Travel

Five Family-Friendly Golf Getaways for 2022

Spring break is just a few weeks away for most school districts, while summer break is just over the horizon. Across the country, vacations are being painstakingly planned by diligent moms and dads with “advanced degrees” in Google, Bing, Trip Advisor and Yelp. And these days, many parents also have a “minor” in golf.

With thousands of juniors taking up golf during and following the pandemic, the U.S is now home to more golfing families than ever before. Time off school and work will translate into more family golf getaways in 2022. If your family falls into the “have clubs and kids will travel” category, here are five family-friendly golf getaways to check out in 2022.

Fripp Island Golf and Beach Resort

First, it’s worth noting that South Carolina is home to one of the best junior golf associations in the country, the South Carolina Junior Golf Association (SCJGA). Kids who set up GHIN indexes through the SCJGA can join Youth on Course for no charge and play for $5 or less (that’s not a misprint) at hundreds of courses throughout the state.

In the state’s famed Lowcountry region, Fripp Island Golf and Beach Resort is one of the most family-friendly golf destinations in a state. Located less than an hour from historic Beaufort, “Fripp” is home to two decidedly different 18-hole layouts, Ocean Point (designed by George Cobb) and Ocean Creek (designed by Davis Love III).

While golf packages are available, mom and dad can call or email the resort about the number of juniors who’ll be playing. For kids 12-15, the 18-hole walking rate is just $12 and $9 for nine holes. For younger players ages 5-11, both Fripp courses offer “Wee Links” tees after 3 p.m. for $15.

Junior golf is all about walking the golf course and experiencing the game the way it was meant to be played. Unlike many golf resorts that are hyper-focused on golf cart revenue, Fripp allows walking any time of day at Ocean Point and Ocean Creek. Both layouts are a pleasure to hoof with their relatively small footprints and greens and tee boxes in proximity.

For more information, visit www.frippislandresort.com or call (888) 741.8974.

Pinehurst Resort

Many parents will assume that Pinehurst Resort in Pinehurst, N.C. exceeds their budget. After all, the Cradle of American Golf is considered by many to be our country’s St. Andrews, and courses like No. 2 and No. 4 host major championships such as the U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur and noted amateur tournament like the North & South.

Dig a little deeper, though, and they’ll discover that Pinehurst goes above and beyond to make family golf trips affordable for various budgets. One of the best deals on the golfing planet, kids 12 and under stay, play and eat for free when sharing a room with a parent. Kids 17 and under play for free on every course except No. 2 when playing with an adult.

What’s more, Pinehurst is home to one of the world’s best short courses, the nine-hole Cradle, and one of the largest putting courses, Thistle Dhu. Even if the kids are just starting to dip their toes into the game, there are several options.

Pinehurst Resort even provides itineraries for the entire family based on experience level. And with a myriad of activities available within walking or biking distance in and around the historic Village, there’s no need to use the car again until it’s time to leave

For more information, visit www.pinehurst.com or call (855) 235-8507.

Sea Island Golf Resort

This iconic resort on Georgia’s Gold Coast boasts as much or more history than any destination in the U.S. With multiple five-star hotels, three nationally-ranked golf courses, and TOUR-caliber practice facilities, Sea Island Golf Resort is a bucket trip for golf buddy and couples’ trips. There are several reasons, however, for families to make the sojourn to St. Simmons Island.

Kids under 19 don’t pay greens fees to play the resort’s Seaside, Retreat and Plantation courses. Before 3 p.m., they pay for either a cart and forecaddie or a caddie (if walking). After 3 p.m., when walking unaccompanied is allowed for resorts guests, juniors effectively play for free, according to Director of Golf Brannen Veal.

Post-round, families love to gather at The Lodge’s 18-hole putting course, The Speedway. The course is open Wednesday – Monday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on a first-come, first-serve basis. Beverage service is provided, so mom and dad can kick back with their favorite cocktail as the fun ensues.

For more information, visit www.seaisland.com, or call (877) 661-9064.

Rumbling Bald

Vacation rentals with all the amenities and comforts of home have become the preferred lodging option for families over the past two years. Airbnb recently reported that the company’s average length of stay and the average number of bedrooms per rental increased substantially in 2021.

In that sense, Rumbling Bald on Lake Lure in Western North Carolina fits the family golf travel bill. This 3,000-acre retreat at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains is home to a wide selection of vacation rentals ranging from studios and villas to luxury mountain homes.

Rumbling Bald is home to two 18-hole layouts, Apple Valley and Bald Mountain, both of which are family-friendly in offering multiple sets of tees and minimal forced carries over hazards and natural areas. Kids 17 and under can play 18 holes for $30 or nine holes for $20. Rumbling Bald also offers replay rates, subject to availability, for families who just can’t get enough golf.

Or, for those who prefer to stick to 18 holes a day, there are plenty of other activities and amenities to keep busy. Kids Adventure Camp is available June 6 through August 12 and features tennis, arts, crafts, games, mini-golf, yoga, dance and more. The Beach Cabana below Legends on the Lake is Rumbling Bald’s lake headquarters and offers boat, kayak and stand-up paddleboard rentals.

For more information, visit www.rumblingbald.com, or call (828) 694-3000.

Greenville, S.C.

It’s not a golf destination, per se, but Greenville is a hotbed of junior golf that sets up perfectly for a long weekend getaway. Located midway between Charlotte and Atlanta along the I-85 corridor, Greenville is an easy stopping point for those traveling in the Southeast.

Get things started at the Haas Family Golf Center, founded by former PGA TOUR player and current Champions Tour member Jay Haas, his wife Jan and his son, TOUR player Bill. With an acre of grass tees and hitting area and 40 covered and heated hitting stations, Haas Family Golf Center is the largest practice facility in the Southeast.

carolinas cherokee valley — Cherokee Valley

Once the family has the game dialed in, kick it up a notch with a little friendly competition at 3’s Greenville Golf and Grill. This innovative, 12-hole par-3 course features holes designed by several different architects and TOUR players. There’s also an 18-hole putting green and extensive short game area for members. The clubhouse serves up killer eats from its on-site smoker, and plenty of cold drinks.

With everyone primed for a regulation 18-hole loop, head north to the Tigerville area for a round at Cherokee Valley Course and Club. There are discounted rates and memberships for juniors, and owner Matthew Jennings’s inclusive approach to the game ensures there’s always a family-friendly vibe going on. Stick around and grab dinner at Cherokee Valley’s new restaurant, Core 450, which serves small plates, pizzas and chef-created entrees.

For more information, visit www.cherokeevalleyclub.com, or call (864) 689-3585.

Phantom of the Open is an Oscars Contender

The Phantom of the Open -- Mark Rylance as Maurice Flitcroft With Disco Caddie Son (Photo by Nick Wall)

“Caddyshack” is an iconic golf movie for slapstick and gag fans. “Happy Gilmore” finds Adam Sandler turning a hockey stick into a driver and fairway wood. “Tin Cup” boasts the star power of Kevin Costner and Rene Russo. Then there are more recent golf films that fell so short that I was left scarred from ever watching another golf movie again.

Recently, I was invited to a special, advance screening of “The Phantom of the Open” the week of the PGA Tour’s Honda Classic in South Florida. It tucked nicely within my schedule, so giving the golf movie a try made sense. Man, I’m glad I did. If only my wife, a staunch non-golfer, was by my side, she’d enjoy it, smiling, laughing and crying just as much if not more.

“Phantom” is much more than a golf movie. It’s a decidedly fun watch that’s heartwarming aglow and based on a true story. And it stars Mark Rylance, a 2015 Oscar winner for Steven Spielberg’s “Bridge of Spies.”

I categorize “Phantom” as a sports comedy because you don’t have to tee it up regularly, if ever, to love it. The film doesn’t open in theaters nationwide until early June, but word is that it’s sleeper material for Academy Award consideration. While we’re at it, I have seen enough flicks to roll the dice in Vegas that Rylance’s “Phantom” performance could very well earn him a best actor nomination. Many in the audience felt similarly.

As Maurice Flitcroft, Rylance brilliantly portrays a reed-thin, unkempt, 46-year-old shipyard worker in a far-flung England town. He gets shoved aside from that job and – with utmost seriousness, zero sheepishness, unrecognized naivete and a relatively non-emotive personality – tells his blue-collar buds that he plans to play in the Open Championship (affectionately, the British Open). That knee-jerk comes about after merely seeing Tom Watson win the 1975 major on a fuzzy living room TV.

Problem is that Maurice never picked up a golf club. And his disheveled looks and rather gnarly attire hardly fit the pompous Royal & Ancient, owner and producer of the Open Championship.

At this point, I remind you that “Phantom” is firmly based on a true story.

Repeatedly, “practice is the road to perfection,” says Maurice, a novice ball banger with no formal instruction but persistence to be the best version of himself. And, lo and behold, after an R&A application snafu, our dreamer of all dreamers finds himself entered into a 1976 Open Championship qualifier.

Maurice hardly belongs in the same conversation, let alone field. as the elite country club set who were silver-spooned from the proverbial womb by stage moms and dads hiring master coaches to turn them into golf champions. And Maurice is the antithesis of Seve Ballesteros who he engages in one-on-one locker room banter that’s as genuinely endearing as it is memorable.

One would think that shooting a 121 would bring shame. Not so much. The softspoken, eternal optimist Maurice stood proud. He was the best version of himself. Media made the most out the highest score in Open Championship qualifying history, earning abundant headlines across oceans. So much so, our unwitting star was flown to the hyperbolic golf Mecca of Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he was honored for his attempts at what became Blythefield Country Club’s annual “Maurice Flitcroft World’s Worst Golfer Tournament.”

Sprinkle in unfettered support from Maurice’s family – wife played by Golden Globes winner Sally Hawkins, disco-dancing, teenage twin sons and a corporate mogul wannabe older son – and there are heavy doses of TLC, hilarity and relatability, respectively.

True, Maurice didn’t even make it to the big game. He didn’t even touch 1976 Open Championship winner Johnny Miller. But don’t debate, ever, that if you put your mind to pursuing a goal, no matter how lofty or low bar, anything is achievable and prideworthy in its own, unique way.

Swing into Spring 2022 at These Southeastern Golf Destinations

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There’s more to the Southeast than just college football. That’s right, before the overlapping SEC and ACC regions perennially produced America’s national champion seemingly every year, they were home to many of the best golf destinations in the U.S. As we round winter’s corner into the peak spring season, here’s a short-list of golf resorts across four states to consider visiting as the dogwoods and azaleas begin to bloom.

Florida

Innisbrook Golf Resort – Innisbrook’s Copperhead Course is a favorite among PGA TOUR pros, and it’s also one of the most challenging tracks on the pro circuit. This highly amenitized resort west of Tampa on the Gulf of Mexico houses four courses along with a variety of rooms, suites and vacation rentals that have been upgraded recently to offer a comfy extended stay for golf groups of all sizes.

PGA National Resort and Spa – Palm Beach County is a hotbed of golf, and it doesn’t get any hotter than PGA National Resort and Spa, home of the PGA TOUR’s Honda Classic. Five courses, including the Jack Nicklaus designed Champ, await golfers willing to test their mettle against this tournament-tested venue. The resort recently opened “The Staple,” an innovative short course designed by Andy Staple.

PGA Golf Club – The flagship public property of the PGA of America, PGA Golf Club is a 54-hole golf panacea with a world-class practice range, short game area and short course. Catch a bite to eat in the Taplow Pub and stay a few nights in the adjacent Perfect Drive Villas or neighboring Hilton Garden Inn. PGA Golf Club is a pure golf experience for those who prefer 36 holes a day, a beer and a bed.

Streamsong Resort – One of Florida’s newest golf resorts (10 years young this year) got even newer with the opening of its Gil Hanse-designed Black Course in 2018. Streamsong’s Red and Blue courses have also quickly moved atop the national rankings, and the Streamsong Lodge is the perfect place to kick back and relax, post round. And at the 2022 PGA Show, resort officials revealed that Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw have been commissioned to a non-traditional fourth course with holes ranging from 70 to 300 yards.

Paradise Coast – The quaint city of Naples and tropical atoll Marco Island in Southwest Florida – dubbed the “Paradise Coast” – are home to more golf courses per capita than just about anywhere in the world. Resorts like Tiburon Golf Club, The JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort and The Lely Resort Golf and Country Club offer a multi-course experience, and there are plenty of standalone options as well. For those who fall in love with the area, The Club at Olde Cypress beckons with a “life on vacation” lifestyle and the area’s only P.B. Dye design.

Georgia

Reynolds Lake Oconee – Reynolds Lake Oconee is to Georgia as Pinehurst Resort is to North Carolina: a seemingly endless supply of golf in the form of six highly-ranked layouts designed by Jack Nicklaus, Tom Fazio, Rees Jones, Bob Cupp and Jim Engh. Nicklaus’ Great Waters headlines the collection, as it was recently renovated and restored to its original glory. Lodging ranges from cozy cottages to the luxurious Ritz-Carlton, Lake Oconee.

Sea Island Resort – While Georgia is known as the home of The Masters, the RSM Classic at Sea Island Resort is a PGA TOUR player and fan favorite. So much so, several pros make their home at this golf haven on Atlantic. The Seaside Course is a Tom Fazio redesign perched right on the ocean, the Plantation Course was recently renovated by natives Davis and Mark Love, who also recast the Retreat Course in 2001. Diehard golfers gravitate to The Lodge with its ocean view and “walk-to” access to the Seaside and Plantation courses. Dinner in the Oak Room is a must, with its rich mahogany veneer and formidable wine, beer and spirts menu, as is a post-round libation in the famed Men’s Locker Room.

North Carolina

Grandover Resort – Golfers need only veer off I-85 in Greensboro to access this 36-hole collection designed by Gary Panks. A full-service onsite hotel offers all the accouterments, from casual and fine dining to a spa and fitness center. Grandover’s combo of convenience and quality is hard to beat, and for an extended golf swing, the North Carolina Sandhills is only an hour’s drive south.

Pinehurst Resort – Nine 18-hole courses, including the famed No. 2 U.S., make Pinehurst Resort the largest golf resort in the U.S. and a must-visit for any serious golfer. In addition to its lineup of regulation tracks, Pinehurst is home to a nine-hole short course designed by Gil Hanse, The Cradle, and Thistle Dhu, a 75,000 square-foot putting course. Golfers can choose from three hotels, including the recently renovated Manor Inn, just a short walk to the new Pinehurst Brewing Co. And renovations are underway at The Carolina Hotel, Pinehurst’s historic crown jewel.

new pinehurst no. 4 three holes — Pinehurst No. 4

Rumbling Bald – Spring in Western North Carolina means mountain golf and Rumbling Bald along scenic Lake Lure obliges with two 18-hole tracks, Apple Valley and Bald Mountain, designed by W.B. Lewis and Dan Maples. Apple Valley is this golf retreat’s premier offering, playing to 6,800 yards and featuring new Champion Bermuda greens. Spacious vacation rentals are available for stay-and-plays, and the lake offers endless off-course activities. For golfers who visit and don’t want to leave, nearby Champion Hills in Hendersonville offers a Tom Fazio-designed mountain masterpiece and a variety of membership types to suit any lifestyle. The course is ranked 51st in Golfweek’s “Top 200 Residential Courses in the U.S.” and is considered one of Fazio’s seminal Western N.C. designs.

South Carolina

Cherokee Valley Course and Club – Upstate South Carolina’s premier golf destination, Cherokee Valley is home to a P.B. Dye mountain-style layout, on-site cottages and a brand-new casual dining restaurant, Core 450, that has garnered rave reviews from Greenville area foodies. Get your game ready at one of South Carolina’s most expansive practice facilities, which is also home to neighboring North Greenville University.

Fripp Island Golf and Beach Resort – “Fripp” as South Carolinians refer to it, flies just under the radar of the national golf cognoscenti, just how Palmetto State golfers like it. Home to two courses, Ocean Point and Ocean Creek, Fripp Island Golf and Beach Resort is situated on the most seaward of South Carolina’s Sea Islands 18 miles east of historic Beaufort, where novelist Pat Conroy spent his summers. The resort offers seasonal golf packages that include golf rounds, practice balls and lodging in a Fripp Island vacation rental.

Kiawah Island Golf Resort – For golfers who want to play where the pros play this year, Kiawah Island Golf Resort’s Ocean Course is hosting the 2020 PGA Championship in May. If Pete Dye’s diabolic oceanside layout it too tough to tackle, four other 18-hole courses adorn this majestic barrier island near Charleston. Catch a good night’s rest at the Sanctuary at Kiawah, a AAA Five Diamond hotel.

Myrtle Beach – While it’s not a resort, per se, the Grand Strand one of the world’s most iconic golf destinations. Accommodation options are limitless, and lineup cards can be filled with vaunted venues like Tidewater Golf Club, Grande Dunes Resort Course, King’s North at Myrtle Beach National, Caledonia Golf and Fish Club.

Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort – Hilton Head is known as “Golf Island,” and the three brawny layouts at Palmetto Dunes are a big reason for that moniker. The Robert Trent Jones features one of the island’s only oceanfront holes, and the George Fazio and Arthur Hills courses round out the bill. Golf groups love the popular “Birdies and Beer Getaway” and the resort’s comfy vacation rentals.

Sea Pines Resort – Settled along Hilton Head Island’s south end, The Sea Pines Resort is home of the PGA TOUR’s RBC Heritage tournament and famed Harbour Town Golf Links. Two other championship caliber tracks reside inside the gates, Heron Point by Pete Dye and Atlantic Dunes by Davis Love III. The Inn and Club at Harbor Town is just a pitching wedge from the clubhouse and the famed Yacht Basin is a short jaunt away.

P.B. Dye’s ‘Diabolical’ Best

If there was a shortlist of the unsung heroes of golf course architecture’s modern era, P.B. Dye would likely find himself on it. Given his unabashedly outgoing demeanor and penchant for expressing strong opinions about anything from golf to college football, it’s a wonder he never got more “press.”

While he could certainly be the life of any party, the youngest son of legendary Pete Dye was always happiest on the seat of a bulldozer during his design heyday in the 80s and 90s. P.B. was a driving force, no pun intended, on dozens of famous Dye designs including the Honors Course and Long Cove.

Many of his peers were caught up in a constant search for the perfect building site for a shrine to their brands. Dye, however, relished the opportunity to work with big-time golf resort and community developers regardless of the location. These titans of industry, after all, were his clients, and Dye was quick to understand that real estate was the driving force behind golf during his period.

For traveling golfers or those looking to settle down in a golf community, here are some of the top P.B. Dye golf courses you can play (public) or join (private).

P.B. Dye Golf Club

Most golf course critics consider the P.B. Dye Golf Club in Ijamsville, Maryland, to be Dye’s seminal work. Golf Digest once ranked it as one of the 50 Toughest Courses in America, and its resistance to scoring and strategic shot values are off the charts. The layout pitches and rolls over 250 acres and boasts the complete array of P.B. Dye accouterments: mounds, moguls, multi-tiered greens and deep pot bunkers. P.B. Dye Golf Club is open to the public with rates starting at $65 in the afternoon.

For more information: www.pbdyegolf.com.

The Club at Olde Cypress

Olde Cypress in the golf capital of Naples, Fla. is eminently enjoyable, progressively playable for the forward to middle tees, and long enough to challenge long hitters from the tips. Seeking omnipresent sunshine, pristine beaches and a lifestyle only Southwest Florida can offer, new members have flocked to this privately owned, private club over the past 18 months. Adding to the attraction: Olde Cypress recently reopened following a re-grassing of all tee boxes, fairways and greens, as well as updates to bunkers, the practice facility and clubhouse. Membership categories include social, full golf and associate golf and offer access to the club’s other amenities, like tennis, pickleball and fitness, as well as fine and casual dining.

For more information: www.oldecypress.com.

Cherokee Valley Course and Club

At Cherokee Valley just north of Greenville, S.C., Dye essentially delights golfers with multiple courses within a single layout. The first four holes are relatively flat and laid out in proximity to the new golf shop and chef-driven restaurant, Core 450. Six through eight take players closer to Glassy Mountain, nine and 10 circle around the practice range, while 11-18 feature more than 300-feet of elevation change. Both memberships and daily fee play are offered, as are golf packages featuring the club’s quaint cottages. Cherokee Valley is just 30 minutes from downtown Greenville, one of the best small cities in the U.S.

For more information: www.cherokeevalleyclub.com.

Moorland Course

When P.B. and developer Larry Young unveiled the Moorland Course at Legends Resort in Myrtle Beach in 1990, shock value was a necessary ingredient to make a splash in a market with more than 100 golf courses. Golf Digest immediately tapped it as one of the toughest tracks in the U.S., and Dye and Young delighted in causing golfers to rise to incredible heights and sink to considerable depths all in five hours. The 245-yard par-4 16^th hole is guarded by the Grand Strand’s most famous bunker, dubbed “Hell’s Half Acre.”

For more information: www.legendsgolf.com/moorland.

The Links at Fisher Island

For a nine-hole facility to make a list of its designer’s best golf courses, it has to be something special. The Links at Fisher Island is more than that – it’s one of the country’s most precious golf assets. The course is the centerpiece of the Fisher Island Club, a 216-acre barrier island off the coast of Miami. Dye loves to say he packed 18 holes of design features into nine holes at the Links at Fisher Island. Not only did he do that, there’s a full-size practice range and an immaculate 10,000-square-foot clubhouse. Equity memberships are offered for property owners and a limited number of non-owners.

For more information: www.fisherislandclub.com.

Best Tom Fazio Mountain Courses to Play (or Join)

With all due respect to Jack Nicklaus, Tom Weiskopf and Donald Ross, Tom Fazio is the undisputed king of modern mountain golf course architecture. And as we approach his 77^th birthday on Feb. 10, it’s only appropriate that we give credit where so much credit it due.

From the Blue Ridge to the Rockies and numerous ranges in between, the master architect has more nationally ranked mountain layouts than his World Golf Hall of Fame contemporaries combined.

The former North Carolina native designed 32 (nearly a third) of the courses on Golfweek / USA Today’s 2022 list of the “Top 100 Residential Golf Courses in the U.S.” For courses ranked 101-200, he has 11 more design credits.

So enamored with mountain golf in general, and its North Carolina interpretation, specifically, Fazio chose Hendersonville (where he also lived while working on Champion Hills) for his office and nearby Lake Toxaway for his summer home.

For golfers looking to tee it up at elevations where the temps are cool throughout the summer and the tee shots soar amid purple mountain majesties, here’s a collection of 10 of Fazio’s best highland golf course designs.

Champion Hills

The golf cognoscenti and course rankings experts agree: Champion Hills is one of Fazio’s seminal designs, a game-changing layout that along with Wade Hampton forever altered the way mountain golf courses were routed and built. Fazio deftly demonstrates that playing at altitude doesn’t have to mean blind shots and uneven lies. And playing to 6,510-yards from the back tees, the timeless layout reminds players that the 7,000-yard benchmark is an arbitrary measurement of “championship” caliber golf. Proof positive: Champion Hills moved up 13 spots in Golfweek’s ranking of the “Top 200 Residential Courses”

Diamond Creek

Former Winged Foot head professional John McNeely and Frederica (St. Simons, Ga.) owner Wayne Huizenga founded this uber-exclusive golf club in Banner Elk, N.C. As the story goes, they had their sights set on working with Fazio and Fazio only. McNeely made the two-hour drive down to Hendersonville to personally pitch Fazio at his office. The rest, as they say, is history.

Mountaintop

Situated in neighboring Cashiers, Mountaintop, along with Wade Hampton, Diamond Creek and Champion Hills completes North Carolina’s famed foursome of Fazio mountain marvels. The layout climbs gradually from a valley floor to a mountaintop pinnacle that serves as the inspiration for the course’s name.

Wade Hampton

Like Champion Hills, Wade Hampton was a late 80s western North Carolina layout that established Fazio as the nation’s premier mountain golf craftsman. Also similar to Champion Hills, Wade Hampton is “private golf Fazio” at the top of his game: generous fairways, flowing bunkers and severely undulating greens.

Gozzer Ranch

Given its proximity to chic Coeur D’Alene, Idaho, it’s little wonder that Gozzer Ranch attracts more than its fair share of celebrity golfers. Former New York Yankee Alex Rodriguez is a frequent guest, and hockey great Wayne Gretzky is a long-time member. Fazio routed several holes along the site’s basalt bluffs, where 100-foot-high spires, crags and cliff faces are back-dropped by sweeping views of the lake and nearby mountains.

Red Sky Ranch

Located near the Vail and Beaver Creek ski resorts, Red Sky Ranch sits at a breathtaking (literally) 7,000 feet on a former sheep ranch. Its routing rises and falls amid 600-feet of total elevation change throughout its 7,113-yards. A 7,113-yard stunner, this top-of-the-world layout offers panoramic views of Castle Peak to the west and Vail’s fabled Back Bowls to the east.

Shooting Star

At Shooting Star in celebrity-soaked Jackson Hole, Wyo., Fazio devised a brilliantly simple method of designing an eminently playable mountain golf course: site the majority of the holes in a valley. Well, a 25-acre meadow to be precise, but the result is just as stunning as any of Fazio’s highland heroics. There are also over 50 acres of lakes on property that come into play on 13 of 18 holes.

Martis Camp

The Lake Tahoe region is coveted by many golf course architects, and a design credit in the high Sierras is a mountain golf badge of honor. Set at 6,100-feet above sea level amid 2,177 rambling acres, Martis Camp is considered by many, including former PGA Tour player and two-time U.S. Open champion Lee Janzen, to be among Fazio’s greatest courses.

The Stock Farm

Fazio designed Stock Farm in the southwest corner of Montana’s Big Sky country in the very heart of the Bitterroot Valley. The course originally opened in 1999, and Fazio returned in 2018 for a complete renovation including rebuilding green complexes and bunkers. Situated at a reasonable 3,500 feet, it’s the views of the surrounding Bitterroot Mountains that cause golfers to reach for their smartphone cameras.

Pronghorn

The Fazio Course at Pronghorn in Bend, Ore., is unquestionably one of the most visually stunning golf courses in the U.S. Its rolling fairways and sculpted greens are punctuated by ancient lava rocks that create a surreal, almost Mars-like effect. Considered one of the most unique holes in the world, the par-3 eighth hole includes a 45-foot canyon and exposed lava tube.

Three Mountain Golf ‘Must Plays’ This Spring

Spring is just a few weeks away in the Southeastern U.S. as temps will begin to climb into the 60s in late February and early March. The southern tier of the Blue Ridge Mountains, cutting through parts of Virginia, the Carolinas and northern Georgia, is the first mountain golf region to open each year, featuring postcard-ready summits and deep diving ravines. Here are three must-play mountain golf getaways to check out this spring as the dogwoods and azaleas begin to bloom.

1. Rumbling Bald (North Carolina)

Rumbling Bald, the 36-hole golf retreat on North Carolina’s stunning Lake Lure is reachable in under a half day’s drive from several East Coast metro areas. Open year-round, this 3,000-acre golf panacea offers golf packages customized for golf groups of any size and is ideal for those looking to unplug from the hustle and bustle for a few days.

Rumbling Bald’s “Hole-in-One” package features a two-night stay, two rounds of golf, breakfast both days and complimentary, unlimited range balls. Lodging options include the recently updated Apple Valley Studios and two- and four-bedroom Fairway Villas. Rates vary by season, so be sure to visit the website for the latest pricing.

Two contrasting, 18-hole layouts grace the property: W.B. Lewis-designed Bald Mountain and the Dan Maples-designed Apple Valley, which sports new Champion Bermuda greens. Apple Valley is Rumbling Bald’s marquee offering, stretching to nearly 6,800 yards and offering jaw-dropping views of Bald Mountain and the surrounding Lake Lure area.

Bald Mountain, at 6,300 yards, is more of a true mountain-style layout with numerous doglegs, up and downhill fairways and diminutive greens. The course is renowned for its unique configuration of five par 5s and five par 3s, as well as its par-3 16^th hole, the setting for a scene in the moving Dirty Dancing. It reopened in the spring of 2021 following a series of enhancements to tee boxes, approaches and the surrounds.

Golf packages combine rounds at both courses with 150 sparkling clean vacation rental homes, condos and studios. Ideal for social distancing, they feature golf course and mountain views. Golfers can eat-in or grab to-go meals from Legends on the Lake, the retreat’s casual dining restaurant on Lake Lure.

2. Cherokee Valley Course and Club (South Carolina)

The highly-decorated small city of Greenville is home to Cherokee Valley Course and Club, the Upstate’s premier golf destination. Its P.B. Dye-designed, mountain-style golf course and collection of on-site cottages make for an enjoyable and efficient stay-and-play experience.

With wrap-around front porches and all the comforts of home, the cottages are conveniently located just a few steps from the golf shop and first tee. Full cottage rentals start at $400 and single rooms at $130, per night (tax not included). Golf can be added for $30 or $50 all-day subject to availability.

Cherokee Valley’s routing is fascinating, and Dye effectively provides golfers with multiple layouts within a single course. The first five holes are relatively flat and laid out in proximity to the brand-new golf shop and full-service restaurant, Core 450.

Holes six through eight take players right up to the base of the Glassy Mountain. Nine and 10 level off around the golf shop, restaurant and practice range, offering a brief reprieve before the 300-foot climb into Cherokee Valley’s mountainous five-hole stretch. The par-5 16^th plunges back down the hill, followed by two of the toughest par 4s on the course in 17 and 18.

Ideally located 30 minutes north of bustling downtown Greenville (home to more than 100 restaurants), Cherokee Valley is the perfect basecamp for exploring the beauty and adventure of this amazing four-season corner of the Palmetto State. Its new chef-driven restaurant, Core 450, opened in 2021 and features shareable plates, entrees, and wood-fired pizzas.

3. Primland Resort (Virginia)

Situated just five hours from the Washington D.C. metro area and an hour north of North Carolina’s Triad region, Primland is a boutique luxury resort in the southwestern Virginia section of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Designed by Donald Steele, the resort’s Highland Course showcases breathtaking views at every turn. This challenging-yet-fair circuit makes its way through the peaks and valleys of the Dan River Gorge and is framed by rough ridges that offer no quarter for wayward shots.

Nationally ranked by Golfweek, GOLF Magazine, and Golf Digest, its unique configuration of five par 5s and five par 3s was dictated by the land. Tee times are in 15-minute intervals to allow golfers time to soak up the serene setting and to plot a proper strategy.

The Highland Course is known for its immaculate conditions, true-rolling bentgrass greens and “core golf” experience devoid of surrounding development. It’s truly a masterful effort by Steel, whose design philosophy highlights nature and golf tradition. Check the website for the availability of select golf packages throughout the season.

Mountain Golf Living

Golfers with the freedom to live and work where they choose, or nearing retirement, are flocking to golf communities in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Champion Hills in charming Hendersonville, N.C., is a prime case in point. Situated just minutes from downtown, Champion Hills offers a beguiling blend of luxury resale homes and custom-building lots. Its magnificent, mountain-style clubhouse sits atop one of the area’s highest points, affording members and guests unobstructed views.

For avid golfers, Champion Hills’ Tom Fazio-designed mountain masterpiece pitches and rolls through heavily forested hills, deep ravines and cool mountain streams. Fazio and his all-star team of shapers deftly pulled ridges into valleys and filled hollows to create “playing platforms” that provide golfers with level lies amid 350-feet of elevation change.

While real estate is heating up throughout the Southeast, Western Carolina, generally, and Champion Hills, specifically, offer golfers a lot of bang for the buck. Building lots typically range from .5 up to 1.5 acres, with prices from $50,000 to $300,000. Move-in ready luxury residences, currently in short supply, generally range from $500,000 to $2 million featuring golf course, mountain and wooded views.

Pinehurst Resort by the Numbers

Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina’s famed Sandhills has undergone nothing short of a renaissance over the past decade. From the restoration of No. 2, the opening of The Cradle, the reimagination of No. 4 and the USGA’s Golf House Pinehurst, the past decade has been a whirlwind of activity that has set the golf world ablaze.

Planning a golf buddy or family trip to the Cradle of American Golf is an exhilarating experience. With nine courses, three hotels and a fistful of outstanding eateries, it can also be a bit overwhelming. The resort has an outstanding trip planning service to walk you through the details.

But we’re here well in advance with a host of insider tips to help you pull off the ultimate golf bucket list trip with relative ease.

Best Arrival Day Course: You can make a case for No. 5, an underrated Ellis Maples design that gently pitches and rolls through a residential area across Beulah Hill Rd. from the main golf campus. But the logical point to begin the epic journey that is Pinehurst Resort is the No. 1 Course, completed by Donald Ross in 1901.

The expansive fairway of the par-4 opening hole is an arms-wide-open welcome to the Cradle of American Golf. The dead-straight, par-4 second follows suit, and every hole between it and the par-5 18^th hole encourages golfers to play their absolute best. As a bonus, the 18^th tee box with the clubhouse in the background is the perfect buddies’ trip or family photo opp.

Best Championship Course (other than No. 2 or No. 4): No shocker, here, as No. 8 is situated third among the resort’s courses in the national and in-state rankings. But put Tom Fazio’s Centennial in just about any other state and it’s the best track around. The golf cognoscenti tend to forget just how pure this layout is, and the green complexes, green speed and pin positions rival any tournament-caliber venue.

No. 8 isn’t cut from the same Sandhills aesthetic cloth as No. 2 and No. 4. Rather, Fazio was handed 420 acres of rolling hills and wetlands that required a skillful routing. There are several forced-carry tee shots and aerial approaches into greens, but its brilliance manifests in No. 8’s differentiation from its siblings. An early morning or late afternoon round, here, is a transcendental experience, as each hole corridor is isolated from the next.

Best Course to Revisit (if You Haven’t Played it in Years): The obvious answer is No. 4. In the 70s it was a Robert Trent Jones Sr. course, in the 80s a Rees Jones course and from 1999 to 2017, No. 4 was a highly-ranked Fazio design. The golf course architecture musical chairs ended in 2018 when Gil Hanse completely reimagined and redesigned No. 4 as a “companion” course to No. 2. Hanse’s craftsmanship is so on-point that 19^th hole debates rage as to whether it or No. 2 is the superior circuit.

The not-so-obvious answer, on the other hand? No. 7. Original designer Rees Jones restyled this off-campus course into a Herculean test of golf in 2002. No. 7 is 7,216-yards of pure muscle fiber routed through 25 acres of wetland, three acres of waste bunkers and 75 bunkers. Its 520-yard par-5 opening hole, with a double-bending fairway, sets the stage immediately for “hard par, easy bogey” – a timeless hallmark of Jones family design. Tee shots are generally downhill, approach shots are usually uphill, and Jones’ routing takes on a steady rhythm that makes No. 7 a joy to play.

Best Bar Scene: If golf was a religion (and for many, it comes close), then The Cradle would be its church. On any given day, and especially in the mid to late afternoon, Hanse’s 10-acre short course is humming with golf groups from all over the U.S. and around the world with their shoes off and transfusions in hand.

Music from hidden speakers fills the air, as do tee shots from both grass and mat tees. The experience is collective and redemptive, and by the time golfers walk off the ninth green, they’ve made at least 100 new friends. And when church lets out, the people can simply adjourn to the 75,000-square-foot playground that is the Thistle Dhu putting course.

Best Non-Golf Bonding Experience: The Drum & Quill in the Village of Pinehurst is the type of joint where if the shades were pulled down tight, you’d lose all sense of space and time. The iconic pub and eatery owned by former golf marketer and writer Kevin Drum is as busting and boisterous at lunch as it is at nightfall. Well, maybe not quite. Pull up a barstool, order fish and chips, have the bar keep pull your favorite pint, and forget about what ails you. You won’t regret it.

Meanwhile, back at Pinehurst, the Deuce serves this role and serves it well. Situated on the far side of the main clubhouse, this authentic tavern is located just behind the 18^th green on No. 2. Outdoor seating allows guests to grab a beer and a bite and watch all the action coming in. An ample selection of craft brews are on tap, and everything on the gastropub-focused menu is perfectly executed.

Best Restaurant for Buddies and Family Trips: When the Pinehurst Brewing Company opened in the old Village steam plant in 2018, the vision called for a neighborhood gathering place that was equal parts golf buddy hang and family dining destination. Mission accomplished on that front and throw in a nice mix of local patrons and out-of-town visitors to top it all off.

The “PBC’s” BBQ is front and center, highlighted by smoked baby back ribs, pork shoulder, brisket and homemade sausages. But hand-tossed, wood-fired pizzas are a sneaky second favorite, and pair just as well with the brewery’s selection of handcrafted ales and lagers. The Pivot IPA has become the stuff of legend, and as soon as it hits the taps and coolers (in cans), the supply can be wiped out in a matter of days.

Best Lodging for an Extended Stay: For those who want to play as many Pinehurst Resort courses as possible, i.e. all of them, even a 36-hole-a-day pace yields a five-day, five-night vacation that ventures into “extended stay” territory. The Carolina Villas rise to the occasion to fill this niche perfectly. Located adjacent to the Carolina Hotel, they feature four privately keyed guest rooms with their own bathrooms.

Better yet, the four bedrooms spill out into a spacious living room with a wet bar, dining area, and either a balcony or patio for chilling outdoors. The bed configuration is two queens, with each unit easily accommodating eight golfers or two families. All the modern accouterments are included, such as Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs and Keurig coffee makers.

For more information on Pinehurst Resort’s nine, 18-hole courses, The Cradle, accommodations, dining and other amenities and activities, visit www.pinehurst.com.

Must Visit Golf Courses in California

When it comes to choosing a vacation destination, California often comes at the top of the list, and for a good reason. It’s a beautiful place to vacation in that offers a little something for everyone’s tastes. Although it is best known for its surfing opportunities, there is so much more to this popular destination. Vibrant cities interlay with stunning natural beauty to create the perfect scenery. When it comes to golfing, there are several notable golf courses in California that will spark the interest of any golf enthusiast.

[ngg src=”galleries” ids=”19″ display=”basic_slideshow” gallery_width=”1000″ arrows=”1″]So, if you are considering California as your next golf getaway destination but you are still unsure of where exactly to go, we’ve put together a guide to the best golf destinations in the area to help you make the best possible choice and have the most relaxing vacation.

San Diego

San Diego stands at the top of the list with its almost perfect weather, a vast collection of golf courses located in the most awe-inspiring sceneries, and a multitude of popular local attractions you can enjoy off the course. San Diego is especially popular in this period, with the US Open returning to Torrey Pines this June.

To help you choose the golf course that suits you best, here is a short overview of some of the most popular ones in the area:

Torrey Pines Golf Course

Location: 11480 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA.

The Torrey Pines course is best known by golf enthusiasts because of the 2008 US Open in which Tiger Woods made one of the most improbable comebacks in the championship’s history and won against Rocco Mediate in the playoff; all with an injured knee that later required surgery.

Being located on the bluffs overlooking the Pacific, this course offers some of the best ocean views in possibly all of Southern California. It is divided into two different courses, the south and the north one.

The south course is the more famous one where the US Open took place in 2008 and will be returning in 2021. It is more difficult than the north course and is the best choice for experienced golfers looking for a challenge.
The north course doesn’t fail to impress either, and it is more accessible to all-level golfers. It is said that it also offers better views than the south one.

Encinitas Ranch Golf Course

Location: 1275 Quail Gardens Dr, Encinitas, CA.

The Encinitas Ranch Golf Course is another southern Californian golf course offering spectacular ocean views. Located on a splendid sweep of bluffs, you have a constant view of the Pacific Ocean throughout the course.

Golfers of all skills, from beginners to advanced, can enjoy a fun and challenging game on the course offering 18 championship holes, each with its ups and downs. The Ranch also features a clubhouse and a restaurant where players can relax and grab a delicious meal after a match. The clubhouse also features a splendid ocean view outdoor patio overlooking the ocean where weddings, banquets, and other events take place.

Coronado Golf Course

Location: 2000 Visalia Row, Coronado, CA.

The Coronado Golf Course is considered one of the best public golf courses in the US, ranked #5 by Golf Digest for delivering the best golf value. It is located just minutes from downtown San Diego, beneath the iconic Coronado Bridge.

The course offers open tree-lined fairways, and large greens, making it an ideal vacation destination for recreational golfers.

Monterey Peninsula

The Monterey Peninsula is a world-renowned golf vacation destination, with over thirty different golf courses for you to choose from and some of the most breathtaking coastal sceneries, making it a must-visit vacation destination for any golf enthusiast.

Some of the must-play golf courses in the Monterey Peninsula include:

Pebble Beach Golf Links

Location: 1700 17 Mile Dr, Pebble Beach, CA.

The Pebble Beach Golf Resort, host of six US Opens, is the #1 rated public golf resort in the country. It is quite expensive but at least you don’t have to be part of the golfing elite to get tee time and have the chance to play in the steps of legends while taking in some of the most stunning views. The holes on the ocean are the course’s most special features.

Pasatiempo Golf Club

Location: 20 Clubhouse Rd, Santa Cruz, CA.

The Pasatiempo Golf Course, built by the great Alister MacKenzie, is set on the rolling southern hills of Santa Cruz, just north of Monterey. The course traverses, climbs, and dives the mountains using the landscape perfectly to create a course that feels natural and fits right in with the scenery.

Pasatiempo is an entertaining course for all-level players and in these days of so many closed or private Top 100 golf courses, this semi-private course makes the top of the list of the greatest public access courses in the country.

The Links at Spanish Bay

Location: 2700 17 Mile Dr, Pebble Beach, CA.

Another great golf course in Pebble Beach is The Links at Spanish Bay. Like many of California’s golf courses, stunning ocean views are a key feature of this course as well. The course is laid out on an area of sandy terrain overlooking the Pacific. The first nine holes zigzag to and from the ocean, while the final six holes offer a constant ocean view, producing some of the most scenic golf around.

Monterey Pines Golf Course

Location: 1250 Garden Rd, Monterey, CA.

The Monterey Pines Golf Course is the favorite course of the Monterey local golf players who recognize it as the best value for golf on the Monterey Peninsula. Wavy greens and lakes that come into play on multiple holes pose a challenge even to experience golfers and offer everyone a great recreational experience. The course also features a golf shop where you can buy anything you may need and that offers periodic Demo Days on the range featuring the major golf equipment manufacturers showcasing their most recent innovations.

At this course, reduced fees are available for active and retired military staff and Department of Defence staff.

Napa Valley

Napa Valley is the perfect vacation destination for golfers who are also wine enthusiasts. The area is famous for its wide selection of wineries offering some of the highest quality wine in California. And, just like its wineries, the area’s golf courses don’t fail to impress.

Some of the most notable golf vacation destinations in the area include:

Eagle Vines Vineyards & Golf Club

Location: 580 S Kelly Rd, American Canyon, CA.

The Eagle Vines Golf Course is a Napa Valley classic, with fairways that wind through the vineyards, and gorgeous views of the surrounding nature. It is considered by local golfers as one of the most challenging courses in the area and it will have you use every club in your bag.

Napa Golf Course at Kennedy Park

Location: 2295 Streblow Dr, Napa, CA.

The Napa Golf Course is the only 18-hole championship public course in the valley. Beautifully designed and well maintained this course is beginner and budget friendly while still offering golfers of all skills a great time plus some gorgeous views. It is surely one of the great golfing values in the region.

Hopefully, this brief guide will come in handy when planning your next vacation and it will help you make the best choice, and enjoy the most relaxing golf getaway, in California.

About the author: Julio Sanchez is the owner of Cardiff Vacations, a luxury vacation rental business in Encinitas, California.

Midwest Jewel – French Lick Resort

The Ultimate Golf Destination Right Here In The Midwest
By Ted J. Odorico, Editor/Publisher

Head West, young man! Or should I say Midwest? With 2020 behind us and spring just
around the corner, it’s time to start planning for the new golf season. I don’t know about you,
but I can’t think of a better way than to plan a trip to a great golf destination. The uncertainty
of the pandemic caused many to scrap any hope of planning such an adventure. Whether it’s
a couples getaway or the ultimate buddies trip, one can’t go wrong with French Lick Resort in
French Lick, Indiana.

It features world-class hotels, a casino to tempt even the savviest Las Vegas gambler, fine
dining and, of course, championship golf, boasting 45 holes by master course designers Pete
Dye and Donald Ross. Plus, the Valley Links Course, adjacent to French Lick Springs Hotel,
is a regulation-length, nine-hole course and a conversion of the original Tom Bendelow Valley
Links established in 1907. Just a 30-minute drive down the road in Jasper is Sultan’s Run
Golf Club, adding yet another championship course to the world-class offerings at French Lick
Resort. Sultan’s Run was designed by Dye disciple Tim Liddy and offers a parkland layout
featuring wonderful bunkering, hills and a waterfall located at the 18th green, making it one of
Indiana’s most gorgeous layouts.

But to truly appreciate this ultimate golf destination, you must first have an understanding of
French Lick Resort’s unique history.

Welcome To French Lick

French Lick Springs and West Baden Springs Hotels were the iconic symbols of great
economic achievement back in the early 1900s for rural southern Indiana. The region of
Orange County, with its small towns of French Lick and West Baden, became a famed
vacation and gathering place for wealthy and prominent society members.

In 1845, Dr. William Bowles built French Lick Springs Hotel, which drew guests from as far as
100 miles away to partake of the “miracle waters” from the sulfur springs that naturally
surfaced in the area. Five years later, another doctor by the name of John Lane saw the
success of French Lick Springs Hotel and decided to build his own health resort just 1 mile up
the road and named it Mile Lick Inn. He later changed the name of the hotel, and the town, to
West Baden Springs after the famous mineral springs in Wiesbaden, Germany.

Lee W. Sinclair transformed West Baden Springs Hotel into a sophisticated resort when he
assumed ownership in 1888. He added an opera house, golf courses, church, ball field and
double-decker pony and bicycle track. A fire ravaged the hotel in 1901, but Sinclair used the
opportunity to further transform West Baden Springs Hotel into a world-class facility. With a
$414,000 budget and a one-year timeline, Sinclair erected a hotel modeled after the grandest
spas of Europe, complete with the world’s largest free-span dome, which stretched 200 feet.
That same year, French Lick Springs Hotel also rose to international prominence after
Indianapolis Mayor Tom Taggart purchased the property. He expanded the hotel and added
luxurious furnishings and marble floors, designed two championship golf courses and started
bottling Pluto Water for national sale. During this time, Taggart became the Democratic National Committee chairman, and French Lick Springs Hotel became the unofficial headquarters for the Democratic national party.

During the Democratic Governors Conference at French Lick in 1931, Franklin Delano
Roosevelt rounded up support for the party’s presidential nomination; a year later, he became
the official Democratic candidate and won the presidency in 1932. While French Lick Springs
Hotel remained a functioning resort over the next 100 years, the same could not be said for
West Baden Springs Hotel. After the stock market crash of 1929, the hotel was sold to the
Society of Jesus for one dollar in 1934.

The Jesuits removed many of the building’s elegant appointments and operated it as a
seminary for 30 years. Northwood College was the next tenant, from 1967 to 1983, and then
the magnificent building sat unoccupied for 13 years

When a 180-foot, six-story section of West Baden Springs Hotel collapsed in 1991, it
crumbled further from its glory days. The once-lavish hotel—dubbed the “Eighth Wonder of
the World” by journalists when it opened—was reduced to a pile of rubble. It now had a not-
so-prestigious place on the National Trust’s list of 11 Most Endangered Historic Properties in
the United States. Luckily for the withering structure, help was nearby. Indiana Landmarks,
the largest nonprofit preservation group in the nation, partnered with philanthropists Bill and
Gayle Cook to make a permanent, positive impact on both the hotel and the depressed region
around it. In addition to pioneering medical advances, Bill and Gayle, along with son Carl, had
become revered leaders of the American historical restoration movement by acquiring and
rehabbing dozens of buildings throughout the state. They wanted their work to result in living,
breathing historic places that would be around for centuries to come.

French Lick Resort was the ideal target. Mr. Cook’s initial handshake on a multi-million-dollar
pledge for the stabilization and partial renovation of West Baden Springs Hotel got the ball
rolling on a much more ambitious plan than anyone could have imagined. Their investment
not only saved West Baden Springs Hotel but also restored French Lick Springs Hotel to its
former glory.

The refurbished French Lick Springs Hotel and its new casino officially opened in November
2006, and the large part of the restoration of West Baden Springs Hotel started the next day.
When it was all said and done, it required about $600 million in renovations to create the
resort you see today. More than a decade after “The Save of the Century,” tourism is once
again thriving in the area.

Book the ultimate golf vacation and start your golf season right with a trip to French Lick
Resort: www.frenchlick.com.

LPGA Stars Best Celebs In Short Game Challenge

It took a team of only three LPGA stars to defeat a celebrity foursome of men Tuesday in a Short Game Challenge that kicked off the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions.

Eun Hee Ji, the tournament’s winner last year, blasted a 30-foot sand shot to four inches from the hole, barely beating John Smoltz for the first 10 points.

The celebrities went ahead 15-10 when seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens had the best chip among the seven players, hitting a 15-yard chip to within 11 inches of the hole.

At the third and final station, Pernilla Lindberg clinched LPGA victory when her knockdown 7-iron shot from 15 yards away broke a 3-by-3-foot pane of glass situated 7 feet above ground. It was worth 25 points and victory.

In an unofficial competition afterward, Diamond Resorts CEO and tournament founder Mike Flaskey won a putting competition by dropping two putts from 6 feet and another from 9 feet.

The entertainment continued afterward when comedy legend Larry The Cable Guy, one of the celebrity team members, held court:

“(It’s so hot here) you could film an entire episode of Swamp People in my shorts.”
“I went to get a physical this morning and three mushrooms fell out (because of moisture).”
“It’s so cold in Lincoln (Nebraska, his residence) that the ice cream machine at McDonald’s is working.”

The tournament features 26 LPGA winners from the previous two seasons competing alongside 49 celebrities from sports and entertainment. The event runs Thursday-Sunday at Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club Orlando.

The LPGA champions will play four days of stroke play, with no cut, for $1.2 million. The celebrities will play for a separate $500,000 purse, using a modified Stableford scoring format.

The LPGA field features Lexi Thompson, Brittany Lincicome, Brooke Henderson, Inbee Park, Nelly and Jessica Korda, Ariya Jutanugarn and defending champion Eun Hee Ji.

In the celebrity division, former major league pitcher Mark Mulder is listed as a slight favorite over two fellow past champions, ex-tennis star Mardy Fish and baseball Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz. Smoltz, the Atlanta Braves legend turned broadcaster, edged Mulder in the final round last year.

[ngg src=”galleries” ids=”17″ display=”basic_imagebrowser”]Stay tuned for more news and other updates from the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions