Golf for Beginners

Golf, Hotels and Non-Stop Las Vegas Action

golfforbeginners@aol.com (Stacy and Barry Solomon) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:14:37 PDT

When I first visited Las Vegas in 1994, it was to see if the lights and attractions on the Strip would in any way blind me like a deer in headlights. At that time I did not play golf so the visit was purely for the "glamor" experience: to check out the myriad of marquees, dress for dinner, see top entertainers perform, visit the sites and to try my luck at the variety of casinos.

The question was, how does the City of Lights, which is an approximate six hour connecting flight from my house compare with Atlantic City, only two-and-a-half hours from New York? Is Las Vegas worth a return trip?

There are so many new mammoth-sized hotspots in Las Vegas filled with undeniably dramatic touches that it boggles the mind! In recent years travel from casino to casino got much easier with the creation of a new monorail system than when I initially rented the hottest Ford Mustang I could find those fifteen years ago.

In Atlantic City, you can easily walk the boardwalk in an hour or so (depending on how fast your feet travel) without stopping in a casino, which dominates each hotel. On the other hand, during the summer, the beach is laden with bars and live music so you might walk a few hundred feet, stop for a Malibu Bay Breeze and a snack and then stroll to the next. Flying a kite and watching sculptors create visions in the sand are Atlantic City staples too...

But, Mandalay Bay has created its very own beach, complete with lazy river!

Even though Las Vegas is in the desert, the sand cannot possibly be the same, however the attractions are all bigger and never stop, from one oversized vision to the next!

The hotels in Las Vegas trump the boutique-sized ones in Atlantic City, that's a fact.

Caesar's is probably the largest connecting group of hotels on the A/C boardwalk encompassing Bally's and the Wild West Casino but, in comparison to say, Caesar's in Las Vegas, you may be able to fit it inside the Nevada structure! Also, the moving statues in Caesar's Las Vegas mall are unbelievable and just one of the amazing attractions to keep mouth ajar during a stay on the Strip.

Resorts complete with casinos featuring the hottest action, the greatest gastronomic delights and high-energy nightlife every night (try to find live music to dance to during an off-season weekday in Atlantic City) can be found in both cities but the hotels in Las Vegas create a spectacle at every turn. From the artwork at the Venetian to Cirque du Soleil at Bellagio, you would have to stay at least a month to see everything there is to see and you would never have to leave the Strip to do so.

Also, now that I am a somewhat "respectable" golfer, able to play from any one of different length tee boxes and challenges, I was happy to see that there are so many golf courses in Las Vegas' surrounding areas. Of course my chances of competing at the 2009 RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship is slim and none, but, with over 10,000 competitors attempting to qualify for the finals, golf must take on a whole new meaning now in Las Vegas.

Wolf Creek Golf Club in Mesquite, Nevada, is the venue for the RE/MAX World Golf Championships and is said by Cory Clemetson in VegasGolfer Magazine to "put a smile on people's faces. That's our goal." That is my desire too, Cory...that is to smile after 18 holes instead of hiding my golf card in the sand!

Bali Hai Golf Club directly on the Las Vegas Strip is legendary and a place where celebrity-sighting is not unusual. Accolades from "America's Top 40 Resort Courses" by Golfweek to "Best High End Resort Course in Las Vegas" by VegasGolfer makes this public course a must-see while in Nevada.

Angel Park Golf Club boasts spectacular Red Rock Canyon views and bloody-nose elevation. This public golf course has also received strong praise and is more "reasonable" than other area courses, without giving up it's natural splendor.

For a golfer, finding the perfect vacation courses, fair prices and a good deal of challenge while, at the same time a memorable experience, can be just as important as choosing a hotel on the Strip. Each hotel/casino has a theme and, if conducive to what you picture from a hotel, it is easy to determine if your picture suits reality.

With the myriad of options available of hotels, casinos and golf courses, the mostly beautiful year-round weather available and the non-stop entertainment, Las Vegas is certainly an attractive must-see for all vacationers. Be prepared to spend about a week and make sure to bring your golf clubs!

For further reading check out this casino guide.

Extreme Golf Experiences Around the World

golfforbeginners@aol.com (Stacy and Barry Solomon) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:52:45 PDT

As the PGA Tour season comes to a close and enters "silly season", it is up to amateur golfers to decide whether or not to stash their golf clubs in a corner of the garage or to embark upon an extreme experience to an exotic locale. The serious player never wants the season to end!

From "ice golf" in Greenland to playing "sand" golf in Dubai, experiences that challenge the senses as well as your ability are worthy of the trek, and the "fun factor" of being on unfamiliar territory will surely be a memorable experience.

Grab a flourescent ball for this golf course:

Although temperatures rarely climb above -13 degrees celsius and with a wind chill factor that sometimes makes it feel as if it is -50 degrees in the sun, (did I just say negative 50?) Uummannqaq, located north of the Arctic Circle, is home to the World Ice Golf Championships held in March.. I wonder if there is a large crowd on hand to watch the final round? The west side of the island is also home to Santa Claus, who is storied to live in Spraglebugten Bay. I always thought Kris Kringle carried his own clubs by the size of his toy bag!

Speaking of cold weather golf, although you could just play in your own "backyard" donning an extra sweater and some warm weather gloves, also consider a round at the northernmost USGA golf course in the world: North Star in Alaska. Permafrost creates an ever-changing pattern of dips and swales so no two shots are alike. Be prepared for two games in one when you play here; one event is naturally golf and another is a checklist of the wildlife encountered on the course.

For golfers who want to play whenever the mood strikes, head to North Cape in Norway, in the land of the midnight sun. From mid-May through August, your round can start literally at 10 pm! During your northerly adventure, take the Awesome Eight Golf Challenge. Thought up by extreme athlete Robin Sieger, golfers must complete the challenge by playing "eight of the most remote and climatically most extreme golf courses in the world within the span of a year. The only condition is that they carry their clubs, not using any caddie or cart."

There are some of us who are snowbirds and others who fly south as soon as the temperature falls below 40 degrees. If you can't stand the sight of snow or blue extremities at the end of a round, perhaps the world's hottest locale is a better fit for you.

Merapi Golf Club in Indonesia confirms that they have the world's "hottest" green as well as panoramic views of Mt. Merapi. Also known as "Mountain of Fire" this active volcano not only dominates the surrounding landscape but has been active for 10,000 years and regularly erupts every one-to-five years. I would not want to be putting for birdie when that volcano spews!

For those of us who love the sight of active volcanos, your vacation is not complete without a trip to the Volcano Golf and Country Club located on Hawaii's Big Island. The high altitude makes the golf ball go farther (which is better for shorter hitters) and the views of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea mountains (they are snow-capped in winter) are sweeping and memorable.

For golf with no "greens" try a round of sand golf at Dubai's first golf course, one of two located at The Dubai Country Club. Called "browns", the putting areas on these two desert courses are a "mixture of sand and second hand engine oil compressed with rollers". Brooms are located near each hole so that the golfer can "brush" to smooth out footprints.

Of course these are just a few of the marvelous experiences created for golfers around the world. Thanks to the internet, adventure is just a "click" away.

Seek and ye shall find, for the adventurous sort!

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Photo Credit: © CNN.com, Jogja Rent a Car, GlobusJourneys.ca, Oman Expat

Myrtle Beach deserves a mulligan!

golfforbeginners@aol.com (Stacy and Barry Solomon) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:05:13 PDT

What makes a golf course destination like Myrtle Beach worthy of a mulligan?

Some may say it is the beauty of the natural surroundings, others conjecture that the challenge is the most important factor when deciding whether or not to revisit a course during a vacation.

One of the most meaningful factors to consider as to whether or not to return to a facility or club would be the fun I had during my round. Although the saying of allowing a "smile be my umbrella" is easier said than done on the golf course, it also helps when the destination offers a plethora of experiences to take the mind off of the more than occasional ugly shot.

Let's face facts; although I am a competitive golfer, I'm certainly no Annika Sorenstam. I play within myself and have had my share of rounds in the 80's but, for the most part, I too am a weekend duffer, relegated to twilight rounds and whenever time allows.

It is for this reason that, when I decide to plan a short, weekend bounce, I head over to Myrtle Beach. Over one-hundred golf courses allow me choices depending on my comfort level and natural beauty, which seems to be almost a given since, according to the EPA, "a typical urban golf course is 110-120 acres and courses in resort areas may be 170-190 acres."

During my yearly visits to Myrtle Beach, I have played some courses on a recommendation only to find that the track (Tidewater, for example) was completely out of my league. Add to that the fact that the golf course was designed for real "players" and in a downpour with winds whipping about, it's enough to get your knickers in an uproar, deciding never to return.

Other courses I have played on several occasions after having a wonderful experience on the cushy, open and well-manicured fairways. Myrtlewood Palmetto and the Myrtle Beach National "triple play" are two that come to mind. Although the Myrtlewood Golf Club offers both PineHills and Palmetto courses, Palmetto's scenic landscaping and playable challenges allowed me the opportunity to score well yet feel as if I struggled a bit to chalk up those pars!

King's North Golf Course, Myrtle Beach National, was a favorite during one of our weekend jaunts. Accolades include being named one of "America's Top Ten New Upscale Courses", being dubbed one of America's 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses as rated in the 2007-8 edition of Golf Digest Magazine and also considered as one of the Top 100 for Women (by the now defunct Golf for Women Magazine. It's "signature hole", the par-3 island green, is as much of a must-play as the bronze statue of Arnold Palmer guarding the entrance of Myrtle Beach National is a "must-see".

South Creek and the West Course round out the golfing "trifecta" at Myrtle Beach National, making these three courses worthy of a visit from high handicappers right down to scratch players whose idea of a day out on the links is to beat the "King" himself! South Creek is relatively short and is also woman-friendly (not that a man can't have a "go" at it as well) but the West Course is as challenging as the North. If you deign to play all three, you will not be disappointed as the country club atmosphere permeates through the acreage.

The 2009 Myrtle Beach Golf Course of the Year as chosen by the MBAGCOA is Shaftesbury Glen Golf and Fish Club. Last year, this same venue was also voted one of the Top 50 Golf Resorts in the United States by Golf World Magazine. Golf Digest has mentioned that Shaftesbury just might have the best greens on the Grand Strand as well, placing this destination on my list of future "must play"golf courses.

Myrtle Beach is not all about golf, despite the top level of courses intertwined within the Grand Strand. Beach lovers will enjoy the view from right outside their condomimium balcony where there are plenty of activities for adults and kids alike. Even so, make sure the little ones get a get a golf club in their hands at least once during the stay, even if it's a sand wedge on a deserted stretch of beach! They'll literally have a blast out of the sand!

Other options for fun include trips to the Nascar Speedpark, Ripley's Aquarium, House of Blues and Broadway at the Beach where you'll find great food and nightlife for the bigger kids!

You never know what you'll see at Myrtle Beach. Once I arrived to see warbirds flying overhead! You may be one of the many people who, after visiting the Grand Strand, decide to make it a permanent vacation stop as this destination was recently been named as one of the top-ten most popular places to own a vacation property in the world!

For an inexpensive yet extremely satisfying stay, place Myrtle Beach on your short list so you too can experience it's good vibrations!

Will Tiger Woods let the FedEx Cup slip through his fingers?

golfforbeginners@aol.com (Stacy and Barry Solomon) — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 14:35:39 PDT

Golf for Beginners

Golf, Hotels and Non-Stop Las Vegas Action

Extreme Golf Experiences Around the World

Myrtle Beach deserves a mulligan!

Will Tiger Woods let the FedEx Cup slip through his fingers?

Can Michelle Wie win without team support?

Will Tiger Woods be too old to take Olympic gold? Also Harrington on Woods and John Daly limps off course again

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