Arranging a golf trip without professional help is not a simple thing.

For the same reasons most of us go to a mechanic when our car breaks down and a doctor when we aren’t feeling well, the path to a successful golf trip is best handled by a qualified specialist.

Any golf trip involves the coordination of a myriad of details.  You will need to determine the availability of the various golf courses you wish to play.  You must find and reserve the most suitable hotels and book a car rental which will be large enough for golfers, luggage and clubs. You need to determine driving distances to be sure you make that starting time. The list of details is endless.  And you haven’t even started with dining options, post round activities, let alone what do you do when flights go late or someone in your group needs medical help.

If you choose to make your own arrangements, be prepared for a frustrating experience which will be very time consuming.

The way to avoid any problems that should be anticipated, is to use the services of a professional golf travel company. Selected carefully, the right company will provide you with a trouble free trip where all you have to worry about is your golf game.

How do you go about selecting the right company? The following pointers will set you off in the right direction….

1.Look for a company which specializes exclusively in golf travel.

Golf travel is the most highly specialized area of the travel business and it takes a dedication to the subject for a company to be good.

2.Find a company that has at least 5 years experience in golf travel.

It takes at least that long to build the local contacts and relationships needed to get the job done.

3.Check into the company’s reputation and track record.

Although past performance can be no guarantee of the future, better to go with a company that has established a good, solid reputation, particularly with hotel and golf course partners.

5 .Check with friends or others who may have taken a similar trip before.

There is no better indicator than personal recommendation. Any company which has satisfied others, should be able to satisfy you.

6. Ask for references.

If a company is proud of it’s past performance record they will have no hesitation in providing you with references.

6. Don’t let price alone be the deciding factor.

If you are comparing the proposals of other golf travel companies, price alone should not be your guide. Compare the different itineraries very carefully looking at the various hotels which may have been offered and the types of rooms, the type of car rental and what is included, any other services which may be offered.

Can all that has been proposed be delivered or are there hidden charges, such as taxes? Do you feel comfortable with the lower priced company and their reputation?

Good value is important, but if a price seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Following these few guidelines together with a good dose of common sense, should help you choose a company which is reputable, experienced and will provide you with a dream trip rather than a nightmare.

WHY GOLF CANADA’S WEST
SHOULD BE YOUR GOLF TRAVEL COMPANY

EXPERIENCE – over 50 years of staff experience in the Western Canada travel industry

REPUTATION and REFERENCES – solid reputation with both vendor partners and clients

FOCUS ON SERVICE – it’s what it is all about, from the first phone call / email to our final follow-up survey

FLEXIBILTIY – no  cookie cutter packaging; we custom design more than 80% of our client trips

(ALBERTA, CANADA) – Canadian Rockies Golf – a group of best-in-Canada courses and resorts located in central Alberta – today unveiled its 2012 signature golf packages, including a 144-hole, five-day golf extravaganza, or a relaxed golf-and-fly fishing or spa trip, beginning this May.

Golf vacation experiences in Banff, Jasper, Canmore and Kananaskis Country are included in the group’s varied offering, with rates starting at $174 CAD per person, per night.

Here are five travel picks worth reviewing:

• 15-hour Daylight Golf Marathon: Visit the Canadian Rockies near the Summer Solstice, and expect the sun to rise at 7 am and fall around 10 pm daily – making 36 holes a day not only manageable, but easy. Try the Iron Man Golf Package, including eight rounds and five night’s stay, starting at $1,439 CAD per person. You might actually fit in three full rounds with this much sun.
• Canmore and the Calgary Stampede: The famed Calgary Stampede will celebrate its Centennial in early July. Enjoy the popular Chuckwagon Races and then drive a quick hour west to the hip and fresh Canmore, playing the meaty Silvertip or Stewart Creek mountain courses with the laid-back Canmore Golf & Curling Club. May Canmore packages start at $174 CAD per person, for a round and an overnight stay.
• Drive and Fly: Golfers and anglers will love the Pins and Fins package, combining two days of golf with a full-day fly-fishing excursion with guide and equipment included. Stay four nights, starting at $979 CAD per person.
• Celebrate our Birthdays: Two courses are celebrating birthdays in 2012:
• Visit in May 11-17 to celebrate Kananaskis Country’s 30th Anniversary and enjoy $20 rounds (a flashback from 1983). Packages start at $249 CAD for two nights and two rounds.
• Golf Magazine Gold Resorts: The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge and The Fairmont Banff Springs were named 2012 Gold Resorts by GOLF Magazine, and Golf Digest’s 75 Top Golf Resorts in late 2011. Stay and play both, and enjoy a bonus night at The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, through the Fairmont Classic Package, a seven-day excursion through both National Parks and the famed Icefields Parkway. May rates start at $1469 CAD per person.

All packages can be booked through www.golfcanadaswest.com, and include all taxes, gratuities and service charges were applicable. Packages can be customized through the online portal, offering preferred hotel, auto, golf and adventure rates in the Canadian Rockies. rates shown above are based on double occupancy, in Canadian dollars.

SUGGESTED TWEET: Calgary Stampede Centennial, Icefields Parkway drive combine with Canadian Rockies Golf Top 2012 Vacation Experiences

About Western Canadian Golf

To view the stunning topography, vacation options and learn more about golf in western Canada, visit www.golfcanadaswest.com. Website visitors can view stay-and-play packages or request custom quotes for trips and packages, or they may call 877.323.3633 for more information. Online information is regularly posted at http://www.facebook.com/golfcanadaswest.ltd.

The critical acclaim and extraordinary attributes of the six members of the destination – “Canadian Rockies Golf: Historic. Dramatic. Untamed.” – include:

1. Canmore Golf and Curling Club

• Voted Best Golf Course in Rocky Mountain News’ Best of the Bow Awards (2011)
• Valley-based property requires players use all clubs in their bag, narrow fairways challenge all levels of golfers
• Tree-lined course, friendly community atmosphere provides intimacy and camaraderie

2. The Fairmont Banff Springs

• Historic course and Conde Nast Gold winner for its castle-like hotel, award-winning Willow Stream Spa and exquisite resort amenities
• 27 holes of golf – 18 Stanley Thompson-designed holes including the 200-yard, par-3 Devil’s Cauldron, 147 bunkers, and the 9-hole Tunnel Course
• Panoramic beauty, picturesque-mountain setting between Sulphur Mountain & Mount Rundle
• Situated in BanffNational Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Golf Digest “Top 75 Resort in North America,” “Best 25 International Golf Hotels” and “Best 100 Courses Outside the USA”; GOLF Magazine “Gold Resorts” and “Top 3 Golf Course in Canada” and Golfweek Best Canadian Classic Courses

3. The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge

• Celebrating its 90th Anniversary in 2012
• Voted Best Golf Resort in Canada by ScoreGolf Magazine
• Featuring the “wild side of the Rockies” – elk, caribou, coyote and wolves inhabit the national park
• Designed by Stanley Thompson, the 18 holes carve contours at the feet of mountains
• Located in the heart of JasperNational Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Golf Digest “Top 75 Golf Resorts; Golfweek Best Classic Canadian Course; GOLF Magazine “Gold Resorts” list 2012.

4. Kananaskis Country Golf Course

• Celebrating its 30th season in 2012
• Golfweek “Best Canadian Modern Courses” ranking (2011)
• SCORE Golf!“Top 5 Best Public Courses to Play”
• Robert Trent Jones Sr. designed courses, situated in serene Kananaskis Country
• 36 holes played beneath breathtaking Mt.Lorette and Mt.Kidd, after which the courses are respectively named
• Features immaculate lush fairways, famed island-like 4th green on Mt.Kidd course, 140+ silica sand bunkers and the cascading Kananaskis River

5. Silvertip Golf Resort

• National Geographic Top 10 Environmental Courses (2011)
• Home course of PGA Tour Member and 2006 Players Champion Stephen Ames
• Golf Digest rated4 ½ stars, lauded for environmental sensitivity, maintenance practices
• 600 feet of elevation change, including dramatic par-4 18th with extreme altitude drop from tee to fairway, fairway to green
• Wine Spectator“List of Excellence” Award for Rustica Steakhouse
• 2009 Golf Digest Environmental Leader Award

6. Stewart Creek Golf & Country Club

• SCORE Golf!“Top 5 Best Public Courses to Play”
• Golf Digest rated 4 ½ stars
• Surrounded by the spellbinding Three Sisters Mountains
• Audubon-certified course preserves habitat for plentiful wildlife

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CONTACTS:
Chris Smith, Golf Canada’s West, 403 678 2838, chris@golfcanadaswest.com
Gordon Schultz, Golf Canada’s West, 403 678 2838, kgordon@golfcanadaswest.com ]]> http://blog.golfcanadaswest.com/?feed=rss2&p=154 0 Golf Canada's West Canadian Rockies Golf Releases Best 2012 Vacation Picks (ALBERTA, CANADA) – Canadian Rockies Golf – a group of best-in-Canada courses and resorts located in central Alberta – today unveiled its 2012 signature golf packages, including a 144-hole, five-day golf extravaganza, or a relaxed golf-and-fly fishing or spa trip, beginning this May. Golf vacation experiences in Banff, Jasper, [...] Golf Vacation News http://blog.golfcanadaswest.com/?p=143 http://blog.golfcanadaswest.com/?p=143#comments Fri, 11 Nov 2011 23:01:31 +0000 Golf Canada's West http://blog.golfcanadaswest.com/?p=143 Only 3.5 hours’ drive south from Calgary, Alberta you will find the quaint town of Eureka, Montana. A further 10 minutes’ drive will have you driving through the gates of the Wilderness Club. The Wilderness Club stretches over 545 acres of boundless rangeland and forests, dotted with spring fed lakes, and surrounded by cool, blue mountains,  all draped with that big Montana sky.

The Nick Faldo designed course offers some high quality golf which one wouldn’t necessarily expect being out in the country and far from any major destinations. With four sets of tee boxes, the course plays from 5431 to 7207 yards offering a pleasurable experience for all golfers. Built with the intention of being an exclusive private residence course, the greens have more character and undulation than you would experience on a standard resort course, meaning you will never tire of rolling them to the cup. Opened for public play the last couple of years, word has it that access to the course will only be available when combined with overnight stays.

We had the pleasure of teeing it up on a comfortable October weekend, playing 54 holes over our two days. Every hole presents its own challenges, however you never feel that the course is out to get you. Generous fairways and a layout that presents itself off the tee allow for your good shots to be rewarded and your less than stellar shots requiring creativity to recover from.

Though the bunkers and waste areas appear to not have much sand in them, they are indeed 100’s of feet deep. The naturalness of these sand areas, present the golfer with a unique challenge. Be sure to utilize the practice area before playing your round and even get a tip or two from the pro shop on how the get up and down.

Picking just one signature hole proved to be a difficult task as each of the 18 holes is remarkable in its own right. I’d like to say that # 6, 12 and 16 really stood out for me but I feel I’d be leaving too many other beauties without mention. The 1^st day highlight would have to go to our playing partner, Kelly Smith from Canmore, who recorded her first ever eagle on the par 4 10th, holing out from the fairway from 77 yrds. Not an easy feat, with water guarding the entire length of the green and a back pin tucked to the slope.

The Wilderness Club’s 8 bedroom lodge can accommodate up to 18 people providing a great environment for groups or couples. Each bedroom has its own bathroom and shower and is unique in its theme. A TV room and study are available for all guests to enjoy as well as outdoor BBQ’s to cook after round treats or dinner. More self-contained units are planned for build in 2012, allowing for a greater opportunity for ‘Stay and Play’ packages. Staying in the Lodge also comes with your own lake. Grob lake is just out the back doorway, and is an inviting option to relax in after your day on the course. You may choose to prepare your own meals in the lodge’s spacious kitchen or take in your food and beverage requirements in the Clubhouse.

Though driving 3.5 hrs from Calgary may seem a little much to play one golf course, you’d be hard pressed to convince me that’s true. A game played by some of the avid members, features a 4 round tournament, where each round is played from a different set of tee boxes with the total score being combined and thus producing a winner. The Wilderness Club is a destination and once you arrive, play, stay and play again, you won’t want to leave. You’ll find yourself starting to plan your next trip back as you drive out the gates, and that is where we at Golf Canada’s West can help you out. Give us a call 1 877 323 3633.

A fine example of this would be Canmore Golf and Curling Club’s Superintendent – Reid Solodan, who has been blogging the recent news from their turfcare department. You can stay tuned to Reid’s updates by following – www.canmoregolfclubturfcare.blogspot.com

Notice the surrounding snow on Canmore’s # 1 hole and the contrasting emerald green colour of the putting surface. The abundance of snow this winter helped to insulate the turf grass and the covering of the greens with spring tarps has enabled Reid and his team to ensure that golfers will find themselves playing on and to top notch surfaces.

2011 – Opening dates

Canmore Golf and Curling Club – May 6 – 9 holes to start
Jasper Park Lodge – May 6
Banff Springs – May 13 – tentative
Stewart Creek – May 18
Silvertip Resort – May 19
Kananaskis Country Golf Course – May 20

Predator Ridge Golf Resort chosen at the top new golf course in Canada

SCOREGolf Magazine has named The Ridge Course, designed by award-winning Canadian golf architect, Doug Carrick, “Best New Course in Canada” for 2010.

The 7,190-yard par-72 Ridge Course was built at a cost of $10 million, and features dramatic elevation changes, stunning mountain vistas, beautiful rock outcroppings and breathtaking views of Lake Okanagan.

Construction of the course was completed in September 2009, allowing ample time for the lush greenery to grow in before its opening in June 2010.

“Receiving SCOREGolf’s prestigious ‘Best New Course’ award is an honour for Predator Ridge golf resort and confirms our reputation as the premier golf destination in Canada,” says Rod Cochrane, general manager at Predator Ridge Golf Resort.
“This accolade truly reflects all the care and hard work that was put into The Ridge Course from start to finish by Carrick Design, NMP Golf Construction, our team at Predator Ridge Golf Resort and everyone involved in the project.”

The Ridge Course is defined by spectacular white-sand bunkers, generous, tree-lined fairways and magnificent granite outcroppings. When golfers reach the fourth green and gaze over the ridge looking down at Lake Okanagan, the breathtaking view gives away the inspiration for the course’s name.

SCOREGolf Magazine is the largest circulation golf publication in Canada and releases the ‘Best New Course’ ranking biennially. Courses eligible this year opened during the 2009 season or at the very beginning of the 2010 season. The judging panel is made up of media members, professional players, public golfers and other golf industry members. Courses were rated based on beauty, strategy, challenge, strength and variation of holes, conditioning and fun factor.

Excerpt from ScoreGolf magazine:

Predator Ridge Golf Resort – The Ridge Course

It may not be entirely new – with six holes created over an existing course – but The Ridge Course at Predator Ridge Golf Resort contains some of Doug Carrick’s most breathtaking work in a career of building stunning golf holes.

With a majority of the site located on rocky ground full of dramatic elevation shifts, Carrick crafted a fascinating series of holes akin to what one finds in Ontario’s Muskoka region. Though it may start a bit slowly, by the time golfers reach the 244-yard par-4 fifth hole, with a tee shot that plunges 100 feet to wide open green below, The Ridge Course comes alive.

The best holes – such as the sixth, with its half-blind tee shot skirting a canyon wall, and the heavily bunkered 10th – utilized the rugged site like a hand in a glove. And just when you think it is over, the course emerges for two final muscular par 4s that can wreck any good round.

Building in such a jagged terrain was surely not an easy proposition, but Carrick made it look easy, and the result is an exciting, challenging, aesthetically astonishing golf course worth of this award.

- Robert Thomson

So after the meet & greet and the Silvertip team’s presentation it was time to head out onto the course.  And as it was June 1st, and in staying with tradition, Chris and I agreed to a match.  Chris plays to a 6 and I play to a 16, so at Silvertip, Chris had to give me 12 strokes!   Game on!

Silvertip is a shot maker’s delight, and Chris was in his element.  By the time we got through 9, I was down 3, and by 13 I’m down 4.  I have Chris right where I want him!!  In my defence, I was riding with Cathy Resche, Silvertip’s new Corporate Sales Manager, and she and I were talking away about Silvertip’s Resort Club and other initiatives we will be working on and I was a little distracted.  So on 14 I thought I had better bear down!

Now Chris never “folds like a cheap suit”, so he isn’t easy to beat, but by 17 I’m only 1 down with 1 to play.  Chris pars in and and I double; Chris wins 2 up!  And the bet was the winner fetches this afternoon’s coffee, so I am off to Beamer’s for a couple of lattes to get thru the afternoon!

But what a day at Silvertip!  Great company, a solid match on a golf course that undeniably has some of the most spectacular scenery in the Canadian Rockies!  An experience that never gets old!

The Delta Whistler Village Suites are centrally located in the Village on Main St., within easy walking distance of Whistler’s dining and nightlife.  One of the great things we can take advantage of is the Delta Whistler Village Suite’s 2-bedroom suites.  Affordable, comfortable accommodation right in the heart of it all!  Be sure to check it out on our website at: Delta Whistler Village Suites And as an added bonus, we are pleased to offer a “Stay 5 / Pay for 4″ package for 2010!  Get 1 night free,  and golf all 4 of Whistler’s great golf courses:  Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club, Nicklaus North Golf Course, Whistler Golf Club & Big Sky Golf & Country Club.  Call us for details: 877 323 3633.

When I walked into the Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort, I was blown away with the view of Victoria’s inner harbour from the hotel lobby!  The Provincial Legislative Building, The Empress and Royal BC Museum were all there right in front of me.  Victoria’s harbour is a busy, active place with float planes, international ferries and is walkable for all.  The hotel is only a 10 minutes walk to Victoria’s downtown core, with its great selection of restaurants and stores.   A suggestion?  Be sure to ask us about upgrading to Deluxe Rooms.  You will be very surprised!  For more detail log onto:  Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort

Well it just seems like winter doesn’t want to relent and let spring take hold. The Canmore Golf and Curling Club has been open since April 25th and continues to welcome hearty golfers onto the links.  Next in line to open will be the two courses that make up the Kananaskis Country Golf Course. They have revised their opening date and now are shooting for a May 10th opening.  Stewart Creek is going to open to the golfing public on May 13th, while across the valley, Silvertip Resort will begin their season on May 14th. Down the road in Banff, the Fairmont Banff Springs golf course will look to open on 9 holes on May 8th, with the full 27 holes being available for play May 14th.  Jasper has been enjoying some great weather and that has allowed the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge golf course to be open since May 1st.

Moving into the Columbia Valley, Eagle Ranch opened in great shape on April 1st, while the Copperpoint Golf Course opened on April 2nd.  The Greywolf golf course in Panorama is also set to open up on May 4th.

We are looking at another beautiful season of golfing in the Canadian Rockies, so look at your calendars and get out and play!

Give Gord and Chris a call at 877 – 323 -3633 and let them hook you up with awesome golf packages in Alberta and British Columbia.

More often than not, the average golfer jumps out of their car and heads directly for the 1st tee without properly warming up. Just like all sports, golf deserves recognition that the movements required for a proper golf swing put a tremendous amount of pressure on the muscles in the back to perform.  Without a proper warm up you risk injury, many lost balls or requests for a do over.

Before hitting the driving range and welcoming a new season, why not start an exercise /stretching program at home. It doesn’t have to be onerous, or require your whole night or weekend. Most core exercises can be performed in front of the TV during episodes of ‘ The Marriage Ref’, with exercise bands or just your human body.

Resist the urge to pull your driver out and instead hit two balls with each club (start with a sand wedge) and hold a strong balanced finish.

Your back will thank you and people in the stalls next to you won’t be scared.