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Golf Destinations

Looking to plan your next golf trip? Look no further than the following articles!

Woodstock Inn & Resort Offers Charm, Golf

May 21, 2014 | By Greg D'Andrea | Leave a Comment

mainbuilding_press_high800.jpgA getaway with the family is not a common occurrence – especially one where golf is involved. But if you live in the Northeastern U.S., the Woodstock Inn & Resort can accommodate.

Last week, my wife, kids and I spent 2 days and 2 nights in Woodstock, Vermont – a place that defines the New England countryside with farmland, historic sites and…well, golf.

A few hours from Boston, New York and Connecticut, the drive up alone will relax you – especially during a weekday when traffic is light. And once you arrive in Woodstock, you will be charmed by a picturesque little town with 18th- and 19th-century architecture, quaint shops and great food.

A stone’s throw from the shops and restaurants sits the Woodstock Inn & Resort – a 142 guest room luxury hotel that also offers a full spa, racquet and fitness club (including indoor pool) and two restaurants. From the time we arrived, we were impressed – the inn is simply beautiful and the room and accommodations were wonderful.

IMG_4430But what really drew me to the resort was the Robert Trent Jones Sr.-designed golf course – which is ranked on Golf Magazine’s top 100 golf resorts list. I played the par-70 course with W. Courtney Lowe, the Inn’s director of marketing. Mr. Lowe gave me a quick history lesson on the place: The course was originally built into the hillside forest in the 1890’s and redesigned by Robert Trent Jones Sr. in the 1960’s. He even pointed out an old tee-box set into the woods just adjacent to one of the modern holes – pretty neat.

As we walked the course on a cool, overcast morning, Mr. Lowe and I chatted about golf (the original course was created after a couple of men were visiting in the late 19th-century and decided the area needed golf); the inn (which is part of The Woodstock Foundation created by Laurance S. and Mary F. Rockefeller); and the local food scene (much of which is sourced from area farms). When our round was over, I rejoined my family to try some of that great food – and I wasn’t disappointed.

For lunch we stopped at Mountain Creamery – a diner of sorts that specializes in homemade baked goods and ice cream (the mile high apple pie a la mode was unreal). For dinner we enjoyed craft beer (well, not the kiddies) and great locally-sourced food at the Worthy Kitchen. Both places are a must-stop when in Woodstock. And as I mentioned above, the Inn itself features two places to eat – the Tavern, which features a bar and casual dining, and also the upscale, farm-sourced Red Rooster, where we enjoyed a meal on our first night in town.

On our final day in Woodstock, my wife indulged in a 50-minute back massage at the inn’s spa, after which we headed about a mile up the road to visit the Billings Farm and Museum (which is owned and operated by the same foundation that runs the Woodstock Inn). The place was teaming with baby animals – the kids enjoyed seeing the lambs and petting the calfs while the wife and I learned the farm is among the milk suppliers to Cabot Creamery (you may have seen their cheese in your grocery store).

All-in-all, it was a great couple of days – The Woodstock Inn & Resort is a wonderful hotel with plenty of amenities to indulge in. And the town of Woodstock is a picturesque little village that will charm you throughout your stay. If you live anywhere near the northeastern part of the country, a drive to this nook in the New England countryside is well-worth it. And if you golf, you’ll find it won’t disappoint – the course is literally a few minutes walk (or 2 minute shuttle ride) away from the inn and is both well-designed and aesthetically pleasing.

While we visited in the spring, Mr. Lowe tells me the inn’s peak time is during the summer and in the fall (when this part of Vermont will be ablaze with colorful foliage). Don’t miss an opportunity to getaway for a few days, stay and play, and truly enjoy what New England has to offer.

Filed Under: Golf Destinations Tagged With: billings farm, mountain creamery, New England, robert trent jones, Vermont, woodstock inn & resort, worthy kitchen

My Top 5 Favorite Golf Course Photos

December 4, 2013 | By Greg D'Andrea | 1 Comment

Nowadays, pretty much everyone carries a camera with them out on the golf course – even if it’s just the one on their phone. But I would carry a camera with me on the course long before cell phones became a standard accessory.

Early on, I realized that golf was much more than just a game – it’s a hike through some of the most beautiful surroundings nature has to offer.

And so I sought to capture those surroundings, with camera (and clubs) in hand. While I hardly consider myself a talented (or even good) photographer, below are some of my favorite shots…

Sleeping Giant Golf Course – Connecticut, USA
I snapped this photo from behind the 9th green one afternoon late in October. I liked it so much, it was the wallpaper on my computer for about three years. Perhaps the closest thing to my “home” course, Native American folklore said the hills (in the background of the photo) resembled a giant man sleeping – hence this little 9-holer’s name.

sleeping giant golf course
Photo by Greg D’Andrea

Paa-Ko Ridge Golf Club – New Mexico, USA
I consider Paa-Ko Ridge one of my favorite golf courses. To take this photo of the par 4, 15th, I had to stand on the championship tee-box of hole 17. Though I was playing a few tee-boxes up, the walk back was well worth it. If you ever get the chance to play golf in New Mexico, do not pass it up – the courses there are simply amazing (see my review HERE).

paa-ko ridge golf club
Photo by Greg D’Andrea

The Golf Club at Moon Palace – Cancun, Mexico
My first round outside the United States came at this Jack Nicklaus Signature course. While the photo features a great golf hole, what I love the most about this image is you can see (if you look hard enough) a few of the staff actually diving (in their work clothes) to retrieve balls from the pond – a normal part of their daily job responsibilities.

The Golf Club at Moon Palace
Photo by Greg D’Andrea

Kapalua (The Bay Course) – Hawaii, USA
The signature hole on The Bay Course at Kapalua plays over the Pacific Ocean – complete with strong winds and waves crashing up against the cliffs below. The whole thing is very surreal and the photo I snapped doesn’t do it justice. Needless to say, I plunked two tee-shots into the abyss before making it across safely (see my review HERE).

kapalua
Photo by Greg D’Andrea

Okemo Valley Golf Club – Vermont, USA
Okemo is widely known as a winter ski resort, but it features one heck of a golf course in the summertime too. I don’t even remember what hole I took this photo on, but I like it because it expresses the serenity and tranquility of golf. My friend Tom had hit a good approach shot and was walking to mark his ball. While I was watching him, I got the urge to take this photo – the atmosphere was just perfect; it was eerily quiet with a warm breeze from right to left. The image really does capture the mood at the time – calm and peaceful.

okemo valley golf club
Photo by Greg D’Andrea

Keep in mind, these are not necessarily my favorite golf courses, but rather my favorite memories from golf courses. These photos remind me that playing golf is secondary to the experience golf has to offer. Slow down and enjoy – after all, golf is a game; you should have fun playing it.

Filed Under: Golf Destinations Tagged With: hawaii, kapalua, mexico, okemo, paa-ko ridge golf club, sleeping giant golf course, the golf club at moon palace

Chip Shots: What if Every Hole was a Water Hole?

August 21, 2012 | By Tom Treloar | Leave a Comment

Looking for a better golf challenge? How about playing a course where every hole is a water hazard? In fact, all 18-holes would be anchored to the bottom of the ocean! Recently, the Daily Mail reported on plans to start building a floating golf course in the Maldives for £320 million!

Underwater tunnels would connect players to each hole and the entire project would be very eco-friendly. And while this all sounds really cool, it should be noted that this is just one part of a huge plan to save the Maldives islands (which scientists say are sinking into the sea). But what’s even more cool is that they’ve decided to build the golf course first! Hey – you can’t rebuild a nation without first getting your priorities straight!

Filed Under: Golf Destinations Tagged With: floating golf course, golf, maldives, ocean

Kapalua Caps Maui Vacation

May 2, 2012 | By Greg D'Andrea | 2 Comments

golfstinks, golf stinks

You may recall I had planned a trip to Hawaii (specifically Maui) for this April. We had finalized the trip rather late in the game (just two months prior to departure) and it took till the week before for me to realize I was about to embark on a journey to paradise.

But once reality set in, I was excited: We had booked tickets to a luau; bought passage on a whale watching boat where we could also snorkel; planned quality time loafing on the beach; and I had set aside a few hours to sneak in a round of golf.

But this wasn’t going to be just any round of golf – no sir. I had a tee-time booked at Kapalua. The resort community features two legendary golf courses (one is host to the PGA Tour’s Hyundai Tournament of Champions) and both are designed by one legendary golfer – Arnold Palmer.

Let me begin by saying Maui is gorgeous. It’s truly a heavenly landscape, complete with sun-drenched palms and misty mountains – visions that have a way of relaxing every bone in your body just by being aware of your surroundings.

golfstinks, golf stinks

But Kapalua kicks it up a notch. Set between the mountains and the ocean, there are views that will leave you breathless – not only of the palm tree-litterd coastline, but of the course itself. For example, the par 3, 5th hole on The Bay Course (see photo at right) requires sailing your tee shot over the crashing surf, past a stretch of caliche and onto a green flanked by three traps.

Beyond the views, the course is immaculate. Despite the tee-boxes and greens having recently been aerated (which you can tell in the photos), the ball still rolled true and steady. The fairways were cut to perfection, while the rough was tough, but not impossible.

Before my round, I spoke a bit to the Sales and Marketing Manager, Dustin Irwin. With management of the courses recently transferred to Troon Golf, Dustin was excited about the upgrades being made. For example, all the carts are new and electric – complete with a built-in cooler for your preferred beverage and a state-of-the-art GPS system where each hole features its own video fly-over! And of course, Kapalua is doing its part to conserve – water is rationed and reused and environmental areas maintained and protected.

If you’re like me and only end up playing one round in Hawaii, there’s no need to lug your clubs along – Kapalua is stocked with complete sets of clubs from Titleist (I actually may have been sold on that 910D2 driver – was hitting the tar out of it).

golfstinks, golf stinks

The round took just 3.5 hours. Typically, when you play at that pace, it’s on a course you know well. At Kapalua, I took time to snap some photos (as can be seen in this post) and enjoy myself. Yet the group behind us was always a good hole back, and I don’t remember seeing anyone ahead of us. Perhaps it was the time of year, but I felt relaxed and comfortable the entire time.

We capped off the day in Kapalua’s Pineapple Grill restaurant, where I soaked in wonderful course views on the patio while sipping on a deliciously strong Mai Tai. And if the fish and chips I ordered were any indication, both the Pineapple Grill’s libations and food are well-worth a post-round visit.

Overall, Kapalua is awesome and deserving of a round if you’re visiting Maui. While the Ritz-Carlton is on the premises, we stayed about 30 minutes south in the cute little touristy town of Lahaina (nothing against the Ritz, but it’s a little too ritzy for my blood).

golfstinks, golf stinks

Speaking of costs, neither course at Kapalua is cheap: The Bay Course is right around $200, while The Plantation Course is just under $300. But twilight rates begin at 1PM – where not just the greens-fees drop considerably, but so does the price of club rentals. And further discounts can be had should you decide to stay at the Ritz.

Bottom line: Maui was fantastic: I throughly enjoyed myself at the Luau; experienced some of the best snorkeling around; got to spy a mom and calf whale in the Pacific (though half of my boat was sea sick by that time); and played one of the top golf courses in the world. If you ever have the chance to visit, don’t pass it up – it truly is a paradise.

Filed Under: Golf Destinations Tagged With: bay course, Course review, hawaii, Hyundai, kapalua, lahaina, luau, maui, pineapple grill, plantation course

Anyone Ever Golf in Hawaii?

February 22, 2012 | By Greg D'Andrea | 8 Comments

Kapalua on the island of Maui is a must-play in Hawaii (Photo by Greg D’Andrea)

Me and my big mouth…

So a couple of years ago, my wife and I; my in-laws; and my sister-in-law and her husband were on a family vacation in the Florida Keys.

One evening, while lounging under a few palm trees and sipping on some rum-based concoction, my aforementioned gigantic mouth blurts out: “Hey, next time, we should go to Hawaii!”

The next day, my wife reminded me of how crazy my suggestion was: “Hawaii? You realize I’m pregnant, right? When will we have time to go to Hawaii with a baby?” “Relax,” I told her. “Your sister is pregnant too. It was late, I had a few in me – no one took me seriously. We’re not going to Hawaii…trust me.”

Fast forward to present day. It’s midnight and I just spent the last several hours online booking our flights to Hawaii. Maui, to be exact. Turns out my sister-in-law not only took me very seriously, but considered my suggestion a splendid idea to boot (babies or no babies).

Anyone ever try to book a vacation to Hawaii from the East Coast of the United States with a toddler in tow? Making the trip all in one day is an impossibility (our son would be off the wall by the 8th hour in). So we have to break-up our flights.

Initially, I tried to fly into LA and then catch a non-stop flight to Maui the next day, but it turns out to be much cheaper to go to San Diego first, then to LA and then to Maui. Yep – a flight from LA to Maui was like $300 more per-person than a flight from San Diego to LA to Maui (same airline). WTF?

Of course, you can’t go to San Diego with a toddler and not go to the zoo. So we’re flying into San Diego two days before our flight to Maui (via LA) and going to the zoo (now I know why I was saving all my hotel points…geesh).

So, when we finally get to Hawaii, we’ll have seven days to lounge under a few palm trees while sipping on a Mai Tai (AKA: a rum-based concoction) – which is just enough time for my fat yap to suggest we all go to Greece next.

All that being said, I’m pleased to report there will be time for a round of golf while I’m in Maui…But where should I play?

Since we’re staying on the west coast of the island, I feel like Kapalua Plantation (home of the Hyundai Tournament of Champions) should be high on my list. Anyone ever play there?

How about other suggestions? I’ll probably only have time for one round so I want to make it count. But Kapalua is pushing $300 and this trip is costing me a small fortune already – perhaps there’s another awesome course with lower greens fees? Don’t get me wrong, I’ll go a bit more in debt for Kapalua, but I just wanted to weigh all my options first.

My trip is in April – any suggestions beforehand would be greatly appreciated! And I plan on posting about my experience on whichever course I end up playing, so stay tuned for that too.

Wish me luck!

Filed Under: Golf Destinations Tagged With: hawaii, kapalua, maui, travel

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