Heartland Golfing: The Prairie Club Experience

What has inspired so many golfers to "head for the hills" in what used to be called “fly-over country?”

Is it the waves of grassy sand dunes that roll across the landscape until stopped by the stark buttes that defy the “flat as a pancake” stereotype of the Great Plains?

 

Could it be the the fascination with  tree-lined holes dangling right on the rim of the awesome Snake River Canyon?

 

Or is it the chance to experience glorious granite sculptures of Mount Rushmore and the rugged beauty of the pinnacles, buttes and grasslands of the Badlands?

 

Might it be the chance for one of the most amazing golf vacations ever, set in a rolling seascape of prairieland that appears to have been sculpted by nature to be the perfect site for golf? 

 

All those factors allowed one of America’s newest hot golf spots, The Prairie Club, to open last May with 186 members and book 1,500 room-nights in its first few months. A semi-private club, it ranks right up there among golf trips for those seeking a golf-focused venue. Based on the successful Bandon Dunes model, golfers take an incredible journey from the airport to the site through some of America’s most spectacular scenery before arriving at the Prairie Club in Valentine, Nebraska. The development, spearheaded by Tom Shock, features three very different courses and ample lodging

 

The Dunes Course beckons the links style golfer with its stark and canvas-worthy panoramas that eventually culminate in the magnificent greens more akin to a tropical atoll than limiting and erroneous cornfield stereotypes of the Great Plains. In reflecting on the place, Tom Lehmans, who designed the course with Chris Brands, quotes Old Tom Morris: “The Almighty had golf in his eye when he made this place.” 

 

On the Graham Marsh-designed Pines Course, golf becomes a silent reverie as you meander along pines and the canyon rim. Enjoy the warm sun and views of the canyon which blocks the wind that sweeps across the plains. Refresh yourself with a long drink from the Ogallala aquifer—the world’s largest—and end the last hole right in front of the inviting clubhouse. 

 

For a short challenge, get your golfing buddies and head over to the Horse Course, a 10-hole course with undulating greens and breath-taking blowouts. Gil Hanse designed this tee-less course which lets the winner of the previous hole select the stance, lie, and shot for the next one, to maximize creativity and fun.

 

The Prairie Club Lodge and additional cabins along the Snake River canyon offer comfortable but not pretentious lodging. Enjoy fabulous Nebraska beef as well as regional specialties such as buffalo and quail along with a perfect setting for talking golf into the wee hours under a starry sky.

 

For fantastic golf vacations where golfing meets nature head-on, where you will want your camera as well as your clubs, head for the plains and bluffs and enjoy the Prairie Club in its inaugural year or as soon as you can fit it in your itinerary. 

The Year Round Golfing Paradise: Hawaii

For golf holidays year round, Hawaii offers a true paradise. From diverse golf courses to unspoiled beauty, Hawaii is a dream vacation for golfers and even their non-golfing partners or families. 

For me, the perfect venue is the Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu. First of all, it is the only real full-service luxury resort on the famous North Shore. Where else will you find five miles of pristine beaches, 12 miles of ocean trails, and, of course, two great golf courses?

 

 

An Idyllic Family or Couples Retreat

 

A family-friendly resort for golf travel, kids of all ages will have a blast in the Keiki (Kids) Turtle Club. The club introduces children to Hawaiian culture through arts and crafts, beach activities, and games. If you want your children to put away those video games, just mention the reef walks and night sand crab hunts! 

 

Want to mix romance with your golfing? Bring your sweetheart and get married or celebrate that special anniversary. You’ll find all the services you need, from fresh flower leis to bridal gown pressing and musicians. Request to have your bed sprinkled with rose petals or the room decorated with orchids.

 

More than Just Golf

 

At Turtle Bay, the options are all there. You can choose a helicopter ride and get the birds’ eye perspective of the tropical, lush beauty of the island. Or experience it up close and personal by with a guided eco-tour by kayak. If you haven’t tried surfing, this would be the ideal place to learn. For a peaceful afternoon, take a stroll along the beach or among the swaying palms and ironwood trees. Tennis and horseback riding add to the ways to experience this fantastic place. When it comes to golf resorts, this one is ideal.

 

You won’t want to miss the unique shopping for taking home Hawaiian treasures, from clothing to jewelry, to Polynesian handicrafts. And when you really want to relax, the full service spa awaits you.

 

Oceanside Golfing at Turtle Bay

 

“The Palmer course is the best course on Oahu,” asserts NBC golf expert Mark Rolfing. That might explain why it was the site of the legendary PGA Tour Champion’s Tour Turtle Bay Championship through 2008 and is now the site of the LPGA tour. 

 

Designed by Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay, this unusual 18-hole course surrounds the lovely Punaho'olapa Marsh. It offers a blend of challenge and spectacular beauty for golfers of all abilities. The 17^th hole, clearly the signature hole, is situated just 100 feet from the Pacific Ocean, with nine craggy bunkers surrounding the landing area and extending clear up to the green. Turtle Bay.

 

Turtle Bay also boasts the only Hawaiian course designed by George Fazio. It formerly hosted the LPGA Tour’s Hawaiian Open and the first Senior Skins Game with golf legends Arnold Palmer, Chi Chi Rodriguez, Gary Player and Sam Sneed. You’ll find the course has “generous fairways, deep bunkers and immaculately sculpted greens,” as your Turtle Bay hosts would say.

 

When planning one of your next golf packages, consider the Aloha state and enjoy a bit of paradise!

The Most Extreme Golf Hole in the World

Are you ready to take the challenge of the world's most talked about and unique golf hole in the world? Then on your next golf trip, visit Par 3, the Extreme 19th Hole at the Legend Golf and Safari Resort in South Africa's Limpopo Province. The resort took top spot for the 2010 Travel Award as Africa’s Leading Golf Resort and was named Africa's Leading Sports Resort. 

Situated on the bulwark Hanglip Mountain and accessible only by helicopter, the hole is 430 meters above the green below, making it the longest Par 3 in the world. It takes about 20 seconds for the ball to drop to the green, which has the shape and contours of Africa itself.

 

Even those who might pass on the 19^th hole will find something exciting about the first 18: every single one was designed by a different internationally golfing legend! This is the only course in the world that can say that.   Its wide fairways and USGA-standard greens seamlessly incorporate holes designed by such golfing luminaries as Trevor Immelman (former US Masters Champion), Padraig Harrington (two-time Open Champion and US PGA champion), Vijay Singh, Sergio Garcia, and Justin Rose, among others.

 

Meanwhile the innovative Tribute Course comprises 10 holes, each one from a different existing famous venue, from the 10th at Pine Valley and the 11th from the St. Andrews Old Course to the 12^th “Golden Bell” at Augusta and the 6^th at Royal Melbourne. 

 

When you are contemplating luxurious golf vacations, this definitely fits the bill. The lodgings and attractions complement the fabulous golf. You can opt for the boutique hotel or one of the luxury resort villages, wander through its world class botanical gardens, indulge in the Wellness Centre with its fountain of youth and African spa treatments.

 

Set in the 22,000 hectare Entabeni Safari Conservancy, the resort boasts no fewer than five eco-systems, with breathtaking scenery and diverse wildlife, all just two hours’ drive from Johannesburg’s international airport.

 

Even if you don’t want to plunk down roughly US$200 for the 19th hole (which includes the copter ride and DVD of your shot), you are sure to have one of your most memorable golf vacations ever here. You might want to practice your swing first--if you get a hole-in-one on the 19th, you win a million dollars!   Imagine the golf trips you could take with that!

Glamor and Golfing in Vegas

One of the great things about golfing is that you can let it be the gateway to so many other adventures! Your golf travel can take you around the world, from seascapes to mountain panoramas, from near-wilderness to the most hip places on the planet.

If you want to swing more than your clubs, the really hip place for your golf vacation is Las Vegas. Just a dusty frontier town a century ago, Las Vegas continues to amaze visitors with ever more things to do.  Transformed from the old “Sin City” to “The Entertainment Capital of the World,” Las Vegas offers something for everyone, including families, couples, groups, and more!

 

Gambling and Fun. Gambling made Vegas famous, and the ever-more luxurious establishments lure not just gamblers but big-name headliners for entertainment, including the breathtaking Cirque de Soleil, museums, and more. Choose from any of the dramatic or more modest casinos for slots, black jack, and other games of chance.

 

Shopping. If you are lucky at the tables, you can go wild at the three casino arcades. The Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian, where you can browse in a faux St. Mark’s Square or take a ride on a gondola. Go back in history architecturally at the Roman-inspired Forum shops at Caesar’s Palace. Watch the high-rollers as you check out the designer shoes and fashions, glittering jewelry, and other high-ticket items.

 

Nightlife. The great thing about golfing vacations in Vegas is that you still have plenty of time to enjoy the world-famous nightlife. For a memorable stroll along “the Strip,” start at what Frommer’s calls “the world's largest sound-and-light show.” Begin at Luxor, meander past the faux Eiffel Tower and Coliseum and marvel at the erupting volcano at The Mirage. If you are still game, finish with a view of overhead acrobats at Circus Circus.

 

Fine Dining. Las Vegas now claims international fame for its award-winning restaurants (over a dozen with Michelin stars) and celebrity chefs. At the MGM Grand, savor French delicacies under crystal chandeliers at Joel Robuchon’s, which boasts three stars. Buffets are standard casino fare, but Le Village Buffet at Paris Las Vegas will satisfy the more demanding diners.

 

The Golfing. Las Vegas is also on a quest to become the golf capital of the world, with over 50 options and more on the way. The contrast between lush fairways and desert panoramas is just part of the beauty. For example, the Painted Desert Golf Course

just north of the strip has become a favorite for those less interested in heroic maneuvers who just want to enjoy good golf in a great atmosphere. Golf Digest has recommended the Las Vegas Golf Club as a “best place to golf,” while the Dye-designed Desert Pines offers lakes and evergreens for a cool golfing experience.

 

So when you plan your golf vacations and want to add some glitz, go Vegas! 

 

Golfing in Paradise

Where can you combine golf with horseback riding on a tropical beach, a massage at a full-service spa, a night of passionate flamenco, and fascinating tours of historical buildings and art museums?

Puerto Rico!

Now is a great time to plan your golf travel to this Caribbean island paradise that combines challenging golf with fabulous sightseeing and just plain relaxing with a range of accommodations and exotic cuisines.

TROPICAL GOLFING

As you enjoy the best golfing in the Caribbean, soak in the lush verdant surroundings, winding rivers, bluffs, and spectacular ocean views. Want diversity? You can hone your skills on the 15 island courses designed by such luminaries as Robert Trent Jones Sr., Rees Jones, Tom and George Fazio, and Greg Norman.

At Palmas del Mar, the Flamboyan championship golf course designed by Rees Jones offers me wide fairways, distinctive bunkering, a 23-acre lake, and a notable crosswind on the 8^th hole. The course crosses the Candelero River, skirts the seashore, with rolling greens for memorable golf. For a change of pace, there is the Palm, designed by Gary Player, is known for its lush tropical landscape, water hazards, and panoramic views. The small, elusive greens are interspersed with marshes, jungle, and coconut groves for a totally tropical ambience.

At Rio Mar, you have your choice of the ocean course and the river course. The former, by Tom and George Fazio, is a classic layout, with Atlantic panoramas in the distance and the occasional iguana up close and personal. Greg Norman’s riverside course, ideal for all levels, is framed by vistas of mountain and sea, follows the natural terrain while preserving native vegetation.

DELIGHTS OF OLD SAN JUAN

Most golf packages can include time in San Juan so that you can get to know the culture. Fodor’s recommends planning one to two days to indulge you in the sightseeing and shopping in Old San Juan. Founded in 1521, this designated U.S. National Historic Zone is chock full of carefully preserved and restored examples over 400 examples of 16th- and 17th-century Spanish colonial architecture. More than 400 buildings have been beautifully restored. Bring your camera to capture shots of lacy wrought-iron balconies draped with bright flowers over cobbled streets. 

Plan on dressing up a bit in San Juan, as the natives do, when you go out on the town to enjoy the many art galleries, museums, bars, casinos, music venues, and live theater.   It’s not a duty-free port, but you will find intriguing local crafts and can often watch the artisans right at work, making small religious figurines, cigars, lace, and Carnival masks. (As Puerto Rico is a territory of the U.S., your dollar works just fine.)

Your biggest concern will be how to fit in all the golf, water sports, touring, and entertainment possible in beautiful San Juan and environs. When you consider all that Puerto Rico has to offer, you’ll want to arrange your golf trips to visit again and again. 

Visit Eastern Canada for Cool Golf Vacations

When summer temperatures soar across much of the United States and Europe, even the most avid golfer loses some enthusiasm for hitting the links. That’s the time to head north for your golf vacations to some of the best golfing on the planet.

From spring through early fall, Canada is the perfect spot for golf trips, with great courses and spectacular scenery in addition to very delightful climates. From the Maritimes to the mountains, individuals, groups, and families will find plenty of activities in addition to great golfing.

PEI: Golfing in the Maritimes

Starting on the East Coast, you have Prince Edward Island, with more than a century of golf history. In fact, readers of Score magazine rated PEI as “Canada’s Best Golf Destination” two years in a row. It has 10 of the top 100 courses in the country, as rated by Globe and Mail, and some of the top courses in North America according to Golf Digest.

Since “the Emerald Isle” is only 120 miles long and 20 miles across, all of these are within a short drive of each other, and include links, river and woodland courses. Highly recommended courses include Brudenell River, by far the most popular, Dundarave, The Links at Crowbush Cove, and Mill River.

PEI is also a very affordable vacation destination, and you’ll find many special golf packages to this maritime setting. You’re never more than 15 minutes from the shore, so plan on some fishing. The island also has great cycling routes and is home to “Anne of Green Gables.”

Quebec: Golfing in the Mountains

If you are up for a challenge, head for Tremblant. Just 90 minutes north of Montreal and about six hours north of Boston, you’ll find one of the most popular golf resorts in Northeastern America. Mt. Tremblant itself is the crown jewel of the Laurentian Mountains. Like Whistler in the west, it has been transformed from a ski resort to an all-year vacation hub given its proximity to Parc du Mont-Tremblant, a huge provincial nature park.

This resort village offers everything, including Quebec’s best golfing, with stunning views of lakes, forest, and mountains, and accommodations and dining from modest to luxurious. Off the course, you can choose from cycling, hiking, and some of the world’s best canoe waters. Let your booking agent help you plan the golf packages that meet your entire vacation needs.

In fact, there is so much to see and do in both of these eastern Canada resorts that you’ll want to return to them again and again for your golf vacations!

Family and Golf Vacations all In One

With the onset of summer come vacations and family plans as well as the perfect time to hit a few golf balls whether for business or pleasure. Now, you can book the ideal golf vacation and have your personal itinerary planned out for you all before you leave you home. Online you will find over forty perfect golf destinations, more than one hundred hotels and golf resorts as well as over four hundred beautiful and challenging golf courses. Throughout the United States or overseas you can book your ideal golf vacation for business or pleasure with the comfort that only the top golf courses, hotels, golf resorts and other golf destinations are yours to choose from. All the golf destinations have been handpicked after personal experiences by individuals with high standards so you can rest assured that you will receive only the best for your money and your vacation time.

Bring your family to Orlando and while you golf with Mickey Mouse they can run the day away through the streets of Disney or the many other theme parks in the area. After a day on the beautiful golf course in Orlando you can spend the evenings watching the fireworks or enjoying the warm Florida evenings on your private balcony only to begin the day again mapped out in your personal itinerary. Maybe your style leans more toward the cooler climate with less humidity? There are numerous golf packages for you as well. You can hit golf balls in the beautiful deserts of Nevada or along the coastline in South Carolina while still enjoying the challenge of a good golf course. You can venture even further south and enjoy the golf courses of New Mexico or jump on a plane and enjoy the rolling plains of Ireland and the scenery of Scotland. You will even find wonderful golf courses in Arizona and Oregon with five star resorts or hotels to add comfort to your vacation.

A golf vacation is great fun for your entire family when you book your travels through a company that knows firsthand the resorts and golf destinations to offer you. Now you can enjoy a golf game with your family or incorporate work with you family vacation when you take advantage of the wide variety of golf destinations. Put the days of planning your vacation on a beautiful golf resort and let the people at Golf Holidays book your golf get away today with the assistance of an affordable golf package.