I know you’ve seen it on TV and I know you want to see it in person, dontcha?

What?

You know I’m talkin’ about the Harbour Town Marina lighthouse.

We’ve seen it in the background on the weekend golf telecasts and we want to know if it really has red and white stripes all year round.

Do they just paint it like that for the golf tournament?

Okay, so the truth is yes, it’s really red and white all year round.

I was stationed in South Carolina during part of my Army years and I travelled a wee bit around the state whilst I was there.

From the swampy marshes to the sandy beaches to the brick streets, South Carolina is a travellers and golfers dream come true.

From Alexander’s to the Wreck of the Salty Dog, the dining on Hilton Head can only be described as “All-American Southern Fare with some BBQ, Greek, Italian, French with a little Chinese and Japanese thrown in and stirred up to create a dining paradise surrounded by water”.

But here on this site we mostly talk golf, so let’s get all concentrated on the premier golf destination of the entire eastern seaboard – Hilton Head Island.

And most importantly, since it’s been hovering around 100 degrees here in Kentucky the last three weeks, let’s talk about something else that sizzling hot … Hilton Head golf.

From the Ocean Course to Harbour Town Golf Links. From Arthur Hills to Fazio to Robert Trent Jones.

Did I mention that Hilton Head is one of the most family friendly places to play golf?

Did I mention that it may well be the best place on earth for the ladies to play along with their guys?

Tremendous courses, tremendous designers, tremendous conditions and amenities. Water, sand, breezes and more await you on Hilton Head Island, so head over and get you a few Hilton Head tee times … you won’t be sorry and you can thank me later, after you tell ‘em Mike sent you

Post from: Travelling Golfer

Hilton Head Golf Is At The Head Of My Class

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Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa kicks off the start to the 2010 golf season with the Annual Spring Golf Tee-Off on Saturday, April 10, 2010, on the resort’s North Course. Join ESPN Madison 100.5 Sportscasters Jim
Rutledge and Gabe Neitzel as they broadcast live at the resort from 3-5 p.m.

Golfers can take advantage of the low golf rate at $60 per round of golf and $10 off any golf package per person, valid April 9-11, 2010 to mark this special weekend. On Saturday, April 10, 2010 golfers will have the chance to win a new 2010 Jeep Patriot in a challenging putting contest and the chance to win $10,000 cash in a hole-in-one contest along with other giveaways throughout the day.

One lucky listener of the Roe Conn Show on Chicago’s WLS 890 AM will win a trip out to the resort to play with News Anchor Jim Johnson on Saturday, April 10, 2010 to help kick-off the start to the golf season. Visit
www.wlsam.com for details on how to listen and win!

To make a tee time or book one of the golf packages for the weekend, please call the resort at 800-892-2269 or visit www.eagleridge.com for more details.

Post from: Travelling Golfer

Chance to win 2010 Jeep Patriot, $10,000 and more on Saturday, April 10, 2010!

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Okay, so I don’t live in Saskatoon, where it’s 2 degrees as I write this.

But I am in western Kentucky and it’s about 31 degrees right now and not going to get a lot better til about April, which seems very far off.

Why am I crushing on Spain? Because it’s gonna be 68 degrees and sunny all week and it’s home to many events on the European Golf Tour.

Spain is also home to a fabulous La Manga Golf Resort, which is in La Manga, Los Belones, Cartagena.

For many years, La Manga has been the benchmark Spanish golfing vacations. It has been named European Golf Resort of the Year, several times, thanks to three fabulous championship golf courses and ultra-fantastic facilities of the highest standard. Bar none.

The South Course at La Manga is universally regarded as their premier layout and frequently hosts prestigious regional and national events, including the Spanish Open and European Tour Qualifying School.

The South Course was reworked by Arnold Palmer’s design team in the early 1990′s and was retooled again in 2004. The result is a fair but exacting test of golf, as are most golf courses worked on by Palmer’s design team.

La Manga’s North Course presents a different test of golf with tighter fairways and larger greens, neither of which play to my strengths this time of year. I like wide open fairway’s and smaller greens where my three-putt-itis doesn’t flare up as much.

You need accuracy and sound course management to get the best results when you play the 6,291 yard North Course. It also helps if you are a “shotmaker” and not a slash and banger, like me.

La Manga’s West Course is also considered a genuine championship layout, which means there are no bad courses or pushovers on this beautiful resort property.

Coming in at 6,529 yards, the West winds its way through pine trees and has more severe slopes than the other two layouts.

In fact, the West is the favourite of many repeat visitors, particularly because of its unique setting and outstanding views. Because the fairways are kinda tight, it’s prudent to play conservatively from the tee and when you couple that with the fabulous Par 3′s, you see why I would use my hybrid’s more than I normally would. That in itself leads to better scores and less time hunting the edges for golf balls gone astray.

Golf in Spain is always good, but at La Manga, good turns to great.

Post from: Travelling Golfer

I’d Rather Be Golfing In Spain Than Shoveling Snow In Saskatoon

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It’s getting near that time when we here in the U.S have a meal that has a turkey and a wishbone.

If I get the wishbone this year, I’ve got my wish all planned out.

I’m gonna wish for a golf vacation to the Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort.

It’s been voted one of the Ten Best in the United States.

It’s near one of my favorite areas – Jacksonville and St. Augustine, Florida.

It’s got the famed 17th island green on the TPC course and you know I’d birdie that dude if I ever played it!

Fodor’s has this to say about it: “As the second-largest golf resort in the country and home of the world-famous TPC at Sawgrass Stadium Course, the Sawgrass Golf Resort and Spa has plenty to offer golfers, including playing privileges on 99 holes of world renowned courses (five, to be exact). This is truly a full-service resort, whether you’ve come to laze about (the resort includes a 25,000-square-foot, full-service spa and allows guests access to the Cabana Club, a private beach club nearby) or get active playing an Arnold Palmer-designed mini-golf course, swimming in one of four pools or fishing in freshwater lakes and ponds. A $16 million room-renovation project in 2007 has given the resort a face more befitting its name. Pros: Championship golf courses, readily available shuttle, efficient staff. Cons: Beach not within walking distance, overrated food, no free parking.”

Even though I’ll be very near the PGA Tour headquarters, I won’t actually have to play like a tour player to get treated like one at the Sawgrass Marriott.

The hotel has exceptional amenities, fine dining at the Augustine Grille and a superb spa, but the real reason to go is the 150+ holes of tremendous golf.

Golf.com says: “The Players Stadium course casts such a long shadow that it’s easy to overlook the sturdy Dye’s Valley, though Marsh Landing gets the nod as the prettiest of the eight Sawgrass courses. Across the street you can play the nominally private Sawgrass Country Club, a 27-holer where Jack Nicklaus, Lanny Wadkins and Lee Trevino won the Players before the TPC was built. But the Stadium is the real draw, especially the pulse-pounding tee shot at the infamous 17th.”

Yeah, it’s just a dream for now, but come late November, I may well be on my way south and I’ll be looking for 3 buddies to go with me

Anybody got some good thoughts of the Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort to help keep my dream alive and kickin’ ?

Post from: Travelling Golfer

My Dream Golf Vacation For Fall 2009

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Davis Love III designed a spectacular golf course, The Love Course, at Barefoot Golf Resort in the South Carolina lowcountry of Myrtle Beach.

There are many, many reasons you should play The Love Course, but I’m gonna give you my Top 10 and it’s up to you after that.

1. Davis is on Twitter and does a great job of actually replying, as well as sharing photos and insider info.
2. It was ranked as #1 among the Top 50 Courses in Myrtle Beach by Golf Digest.
3. Golf Digest also gave it 4 1/2 Stars in it’s “Places To Play” review.
4. It has wide open fairways and generous landing areas…can you say fun to play for everybody?
5. The greens are A-1 bentgrass. Need I say more?
6. Davis is a Carolina boy all the way from start to finish. North, South, eh, what’s the difference anyway?
7. They’ve got 30 acres of range and practice facilities. That’s like a lot.
8. There’s a Greg Norman Australian Grille on the premises. That’s worth the drive even if you don’t play golf.
9. There’s a House of Blues nearby. Hello!? What else can you ask for?
10. David Letterman isn’t going to be there anytime soon to do his Top 10, so you have to use mine.

Now that you’ve read this, what are you waiting for? Call ‘em up, catch a plane and go see for yourself. You won’t be sorry.

Post from: Travelling Golfer

The Top 10 Reasons To Play The Love Course

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Every day I get 3-5 emails from some agency that’s promoting a golf resort.

Every day I get 3-5 emails from the marketing staff at a golf resort.

Every day I get 3-5 emails from someone promoting a golf package.

Every. Single. Day.

Never do I get an invitation to come visit, play their course, sample their food and blog about it, continuously, while I’m there.

Not. One. Time.

Do you want to really get some buzz about your golf package?

Do you really want to get some buzz about your golf resort?

Invite 4 golf bloggers to come and visit, play golf, eat and sleep on your dollar.

Let us blog about it, take pictures, podcast and video it.

That’ll get you a helluva lot more play than sending us all the same email and asking us to write about your product or service, which is damn hard to do without visiting !

Post from: Travelling Golfer

If You Own A Golf Resort …

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My blog friend Nicole, from the MONTEREY COUNTY CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU, just emailed and is allowing me to share this with you.

Her office works in partnership with Monterey County and the cities of Carmel-by-the-Sea, Del Rey Oaks, Marina, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Salinas, Sand City, Seaside and Soledad.

They’ve put together the ultimate resource called The Insider’s Guide to the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and you can find it by following that link.

You’re welcome

Post from: Travelling Golfer

ATT Pebble Beach Pro-Am

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Golf Vacation Insider, the leading website for expert, unbiased and trusted golf travel advice, has published a revealing “special report” on Turning Stone Resort & Casino just one week prior to its hosting of an official PGA Tour event.

Turning Stone will undoubtedly put its best foot forward when the PGA
Tour plays the Turning Stone Resort Championship there next week
(September 20-23, 2007), but Golf Vacation Insider’s free “special
report” examines what the general public can expect when taking a golf vacation to the Verona, N.Y., resort and if it is, in fact, worthy of
their time and money.

In addition to detailed descriptions and full-color photos of the
resort’s amenities, this special report reveals such things as: why
the “championship” golf course is not the best one to play (and which
of the resort’s five courses truly provides a “member for a day”
experience); the pros and cons of the resort’s lodging and dining
options; the best time to visit; the best off-resort activities to
experience; and the resort’s unique rule with respect to alcoholic
beverages.

To get this special report, golfers need only visit GolfVacationInsider and select it from a list on the right-hand side of the page.

” Hosting a PGA Tour event and hosting people on a golf vacation are
two very different things, ” said David Baum, publisher and
editor-in-chief of Golf Vacation Insider. ” Luckily, after reading our
free report on Turning Stone, you’ll immediately know if it’s the type
of golf vacation experience you’re looking for. ”

Golf Vacation Insider and Golf Odyssey, it’s printed, sister
publication, are the only golf travel publications in the world that
conduct their on-site inspections anonymously and do not accept
advertising, travel discounts or “freebies” from the properties they
review.

For more information about Golf Vacation Insider’s free, special
report on Turning Stone Resort & Casino, or to arrange an interview
with golf vacation expert David Baum, call 800-550-2286 or visit
www.GolfVacationInsider.com.

Post from: Travelling Golfer

Turning Stone Resort and Casino’s Secrets Revealed !

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You’ve probably noticed I have an affinity for The Coeur d’Alene Golf & Spa Resort. Well, it just got ramped up two notches.

Why ? because they introduced some “Men Only” spa treatments !

Take that Golf Girl !

From their Press Release:

For many men, getting a spa treatment for the first time is like entering a dark room. There’s apprehension and uneasiness.

That’s never the case at , where its spectacular 30,000-square-foot Spa Coeur d’Alene provides Gentlemen Only quarters reserved for top-shelf treatment that eliminates their mindset that, ” A spa is not for moi. ”

” Spas have focused on women clients for years, but we now are seeing more and more growth in clients who are men, ” says Berni Campbell, director of The Spa Coeur d’Alene, where the full line of Gentlemen Only services are available for the first time in spring 2007.

Among them is the aptly named Mineral Man therapy, which combines the naturally soothing waters of Lake Coeur d’Alene and indigenous nutrients of the surrounding environment.

Designed to provide stress relief and revitalization for the man on the go, the Mineral Man treatment has been known to cause amnesia – in that it makes guests of The Resort’s new spa temporarily forget the outside world.

This new, two-hour session — administered by trained staff in the private men’s-only area of The Spa Coeur d’Alene — consists of complementing elements, suggested in the following order to provide guests with the best overall experience:

Nourishing Waters Bath. Rich in skin softening nutrients and extracts of honey, oats, silica and magnesium. Restful waters are softening and soothing. It is a perfect choice for skin therapy, or prior to a special event.

Deep Tissue Massage. Your choice of 50 to 75 minutes may be enjoyed as a pre- or post-sport therapy, or to release and relax chronic tension.

Gentleman’s Facial. A man’s skin has unique sensitivities and needs. This de-stressing, detoxifing treatment is 60 minutes of pure bliss and relaxation.

Pure Essence Shower. Experience a one of a kind hot and cold water therapy and the benefits of rejuvenation in our SilverTAG Swiss Shower. Enjoy the sensation of immersion, as 18 showerheads spray the body for five minute with a personalized hydrotherapy program per your needs, be it stress reduction, relaxation, tension release, and more.

To help introduce the new service is the Mineral Man Spa & Golf Package, which includes overnight accommodations with a round of golf at the award-winning Resort Course and the spa session. Starting in April, the package is $474.

” Oftentimes men have never been to a spa, so maybe their spouse or significant other can talk them into it on vacation, ” Campbell said, noting she thinks golfers will like the combination the Mineral Man package provides. ” At a resort you’re getting a lot of first time people who have never been to a spa. ”

Men account for 20 percent of its spa business at The Spa Coeur d’Alene, which follows the national trend. According to figures published in the November 2006 edition of Club & Resort Business Magazine, 31 percent of all U.S. spa goers are men. Accordingly, The Spa Coeur d’Alene, a $10 million, two-floor facility that debuted in spring 2006, is in touch with relieving male anxiety for treatments as simple as the common pedicure. Providing men with their own private area helps put them at ease.

” That’s very important, ” Campbell says. ” Men do not have to be in the same salon with women. We’re all about making our guests enjoy their experience. Everyone is comfortable – the men and the women. And they tend to enjoy the option of being able to not be mixed in with everybody. ”

The Gentlemen Only area at The Spa Coeur d’Alene offers treatments that enable guests to “escape” and just relax. When everything is done, the men feel at the top of their game, physically and mentally – which they discover is beneficial whether they are heading out to play golf on The Resort Course, or off to a meeting in the renovated Conference Center. Options available only in the Gentlemen Only area upstairs include:

Gentleman’s Detoxifying Facial ($125, 60 minutes) — meets the unique sensitivities and needs of a man’s skin while eliminating stress. Includes a hand and foot massage. (Available only in the unisex area of the spa.)

Pure Essence Shower ($25, five minutes) — pure pleasure in the exclusive $100,000 Silver TAG Swiss Shower, which has 18 showerheads that invigorate with 60 gallons of water a minute at four different temperature settings (between 70-102 degrees) to reduce stress, release tension and promote relaxation.

Flow-through Tub Hydrotherapy ($25, 10 minutes) — recommended as a prelude to a massage, it creates a sensation of serenity, as if bathing in a pure mountain spring.

Downstairs, the atmosphere in the Gentlemen Only barber and pedicure areas are specifically designed for relaxation. Unisex is the central theme, with stone décor accompanied by the sounds of waterfalls in the background. The colors are a soft and soothing combination of brown, blue and beige, and there’s the intoxicating aroma of cedar that creates a feeling of being in Northern Idaho’s great outdoors.

” Everything about the men’s area is very calming, relaxing and soothing but you don’t feel like it was meant for a woman at all, ” Campbell says. ” Once you walk into our spa you don’t feel like you’re part of the hotel. It takes you away from the rest of the world. ”

Another fine touch for men is in the Barber Room, which has a Vibe TV, woven leather black wallpaper and a Ferrari red barber chair. The Gentlemen’s Barber Cut ($45, 60 minutes) comes complete with a scalp massage, hot towel treatment, haircut, shoulder massage and a mini manicure (nails clipped, cuticles pushed back, hands massaged), while the Gentlemen’s Pedicure ($65, 50 minutes) is the same as a conventional pedicure, but done in a private room. Jack Black products, exclusively formulated for men, are available in the Barber Room.

The Spa also features its own proprietary line of products for men and women, Spruce & Cedar, offering the scent from clippings of trees indigenous to Northern Idaho. The line includes shampoo, conditioner, lotion, scrub, bath gel and body gel.

The choice for discerning travelers worldwide, The Coeur d’Alene Golf & Spa Resort combines luxury with endless recreational opportunities and serves as an ideal locale for conventions and wedding celebrations alike. A member of the family of Preferred Hotels, The Resort is 31 miles east of Spokane, Wash., and 100 miles south of the Canadian border. For reservations and more details call 800-688-5253 or visit the Couer d’Alene Resort website

Post from: Travelling Golfer

No Girls Allowed

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Okay. I admit it. I want one of these shirt. I’m a golf shirt freak. I wear one almost every day to work. Almost.

The fact that I have to be ready, on a moments notice, to play golf with a customer or supplier has a lot to do with it.

One shirt. XXL size. University Blue, to match my eyes.

Send it along and I’m your buddy for life.

Text link, sponsored post, whatever you want, you got it.

The Coeur d’Alene Golf Resort is one of my dream golf vacations.

I will make it and I will hit balls until I hit that dang floating green.

If you can’t make it to or aren’t near Coeur d’Alene, feel free to send any other XXL golf shirts you happen to buy for me as a bribe for getting me to pimp your golf product, website, course, book, etc.

Post from: Travelling Golfer

Coeur d’Alene Floating Green Golf Shirt

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