Click here to read about the first Open Championship, and golf on the southwest coast of Scotland, at Karen's examiner.com column.

The 138th British Open golf champship will be played this week, July 16-19, on one of the most spectacular of all Scottish links layouts––the Alisa Course at Turnberry, in Ayrshire, Scotland. The coastal setting is ruggedly beautiful, with the Arran mountains looming above the Irish Sea and the Firth of Clyde. Looming 16 miles out to sea is the Ailsa Craig, arising like a conical hat 1,000 feet out of the water. Locals say, "If you can’t see the Ailsa Craig, then it’s raining. And if you can see it, then it’s about to rain."

The forecast for the Open this week is for overcast, wind and some rain. As the Scots say, “If there’s nae wind, it’s nae golf.” Never was that more true than during the first cold, blustery day of the 1986 Open when no player scored under par. Greg Norman managed to post a 63 in the second round and won. Tom Watson bested the field in 1977, while Nick Price eagled a 50-foot putt on seventeen to win in 1994.

The renowned estates manager, George Brown, and his greenskeepers, have been improving the Alisa, which has been closed since last November. The track was lengthened 247 yards, and 6 new tees and 21 new fairway bunkers were added. Knee-high in heather and dotted with ball-grabbing gorse, nearly half of the holes run, treeless and duneless, along the Firth of Clyde and are open to the fearsome moods of the sea. The landmark on the 9th fairway is a 100-foot lighthouse built in 1873, and nearby are the ruins of a castle inhabited by Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland in the early 14th century.

Unlike most Scottish links layouts, which are rather flat, Alisa sports large, duney mounds and oceans of undulations, creating a number of blind shots. The brisk breezes are at your back on the way out, in your teeth on the return. The 10th is a monster, a 452-yard dogleg left bordering the sea and imperiled by a monumental bunker with a domed piece of turf in the middle. Another famous hole, “Wee Burn” calls for a carry of 250 yards to a green surrounded by Wilson’s Burn. Make the green or watch your ball slide away into the creek; long-handled ball retrievers are thoughtfully provided.

George Brown, Estate Mnger, Turnberry Golf Club

The biggest changes that have readied the Alisa for the 2009 Open are on the three finishing holes. The 16th fairway was realigned to create a more challenging approach to a green protected by a deep burn (a stream). The 17th, one of the course’s two par-5s and in the past considered an eagle opportunity, has been lengthened to about 560 yards. And, the tee was moved on the 18th, creating a right-to-left dogleg sure to result in final hole drama.

The Turnberry Golf Club was founded in 1902, when "Fernie of Troon" was commissioned by the 3rd Marquess of Alisa to lay out a course for guests at the Turnberry Hotel, which opened in 1906. Fernie was the professional of Troon Golf Club (later to become Royal Troon) and he had won the Open Championship at Musselburgh in 1883. His letterhead described him as “Champion Golfer 1883, winner of 22 first class tournaments and practical golf club and ball maker”.

In World Wars I and II, concrete was laid on the fairways, transforming them into runways for RAF planes. In 1951, it reopened with a glorious redesign by famed Scottish course architect, Phillip Mackenzie Ross, in time to host the 106th British Open.
 

Stay tuned here for:

    a review of the Turnberry Resort, headquarters for the British Open

    the first British Open, in 1860

    golf in Southwest Scotland

    the Colin Montgomery Links Golf Academy at Turnberry

Trash talkin', beer swillin', poker playin' and all-golf-all-the-time guycations are as good as they get on Vancouver Island.

Besides the ever-popular Victoria Guys Getaway, where you can sample the already world-famous new Nicklaus-designed Valley Course at Bear Mountain, there are additional men-only outings offered through Golf Vancouver Island, including the North Island Catch (& Release) package, which includes golf and salmon fishing.

Victoria Guys Getaway (from $465)

Two nights at the hotel of your choice

Rounds of golf at your choice of any two of the following:

• Arbutus Ridge Golf Club
• Bear Mountain Golf Club
• Olympic View Golf Club

Shared powercart at both courses

Warm-up bucket at all courses

Guaranteed tee times

Nachos & pitcher of beer on the rooftop deck of the Sticky Wicket Pub

Guaranteed seating and first pitcher of beer at Irish Times Pub

Whether your post-round activities include bungee jumping, whale watching, or just hunkering down for beer and nachos (included in all packages), rest assured, neither scrapbooking nor needlework are on the menu.
http://www.golfvancouverisland.ca

If island golf isn't your style, how about golf on a glacier, at Whistler, B.C.?

The founder/editor of BestGolfResortsoftheWorld.com, Karen Misuraca is a travel and golf writer from the California Wine Country. She follows the little white ball around the world and blogs golf travel at bestgolf.typepad.com/blog/

(Read about golf on Catalina Island)

26 miles across the sea from Long Beach, the Hotel Porftofino on Catalina Island in Southern California is offering a great deal with its new "Villa Venturer Package," through October (weekend rates are higher, and a 2-night minimum stay may be required).

From $161.50 per night, double occupancy, plus tax, the package includes:

• Accommodations at the oceanfront Hotel Villa Portofino
• Continental breakfast
• Welcome gift
• R/T boat transportation aboard the Catalina Express from Long Beach, San Pedro, or Dana Point (a $66 value)
• R/T taxi transfers between boat dock and hotel
• 1 ¼ hour snorkel trip with Catalina Ocean Rafting

For more info: Karen Misuraca is the author of the new book, Backroads of the California Coast.

During his ceremonial visit to the D-Day Beaches in Normandy this weekend, Barack Obama wishes he could take the time to play golf. If a round of golf were on his itinerary, he would head for the Arnold Palmer-designed course at Omaha Beach Golf Club, a favorite of visitors to U.S. WWII cemeteries and the Normandy beaches. In a Scottish-links style layout, all of the 27 holes––the Sea Course, the Orchard Course and the Pond Course––are named for war heroes––Eisenhower, Churchill, etc.

The signature hole is a dogleg right with large bunkers guarding a fairway that leads to a green perched a clifftop above Mulberry Harbour and D-Day beaches. The Golf Club is nearby to famous "artificial port" at Arromanches and the Normandy American Cemetery where almost 10,000 Americans are laid to rest. A few of the scenes of Steven Spielberg's "Saving Private Ryan" were filmed on the golf course, which was liberated by the American 1st Division on June 7, 1944.
 

Hotel Mercure Omaha Beach

40 km east of Caen and 8 km from the ancient and historic city of Bayeux, the 3-star, 70-room Hotel Mercure Omaha Beach is a perfect headquarters for Normandy coast visitors. Specializing in seafood freshly caught at the adjacent fishing harbour of Port-en-Bessin, L'Albatros restaurant overlooks the golf course. Part of the Mercure hotel chain in 10 European countries, the Hotel Mercure Omaha Beach is making available the “Mercure Summer Offer,” a 40% discount on a 2-night stay, including breakfast (through September 15, 2009).

For more info: read Karen Misuraca's article in her examiner.com column, "Obama attends 65th Anniversary of D-Day in Normandy."

We've done it again! Photographer Gary Crabbe and I are announcing the release of our new book, Backroads of the California Coast, our fourth title for Voyageur Press. With fabulous color photos on nearly every page, driving itineraries, maps and lively descriptions of each section of the coast from the redwoods to San Diego. Focused on off-the-beaten-track routes and lesser-known attractions, the new guide is loaded with indispensable information and entertaining reading. You'll use it on your own getaways, and find it a great gift for visitors.

A few highlights of the 24 itineraries:

The 15th green at Cabo Real Golf Club is perched just above the pool terrace at Las Ventanas Al Paraiso in Los Cabos. Celebrating the complete absence of H1N1 influenza in Cabo, the 5-star beachfront resort Las Ventanas has created some powerful incentives (besides the great golf) for visitors to head down to Cabo.

The Rosewood Escape offer, good May 25-Oct. 14 includes:

Significantly reduced rates from $515 per night

Upgrade if available (i.e. pay $515 but stay in a $750 suite)

Daily breakfast for two and $200 resort credit per stay

A small, ultra-luxurious enclave, the only 5-star property in Los Cabos (and my absolute favorite), Las Ventanas is for lovers, and for vacationers seeking solitude and the ultimate in service. Your personal butler will greet you with a beverage, then escort you through the tropical grounds to your suite where you can relax on a banquette on your balcony or hop right into your own outdoor whirlpool. Intricate stone inlays enhance the white marble floors and a wood-burning fireplace awaits the match. Spa suites each have two balconies with banquettes and infinity edge Jacuzzis; 2 bedrooms, each with double Jacuzzis; a full kitchen, separate dining and living room--and 4-foot-tall candles, and also a private spa room with double massage tables and a giant steam/rainforest shower. Your spa butler will meet with you to discuss treatments to enjoy in your suite and/or at the full-service spa. You may choose appearance-enhancing peels and facial lifts, body evaluations, the Ultimate Fitness and weight loss programs, and traditional and exotic massage and skin treatments. (A tip: although nearly every suite is quite private, those on the ground floor near the main pool may be less so.)

Butlers at the beachfront pool offer sunscreen, iPods, sorbet, frosty Evian spritzers and racy novels. As the evening draws near, hundreds of lanterns and candles flicker on the balconies, terraces, in the windows and down the stairs leading to fine dining in The Restaurant and in the open-air Sea Grill, where a wood-fired ovens and grills turn out luscious gulf shrimp, cabrilla(sea bass) and huachinango(snapper), pizzas and locally-produced meats and poultry. Fire bowls cast soft light on Guitaras de Luna, a duo renowned in Baja for the soft Spanish guitar music. As guests seeking seclusion often stay at the resort for all meals, menus change daily. Private dining is also available in the Spanish-colonial style La Cava, the wine cellar. (Up to 40 guests who are not staying at the resort may make reservations for dinner each day.)

A large telescope is set up for star-gazing on the beach, which is smoothed and cleaned each night. The exotic and very romantic setting at Las Ventanas makes it popular for marriage proposals and weddings, which are coordinated by the Director of Romance. You can arrange for a private pavilion for dinner on the beach, and she'll be surprised when a fellow gallops up on horseback and hands down flowers and the ring--that's your cue to pop the question. Or, have the D of R put your note in a bottle, and bury it in the sand next to your table. And, don't be surprised if you open the door to your suite to see a rose petal path leading to dozens of lighted candles in the bedroom. Las Ventanas al Paraiso translates as Windows to Paradise . . .

The resort will arrange guided tours for deep sea fishing and ATV expeditions, whale watching, wave runner and snorkeling tours, and golf. And, they will send a car to the airport for you, and for your return flight, the driver will whisk you, your packed lunch and your luggage right past the long economy-class lines and through First Class check-in, even if you are not a First Class passenger--this is a much-to-be-desired service at the Los Cabos airport.

Golf is on the menu, too--the Robert Trent Jones, Jr.-designed, world-famous Cabo Real Golf Club is a chain of green islands of turf in a fearsome desert landscape of huge cardon cacti, ball-snatching fronting the ocean. The track ascends on skinny fairways and small, elevated greens into mountainous terrain to the fifth hole, which runs 454 yards along the edge of a steep canyon to a green sandwiched between canyon and sea at the course's highest point, 460 feet above sea level, whereupon the course begins winding back down. The 14th sweeps to the ocean through a palm-lined fairway, ending in an elevated green at surfside--whales spouting offshore put on a show for TV viewers who watched the PGA Senior Slams here in the 1990s. Get out your camera for the spectacular view of the course from 15th. 

Balancing a 74.1 rating and 140 slope from the blacks, five sets of tees make Cabo Real fair for high handicappers contending with rocking and rolling fairways and unpredictable sea breezes. The starter strikes fear, and encourages the forward tees, when he says, "These are the hardest 9 holes on Cabo."

For more info on Los Cabos: www.visitloscabos.travel

Read about resorts on Riviera Maya on the Yucatan Peninsula

Karen Misuraca is the Resorts & Spas columnist at examiner.com 

Soon to open, the new addition to the spa at the Four Seasons Hualalai at Historic Kaupulehu, the Waiea Garden (Water of Life) will be an enclosed tropical garden with a waterfall that flows into a pond and stream. Guests will retreat to this lush, secluded environment to cool their tootsies and have hand-and-foot massage and back-shoulder massage--or, just enjoy the greenery while waiting for spa treatments. Several private "hales" (cabanas) are under construction in the spa garden, too.

To enhance and personalize the array of exotic and traditional body/beauty treatments, a unique apothecary is the guest's first stop, where they choose from a fragrant inventory of local ingredients that have been grown and harvested locally--such as awapuhi(ginger), coconut, kukui nut oil, honey, sea salt and more. Custom-created mixtures are then used in the scrubs, wraps and massages, and guests are able to take home a supply of their special concoctions.

Within the Hualalai Spa is a full-service salon, indoor and outdoor showers, steam, sauna, and a big lap pool is right outside, along with separate fitness and aerobic venues, yoga and pilates rooms, the tennis center, and a convenient coffee garden where guests gather for snacks and drinks throughout the day.

For guests who cannot bear to leave the oceanfront pools or their 5-star-rated rooms and suites spa treatments can be arranged at poolside cabanas and on the private balconies, and patios of guest accommodations--aaahh. On the Kohala Coast of the Big Island of Hawaii, the Four Seasons Hualalai is comprised of a scattering of low-rise buildings amid a blooming jungle of gardens and trees, all within the sight and sound of the ocean. On the menu of activities are golf on the spectacular Jack Nicklaus Signature Hualalai Golf Course, paddle-boarding and outrigger canoeing, tennis, "Kids for All Seasons," a cultural center, shopping, and just relaxing on the beach.

The Amelia Island Plantation resort claims the lion's share of the island, encompassing the Amelia Inn--249 all-oceanview rooms and suites on the beach(I like the top floors, from where you get zowie views of the tree canopy and the ocean). In addition, the Villas of Amelia are comprised of 1-, 2- and 3- bedroom units at the beach, at the tennis complex and on the golf course. On Segway, bike and golf cart drives around the island, I came across an absolutely charming clutch of boutique shops around a large pond, and the huge, tournament-status tennis complex of 23 tree-shaded, Har-Tru® clay courts.

Of the four championship golf courses, Longpoint Golf Club is my favorite, a Tom Fazio-designed track that rambles through beautiful wetlands and the Amelia River, and out to the ocean.

I took a sports massage in The Spa at Amelia Island Plantation, where the therapist, Dave, told me that the resort has primarily long-term employees who are kept on staff, no matter the ups and downs of the economy—which is likely one reason why everyone I encountered was as Southern-fried-friendly as they could be. The island is so close to Georgia (you can see it from here) that Georgia accents and Southern hospitality are rampant. (As quiet and as laid-back as the island was during my February visit, be advised that holidays and high-season summertime are busy with vacationing families.)

Check out www.acartacrosswales.com to follow the wanderings of two intrepid explorers, a Welshman and an American, as they discover quirky and scenic Wales in a golf cart! In six days, they travel from Abertawe to Ysbtty, meet the locals and share hilarious accounts of their bonding experiences, like bog snorkeling, pub crawling, and sheep shearing. In video blogs and diary entries, they spin tales of their adventures and the unforgettable characters they encounter. Their final stop is Celtic Manor Resort, home of Ryder Cup 2010, which will be played on the new Twenty Ten course, the third championship layout at the luxury, five-star golf and spa resort, and the first in history to be designed and built specifically for The Ryder Cup.

The Twenty Ten joins the existing Roman Road course, home to The Celtic Manor Wales Open on the European Tour for the last three years, and another new championship layout at the resort, the Montgomerie Course. Designed by the Ryder Cup legend, Colin Montgomerie, as his first design project in Great Britain, The Montgomerie features deep pot bunkers and other traditional touches that lend the course a links-like feel.

Home of the Arnold Palmer and the George Fazio courses, Turtle Bay Resort & Spa on the North Shore of Oahu is offering the Daily Unlimited Golf Challenge, including a day of unlimited golf with cart per guest; and for non-golfers an $80 credit per day to use at the spa, horseback riding, helicopter tours, kayaking, etc. (from $287 per night for Ocean Front accommodations, through December 21, 2009). Away from the hubbub of Honolulu, about 45 minutes from the airport, on a spectacular headland surrounded by two beaches, Turtle Bay is isolated, yet nearby the quiet pleasures of the North Shore. The resort is comprised of 375 guest rooms, 26 suites and 42 luxury beach cottages and villas, tennis courts, and hiking and horseback riding trails in the hills.

Even closer to the airport (17 miles), Ko Olina Golf Club hosts the LPGA Fields Open in February. Generous fairways are kind to resort players, while elevated, undulating greens and acres of translucent lagoons, ponds, lakes and cascades, plus a scattering of pot bunkers, raise the excitement level, between the waving coconut palms and the overhanging banyan, plumeria and monkeypod trees. Across the road from the golf course, perched on the beautiful, sand-fringed bays of Ko Olina Marina, JW Marriott's Ihilani Resort & Spa has more than 400 rooms and suites for guests who spend their days snorkeling, swimming, kayaking and sailing in the calm bays. The resort's  Escape! Golf in O'ahu package includes 2 nights in an ocean view room, 2 rounds of golf per day and 2 sleeves of golf balls(from $648 through December 18, 2009).

Read more about golf resorts in Hawaii at examiner.com (I'm the new Resorts & Spa Columnist).

Home of the Champions Tour Mitsubishi Championship, the 7,100 yard Nicklaus Signature course at Hualalai on the Big Island of Hawaii meanders dramatically through lava fields and tropical greenery to finish in spectacular holes along the sea. Residents and guests at the  Four Seasons Resort Hualalai at Historic Ka'upulehu can take advantage of the Unlimited Golf Package, which includes unlimited daily golf and driving range access per night stay, including shared cart and breakfast for two, from $980 per room, per night, August 25-November 20, 2008, and December 1 - 18, 2008; and $1,060 per room, per night now through August 24, 2008, and November 21 - 30, 2008. Zagat and Travel + Leisure say that Hualalai is the #1 resort in the islands.

Golfers on the Nicklaus course enjoy a blockbuster array of golf services and amenities including:
    GPS on all carts, Callaway/Mizun rental clubs 
    Complimentary ball markers, sharpies, divot tools, sunscreen & band-aids
    Free clinics: "Putt with the Pro," Chipping and Short Game and Sand Bunker
    Free non-alcoholic beverages on the driving range and beverage cart
    Free sunglass cleaning, shoe service
    Pro VI range balls on the driving range
    Deluxe locker facilities with personal amenities
    Fresh fruit in locker rooms, practice area & air-conditioned comfort station on 9th hole

Did you see my recent feature in the AirTran inflight magazine about the sustainable/eco features of the resort golf courses on Riviera Maya?

Check it out: Green Tees: Golf courses on the Riviera Maya are working to preserve natural habitats, ancient Mayan ruins, wildlife and waterways.

One of the top daily-fee golf clubs in Arizona, with two fantastic courses--Talon and Fazio's Raptor--Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale has launched a fun and informative video channel on YouTube.com. The site offers  1- and 2-minute chipping and putting tips and other playing tips, by the golf pros; a hole-by-hole description hosted by PGA Tour caddie, Jim “Bones” MacKay; a clubhouse tour by PGA Tour personality Gary McCord, and some fun introduction to Grayhawk. The club has hosted many high-level golf events, such as the PGA Tour 2008 Frys.com Open. Among many awards for both courses, the Talon Course is included on Golf Magazine’s prestigious list of the “Top 100 You Can Play in the U.S.”

To commemorate a 30th anniversary and a whopping property-wide renovation, guests at the Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa in Rancho Mirage will receive a 30 percent discount on golf, spa and dining through 2009, for reservations booked by February 28 of this year (800-423-1195). Now managed by KSL (known for such other luxury golf properties as La Costa, Barton Creek and The Homestead),  Rancho Las Palmas has just emerged from a complete and fabulous 5-star make-over.
 

When Rancho Las Palmas opened in 1979, while Cary Grant and Roy Rogers looked on, Bob Hope christened the property by hitting a golf shot through a ribbon that burst into flames. To the tune of $35 million, today's 444 oversized hacienda-style rooms and suites and five dining venues have been completely transformed into urban chic luxury, and the 25 clay and hard-surface tennis courts and 27-holes of golf were updated. A new water play complex, Splashtopia, features two acres of fun, including water slides, a lazy river, jets and fountains, a cliffside Jacuzzi, expansive swimming pool, and a sandy beach. Kids head for the newly opened Kidtopia kids camp, while parents lounge by the adult pool and at Spa Las Palmas, one of the top spas in the desert. The new bluEmber restaurant and R Bar lounge complete the resort experience.

The Ted Robinson-designed golf courses are scattered with thousands of palms and plenty of water hazards. Irrigation has been improved and a general face-lift overall brings these 27 holes into the 21st century with pizzazz. The golf is semi-private, with a nice clubhouse and restaurant.

Rancho Las Palmas is located across the street from The River, a fabulous dining, shopping and entertainment center that includes such restaurants as P.F. Chang's and Fleming's Steakhouse, and a multi-screen movie theater.

Recently on Riviera Maya, the resort area south of Cancun, I had the once-in-a-lifetime chance to play the Greg Norman-designed El Camaleón Mayakoba Golf Club by myself. Somehow I dodged iguanas, cenotes (openings to underground caves), mangrove forest, a labyrinth of canals and pounding surf to do pretty  well. A stunning example of today's "eco-green" club, Mayakoba is a carefully managed Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary of protected habitat where herons stalk in the reeds, cormorants dive like black daggers into the water, and after their fishing expeditions, anhingas spread their wings to dry in the sun.

One of five hotels in the vast Mayakoba resort complex, the 5-diamond-rated Fairmont Mayakoba is comprised of low-rise casitas built of limestone and red sapote wood and hidden away in dense mangrove thickets along the edges of saltwater lagoons and canals. Golfers step out of their accommodations into small "lanchas"–– thatch-roofed boats––to be ferried to the first tee. El Camaleón is the home of the PGA Tour Mayakoba Golf Classic which this year takes place February 23 - March 1, 2009.

The Fairmont's Green Adventure Package offers nightly accommodation, daily breakfast for 2 adults (children to age 12 years of age eat free), unlimited golf for the day when purchasing a round of  golf at El Camaleón; picnic boxes for 2 adults and 2 children, a cooking lesson, a tour in a “lancha” (covered boat) through the canals with the resort’s ecology expert, and amenities. Rates: from $459 per night to April 26, 2009.

For more on Riviera Maya golf resorts, watch my feature article in the February 2009 issue of GO!, the AirTran inflight magazine.

The Torrance golf course at the Fairmont St Andrews in Scotland will reopen this summer after an extensive updating and renovation, part of a £10 million investment at the resort. With cliff-top holes and stunning views of the North Sea and the skyline of the town of St Andrews, The Torrance will be the final qualifying course for the 2010 British Open. Among the changes, some bunkers are being redesigned and all of the tees will be rebuilt for better draining and turf conditions. Also at the resort, the coastside 7,049-yard Kittocks Course (formerly the Devlin course) has also been improved.

Located just south of St Andrews, the Fairmont is a 5-star luxury resort with 209 newly renovated rooms and suites, and "Manor Home" villas; five dining venues, a spa and health club, all on more than 500 acres of glorious Scottish coast. This Fairmont was voted 18th in the World's Top 100 Golf Resorts by readers of Condé Nast Traveler, and was awarded Resort Hotel of the Year 2008 by Golf Tourism Scotland.

Of the several golf packages available, the Fairmont offers the "Old Course Winter Special" through March 30, 2009, including two nights luxurious accommodation, three rounds of golf on the St Andrews links courses including a guaranteed tee time on the Old Course, and daily breakfast (www.fairmont.com, 800-441-1414, standrews.scotland@fairmont.com).

The retro-fabulous 1920s Art Deco-style town of Avalon on Catalina Island is a golf-cart-only community. Come over on the ferry and bring your bike and your feet and rent a cart for cruising the waterfront and the fun shops, restaurants, beaches, the famous Casino Ballroom and museum. Scenic bus and boat tours take visitors to the many natural sights around the island. My favorite is the evening flying fish cruise to Twin Harbors, where a great beach, good bar/restaurant and nature hikes await.

Don't we need more cart-only communities? Let me know of your favorite town that allows carts on the streets.

Catalina also has a quite respectable 9-hole golf course in a stunning wild mountain setting, and a charming Spanish Colonial Revival clubhouse housing one of the best restaurants in town, the Catalina Country Club.

                    And, here is the view from the Portofino Suite, my favorite hotel room on the island (at the Hotel Villa Portofino).                                                                    

For avid golfers who can't get enough of the game, a new book, Secrets of the Great Golf Course Architects, will keep them busy reading all through the holidays. Dozens of the top course designers in the world contributed their funny stories, business lessons, mishaps, philosophies, travel tales, and inspirational stories as well as photos, blueprints, and concepts. Along with 150 color photos and illustrations, it's a fascinating and fun compendium from such as:               

         * Tom Fazio, who created a miracle for Vegas casino developer Steve Wynn.
         * Jack Nicklaus, who recounts how he takes history and politics of a country before designing his courses abroad.
         * Pete Dye, who was fired from his first big job after constructing nine holes that crossed a creek thirteen times 
         * Arthur Hills, whose builders faced armadillos, water moccasins, rattlesnakes, and wild boar during construction of the Legends Course
         and more great stories from Rees Jones, RTJ, Jr., Arnie and many more

The author, Michael Patrick Shiels, worked with the American Society of Golf Course Architects to interview the course designers. Shiels is an award-winning syndicated morning radio host and the author of numerous books, including collaborations with Donald Trump and Larry King.

In a former storm water retention area that is now spectacular habitat for native plants and wildlife, the Sanctuary at Westworld was the first golf course in Arizona and the 17th course in the world to attain the coveted Audubon Signature Status.

Scottsdale-based Troon Golf Management, which as many golfers know is the largest upscale course management company in the world, and probably the best, has made the commitment to have its entire portfolio of 190 golf properties worldwide certified through the Audubon initiative.

"Target desert golf" was first developed in the Scottsdale/Phoenix area, a design concept for fragile environments that has since become the focus of new course designs around the world. Smaller turf landing zones are islands of green amid natural sandy wastes, stretches of indigenous flora, and wetlands, lakes, creeks, ravines and other natural elements of the landscape.

Think about all of this the next time your ball lands in the arms of a saguaro cactus or in a rattlesnake hole . . . go for the guilt-free solution: take your strokes and move on.

Golfers playing the 27 holes of the Westin Kierland Resort and Spa golf course in Scottsdale will love the "Scottish Golf Experience." Partaking of the Scottish spirit, players wear kilts and enjoy Johnnie Walker beverages while perfecting their swing. And, a Scottish bagpiper heralds the end of the day as guests gather for the gorgeous desert sunset around the Dreamweaver Canyon fire pit.

Among the many reasons to stay-and-play at the Westin is the women-friendly golf experience (as praised by the Executive Women's Golf Association) and one of the top 50 female golf instructors in the country, Sandy LaBauve; and the incredible FORE-MAX Training System. Leading the teaching academy, Sandy and Mike LaBauve are one of the few husband-wife teaching teams in the world, both listed as Golf Magazine's Top 100 Instructors. Mike is also listed in the Top 50 Instructors by Golf Digest while Sandy is listed in the magazine's Top 50 Women Instructors.

Add to this air-conditioned golf carts and misted practice tees, an upscale shopping plaza just a few steps away, and one of the planet's most fabulous spas, and you need a week to partake of the pleasures of the Westin Kierland.

How can you find the most luxurious, well-located, well-serviced condos and rental villas on Barbados, St. Thomas, Nevis, Turks & Caicos and Anguilla? The prestigious home and villa rental company, Wimco, has surveyed its agents to come up with specific properties that are popular with golfers who visit these islands. On the Web site are complete descriptions, locations, availability calendars, photos and more information.

For instance, Villa Mac Cre on St. Thomas is a two-level, 3 bedroom, 3.5 bath home within a gated community at Mahogany Run Golf Course. Every room has glorious ocean views of Tortola and the Virgin Passage.

Wimco also offers concierge service, including airport transportation with refreshments provided, restaurants and tee time reservations, babysitting, catered meals and parties, private chef, snorkeling and scuba adventures--you think of it, they will arrange it. Link here for a complimentary 2009 guide to Wimco's villas on St. Barts.

Golfers dream of playing Tom Doak's legendary Cape Kidnappers in New Zealand, Sandy Lane on Barbados, Casa de Campo's Teeth of the Dog, and Puerto Vallarta's El Tigre. In 2009, golfers can sail aboard Silversea's Silver Shadow and Silver Whisper, and play golf on top notch courses at nearly every port, in 30 countries and island destinations in the South Pacific, Mediterranean, Caribbean and Mexico, as part of the 2009 Silver Links program.

For example, the Silver Shadow will depart iln December on a 9-day Caribbean voyage from Fort Lauderdale to Barbados calling at Grand Turk, Samana, La Romana, St. Lucia and Grenada, with golf excursions to Casa de Campo, St. Lucia Golf and Country Club and Sandy Lane Country Club.

Getting ready for their rounds, passengers can work with an onboard, certified PGA professional, who offers private and group instruction, demonstrations, and high-tech swing analysis.

Among other accolades, Silversea has been awarded "World's Best" for several years, by both Condé Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure.

Through mid-December, guests at Mauna Lani Resort will have the rare opportunity to play the "Classic Course" at the resort, which is comprised of 9 holes on the South Course and 9 Holes on the North Course. Especially for guests who stay at the 5-star luxury resort for several days, golf on the North, the South and the Classic will make for a vacation of a lifetime. The North and South courses are laid amid rugged, dramatic lava formations along the Kohala Coast of the Big Island of Hawai'i.

The resort is racking up awards this year: #8 of Travel & Leisure's World's Best; #1 spa in Hawaii from Conde Nast Traveler; one of 10 top Environmentally Friendly Golf Courses from Golf Magazine; one of “World’s Top 3 EarthFriendly Getaways from Conde Nast––the accolades go on. Mauna Lani has been one of Golf magazine's Gold Medal-rated resorts since 1988.

New in recent years is the Keiki Golf Course, designed for beginners and for junior golfers and children 18 years and younger. The only course of its kind in Hawaii, the Keiki is perfect for kids who are learning the game yet are not ready to play the championship courses. 

OK, so you’ve probably hit a golf ball off the side of a house, off a parked car or even off the back of a cruise ship. But, have you ever hit a golf ball off a glacier? Likely not, unless you’ve been to The Four Seasons Whistler in Whistler, British Columbia. The 5-star resort hotel will arrange to whisk you by helicopter to the top of nearby Mt. Currie to smash biodegradable golf balls into the great blue yonder.

Of course, to keep your game a little more grounded, the hotel also offers their Elite Golf Program, which includes play on three of Whistler’s fabulous high-mountain courses – Nicklaus North, Whistler Golf Club and Big Sky; a PGA professional will accompanying you for on-course playing sessions and for lunch daily. Two nights luxurious accommodations are included, and daily breakfast. Starting at $ 1,540 for two, this is a deal.

The Golf Package at the Four Seasons includes two nights accommodations, daily breakfast, and two rounds of rounds of golf, starting at CAD $455. 

As a golfer, and as someone with global warming on my mind, I absolutely love the growing trend of "golf cart communities", where residents cruise around on their errands and local activities on "neighborhood vehicles" or "NEVs", which are golf carts and other tiny, energy-efficient, street legal, usually electric vehicles. Many Florida towns and neighborhoods encourage golf cart transport, and it's expanding in California.

Palm Desert allows carts in town for "travel to schools, parks, businesses, shopping centers, and government offices". The town even has a big golf cart parade every year that is attended by 25,000 people.

 

Check out Golf Resort News for Fall Getaways. From Scotland to Southern California, the Oregon coast to Hawaii, Tucson and the Rockies, autumn is the best time to stay-and-play--best weather, best prices, fewer people on the fairways.

BestGolfResortsoftheWorld.com keeps you up to date on what's new, what's changed, what's coming up in the world of luxury golf resorts, upscale golf home communities and golf travel worldwide.

One of only 10 such facilities in the country, a Callaway Golf Performance Center has opened at Troon North Golf Club in Scottsdale. Using the same Callaway club fitting system as Els, Mickelson, Sorenstam and other pros, the facility combines high-speed cameras and ball-flight simulators, 3-D imagery and precision software to analyzing a golfer's clubhead and ball speed, launch angle spin rates and more.

The Troon Tune Up package at the nearby Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North includes, per night, a 1.5-hour golf lesson at Troon North, daily lunch and round of golf for two, and luxurious casita accommodations at the resort. Rates start at $1,015 through the end of the year.

The legendary Pinnacle and Monument courses at Troon were recently transformed by Tom Weiskopf, who rerouted the two, resulting in an even more dramatic marriage of the turfed landing zones with the stunning desert landscape and the iconic granite boulders, the towering saguaro cacti and the sandy washes. The greens are new, and bunkers were reconfigured or removed on both tracks. At the Four Seasons resort, an intimate compound of Pueblo-style casitas in the highland foothills of Pinnacle Peak, rooms and suites are newly renovated--most have kiva fireplaces and deep soaking tubs, and some have outdoor showers and private patios. The lobby, lobby lounge and the Talavera restaurant have a new look, too, and even wider vistas of the spectacular Sonoran Desert panorama.