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We were in the zone for this month’s travel issue. Quite a few zones, actually. As in time zones. From the westernmost part of the Hawaiian Islands to the westernmost part of Europe, we covered a lot of ground and visited some great golf destinations in places that shouldn’t be overlooked. While Scotland and Ireland typically grab the attention of golfers when planning a trip overseas, Portugal will surprise you when it comes to great courses and spectacular scenery. Plus, you’ll get there quicker. And the weather is nicer. A nice climate has always been Hawaii’s calling card, but the tropical atmosphere on Kauai makes the sparsely populated island a garden spot for rest and relaxation. But bring the clubs. Poipu Bay and Princeville are two of the best experiences a golfer can have. One of the best experiences a tourist can have is on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. Love the Great Outdoors? This could be your spot. In fact, it could be one of the most charming places in all of North America. Just south of the Canadian border is the Idaho Panhandle, where golfers will be knocked out by the raw beauty of two courses that gives this isolated part of the country a powerful one-two punch when it comes to golf destinations. While southern Mississippi recently received a powerful wallop from Hurrican Katrina, a majority of the state’s golf courses, casinos and tourist attractions came through unscathed. It will be a while before the Gulf Coast region of the state recovers, but the spunk of Mississippi’s residents and the Southern charm that radiates throughout the Magnolia State is something to behold. So come along for the ride. But let’s take our time. There’s a lot to discover. NATURAL BEAUTIES Two of the best and most scenic public courses in the country are in Idaho’s Panhandle. Yes, Idaho BY AL PETERSEN There’s a little slice of heaven in the skinny portion of Idaho known as the Panhandle. It can be sensed in the spirituality of the land, which is on the Coeur d’Alene Indian Reservation. It’s visible in the endless views of rolling hills and towering pines. It can be felt as the tense atmosphere of gridlocked city life melts away each mile you proceed into the serene surroundings. But don’t get too relaxed because there’s golf to be played. Great golf. And your undivided attention is required. While this part of the Northwest might be considered off the beaten path as far as vacation or golf destinations are concerned, the road less traveled often leads to pleasant surprises. The Circling Raven Golf Club in Worley, about a 45-minute drive from the airport in Spokane, Wash., is one of the gems in this part of Idaho. Golfers will see nothing but nature at its finest from every tee box and fairway as the course winds through wetlands, woodlands and native grasses. The jaw-dropping splendor of the course comes in its vastness, where the layout’s 7,190 yards from the back tees have been shaped out of 100 acres of cultivated land on the massive 620-acre property. The Gene Bates-designed course opened in August 2003 and has already been lauded by players and the national media, with Golf and Golf Digest magazines listing Circling Raven as one of the best new public courses in America. “I knew we had a great thing going here, but to get the recognition we received so quickly is really gratifying,” said Dave Christenson, director of golf at Circling Raven. “It’s exciting to see all the hard work and effort that was put into the facility pay off, especially since it’s considered to be an isolated location. But once people started coming out here and played the course and saw the surroundings, they were just amazed. The word-of-mouth spread, and from there it just skyrocketed.” But don’t expect to see a course crawling with people. In fact, good luck seeing anyone but the players in your group on the back nine, a stretch of holes so spread out that you’ll think the course was reserved for your foursome that day. Just in case, however, you might want to bring some binoculars before hitting on one of the four par-3s to see if anyone is on the green. From the tips, the holes average 220 yards in length, with the 253-yard 13th hole something to behold. All five tee boxes are perched on a hill overlooking a valley of native grasses that must be cleared to reach the large green that has trees on the left and bunkers and native vegetation on the right. Holes 7 and 16, at 212 yards and 192 yards, respectively, also require tee shots over natural vegetation that fills the low-lying area between the tee box and green. “No doubt, playing from the tips requires length and accuracy,” Christenson said. “But Gene’s vision was to blend the course with nature and have it playable for all abilities, and he really did that by putting five tee boxes on every hole.” Perhaps the most interesting hole at Circling Raven, which has its clubhouse a few hundred yards from the Coeur d’Alene Casino Hotel, is No. 4, a 406-yard par-4 with two driving options. Both require shots to carry a strip of wetlands that widens and extends down the left side of the lower fairway, which leads directly to the green. While this route is shorter, your approach shot must carry another strip of wetlands and some bunkers in front of the green. A more cautious approach is to drive your ball to the upper fairway for an open look and better angle to the green. The tiered fairways are divided by more native grasses and large, steep bunkers. “This course really highlights the beauty and natural surroundings of north Idaho,” Christenson said. “The distinct terrains, open views, wetlands and native areas really give this course a great setting. It’s 18 spectacular golf holes.” Eighteen more can be played at The Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course about a half-hour drive north. While Circling Raven is a natural beauty with its rugged appeal, The Coeur d’Alene is immaculate, with gorgeous views of Lake Coeur d’Alene from nearly every hole. The course, which opened in 1991 and has been rated the best-conditioned in America by several publications, has a well-manicured parkland feel throughout the 6,735-yard, par-71 layout that weaves through pine trees, wildflowers and tens of thousands of eye-catching red geraniums. The main attraction, however, is the course’s floating green — the par-3 14th hole that plays from 100 yards to 205 yards depending on the tee box played and how far the staff has moved the green — which is attached to underwater cables — that day. Hit the 7,000-square-foot green with your first shot and it will likely be the highlight of your round. Make a par or better and you can prove it with a certificate from the boat operator who takes your group to and from the green. “No doubt about it, that hole is definitely our brand, our calling card,” said Luke Stavros, director of golf at The Coeur d’Alene. “It’s our most famous hole and has become a big draw, but we have a lot more memorable holes than just that one. That’s the one that visitors may go home and tell their friends about, but I guarantee you the other 17 holes are just as vivid in their minds.” One of the most scenic holes is the second shortest on the course — No. 3, a 155-yard par-3 that leaves little room for error because the green, which is bordered by shrubbery and flowers, is perched on top of a bank that falls off on two sides. The lake to the left and a prevailing left-to-right wind add to the drama. The hole preceding the floating green — No. 13 — also requires attention to detail, and not just because your mind might be wandering ahead a bit. The 336-yard par-4 doesn’t require length, but the fairway sits hard against the shoreline and both your tee shot and approach to the green must carry two inlets of water that jut across the fairway. The combination of The Coeur d’Alene and Circling Raven — which are part of the six-course Idaho Golf Trail that also includes BanBury, Hidden Lakes, Sun Valley and Whitetail — gives the Panhandle a great one-two punch for golfers. Both are next to hotels, and the courses are working together on stay-and-play packages to promote the two sites and other amenities the area has to offer. “For 14 years, people had one fabulous golf course to come and play in Coeur d’Alene,” Stavros said, “and with the way the area is booming with regards to real estate, notoriety and attention, it’s been spectacular to have a course like Circling Raven open up because now people have two destinations to go to. I still think the resort is the draw, but Circling Raven is another great amenity to the area and another great option.” Visitors looking for more than the golf, gambling and pampering available at the respective courses and hotels can capitalize on other outdoor activities in the area. A paved, 75-mile bike trail that winds through wooded areas is accessible from both locations, and boating, fishing and a variety of water sport options are plentiful on Lake Coeur d’Alene or the St. Joe River, the highest navigable river in the United States. “People are dumbfounded when they visit the area for the first time,” Stavros said. “They may have heard some things or seen some pictures, but almost everyone says that the experience exceeded their expections. And it’s not just the scenery or the beauty, but the people. You can come up here to get away from it all, or you can come up here for the amenities and great service. It doesn’t get much better than that.” OH, CANADA! Vancouver Island is a gorgeous location that will have visitors quickly singing its praises BY CHARLIE SCHROEDER Driving through the quaint towns and villages of Vancouver Island, one can trace Canada’s sporting history as easily as the mountain peaks in the distance. Every community is home to a hockey rink and many of the modest buildings have the word “curling” painted across their sides. Canadians love their ice, but it’s the clean, warm air during the summer months that entices many of the area’s residents and visitors to slap around a golf ball instead of a hockey puck. Vancouver Island is the Great Outdoors at its finest, with a golf trail, fishing excursions, vineyard tours and many other options available for the active visitor in one of the most charming places in the world — Victoria, the capital city of British Columbia. Vancouver Island is just west of the Canadian mainland and is twice the size of Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties. Its population, however, is a fraction of ours, and the golf season is much shorter. The average high temperature in Victoria from November to February is 46 degrees, and the area receives just over 5 inches of rain a month during that time. The best way to enjoy the Vancouver Island Golf Trail is to fly into Comox Airport, a pint-sized facility that welcomes smaller planes from larger destinations such as Vancouver and Calgary. From there the salmon fishing town of Campbell River is a 20-mile drive to the north, where early risers can watch bald eagles dive off the limbs of massive Douglas firs into the chilly waters of the Strait of Georgia in search of breakfast. Storey Creek Golf Course in Campbell River plays on the salmon theme with wooden fish tee markers on each hole. Les Furber built Storey Creek in 1991, and a salmon enhancement program was soon developed and now thousands of fry are introduced to the waters each year. The course’s dense forest location is also home to black bears and deer that often stretch on their hind legs to nibble on a dangling maple leaf. Douglas firs the size of small skyscrapers border most of Storey Creek’s holes, keeping the wind and other golfers out of sight. Furber’s turtleback greens make putting a challenge, particulary the seventh hole, where the putting surface resembles an upside-down salad bowl. So crazy are some of Furber’s swales that the staff at Storey Creek plays an annual “So You Think You Can Play Golf?” tournament with pins cut in the zaniest positions. Each contestant is given a maximum of five putts and then must pick up. After a round at Storey Creek, try your hand at Tyee fishing between two of the nicest hotels in Campbell River — Painter’s Lodge and April Point. It’s extreme fishing from Canada’s native cultures. Here are the rules: You must catch a salmon weighing more than 30 pounds, your boat must be a kayak without a motor, and you can’t receive outside assistance. Good luck. The summer months on Vancouver Island don’t have nearly as much rain as the winter months, but that doesn’t prevent golf courses like Morningstar, in Parksville, from attaching canopies to the back of their carts. Just in case. Morningstar is another design of the Saskatchewan-based Furber that starts off benign but quickly builds in difficulty. One of the more awesome sites on the course is above your head between the eighth green and ninth tee box. A giant eagle’s nest rests between branches and has been home to about a dozen eagles in the past few years. Farther south in Nanoose Bay is Fairwinds Golf and Country Club, yet another Furber design. Although short (6,151 yards), Furber pinches enough fairways and bends enough holes around water to keep Fairwinds enjoyable. But don’t let the name fool you. Because of its proximity to the ocean, the winds aren’t always “fair.” As with Storey Creek, Furber was mischievous with the greens at Fairwinds. While the swales aren’t as tricky, the greens — many of which resemble a potato chip from the side — have gentle contours that roll true. After you watch your ball curl into the hole, be sure to check out the many arbutus trees framing Fairwinds’ fairways. The bark peels away to reveal a red-orange trunk, much the way a eucalyptus tree sheds its skin. Fairwinds’ most challenging hole is No. 14, a 235-yard par-3 that plays into the ocean breeze. Length and accuracy are crucial because the width of the green is a mere 14 yards. Fairwinds’ Schooner Cove is a short drive from the course. It’s a great place to unwind, order a bucket of crabs and watch the sailboats entering and leaving the harbor. One of the best features of the Vancouver Island Golf Trail is its proximity to off-course activities. The Grotto Spa at Tigh-Na-Mara Resort is a naturally lit mineral pool with waters from Savar Springs in Hungary. While there you can treat yourself to a massage, body scrub or wrap, bath kur or manicure. Aching muscles? Try the specialty sports massage for golfers. Too relaxed to leave? Stay the night (or two) in one of the ocean-side rooms with unobstructed views of the Strait of Georgia. It’s a great way to recharge your batteries for your next round of golf. It’s common to see a cold beer in a Canadian’s golf cart, but before heading to your next outing, stop at Cherry Point Vineyards in Cobble Hill. The small vineyard has been around since 1990 and is known for its Blackberry Port, which won a silver medal at the 2005 All Canada Wine Championships. As you hone in on Victoria, Olympic View awaits. So named for its views of Washington state’s Olympic Mountains, this Bill Robinson-designed course features one of the prettiest holes on the island. The 417-yard 17th hole demands a well-placed drive that leaves a mid- to long iron second shot to a green framed by a 60-foot waterfall. At times Olympic suffers from an identity crisis. Many of the holes on the front nine play as links golf, while the back is cut from dense forest. Thirteen holes include water, although it doesn’t come into play on all of them. Standouts include the uphill No. 8, where your second shot must carry a pond and land on a three-tiered green, and the 12th, which features a fairway bisected by a lake. The best, and most challenging, golf on Vancouver Island is at the recently opened Bear Mountain, designed by Jack and Steve Nicklaus. While there’s lots of construction going on around the golf course (plans are for a Whistler-like experience, including a hotel, residences, shops and another course), Bear Mountain is in perfect condition. The elder Nicklaus’s influences are everywhere, from the Pinehurst-style green at No. 6 to the Augusta-like swales at No. 8. A nod to Scottish courses is seen with pot bunkers, and there’s a huge PGA West-style bunker behind the 10th green. An island green on No. 11 adds to the beauty and difficulty of the layout. As you wind down from the golf trail, spend a couple of nights in Victoria at the Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort. Most of the 239 rooms overlook Victoria’s inner harbor and the 19th century Parliament buildings. If your bones (and ego) are bruised from Bear Mountain, the Delta Victoria has a day spa to help you relax. If that doesn’t do the trick, throw back a cold one at Spinnakers, Canada’s oldest brew pub. With great views of the harbor and a wide range of beers brewed on the premises, it’s a great place to total your score and toast a great trip. A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE Golf in Hong Kong is tight on space, and playing isn’t for people trying to stick to a tight budget BY CHARLIE SCHROEDER I traveled to Hong Kong in May for my sister-in-law’s wedding. It was the fourth time I’d been to the densely populated, electrifying city on the South China Sea, but the first time I checked out the Chinese golf scene. I was amazed at the lengths people went to play golf. With 7 million residents in a tiny space, the golf demand easily outweighs the supply. Many courses in Hong Kong and the southern part of the country are private and expensive to join. Public courses aren’t cheap either. The lowest round of golf will cost you about $125. Just want to hit a few balls? Head to a pitch and putt. The cost? Fifty bucks. Mission Hills, in Shenzen, is the largest golf resort in the world, boasting 10 courses developed by architects such as Jack Nicklaus and Greg Norman. Add in the cost of transportation, food and beverages, and an average round of golf for four people can reach $1,000. Practicing in Hong Kong often means going to multi-story driving ranges in the middle of high-rise buildings, or you can head to Central Golf, a giant shop and practice center in the main financial district that has an indoor practice bunker. At outdoor ranges such as City Golf in Kowloon, prices are calculated on how long you hit, not how many buckets you purchase. At this 200-stall, 400,000-square-foot range overlooking the Hong Kong skyline, a half-hour costs $6 for non-members and $4 for members. Memberships for the driving range cost about $180 year. It’s no wonder that when I told an attendant that the U.S. had 23,000 golf courses, he said: “No wonder Tiger Woods is the best golfer in the world.” Location. Location. Location. SMALL WONDER Portugal’s diverse landscape, great weather and gorgeous scenery makes the country an attractive option for European golf vacations BY AL PETERSEN People who want to broaden their European travel options should try a vacation spot closer to home: Portugal. The westernmost country in Europe has a lot to offer in a compact space while maintaining an uncrowded charm with its miles of fabulous coastline and varied terrain. From north to south and east to west, the landscape is gorgeous, the people are unpretentious and the architecture is stunning. Whether you want to stroll through an ancient palace, sample the region’s wine and cuisine, hike through the mountains or lounge at the beach, all options are easily accessible in a country that can be navigated in a small amount of time. But pace yourself. You’ll definitely want to soak up the country’s charm and bask in its temperate atmosphere. For golfers, that means the ability to play a variety of courses without the threat of sideways rain and chilly temperatures that are common at some of the more famous locations in Europe. What Portugal’s courses lack in name recognition, however, is more than compensated for with marvelous topography and their proximity to activities after the final putt has dropped. “You can’t say one is better than the other because they’re completely different,” said Andrew Card, director of golf at the Penha Longa Hotel & Golf Resort in Sintra, a bucolic spot about a half-hour drive from the airport in Lisbon. “If you’re looking for the historical experience of playing a traditional links, and playing some of those courses where the great golfers of the world have walked, then you go to Scotland and Ireland. That’s a given. But if you don’t want to gamble on the weather, then you look at Portugal. The golf we have here is more in tune with Amerian-style design, with some European flair thrown in at courses near the sea. Plus, the overall package is marvelous. If you want to go out for a meal, sample some of the wines, get a culinary flavor of the country, then it’s difficult to beat the experience. It’s extremely enjoyable, different and unique.” The same can be said about the course and hotel that Card — a Scottish native who moved to Portugal a couple of years ago — is associated with. Penna Longha is set within a charming — almost enchanting — 545-acre national park in the shadows of the southern Sintra Mountains. While close enough to Lisbon for access to the hustle and bustle of the capital city, Penna Longha is the ultimate in rest and relaxation, with dining options, a new spa, historic palace, monastery, pools and 27 holes of golf among the amenities that live up to the standards set by The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. “I’m not sure I’ve seen a more beautiful setting,” Card said. “There’s something for everybody. I would think for American visitors, they would be fascinated and see things here that they wouldn’t see anywhere else. Plus, the courses are outstanding and we’re very close to the beaches of Estoril and Cascais.” The 18-hole Atlantic Course at Penna Longha is a 7,145-yard beauty designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. that dips and curves through tree-lined fairways and has lakes in play on four holes. The 2,950-yard, par-35 Monastery Course is a nine-hole layout that spreads across the historic heart of the resort. While in the Lisbon area, visitors could easily be seduced by the city’s quaint cafes, maze of cobbled streets, romantic settings and tiled buildings, but the region also has much to explore in Estoril, Sintra, Cascais and Fatima, where cosmopolitan glamour blends with majestic palaces on hillsides and the rugged bluffs along the shoreline are interrupted by the occasional fishing village or charming beach. Other golf courses in the region include the Pestana Beloura Golf Resort Course in the foothills of the Sintra Mountains, where a Pestana Hotel is being developed as the centerpiece of a golf community that will offer visitors a place to stay and play and have access to 10 other courses, six beaches and three communities in the area. The 6,870-yard Beloura course has tens of thousands of exotic trees and plants, with water coming into play on six holes. “We are positioning ourselves to become one of the finest golf and lodging locations in Portugal,” said general manager Paul Saunders. “The Lisbon area is becoming more and more famous for its courses, leisure activities and nightlife. We’re excited about the opportunities.” A fun and challenging layout to play is Quinta da Marinha, a course in Cascais that borders the ocean and has a funky, Southern California-style clubhouse that offers a panoramic view of the surroundings through its all-glass exterior. The 7,250-yard Arthur Hills-designed course, which opened in 2001 and was the site of the 2004 Portugal Open on the European Tour, was the first in Europe to be named a Gold Signature Status Sanctuary, and its mixture of sand dunes, rock outcroppings, wild flowers, shrubs, trees, contour changes and views of the ocean is a sight to see. One of the more interesting visuals is from the tee box of the ninth hole, a 165-yard par-3 with Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in Europe, visible above the ocean in the distance. But keep your focus on the green below. Any ball hit west of the putting surface will be out of play forever. “We’ve heard nothing but good things from both the professionals and regular players who visit our course,” said director of golf Nuno Bastos. “We are very pleased with what we have developed here.” Another course to visit before leaving the Lisbon area is Belas Golf Club, the centerpiece of a golf community in Sintra between Belas and Vale de Lobos. Most of the 6,950-yard course dips into tree-lined valleys, but the views from the clubhouse and upper portions of the course include Cape Espichel and the ocean to the south and the regal Pena Palace, which symbolizes the town of Sintra, to the west. A 45-minute flight from Lisbon to Faro will land you in the Algarve region of Portugal, the country’s most popular destination for tourists and natives. Portugal’s entire southern coast is a pleasing mixture of environmental beauty and historic preservation. With its 120 miles of beaches buffeted by warm winds from north Africa and its northern region protected by rugged mountain ranges, the Algarve has average temperatures of 75 degrees in the summer and 58 degrees in the winter, making it a year-round haven for visitors and outdoor thrill-seekers who can partake in everything from nature walks and riding horses to windsurfing and mountain biking. The Algarve also has 29 golf courses and a variety of lodging options ranging from five-star hotels and tourist complexes to quaint B&Bs and rustic campsites. Most of the hotels are concentrated in Albufeira and Vilamoura in the center of the Algarve, Portimao and Lagos in the west and Monte Gordo in the east as the road approaches Spain. The Grande Real Santa Eulalia Resort & Hotel Spa in Albufeira is a fantastic place to stay for visitors who want to be in the middle of the action while experiencing the luxury of one of the finest hotels in the area. The hotel, which opened in April 2004, has a mesmerizing ambiance both indoors and outdoors, with its luxury suites and dining areas overlooking the beach and bluffs in the distance and the pools, gardens, tennis courts and walkways below. When the sun goes down, Le Club, a cool disco, bar and restaurant facility detached from the hotel but part of the property, is a great place to have fun, relax and set up a course of action for the following day. If that includes golf, a good place to start is Quinta do Lago, a 36-hole facility a few miles west of Faro that has hosted eight Portugal Opens. The North Course, at 6,680 yards, is the shorter of the two options, but accuracy is paramount. Only two of the par-4s on the course, designed by Joseph Lee in 1989, are straightforward, with the others bending left or right through tree-lined fairways. The two nines on the South Course, designed by William Mitchell in 1974, are laid out in counter-clockwise loops, meaning that a draw is typically needed on the front nine and a fade is the preferred shot coming in. The back nine of the South Course is the facility’s most picturesque, with the 215-yard, par-3 15th hole the prettiest of the bunch. The tee box is high atop a cliff overlooking a lake that must be carried to reach the large green bordered by trees and shrubs. “The fact that we have had so many professional tournaments here speaks well for the course,” said director of golf Domingos Silva. “Golf is really becoming popular in Portugal, and with more travelers hearing about the great things the country has to offer, we’re happy that we have two courses that can handle a lot of volume and still give players a great experience.” Quinta da Ria and Quinta de Cima are two outstanding courses that weave through another 36-hole facility on the eastern edge of the Algarve. Named for an estate on the coast between Tavira and Monte Gordo, Quinta da Ria was the first of the courses to open and has two distinct nines. The majority of the front nine’s tree-lined fairways are on the interior of the property and run perpendicular to each other, with lakes coming into play on three holes. The back nine encircles the perimeter of the course, meaning that views of the ocean and its natural coastline are available at many stops along the way. Strategic bunkering and lakes connected by a stream that meanders across many of the fairways are themes in play at Quinta de Cima. Both courses, designed by William Roquemore, have a natural flow and offer views of the coast from one angle and hills of the Serra do Caldeira from another. The Algarve course offering the most diverse experience is Palmares Golf, located between the historic town of Lagos and the trendier Portimao. What the 6,350-yard course designed by Frank Pennink lacks in length is made up for in beauty, as many of the holes overlook the Bay of Lagos in the southwest portion of the country. Five of the holes on the front nine have a links look and run parallel to the ocean, with sandy waste areas implemented as a buffer between the water and fairways on two holes. The back nine is a roller-coaster ride through hills and trees up and away from the ocean, which is still visible from some of the higher points on the course. The most dramatic hole is No. 17, a 515-yard par-5 with a panoramic view of the sea — but not the green — from the tee box. The fairway drops steeply until it hits the corner of a sharp dogleg to the left, where players have a chance to hit the well-guarded green in two if their tee shot is far enough down the hill to keep the trees along the left side of the fairway out of their line of sight. “I’ve lived in a number of places but have absolutely fallen in love with Portugal, and particulary the Algarve,” said Patrick Tolos, director of operations at Palmares Golf. “There is so much beauty and so much to do in this area. It is so spread out along the coast that there are places to go with luxurious hotels and night-life action, and there are plenty of options for getting away from it all and relaxing somewhere in a beautiful setting. In all the world, this is second to none on a number of levels.” FIT FOR A KING Arnold Palmer’s Victoria Golf Club will soon test the world’s best, but he designed it with you in mind BY AL PETERSEN After five days of getting the royal treatment in Portugal, it was time to meet the King. The highlight of a recent trip to Portugal was the opportunity to see Arnold Palmer and play the country’s newest course — Victoria Golf Club, a Palmer Course Design Company layout that will host the World Golf Championships’ World Cup in November. While golfers will be able to see the course on television, the pictures likely won’t do the course — or the gorgeous landscape of the Algarve region — justice. If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, your eyes will have to see this place up close. Palmer said that Victoria, which opened in 2004, can be “jazzed” up for professional tournaments and will challenge the world’s best with its 7,200-yard layout from the back tees. But the four other tee-box options on each hole make it great for all levels of play. “For the average player to get out here and play golf, it’s perfect because there is lots of room to drive the ball and the greens are large enough that they will take the shots into them,” Palmer said. “I like the golf course very much. It will certainly hold its own with any golf course in the world.” While the course is relatively flat, the majority of fairways have contours and mounding on the sides. Wetlands have been protected and vegetation including carob, olive and almond trees, in addition to several lakes, are spread throughout the course. Most of the greens are large and gently sloped, and many have tightly mowed runoff areas that allow players to use a variety of shots to get on the puting surface if their approach shots miss the mark. As is typical with many designers, Palmer couldn’t — or wouldn’t — pick his favorite hole, but he revealed that he likes strong finishes and said that the 17th and 18th holes “are particularly exciting.” If next month’s World Cup comes down to the finish, the winning team will indeed have earned the title. The 17th hole, a par-5 of 585 yards, requires a tee shot over water that also borders the right side of the fairway and juts in front of and behind the green. The 18th hole, a par-4 of 465 yards, also requires a tee shot over water that lines the left side of the fairway, which also is bordered by eight bunkers and out-of-bounds stakes on the right. “We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to showcase this course in the World Cup,” said Peter Adams, the European Tour’s championship director of the World Golf Championships. “It will definitely challenge the best players in the world, but once people get a look at it, they’ll no doubt want to give it a shot.” While the international exposure could do wonders for the region, it’s a lack of direct flights from the United States to Faro — the city in the Algarve region with an airport — that is keeping many Americans from golfing in Portugal’s vacation haven, said Palmer, a pilot who continues to fly his jet from project to project. Foreigners who want to visit the Algarve must fly to Lisbon and transfer to a different plane for the 45-minute flight to Faro. “The lack of knowledge of what is here is probably directly connected to that,” Palmer said. “But this area is spectacular. Five years ago when I was here I discovered something very nice, and now, five years later, I can’t believe what has happened. It’s like the European spot in the sun.” SOUTHERN COMFORT Mississippi’s famous hospitality is perfect for visitors who want to get in the game — at the tables and on the links BY AL PETERSEN There haven’t been many pretty pictures coming out of Mississippi lately. That’s in stark contrast to the beauty and Southern hospitality I saw and felt when I visited the state less than a year ago as part of a golf media tour. While much of the media has concentrated lately on the destruction Hurricane Katrina did to New Orleans and the nearby Gulf Coast region of Mississippi, the Magnolia State has four other diverse regions and a golf trail that winds throughout the state, with many course and entertainment options in the Tunica area near the Tennessee border. “It’s important for people to still come to Mississippi because we need them to come, experience all we have to offer, and stay and play,” Janet Leach, the golf marketing manager for the tourism division of the Mississippi Development Authority, said in mid-September. “Our Gulf Coast area took a lot of damage and will take time to reuild, but we have great golf and fantastic tourism options in other parts of the state. We’re fully up and running.” While Mississippi has often been often defined by its past, the tourism boom that has accompanied the state’s recent influx of gambling and golfing facilities has state officials liking what they see today and looking forward to a bright future. “We have a past, and we recognize that,” said D. Craig Ray, tourism director for the Mississippi Development Authority. “Some of it is good, such as being the birthplace of the blues and Elvis Presley and being the site of some key, historical events in the Civil War. Some of it isn’t so good, such as civil rights unrest. But we also have a future, and we have a present, and visitors will be surprised by the diversity of experiences we have to offer.” The state’s topographical diversity is evident in its five distinct regions — from the coastal and river areas in the south to the pines, delta and hills areas in the middle and north. Golf courses and gaming facilities have been added to the landscape in each of those regions since the state’s first casino was built in 1992. There are now 32 casinos in the state, second only to Nevada in number. The casino construction business has led to more golf courses, with Mississippi now home to more than 100 public facilities. “The casinos have brought us more volume as far as travelers are concerned,” said Ray, who estimates that the state has averaged 35 million visitors in recent years. “The casinos have brought more people, which has led to the demand for more golf courses. It goes hand in hand.” While the 14 courses on the Magnolia Golf Trail provide a nice variety and showcase the state’s varied terrain, the centerpiece for public golf in Mississippi is Dancing Rabbit Golf Club, a 36-hole masterpiece in Choctaw about 60 miles northeast of Jackson. Designed by Tom Fazio and Jerry Pate, Dancing Rabbit’s two courses have been listed several times in Golf Magazine’s Top 100 Courses You Can Play section. Located a few hundred yards from the Pearl River Resort, Dancing Rabbit is oozing with Southern charm, and the course layouts — which were constructed on the ancestral lands of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians — blend in beautifully with the towering trees and Bermuda rough that border the fairways and the colorful blooms and red clay ledges that dot the landscape. The 7,120-yard Azaleas — a bucolic mixture of beauty and brawn — was the original course at Dancing Rabbit, built in 1997. Fazio trademark features, such as large waste areas and bunkers that are more visual than penal, can be seen on many holes, particularly those that begin with elevated tee boxes. Perhaps the most interesting holes on the front nine are the 453-yard, par-4 third, which has an elevated split fairway option, and the ninth, a 439-yard par-4 that requires a tee shot over wetlands and a ticklish approach shot to a Redan green bordered on the left by a stream that also bisects the fairway. The back nine ends beautifully — and difficultly — with holes 17 and 18, the former a 527-yard, double-dogleg par-5 that will tempt long hitters to go for the green in two if their drives get past the first bend in the fairway for a look at the putting surface. The finishing hole — a par-4 of 475 yards — requires a monster tee shot to allow a reasonable approach to a green bordered by water on the right and bunkers on the left. The Oaks, at 7,076 yards from the tips, has a gentler layout and is the better option for players who lack length off the tee. While it has the same immaculate grooming and scenery as the Azaleas, the Oaks, which opened in 1999, has more generous fairways and water features. An elegant replica plantation mansion serves as the facility’s clubhouse and eight guest rooms are available upstairs for visitors in search of a quaint setting. But there is plenty of glitz down the road with the Pearl River Resort’s Golden Moon Hotel Casino and Silver Star Hotel Casino, which includes a beach club and water park. “We’re proud of the national recognition we’ve been getting for our courses at Dancing Rabbit,” said Mark Powell, the facility’s director of golf. “We want to be one of the premier places to go in the South. With the great golf courses we have, the great resort and the water park, which makes it a fun place for families, we feel it will soon be one of the great destinations in the United States.” While 11 of Mississippi’s casinos are in the Coastal Region, which encompasses the storm-ravaged cities of Gulfport and Biloxi, there are 10 casinos in the Tunica area, located in the Delta Region in the state’s northwest corner. Leach said many of the tourists who had booked stays at Mississippi’s hotels and casinos in the Gulf Coast are being accommodated by hotels in this area of the state. “Next to the coast, this is the part of Mississippi that really gets a lot of visitors,” Leach said. “There are numerous hotel and entertainment choices, and there are eight great golf courses in the immediate area of Tunica.” Three of the courses are affiliated with Tunica Resorts, and each makes great use of the fertile soil and gently rolling landscape of the Delta Region that stretches from just south of Memphis to the historical city of Vicksburg. The newest of the trio is Tunica National, a 7,200-yard course designed by Mark McCumber. Another top name, Hale Irwin, designed the resort’s 6,600-yard Cottonwoods Golf Club to have the feel and appearance of playing in Scotland. More than half the holes border water, and bunkers are placed strategically throughout the layout. The third facility, designed by Clyde Johnston, is the 6,900-yard River Bend Links, a course bordering the Mississippi River that is in such a beautiful and peaceful setting that it’s easy to forget you’re just a few good pokes from the jingle and jangle of a number of casinos. “From a golf standpoint, we have a great product,” Ray said. “The quantity is less than some states might have, but every one of our courses is highly regarded as far as quality is concerned. We know we have something pretty special here.” While many of the special sights and lodging options of the Coastal Region were damaged by Hurricane Katrina, Leach predicts that the majority of golf courses — including the fantastic Jack Nicklaus-designed Grand Bear near Biloxi and the highly touted Davis Love-designed Shell Landing Golf Club in Gautier — will be cleaned up and ready to welcome visitors again by next spring. “We’re going to rebuild, there’s no doubt about it, and hopefully come back along the Gulf Coast as strong as ever,” Leach said. “We have a lot of spirit. That’s something we want the rest of the country to see.” CLOSER TO HOME Southern California has courses that are out of this world, and some are reminders of other places BY CHARLIE SCHROEDER As much as we’d all like to travel to play great golf courses in Europe, Hawaii or Canada, sometimes it’s hard to find the time to get away for a golf holiday. Fortunately, Southern California is home to some of the most dramatic landscape in the world — from high mountains to high desert. Of the nearly 500 courses in Southern California, many call to mind another part of the world. So the next time your dream holiday is just out of reach, tee it up at one of these tracks. It’s the next best thing to being there. Rustic Canyon and The Auld Course Rustic Canyon’s rolling fairways and naturally formed bunkers will remind players of links-style courses in Scotland, Ireland and Australia. The Moorpark course is quickly becoming a favorite with golfers because of its forgiving conditions (the first hole’s fairway is 70 yards wide) and affordable price. Architect Gil Hanse calls his ranch-style design a course with “little ego and a lot of heart.” The Auld Course, designed by John Cook and Cary Bickler, is flat, treeless, windy and rural. If it was raining and chilly, you’d swear you were in Scotland. Relax. You’re in Chula Vista. Ojai Valley Inn and Spa George Thomas’ short, but exquisite, 1923 design is a reminder of simpler times. Fairway bunkers guard the corners of doglegs, mature trees line the well-manicured fairways and the condition of the small, undulating greens is as pure as the air blowing through the valley. The views from the Ojai course are awesome, particularly in the afternoon as the sunlight hits the surrounding Topa Topa Mountains. Bear Mountain Golf Course It might not be Castle Pines or Cherry Hills, but, like its higher-elevation counterparts, the ball soars at Bear Mountain in Big Bear Lake. The course sits at 7,000 feet and lies at the foot of the Bear Mountain ski slope. The fun nine-hole layout is bordered by pine trees and features wide-open fairways. The course is typically open from May-October. Desert courses With more than 100 courses in the Palm Springs area, there’s no shortage of good golf at competitive prices. The most affordable golf is in the summer, but it comes with a price: triple-digit heat. Once the snowbirds return in the fall, the season — and green fees — begin to peak. Try the six courses at PGA West (three are public) and the two at Landmark Golf Club in Indio. Coastal courses Ocean views and cool breezes are built into many of the region’s courses along the coast. This is prime real estate, and the green fees often reflect that. With ocean views on every hole, Trump National in Rancho Palos Verdes joins Sandpiper, Torrey Pines and Pelican Hill (which is closed for renovation) as some of the country’s finest. GARDEN SPOT Kauai’s lush landscape and spectacular scenery are evident at every turn on the western side of Hawaiian paradise BY CHARLIE SCHROEDER Towering above the island of Kauai is Wai’ale’ale, the second tallest mountain peak on the island and the wettest place on earth. With 450 inches of annual rainfall, Wai’ale’ale has lush rain forests, colorful flowers and waterfalls that plunge hundreds of feet down the sides of many of Kauai’s mountain cliffs. It’s a beautiful site, especially when you’re miles away on a dry golf course. Kauai is one of those ecological oddities, where rain pummels its interior but mostly stays away from the coasts. It’s no wonder Kauai is nicknamed the Garden Isle, so abundant is its rainfall and verdant its foliage. Visitors have long taken advantage of the island’s dramatic landscape to hike, parasail, take helicopter rides near waterfalls, bounce around back roads on ATVs and swim in the Pacific Ocean’s temperate waters. But visitors are also discovering adventure on the golf courses, such as the Prince Course at Princeville, named the best course in Hawaii by Golf Digest. Kauai’s land mass is smaller than Orange County and its population is just 60,000. Kuhio Highway, a partial beltway that encircles most of the island, makes for easy access to every golf course. Once you arrive at Lihue Airport (direct flights available from LAX), hop on Route 50 or 56, head north or west, and 90 miles of coastline and excellent golf awaits. The closest course to the airport is Kauai Lagoons’ Kiele course, a Jack Nicklaus-designed layout that challenges the golfer and stimulates the eye. Each tee box has a marble marker for which the hole is named. The first hole features a large Buddha promising serenity for the next 18 holes. The sense of calm is periodically tested, however — particularly at No. 5, a 219-yard par-3 where tee shots must carry a mango tree forest. The cart ride from the tee box down into the jungle and back up to the green is worth the green fee by itself. Like most of the better tracks on Kauai, the Kiele course saves its most scenic holes for last. As you wind your way onto the back nine, the trade winds kick up and so, too, does your anticipation for what lies ahead. The 13th tee offers one of the greatest views in golf, with nothing but crashing waves pounding the sides of the green 207 yards below. AOL founder and Hawaii native Steve Case earns kudos for turning an incomplete 10-hole course into one of Kauai’s finest experiences. Puakea is Kauai’s newest and most player-friendly course, and, like Kauai Lagoons, is a John Daly drive away from Lihue Airport. Formerly the Grove Farm Golf Course, Puakea, which lies in the shadow of Mt. Ha’upu, brings to mind a luxury sedan with engine problems. Ground broke on the project in 1991 but was halted a year later when Hurricane Iniki devastated much of the island. The course, designed by Robin Nelson, finally opened in 1997 but financial troubles limited it to 10 holes. Case bought the property, asked Nelson to add eight holes and opened it for play in 2003. Although Puakea doesn’t border the ocean, there are great views of the Pacific from the 11th tee. And it’s signature hole, the par-3 sixth, drops 75 feet from tee to green over a large ravine. Puakea has the feel of a more traditional course, with views of the mountains and jungle available at every turn. Movie buffs might recognize the 14th and 15th holes even if they’ve never been there before. Those two fairways were used to film portions of “Jurassic Park.” Each year, the winners of the four majors gather at Poipu Bay to play in the Grand Slam of Golf, a two-day, pre-Thanksgiving tournament determined to crown the champion of champions. Remember last year? Phil Mickelson joined the 59 club when he blistered the Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed course. Poipu looks fairly benign from tee to green for the first 14 holes. In fact, Mickelson only hit five fairways en route to his 13-under-par round. The true test here — at least for the first 14 holes — is managing the powerful trade winds. There are few things more crushing to a golfer’s ego than crushing a drive and having it travel 180 yards. And if the wind does blow your ball into an ancient Hawaiian “heiau,” or place of worship, take a drop. The course is tough enough without disturbing the golf gods. Waiting on the 15th tee is a sign telling golfers that they’re heading downwind. Finally! Elevated high above the ocean with waves crashing below and kite surfers launching themselves into the stratosphere, your puny drives will now double in length and you’ll get the feeling of finishing strong. Wind or no wind, the Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed Prince Course at Princeville is one of the hardest tests in golf anywhere in the world. Carved out of some of the most rugged terrain on Kauai’s coast, the Prince Course never ceases to challenge golfers from the opening hole, and players are frequently forced to lay up short of wide ravines on their drives and play long irons or fairway woods into well-guarded greens. Luckily for guests, a mai tai and island dancing at one of Princeville’s luaus are available after the round. And great snorkeling is just a few feet from the resort’s sandy beach. Before you leave the island, make a pit stop in Old Koloa Town, Hawaii’s oldest sugar plantation town. Just down the road from this quaint, 19th century hamlet is Kiahuna Golf Course, another Robert Trent Jones Jr. layout. Ancient Hawaiian ruins dot the landscape and add a historical significance to the course that is absent at other courses on the island. ROYAL PLUSH Renovations at the Kaanapali Resort in Maui make another day in paradise a little bit nicer BY JOEL BEERS Beginning in the early 1800s, a portion of the western edge of Maui became the playground for Hawaii’s royalty. It was scenic, remote, had marvelous beaches, got less rain than other parts of the island and was cooled by afternoon trade winds. It’s why, in 1962, The Kaanapali Resort — a 1,200-acre slice of paradise that stretches from the ocean to the mountains — began to take shape. The resort now includes 10 hotels and condominium resorts and two golf courses that rank among the most scenic and storied in the state. “There’s a reason they picked this part of the island for Hawaii’s first planned resort,” said sales and marketing manager Melissa Ludwig. “And anyone who visits can tell why immediately.” Golf has been part of the resort since its inception. But next month marks a significant change at Kaanapali: the reopening of the South Course after a $5 million renovation. The North Course will begin a renovation project next April. “We are very excited about the changes taking place at Kaanapali’s golf courses,” said general manager Ed Kageyama. “The entire resort has undergone major changes within the last few years and we look forward to our guests rediscovering the ‘granddaddy’ of the Hawaiian resorts as the new kid on the block.” The Robert Trent Jones Sr.-designed North Course has hosted golf events for all three major tours for more than 40 years. The South Course, designed by Arthur Jack Snyder, reopens in November after a renovation overseen by Robin Nelson, who has shaped more than 30 courses across the Hawaiian Islands. The two courses share the same scenery and views: towering coconut trees, native flowers, Norfolk pines, lava rock boundaries, the Pacific Ocean and neighboring islands. But the courses aren’t mirror images. As befitting a track that routinely hosts the best players in the world, the North Course is a tough and demanding par-71 layout that stretches nearly 6,700 yards and features undulating greens. The South Course is more player-friendly with easier greens and fewer hazards. “Our resort tends to attract a lot of families so it’s important that we have at least one track that is designed to give a quality golf experience for golfers of varying abilities,” said Kageyama, hired in 2003 to lead the renovation projects. “The South Course appeals to one kind of golfer, while the North Course appeals to the other. It’s fortunate that we have both.” The renovation on the South Course includes a new irrigation system, redesigned bunkers and new turf from tees to greens. “There’s been so many innovations in turf and design that we felt it was time to bring both courses up to the 21st century,” Kageyama said. While the course remains the same, for the most part, there are some new looks. On the par-3 11th, for instance, the tee box was elevated to give players stellar views of neighboring islands. The pro shop also was remodeled to create a more luxurious look while retaining some Hawaiian charm. Golf, however, is only one facet of the world-class property and its surroundings. The resort, which is close to the old whaling village of Lahaina, gets nearly half a million visitors each year who stay in one of the nearly 5,000 hotel rooms, condominiums or villas. Spas, restaurants, shopping and access to cliff diving, sunset cruises, parasailing, whale-watching and the beach add to the experience. Other courses to choose from on the island include the Kapalua Resort, which has three golf courses, including the Plantation Course, which hosts the PGA Tour’s season-opening Mercedes Championship; the Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa, an opulent property that owns Wailea Golf Club, a three-course facility that includes one of the world’s best courses; and the Makena Resort, which offers 36 holes of golf and some of the most picturesque scenery on the islands. |
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