Golf Travel News Aug. 21 2021

Golf Travel News Aug. 18 2021

In recent golf travel news are items from Rumbling Bald, Island Resort and Casino, Myrtle Beach, Grand Geneva and Pueblo Bonito Pacifica

Rumbling Bald Rolls Out Fall 2021 Golf Packages

36-Hole Retreat on North Carolina’s Stunning Lake Lure Ideal for Golf Groups, Buddy Trips

(LAKE LURE, N.C.) – Rumbling Bald, the 36-hole golf retreat on North Carolina’s stunning Lake Lure just two hours west of Charlotte, is rolling out its golf package lineup for the fall, customized for golf groups of any size and ideal for weekend or weekday buddy trips during Western North Carolina’s most scenic season.

Starting at $313 per person, the popular “Hole-in-One” package features a two-night stay, two rounds of golf on the Apple Valley and Bald Mountain courses and unlimited range balls at both course’s recently upgraded practice areas. Lodging options abound, including the Apple Valley Studios (across from Apple Valley) and two- and four-bedroom Fairway Villas situated along Bald Mountain just steps from the first tee. 

With a nod to the long-awaited 2021 Ryder Cup at Destination Kohler’s famed Whistling Straits in Wisconsin, Rumbling Bald continues to offer its limited availability “Ryder Cup Package” this fall. Expert golf vacation planners are available to design an exciting, Ryder Cup team formatted event for golf groups in search of an unforgettable experience. 

The Ryder Cup Package starts at $541 per person and includes: three nights’ lodging; three rounds of golf scored and handicapped; complimentary replays on either course; a team shirt and hat; private, one-hour opening reception with wine, beer and hors d’oeuvres and unlimited use of the practice facilities. With the Ryder Cup played in the Central Time Zone, golfers compete against their buddies in the morning with plenty of time to catch the action from Whistling Straits in the afternoon.

“The golf experience at Rumbling Bald is better than ever with enhancements to both courses and practice facilities, new golf carts and a wide-variety of lodging options,” says Rumbling Bald General Manager Jeff Geisler. “And with Lake Lure, the surrounding fall foliage and daytime highs in the 60s and 70s, it just doesn’t get any better.”

For groups of 12 or more, Rumbling Bald offers gratis golf for group leaders upon booking their first trip to the property. The “12+ Comp” is ideal for PGA Professional-member trips, tournaments, or large golf buddy trips. 

To learn more about Rumbling Bald’s golf courses and packages, visit www.rumblingbald.com, or email [email protected]. To book packages directly, or to speak with a golf vacation planner, call (828) 694.3072. 

Fall Golf and Gaming in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula  

Ryder Cup, College/NFL Football and MLB, Fall is a great time to experience Island Resort and Casino

Escanaba, MI – One of the best experiences that golfers who visit Michigan get to have annually during the fall season are the magnificent colors scattered across the Great Lakes State. Those looking for a head start on fall golf can combine this wonderful scenery with gaming and sportsbook betting in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula at Island Resort & Casino, located 13-miles west of Escanaba.

The region comes to life a few weeks earlier than downstate when sunny crisp days become a feast for the senses with hardwoods changing colors and turning their hues to scarlet, rust, gold and orange. Home of the award-winning Sweetgrass and Sage Run golf courses, golfers are now planning fall golf adventures and combining it with sportsbook gaming entertainment.

The fall months of September and October are a perfect time to visit the Island Resort & Casino with premier sporting events like the Ryder Cup, College/NFL Football, and MLB Baseball taking place. TwinSpires, the official online wagering site for Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby is the official partner of the resort. This is the perfect golf trip combining multiple championship courses and spending the evenings gaming and watching the best sporting events. With 14 kiosks conveniently located throughout T.McC’s Sports Bar, golfers can easily place bets watching golf, college or professional football, MLB baseball games and other sports on 30+ big screen TVs. 

Whether it’s a buddy trip or couples golf getaway, fully customizable fall packages can be booked featuring 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-night lodging options with up to four rounds of golf. Pricing starts at just $95 per person based on double occupancy. The popular Perfect Foursome package starts out at $350.00 per person for four rounds golf (Sweetgrass, Sage Run, Greywalls, and Timberstone) and three nights lodging.

Make sure to visit the Island Resort and Casino website for exciting sportsbook promotions during the fall season, especially Sportsbook Sundays for NFL football and exciting sportsbook action on Saturdays. Visit www.islandresortgolf.com for more details.

Award-winning golf has become the centerpiece of the Island Resort & Casino

Designed by Paul Albanese, Sweetgrass features an open layout with some of the game’s most fun greens to putt (Redan, Biarritz, Island and Double-Green), as well as some wonderful strategic holes — including the famous island green No. 15 and spectacular double green with finishing par-five holes on each side. The course, which plays host to the Symetra Tour’s Island Resort Championship, is ranked among Golfweek’s Best Courses and has been recognized by GOLF Magazine and Golf Digest as a Best in State selection. 

Sage Run, also designed by Albanese, offers a contrasting style from its sister course. The course, which was listed among Golf Digest’s prestigious list of “Best New Courses” in 2019, meanders through beautiful Upper Peninsula hardwoods, open vistas, and a very dramatic ridge — offering a scenic variety of shots that collectively create a fun thrill ride for golfers. The course annually plays host to some of the top collegiate players with The Island Resort Intercollegiate at Sage Run. 

PIne Lakes Country Club Reopens Following Greens, Bunker Restoration Project

Storied Course Welcomes Golfers Back To Much Improved Layout

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — Pine Lakes Country Club, Myrtle Beach’s first golf course, reopened to public play on July 13 following a greens and bunker restoration project that transformed the venerable layout.

Founders Group International, Pine Lakes’ parent company, partnered with Craig Schreiner to lead the effort at the Granddaddy. At the heart of the work was the installation of new Sunday bermudagrass greens, providing Myrtle Beach’s oldest course with one of the game’s premier ultradwarf putting surfaces.

Sunday bermuda grass has proven to be a particularly hearty strain along the Grand Strand, guaranteeing smooth, fast greens that thrive in the area’s subtropical climate. The new grass is replacing the paspalum that was installed during a 2008-09 renovation.

The greens were also restored to their original size, adding more than 21,000 square feet of putting surface at Pine Lakes, an increase of 20 percent.

While the new greens attract much of the attention, Schreiner’s bunker work was no less dramatic. Every greenside bunker on the course was renovated, an effort that included the installation of a new state-of-the-art drainage system, and 25 of Pine Lakes’ 26 bunkers were reduced in size.

The new bunker faces feature traditional, native grasses that roll into the sand, giving the course a more natural look that provides an equally fair test for players of varying skill levels.

Pine Lakes closed on April 26 to begin the project.

“Pine Lakes is one of the Myrtle Beach area’s iconic layouts, and we are committed to ensuring it maintains not only it’s position of historical importance but also its reputation as a course golfers relish the opportunity to play,” said Founders Group International President Steve Mays. “We are delighted with the results of the greens and bunker restoration project and can’t wait to welcome golfers back to the Granddaddy.”

Pine Lakes, which opened in 1927, was originally designed by Robert White, a native of St. Andrews, Scotland and the first president of the PGA of America, and the course, along with its famed clubhouse, is part of the National Registry of Historic Places.

Built along natural dunes less than a mile from the Atlantic Ocean, Pine Lakes features natural elevation change and a classic design that has long made it one of the Myrtle Beach area’s most popular courses.

The work at Pine Lakes is just the latest capital improvement project undertaken by FGI as the company has committed to reinvesting in its 21 courses, ensuring an unforgettable experience for vacationing golfers.

In the last three years, FGI has also completed significant course improvement projects at TPC Myrtle Beach, Aberdeen Country Club, the PineHills and Palmetto courses at Myrtlewood, and Tradition Club.

To book a tee time or learn more about Pine Lakes, visit PineLakes.com.

PGA Professional, Navy Veteran Angel Diaz Named Director of Project Golf

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — Angel Diaz, a PGA professional and retired Navy veteran, has been named Director of Project Golf, a Myrtle Beach-based grow the game initiative.

Project Golf is dedicated to increasing access to the sport, including quality instruction, with an emphasis on junior golfers, military veterans and prospective players who previously may not have felt comfortable at a golf course. While raising interest and increasing play are Project Golf’s top priorities, they are not the organization’s only missions.
 
Project Golf has raised money to help members of the local golf community in need and is actively reaching out to disabled veterans, using golf as a means of therapy.

Diaz is an ideal candidate to run the ascending program, combining his background in the golf business with the organizational and leadership skills he developed during 22 years of service in the United States Navy.

After retiring from the Navy, Diaz, who also has a Bachelor’s degree, graduated from the Golf Academy of America and worked for eight years as a PGA professional in the Myrtle Beach area. Diaz worked at True Blue Golf Club, TPC Myrtle Beach and he was the lead assistant at Wachesaw Plantation Club, a private Tom Fazio design, just prior to joining the Project Golf team.

Project Golf provides new players a path to sustained enjoyment of the game, bringing people to the sport for a lifetime. Project Golf hosts clinics for juniors, military veterans, and anyone with an interest in taking up golf.

Each series of clinics lasts six weeks and helps introduce players to the game in a supportive environment that teaches participants everything from how to book a tee time to golf course etiquette and swing fundamentals. Most importantly, Project Golf connects new players with people of similar ability levels, allowing them to find playing partners they are immediately comfortable with. Crucially, the organization also follows up with players after their initial series of clinics are over, helping encourage them to stay connected to the game.

For more information, visit ProjectGolf.org.

The Ryder Cup is coming to Wisconsin Next Month – Take a ‘swing’ by this Lake Geneva Resort while you’re here

After being postponed last year, the 43rd annual Ryder Cup is finally making its way to Wisconsin. While the state is well known for its beer and cheese, it’s also one of the country’s top under-the-radar golf destinations featuring several championship courses — including two in the popular tourist destination of Lake Geneva, WI.

Located in just under a two-hour drive from Whistling Straits Golf Course where this year’s Ryder Cup is taking place, is the award-winning Grand Geneva Resort & Spa and its two 18-hole championship golf courses, The Brute, rated one of the best in the Midwest, and The Highlands, a Scottish Link style course. 

Conveniently located within a short driving distance (pun intended) of Chicago, Milwaukee and Madison, this 1,300-acre golf resort offers amazing amenities such as golf vacation packages with offers including options to stay and golf for free, lessons for beginners and all family members, plus membership rates for frequent golfers. The resort’s daily greens fee includes use of a golf cart, complete use of practice facility with range balls, club storage, GPS yardage system and locker room facilities. Grand Geneva’s golf courses also feature a superb practice chipping and putting green, a driving range and one of the finest golf pro shops in Wisconsin. The resort also recently appointed its new golf director, PGA member, Ryan Brown.

This Lake Geneva golf destination is especially known for its magnificent Brute course. At over 7,000 yards featuring massive sand traps and prominent water features, The Brute one of the most challenging layouts in the Midwest is considered one of Wisconsin’s best golf courses. Designed by Robert Bruce Harris, the course is enhanced with 68 bunkers and huge rolling greens, averaging over 8,000 square feet. This par-72 Lake Geneva golf course is perfectly manicured and immaculately maintained.

The Highlands is a Scottish-inspired, links-style course, complete with a beautiful landscape of scenic hills, wide open fairways, trickling creeks and lush foliage. This Lake Geneva golf course was originally designed by Pete Dye and Jack Nicklaus, and transformed in 1996 by Bob Cupp.

While the countdown to Ryder Cup is on, those visiting for the golf competition should consider a stop or stay at Grand Geneva. In addition to its two acclaimed golf courses, Grand Geneva Resort & Spa offers luxurious amenities and accommodations as well as a variety of on-site activities including several dining options, a spa and fitness center, horseback riding, classic car rentals, biking, scooter rentals and more.

Learn more about Grand Geneva golf and the resort at grandgeneva.com/golf

Pueblo Bonito Resorts Offers Deluxe ‘Guys Golf Getaway’ Program

Stylish package features primo perks and unique adventures

Los Cabos, Mexico (July 7, 2021) — Designed for a foursome of golf buddies who want an extra-special place to celebrate their love of the game, the ‘Guys Golf Getaway’ package at Pueblo Bonito Resorts delivers the goods, on and off the course.

The centerpiece of the four-night program is unlimited golf at Quivira Golf Club, the spectacular Jack Nicklaus Signature course carved into a stunning Land’s End site at the place where the Sea of Cortes meets the Pacific Ocean. Created as an exclusive amenity for guests of Pueblo Bonito Resorts and Quivira residents, this bold risk-reward layout, marked by sheer granite cliffs, massive windswept dunes and rolling desert foothills, features panoramic views and dizzying drops from tee to fairway. In a dazzling destination renowned for its ocean-desert-mountain ecosystem, Quivira offers more oceanfront exposure than any other course in Los Cabos. The club recently received a Golf Digest Editors’ Choice Award in the ‘Best Golf Resorts in Mexico & Central America’ category for the sixth consecutive year.

Situated at the tip of the Baja Peninsula, Los Cabos is perpetually sunny and genuinely relaxing. At each of its participating hotels, Pueblo Bonito Resorts promises an unforgettable getaway, with a wealth of attractions and activities, from relaxing post-golf massages to exceptional all-inclusive dining and drinking opportunities. Best of all, the desert-meets-sea paradise of Los Cabos is readily accessible from most major U.S. gateways.

Avid golfers looking for a tranquil getaway to connect with friends in a secluded setting 15 minutes from downtown Cabo San Lucas can opt for Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Golf & Spa Resort. Located five minutes from Quivira Golf Club, Pacifica fronts a pristine 2.5-mile stretch of ocean beach and offers a sophisticated take on Cabo’s legendary sun ‘n fun lifestyle. Stroll the beach, sip a drink in the spacious pool, soak in the hot tub, stargaze the brilliant night sky after dark.

In addition to the deluxe accommodations at Pacifica, the ‘Guys Golf Getaway’ package at Pacifica features 24-hour butler service. These butlers are true “artists of service” who can create customized experiences and adventures, including a guided nightlife tour of Cabo San Lucas, a renowned party capital.

For a truly upscale retreat, Montecristo Estates, an elite Tuscan-style community, offers foursomes exquisite multi-bedroom villas.  Designed for travelers who insist on the best, the plush, spacious accommodations at a Montecristo Estates villa feature a private infinity pool, indoor and outdoor Jacuzzi, and maid and butler service. The richly furnished, beautifully appointed villas, set within an exclusive gated resort community, are designed in a Spanish Mission revival style, and feature panoramic ocean views. This deluxe hideaway offers convenient access and transfers to all of Pueblo Bonito Resorts’ restaurants, bars, and facilities.

Designed as an ultimate buddies’ golf trip to one of the most dazzling destinations in the hemisphere, the ‘Guys Golf Getaway’ package features:

• Airport pick-up and transfer to resort
• Four nights in an ocean-view room at Pueblo Bonito Pacifica or Montecristo Estates
• Unlimited golf at world-class Quivira Golf Club, including complimentary access to all on-course food and beverage
• Golf clinic with Quivira’s director of instruction
• All-inclusive food and beverage
• Upgraded dinner options at Quivira Steakhouse or LaFrida
• QuiroGolf massage to improve flexibility (one per person per package)
• Additional Armonia Spa services at a 25% discount
• Tequila & mezcal tasting and mixology primer with spirits sommelier
• Guided tour of The Market at Quivira food hall plus artisanal beer sampling at The After at Quivira sports bar
• ‘Hook ‘n Cook’ surf-casting and ceviche beach experience
• Final night sunset cocktail and casual beach dinner with fire pit

The ‘Guys Golf Getaway’ 4-night package price starts at $3520 US per person at Pueblo Bonito Pacifica, based on double occupancy. For an ultra-luxe getaway, a Montecristo Estates villa is priced at $3950 US per person, quad occupancy. Package dates are effective starting September 1, 2021 until May 30, 2022.

For additional information or to make reservations, please visit https://www.pueblobonito.com or call 1-800-990-8250.