Golf in Hawaii: Well Worth the Long Flight!

The phone calls and emails to my golf vacation company have been hot and heavy since the 19" snow storm we just dealt with in Minneapolis! (Like these wonderful people didn't know winter was coming!!!!)

What sounds better... Shoveling snow in Minnesota? Or, raking bunkers in Hawaii?

90% of our business is "power golf trips by guy groups" - and, in 15 years of doing this, we've never booked a stag group to Hawaii. BUT, of the 10% that is made up of couples and couples groups, almost half is "Destination Hawaii". A good share of these clients are from "Mixed Marriages" - an avid golfer with a non-golfing spouse. Believe me guys... she won't mind your 5 hour absence when she is enjoying the pool and a Spa Treatment!

(The picture here and the one on my previous post are both from the Wailea Golf Club on Maui.)

As I said in the last post, I have to be the crappiest golfer in the world to play as many world class courses as I have. And Wailea ranks as my absolute favorite golf experience. Check our Hawaii page and ask me for my insights and advice - whether or not you ever book a trip with us.

Cheers,

Dick

Winter Golf in Arizona, California and Nevada

Well, now that our November Special at The Doral is over it's time to think about your winter golf getaway.

Prices for this winter are very reasonable given the soft economy, so if you're going this year now is the time to contact your travel agency... or hopefully, my golf travel agency.

Some of the "best buys" this year are in and around Las Vegas (including Mesquite, NV) and the San Diego area. And, although Phoenix area golf is still a bit pricy, we do have some "sleepers" - great tracks that are a little lesser known thus better bargains.

And for the umteenth year, our Gold Canyon, Arizona package is a fabulous bargain... especially if you want to sneak away right after the Holidays.

My blog readers get Free Advice! I, with my 24 handicap, have screwed up rounds of golf on dozens of these great courses. Whether you ever book a trip with my agency, I'm okay with sharing my knowledge of what courses and resorts are overpriced and what ones are true bargains. Just send your questions to dick@golf-vacation.com. (just copy & paste)

Cheers,

Dick

'tis the Season for the Leaf Rule!

Several years ago, comic actor Leslie Nielson did a golf video focused on two principals:

1. If you suck at golf, you're in good company since over 95 percent of recreational golfers shoot in the high 90's or triple digits.
2. You need to make the Rules of Golf work FOR you. In other words, Cheat!

An example of the latter takes the Leaf Rule one step further... anytime you have a "lost" ball, declare it a "stolen" ball and take no penalty. Here's how it works... Eventually, your lost ball will be found by someone who will make no attempt to find it's rightful owner... making it a STOLEN ball. Thus, No Penalty!

Well, it's still hot in sunny Minnesota but the leaves are soon to fall so get the balls from your shag bag - the ones you won't care to waste time looking for!

And, start thinking about winter golf escapes! My golf travel company - Gateway Golf Vacations - has a great November Special at the famed Doral in Miami. Also, we are already getting orders for winter golf at the Gold Canyon Golf Resort near Phoenix... many from returning clients we've sent there numerous times before. It's a terrific value! Here are the details.

Happy Ball Hunting!

Dick

Economizing on Your Golf Vacations

Well, it's a sign of the times! We are all trying to cut our expenses while retaining as much "quality of life" as possible.

For us golfers, quality of life comes down to, "How can I cut costs while preserving my #1 right - my golf getaway with the guys (or gals)"? My golf travel agency has two small groups who have gone to a very nice golf resort with two 41/2 Star courses on site for their past 3 outings. The 3 night/4 round package with all the 'extras' ran around $950. This past winter, we talked them into a similar resort just 20 miles down the road. The accommodations are not quite as "fancy" but still rated 4 Star... and it also has two 41/2 Star courses on site. Price: $620!

Another group of 8 (4 couples) went to Banff Springs in the Canadian Rockies last July and wanted to repeat. Because the Canadian dollar is now stronger than the yankee dollar, the value wasn't nearly as good. We have a spectacular deal in Vail this summer... so that's what they will do. Equal quality; savings of about $300 per person!

There are some nice "finds" out there... Happy hunting!

Cheers,

Dick

(I mentioned Vail... our parent company, Gateway Express Travel, specializes in Vail ski Vacations and has done Vail Resorts promotions with the Minnesota Wild.)

Florida without my Clubs. Ouch!

So, I'm such a proponent of golf travel, eh?

Domestic pressure caused me to spend 6 days in Naples, Florida without my golf clubs last week. Talk about painful! To make matters worse, we were at my non-golfing in-laws' place which is on a very, very upscale course at Bonita Bay. Sitting by the pool watching golfers go from the 11th green to the 12th tee was akin to a cat sitting by the patio door watching birds at the feeder!

Whining rapidly became my pastime for those days!

If you are looking for something "really cool" this summer, my golf travel company is seeing increased interest in the Canadian Rockies. Banff and Lake Louise have some terrific tracks. Email me at dick@golf-vacation.com if you want some links to this!

Cheers,

Dick

Golf Bargains & Rip-Offs.

Well, maybe "rip-offs" is a little harsh but the more I Travel With Clubs the more convinced I am that WHERE you go makes a huge difference.

I just returned from San Juan where I played at Dorado Beach. The West Course is the better of the two but I found it to be just "nice"... and at $190, I'm looking for better than "just nice". Those of you who follow this blog know that I'm not too fond of Caribbean golf. (On second thought, this was a rip-off! The course is carved up because they are redesigning it as they build a new clubhouse - but there was no mention of this when I booked. Nor, was there a price reduction because of it.)

You can play World Class courses at Cabo San Lucas for about the same fee; you can play fabulous tracks in Hawaii for LESS!

As you'll see from my comments on another blog site, I didn't choose to go to Puerto Rico. At my golf vacation company, we focus on Florida, the Southwest, Cabo and Hawaii. We actively discourage the Caribbean as a golf destination (with the exception of Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic).

Cheers,

Dick

The Mountain Courses of the Phoenix area are Pricy...

... but there are some gems that are bargains! In an earlier post, I talked about "Tricks of the Trade" - knowing where the bargains are. I know of many good values in pricy places like Las Vegas, Hawaii, Cabo San Lucas just to name a few. And, there are some good ones in The Valley of the Sun! Most notably, the two courses at the Gold Canyon Golf Resort - Dinosaur Mountain and The Sidewinder - are fabulous. At about $100 less than Grayhawk, Dinosaur Mountain was named Arizona's #1 public access course for 2 or 3 years in a row. How good is Gold Canyon? My company,Gateway Golf Vacations has several groups that have gone back for their 4th and 5th visits. I would say that that's the best testimonial one can cite.

Our prime winter price for 3 nights, 4 rounds and some extras is a true bargain... and the price gets even better after Easter. If a winter or spring golf trip is in your plans, PLEASE check this out! (And bring your Camera!)

To repeat a comment from the last post, whether you ever book your golf trip with my golf travel agency, I'm happy to share my knowledge and give you my 2-cents worth. Send your questions to dick@golf-vacation.com.

Cheers,

Dick

Golf in Mesquite, Nevada

Happy New Year, Everyone!

As I said in the last post, there are a lot of cost-savings opportunities this year.

And here is a helluva deal: Our Mesquite, Nevada package (including St. George, Utah) is one of our most popular trips. We just received a price reduction and have booked a couple groups at $519 per person for 3 nights and 1 round each on 3 of the best courses in the area! (Price will vary by travel dates and course selection.)

Whether you ever book your golf trip with my golf travel agency, Gateway Golf Vacations, I'm happy to share my knowledge and give you my 2-cents worth (which might just be worth exactly that!). Send your questions to dick@golf-vacation.com.

Cheers,

Dick

Winter Golf Trips to Arizona and Nevada

Well, now that our November Special at The Doral is over (we do still have several clients headed there for Thanksgiving Weekend) it's time to think about your winter golf getaway.

Prices for this winter are very reasonable given the soft economy, so if you're going this year this is the time to contact your travel agency... or hopefully, my golf travel agency.

Some of the "best buys" this year are in and around Las Vegas (including Mesquite, NV) and the San Diego area. And for the umteenth year, our Gold Canyon, Arizona package is a fabulous bargain... scroll down a few posts for more on that.

My blog readers get Free Advice! Whether you ever book a trip with my agency, I'm okay with sharing our knowledge. Just send your questions to dick@golf-vacation.com.

One final - totally unrelated - note: I know many of you share my "love" (HaHa) for United Airlines. You need to watch this from You Tube!

A musician named Dave Carroll recently had difficulty with United Airlines. United apparently damaged his treasured Taylor guitar ($3500) during a flight. Dave spent over 9 months trying to get United to pay for damages caused by baggage handlers to his custom Taylor guitar. During his final exchange with the United Customer Relations Manager, he stated that he was left with no choice other than to create a music video for youtube exposing their lack of cooperation. The Manager responded : "Good luck with that one, pal". So he posted a retaliatory video on youtube. The video has since received over 5.5 million hits. United Airlines contacted the musician and attempted settlement in exchange for pulling the video. Naturally his response was: "Good luck with that one, pal".

Taylor Guitars sent the musician 2 new custom guitars in appreciation for the product recognition from the video that has lead to a sharp increase in orders. Here's the video.

Cheers,

Dick

Last Call for our November Special at The Doral

After a miserable October, it is a gorgeous 62 degree day here in Minne-snow-polis. But don't be fooled... Midwest golf is about over.

Don't condemn your clubs to the basement quite yet... we still have availability for our Doral Special - including Thanksgiving weekend. See my previous post for more on this "deal"!

Dick

Great Golf Deals Abound in Florida and Nevada

Okay Snowbirds... the end is near! That means it's about time to send the clubs to the basement - or NOT!

With the prices for travel - including golf travel - at the lowest point in many years, why not plan a November Golf Trip? Those of you that know me understand that my taste exceeds my budget! EG: "Champagne taste; Beer budget"! Well, not exactly a beer budget, but I do qualify as an expert on getting the most bang for my buck!

So, here are a few thoughts on Autumn Bargains:

Las Vegas - Hotels & Courses have lowered their rates making this typically pricy destination cost-efficient. There are additional ways to hold your costs down a little if you know the ropes. For example, one of my favorite area tracks is the TPC Canyons where the weekday fee is currently $225. But, just a quarter of a mile away is The Badlands Golf Club which costs 'just' $150. So, how nice is The Badlands? It's a Troon Golf facility. Need I say any more? Another overpriced course, in my humble opinion, is Bear's Best. It is one of the finest tracks around but you are paying a lot for the novelty. I can refer you to a half dozen area courses that are its equal at greens fees that are $50 to $75 lower.

Mesquite: Just up I-15 about 75 miles from Las Vegas, the greens fees for top-ranked courses are half that of Las Vegas. If you're looking for world-class nightlife, stay with Vegas. But if you want World-Class golf with nice accommodations and decent dining & nightlife, check this out!

The Doral: The absolute best value anywhere is the November Special where you can "stay & play" for about the price of the golf alone! No Tricks; No kidding!

I have many more ideas for anyone that wishes to email me at dick@golf-vacation.com (Copy & Paste)

Cheers,

Dick

Here Comes the PGA Championship

For all you folks that joke about Minnesota weather, I'm on my way to the course on a drop dead gorgeous day while the U.S. Open is amidst the third day a rain delays!

What retribution - this place is fabulous in the summer. (We won't discuss Minnesota winters!) We're looking forward to yet another PGA Championship here at Hazeltine National Golf Club later this summer and will guarantee great weather!

For you guys that follow me from the southern States, you really should consider coming up here for some "Cool Summer Golf" in the Brainerd Lakes region or along the shores of Lake Superior! There are some great airfare bargains right now. If you're interested, contact me from my Gateway Golf Vacations web site. I can give you some FREE local knowledge. 

Cheers,

Dick 

Pebble Beach Golf is waiting for you!

There are many "price advantages" to this economy for those who can still "get out there"! One of them is NOT the price of golf at Pebble Beach. BUT, there are define "bargains" out there for Lodging & Golf packages!

Take a look at one. You can play all three of the famed courses and stay at one of the Pebble Beach lodges for around $2,600 per person.

I'll add some "tips" for travelers to this Mecca of Golf later.

Cheers,

Dick

Hi from the Gold Canyon Golf Resort!

The Arizona sun is shining brightly and I just wanted to rub it in! I've been sitting in the Minnesota tundra while various friends have called or emailed from sunny places all winter. My Turn!

The courses here are in fabulous condition. The Dinosaur Mountain Course (pictured here) is one of the most exciting tracks anywhere with spectacular elevation changes and dramatic scenery. And the Sidewinder Course is surprisingly terrific... from the clubhouse, it appears to be a mild, parkland-style course but in reality, it is very deserving of it's 4-Star rating. (I would even add that it compares favorably to many 41/2 Star courses I've played.) 

With the economy struggling, the place isn't jam packed. Probably about 80% occupancy but the tee sheets seem to be pretty full - but not crazy-wild. The value here is unbeatable!!! Gateway Golf Vacations has a three night/four round package that is a lower price than you can even get directly from the resort itself... about $650 per person including breakfast daily, club storage, practice facility use, etc. Check this package out! It is the best golf deal in Arizona.

It's tee time... gotta go!

Good Bye Snow; Hello Surf... if only for a few days!

Now that we have gotten past the holidays it's time to dust off the sticks!

Each year in January, a corporate client holds their Sales Incentive trip giving me a chance to grab the clubs (escorting these groups is not ALL work!) and escape the frozen Minnesota tundra. In a way, it's a cruelty because the 5 or 6 days in the tropical sun goes all-too-quickly then it's back to the frozen swamp. UGH! (One of the more dejecting feelings is to look down to the ground as the plane makes it's final approach into MSP. Nothing but white!)

In the last two Januarys I've told you about the fabulous golf at this company's prior sites - Maui and Las Cabos... indeed, these are two of the most exciting golf destinations in the world!!! Not this year!

Our client chose Grand Cayman for 2009... not exactly an enticing golf mecca. In fact, it sucks! One course on the whole island; and it's flat and boring - and, surprise, overpriced. I know, many of you would love to go anywhere warm and think I should quit bitching. So I'm spoiled!

You can be sure this is not a destination that we recommend to our golf clients at Gateway Express Travel! ... but, I can't stand not taking my clubs anyway. Anything is better than nothing, I guess!

Cheers,

Dick