Golf Travel News 23 September 2023

Golf Travel News 23 September 2023

In golf news this week are items from Horseshoe Bay, Hilton Head, Algarve, Costa Brava, Pebble Beach and Willoughby Golf Club.

• 2023 Horseshoe Bay Resort Shootout Set for October 28: PGA and LPGA Stars Face Off at Summit Rock
• THE SEA PINES RESORT OFFERS THE BEST OF THE LOWCOUNTRY
• Pebble Beach Company Partners with Gil Hanse to Enhance The Links at Spanish Bay 
• Experience the Ultimate Guys’ Golf Trip in Algarve, Portugal
• Costa Brava seeks share of $814.6 billion global wellness tourism market
• Thirty-Five Years Later, Willoughby Golf Club Hires Its Second Head Golf Professional

2023 Horseshoe Bay Resort Shootout Set for October 28: PGA and LPGA Stars Face Off at Summit Rock

Gerina Mendoza, Angela Stanford, Bob Estes and Nick Watney to tee it up on acclaimed Jack Nicklaus Signature layout

HORSESHOE BAY, TX – One of Horseshoe Bay Resort’s most popular signature golf events returns Saturday, October 28 at 10 a.m. when four decorated professional golfers with a combined 17 wins on the PGA and LPGA Tours (including one major) face off in the Fifth Annual Shootout at Horseshoe Bay Resort on the private, award-winning Summit Rock course.

The 10-hole exhibition match will feature LPGA stars Gerina Mendoza and Angela Stanford and multiple-time winners from the PGA Tour, Bob Estes and Nick Watney, competing on Horseshoe Bay’s highly rated private Jack Nicklaus-designed Summit Rock course. Gallery members are welcome to take part in up-close viewing access at this unique event and will have a scenic walk on the dramatic, towering Summit Rock layout.

Playing along towering ridges overlooking Lake LBJ and plummeting through lush valleys and primitive limestone beds, this quintessential Texas Hill Country course is unquestionably the fifth star of The Shootout at Horseshoe Bay Resort and the upcoming episode of Golf Life TV that will be recorded during the event and aired all over the United States later this fall.

2002 PGA Championship victor Rich Beem will play host along with Holder with Beem also taking part in the Golf Life TV coverage. This fifth edition of The Shootout at Horseshoe Bay Resort will be a 10-hole, two-team, match-play event, teeing off at 10 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 28. A Welcome Breakfast Reception will commence prior to the round on the Summit Rock driving range. All guests staying at Horseshoe Bay Resort that weekend will have access to watch all the live golf action on Summit Rock.

THE ULTIMATE GOLF WEEKEND
To make it easy to enjoy The Shootout at Horseshoe Bay Resort, the property is offering a special UNLIMITED RTJ GOLF Package which includes complimentary admission to the golf event. The package also includes: Classic Guest Room, unlimited rounds of golf per adult from day of arrival through day of departure, $25 food & beverage credit per accommodation per night, one round on the Whitewater Putting Course per adult per night, and a 15% discount off full-priced retail items at the Slick Rock and Cap Rock Clubhouses. *based on availability. Certain restrictions apply.

The UNLIMITED RTJ GOLF Package can be booked by calling 855-441-1524 or online at HSBResort.com.

THE SEA PINES RESORT OFFERS THE BEST OF THE LOWCOUNTRY

Hilton Head Island vacation packages are perfect for relaxation and enjoyment

ILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (Sept. 21, 2023) – Two amenity-filled packages from The Sea Pines Resort highlight the best of Hilton Head Island for couples, friends, and families.

Pristine sand beaches? Check. Atlantic Ocean waves? Of course. The unique Lowcountry lifestyle? Absolutely.  The Sea Pines Resort is the ideal venue to enjoy all that and more, including world-class golf, biking and walking trails, and numerous outdoor activities designed for all ages.

The Getaway Vacation Package—available for home and villa rentals from now through Feb. 23, 2024—features complimentary meals, discounts, bicycles, and preferred golf rates at the resort’s three championship golf courses, including Harbour Town Golf Links, home of the PGA Tour’s RBC Heritage tournament.

The minimum four-night package starts at $185 per night in a two-bedroom deluxe villa and includes a complimentary family portrait session on the beach, reduced tennis and pickleball rates at the Sea Pines Racquet Club, and access to The Sea Pines Resort Fitness Center and Harbour Town Pool. (The package is not available Nov. 18-27, and Dec. 19-Jan. 2, 2024.)

To book, call (866) 561-8802 and mention the promotion code, GETAWAY. To book online, visit this link.

Prefer to stay at The Inn & Club at Harbour Town? Receive a $75 Gift Card at The Inn & Club, when you book a stay anytime from Sunday to Thursday through Dec. 31. Guests booking a three-night minimum stay receive a $75 gift card to experience the endless assortment of activities and dining options at The Sea Pines Resort. The package also includes:

• Complimentary adult bikes and reduced rates on children’s bikes
• Reduced golf rates
• Reduced tennis and pickleball rates at the Sea Pines Racquet Club
• Special discounts on eco-adventures and activities
• Complimentary access to the luxurious boutique pool and spa
• Complimentary access to The Sea Pines Resort Fitness Center

To book the $75 Gift Card at The Inn & Club Package, call (866) 561-8802 and mention the promotion code, STAYTHREE, during your booking process. To book online, visit link.

Pebble Beach Company Partners with Gil Hanse to Enhance The Links at Spanish Bay 

PEBBLE BEACH, CALIF. (September 12, 2023) Pebble Beach Company (“PBC”) announced today a partnership with Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner, and Hanse Golf Course Design (“HGCD”), to re-design The Links at Spanish Bay (“Spanish Bay”). Opened in 1987 between the world-famous Inn at Spanish Bay and the Pacific Ocean, Spanish Bay offers golfers a Scotland-inspired golf experience with ocean views on nearly every hole.  With Hanse and Wagner’s vision, Spanish Bay is poised to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with its more heralded sibling courses, Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill Golf Course.

Golfers around the globe are familiar with Gil Hanse originals, which include Castle Stuart Golf Links, Ohoopee Match Club, Pinehurst No. 4, Streamsong Black, and The Olympic Golf Course (Brazil) along with restorations of The Country Club at Brookline, Los Angeles Country Club (North), and Oakmont Country Club.  

“The Links at Spanish Bay possesses nearly every raw element you’d want in a golf course, from expansive ocean views to rolling, sandy terrain,” said Hanse. “With these natural attributes already in place, our team will have a significant head start on delivering a final product that will be in the top echelon of ‘must play’ courses.”

For more information about Pebble Beach Resorts, visit https://www.pebblebeach.com or follow Pebble Beach on Facebook and Instagram.   

About Pebble Beach Resorts 

Pebble Beach Company, headquartered in Pebble Beach, Calif., owns and operates the world-famous Pebble Beach Resorts®, including The Lodge at Pebble Beach™, The Inn at Spanish Bay™, and Casa Palmero®. The company also operates five renowned golf courses: Pebble Beach Golf Links®, Spyglass Hill® Golf Course, The Links at Spanish Bay™, Del Monte™ Golf Course, and The Hay. Its other famed properties include scenic 17-Mile Drive®, The Spa at Pebble Beach™, Pebble Beach Golf Academy™, and Pebble Beach® Equestrian Center. It annually hosts premier events such as the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance®, Pebble Beach Food & Wine, TaylorMade Pebble Beach Invitational, and the PURE Insurance Championship Impacting The First Tee. Future site of the 2035, 2040 and 2048 U.S. Women’s Opens and 2027, 2032, 2038, and 2044 U.S. Open Championships, Pebble Beach Golf Links® has hosted six U.S. Opens, five U.S. Amateurs, the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open, one PGA Championship, and numerous other tournaments. For reservations or more information, please call 800-654-9300 or visit pebblebeach.com. 

About Hanse Golf Course Design 

We are an intentionally small firm, dedicated to the proposition that golf courses are designed, restored and renovated in the field as opposed to solely on the drawing board. Formed in 1993 by founder Gil Hanse, who was joined in 1995 by partner Jim Wagner, Hanse Golf Course Design has patiently nurtured its reputation and its craft to arrive at a position of designing and restoring some of the finest golf courses in the world. 

Experience the Ultimate Guys’ Golf Trip in Algarve, Portugal

Cascade Wellness Resort is the perfect place for an all-inclusive golf trip whether you’re aiming to improve your skills or play a few rounds with the guys. With the Golf Academy on property guests can take advantage of the scenic driving range, private or group lessons, fitting center, video swing & body posture analysis, and the putting green with a sea view. Enjoy four of the best golf courses in the Algarve ranging from an 8 minute to 30-minute drive away. The resort offers golf packages which include green fees allowing guests to play at the surrounding courses. Additionally, Cascade Wellness Resort excels in providing a close service to the guests with 164 units of accommodation, a comprehensive range of spa services, eclectic international cuisine with local inspiration and indoor and outdoor fitness activities.

Another fantastic property for an on-par golf experience is NAU Salgados Palace. In close proximity to the Salgados Beach, NAU Salgados Palace enjoys a beautiful view above the golf course and the sea. With 18-holes, the Salgados Golf Course is in a prime location, situated next to Salgados Beach and visible from the hotel. On the property guests will also find leisure activities such as 4 outdoor swimming pools, a fantastic spa, restaurants, bars, and panoramic views to complete the ultimate guy’s trip experience.

Costa Brava seeks share of $814.6 billion global wellness tourism market

(Girona, Spain – September 4, 2023) – With the global wellness tourism market projecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.42% between 2023 and 2030*, Costa Brava seeks to secure its share of the sector’s $814.6 billion opportunity and cement its status as the definitive haven for avid golfers in the pursuit of wellbeing.

Located between the foothills of the Pyrenees to the north and the Mediterranean Sea to the east, Costa Brava seamlessly marries the realms of golf and wellness, boasting a collection of world-class courses and luxury hotels, alongside rejuvenating wellness amenities that go beyond the traditional golfing holiday. Among its offerings are:

Peralada Resort: Combining tradition with modernity, the 5* resort features an 18-hole course where views of the surrounding vineyards and the imposing Pyrenees Mountain range provide guests with nature’s tonic for stress relief. Golfers aiming to elevate their emotional wellbeing can savour the pleasures of vinotherapy at Hotel Peralada Wine Spa, where unique wine-infused treatments and grape seed oil massages harness the healing properties of wine grapes.

Torremirona Golf & Spa Resort: Golfers opting for the Alt Empordà fairways, can benefit from a stay at the 4* Torremirona Relais Hotel where the Dubhé Spa offers wellness experiences above and beyond traditional spa treatments that combine jacuzzi, sauna, hammams, massages and bi-thermal showers with therapies that ensure a perfect golf and wellbeing stay.

In addition to the region’s golf resorts, Costa Brava boasts a number of luxury hotels with wellness-focused amenities that cater to those seeking rejuvenation and complete relaxation: 

Mas de Torrent Hotel & Spa: As one of the leading hotels in the region, this elegant retreat in Girona boasts the 600m2 MasSpa, a sophisticated space integrated with the environment. Designed for holistic care, it features its own heated pool, treatment rooms, dry sauna and hammam, water circuit, fitness area and designated rooms for activities such as yoga, meditation or Pilates.

Hotel Santa Marta: Gracefully situated along the Lloret de Mar coastline, Hotel Santa Marta offers a luxury wellness spa with heated and cold-water pools, sauna, Turkish bath, chromatherapy showers, jacuzzi, a Swedish sauna and massage rooms with professionals specialising in various therapeutic disciplines using only natural and organic products.

Park Hotel San Jorge: Perched on the Cap Roig cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, the 4* hotel offers a unique wellness retreat amidst nature’s beauty. Its essSpa, features an infinity pool with panoramic sea views, state-of-the-art fitness centre and an array of pampering treatments that blend wellness, art, nature and sensory experiences with a wide variety of therapeutic rituals. 

Beyond golf and wellness, travellers can embrace an active approach to exploring Costa Brava by discovering the region’s unique cultural heritage and wealth of outdoor activities such as hiking, trail running and cycling amid eight natural parks and 300 days of sunshine per year.

Whether you are an avid golfer seeking new challenges, starting your wellness journey or simply wanting to unwind amidst Spain’s serene landscapes, Costa Brava promises world-class golf alongside health and wellness experiences that will harmonise body, mind and soul.  

Additional information on Costa Brava can be found at www.costabrava.org

Thirty-Five Years Later, Willoughby Golf Club Hires Its Second Head Golf Professional

STUART, Fla. – When Gerry Knebels was hired as Willoughby Golf Club’s first head professional in 1988, he planned to spend five years at the South Florida property before heading to the Midwest, where he had established professional roots, in search of a position at a private club. 

Thirty-five years later, the beloved Knebels finally left Willoughby, retiring in the summer of 2023 after a run at the club that saw him grow into an institution along the Stuart, Fla. golf scene. Knebels played a vital role in Willoughby’s emergence as one of the area’s most popular clubs, and his impact will be felt long into the future via his successor Skip Deaner. 

While Knebels will take a lot of institutional knowledge into retirement, Deaner, who had been the first assistant at Willoughby the last six years, is more than prepared to assume the lead role, helping ensure the club’s continued success. 

“He knows the whole membership,” Knebels says of Deaner. “Now he can put his signature (on the club). He is more than qualified and understands how everything works. It’s an easy passing of the baton.”

Deaner, who grew up in Dublin, Ohio and once worked as a first assistant at Muirfield Village, has been immersed in the game since he was a kid. After a stellar junior career, he played at and graduated from Stetson University; while his dreams of  life on the PGA Tour ended, his desire to work in the golf business never wavered. 

The avid sports fan and outdoorsman paid his dues, starting his career at Loxahatchee Golf Club working in the bag room, but his ascent was as steady as it was undeniable. Sandwiched around his tenure at Muirfield, Deaner also worked as an assistant at Old Palm Golf Club and the Legacy Club, where he first met Knebels, setting the stage for his eventual ascension to the head job at Willoughby.

For more information, visit www.WilloughbyGolfClub.com.