Tom Fazio's TPC Myrtle Beach Curse Bings a Five-Star Challenge in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina

By Robert Gray, Contributor

MURRELLS INLET, S.C. -- Golfers looking for a top-shelf experience along South Carolina's Grand Strand, and willing to pay the commensurate cash, may want to tee it up at the TPC of Myrtle Beach.

It is the only Golf Digest-designated, five-star course in the Myrtle Beach area and ambitiously aims to give players of all abilities a taste of the tour. 

"We feel that we are set apart by offering a product that allows the client to play where the pros play," said TPC Myrtle Beach's Keith Stanzel. "Our practice area is built with (PGA) Tour standards. Our golfers get the feeling of playing between the ropes."

Lessons are available, and both weekend warriors and current pros use the manicured range to stay sharp. Don't be surprised if you look up while hitting balls at the range to see Dustin Johnson stroking shots out of sight here on his home course in Murrells Inlet, just south of Myrtle Beach.

TPC Myrtle Beach: The golf course

Just a year after its debut, the Tom Fazio-designed course hosted the 2000 Senior Tour Championship, and it still plays up to that level.

Pine trees line many of the lush, tight-driving fairways that favor players such as Johnson who can dial up the straight and narrow shots needed to navigate chutes too lean for many duffers to stay in play.

Scratch golfers may not have too much trouble landing in the short stuff, but the course offers an array of challenges for those driving from the tips. There are numerous forced carries over water and waste areas that vary in height and distance.

The par-3 fifth features both, with literally little room for error to land on the undulating green.

The well kept MiniVerde greens also demand a deft touch. They create a fast track compared to neighboring courses -- on a recent visit clubhouse officials said they were running 10.5 feet on the Stimpmeter.

If the 6,950-yard course plays too long from the back tees, TPC Myrtle Beach has four other, shorter options that offer some relief, while driving less-difficult and shorter carries.

Golfers will want to go long but not all out for the ninth hole as trouble awaits bombs off the tee. As one attendant who plays it regularly noted, this 472-yard par 4 is harder than many of the par 5s.

A quick check of the scorecard shows the dogleg right No. 9 is the top handicap hole. It's long, requires a drive over some waste no matter which tee box you use, features a narrow landing strip for aggressive tee shots and a deceptively tricky green.

At the turn, even if you don't drink bourbon, you will likely be treated to some wild turkey. They freely roam the course but may not help relax your swing, especially if they approach your group.

The 16th hole's tee box address is picturesque with woods and water on opposite sides, but it may as well have a sign that reads, "Welcome to Bunkerville." There are traps awaiting tee shots that miss the narrow fairway short-left or long-right. The green is guarded by four more traps.

TPC Myrtle Beach: The verdict

The serene track is a welcome respite from the bustle of the Grand Strand, but it belies the challenges that await golfers. Definitely bring your long-knocking driver, and be sure to air out most of your shots, not just off the tee.

There are plenty of undulations throughout TPC Myrtle Beach's fairways, and approaches should bite into the green, or balls will go skittering off the greens in a hurry.

"It's a very enjoyable course," said Cary, N.C. resident David Snider, a single-digit handicapper. "It's fair, and if you hit the ball well, you can score. There's a good amount of trouble but not as much as at others (around Myrtle Beach).

"It's more out of pocket (rates run up to $175 per round depending on the season) than other courses in the area, but it's worth it. It's more of a big-boy golf course."

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Big Win for 'Johnny Golfer': Texas A&M Unveils New-and-Improved Campus Course

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- For a day at least, the spotlight at Texas A&M wasn't on Johnny Football, aka Johnny Manziel, but on something almost as rare as winning a Heisman Trophy – a new campus golf course.

Texas A&M has a brand new golf course on campus, thanks to an extensive overhaul 

by: Aggie alum Jeff Blume

Last weekend, Texas A&M unveiled its new Campus Course, a par-71, 7,008-yard gem designed by one of its very own, Jeff Blume, a 1989 landscape architecture graduate.

Blume, who is based in the Houston area and worked with Robert von Hagge before opening his own firm in 1997, has quietly built a solid reputation as a designer. He puts this project near the top of his list of accomplishments, not only because his legacy will live on "hallowed ground," but because of the quality of the course.

Former Texas A&M and Houston Oiler quarterback Bucky Richardson pretty much spoke for everyone who played it for the first time last weekend when he said, "The golf course is a huge upgrade in every way. The Campus Course is something we can all be very proud of."

Indeed it is. It replaces the flat 6,800-yard Ralph Plummer design that had been there since 1952. With very little top soil on the old course, growing grass was problematic. It had seen its day and then some. 

Indeed it is. It replaces the flat 6,800-yard Ralph Plummer design that had been there since 1952. With very little top soil on the old course, growing grass was problematic. It had seen its day and then some.

So in came Blume and Houston businessman Robert Steele and Sterling Golf, which is a partner with the university on the $5 million course. They didn't cut any corners. In addition to a state of the art irrigation system, the course also got six inches of sand-capping, and it showed. In the little more than a year after the old course was shut down, the new Campus Course at Texas A&M grew in quickly, especially the Mini-Verde greens, which were fast and true, and, of course, a little firm.

As for the rest of it, Blume, who scouted out the classic courses in the Northeast for the project, gave it an early American look. There are 158 bunkers on the course, many of them clustered in the style of Charles B. Macdonald or Donald Ross.

"You don't have very much of that in Texas," said Blume, whose credits also include the much-heralded Grand Pines at Bentwater in the Houston area as well as Sterling Country Club.

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More than €2m for Heritage Golf Resort

Lavish Facility Includes Only 18-Hole Course in Ireland 

by: Seve Ballesteros 

The well known Heritage Golf Resort in the Co Laois village of Killanard is to be offered for sale at a knockdown price of over €2 million after running into serious financial difficulties. The 225-acre facility had been valued at over €20 million during the property boom. Joint agents Colliers International and Hume Auctioneers will be handling the sale for McStay Luby who were appointed receivers by the former IBRC. The adjoining five-star Heritage Hotel, due to be sold separately by receivers KPMG, had also been valued at more than €20 million. The Heritage was developed and promoted as one the premier golf resorts in the country. The 18-hole golf course opened in 2004 and is the only one in Ireland to have been designed by the international golfing legend Seve Ballesteros with the help of course designer Jeff Howes. The highly ambitious plan for the resort was devised by businessman Tom Keane who spent a fortune on an elaborate range of facilities alongside the 18-hole golf course which meanders around five lakes and a stream. Facilities No expense was spared on building an over-the-top clubhouse which has a floor area of 3,344sq m (36,000sq ft) on three levels to cater not only for the members but also in the hope of attracting corporate business. To make life easier for wealthy clients, a five-star, 85-bedroom hotel complete with spa was developed next to the village centre. The clubhouse itself features a handsome reception hall at ground floor level with a sweeping staircase, dining areas, separate bars for members and visitors and lifts to all floors. There is a full commercial kitchen to service two dining rooms which adjoin a spike bar, pro shop and changing rooms. At first floor level there is the Seve Suite, an open-plan area with yet another bar, diningroom, kitchen and conferencing facilities for 150 guests. A year after the opening of the golf resort, a separate Thatch bar and bistro were also added next to the village to cater for up to 120 guests. Back on the golf course there is also a purpose-built indoor golf academy extending to 300sq m (3,230sq ft) and a separate indoor bowling green (2,043sq m/22,000sq ft) which could double as a public venue for product launches. And for anyone wanting to keep fit, there is a purpose-built , floodlit walking and exercise track around the entire golf course. Whoever buys the golf resort – the selling agents are expecting overseas as well as Irish interest in the well maintained venue – will also have an option to buy five two-bedroom apartments over the spa, each of them with balconies overlooking the golf course. The apartments are currently used as overflow accommodation by the hotel, which continues to trade. Marcus Magnier of Colliers International said that even though the resort had been in receivership for the past three years, it had been exceptionally well maintained and was in peak condition.

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Some First Impressions, Second Thoughts and the Third Degree

It was another goofy, up-and-down kind of year where I live, here in the upper Midwest. Last year was awful, with record-setting heat and drought. This year it was so wet that delayed golf course openings hurt revenue at a time when the industry cannot afford it. We were six – ten inches above normal precipitation for the first half of the year. We saw the Big 10 add two more teams – Rutgers and Maryland – which now gives us 14 schools. But we are still the Big 10, proving even smart people sometimes cannot count. Our university system fought hard for a tuition increase until it was discovered they had over half a billion dollar budget stash the public didn’t know about. Talk about losing cred. And speaking of a stash, it’s a good thing the Wisconsin Cow Chip Throwing Contest had a stash of cow pies. The wet weather drastically reduced the fresh supply from local pastures. 

While on the subject of manure, environmentalists were absolutely giddy that our county saw another manure digester come on line. Too bad we can’t use it for the political b.s. shoveled on us daily. It was a momentous announcement when the Highway Loss Data Institute (HCDI) reported the No. 1 stolen vehicle in the U.S. is a Ford pickup truck! We’ve finally arrived – my almost new Ford truck is more desirable to car thieves than a Cadillac Escalade. Better make sure you lock your truck from now on. I asked about a dozen neighbors and friends to name the U.S. Open champ and where the event was played. Most could not answer the first question but got #2 right. Their impression of this year’s Open was of Merion, terrible weather, and a championship effort by Matt Shaffer. Even though heavy rain softened conditions, Merion showed plenty of might. And the course drained quickly just like Matt said it would, and the green speed returned. Golf fans had to be impressed by the tourney staff Matt assembled. It included many volunteer golf course superintendents, demonstrating cooperation and support at its finest. Justin Rose was the winner, by the way. In the weeks and months after the Masters, I had some second thoughts about the Tiger Woods infraction and the two-stroke penalty assessed by Augusta’s rules committee. It was somewhat controversial at the time, but it wasn’t until I read Jerry Tarde’s excellent column in the July 2013 issue of Golf Digest that I realized how controversial. Tiger’s conduct around the incident was hardly inspiring, but Tarde wrote how easily it could have been and how Woods would have benefited. His actions fit right in with the whining he did at the U.S. Open about pin placements, and the spat he and Sergio Garcia had. Something is lacking here and if Tiger ever wants to be considered with great golf personalities like Palmer, Nelson, Sarazan, Jones, and Nicklaus – in other words, GCSAA Old Tom Morris Award recipients - he needs an attitude and approach change. For example, have you ever heard Woods comment about a superintendent and his contribution to a successful tournament? Have you seen him ever sign autographs for fans? ‘Nuf said. I’ll resist commenting on that really ugly period of his personal life. Finally, closer to home, golf was given the third degree by all kinds of media for a cruel, unnecessary and unfortunate incident on one of our golf courses. 

One morning in June a female snapping turtle was found bludgeoned in a sand bunker on the course. The DNR was called and a warden took the poor beast to a wildlife rehabilitation center, but she died that night. She had holes in her shell and had been struck in the right eye, apparently with a golf club. The DNR said she was probably laying eggs in the bunker sand. An animal rights group offered a reward and the DNR did a thorough investigation, but to date the responsible person(s) hasn’t been found. The poor superintendent was stressed by the bad publicity as TV stations from Milwaukee and Madison descended on his shop to ask questions. The print media came, and newspapers from all over the state picked up the story. It was a shame, not only for the golf course staff and for the snapping turtle but for golf also. Golf does so much good. It is a participatory sport for all ages. 

Our courses offer open spaces in places where we need it, and contributions go to untold numbers of charities. The list goes on and on. But it is lost when an incident like this happens. It is especially sad when the game and the staff are innocent. It is really hard to comprehend, yet we all know we will have to try harder to overcome events like this one. It would well be we will seldom have “normal” years in the future; if we do they will become the new “abnormal!”

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Mayakoba: Mexico's Mysterious Land of Mangroves, Cenotes and Championship Golf

PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Quintana Roo, Mexico – If the mysterious, one-lane road through the jungle or the welcome drink in the beautiful open-air lobby overlooking a lagoon doesn’t leave a lasting first impression about the Rosewood Mayakoba, the boat ride certainly will. Guests don’t simply walk to their rooms. They’re whisked away by water taxis to explore twisting canals and lagoons cut from the mangroves before reaching a lavish luxury suite. "We loved the boat to our suite,” said Tim Sperling, a Highland Park, Ill., resident visiting with his wife. "You saw wildlife, crocodile and exotic birds. That’s a neat first impression...As soon as I walked in the room, I said to my wife, "This is the first time any hotel room has thoroughly exceeded my expectation.'" Exceeding expectations remains the core mission of this posh 1,600-acre retreat 40 minutes south of the Cancun International Airport along the Riviera Maya. The entire Mayakoba complex, home to three resorts and the El Camaleon Golf Club, is gearing up for the OHL Classic at Mayakoba, Mexico’s only PGA TOUR event, on Nov. 14-17. This year could be Mayakoba’s coming-out party as one of the premier golf destinations in the Caribbean and Mexico.

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Weekend Deals: Tee Times Coast-to-Coast for Oct. 25-27th

Golf now brings you the best weekend tee time deals coast-to-coast for October 25th. In North Carolina, Sequoyah National, one of the Asheville area's top plays, is offering $10 off tee times Friday-thru-Sunday. Golfers can also stay and play at the nearby Harrah's Casino and play two rounds of golf for as low as $169. In the Chicago area, Foxford Hills Golf Club is featuring a Saturday and Sunday special: golfers can play from 7-11 a.m. for $55 per person (normally $73), or $46 between 11-3 p.m. Twilight rates are $25. In the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains., Apple Mountain Golf Resort has a $50 weekend special after 11 a.m. or $40 after 1 p.m. Regular rack rate is $65. Near Atlanta, Stone Mountain Golf Club is offering a foursome special: groups can book together and play for $120 on Thursday and Friday or $160 on Saturday and Sunday. The offer is valid on both the Stonemont and Lakemont courses. Meanwhile, in Raleigh, golfers can play Wil-Mar Golf Course in prime time for $27 before noon, $31 between noon and 3 p.m. and $24 afterwards. In metro Detroit., Highland Hills is offering golf for just $19 with a cart all day (normally $33) or $14 for nine holes with a cart.

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Trip Dispatch: Variety is the Name of Atlantic City's Golf Game

                                                                                      ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – A golf trip to

the Jersey Shore is no gamble.

It’s a sure jackpot. For those who lose their golf shirt at one of the city’s 13 casinos, fear not. These unlucky golfers won't lose their wallet playing at some premier public courses surrounding the city. Looking for links? McCullough’s Emerald Golf Links and Twisted Dune Golf Club offer two unique links-themed options in Egg Harbor Township. How about country club cool?

The historic Atlantic City Country Club in Northfield is as good as it gets. Craving variety? The sandy Shore Gate Golf Club in Ocean City and Blue Heron Pines Golf Club in Cologne feel totally different, yet deliver similarly pure playing conditions. Want to play where the pros have played? The 6,247-yard Bay course at the Stockton Seaview Hotel & Golf Club might be short by modern standards, but it does have a long history of hosting the LPGA Tour, and let’s not forget Sam Snead’s first major championship, the 1942 PGA Championship held there. Jersey often gets a bad rap – and there are some rough edges surrounding the famed board walk along the beach – but when it comes to buddies golf, Atlantic City soars with restaurants, gaming, nightlife, beaches and golf galore. Within a 40-minute drive are 19 golf courses, most of which are 15-20 minutes from downtown. "We are a hidden gem," said McCullough’s General Manager Thomas Sullivan, the current president of the Greater Atlantic City Golf Association. "We just haven’t marketed it properly. We have 140 restaurants. We have world-class accommodations." Such bragging by golf course architect Stephen Kay, who designed McCullough’s and Blue Heron Pines, might sound self-serving if it wasn’t so true. "For a destination this size, you can’t touch it," Kay said. "If you went to a golf destination this size...not only do we have the best courses but the most variety. "When you go to an area, the courses tend to be very similar. Not here."

Over 100 bunkers litter the links-style layout at Twisted Dune. I played six area courses over five days in September and still missed out on some good ones, notably Ballamor Golf Club (ranked ninth in the state by Golfweek and has a 4.5/5.0 rating on GolfNow). Consider the stunning contrast between the classic architecture of the Atlantic City C.C. (founded in 1897 and restored by Tom Doak in 1999) juxtaposed against Twisted Dune’s modern manmade mounds. Twisted Dune architect Archie Struthers moved 2 million cubic yards of dirt on the 7,248-yard course, which opened in 2001. Visually, it’s a knockout.

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Time to Visit Florida's Emerald Coast

It's about time to visit Florida's Emerald Coast once again.
The Emerald Coast encompasses most of Northwest Florida's coastal region... the Panhandle. The Emerald Coast is considered one of the Sunshine State's top golf destinations, and rightly so. From Panama City Beach all the way to Navarre and Pensacola, you'll find many opportunities for great golf. So, just follow the links to find out all you need to know about vacationing in Destin and Fort Walton Beach! Golf aside, Destin and Fort Walton Beach have a lot to offer the vacationing public. Nice hotels and resorts; pristine, white sandy beaches; great food, lots of places to eat; and lots to see and do, including deep sea fishing or just loafing around and working on the tan. If you're planning a vacation to Destin and Fort Walton, here 's the information you'll need to do it

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Time to Visit Florida's Golf Trail

Right now would be a good time to visit Florida's Golf Trail. The Florida Golf Trail operates differently to its peers in Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana and all the others on the ever-growing list of states with trails, paths and traces. Although the FGT courses are, for the most-part, open to the public, and are also accessible to resort or hotel guests through a variety of golf packages and specials, the idea behind the Trail is to sell across-the-board memberships - you buy one and play them all. For you and me, though, as golf travelers, the courses along the Trail include some of the best in the state and thus are more than a little enticing, especially with some very heavyweight designers involved, including Arnold Palmer and Gary Player, Robert Trent Jones etc. The Florida Golf Trail is a viable option for a winter golf getaway. For complete information, please read my Florida Golf Trail review.

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Top Golf Courses in South East Florida

Miami Golf Courses are many and varied and include some of the most famous names in course design: Palmer, Nicklaus, Dye, Norman, to name just a few. If we go beyond the Miami/Dade limits, say to West Palm Beach, there are even more. These amazing tracts range in condition and difficulty from the decidedly mediocre to world-class. The listings below are the Miami golf courses and resorts I have personal knowledge of. I am happy to be able to recommend them all without reservation.

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Chico’s Brings Symetra Tour to Cypress Lake Country Club, Fort Myers, Florida

Anthony Webber. iGTN Editor-At-Large. The road to the LPGA for 144 young women golfers representing more than 30 countries heads to the Cypress Golf Country Club in Fort Myers, Florida, the former home to LPGA Tour Founder Patty Berg. The Symetra Tour – Road to the LPGA, is the official developmental tour of the LPGA. The Tour’s mission is to prepare the world’s best young women professional golfers for a successful career on the LPGA Tour. The Tour’s top-10 money winners will receive full, equal status for the following season on the LPGA Tour.

The Symetra Tour is coming to Southwest Florida April 28th – May 4th, 2014 for the inaugural ‘Chico’s Patty Berg Memorial’.

“Chico’s is thrilled to be partnering with the LPGA” said Chico’s President, Cinny Murray. “Participating in the Symetra Tour will be the perfect way for Chico’s and the LPGA to honor one of the great women of golf, Patty Berg. Patty was not only one of the founders of the LPGA, but also a mentor to young women players and a Fort Myers, Florida resident. She embodied the spirit of giving which is one of the core values of our Chico’s brand.”

Chico’s was founded in 1983 as a small boutique selling Mexican folk art and cotton sweaters on Sanibel Island in Florida. Their friendly environment and unique styles connected with customers in a special way that quickly evolved into over 700 Chico’s boutiques nationwide. Chico’s FAS, through its brands, Chico’s, White House | Black Market, Soma Intimates and Boston Proper, is today a specialty retailer of private branded, sophisticated, casual-to-dressy clothing, including a new collection of ladies active golf apparel and après golf clubhouse cocktail wear.

Patty Berg joined the LPGA tour in 1940 and enjoyed a decorated career as she went on to win 15 Major Championship titles and was the Tour’s leading money winner in 1954, 1955 and 1957.

More than half of new members on the LPGA Tour came up through the ranks of the Symetra Tour. Top alumnae include Lorena Ochoa, Cristie Kerr, Karrie Web, Christina Kim, Angela Stanford, Kristy McPherson, Song-Hee Kim, Stacy Lewis, Vicky Hurst, Inbee Park, Rosie Jones and Meg Mallon.

Through 2013, Symetra Tour alums have won a total of 379 LPGA victories including 43 Major Championships. Eight of the 12 members of the 2013 U.S. Solheim Cup Team were alumnae of the Symetra Tour.

The Symetra Tour features a season purse of $1.52 million, with all 15 tournaments offering a prize purse of over $100,000.

Symetra Tour events have contributed more than $5 million to charitable organizations throughout the nation since 1989. All proceeds generated from the ‘Chico’s Patty Berg Memorial’ golf tournament will benefit the American Cancer Society, specifically supporting ovarian cancer research, and the Southwest Florida Medical Center’s ‘Patty Berg Cancer Center’.

The Chico’s company operates 600 Chico’s boutiques and 100 outlets, 402 White House | Black Market boutiques and 45 outlets, and 206 Soma Intimates boutiques and 16 outlets, throughout the United States, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. The newest addition to their family of brands, Boston Proper, is planning to open boutiques in 2013.

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Take Advantage of Golf Ahoy Cruise Planners Travel Deals

Get Exclusive cruise and golf-cruise travel deals delivered to your inbox GolfAhoy CP Cruise Travel Deals give advance alerts on cruise lines offering:

• limited time promotions

• complimentary shore exursions

• free cruise line airfare offers

• two-for-one cruise deals

• ship board credits

• kids sail free plans

• comp cabin upgrades

• secret sales

• American Express  Mariner Club benefits regardless of your payment method

When making cruise holiday plans, a good cruise travel agent can help save you time and money. Golf and cruise travel agent specialists work for you but are paid a booking commission by travel vendors. Using the knowledgeable services of a GolfAhoy travel agent costs you nothing. Having your own cruise travel agent in your corner is priceless.

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Reasons to Use a Professional Golf-Cruise Travel Agent

Are you debating whether to use a ‘live’ travel agent to book your golf cruise vacation or to go it alone by using the Internet on a ‘do it by-yourself’ effort?

Travel agents, especially niche agent specialists, are a priceless resource when you’re spending hard earned income to take a pricy trip. Travel Agents are paid a commission by the cruise lines; golf resorts and wholesale tour operators and other vendors. Some travel specialists charge service fees – some don’t.

“Having a travel agent in your corner is like having a trainer in your corner in a boxing match – no one in your corner when you need them most? – You’re lights out! You’re on your own.” Says Lori Henderson Webber, co-owner GolfAhoy Cruise Planners American Express Travel Related Services. We don’t charge additional booking fees at GolfAhoy. We’ll get you exactly the same cruise or golf cruise with all applicable discounts and specials, at exactly the same price, from the cruise line or tour operator you might have found online. The travel vendors pay us a commission. Our clients take pride in sending us referrals. They like to be able talk to a real live person about their golf holiday plans.”

• Charisse Jones, national business travel correspondent for USA Today “travel agents serve a vital service”….
• Gayle King, co-host CBS This Morning “swears by travel agents”….

In the case of golf cruises, booking directly with the cruise line will not yield the potential benefits of booking with a golf travel agent professional – that you have spent the time to develop a good business relationship with. No cruise line will notify you, “Hey, a new promotion has started that will lower your cruise fare price by hundreds.” It just does not happen.

An alert professional golf cruise travel agent considers the initial sale as just the start of the process and will work your booking throughout its life and follow up with you after your sailing. They are investing time in their clients and will gladly work with the cruise line to lower the fare when some new promotion comes up that applies.

Odds are very high that the end result will be the beginning of a beneficial relationship yielding great savings over your lifetime and a richer travel experience too. Travel agents have a lot of “been there, done that” experience, helpful destination information and contacts of their own to share.

“CBS This Morning” ran a feature story with reporter Charisse Jones, national business  travel correspondent for USA Today, and co-hosts Charlie Rose and Gayle King, which reported on the future of the travel agency industry. In the report, Ms. Jones concludes that travel agents “serve a vital service,” and co-host Gayle King added her own support by stating she “swears by travel agents.” 

Here are 10 reasons why using a golf-travel-agent professional is your best choice.

• You Google “golf cruises” and come up with about 47.5 million results. Need a little help editing those choices?
• Remember when you used that obscure website to book your pre-cruise hotel, and when you got there you spent your time overlooking a parking lot?
• How many hours were you on hold with the airline when your flight to meet your cruise ship was canceled because of a snowstorm?
• Did you really mean to spend your golf cruise vacation on a ship whose one pool was filled all day with screaming children?
• Who knew that when you booked that golf cruise on a barge or tall mast sailing vessel it would be a small cabin with no air conditioning?
• No one explained to you that in April and September golf courses in Hawaii aerate and seed fairways, and so you showed up for your golf cruise with your golf bag and spent a week playing Putt-Putt or Mini Golf.
• How about the time you really needed a restful golf cruise vacation with your spouse, and you ended up inadvertently booking yourself on a sailing with a huge group of gays and lesbians or a nudists group cruise?
• Yes, I guess that cruise line must have used a telephoto lens when they took a picture of those cabins that you saw on their website.
• I suppose contacting the Attorney General to resolve the fact that the cruise line has billed your credit card three times instead of once for your onboard purchases is your only recourse?
• It was definitely odd that there were no cab drivers at the airport at 3 o’clock in the morning when your el-cheapo flight finally landed, but booking a transfer to your pre-cruise hotel or departure port would have been a good thing to remember when you purchased your airline ticket, cruise or hotel online.

Having a bonded, licensed, insured Travel Agency in your corner is priceless!

Larry Olmstead, a contributing travel writer in Forbes on ‘Why You Need a Travel Agent’ says, “If you like to travel, locate a good travel agent and start using them regularly. This is a resolution you will find easy to keep, because once you try it you will enjoy better – and often cheaper – trips than ever before.”

“Just a couple of years ago, headlines were about the demise of the travel agent, about to go the way of the Dodo and the dinosaur. Guess what? Travel agents are not only still here, they are experiencing a rebound – despite (or because of?) the myriad internet travel tools available.”

“So why should you use a travel agent? There are many, many good reasons, which I will explain. But the bottom line is that they know more than you do, they are better connected than you, they have access to benefits you can’t get otherwise, they can often beat any other prices available (even online, yes), and after you have planned everything, they provide a safety net during your trip that you simply won’t get by booking yourself or simply by buying travel insurance.”

“To be frank, not everyone taking a trip needs a travel agent. The benefits they offer increase as your travel becomes more luxurious, expensive, and specialized. Need a cheap flight to Florida to visit family and a night at an airport hotel en route? By all means let your fingers do the walking. Need a cheap cruise on a mass market ship like Carnival? Yes, you can book that yourself. But I’ve already written at length here at Forbes about why if you are taking any higher end cruise or a specialized golf cruise for example, you would be foolish – I mean making a really big mistake – not to use a top cruise agent or golf cruise travel specialist.”

“In fact, in any of these scenarios, if you don’t use a travel agent you are likely making a costly mistake, no matter how much you think you know. I travel for a living and write on travel for a living and I still use a travel agent. To be clear, I am talking about true experts, the really good travel agents who add value, not the ones running full page ads of deals in the Sunday papers.  The best travel agents are essentially consultants, and many prefer “travel advisor,” because it is their advice, expertise, and connections that are of great value. A few have become hyper-specialized, and in some cases, like booking a cruise, golf vacation, space travel, or a very specialized theme trip like art, music or polar exploration, you will want to seek out a niche specialist.”

Golf and Cruise Niche Specialists in the United States

GolfAhoy Cruise Planners – Sanibel Island, Florida. 239.344.9187 Golf Cruises atwww.GolfAhoy.com Cruises & Golf Resorts at www.GolfAhoyCruisePlanners.net Type: Travel Agency

GolfAhoy pioneered the ‘golf & cruise’ concept in 1988. They’ve been the travel industry acknowledged leader in the golf cruises specialized market segment for over 25 years and operate GolfAhoy Golf Cruises for couples, singles and groups aboard 193 different cruise liners including the ships of Azamara Club Cruises; Carnival Cruise Lines; Celebrity Cruises; Crystal Cruises; Cunard Line; Holland America Line; Hurtigruten Cruises; Le Ponant Cruises; MSC Cruises; Norwegian Cruise Line; Oceania Cruises; Princess Cruises; Regent Seven Seas; Royal Caribbean International; Seabourn Cruise Line; SeaDream Yacht Club; Silversea Cruises; Windstar Cruises. GolfAhoy is the North American GSA (General Sales Agent) for all international golf cruise tour operators.

Destinations Hawaii; Caribbean; Mediterranean; British Isles; New Zealand; Australia; Asia; Ireland; Mexico; Danube River; South Africa; Mauritius; Sandals Golf  Resorts.

Anthony Webber & Lori Henderson Webber · Owners at GolfAhoy Inc.

PerryGolf – Wilmington, North Carolina. 910.795.1048 Golf Cruises 

PerryGolf is a provider of international golf travel to twelve of the world’s most memorable golf destinations: Scotland, Ireland, England, Wales, Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Canada. Personalized golf travel itineraries combine the world’s leading golf courses with safaris, cruises, wine touring, local culture, cooking instruction and sightseeing along with attendance to major golf events including the British Open and the Ryder Cup.

Their 2014 Golf Cruise portfolio offers sail and motor yachts to hotel barges meandering along inland waterways in England, Scotland and France. PerryGolf offers a diverse collection of all-inclusive golf and cruise experiences including a golf yacht program on a classic and fully restored Mathis-Trumpy wooden yacht that sails between Charleston and Savannah in the South East United States Atlantic coast.

Cruise Lines represented Azamara Club Cruises; Le Ponant Cruises.

Destinations Scotland; Ireland; England; Wales; France; Spain; Portugal; Italy; South Africa; Australia; New Zealand; Canada.

Colin & Gordon Dalgleish · Founding Directors of PerryGolf

Gordon Dalgleish, a co-founder and president of PerryGolf, is named as one of ‘Condé Nast Traveler’s’ top niche travel specialists.

Kalos Golf – Chapel Hill, North Carolina.  919.942.3464 Golf Cruises 

Kalos began transporting golfers comfortably and stylishly on golf cruises to the top courses in Europe over 20 years ago. They’ve expanded their selection of uniquely designed golf cruise itineraries to their current offering of 13 golf cruises in 2014. Kalos says their golf cruises combine the best of global golf and touring with the relaxation of sailing on small, luxurious vessels. They claim that unlike companies that fill their ships with hundreds of passengers, Kalos Golf charters five-star vessels that accommodate no more than 90 guests.

Lines represented Sea Cloud Cruises; Silversea Cruises; Seabourn Cruise Line.

Destinations Baltic; British Isles; Spain; New Zealand; Rhine River; Mediterranean; South Africa.

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Golf Nova Scotia Canada Fox Harb’r Ranks #14

    

         
Anthony Webber. iGTN Editor-At-Large. Wallace, Nova Scotia, Fox Harb’r Golf Resort & Spa receives high praise from Golfweek Magazine in its latest ranking of golf courses in North America. Fox Harb’r ranks as the #14 best golf course on their Best Modern (built post 1960) Golf Courses in Canada for 2013. The highly regarded resort opens for the season on Friday, May 10, 2013.

Fox Harb’r Resort is home to the 18-hole signature Canadian Golf Hall of Fame Member Graham Cooke-designed golf course and the Seaside par 3 course. The Resort also features The Golf Academy at Fox Harb’r, specializing in programs that are custom-designed to truly improve a player’s game. One is surrounded by the resort’s spectacular fairways, classic greens and breathtaking scenery. The Academy’s teaching method combines hands-on instruction with practical tips and video analysis that explain the game’s fundamental principles. This instruction helps a guest develop a comprehensive practice plan to become a genuinely better golfer – while enjoying a truly memorable Atlantic Canadian golf experience.

“It’s an honor to be recognized by Golfweek Magazine, read by over a million avid golfers every week,” said James Miller, General Manager of Fox Harb’r. “We are very fortunate to enjoy one of the most spectacular settings for golf in Canada, and to be included on a list with some of the finest private and public golf courses in this country is a great honour. Golfweek has been around for over 30 years, and its writers know the game better than most.”

Fox Harb’r Golf Resort & Spa offers classic elegance on a grand scale with a variety of activities including the award-winning champion golf course, the par 3 course, the golf academy, the tennis centre, the sporting lodge (featuring skeet shooting and sporting clay), a luxury spa and wellness centre, a private 4,885 foot airstrip, a deep sea marina, the Five-Star Great Room dining room and The Willard restaurant for casual dining.

In addition to the Resort, Fox Harb’r also includes the private gated community of Harb’r Stone Village, showcasing stylish private residences and town homes overlooking the championship golf course and Atlantic Ocean. The Village is for individuals who desire luxurious resort living and the spectacular amenities offered.

Several golf packages are available at Fox Harb’r Golf Resort & Spa. For reservations and more information, visit http://www.foxharbr.com or call 1-866-257-1801.
Golf Nova Scotia

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Whistler Golf Stay & Play Deals from $139 Big Sky GC, Nicklaus North GC, Fairmont Chateau Whistler GC, Whistler GC

Anthony Webber. iGTN Editor-At-Large. Whistler, B.C. It’s tee time again in Whistler, with four championship courses and one world-class resort making the ingredients for a golfer’s delight – and the ultimate mountain golf experience.

From lush rolling lakeside greens to scenic mountainside slopes, Whistler’s four championship courses – the Arnold-Palmer designed Whistler Golf Club, Robert Trent Jones Jr.’s Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club, the Jack Nicklaus-designed Nicklaus North Golf Course and the Big Sky Golf and Country Club, designed by Robert Cupp, offer an unparalleled experience.

Stay and play package start at $139 per person, per night make it easier than ever to master the Whistler golf experience.

The Whistler golf season is in full swing as of this week, with all three Whistler courses joining Pemberton’s Big Sky Golf and Country Club which opened April 18. At Big Sky, May rates include: $89 (regular); $69 (twilight; 2 p.m.); and $49 (sunset; 4 p.m.). “We had a terrific opening weekend,” said Chris Wallace, General Manager at Big Sky Golf and Country Club. “The course is in fantastic shape and our guests are happy to be back out there. We’re looking forward to the season.”

The Whistler Golf Club opens May 3, celebrating its 30th anniversary with an early opening $49 rate valid until May 9 by booking online at www.whistlergolf.com with the promo code: arnie. In honor of the anniversary, 80s attire is encouraged. The WGC is offering May daily rates of $99 (regular); $69 (twilight; 3 p.m.) and $59 (sunset; 5 p.m. or nine holes anytime). In addition to the courses, the driving range at the Whistler Golf Club is open.

“The course is in the best early season condition we have ever seen,” said Alan Kristmanson, General Manager at the Whistler Golf Club, where last year’s installation of new greens is paying off. “Our new bent grass greens have matured and wintered very well, as did the entire course,” he said. “With the good weather in the forecast, we anticipate a great start to the golf season in Whistler.”

The Whistler Golf Club is not alone in its optimism for the season. “Nicklaus North is in fantastic early season condition – the best we’ve ever seen,” said Michael Zuccolin, Nicklaus North General Manager. “Early season golf in Whistler has never been better,” he said. “And especially with the Golf Whistler Passport – golfers can expect great value and fantastic conditions at our remarkable mountain golf destination.”

Nicklaus North is offering an opening weekend special of a $69 green fee (using the promo code: NNOPENING at www.golfbc.com). In addition to this great rate, with every kilogram of non-perishable food items donated (benefitting the Whistler Food Bank, through the Whistler Community Services Society); an additional $2 will be deducted from the green fee (for a maximum of $20 for 10 kilograms of food donations). May is also free lesson month at Nicklaus North (limited spots, Friday through Sunday).

Rounding out the Whistler golf experience, the Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club will open May 4 with an opening weekend special of $79 per person, including cart. The daily rate in May is $115 and $85 for twilight (3 p.m. until close). Fairmont golf club guests staying at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler enjoy golf privileges including complementary, unlimited rounds of play on the same day of play following their paid round, complimentary, unlimited use of the practice facility throughout the stay when a round of golf is reserved at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club, and children golf for free.

“The Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Course is pleased to be opening ahead of schedule this year with the golf course already in fantastic shape and an abundance of wildlife making their way out of hibernation down onto the course. Guests can expect exceptional value for early season bookings,” said Nick Droulis, Director of Golf at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Course.
For the inside scoop on all things golf in Whistler, visit the Whistler Insider.

Whistler-based travel consultants at whistler.com can also customize a vacation package, taking care of flights, transportation, accommodation and activities. Call 1.800.WHISTLER (1.800.944.7853) to request a no-obligation quote or visit whistler.com for more details and offers.

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Why Pay Retail When You Can Save Up To 80% On Hotel Stays In Orlando, Hollywood, Or The Florida Keys

Auction Closing On October 9th OffersGreat Deals For Those Who Want To Travel This Fall And Winter.

For those who hate to pay retail and prefer to shop at places like Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, and Home Goods,FloridaVacationAuction.com is for you!  Never pay rack rate at top hotels throughout Florida again - when you can stay at Four Diamond resorts at 80% off retail!

Here are three of the top hotel and restaurants steals on auction during the week of October 2, which will be available for bidding up until 9:59 p.m. on Sunday, October 9:

Hawks Cays Resort, Duck Island, Florida Keys: 3 Days/2 Nights

Retail Value is $821. The Buy Direct Special Offer is only $680. Opening Auction Bid is only $165, a Savings of 80%.

Sheraton Vistana Resort Villas – Lake Buena Vista/Orlando: 3 Days/2 Nights

Retail Value is $699. The Buy Direct Special Offer is only $567. Opening Auction Bid is only $140, a Savings of 80%.

Sheraton Vistana Resort Villas – Lake Buena Vista/Orlando: 3 Days/2 Nights

Retail Value is $470. The Buy Direct Special Offer is only $338. Opening Auction Bid is only $95, a Savings of 80%.

These offers will be redeemable between October 23, 2011 and February 8, 2012 with certain black-out dates for the holidays.

FREE GOLF + 3 Days/2 Nights Garden View Guest Room with Two Double Beds (One 18 Holes Golf Round per person per stay with complimentary same day replay).

Plantation on Crystal River

Redeemable between Oct. 10, 2011 and Feb. 8, 2012

Offer excludes the following blackout dates:

Dec. 3, 2011 to Dec. 26, 2011
Nov. 23, 2011 to Nov. 27, 2011
Dec. 30, 2011 to Jan. 1, 2012

http://www.floridavacationauction.com/index.cfm/event-ViewAuction/auctionId-8796/

Bid. Win. Enjoy. Your Choice. Your Way.

That is what Florida Vacation Auction  is all about.

Bidding

You have the opportunity to bid on weekly auctions that close at 10 PM EST on Sundays based on location, vacation amenities such as golf, spa facilities, area attractions and price.

Bidders can save as much as 80% for yourFloridavacation.

The opening bid at 20% is for the offer’s retail value.

Winning bidders average savings of more than 50%, so trying your hand at an auction is a great way to save.

Registration is free and simple. 

Prior to bidding, your credit card must be authenticated.

A $10.00 authorization hold will be placed on the credit card you choose for each specific auction, and you can use a different card for each auction you bid on.

Bids are placed in $5 increments. When you place a bid by entering the amount in the Starting Bid field, that amount will automatically be entered in the Maximum Bid field. If you are outbid, you will receive an email alert with a link back to that auction, proving you the opportunity to place another bid.

You can also bid on a budget, by entering a higher amount in the Maximum Bid field.

Being a winner is easy! Auction winners receive an email with a link to travel voucher Adobe PDF worth the value of their bid, including any taxes. If your winning bid is $200.00, you will only be charged $200.00 as the company does not add any additional costs or handling fees!

Certain advertisers that offer private homes or condominiums may have additional charges such as cleaning fees, and some hotels do have resort or parking fee, which will be clearly identified in the auction listings.

A hard copy of the travel voucher may also be sent via the US Mail at the close of business after the auction closes.

Any extensions to the redemption dates or transferring to a third party are at the discretion of the supplier or advertiser.

FloridaVacationAuction.com is easy to use and costs nothing for membership.  Consumers simply register on the site and then start placing bids.  Auctions close every Sunday evening.  And there is a hotel or resort price point to suit every budget in addition to spa offerings, activities, entertainment, and more.

Winning bids are tax inclusive. There are no additional costs or handling fees added to the price of the winning bid unless otherwise noted on the auction page.

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