Golf Resorts

A friend of mine just got back from a great golf vacation in New York. He went for business and turned it into golfing memories that will endure forever.

He played a round at The Sagamore, on an island in Lake George, in New York.

The Sagamore also happens to be one of the courses listed in Fifty Places To Play Golf Before You Die, by Chris Santella. I’m sure you can find it on Amazon.com, by clicking that link.

Quoting Chris Santella, from his book:

” This is a classic Donald Ross designed course adjacent to a resort on Lake George. Routed through a thick pine forest and accented with occasional plots of heather ( a nod to Ross’ youth in Scotland ), the routing offers glimpses of the lake and the Adirondack foothills, plus Ross’ trademark small and subtly contoured greens. “

Golf Digest rated this course as the “5th Best Public Course in New York State.” In addition, Corporate and Incentive Travel gave it a “Greens of Distinction” award and Condé Nast named it a top U.S. resort course.

Golf Magazine said ” A splendid mountainside links designed by Donald Ross in New York’s forested Adirondacks coupled with a Victorian-style hotel on an island in Lake George make The Sagamore a perennial delight. Twilight golf is a special pleasure, though the subtle breaks on the muffin-top greens are no more discernible at this magical hour than any other. ”

Their website is well done, informative and even has a helicopter tour for your enjoyment. I took it, enjoyed it and you will too.

The photo’s of the surrounding scenery make me want to hop a plane and play this weekend !

Go visit ‘em and let me know what you think.

Tell ‘em Mike sent you.

If you make lists, here’s a great place to add to your must list.

You must go to Banff Springs in Alberta, Canada.

” Situated a mile high in the Canadian Rockies, Banff Springs is one of the most spectacular golf courses in the world. ” - Chris Santella, author of Fifty Places to Play Golf Before You Die.

He also says in his book that legendary golf course architect Stanley Thompson sculpted the course on a broad scale to maximize the impact of the vistas.

As quoted from their website:

” The course offers just two simple things. First, a breathtaking view in every direction and second, a magnificent layout that thrills every golfer fortunate enough to spend a day here. Amateurs and professionals alike are constantly amazed by its panoramic challenge. From the actual hole design to the optical illusions created by the surrounding mountains, this course will delight and tempt you.

Stanley Thompson, Canada’s master golf course architect, used his expert talent when he designed the original 18 holes in 1928. The course winds along the Bow River under the snow-capped peaks of Sulphur Mountain and Mount Rundle. In 1989, 9 holes were added, resulting in 27 holes of championship layout. ”

Just looking at their website makes me want to go…tomorrow. But I guess I’d better wait for a week or two.

The Stanley Thompson 18 is in my future plans. Go check out their website and if you go, send me some pictures.

Oh, and tell ‘em Mike sent you.

The 2006 Wendy’s Champions Skins Game is scheduled for Monday, February 6, on the Championship Wailea Gold Course at Wailea Resort, Maui, Hawaii.

It will be on ESPN, like just about everything else. It will feature 4 of the greatest pro’s in the history of golf, playing $600,000. Past players include Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Tom Watson, Craig Stadler, Lee Trevino, Fuzzy Zoeller and Hale Irwin.

The tournament will be broadcast nationally on ESPN on February 6, 2006.

In 2005, Jack Nicklaus earned the largest tournament paycheck of his life when he captured the Wendy’s Champions Skins Game title with $340,000 and 11 skins, beating out Palmer, Watson and Stadler. Nicklaus is expected to return to defend his title. The rest of the field is expected to be announced the latter part of 2005.

The Wendy’s Champions Skins Game, formerly called the Senior Skins Game and Champions Skins Game, has been home-based at Wailea Resort since 2001. In addition to title sponsor Wendy’s International, Inc., other major sponsors include Destination Resorts Hawaii, Diamond Resort Hawaii, The Fairmont Kea Lani Maui, Four Seasons Resort Maui, Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa, Hawaii Tourism Authority, Maui Visitors Bureau, Renaissance Wailea Beach Resort, The Shops at Wailea, Wailea Golf LLC and Wailea Marriott Resort.

For more information, visit Champions Skins Wailea or call the Wailea Golf Club at 1-888-328-MAUI.

As we continue on our tour of golf courses designed by Arthur Hills, we find a course named…The Arthur Hills Course.

It’s part of the Boyne Highlands Resort, Harbor Springs Michigan.

You can find this course, as well as all the others under their umbrella, by clicking HERE.

I’ve travelled up into Michigan at this time of the year. It’s harvest time here. The state of Michigan and the Dunes region of Northern Indiana are absolutely gorgeous this time of the year.

Somebody go check this course out and come back and give us a comment.

We need more comments. We need more reviews and we’d love to have you guys submit some info for all of us to read.

Go play The Arthur Hills and tell ‘em Mike sent you.

Today’s link goes to the Peach State.

You can have an out of state experience by visiting Georgia and playing some fine golf on some fine courses.

Click HERE to visit a site that will let you explore all the possibilities that warm weather, great food, Southern hospitality and green golf courses will allow.

To quote from their site:

” Whatever your golfing preference, the five distinctly different regions in Georgia will deliver the golf vacation experience of a lifetime. From topography to price, the golf courses within each region are as varied as the landscape.

The Georgia Golf Experience… it’s all about the game of golf, from professional tournament play to amateur golf group camaraderie. You’ll find it all in Georgia! “

Don’t forget to order your copy of the Georgia On My Mind Golf Guide. It’s F-R-E-E !

Visit ‘em today and tell ‘em Mike sent you !

If you want to relax and enjoy the ultimate vacation, have a look at Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort. It’s located in the beautiful Litchfield Beach/Pawleys Island section of the Grand Strand. This gives you easy access to all the sights and sounds of Myrtle Beach, yet you still have that secluded, “away from it all” feeling a vacation should have.

The Litchfield / Pawleys Island area has been a favorite family vacation destination for decades. It’s where visitors come to enjoy the warm waters and cool breezes of the Atlantic. The area has retained its historic Lowcountry charm, and today offers a superb selection of recreational amenities, including golf, tennis, shopping and dining, along with the most beautiful beaches on the East Coast. Experience your dream vacation at Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort.

Browse through their website for more details or call them at 1-888-766-4633, and tell ‘em you saw it here.

Here’s a link to what must be a golfer’s paradise.

Sea Trail, in Sunset Beach, NC looks to be as close as you and I might get to golfing paradise.

They have 3 championship golf courses, over 70,000 square feet of meeting and function space, a variety of fully appointed rooms, suites, and golf villas, 2 on site restaurants, Village activity center and they are close to both Myrtle Beach SC & Wilmington NC.

What more can we ask for ?

How about having the courses designed by Rees Jones, Willard Byrd and Dan Maples. You got it.

How about a golf school ? They got one.

How about a Planetarium ? Next door.

How about being named a ” Resort Course of Distinction ” by Golfweek for 2005 ? Done.

Want to know more ? Click now on the link and/or call ‘em and tell ‘em Mike sent you !

Mesquite is more than a great wood to grill over. It’s great place to play golf.

It’s an hour from Las Vegas.

It’s where they hold the ReMax Long Drive Championships.

It’s an hour from Las Vegas.

They have great weather.

Did I mention it’s an hour from Las Vegas ?

Go check out Golf Mesquite Nevada.

With one little click from your mouse, you can be cruising seven Championship golf courses, 4 luxurious golf resorts and 2 world class spas, all within an hour of Las Vegas.

You can also call them at 866-720-7111 and tell ‘em Mike sent you.

Phil Mickelson joins Tiger Woods, winner of The Masters & The Open ( British ) Championship, Michael Campbell winner of The U.S. Open and Retief Goosen, chosen as the highest average finisher in the 4 Majors, at The Grand Slam of Golf to be held Nov. 22-23 in Kauai, Hawaii.

By qualifying, these golfers get to compete in the 36-hole event at Poipu Bay Golf Course on spectacular Kaua’i, a world-class golf destination.

Poipu Bay Golf Course is a member of the island’s golf destination group “Kaua’i: Discover Golf’s Ultimate Island Green”, which includes Princeville, Kaua’i Lagoons, Kiahuna and Puakea. Boasting dramatic, elevated holes overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Poipu Bay promises to provide yet another compelling chapter in its 12th year hosting the lustrous event.

Mickelson holds the Poipu Bay course record at 13-under-par 59, which he scored in last year’s PGA Grand Slam of Golf event.

“We are excited at the prospect of welcoming back Mr. Mickelson, Mr. Woods and Mr. Goosen, and we are thrilled to introduce Mr. Campbell to the island of Kaua’i and Poipu Bay,” says Sue Kanoho, Executive Director of the Kaua’I Visitors Bureau. “Having the world’s best golfers at one or our world-class golf resorts helps us showcase Kaua’i to prospective visitors.”

About Poipu Bay Poipu Bay is an 18-hole championship golf course situated on 210 oceanfront acres on Kauai’s southern coast, adjacent to its sister property, the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa. A Robert Trent Jones Jr. design, Poipu Bay has won numerous awards and has been consistently rated among the top golf courses in Hawaii and the United States. For more information or to book tee times, call the Poipu Bay golf shop at toll free 1-800-858-6300 or direct (808) 742-8711.

About Kauai: Discover Golf’s Ultimate Island Green Five acclaimed resorts and golf properties - Princeville, Poipu Bay, Kaua’i Lagoons, Kiahuna and Puakea - offering 135 holes of golf on Hawaii’s spectacular Kaua’i Island, work with the Kaua’I Visitors Bureau to offer players convenient quality and a world-class collection under the golf destination “Kaua’i: Discover Golf’s Utlimate Island Green.”

Kaua’i’s resorts and golf courses offer tremendous rates and experiences when considering the golf quality and the island’s many other options and allure. Many Kaua’i courses are so close together and its daylight hours are long enough that golfers can easily play 36 in a day and still have time for family and other activities.

The critical acclaim and unique attributes of the five golf members of the destination - “Kaua’i: Discover Golf’s Ultimate Island Green” - include:

1. Princeville Resort ,800.826.4400, Home to Golf Digest’s No. 12 rated course in “America’s 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses/2005-06″ (Prince Course) 45 holes of golf - the 27-hole Makai nines and the 18-hole Prince - all designed by Robert Trent Jones II Overlooks exquisitely beautiful Hanalei Bay

2. Poipu Bay Golf Course , 800.858.6300, Home to the PGA Grand Slam of Golf Its Grand Hyatt Resort & Spa rated No. 32 in Golf Digest’s “Sublime 75: America’s Greatest Golf Resorts/2004-05″ Four closing holes rise 150-feet to a red sea cliff

3. Kaua’i Lagoons Golf Club , 800.634.6400, Home to Golf Digest’s No. 63 rated course in “America’s 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses/2005-06″ (Kiele Course) 36 holes designed by Jack Nicklaus (Kiele and Mokihana courses) Features numerous awe-inspiring ocean holes

4. Kiahuna Golf Club, 808.742.9595, Designed by Robert Trent Jones II Features meandering creek, lava formations, rock gardens, ocean views Steeped in Hawaii history via its preserved ancient village

5. Puakea Golf Club , 866.773.5554, Kauai’s newest 18-hole course, unveiled in 2003 Owned by AOL Founder Steve Case Adjacent to lush site where Steven Spielberg filmed “Jurassic Park”

After-golf options delve into Kaua’i’s history, heritage and culture, along with boat tours, beaches, zip lines, ATV Tours, botanical gardens, helicopter tours, snorkeling and scuba-diving, kayaking, hiking and much more.

For more information about “Kaua’i: Discover Golf’s Ultimate Island Green,” visit kauaidiscovery.com/activities/golfing/ or call 800-262-1400.

Bayside Resort Golf Club has officially opened and has ushered in a time of new golf in Southern Delaware.

Golf course architect Jack Nicklaus addresses the challenge to create a course on a pristine piece of property that would reflect the natural setting of nearby Assawoman Bay. The finished course, a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, is a waterfront links layout that stays true to the natural salt marshes, meadows and woodlands to present strategic and aesthetic shot values. ( Read this as a hard course to play for the average golfer, if it in any way mirrors what he did to a beautiful piece of land in Crossville, TN. ) It is the focalpoint of a resort golf community on over 850 acres that have been enhanced by four resort villages and private residences, along with markets, restaurants, boutiques and plaza.

“Today we see the fruit of the work,” said Nicklaus, who was on hand for the grand opening celebration and to play a special 18-hole exhibition, which attracted a gathering of nearly 1,000 — made up of members, guests and dignitaries that included Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.).

Bayside’s challenging scale (7,545 from the Signature Tees) may be deceptive. The golf course was never intended to be intimidating, or to overwhelm even average players. The par-72 layout has five sets of tees, tapered to as little as 5,168 yards, without losing of its aesthetic or strategic value.

I’ve found Nicklaus courses to be very hard to play, as Jack’s team has no concept that we, as average golfers, cannot hit it from point A to point B, everytime. Jack uses way too many bunkers in fairways and surrounds greeens with more problems than a good missle defense system.

“What you will find here,” Nicklaus said, “is that you will walk off the golf course and say, ‘I enjoyed that today. What time can I get on tomorrow.” Well Jack, let’s let someone besides you, the namesake designer, make that call. Anybody played it yet ? Would you please send us a review.

The resort/semi-private course is accessible to members and guests of Bayside Resort. Opening green fee is $160 per player in season, which includes a mandatory cart. Public play also is available, starting in September.

“We are so excited and honored to have Jack Nicklaus with us,” said Joshua M. Freeman, president and CEO of The Carl M. Freeman Companies. “His focus and determination to create excellence is why we are so honored to have him. By having Jack sign his name to this course, we partly are being a caretaker for his legacy. Hopefully we will be great caretakers of that legacy, as well as this being something we are proud of in our organization.”

For more details about Invitational Memberships and pre-opening membership promotions, call (877) 436-9998, visit www.golfbayside.com, or e-mail membership@golfbayside.com.