what they appear to the naked eye. Many people say this may be the best golf course in the Phoenix are, and although I have not played them all, I am inclined to agree.

The homes on the course are beautiful, we even passed one that is 16,000 Square feet, ½ the size of the clubhouse. Housing at Mirabel starts at well over a million dollars but they just began accepting members who do not own property at Mirabel.

Papago Golf course Phoenix AZ

2009-03-09T21:15:00.000-07:00

Papago Golf Course
Phoenix AZ
March 2009

For years, Papago Golf Course has been respected as one of the top public municipal golf courses in the Phoenix area. Over the years it has deteriorated in condition but a couple of the holes continued to show up regularly on lists of the best 18 holes of Arizona.
They just completed a multi-million dollar renovation of the course, and its reopening has been all over the AZ golf news. In fact the LPGA tournament will be played there later in March of 2009.

I played it yesterday and it seems to me this renovation still has a long way to go. First of all its $89.00. Most courses in the valley are discounting their fees, but not Papago. The clubhouse is a construction trailer, not exactly the most inviting introduction as you drive in. There is no drinking water on the course and I never saw a ball washer either. The toilet facilities are still porta poties.
The carts are the old polluting gas carts, and although they allow walking, whick I like, you pay for the cart even if you walk. Did I mention the few trash bins I saw? Everything goes in there, even all the recyclable plastic bottles, of which there are many. This is a municipal golf course, I would hope that the city of Phoenix would be better stewards of the environment.

We played the front 9 in 3 hours. We waited on every hole, and there was no marshal on the course to move things along. That was frustrating. At the turn we went to the clubhouse and told them we didn’t have 3 more hours and they were kind enough to refund ½ our fee. So I can only tell you about the front nine.

The hole layouts are wonderful and the setting among the rock outcroppings and buttes of Papago Park is beautiful. I just wish I could say the same for the rest of the course. For a new renovation the fairways were in decent shape as were the greens. The sand in the bunkers was in excellent shape. However, all the tee boxes are scruffy as is the rough (its not really rough) and the transitions from the rough to the edges of the holes are all hard pan.

I will be interested to see how the LPGA reacts to these conditions in a couple weeks, but I would say there are lots of better places to spend your money on golf in the Phoenix area. I would play it again in a couple years if the conditions get better, but it is going to take some work to make that happen.

Terry Fator is a big hit in Las Vegas

2009-03-07T08:37:00.000-08:00

Las Vegas
March 5, 2009
I most often write about golf, but having spent 30 years in the entertainment business I want to tell you about a new show in Las Vegas I saw recently.

Terry Fator
Tonight I saw the new Terry Fator show at the Mirage. Terry Fator is a ventriloquist and impersonator and he combines these two extraordinary talents in his wonderful new show at the Mirage, which just opened last month. Terry recently won AMERICAS GREATEST TALENT on TV winning a cool $1 million, which is nothing compared to the $100 million contract he signed for a multi-year stint at his 1265 seat theatre in
the Mirage.

Terry’s 90 min show introduces us to 7 puppet characters such as Emma Taylor who opens the show singing a fantastic rendition of Etta James’ “at last” followed by Winston the impersonating turtle who is not only hilarious but can also sing his ass off. This is followed by the flirtatious, Cowboy Walter, a ladies man, who is sure that underpants will soon be flying onto the stage as soon as the women of the audience notice him. As if he isn’t raunchy enough he is followed by Miss Vicki, the urban cougar who can’t wait to get in the box with all the male puppets to see if they want to play a little “poker”
The other characters are too numerous to mention and funny beyond belief and can all sing and impersonate the likes of the Beatles to Louis Armstrong-------------

Then when you think all the characters will be played by the puppets, Fator appears on stage dressed as Michael Jackson and sings a few puppetless impersonations that knock your socks off.

He even brought an audience member on stage, outfitted him in a mask, wig and dress to impersonate Cher and did a duet with him as Sonny and Cher. This too, brought the house down. All of this to the accompaniment of his phenomenal 7 piece band.

This man can sing like anyone, with his mouth shut.

I was a ventriloquist in Jr. and Sr. high school and I can tell you how hard it is to tell the many jokes without a break in facial expression and to be able to sing the variety of voices and styles that Terry sings without moving his lips is nothing short of extraordinary.
Terry’s bio tells us how, since the age of 15, it has been his lifelong dream to have his own marquee on a Las Vegas casino and now he not only has that but a cool $100 million contract to boot….. What a country!!!!!

Check out his website at www.terryfator.com and if you are headed to Vegas. Don’t miss this show!!!

Bridgestone Golf Balls

2009-03-02T08:48:00.000-08:00

March 2, 2009
Bridgestone Golf Balls
I have been playing the new Bridgestone Tour B330-RX golf ball for the past couple weeks. They have 3 new models: B330-RX optimized for swing speeds of 105 MPH, the B330-S for swing speeds of 105-115 MPH and the B330 for swing speeds over 115 MPH.
This is a wonderful new ball--- it is long and straight off the tee and gets great spin control from irons around the green. These balls have urethane covers which are a soft material to give you max spin control around the greens. Short game guru, Dave Pelz, recently, compared Urethane and Surlyn covers. Urethane is the softer material designed to be engaged by the grooves on the clubface. I like this because I miss more than my share of greens in regulation but when I hit chips and short pitches at the flag, I can control its reaction on the green. This has improved my scoring. I highly recommend these balls.
Bridgestone has a ball fitting page on their website www.bridgestonegolf.com/en/fitting/quick.aspx .It will help you decide which of these three models will suite your needs

The Golf Buddy GPS distance finder

2009-02-08T12:57:00.000-08:00

The Golf Buddy
There are several GPS units that give you accurate golf course distances on the market now. I have used two of them; Sky caddie and Golf Buddy. They both give you very similar information, but there are some major differences that are important. I have been trying the Golf Buddy for a couple weeks now-- on several courses and I like it much better than Sky Caddie.

First of all, the purchase costs are quite similar. However the Golf Buddy requires no annual subscription fee and no need to continually download courses from your computer. They are all stored right there in the device (or up in cyberspace, somewhere). I started at Firerock in Fountain Hills AZ and turned it on. It took a few minutes to boot up, then it recognized Firerock and asked me: Are you at
Firerock CC. I hit the toggle switch yes and in a minute it loaded up the first hole. After that it automatically forwarded to each successive hole and gave me distances to front, middle and back of green, in an easy to read font (I like it when it’s easy to read)

You can also toggle and get distances to water and bunkers and hazards, but for my eyes, which now need reading glasses, it was difficult to read, I could do it with a bit of squinting but it would be such an improvement if they could increase that type size.

You can also pick your favorite layup distance (say it’s a 100 yard Pitching wedge) and it will tell you the distance to that anytime you want it.

It has a rechargeable battery and seems to hold the charge for at least 1 if not 2 rounds.

The website has a complete list of courses that are on Golf Buddy and I found a couple that are not on it, The Champions course at TPC Scottsdale and Vista Verde. You can email golf buddy and they say they will add them, which I did a week ago and I am still waiting to hear what happened to my request. As of this writing I have not heard back from them, so I don’t know how well that system is set up yet.

It has features that allow you to hit “Mark” and determine how far you hit any shot that you hit. It also has a feature where you can mark an unknown course you are on and up load it to their system. Don’t let any of this bother you because they seem to have so many courses on their system that its hard to imagine there are many that you won’t find.
For example in Arizona alone, they have approx 300 listed on the web. It also has a feature where you can keep your score, but I have not tried this yet.

It also comes with an instructional DVD from Rick Smith, who endorses the product, but is also one of the top golf instructors in the U.S.

For price and convenience, I would take this over any other global positioning device I have played so far. For more info visit www.golfbuddyglobal.com

Ritz Carlton Golf Club at Dove Mountain

2009-02-04T21:24:00.000-08:00

THE RITZ-CARLTON GOLF CLUB AT DOVE MOUNTAIN
On Mon Feb 2 I played in the media day at the brand new Ritz- Carlton Golf Club in Marana AZ, just outside of Tucson.
This course is a Jack Nicklaus signature (the signature means he was personally involved in the design) and just opened for play less that 2 weeks ago, so it is in pristine condition. For the tour it plays over 7800 yards with a rating of 77.1 and a slope if 147 (the hardest slope that is issued by the USGA is 151 to the best of my knowledge). It does have 5 sets of tees, however, and it can be played as short as 5300 yards. It is beautifully nestled in the surrounding Tortolita Mountain Range which is dotted with hundreds of majestic saguaro cactus, just up the road from The Gallery at Dove Mountain.

The WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship will be played there later this month (that is a field of the top 64 players in the world) and as Wade Dunagan told us in the press conference, “This course was specifically designed with Match play in mind” That means difficult, with lots of carries over desert washes and significant undulation in the greens. Some of the carries are not too bad (like off the tees) but at least half the holes have desert washes near the greens, which means you better carry the ball all the way over them. Many of them are uphill greens, requiring an additional club for the distance and making it difficult to see the green surfaces and thus hard to judge the pin positions.

Unlike many desert courses, this place has real rough, which they are growing out for the tour stop, but I like that better than having balls kick out into the desert, even though it surely reduced the roll and was not easy to hit from.

Having said all that, it is truly a wonderful place for golf, both to play and will be wonderful to watch the match play there as well. The match play will be like a mini global summit, with players from 19 countries. As of this writing, they have not ruled out Tiger showing up to defend his title.

I played with 3 other golf writers, (just because they are golf writers, don’t assume that makes them good golfers) although one of them was clearly a single digit handicapper. We all enjoyed the course, although there was speculation in the group about average players liking it once, but being reluctant to play it many times over, because of its difficulty. That remains to be seen. I know I would like to go back there, even from 6800 yard tees we played, I shot 84 which is good for me. We played 18 holes (the 18 on which the Match Play will take place) but there are 9 more holes that we didn’t get to play and 9 more are scheduled to be built in 2010.

It is currently open to the public at $225.00 per round but when the hotel opens this fall it is intended to be for members and hotel guests only. If you want to join its going to be $125,000 initiation and dues of $750 per month plus $25 usage fee for every round of golf. Its gonna take an improving economy to make that be attractive..

The 45,000 square foot clubhouse is as luxurous as you can imagine, with a huge spa coming, and they have hired great chefs and the food is magnificent. My favorite item on the menu is “Short rib sliders” which are to die for and I am sure will become the signature dish of the club.

The hotel will have 250 rooms and 25 casitas and there are 450 home sites for sale. I took a tour of one of the model homes and there are 450 lots avail with homes ranging from $1.25 million to $3 million. Even though you will have $750 - $1100 per month HOA dues with your home you get all the service you want including the hotel concierge and, I am told, room service from the hotel 24 hours a day. Not bad eh?

Arrowhead CC Glendale AZ

2009-01-29T21:08:00.000-08:00

Arrowhead Country Club Glendale AZ

Yesterday Arrowhead CC hosted a “member for a day” event, designed to introduce new people to their club, I am sure with the hope that some may join. It is located in Glendale AZ about 4 miles west of I-17 and Loop 101 in Glendale AZ (a western community of the Greater Phoenix area--- This is the same town where the Cardinals and the Coyotes recently built their new stadiums.

Arrowhead, a private country club, is full service with a 36,000 Square Foot fitness facility; 3-racquet ball courts 10-lighted Tennis courts 3 swimming pools and a beautiful spacious clubhouse. It certainly has everything you could want in a country club.

The golf course was designed in 1986 by Arnold Palmer and has some very nice characteristics to it. Between 1/3 and ½ of the holes have water (a precious commodity in the desert) but most of them do not come severely into play, except in a couple cases like the par-5, sixth hole which is a dogleg par 5 around a long pond and hole #8 which has two water hazards, one of which is not visible from the tee but certainly is reachable.
So the water adds a beautiful aesthetic value, without being overly penal (most of the time).

The fairways, which like most AZ courses, are over seeded in the winter, play beautifully. The greens were in very good shape and run quick and true. There are plenty of subtle breaks, but only a few have any severe slope to them. They are firm enough that they are hard to hold unless you are an expert spinner of approach shots, so you have to hit almost everything into the front of the green

The rough is a different story, it’s not over seeded, so it’s brown and scraggly and there are several areas that are worn down to the hardpan. The good news is, it is an easy surface to hit from. So, to the eye, the fairways are not very well defined, except by the over seeded green fairways and their contrast to the brown rough. And unfortunately the fairway bunkers visually blend in to the rough as you stand on the tee. One of my playing partners suggested a bit of mounding along the fairways may help define them. Perhaps some green rough to frame the bunkers would help. The fairways are firm and you get pretty good roll from the tee shots. I like that. The fairway bunkers were very firm, which made it easy to hit from there (I know you are asking what were you doing in there?) Yet the greenside bunkers seemed to have enough sand to make them quite playable.

Number 9 and 18 are quite similar, except 18 is a par 5 with quite a carry over water near the green. I hit a great drive and actually went for it in two, carried the water and would have rolled onto the green, but I was a few yards too far right and it rolled off the wall into the water.

It plays anywhere from 5200 yards to 7100 so there is plenty of challenge for everyone. We played it from 6300 yards, which is rated at 69.5 and slopes at 121. Not too easy and not too hard. And the woman in our foursome said she was quite pleased with the women’s tee placements.

As clubs go in the Phoenix area, it is a very good value with a $4,000 initiation fee and family dues of $445 per month. They can be reached at 602-561-9648 or visit www.arrowheadccaz.com

What an adventure!!!!

2009-01-08T20:28:00.001-08:00

Well written...and quite an adventure.
A must read for any golfer of any level.

Seemore Putter

2008-12-29T08:44:00.000-08:00

Just a short post here!!! The new Seemore putter has been in my bag now for about 3 weeks and my percentage of made putts from 6-10 feet has improved dramatically. I would guess it has reduced my scores by 2-4 strokes per round. I am sure I do better with lag putts too, and inside 3 feet was rarely a problem for me, but 6-10 footers were a real challenge and I love this improved success.

Seemore Putter SB1 Mallet

2008-12-09T11:00:00.000-08:00

Seemore Putter SB1 Mallet

Several years ago, I was given a SeeMore putter which I used for years and then stopped using, because I needed a putter with a heavier putter head. SeeMore has been sold, some new models of putters have been released, and I have been trying the SB1 this week and it is going in my bag, probably for a long time.

In 2007 the SeeMore Putter Company was re-launched as it introduced a new line of milled putters with the main goal being to use its patented RifleScope Technology (RST) system to improve putter alignment.
The basic concept is a large red dot on the putter head that is aligned with the shaft. As you set up, hide the red dot from your view behind the shaft, and your alignment will always be the same. It reduces open and shut faces, decreasing pushes and pulls, but it also means that the loft will not change on you (open faces add loft and shut faces cause delofting).

The SB-1 was introduced in Sept 2008 and, according to www.seemore.com, this mallet design has a black satin finish and a face that is 100% milled aerospace aluminum. I tested the 35-inch shaft (the lower 12 inches of the shaft is painted black to aid in hiding that red dot). The swing weight is a huge improvement and the centerline truly helps in alignment. The milled face is not black on top, so, visually there is a straight line that is 90 degrees to the centerline, which creates alignment to a “T”, which is outstanding.
I think they have delivered a wonderful putter here and I highly recommend it.

It comes with a teaching device called a triangulator, which can be used as part of your practice routine to correct alignment. I practiced with it and learned that what I thought I was aiming at was not exactly accurate. Further use of this is going to help me align better, I’m sure.

SeeMore putters have had some big wins under their belt including Payne Stewarts 1999 U.S. Open win and Zack Johnson’s 2007 Masters victory.

There are several other designs in addition to this SB1 mallet, but I like this one a lot. They are avail in many proshops or online at www.seemore.com The SB1 retails for $225.00

Golf in the Blugrass state of Kentucky

2008-10-21T12:55:00.000-07:00

Wed Oct. 15, 2008

TRIP TO KY Pine Mountain State Park Wasioto Winds
Wasioto Winds is located at Pine Mountain State Resort Park approx 120 miles south and east of Lexington KY… this course is less than 5 years old and was designed by Michael Hurdzan. It is a teriffic golf course, and Dr. Hurdzan has designed several courses I have played and even has a couple on the Top 100 (one on the current list is Calusa Pines in Florida).
This course was the vision John Brock, the state park general manager and he hired Dr Hurdzan to design this magnificient layout. Dr. Hurdzan is one of the leaders in environmental design and getting Audobon ratings for courses.
I played today with Frank Stivers, an attorney from London KY (not to be confused with London England) a teriffic golfers himself, (low single digit handicap) and Donnie Caldwell, the asst pro, joined us on the back 9.
Wasioto Winds, a Shawnee name meaning Valley of the Deer, was rated 4th amoug Best New Affordable Public in Jan 2003 by Golf Digest. And with good reason. It is basically a flat golf course in a mountain setting. But don’t let its flatness lull you into thinking its easy, it is, in fact, quite challenging but I will say this: a high flying shot, against the background of these majestic mountains full of fall color is a breathtaking sight to behold, and there are lots of shots like this here at Wasiota Winds.
Water comes into play on 15 of the 18 holes which brings the challenge into this otherwise pleasant experience. I had a half dozen pars with 4 great up and downs out of the sand. Unfortunately I also sent a few balls to a watery grave and one high onto a rock wall which brought my score to 89. Frank on the other hand shot a smooth 78 and Donnie shot 38 on the 9 that he played.
Wasioto Winds features 5 par threes and 5 par fives. This is an uncommon format but one that I, for one, love, because often the holes on a golf course with the most character are the par threes and par fives and Wasiota Winds is no exception.
Mr Brock also had a vision to bring the First Tee program to Wasioto Winds. This course sits in one of the more financially depressed counties in Kentucky, a county where, as I understand it, 1 in 3 jobs is in coal mining. The First tee program here has introduced over 1000 underprivdleged kids into the world of golf—learning not only golf, but lessons of life that go along with them. They put an average of 280 kids through the program each week. There is an indoor training center for so they can work with these kids year round and have even created a 3 hole short course for the beginners in this program, which I found amazing. As you can imagine, raising money to fund this program in a financialy challenged county like this is not an easy task. So if you want to support their effort call Donnie Caldwell at 800-814-8002 and he will tell you how to donate.
Wasioto Winds is playable year round due to the introduction of cool-weather turf grass called L-93 Bent Grass.

One more thing about the area. This course is part of Pine Mountain State Resort Park. It also sits right next to the Cumberland Gap, the area through which Daniel Boone crossed the Apalacian Mountains. The region is also home to several Civil War battlefields. So there is lots to do around here in addition to golf. I was told it would be likely that I would see Elk around the golf course, but that was not to be today. If you come, watch for Elk.

I am on this press trip because the Kentucky department of tourism is investing in several signature golf courses intending to create a trail similar to the Alabama Golf trail. Watch for Kentucky Signature series, a trail of 8 courses in Kentucky’s bluegrass country. The courses are very affordable and wonderful.

Thurs Oct 16
Last night I stayed in the lodge at Pine Mountain, had a lovely dinner, and retired to my room to watch the last of the presidential debates. I was up at 6:30 for a 7:00 AM drive to General Burnside Island State Park. This park was named for General Ambrose Burnside, a Union General, who had a detachment of the army in the area in 1863, whose primary purpose was to protect the inhabitants of East Tennessee who were still loyal to the Union. The high point of the area became an island when the Army Corp of Engineers built Wolf Creek dam to create Lake Cumberland with over 1200 miles of shoreline.

Memorial day of 2008 General Burnside Island Golf Course reopened with a new design by Brian Ault. This is quite a contrast to Wasioto Winds. Here at Burnside the natural beauty of large boulders highlight the tree lined mountainous landscape with lots of elevation changes. And the course plays 6400 yards from the tips—which means I can finally play a course from the tips, a rare occasion for me.

At noon I met Ron Roberts the head pro, Greg Blevens, the greens superintendent and his asst Ryan, to play this new course. It was drizzling and misting right from the first hole, which continued on and off throughout the day. It does not present a course in its best light, but even in this overcast light, this is a wonderful golf course. I rarely encountered a flat lie in this course as we navigated the many elevation changes and beautiful trees through the wonderful design of Brian Ault. I birdied # 2, which is always a thrill. On number 5 Greg looked at me and appeared to be sharing a secret to green reading here at General Burnside “everything breaks toward the water” he whispered to me. It took me a minute to realize that on an island, which this course is, the water is located in every direction. So his little tip didn’t help much.

Burnside has 4 par fives (3 of them are on the front) and 5 par threes for a par 71, but for a course this short, many of the par threes are too long for me. #5 is 222 yards and #7 is 214 yards then 172yards, all carry over water, and finally a reasonable 167. I don’t particularly like par threes that require me to take driver if I want to have a chance to reach the green. So I think they could improve it here. I didn’t particularly like a 225-yard carry to the fairway on 13 either but these exceptions aside; this is a terrific challenging golf course. The fairways are a bristly Zoysia grass that causes your ball to sit up like on bristly carpet. It s a great surface to play from and these young bent grass greens putt true, quick and beautifully. Greg and Ryan hit 275-300 yard drives all day while Ron and I were hitting “mere mortal “ distances. I loved it here and would love to play here again. We did see some wildlife here, a couple deer wandered out on the fairway, clearly unphased by our presence, There is no hunting on the island and there appear to be no deer predators, so they must feel safe. We also saw a couple groups of wild turkey. They, unlike the deer, must feel a bit threatened, because I am sure one of the turkeys had a sign hanging round his neck that said, “don’t shoot, it’s not Thanksgiving yet!”

They are planning a resort hotel on the island which should add to its appeal, but I am staying less than a mile away at the Burnside marina on Lake Cumberland on a houseboat--- what a way to go--- you can golf and go house boating and party all you want on board. These 80 foot houseboats have TV’s heat and air, several bedrooms and bathrooms, full kitchen and even a hot tub on the top deck. This is the way to go. If you visit here- rent one of these houseboats.

Friday Oct 17
Dale Hollow Lake State Resort Park is the last of three courses I am playing. This course was ranked #6 “best new Affordable Public Courses” by Golf Digest in 2004 and is another design of Brian Ault also featuring zoysia grass fairways. There are 61 bunkers and 5 sets of tees on this 7273 yards layout to accommodate all levels of players. Unlike General Burnside, they have built a brand new clubhouse. The greens fees here, like the rest of the Kentucky Signature series are very reasonable $42 on weekends and $38 on weekdays. They do have a resort nearby which sits lakeside and has fantastic lake views. It is so close to the Tennessee boarder that Trooper Island, just a few hundred yards from the resort is ½ in Tennessee and ½ in Kentucky. Bruce Bottom, the head pro told me they get 25,000 rounds a year. I don’t know how they support a golf operation of this caliber at such reasonable rates, but they do.

Unbeknownst to me as I drove there, I had crossed into the central time zone and was surprised when I looked at my watch which read 10:00 am and looked at their clock which read 9:00. Not so bad I was an hour early for my tee time with Bruce.
Dale Hollow is another terrific course in the Kentucky Signature Series with over 140 feet in total elevation changes from the lowest to the highest point on the golf course. The difference between this and General Burnside is this has several more uphill holes some quite severely uphill. And it is true target golf, the greens are severely contoured, as are the fairways, the good news is that almost every hole is a thing of beauty. In fact Bruce tried to tell me that there is really not a signature hole on the course, probably because its full of signature holes.

As my friend Jeff May used to tell me “It was a good day for bad golf” A lovely sun filled day, quite unlike yesterday but Just one of those days where I couldn’t get either my long game or short game going, and I was a bit out of sorts when I came to their par threes. I am guessing Brain Ault must hate par threes cause once again these are almost all too long or require too much carry for me, and I was only playing this course from 6400 yards. I did hit one par three in regulation with my driver, however.
In spite of my poor play I did have a wonderful time, because sometimes the company takes precedence over ones capabilities of the day and Bruce and I laughed together all the way

If you go:
· Airports : Lexington or Knoxville
· Information: http://www.parks.ky.gov/golftrail/
· Accomodations: They have play and stay packages with reasonable room rates
Other activities: lots to do out doors, boating fishing horseback riding
Canoeing and visit Civil War battle sites

Greywalls in Marquette MI

2008-09-15T06:19:00.000-07:00

Thurs. Sept 11

Today we went to the Greywalls course at Marquette Golf Club. It is about 11/2 hour drive from Island Resort where we are staying but they have a stay and play package with all three of these courses.
This one is a bit of a drive but definitely worth the trip and certainly a unique golf course. It sits high on a bluff, ½ mile from the north shore of Lake Superior and several holes have panoramic views of the Lake. It has over 300 feet in up and down elevation changes which makes for some very challenging holes. This is mining country, for iron ore and it must have been copper and granite mining territory too because this course is filled with Granite outcroppings, most of which are strewn throughout the fairway. On #6 a 65-foot high granite wall looms over this par 3 green.
Imagine boulder- strewn foothills, sitting on a bluff high above Lake Superior with ribbons of emerald fairways meandering through granite walls and outcroppings. That is the beautiful and intriguing Greywalls.

This is a most interesting golf course, with no level lies to speak of, but there were a couple holes that I didn’t particularly like. # 5 call for a tee shot through such a narrow rock chute that it appears to be a smaller target than your average green. The fifteenth hole is a par three that took a driver and 2 putts for my par, A par-3 that requires driver is just too much for me.

Greywalls was designed by Mike DeVries who has worked for both Tom Fazio and Tom Doak and it is truly amazing to me that anyone looked at this property and could envision a golf course here. It is spectacular looking, very challenging (slope of 144 from the tips) and still very playable. There is very little about this golf course that anyone would call straight forward. And there is not a house in sight.

I was surprised to learn that this course was built for just over 3 million dollars and somehow, their maintenance budget is dramatically less than the average golf course in the U.S. I don’t know how they pull that off. It is also one of just two courses that has seeded its fairways with Dwarf Bluegrass, which plays surprisingly well and handles cart traffic extremely well (the greens and tees are bent grass)
And if you want to join here, the annual dues is just $1350 for a single and $1975 for a couple, but it does accept public play. I wish the dues at my home club were that cheap.
I played very well today and still shot 88 but our host, Bruce, shot 44 on the front 9 and told us it was his best 9 holes here at Greywalls ever.

It has received several accolades, including best new course for 2004 when it was built, and #2 Course in Michigan You Can Play- by Golfweek Magazine

For more info visit www.marquetteGolfClub.com

If you go:
100 miles north of Green Bay WI
Affiliated with Island Resort and Casino
Indian Gaming Casino, which has a hotel on site

Nearby Airports: Marquette MI and Green Bay WI

Off course activities: Casino gambling, hiking, fishing canoeing camping and plenty of outdoor activities and Lake Superior cruises

Timberstone at Pine Mountain

2008-09-14T01:45:00.000-07:00

Tue Sept 9, 2008

Today we are off to play TimberStone at Pine Mountain, where we will go from the Eastern Time Zone to Central and back to Eastern when we return.

TimberStone has a design credit of Jerry Mathews Design but it turns out that Paul Albanese was the team leader for Jerry Mathews before he started his own design firm and he had a strong hand in designing this golf course too. Interesting that I am playing two courses in a row of a designer I never heard of before. Having experienced these two vastly different courses, I know this is a designer that we will be hearing more about in the future.

It was a 45-minute ride from Island Resort and Casino to TimberStone at Pine Mountain. This course couldn’t be more different than Sweetgrass, even though it was designed be basically the same person. This is a mountain like course, with lots of elevation changes (310 vertical feet of elevation change) and tree lined fairways. There is no doubt we are in northern Michigan now. Number 17 and 18 are the most dramatic in the downhill area. #17is a par 3, with a stunning 120 feet of vertical drop and I would guess that #18, a par 5 playing almost 600-yards, has the same or more. These two holes have to qualify among the best finishing holes in golf,certainly in Michigan

The trees here that line many of the fairways are majestic and the boulders, strewn everywhere, especially along the cart paths add a real country glacial feel to the grounds. The trees that frame the fairways make it appear that the holes are much tighter than they actually turn out to be. Quite a visual trickery of the eye.

I played with Nile Young and Scott Sumner and Tom McChesney and we had a fun day- laughing all the way. Nile had a tough day at 97 but Scott and I both shot 87, which was good for a course I have never seen before and Tom shot 85. Is it tough here? The slope from the tees we played (not the furthest back) is 144 now that’s plenty tough. www.timberstonegolf.com

Sweetgrass Golf in Upper Peninsula of Michigan

2008-09-13T07:22:00.000-07:00

A Golf Trip to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan

I have been invited to play and review three golf courses near Marquette Michigan. Monday Sept 8, I flew to Green Bay Wisconsin and met up with 8 other golf writers to attend the opening Monday night NFL football game of the MN Vikings vs. the Green Bay Packers.
This was a wonderful experience and I had never been to Lambeau Field before and I can see why it may be the most popular NFL stadium in the U.S. It is a great place to see football and the fans are truly fanatic(that may be why they call them fans). The tailgating seems to endlessly surround the stadium and everyone came there to party.

After the game we drove 2 ½ hours to Island Resort and Casino in Wilson MI. This is a typical Indian Gaming Casino except for one difference that I noticed. The casinos is Minnesota do not have Craps tables or Roulette tables. This place does.

Tue. Morning we teed it up at Sweetgrass Golf Club, right next to the resort,which just opened in July 2008. I played with Ross Tanner of PGA Tour Partners and Paul Albanese, the architect of the course.
If you have never had an opportunity to play a golf course with it’s designer, I recommend it. I learned quite a bit about how he designed this course, which I am sure helped me in my shot strategies.

A couple years ago I read a book by Robert Trent Jones Jr. called “Golf by Design.” The premise of the book is “most sports have an offense and a defense. But most people do not perceive that in golf.” But RTJ says, “In fact, I the architect, am playing defense and you the player, are playing offense. The better you understand what I am trying to do to defeat you, the better your chances of succeeding.”

The course is owned and operated by the Hannahville Band of Potawatomi Nation. Designer Paul Aabanese honored the tribal legend throughout the process. It is basically a very open course with fairways and green complexes framed by wispy native grasses. As wide open as the fairways are, there is more than enough challenge in the wonderful green complexes. The course stretches from a challenging 7300 yards down to 5000 yards making this a true test for all levels of golfers.

They have named every hole, motivated by Native American stories and Paul then tried to design the holes to reflect these stories.
For example hole one is called Cedar, which is used as a traditional medicine of the tribe. The fairway is framed by a stand of Cedar trees.
Hole eleven is called Good Harvest. This tribe believes that Mother earth provides bounty for the people and should be protected. This hole has water, trees, farmland and wild game, all representative of Mother Earth.
Number thirteen is called Eagle, which is sacred to the native people. The eagle watches over the tribe, and near the green is a tree stump left, that easily resembles the form of an eagle looking protectively over the green. There are similar stories for each of the holes.
One wonderful design element is the 7 reclaimed railroad bridges that were brought to the course and reconstructed where bridges are needed. This element makes the course look like it has been here longer than its 2 months.

Some very traditional design elements are incorporated into the design as well such as a Redan green on number three which runs down hill from front right to back left. Redan means fortress and this kind of green presents quite a challenge to stop your ball near the pin.

Number 12, a par-3 called Maple Sugar, is home to a Biarritz Green, a long narrow green with a very deep swale in the center. This and Redan are both design elements that have been borrowed from centuries old design elements of the old British courses. This hole also hosts a beach bunker, a bunker that sweeps down to the adjacent water, giving it the look of a beach.

The course hosts 2 drivable par-4’s #1 and 14 both of which attempt to bring out the risk taker in you. # 15 is a scenic, challenging par-3 to an island green utilizing one of these wonderful reclaimed bridges to get to the green.

Other design elements he incorporated are a couple water falls (one between 9 and 18 and 9 &18 also share one green.

I had a half dozen pars and a few blow up holes for a total of 89. Paul shot 83 and Ross isn’t admitting what he shot, but he went right back out to bring the course to its knees shortly after we were done.

The fairways were in terrific shape for such a young course and the greens move subtly and quickly; running fast and true.
Personally I liked the name of hole #17, Wisdom, even thought I didn’t find much there. To learn more about this course visit www.islandresortandcasino.com

Nutrition on the Golf Course

2008-09-05T13:35:00.000-07:00

Sept 3, 2008
NUTRITION ON THE GOLF COURSE

Last year I spent a very intensive week training at Athletes Performance in Phoenix AZ. I not only built up some strength and endurance but I learned quite a bit about nutrition as well.

One thing I learned was about the volatility of my Blood Sugar. On any given round of golf I would get a coke or cookie from the beverage cart or at the turn. I didn’t realize it then, but I realize now, that it would spike my blood sugar and with it would spike the quickness of my swing and everything else I was doing. Then a few holes later my blood sugar would plummet and I would feel very tired. And my golf game would deteriorate. I was even reaching a point where I needed a nap after a round of golf.

I still love cookies and candy, but I now avoid them before and during golf and it makes a very noticeable difference. I drink only water, and plenty of it and carry a bag of snacks that consist of Peanuts, roasted soy nuts, sunflower seeds and sometimes other ingredients. I try to eat a handful (no more) every 2-3 holes (that is 6-8 times per round) This keeps my energy up and my blood sugar constant, which improved my concentration and endurance on the back nine.

Then I started learning about electrolytes. Water hydrates the body, but does not deliver any of those necessary electrolytes. Even drinking most sports drinks, like Gatorade has quite a bit of sugar in it.

This past week I tried two electrolyte-enhancing drinks and I highly recommend them both. One is Electrolyte stamina power pak. You can read more about this at www.traceminerals.com it is a small powder packet that you mix in a 6-10 oz bottle or glass of water. It’s loaded with electrolytes and some vitamins and even lots of vitamin C. It does have a bit of sugar in it, but not much. It comes in several flavors and its quite tasty.

I also tried Ultima replenisher. www.ultimareplenisher.com This has no sugars at all, and less sodium and plenty of vitamins, but in lower quantities. (still a high percentage of daily value) this also comes in a packet that you mix in water, and its just as tasty.

Using both of these in my water on the golf course, I found greater concentration, especially near the end of a round and greater stamina and decreased exhaustion.

I think I like Ultima better (no sugar at all) but I recommend them both highly and if you try them and cut out sugar during a round of golf, I think you will notice an improvement as well

New sunglasses for golf

2008-08-28T22:37:00.000-07:00

Aug 29, 2008
I recently got a pair of VedaloHD sunglasses. I now carry them in my golf bag and use them exclusively on the golf course. They are very comfortable, have wonderful eye protection from the sun (My eyes feel a reduction of strain after a few holes) and best of all they have a unique feature in the lens manfacturing (they call it tri-stimulus filtering creating enhanced chromatic contrast) . This may sound like a bunch of scientific jargon, and it probably is, but I can tell you that it greatly improves my ability to read greens.
There is a noticable difference when I look at a break of a putt without sunglasses and then through these sunglasses. I can see a greater contrast of shadow and light and the breaks appear to be enhanced, which gives me a greater read of the line of the putt and improved chance of sinking it. Check it out at VedaloHD.com

Passatimpo

2008-08-27T21:58:00.000-07:00

Sun Aug 24, 2008
"Pasatiempo is one of the great golf courses in the world, and one of my favorites. Pasatiempo brings back a lot of memories and is probably one of the premier back 9’s in all of golf.”
— Ken Venturi, Former PGA Tour Player

The state of one’s game will be revealed at Pasatiempo. All phases of your game will be tested ... and marginal shots won't be good enough. One of my all-time favorites!”
— Mark Lye, Champions Tour/Golf Channel Analyst

... good golfers consider the second nine holes at Pasatiempo the finest in existence. The short holes [are] specially good, and I think the sixteenth hole is the best two-shot hole I know.”
— Dr. Alister MacKenzie
—

Yesterday I played Pasatiempo Golf club in Santa Cruz CA. This is the 3rd time I played here, and as challenging as it is, I love this place. It was designed by Dr. Alister MacKenzie, the man who brought us Augusta National and Cypress Point. This is just 40 miles up the coast from Cypress Point, in Santa Cruz and except for the 3 holes directly on the ocean, it feels very much like Cypress Point, perhaps better. It has one advantage, the public can play here. Dr. MacKenzie considered #16 to be the best golf hole he has ever seen or designed and this picture below shows the green complex with the Pacific Ocean far in the background, but the green complex alone does no justice as to how wonderful and unique this hole is. If you want to find out what I am talking about, you are just going to have to go there and play it.

“A really great golf course must be a constant source of pleasure to the greatest possible number of players. It must require strategy in the playing as well as skill. It must give the average player a fair chance and at the same time, it must require the utmost from the expert. All natural beauty should be preserved, natural hazards should be utilized and artificiality should be minimized.”- Dr. Alister MaKenzie

The course has recently been renovated (not redesigned) by Tom Doak. They brought the greens back to the size and shape of the original design and rebuilt the bunkers. Many of these bunkers must be quite a challenge for the maintenance crew because very few of them are flat. Several of them are large and have a severe slope to them . Many of the greens have unusual shapes--- some that look almost like a 3 leaf clover, which means that there are some pin positions are tucked into some very hard to reach corners. This makes putting here a real challenge.

There are several ravines on this course that cause some tough carries and lots of elevation changes, but truly add to the beauty and appeal of this course. It is in fantastic shape and a real treat to play.

Monterey Peninsula Country Club Shore course

2008-08-23T23:07:00.001-07:00

Today I played the Shore Course at Monterey Peninsula Country Club here in Pebble Beach CA. This club has two courses Dunes and Shore. The Dunes was originally designed by Seth Raynor in 1925 and was on the Golf Digest Top, 100 but fell off years ago. It is one of very few clubs these days that has a waiting list to join.
In 2003 Mike Strantz re- designed the Shore course and did a magnificent job. Strantz has flown under the Golf Architect radar and you may not know his name, as he spent many years as the chief designer for Tom Fazio. I first became aware of his work at Tobacco Road near Pinehurst NC which is a wonderful collection of fascinating holes. MPCC hired him, not only for his design genius but because gov’t regulation would not allow much dirt to be brought in or moved, they needed a designer who would spend extraordinary time on site. Most golf course designers have several courses under construction at any given time but Mike Strantz worked on one course at a time. In this year and 1/2 undertaking he often spent 60-80 hours on the ground for any given hole directing every detail with the construction crew. He may not have been allowed to bring in dirt but he was not limited on the sand he could bring in and lots of sand he brought .
He sandcapped the entire course laying 6-8 inches of sand under most of the course, giving it possibly the best drainage on the Peninsula, which is important here as Monterey Peninsula gets more than it's fair share of rain.That sandcap tops off nearly 20 miles of drain tile. It also causes the course to be firm and gets lots of roll so it does not seem to play nearly as long as the 6900 yards on the card. Strantz also added several sandy waste areas many of which actually serve as cart paths.
The first 4 holes and final 2 holes could not be rerouted substantially because of the homes that line the fairways but his creativity really shined on the middle 12 holes that come down near the ocean. Many people on the Peninsula think this may be the best course in the area which is saying something since its neighbors include, Pebble Beach, Cypress Point and Spyglass. Unfortunately Mike Strantz developed a rare Tongue cancer as he worked on this course and never lived to see it get its #72 rating on the Golf Digest Top 100.
I shot 88 today which I am proud of. The greens are very challenging running 10-12 on the stimpmeter and very hard to read with their proximity to the ocean. I had 4 three putts which is unusual for me--- had I known the greens better I should have shot 83 or 84. The green side bunkers are wonderfully designed and I had two up and downs from the sand and nearly holed a third sand shot. On #17 I hit my second shot way right and my third shot was almost in a greenside creek ditch. I had to straddle the ditch to hit a delicate chip that, at first, I thought was going to force me to take an unplayable lie. It almost rolled in.

Number 18 is a hole that is not my favorite and quite uncharacteristic of the rest of the course, a steep uphill dogleg right, but I managed a bogie. Another unique thing about this course is it is a collection of 5 par- 3’s, 5 par- 5’s and only 8 par -4s. I loved that because it is my experience that on most courses it is the par- 5s and par-3 that have the most character. that was certainly the case here,
My friend Michael Lach had another smooth 75 and Maury Klemok shot a 78 even while complaining about his bad back and Rick Greenthal shot in the low 80s, we had a wonderful day together

a friend completes the top 100

2008-07-18T06:28:00.000-07:00

A new friend of mine, Scotty Wood from the Chicago area, just completed playing the Top 100 in the US and sent me the following email. It is great to see others finish this daunting goal. As I read this email I re-lived the day I completed the top 100 in 2002 at Atlantic Golf Club on Long Island.. On that eventful day for me one of my playing partners, Rusty Ripenberger, shot a 66 which was the course record. What a day.. I finish the top 100 and he shoots the course record. Quite an accomplishment, but nothing compared to getting a phone call from "The Donald"

Larry
Yesterday I played Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey and completed my 13 year quest to play the Top 100 Courses in America. Here is a picture of our foursome yesterday taken on the 18th green with the clubhouse in the background. The fellow on the left was my host, Ed Russo, who handles Don Trump's golf operations and was Donald's partner at their member-member event last weekend(they finished third).
During our round, Donald Trump called Ed to discuss a business matter, and Ed put me on the cell phone. Donald congratulated me on this milestone and promptly asked me to return to Trump National in Bedminster later this year to rate the "new" (no official name yet) Fazio course that is scheduled to open there after Labor Day. Ed had told him that I am now a course evaluator for Golf Digest Magazine, and Donald wants evaluators to show up as soon as possible. I have a long list of people who I owe a debt of gratitude to for their hospitality, help, support and generosity. At the head of that list is my bride, Stephanie, who has been "the wind beneath my wings". I will do my best to thank all of them personally. The greatest memory of this whole quest are the people that I have met along the way. It is a testament to the wonderful nature of the game
love this game
Scotty Wood

Two in Fountain Hills AZ We-Ko-Pa and Eagle Mountain

2008-04-26T08:22:00.000-07:00

April 26, 2008
Eagle Mountain

Two days ago I played again at Eagle Mountain, here in Fountain Hills AZ. I have played here many times and it is a beautiful course with lots of elevation changes and many sweeping views of the valley. I had a unique experience on hole # 4, a 145-yard par-3. It was getting very windy and the group in front of us had not seated the flagstick properly in the hole and it was leaning significantly and being blown by the wind. My playing partners hit their tee shots, all a bit too long, and were on the back of the green. I went to change clubs (taking one less club as the wind intensified) and then the wind blew the flagstick completely out of the hole. It laid on the green with its bottom end still hanging over the cup. I hit my tee shot; it bounced short of the green and trickled to a stop as it rolled into the top of the flagstick, stopping my ball 6 feet from the hole. “Is this a penalty?” my partners and I debated, since generally hitting a flagstick that is laying on the ground is a penalty. Then we determined, that is only the case when the player is putting. Lots of people hit the flagstick from off the green, but this was unusual, since it was lying on the ground. I missed the birdie putt and made an easy par. If anyone reading this knows for certain if we ruled this properly, send me an email at larry@golfersdreambook.com.

We-Ko-Pa

Yesterday I played at the new Saguaro course at We-Ko-Pa also here in Fountain Hills. It is my third time there, and Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore did a fantastic job with this track. It is one of the few courses in Arizona that not only allows walking, but encourages it. They provide electric pushcarts that allow you to walk with your clubs with out having to push or pull. It’s a wonderful thing and I wish more clubs out here would allow you to walk the courses.

In 2008 Golfweek called it the number one public access course in AZ and Golf Magazine rated it in the TOP 10 AMERICA'S BEST NEW PUBLIC COURSES. Both are worthy accolades, in my opinion. It is in terrific condition and has some wonderful holes. It is on an Indian reservation, which means there are no homes on its perimeter and it has some fantastic sweeping views of the nearby mountains. I had a good day with a 44 on the front and a 41 on the back, (the 41 on the back included one triple bogey). If you are ever in AZ, check it out along with
We-Ko-Pa’s other course Cholla (equally wonderful and highly rated, but it is carts only and they have a cart path only policy, with is not my favorite way to play golf (unless of course you keep hitting it near the cart path)

Par 3 course at Augusta National

2008-04-18T20:22:00.000-07:00

April 18, 2008

Blogs like this can be a saving grace for authors like me, who do not want to print a second edition of their book, who sometimes think “Oh there is something I left out of the book” or “ There is a correction needed.”

Last week I watched the Par-3 tournament of the Masters on ESPN. This was the first year this event has been televised at the Masters. I had seen this tournament, a few years ago in person, but this brought back a flood of memories from the day I played this little course myself. In my book, A GOLFERS DREAM, www.GolfersDreamBook.com I barely talked about my experience playing the Par-3 course, because I was so anxious to tell the stories of “the big course” that I was so much anticipating that day.

Paul Azinger has called this 1060 yard par-27 course “The best golf course in the world.”
As I look back on playing it, it was as much of a treat as playing the big course. If Golf Digest rated par-3 courses this would have to be number one in the World.

Alister Mackenzie had suggested a 9 hole “approach and Putt” in the original plan, but it was rejected. Cliff Roberts revived the idea in 1958 and he created a 3-½ acre pond and routed 9 holes around it. It was built with the same beauty, care and precision of the big course with greens that are just as challenging and just as well manicured. Sam Sneed won the first Masters par-3 contest with a 4 under par 23. (The record is now 7 under par 20). I didn’t do that well, in fact I don’t even think I still have my scorecard, but I think I was 1 or 2 over par for the morning. And yes, the pine straw, the water hazards and the severely sloping greens are all there in miniature next to it’s famous big brother.

It was fun to watch on TV the famous reunion of Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player, attacking this little par-3 course and of course many of the golfers out there had their own little kids as caddies, white jump suits and all. How cute is that??
Personally, I think Augusta National should establish a separate membership for the par-3 course and let the non power-brokers of the world have a chance to join.

Playing Firerock in Fountain Hills AZ

2008-03-16T11:39:00.000-07:00

March 16, 2008

Earlier this week I played golf at Firerock Country Club in Fountain Hills AZ. This course is private and is right next door to Eagle Mountain. It is the only private golf club in Fountain Hills, to the best of my knowledge, and it boasts lots of elevation changes and some sweeping vistas of the valley and beautiful views of Red Mountain. The homes around the development are glorious and provide views in and of themselves.

The first hole is an uphill par 4 with a gentle dogleg to the left. It yielded an opening par for me. Hole # 2 is a long par 3 across a ravine and requires all carry. I hit it pin high, 80 feet across this subtle undulating green and snaked in my birdie putt. I was one under par and ready to head for the clubhouse. “How did you do today?” They would ask and I would simply answer “1 under for the day”.
But I went on to #3, a spectacular downhill par 4 with sweeping valley views and water to the right of the green, and pared that too. The greens of Firerock are subtle and challenging to read and really add a unique challenge to playing there. They are quick and true, just the kind of greens I love to putt on. The entire course is in wonderful condition.

I did have three bogies on the front nine so I made the turn with a 38. The back nine which is every bit as wonderful, wasn’t so kind to me today. I hit some errant shots and had a couple of three-putts and carded 46 on the back for a total of 84 on the day—generally a good day for me. I have met a couple members there and I am glad of it, because I truly love playing there.
As I was headed for the first tee box Andy De Sollar, the head pro, stopped me and said that Firerock is rated 101. It was a cute thing to say, but it did make me think about Firerock in the context of all the top 100 courses I have played. If I were given the opportunity to go back and play all of them, I would rather play Firerock than several of the courses on that Top 100 list. Visit www.firerockcc.com

Stone Canyon in Tucson AZ

2008-02-25T10:29:00.000-08:00

I just played a wonderful golf course down in Tucson (actually Oro Valley) called STONE CANYON CLUB. My friend Mike Assum introduced me to Dan Gleason, who is a career writer (unlike me, a one book wonder). It is just down the road from THE GALLERY AT DOVE MOUNTAIN where on this Sunday, Tiger Woods was beating Stewart Cink in the final round of the Accenture Match Play. I have not been to Dove Mountain, but from what I understand these courses couldn’t be much different.

As I was playing the top 100, one of my favorite design teams was Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish. I was so sad to see them break up. But Jay Morrish designed this one by himself and it is terrific. Jay Morrish said himself, “This is by far the best desert golf course site I have ever seen.” And I think I may agree. And I have played some pretty wonderful desert golf courses.

It is in a community snuggled up against the nearby Tortolita Mountains. It has wild elevation changes, strips of emerald fairways winding through boulders, cacti and cascading waterfalls. Stone Canyon has an intriguing collection of par threes. One across an abyss framed by one of the courses waterfalls and three others that start out on majestic tee boxes and give you mostly down hill looks at magnificent green complexes.

The par-fives also have captivating character. Up hill, down hill and relatively level. Number 15 for example, plays almost like a triple dogleg with out cropping and bunkers defining the meandering fairway. Number 10 on the other hand is closer to a double dogleg with a very generous driving area and then it tightens down (chokes down may be a better term) from there, forcing you to hit your next two shots around a large lake. (and they better be precise)

The course finishes with a very long par- 4, but on the tee box, we stood so high above the fairway that our tee shots produced hang time that would make an NFL punter proud.

My new friend Dan Gleason, reminded me several times before we teed off that he had not picked up a golf club in over 5 weeks, but that did not stop him for shooting a lights-out 35 on the front 9. Not quite that good on the back, but hey that is nothing to sneeze at. I had 6 pars on the day, which is good for me but I also had 4 holes where I drove it into the desert, which quickly made my score much higher than I had intended. All in all it was a wonderful day. This is a very expensive housing development and the homes we saw were magnificent. Take a look for yourself at www.stonecanyon.com.
Oh I almost forgot to mention, Jay Morrish has a very challenging way of presenting short, challenging par 4’s. Like number 17 a devilish 275-yard par 4. Don’t confuse this with the 280-yard par three that Oakmont threw at the U.S. Open this year. I doubt there are many pros who could bring one in high enough and soft enough to hold this green, so it’s really drivable in distance only. Seems like it ought to be easy, but it’s a beauty cloaked in danger. I did manage to get a par here however.

My visit to Oak Hill in Rochester NY

2008-02-20T08:25:00.000-08:00

Feb 1, 2008
Several people have found some errors in my book and I would like to correct them now as best I can.
I was sad to see that the story of my playing at Oak Hill didn’t get into the book.
I don't know how it missed the book, but since the story of my hosts, Joe and Mary Flately was so extraordinary, I want to tell their story here.
I sent a book to my friend Steve Boulay in Salt Lake City, who was raised in Rochester New York and after he read the book he pointed out to me that the story of Oak Hill was missing.

When I was on my quest, Steve had called his dad, a doctor in Rochester whose partner is a member at Oak Hill. I called Steve’s dad, who had set me up to play with Dr. Joe Flately So I called Dr. Flately and we set a date. I called him back a week before our date and he asked, “What flight are you arriving on?” I told him and he immediately said, “We will pick you up at the airport” In my entire quest, this was a first. I had asked him to recommend a hotel in the area and he informed me “you aren’t staying at a hotel, you are staying with us at our home.” I was very grateful, but this was really a first. Here he was opening his home to a complete stranger. He picked me up at the airport, took me to his home, we had lunch and then he took me on a tour of Rochester. We were back for dinner at his home and his wife, Mary, who was on the Arbor committee of Oak Hill, gave me a complete explanation of the tree program at Oak Hill. She explained the various species of trees, how they plant replacement trees as they age etc. I learned a lot about how a good tree program really runs. And here at Oak Hill trees are king.
Dr. John R. Williams, a medical doctor who had a passion for trees, surveyed the new Donald Ross design when it was being built, and decided it would be enhanced by trees - thousands upon thousands of oaks, maples, evergreens and elms, but, mostly oaks. He said he lost count at 75,000, the number of seedlings he planted, and as you walk the grounds of Oak Hill today, you can't help but gaze skyward at the majestic trees that dominate the landscape. It is amazing that all of this began as little acorns - collected from all over the world - in the small backyard garden of Dr. Williams' home.

The next day we went and played the course. A great course, what Dr. Flately called a blue collar working mans golf course. Not the most aesthetic place, not on the ocean like Pebble Beach or Cypress Point, but a challenging course that is well laid out. And believe me those trees not only add majesty and beauty but also add enormous challenge. The 18th hole has plaques on many of the trees, honoring the many champions who have walked this hallowed ground.

Sam Snead won here as did Ben Hogan who still holds the course record of 64 which he shot in the first round in 1942. How hard is Oak Hill? In the five stroke play championships contested at Oak Hill, only 10 players have been under par. Now that is hard.
Oak Hill's rich and storied tradition of hosting championship golf will become unrivaled when the 2008 Senior PGA Championship is hosted there. Oak Hill will be the only club to have hosted all six of the men's championships.

The Flatelys win my GREATEST HOST AND HOSTESS AWARD for this journey.

Golf in Palm Springs

2008-01-31T07:34:00.000-08:00

This weekend I drove from Phoenix to Palm Springs to visit my friend Dave Zubke.
First I met my friend Evan Schiller, an instructor in the School for e
Extraordinary Golf and a fantastic golf course photographer, and played with him and his fiancé at his course, The Palms. See Evans photos at http://www.golfshots.com/ The Palms is next door to PGA West and it’s membership has the lowest handicap average of the Palm Springs area. It also boasts lots of PGA professionals as members. It was designed by Fred Couples and he did a teriffic job. I had a round of 86 which is good for me on a course I have never seen before, and Evan shot 1 or 2 over . He hit one shot on the back 9 that I would not have even considered. He was in the right rough and on the wrong side of a line of palm trees. I would have chipped out to the fairway. He strung it between two palm trees and faded it back to the center of the green and hit it from 165 yards to 6 inches from the hole WOW!!!

The next day I was supposed to play at Stone Eagle with Dave and our friend Tim Lawin but we got rained out. I can’t wait to get back to Stone Eagle because it looks nothing less that spectacular. Mountain tops, outcroppings and lots and lots of elevation changes.. and unlike most new golf courses today, not a house on the course. If you ever watched the skins game on TV when it was at Bighorn, you get the idea, because they are almost next door to each other. Spectacular place. Well, I will have to let you know about it after I get the chance to play it, which I hope will be soon. There was a window of dryness on Sunday and at the last minute we decided to play the Greg Norman course at PGA West, and the rain started again as we were on the 18th hole.