Tuesday, November 30, 2010

From Winter Holidays to Golf Holidays with Arizona Magic


If you are a golfer, your favorite color is probably green.  So now is the time to plan some golf travel to places where the grass is always emerald, the sky always sunny.  As winter golfers know, there’s no place better than where the sun shines over 300 days per year—in Arizona.  Here are the three top Arizona golf travel destinations, each with its own distinctive attractions.
                                                
Scottsdale:  Where They Live to Golf
The Scottsdale area has been named “America’s Best Place to Live for Golf” by golf expert Robb Report.  The area boasts nearly 200 courses with layouts that range from traditional green fairways to the regional specialty, the cactus course.  Serious golfers know that Arizona courses offer the challenge and quality they expect on golf trips here.    Venues range from the Dinosaur Mountain course—the top-rated public facility in the whole country--to the show-stopping design of Superstition Springs. 
 Scottsdale, set in the heart of the Sonoran Desert, offers indigo skies that will get you out on the course or exploring the pristine desert trails, rivers, and mountains.  Enjoy local spas that have incorporated traditional Native American healing rituals for the body and soul.
 Sedona:  Red Rock Splendor and New Age Mystique
 The magic of Sedona, in the above photo, has lured many who find its red mountains and history fascinating.  It also has great golf opportunities to match the spas, restaurants, and art galleries for which serve the New Age crowd who come for the healing and creative mystique that make Sedona famous.
For a memorable golf trip head for Sedona's premier golf course, the Oakcreek Country Club.  This 18-hole championship golf course, nestled in the majestic Sedona red rocks, was designed by none other than the father-son team of Robert Trent Jones Senior and Junior.  Also top-rated is the Hilton Sedona Resort, with an unbeatable combination of jaw-dropping splendor and golfing challenge.

Tucson:  Snowbirds and Saguaros
As the second largest city in the state, Tucson is a hub of business and education as well as a resort for snowbirds who join the locals to enjoy the sunshine—which falls more than 340 days per year.  From museums to missions, bird watching to horseback riding, there is something for every taste.
The mild climate and outstanding courses make Tucson a favorite for golf vacations.  From traditional link courses to the unusual desert courses, you can play the same courses that the PGA pros do.  Not to be missed is the Conquistador Course in a park-like setting that surrounds you with natural mesquite and palo verde trees punctuated by desert flora.  Also among the many choices is Heritage Highlands, voted one of Golf Digest's Places to Play, with lush greens, varied playing environments, and a topography to challenge every level.
Wherever your golf trips may take you this winter, may you enjoy the greens and many blue skies!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

10 Top Gifts for Golfers This Year


It’s never too early to start shopping for the best gifts for the golfers in your life!  Whether it is a friend, a regular member of your foursome, your boss, or your spouse, she or he will always appreciate your thoughtfulness.  From golf magnets to
golf vacations, there is something for every budget and every taste.
 You might need to get very clever about getting preferences for such gifts as golf bags or club memberships, so use your best Sherlock Holmes skills.  Of course gift certificates for golf catalogues and golf shops are sure to please as well.  From least expensive to most memorable, here's the list for this year:
10.  Golf Magnets.  Choose from various scenes, $3, for the refrigerator or filing cabinet.  Great little stocking stuffers. 
9.  Funky or Pretty Head covers.  Golf club head cover (choose from rose, teddy bear, etc), starting at $15.  Consider the personal tastes here! 
8.    Monogrammed Golf Balls.  Starting at $20 a dozen.  Good idea to see what brand he or she already prefers. 

7.  Golf Coffee Table Book.  For example, World Atlas of Golf: the Greatest Courses and How They Are Played by Mark Rowlinson (Editor) Hardcover, $40.  Fabulous coffee table book to inspire golf travel fantasies! 

6. Designer Golf Bag.  Check out the lightweight designer bags for her, e.g., the Glove It Geo model, $170.  For the gal with good taste. 
5.  Golf GPS.  These devices provide key distances on course and helps lower score.  Prices start around $225, so check out the reviews.   For the golfer who already has everything. 
4.  Pro Lessons.  A certificate for 6 one-hour lessons with a pro.  Price at Torrey Pines in La Jolla, California, home of the 2008 US Open, $665.00.   Add lessons to any special golf trip for a real treat. 
3.  A Personal Caddy.  Give caddy services for one year.  Varies widely, but gets your golfer out of the cart.  Game will improve, and so will waistline. About $50 per round at Brandon Downs.   
2.  Golf Membership.  Imagine the thrill of getting to play all the time at a country or golf club.  Price and availability vary widely.  Check locally, or for more impact, choose a more exotic local and include travel expenses to enjoy it regularly.  If not a membership, how about certificates for rounds of play?
1.  Golf Trip to the U.S. Masters, President’s or Ryder Cup.  Tickets are scarce, so good luck!  Work out the details with an expert in planning golf packages to make it the most memorable golf experience ever.