Golf Travel News July 13, 2023

Golf Travel News July 13, 2023

In golf travel news this week are items from: Boyne Golf, Hilton Head Island and Myrtle Beach — all favored destinations for Michigan golfers.

• BOYNE Golf Continues Upgrading Michigan Courses
• The Highlands
• Boyne Golf Academy Upgrades
• Short Course At The Highlands
• Book Now for ‘Hilton Head, America’s Golf Island’ Fall Golf Getaways
• Heritage’s Spring FORE Fall Package
• Palmetto Dunes Birdies and Beer Getaway
• The Sea Pines Resort’s Villa Golf Package
• Getting To Hilton Head
• About Hilton Head, America’s Golf Island
• Six Myrtle Beach golf courses to be featured in new Golficity Travel Series Presented by FootJoy
• Popular and Scenic Myrtle Beach Courses Highlighted
• About Golf Tourism Solutions

BOYNE Golf Continues Upgrading Michigan Courses

One of North America’s largest golf resort destinations is transforming golf courses for generations to come.

Petoskey, MI – Over the past 60 years, BOYNE Golf in Northern Michigan has grown to become one of North America’s largest golf destinations – now spanning 10 courses and three resort properties, including Bay Harbor Golf Club, The Highlands and Boyne Mountain Resort. Today, the resort’s vision continues to elevate across BOYNE Golf properties with transformations and upgrades that will impact future generations of golfers.

“We’re being more responsible and sustainable in creating the best-possible turf and playing conditions on all our courses,” says Josh Richter, Senior Vice President of Golf Operations of Boyne Resort. “Golfers will definitely notice the improvements in the turf quality and playability. In a nutshell, we’ve invested heavily into smart irrigation system infrastructure on The Heather and Donald Ross Memorial courses at The Highlands, at Bay Harbor Golf Club, and the two courses at Boyne Mountain, that has made us more efficient with water and electricity usage. These behind-the-scenes upgrades are foundational and at the forefront of additional course improvements.”

The Highlands

The Highlands, located just north of Petoskey near Harbor Springs, is going through significant transformations both on and off the course.

A major part of the resort’s golf transformation is the Donald Ross Memorial course which opened in 1989. A composite recreation of classic Donald Ross golf holes, the BOYNE Golf team together with course architect Raymond Hearn, have been restoring the individual holes through the use of technology like Google Earth, in order to better replicate the original Ross designs, especially the green complexes, bunkers and new tee boxes. This includes holes 1 (Seminole No. 6), 2 (#4 Plainfield), 13 (Seminole No. 15), 15 (Aronimink No. 11), and 16 (No. 10 at Pinehurst No. 2). Plans are to continue restoring selective holes to improve the accuracy of the hole. BOYNE Golf was the first resort destination to ever create a tribute course in honor of a legendary architect like Ross.

“We embarked on a vision of getting the Ross holes to be dimensionally correct,” says Richter. “We even tapped Google Earth, to help get things right. It is going really well. Hole 15 turned out stunning. It’s spectacular and will rival the Arthur Hills #13 for the best signature hole at The Highlands. The accuracy of these holes is spot on and done to within inches – not necessarily the topography of the land, but in terms of green sizes, and the size and shape of the bunkers. We replicated those things that are the most noticeable and meaningful to your experience and they are nearly identical.”

At The Highlands, renovations were also made to the popular Arthur Hills course that takes golfers through various landscapes including the rolling hills of Northern Michigan, reaching a pinnacle on the 13^th tee with a view of 4000 acres without a visible building. All 18 holes feature new greenside bunker sand, fresh cart paths and improved turf conditions. Further improvements are also happening on the Moor with strategic tree removal, fairway widening, and large mowed short grass areas around the greens to bring more playability to the course.

Boyne Golf Academy Upgrades

Improved instruction is also coming to the BOYNE Golf Academy, with the addition of Sportsbox AI software at the BOYNE Golf Academy. This latest golf swing technology uses 3D Motion Analysis and Kinematic AI technology to capture, measure and analyze your golf swing, and can be used indoors or outdoors.

“Our academy uses the amazing Gears Golf system to analyze swings, but we can only do it indoors and the golfer needs to put on a reflector suit to be properly calibrated,” says Joe Charles, the Director of Instruction for the award-winning BOYNE Golf Academy.

“This new system lets us see the way your body moves, indoors or outdoors. It is app based, and it lets us be more efficient in giving you data points that we weren’t previously able to do. It’s a reinvestment to our academy and another tool that we now have to continue growing the game. Instruction is a big piece of that.”

Short Course At The Highlands

Finally at The Highlands, there’s a new Ray Hearn-designed nine-hole short course coming that’s conveniently located right behind the main lodge. The fun new course will be routed at the base of the ski slope, providing some fun and exciting shots. Routed across a sloping site and set among fescue grass, holes will range from 50 to 178 yards, and feature some of Hearn’s favorite greens from Scotland, Ireland, and England.

“We’re very excited about it,” says Richter. “It’s one of three short courses we’re developing across our resorts over the next two years. A lot of world class golf resorts have one now. It’s a perfect complement for our championship courses and gives guests a chance to warm up on arrival day or in the evening. Expect it to be visually stunning and interesting to play.  It won’t have formal tees, but varying fairway levels will allow you to play from different lies and angles.” Also coming in 2024 near the short course is a one-acre Himalayan style putting green.

Bernie Friedrich, who recently stepped down from the position as the Senior V.P of Golf Operation, is spearheading the courses renovations and upgrades across all the courses. He is also overseeing the development of the new short course at The Highlands as Director of Golf Course Renovations and Development for Boyne Resorts.

Book Now for ‘Hilton Head, America’s Golf Island’ Fall Golf Getaways

Take Advantage of Outstanding Rates While Availability Lasts

(HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C.) – Now is the ideal time for golfers to book the perfect fall golf getaway to “Hilton Head, America’s Golf Island” to ensure accommodation and course availability, and to take advantage of outstanding rates at www.hiltonheadgolfisland.com. 

The fall is the perfect time to visit Hilton Head Island and the surrounding Lowcountry region with temperatures in the 80s in September, 70s in October and early November and 60s in late November and early December. It’s also one of the driest times of the year, especially November, which typically includes only seven days with precipitation. This makes packing easy, typically entailing shorts, polos and a couple of pairs of pants and pullovers.

A wide variety of golf packages are offered by three world-class resorts – The Sea Pines Resort, Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort and Heritage Golf Collection, which includes Port Royal, Shipyard, Oyster Reef and Palmetto Hall. This collection includes such famed venues as Harbour Town Golf Links, Heron Point by Pete Dye and Atlantic Dunes by Davis Love III (at Sea Pines Resort); the Robert Trent Jones, George Fazio and Arthur Hills courses (at Palmetto Dunes); and designs by Rees Jones, Arthur Hills, George Cobb and more (via Heritage Golf).

The trifecta has designed packages for golf buddies trips, couples golf getaways and family golf vacations, as The Sea Pines Resort, Palmetto Dunes and Heritage Golf Collection feature a variety of different accommodations, amenities and activities. There are enticing options like Heritage’s Spring FORE Fall Package, Palmetto Dunes’ Birdies and Beer Getaway and The Sea Pines Resort’s Villa Golf Package. Highlights of each of these packages include:

Heritage’s Spring FORE Fall Package

Golfers can choose from the Heritage Golf Collection’s eight courses – such as Port Royal, Oyster Reef, Shipyard and Palmetto Hall – when booking the popular Spring FORE Fall Package. Pricing starts at $200 per night, per golfer and includes four nights’ lodging based on a minimum of quad occupancy per person. The rate includes all taxes, resort fees, unlimited golf, cart fees and range balls. The Spring FORE Fall Package also includes unlimited range balls for warming up and / or fine-tuning your game between rounds. 

Palmetto Dunes Birdies and Beer Getaway

The famed Birdies and Beer Getaway showcases Palmettos Dunes’ three award-winning golf courses, spacious villa accommodations, and a wide variety of Lowcountry cuisine. The package includes four days and three nights in a two-bedroom villa, a one-hour Toptracer experience at the Robert Trent Jones Course, three rounds of golf, breakfast and beer daily, two hours of daily court time at the Tennis and Pickleball Center, pro shop and dining discounts at Big Jim’s, The Dunes House, and Alexander’s Restaurant, complimentary range balls, and 10% off bike/kayak/canoe rentals at Hilton Head Outfitters (located inside Palmetto Dunes Resort).

The Sea Pines Resort’s Villa Golf Package

The Villa Golf Package is one of the famed Sea Pines Resort’s most popular, year-round group packages. It includes world-class golf and comfortable, convenient living spaces to enjoy and relax post-round. Villas house fully equipped kitchens, dining and living rooms. The package is based on a three-night stay and quad occupancy and includes one round each at Habour Town Golf Links, Heron Point by Pete Dye, and Atlantic Dunes by Davis Love III. Replays are available for $75 on Heron Point and Atlantic Dunes (subject to availability). 

Golfers can also explore other on- and off-island course packages and offers at www.hiltonheadgolfisland.com that offer exclusive fall golf specials. Hilton Head, America’s Golf Island Experts are also standing by to help golfers build packages to suit their needs, timing and budgets.

Getting To Hilton Head

Getting to Hilton Head, America’s Golf Island has never been easier. Hilton Head Island Airport (HHH) on the island’s north end offers non-stop and one-stop service from multiple hub cities and connections via American Airlines, Delta and United. American offers daily non-stop flights to/from Charlotte and seasonal service to/from Dallas / Ft. Worth, Philadelphia and Washington National (DCA). Delta has daily flights to/from Atlanta and United provides daily non-stop service to/from Newark (EWR) and Washington Dulles (IAD). 

Golfers can also utilize Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV), with direct flights on eight different airlines from numerous East Coast, Midwest, Texas and Canadian airports on several major and discount airlines. For golfers who prefer to hit the open road, major metro areas in the Carolinas, Georgia and north Florida are under a half day’s drive, while several Mid-Atlantic and Midwestern cities are seven to nine hours away. 

About Hilton Head, America’s Golf Island

Hilton Head, America’s Golf Island is a marketing cooperative of 25 member courses across Beaufort, Bluffton and Jasper counties in South Carolina’s stunning Lowcountry region. Golf enthusiasts relish the region’s Southern hospitality and world-class venues sculpted by vaunted architects Pete Dye, Jack Nicklaus, George Fazio, Arthur Hills, Rees Jones, Robert Trent Jones, Willard Byrd, Davis Love III and Clyde Johnston. Home to the world-renowned Sea Pines Resort, the PGA TOUR makes its only South Carolina stop each April at Harbour Town Golf Links for the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing. In conjunction with the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Visitor and Conventions Bureau and Chamber of Commerce, the Lowcountry Golf Course Owners Association launched Hilton Head, America’s Golf Island to support the island’s thriving golf market through the promotion of golf rounds and packages.

For more information: www.hiltonheadgolfisland.com. 

Six Myrtle Beach golf courses to be featured in new Golficity Travel Series Presented by FootJoy

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – One of golf’s leading YouTube channels will be featuring the game’s most popular destination this summer. The fourth season of Golficity’s Destination Travel Series presented by FootJoy will debut July 17 and spotlight six of Myrtle Beach’s best courses. 

Cousins Frank and Mike Fasano, the personalities behind Golficity, challenged Caledonia Golf & Fish Club, Grande Dunes Resort Course, Heritage Club, Barefoot Resort’s Love Course, Tidewater Golf Club and TPC Myrtle Beach, filming every swing on their unforgettable journey. The Golficity travel series will include six videos ranging from 22 to 28 minutes in length, chronicling a course and the good times the Fasanos had after the final putt dropped each day.

The episodic show will debut on the Golficity YouTube channel on July 17 at 2:45 p.m. EST with subsequent shows dropping at the same time over the following five Mondays. 

“Golficity is one of the game’s most popular YouTube channels and we were thrilled to host Frank and Mike Fasano,” said Kyle Oland, director of marketing for Golf Tourism Solutions. “They played six of the area’s premier layouts and the Golficity series makes viewers feel like they are at the course with them. Outlets like Golficity are changing the way golfers consume media, and this series is a prime example of why.”

Previous seasons of the Golficity Travel Series presented by FootJoy were set in Scotland, Pinehurst and Whistling Straits/Kohler. 

Popular and Scenic Myrtle Beach Courses Highlighted

The Fasanos will bring viewers to some of Myrtle Beach’s most popular and scenic layouts. Caledonia Golf & Fish Club, acclaimed architect Mike Strantz’s first solo design, is a consensus top 100 public course, and Grande Dunes, which is home to five holes that play along the Intracoastal Waterway, is among the area’s most sought after tee times following a comprehensive greens, bunkers and clubhouse renovation project in the summer of 2022.

Heritage Club is a Dan Maples classic, showcasing the stunning Lowcountry beauty of Pawleys Island, while the Love Course, which has also been ranked among America’s top 100 public courses, features the faux ruins of an old plantation home. 

Home to nine holes that play along either the Intracoastal Waterway or Cherry Grove Inlet, Tidewater is on the short of prettiest layouts in all of golf-rich South Carolina, and TPC Myrtle Beach, the long-time host of the Dustin Johnson World Junior Golf Championship, provided the Golficity guys a PGA Tour caliber test of golf.

For more information on everything the Myrtle Beach golf scene has to offer, visit PlayGolfMyrtleBeach.com.

About Golf Tourism Solutions

GTS provides a broad array of services, including email marketing, website design, social media and content production, targeting public and private clubs and real estate developments. With an email database that includes more than 700,000 addresses and an ever-growing social media presence, GTS has the assets of a large media company at its disposal. 
 
GTS also has full responsibility for a thriving tournament division, headlined by the PlayGolfMyrtleBeach.com World Amateur Handicap Championship. The company runs eight events, including the Dustin Johnson World Junior Golf Championship, and brings more than 20,000 rounds of golf and room nights to Myrtle Beach.

For more information, go to www.GolfTourismSolutions.com.