Best Golf Resorts of the World

2014 Frys.com Open Packages at Johnny Miller’s Silverado Resort Napa Valley

World Golf Hall of Famer, Johnny Miller, is offering two Frys.com Open packages at his Napa Valley property, the Silverado Resort and Spa.

During the 2014 Frys.com Open, October 8-12, 2014 at Silverado, guests will be up-close to 3-time major winner Rory McIlroy, Vijay Singh, Stewart Cink, Ben Curtis, Justin Leonard, Geoff Ogilvy, Mike Weir and dozens more PGA stars.

The tournament and the resort will sell out fast, so book now to take advantage of these tournament packages at Silverado Resort and Spa:

Frys.com Open Ultimate Package
Four nights of onsite tournament accommodations
Full breakfast daily at The Grill
Five days of Frys Open tournament tickets (Wednesday-Sunday)
From $540 per night

Frys.com Open Spectator Package
Overnight accommodations*
Full breakfast daily at The Grill
Daily Frys Open tournament ticket
*Available for one night stays Wednesday; Thursday arrival requires a three night stay.
From $584 per night

The four-day Frys.com Open tournament is the opening event of the PGA TOUR season and features a full-field (132 players) with a $5 million purse and $900,000 payout to the winner.

Silverado Resort and Spa
A Napa Valley landmark for more than 140 years, Silverado Resort and Spa is a sprawling, oak-shaded estate with 380 guest rooms, two PGA championship golf courses and two signature restaurants. Operated by the luxury brand, Dolce Hotels and Resorts and under new ownership of Johnny Miller and partners, the resort has recently emerged from extensive renovation of the North Course and guest accommodations. On-site are a 16,000 square foot luxury spa, 10 swimming pools, and 13 tennis courts.

More here about Silverado Resort

And even more here about Silverado

Founder/editor of BestGolfResortsofTheWorld.com, Karen Misuraca is a travel and golf writer from the California Wine Country. She blogs golf travel and writes about Deep Culture Travel. Check out Karen's newly updated iPhone app, California Coast North.

 

Winter Golf Group Getaway at the Caddy Shack at Greenhorn Creek

Looking for lodging for your golf group's getaway? The fabulous new Caddy Shack at Greenhorn Golf Resort in the California Gold Country is something unique. The spacious 5-bedroom lodge sleeps up to 12 golfers (or . . . non-golfers) in sublime privacy, adjacent to the golf course and a minute or two from the clubhouse and CAMPS restaurant.

Special pricing for Caddy Shack: Sunday through Thursday December through February, $350 a night with $25 per round of golf with cart––unbeatable!

On-site are a 55" HDTV, an outdoor BBQ and umbrella tables, a horseshoe pit, and a fully-equipped, eat-in kitchen; 2.5 baths.

(For meetings and group meals, there is also a fireside meeting room and a sweet library hideaway, both in the main clubhouse. With cottages and condos also available, the resort is perfect for friends, family, teams and business groups.)

Five tees make the 6,749-yard Robert Trent Jones II-designed golf course enjoyable for everyone in your group--just keep your eyes peeled for the giant oak trees, the ponds and the lake.

 

A couple of hours from San Francisco and the Livermore and Central valleys, located near the charming, historic town of Angels Camp, Greenhorn Creek is above the coastal and valley fog and below the snow, making it perfect for year-round golfing. You can play golf one day and ski the next at nearby Bear Valley, and if the sky does start to cloud up, there are always 30+ nearby wineries and historic attractions to keep you and your gang busy.

For couples and smaller groups, available at Greenhorn Resort are 1-bedroom condos and multi-bedroom cottages.

Founder/editor of BestGolfResortsofTheWorld.com, Karen Misuraca is a travel and golf writer from the California Wine Country. She blogs golf travel and writes about Deep Culture Travel. Check out Karen's new iPhone app, California Coast North.

Hot Deal for Beginners at Troon Courses in October

The entire month of October is “Troon's Player Development Month with Get Golf Ready.” Partnering with the PGA’s Get Golf Ready program, more than 70 Troon clubs in the United States are hosting introductory golf clinics designed to introduce juniors and beginners to the game in a fun, affordable and educational way. Participation costs only $20 for adults, while juniors 17 years of age and younger are free. (Each participant is also automatically entered into a drawing to win one of five Callaway Golf starter sets).

After each clinic, participants have the opportunity to register for a Get Golf Ready program, which includes 5 additional instructional classes starting at just $99. To sign up for a clinic and to view a complete list of facilities participating in Troon’s Player Development Month, visit www.TroonGolf.com and click on the Get Golf Ready logo.

From Indian Wells Golf Resort and Westin Mission Hills in Palm Springs to Silverado in the Napa Valley, to Kapalua and Makai Golf Club at Princeville in Hawaii and Troon North and The Boulders in Scottsdale, this is a DEAL! at some of the top golf courses and resorts on the planet. Beginners get to learn the game on Troon courses, which are among the most spectacular and best-managed in the world.

Entering its fourth year, Get Golf Ready has introduced the game to thousands of adults who have never played golf or who have minimal experience in the game. Participants learn chipping, putting, full swing, half swing and bunker play, guidelines of use and maintenance of golf equipment, keeping score and navigating the course. On-course learning opportunities are part of each lesson, as well as background on the game’s rules, etiquette, history and values.

 

Golf California Wine Country on New VisitSFBayArea.com Site

Check out the new Web site, VisitSFBayArea.com to find my article “Best Places to Golf in the Wine Country”.

“Vineyards roll across the valleys and up into the foothills of the Napa, Livermore and Sonoma wine regions, with the fairways of many golf courses rolling right along beside them. A round of golf, a bottle of wine and thou . . . . “

VisitSFBayArea.com is a new insider's guide to San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area––an all-in-one guide to things to do, hotels, restaurants, entertainment, attractions, wineries, spas, and more.

Founder/editor of BestGolfResortsofTheWorld.com,  Karen Misuraca is a travel and golf writer from the California Wine Country. She blogs golf travel here and writes about cultural travel at DeepCultureTravel.com. Check out Karen's new iPhone app, California Coast North.

Grand Del Mar Golf Resort Fall Packages, San Diego

San Diego area’s only 5-Star, 5-diamond resort, The Grand Del Mar is a Mediterranean-style oasis with a fabulous Tom Fazio-designed golf course, Dave Stockton- and Dave Pelz-related golf instruction, and a glorious spa.

This Fall, a unique stay-and-play golf package involving Torrey Pines has been made available, as well as new golf school packages.

Coast to Canyon Golf Package

• 2 nights ultra-luxury accommodations
• Unlimited golf at The Grand Golf Club
• 1 round of golf at Torrey Pines South, including luxury roundtrip transportation
• "19th Hole" handcrafted local beer at Club M each day
• Daily breakfast 
• $985--$1525

VISION54 Golf School  3-day clinic: Fri., Sept. 21 – Sun., Sept. 23Internationally renowned golf experts, Lynn Marriott and Pia Nilsson bring together their research and testing for a clinic on the eight essential playing skills. $3,295 includes green fees, program materials and lunch; special room rate of $365 per night.

Patriot Golf Day Supports Military Families August 31—September 3, 2012

The leading golf management company in the world, Troon Golf is supporting the 6th annual Patriot Golf Day, a joint initiative of The PGA of America and the United States Golf Association.

Golfers playing at many Troon-managed facilities around the country will have the chance to donate $1 and more to benefit the Folds of Honor Foundation. Donations provide educational scholarships for children and spouses of military service men and women killed or disabled in the line of duty.

"As we all know, freedom is not free, and we are proud to partner with Troon to help the families of our wounded and fallen heroes," said Major Dan Rooney, founder of Folds of Honor.  “Through Patriot Golf Day events held at thousands of facilities across the country, including Troon-managed facilities, we have given golfers a way to provide their support.”

Since 2007, more than $12.8 million has been raised through Patriot Golf Day events, allowing Folds of Honor to award more than 3,500 educational scholarships.

“Patriot Golf Day is a great opportunity for the golf industry to give back to the families of those who have courageously served to protect our country,” stated John Easterbrook of Troon Golf.

Major Dan Rooney, a former F-16 fighter pilot, PGA Professional and USGA member, came up with the concept of Patriot Golf Day and founded the Folds of Honor Foundation in 2007, following his second of three tours of duty in Iraq. After returning from his second tour, Major Rooney witnessed a profound display of a family’s grief as they welcomed home the remains of Corporal Brock Bucklin. Inspired by this tragic homecoming of a fallen American solider, Rooney started the Folds of Honor Foundation to provide support to military families in the aftermath of their tragedies.

Founder/editor of BestGolfResortsofTheWorld.com,  Karen Misuraca is a travel and golf writer from the California Wine Country. She blogs golf travel here and writes about culture and eco-travel at   DeepCultureTravel.com. Check out Karen's new iPhone app, California Coast North.

 

 

Presidio Golf Club offers Private Club Deal, San Francisco

For the first time in over a century, the Presidio Golf Club in San Francisco is offering an amazing deal for new club memberships:  a waived initial registration fee of $12,000.  

Private club members receive:

• Unlimited Golf with preferred tee times
• Monthly tournament play
• Unlimited use of swing simulator & gym equipment
• Access to clubhouse locker room
• Complimentary club storage & club cleaning 
• Discounts on merchandise, resort golf & lodging
• Invitations to attend social events

Club members also enjoy private clubhouse dining and event space.

Established in 1896, the Presidio Golf Course was the much-coveted private sanctuary of the U.S. Army until 1995, when the Army base became part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and the golf course became semi-private. A multi-million dollar upgrade by Arnold Palmer Golf Management Company added bentgrass greens, a glitzy new clubhouse and the Presidio Cafe on the 18th green, where golfers enjoy live jazz and California cuisine on the heated terrace.

On a peninsula of woodlands and buffs above the Golden Gate, the 6,500-yard track winds among stands of towering cypress, eucalyptus and pines. Peregrine falcons and eagles circle above, and wild rhododendrons explode into clouds of red and white blooms from January through April. Sidehill, uphill and downhill lies are the order of the day, plus erratic winds off San Francisco Bay.  

Founder/editor of BestGolfResortsofTheWorld.com,  Karen Misuraca is a travel and golf writer from the California Wine Country. She blogs golf travel here and writes about culture and eco-travel at DeepCultureTravel.com. Check out Karen's new iPhone app, California Coast North.

September Deals at Saddle Creek Resort in California Gold Country

Look for views of Yosemite National Park and the snow-capped Sierra Nevadas from the 18 holes of championship golf at Saddle Creek Resort in California’s Gold Country. The Carter Morrish-designed, meandering layout is scattered with lakes and 100+ bunkers, and menaced by the arms of huge valley oaks, a criss-crossing creek and multi-level greens.

The resort continues to gain awards, including 16th best public access course in the state of by Golfweek Magazine in 2012; Golf Digest voted it 7th best new upscale golf course in the U.S., rating 4.5 stars.

Saddle Creek Resort is offering a special “9-Holes Plus” deal on Friday and Saturday afternoons through September, 2012.

Play after 4 p.m. for just $45 including all the holes you can play, cart, range balls, and your first post-round drink is just $1.

(Stay-and-Play packages are available, with lodging in 2-bedroom, upscale lodge bungalows.)

Click here for more about Saddle Creek

Founder/editor of BestGolfResortsofTheWorld.com,  Karen Misuraca is a travel and golf writer from the California Wine Country. She blogs golf travel here and writes about culture and eco-travel at    DeepCultureTravel.com. Check out Karen's new iPhone app, California Coast North.

 

Death Valley Heatstroke Open June 22-24

Home of the world’s lowest golf course, Furnace Creek Resort in Death Valley National Park will host the 2nd annual “Heatstroke Open” Golf Tournament, June 22-24, 2012.

At 214 feet below sea level, the course is located in North America’s hottest and driest location. Last year 50 intrepid golfers braved 100+++ temps, staying hydrated and hitting toward the shady trees. Practice swings? Lining up putts? Forget it.

The Ranch at Furnace Creek Heatstroke Open package:

• 2 nights accommodations
• 36 holes of tournament golf
• optional Friday practice round
• cart, prizes, gift
• from $199 per night

A Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, the 6,236 yard Furnace Creek Golf Course (69.7/117) has been named one of Golf Digest’s “America’s 50 Toughest Courses”. The track features small greens, strategically placed palm and tamarisk trees and water hazards on 9 holes. Originally opened in 1931, the course underwent a major renovation by Perry Dye.

The Ranch at Furnace Creek is a charming, casual place with 224 air-conditioned rooms and cabins, a huge swimming pool, a General Store, the Borax Museum, restaurants, a saloon, headquarters for horseback riding, touring, tennis, family activities and more.
 
Mere mortals and less adventurous golfers enjoy Death Valley during the winter and spring. More here about Death Valley Resort.

Founder/editor of BestGolfResortsofTheWorld.com, Karen Misuraca is a travel and golf writer from the California Wine Country. She blogs International Golf Travel here and writes about culture and eco-travel at DeepCultureTravel.com. Check out Karen's new iPhone app, California Coast North.

Golf is Green: Golf Magazine Awards Eco-Friendly Golf Resorts

Awarded entry in Golf Magazine’s 2012 Eco-friendly Green Hall of Fame are three iconic American golf resorts:

• The Resort at Pelican Hill in Southern California
• Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Oregon
• Kingsmill Resort and Spa in Williamsburg, VA

Chosen from many top notch candidates, these three pay exceptional attention to resource conservation and protection, water management, wildlife habitat and restoration, and other on-going eco-programs.

On 504 acres above the Pacific Ocean in Newport Beach, The Resort at Pelican Hill saves more than 50 million gallons of water a year, while protecting and restoring coastal sage scrub and other indigenous flora. 1.2 million gallons of rain and runoff water is captured and held, and the sprinkler system monitors temperature, humidity and other factors to determine watering needs. Reclaimed water is used on the golf courses and landscaping, which is common, these days, on many, if not most, golf courses.

More here about The Resort at Pelican Hill.

A unique 13-hole, par-3 track adjacent to the four Scottish links-style courses that have made Bandon Dunes Golf Resort world famous, the new Bandon Preserve Golf Course (to open May 2012), is a Coore-Crenshaw design. Net proceeds from Preserve will benefit The Wild Rivers Coast Alliance, which supports projects that protect lands and waters of The South Coast of Oregon. The Preserve will also protect and preserve the Silvery Phacelia, an endangered plant species.

Four-diamond-rated Kingsmill Resort & Spa has dedicated 40% of its 2,900 acres overlooking the James River to eco‐friendly initiatives. The Woods, River and Plantation courses are each Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuaries, wherein the habitatsof bald eagles, hawks, and other endangered birds are protected. Rain water and irrigation runoff is funneled from parking lots, roadways and golf courses into irrigation ponds, from where it is used to water the golf courses and landscaping; and Kingsmill’s marina landscaping is fertilizer- and pesticide-free. Each year, the resort recycles nearly 35 tons of aluminum, 12 tons of cardboard, 4 tons of cooking oil, and 1.25 tons of paper.

More here about Kingsmill Resort.

Founder/editor of BestGolfResortsofTheWorld.com, Karen Misuraca is a travel and golf writer from the California Wine Country. She blogs golf travel here and writes about culture and eco-travel at DeepCultureTravel.com. Check out Karen's new iPhone app, California Coast North.

CordeValle Resort a Top Place to Stay for 2012 U.S. Open Golf Championship

An hour south of San Francisco’s legendary Olympic Club, site of the 2012 U.S. Open Championship, the 45 luxurious accommodations at Cordevalle, a Rosewood Resort will be in high demand during the week of the tournament (June 14-17).

Favored retreats of Silicon Valley titans, the 4-star-rated accommodations include spacious guest rooms, villa suites, bungalows and multi-bedroom homes, all with stunning valley views, private patios and elegant fittings.

Fairways roll like ocean waves across a Shangri-la of an isolated valley, which is inhabited by massive, mossy oaks and ghostly stands of 50-foot-tall sycamores. Willows weep over seemingly endless, rocky creeks running across and along the entire length of some holes, while herons and egrets hide in reedy wetlands. Canyon drop-offs and 58 semi-flashed bunkers add to the fun.

A knee-knocker at 76.3/146 from the championship tees, the track is resort-guest-playable from the forward tees (with the help of the forecaddies). At the end of 2011, the greens received an unusually vigorous aeration, with the result that the undulating, tiered greens are now in a state of utter perfection.

At the far end of the valley, vineyards spread in rampant rows down from Clos LaChance winery, a popular spot for apres-golf touring and tasting.

Cordevalle's golf course turns up on the “best-of” lists, from Golfweek’s “America’s Best Resort Golf Courses” to Golf Magazine’s “Top 100 Courses You Can Play”, and it earned Gold ratings from Golf Magazine and Condé Nast Traveler.

And not only that! Awaiting guests at the end of their rounds are two restaurants, an outdoor café, a fitness venue, a pool with a view, hiking trails, and Sense, A Rosewood Spa.

The crowning glory of CordeValle, the 7,360 yard, Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed golf course is the home of the PGA TOUR Frys.com Open, and has hosted 3 U.S. Open Qualifying tournaments and the PGA Cup.

More here about CordeValle

Founder/editor of BestGolfResortsofTheWorld.com, Karen Misuraca is a travel and golf writer from the California Wine Country. She blogs golf travel here and writes about culture and eco-travel at DeepCultureTravel.com. Check out Karen's new iPhone app, California Coast North.

Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay 2012 US Open Golf Package, Unlimited Golf

Just a half-hour's scenic drive from The Olympic Club in San Francisco––site of the 2012 US Open Championship this June––The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay is one of most conveniently located luxury properties near the tournament (crowds and traffic will be monumental).

The resort hotel is offering door-to- door car service to the event, and unlimited golf on the adjacent, seaside Half Moon Bay Golf Links. The US Open Package could be a once-in-lifetime gift to golf lovers, and for anyone who wants to treat their hubbie, dad or granddad to the Father's Day of his life! (final round is played on Father's Day)

The US Open Golf Package at the Ritz Carlton, Half Moon Bay includes:

• 5-star-rated, coastal view accommodations
• Daily breakfast for 2
• Valet parking, resort fee
• Daily roundtrip sedan service for 2 to and from the Olympic Club
• Unlimited golf for 2 after 5 pm at Half Moon Bay Golf Links
• Available June 11-17, 2012
• From $1420 per night (US Open Championship tickets sold separately)

A 261-room destination spa and golf hotel, a rambling, Shingle-style lodge reminiscent of the grand, eastern seaboard hostelries of the 19th century, the Ritz rides in glory atop a bluff overlooking 50 miles of rugged California coastline. Big stone fireplaces are often ablaze in the rather formal public rooms, all with stunning ocean views. English antiques, Portuguese ceramics and tapestries, and a notable collection of oil paintings and watercolors recall the 1800s, when the seacoast was settled by Portuguese shipbuilders. Tea is taken among the potted palms in the light-filled conservatory. Most guest rooms have fireplaces and comfy window seats.

Nature and the sea take the lead on the Half Moon Bay Ocean Course, a Scottish links-style layout with spectacular ocean views from every hole. Native grasses, low hollows and mounds, an absence of trees, and those constant sea breezes, call for the irons. Crashing waves create a soft curtain of sound on the finishing holes. 16 plays along the shore down a 350-yard slope, leveling off for a view of miles of coastline. The short 17th has no fairway, carrying over a yawning crevasse and a plunging waterfall to a putting surface with sound effects––barking sea lions. The boomerang-shaped, par-four 18th is right on the edge of the cliff. You shoot uphill, then down a fairway dotted with bunkers and grassy knobs, to a huge green laid on a windy plateau, requiring dead aim if you plan to avoid the sucking gorse.

A longer, yet less demanding layout, the Monterey pine and cypress tree-lined Half Moon Bay Old Course is an Arnold Palmer-Frank Duane-designed beauty with some narrow chutes, and gently mounded fairways crossed by wetlands, riparian areas and small lakes.

More here about The Ritz Carlton, Half Moon Bay and the golf courses.

Founder/editor of BestGolfResortsofTheWorld, Karen Misuraca is a travel and golf writer from the California Wine Country. She blogs golf travel and writes about Deep Culture Travel. Check out Karen's new iPhone app, California Coast North.

Johnny Miller's Silverado Resort Renovates Golf Courses

With a new ownership team that includes World Golf Hall of Famer, Johnny Miller, with Troon Golf management on board and the resort now operated by Dolce Hotels and Resorts, Silverado Resort and Spa will renovate the North and South golf courses by spring, 2011.

Designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., the North and South Courses sprawl across 360 acres, with dozens of water crossings, elevation changes, and routing through oak, pine, and redwood trees. Most of the major changes will take place on the North Course and driving range: bunker renovation, turf replacement and new tees, lengthening to 7,100 yards.

Improvements to the South Course include reshaping of fairway lines, recapturing lost green area, and enchancing bunkers.

A California landmark for more than 140 years, Silverado Resort has 435 guest rooms, a 16,000 square foot luxury spa, 10 swimming pools, 13 tennis courts and is located near more than 200 wineries.

More about Silverado.

Founder/editor of BestGolfResortsofTheWorld, Karen Misuraca is a travel and golf writer from the California Wine Country. She follows the little white ball around the world and blogs about International Golf Travel. And, she also writes a blog on Sustainable Travel.

Check out Karen's new iPhone app, California Coast North.

Annika Sorenstam celebrates new ANNIKA Chardonnay at Wente Vineyards golf day

Annika Sorenstam and her new wine

Golf diva Annika Sorenstam will host an all-day affair on July 25 at Wente VIneyards in California's Livermore Valley to present the newest wine from her ANNIKA Vineyards label, a 2008 Chardonnay.

Guests at the event will enjoy:

• continental breakfast
• golf clinic led by Annika
• shotgun golf tournament at The Course at Wente Vineyards
• ANNIKA Vineyards' 2008 Chardonnay tasting on the 7th tee.
• ANNIKA Vineyards' 2006 Syrah on the 14th tee
• awards and wine reception
• gala dinner on the vineyard lawn
• bottle of 2006 ANNIKA Syrah to take home

Annika Vineyards 2008 Chardonnay

Pricing for the day is $350 (dinner only option is $75). Participants can sign up through Wente Vineyards’ web site

Winemaker Karl Wente describes the Chardonnay as "full-bodied with apricot, peach, tangerine flavors throughout that lead to graham, vanilla and ground spice on the finish,”

The greatest female golfer of our time, Annika Sorenstam offers junior golfers opportunities to pursue their dreams through her ANNIKA Foundation. Along with Jack Nicklaus, she was named a Global Ambassador by the International Golf Federation and aided in the successful bid for golf in the 2016 Olympic Games. .

 
A spectacular layout tucked away in an idyllic valley and clifftop setting, Greg Norman designed, The Course at Wente Vineyards meanders through scenic rolling hills, vineyards, and grasslands of the Livermore Valley. Nestled up against the cliffs of Cresta Blanca, the course is lined with sycamore, oak and cottonwood woods and runs dramatically up onto high plateaus.

The Course at Wente Vineyards, Livermore, California

More about playing golf at Wente Vineyards.
 

Founder/editor of BestGolfResortsofTheWorld, Karen Misuraca is a travel and golf writer from the California Wine Country. She follows the little white ball around the world and blogs about International Golf Travel. And, she also writes a blog on Sustainable Travel.

A quartet of top notch golf courses in Northern California's Tri-Valley area

The Bridges Golf Course in San Ramon, California

About 40 minutes east of San Francisco near the Silicon Valley, the "Tri-Valley" area is all about wine and golf, with more than 50 wineries and several top notch golf courses.

Named by Golfweek as one of the top 50 munis in the nation out of more than 8,000 courses, Callippe Preserve Golf Course in Pleasanton is the newest in the area. The club was developed as part of a cooperative effort to create an 18-hole golf course, hiking and equestrian trails, endangered species habitat, wetlands and grazing land. The front nine runs through a beautiful valley, while the back nine rises higher, with Happy Valley Creek winding through oak woodlands and wetland habitat. Views are of ridgelands and from the higher spots, Mount Diablo. Greens fees here are great values.

At The Bridges Golf Club in the hills above San Ramon, eleven wooden bridges cross a meandering creek, gorges and ravines in a deep, wooded valley. Most holes on this links-style track are rimmed with meadows and eucalyptus, with plenty of tilting sidehills and ball-sucking shrubs. Bring extra balls for the many (many) carries and don't set off on your round without a yardage book.

Elevated tees and greens  (you'll feel like a mountain goat just getting up to the 5th tee), large, undulating greens, rolling approaches, big bunkers, and rather windy afternoons on this Johnny Miller and Damian Pascuzzo collaboration. (A former partner of Robert Muir Graves, Pascuzzo now works with PGA pro, Steve Pate.)

Excellent multi-level putting greens, a night-lighted practice range and a very nice, urban-chic clubhouse restaurant/bar with lovely views make The Bridges a place to linger. Play in the morning and stay for a long lunch.

A 27-hole Rees Jones-designed, heathland-style course, Poppy Ridge Golf Course is particularly beloved by NCGA members, who get a 45% discount off the public green fee. The Merlot, Chardonnay and Zinfandel nines are cut out of rugged foothills amid indigenous vegetation, with one lone tree and lots of sand creating a "inland links" feel, complete with steady afternoon winds. Prepare to run the ball up the open approaches, avoid the lakes and practice your sidehill shots. Zagat Guide has called it one of the top 15 courses in the nation for value.

Poppy Ridge Golf Course in Northern California's "Tri-Valley" area

 A spectacular layout tucked away in an idyllic valley and clifftop setting, Greg Norman designed, The Course at Wente Vineyards meanders through scenic rolling hills, vineyards, and grasslands of the Livermore Valley. Nestled up against the cliffs of Cresta Blanca, the course is lined with sycamore, oak and cottonwood woods and runs dramatically up onto high plateaus.

(More here about The Course at Wente Vineyards)

The Tri-Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau describes the golf courses in the area and offers packages.

Founder/editor of BestGolfResortsofTheWorld, Karen Misuraca is a travel and golf writer from the California Wine Country. She follows the little white ball around the world and blogs about International Golf Travel. And, she also writes a blog on Sustainable Travel.

Can't get on Pebble? Tee off at affordable Monterey County golf courses

Bayonet & Blackhorse on the Monterey Peninsula

Not every golf course in Monterey County comes with a $495 green fee, the current price tag for a round at Pebble Beach.

In Carmel Valley along the Carmel River below the dramatic Santa Lucia Mountain range, the parkland-style East and West courses at Rancho Canada Golf Club undulate between sycamore and cottonwood trees. The 192-yard hole #13 on the East calls for a carry across the river to an elevated green up against the mountainside. At 6,357 yards, the West is a challenge, including #9 where an uphill dogleg left requires a lay-up short of the water for the average player. Golden eagles, bobcats, deer and 60+ species of birds share the fairways.

Pebble Beach Company’s hidden gem, the oldest course in continuous operation West of the Mississippi (since 1897), Del Monte Golf Course runs 6,357 yards through an oak, cypress and Monterey pine forest. Fairways are tight, greens are so, so small. Start right out with a 505-yard 5-par on #1. Johnny Miller calls it, “Sneaky hard and fun to play."

A 130 slope rating hints at the challenge of Laguna Seca Golf Ranch, a 71 par, 6,161-yard beauty with elevated greens and tons of doglegs, designed into rugged landscape by both Jones Sr. and Jr. The 13-acre natural grass practice facility has been called the best in the county.  Online specials at Laguna Seca.

After a multi-year, $13 million renovation, 36-hole Bayonet & Black Horse is back and better than ever. Hole routings were adjusted, and new tees, bunkers and green complexes were added; now 21st century Bentgrass stretches from tee to green and players get unobstructed views of Monterey Bay and Point Pinos. At 7,104 yards, Bayonet is considered by some to be the most difficult track on the Monterey Peninsula. 7,024-yard Black Horse is an ideal companion, with Pacific Ocean views, and millions of splashy, serrated-edged bunkers and super-undulating greens.

Known as the "poor man’s Pebble Beach", Pacific Grove Golf Links has fab ocean views. The front nine moves through deep forest, while the back, designed by the legendary Jack Neville, original designer of the Pebble Beach Golf Links, brings the dunes and ocean into play. Signature holes include #12, a scenic 513-yard par 5 that runs to the waterfront and into prevailing winds.

Across the street from Pebble Beach Golf Links, Peter Hay Golf Course is the only 9 hole, par 3 golf course open to the public on the Monterey Peninsula--a perfect practice ground for the short game, and for kids and other beginners. The 17 Mile Drive gate fee is refunded with purchase of one green fee.

Host to many tournaments including the PGA Tour’s AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am (until the 2010 season), Poppy Hills Golf Course weaves through the Del Monte Forest. A 74.3/144 force to be reckoned with, the popular Robert Trent Jones Jr. design is the home course for the Northern California Golf Association. NCGA members get nearly a 75% discount off the $200 public green fee.

Green fees do run up at Spyglass Hill Golf Course, designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr. and part of Pebble Beach Resorts complex. The layout rolls through seaside dunes and cuts through a dense pine forest with elevated greens and maddeningly-placed bunkers and lakes. With a course rating of 75.5 and a slope rating of 147, this spectacular course is no slouch. Spyglass was ranked #11 on "America's 100 Greatest Public Courses" list by Golf Digest for 2009/2010.

More about golf in Monterey County.

More about Bayonet & Blackhorse.

Pebble Beach gets a facelift for U.S. Open.

Founder/editor of BestGolfResortsofTheWorld, Karen Misuraca is a travel and golf writer from the California Wine Country. She follows the little white ball around the world and blogs about International Golf Travel. And, she also writes a blog on Sustainable Travel.

Summer golf instruction at The Grand Del Mar in San Diego

Tom Fazio-designed Grand Golf Club at the Grand Del Mar, San Diego

Opened recently to instant acclaim, the snazzy 5-star Grand Del Mar resort in San Diego County has one of the finest golf instruction centers in the West. Headed by PGA pro, Shawn Cox, this year's programs at the Grand Golf Performance Academy address long and short irons, pitching/sand shots, trouble shots, chipping, putting and more. With decades of experience between them and an avalanche of awards and endorsements, the pros at The Grand deliver top-notch instruction and access to state-of-the-art swing analysis and technology.

Grand Golf Performance Academy Golf Programs:

• 3-day Program: June 11-13; July 23-25; Aug. 27-29; Oct. 22-24, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.  On-course instruction, computerized video analysis, mental strategy/evaluation, Titleist Performance Institute Physical Screening and daily lunch.  ($2,395/person)
• 2-day Short Game Program: Aug. 7-8; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Program highlights include SAM Puttlab technology, green reading and strategy, chipping, pitching, bunker and lob shots, ashort game practice techniques. ($1,595/person)
• 1-day Putting Program: Aug. 1, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mastering the art of putting through a comprehensive look at saving strokes on the greens, from understanding individual strokes to green reading and practice drills. ($695/person)

Close enough to the Pacific to catch ocean breezes, making it supremely comfortable year round, San Diego’s only Tom Fazio-designed golf course, the 7,160-yard Grand Golf Club at The Grand Del Mar winds through the rugged Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve through chaparral and scrub oak hillsides, meadows, valleys and ravines. The course is private, open only to members and to resort guests.

More about PGA pro Shawn Cox and improving your game at the Grand del Mar

Don't need a tune-up of your swing? Take a look here at the stay-and-play packages.

Founder/editor of BestGolfResortsofTheWorld, Karen Misuraca is a travel and golf writer from the California Wine Country. She follows the little white ball around the world and blogs about International Golf Travel. And, she also writes a blog on Sustainable Travel.

Summertime stay-and-play rates at Furnace Creek Resort

The secret to saving money on lodging, golf and other activities at Furnace Creek Resort in Death Valley is to come in the summertime--yes, when it's a zillion degrees outside! Early, early mornings are gloriously fresh and pleasant for golfing, bike rides, hiking and exploring.

And, when the sun starts to blast down, guests head for the mineral-spring-filled swimming pool and for the two museums, the General Store and the restaurants at family-oriented Ranch at Furnace Creek. Star-gazing on summer nights is magical, as the resort uses very minimal lighting in order to enhance the amazing star show each night.

At only $169 per night for two people, from May 9 through October 7, 2010, stay-and-play rates at the Ranch at Furnace Creek include:

• accommodations for two 
• one day of unlimited golf
• cart rental for 18 holes
   

Made in the shade on Furnace Creek Golf Course

At 214 feet below sea level, the Furnace Creek Golf Course is the lowest golf course in the world. Palm- and tamarisk-lined, against the dramatic, jagged backdrop of the Panamint Mountains, 18-hole Furnace Creek Golf Course has earned a place on Golf Digest’s list of “America’s 50 Toughest Courses.” Originally opened in 1931, the course received a major renovation by world-renowned architect, Perry Dye.

More about golf at Furnace Creek Resort.

Museums at Furnace Creek Ranch.

More about Furnace Creek Resort.

Adjacent to the golf course, the Ranch at Furnace Creek has 224 rooms  and cabins that recently underwent complete renovation.

Cozy cabins have two doubles or one queen bed, air conditioning, mini-refrigerators, flat-screen TVs, while standard rooms have new French doors leading to small patios or balconies. These rooms have two queens air conditioning, new TVs and mini-frigs with room for roll-a-ways.

Deluxe rooms fronting on sprawling, tree-shaded lawns have new French doors, two queens or kings, with air conditioning, new flat-screen TVs and all amenities. RV parking with utilities is also available.

You can now rent new bikes at Furnace Creek. Besides the fabulous Scott Aspect 45 mountain bike, the Workman Heavy-Duty bike, especially designed for downhill rides, is used on Death Valley "Hell's Gate Downhill Ride" and "Artist's Drive Ride". (Tours include bike and rider transfers to and from the start and finish of each ride, along with light snacks and beverages.

Founder/editor of BestGolfResortsofTheWorld, Karen Misuraca is a travel and golf writer from the California Wine Country. She follows the little white ball around the world and blogs about International Golf Travel. And, she also writes articles about Sustainable Travel and a blog on Sustainable Travel

Masters 2010, Alister MacKenzie courses you can play

Lahinch Golf Club, an Alister MacKenzie-designed course in Ireland

The storied home of The Masters, Augusta National Golf Club is one of the world-famous courses designed by the English-born, Scottish architect and physician, Alister MacKenzie, whose timeless style has influenced every course designer who followed. In 1932, with a definite nod to the Old Course at St. Andrews, MacKenzie laid out Augusta with assistance from the greatest player of his generation, Bobby Jones.

From the World Golf Hall of Fame: "MacKenzie's book, Golf Architecture, published in 1920, was the first to present and explain the fundamentals of golf course design. He practiced before the era of bulldozers, which left him little capacity to force golf holes where they didn't belong. His approach to providing fair and strategic golf without disrupting the site is a model for golf course design that lasts to this day."

21st century course architects and players consider MacKenzie's classic 1920s and 1930s-era courses in the United States and abroad to be the undisputed icons of the game, from Cypress Point in Monterey to Lahinch in Ireland and Royal Adelaide in Australia.

Although many MacKenzie-designed courses are private, these are some that are open to public play:

• Haggin Oaks Golf Complex, Sacramento, California: two hugely popular public tracks, Arcade Creek and the 6,992-yard MacKenzie Golf Course, which got a $6.5 million renovation in 2001. The MacKenzie is graced by century-old oaks, small, super-fast greens and an absence of fairway bunkers (they're all stacked up around the greens).
• Northwood Golf Club, Monte Rio, California: In the Sonoma County wine country, a lovely, unassuming 9-holer beneath towering redwoods.
• Sharp Park Golf Course, Pacifica, California: A muni course owned by the city of San Francisco, MacKenzie's only public seaside links.
• Pasatiempo Golf Club, Santa Cruz, California: Restored (not updated) by the legendary Tom Doak, a semi-private course that is available most days to the public; pricey greens fees. MacKenzie lived here on the 6th fairway during the last years of his life.
• Lahinch Golf Club, Lahinch, Ireland: a classic links laid out by Old Tom Morris 1892, often called the "St. Andrew's" of Ireland. MacKenzie redesigned and lengthened the track in 1927.
• Royal Troon Golf Club, Troon, Scotland: Limited guest play is allowed at the private MacKenzie-designed Portland Course (the Old Course here has hosted the British Open eight times.)
• Royal Melbourne Golf Club, Melbourne, Australia: The oldest club in the country. The "Composite", a combination of the 18 best holes from the East and the West courses, is generally regarded as the top course in the Southern Hemisphere; the West was designed by MacKenzie in 1926 and opened in 1931.
• University of Michigan Golf Course, Ann Arbor, Michigan: A hilly course where bunkers are ball-grabbers and greens are hard to figure out. updated in 1994 by Arthur Hills. Visiting golfers are usually able to wangle a tee time, even though ilt's officially available only to students, faculty and alumni.
• Palmetto Golf Club, Aiken, South Carolina (near Augusta): During the week of The Masters only, this private club opens its course to the public (good luck getting a tee time). Established in 1892, lengthened by MacKenzie in 1932, updated by Rees Jones and Tom Doak.

Founder/editor of BestGolfResortsofTheWorld, Karen Misuraca is a travel and golf writer from the California Wine Country. She follows the little white ball around the world and blogs about International Golf Travel. And, she also writes a blog on Sustainable Travel.

New non-stops to Maui, Hawaiian Air flys to Oakland, San Diego and L.A.

Hawaiian Airlines is expanding service with three new flights to Hawaii from California: L.A., Oakland and San Diego.

For San Francisco Bay Area passengers, the new daily flight between Oakland and Maui, Flight #23, will depart Oakland daily at 12:20 p.m. and arrive in Maui at 2:20 p.m. Return Flight #24 will depart Maui daily at 9:35 p.m. and arrive in Oakland the following morning at 5:30 a.m. The new flight runs June 17 through September 6, 2010.

Nearly a dozen world-class golf courses make Maui a golfer's dream destination. The main golf resorts are:

• Kaanapali Beach Resort
• Kapalua Resort
• Wailea Resort

Grand Wailea is the home of the Wailea Golf Club, which comprises three stunning championship courses: the Blue, the Gold and the Emerald. Also at the resort, the David Leadbetter Golf Academy is one of the most high-tech and highly rated golf learning centers on the planet.

More about golf on Maui

More about golf in Hawaii

And, even more about golf in Hawaii

Founder/editor of BestGolfResortsofTheWorld, Karen Misuraca is a travel and golf writer from the California Wine Country. She follows the little white ball around the world and blogs about International Golf Travel. And, she also writes a blog on Sustainable Travel.

Troon Golf offers 2010 discount golf card

Troon North Golf Club in Scottsdale, AZ, a Troon-managed course

The best golf course management company on the planet, Troon Golf has announced their 2010 Troon Card Program, which offers green fee discounts of up to 50% at some of most highly rated courses in the world--more than 40 golf clubs are participating.

Card holders and their guests also get replay rounds for just $10 per player, and the card ensuresbest rate by extending $5 off promotional rates at participating clubs. Card choices include the Arizona TwoSome and FourSome, accepted at 11 courses across Scottsdale, Phoenix and Tucson, as well as the California/Nevada Troon Cards accepted at eight courses in Las Vegas and Southern California. The National card option extends rate privileges at more than 40 courses located in 15 states and in Mexico.

To see a list of participating courses and to purchase a Troon Card online, visit www.troongolf.com (select the “e-store” link). Here are some the notable golf clubs where cardholders get the Troon Card discounts.

• Troon North Golf Club, Scottsdale, AZ
• The Phoenician, Phoenix, AZ
• Westin Kierland Resort & Spa, Scottsdale, CA
• Indian Wells Resort, Indian Wells, CA
• Westin Mission Hills, Rancho Mirage, CA
• The Golf Club at Equinox, Manchester Village, VT
• Classic Club, Palm Desert, CA
• One&Only Ocean Club, Paradise Island, Bahamas
• The Grove, London, England
• Makai Club, Princeville, Kauai, Hawaii

Troon Golf is the world’s largest golf management company, overseeing properties in 31 states and 26 countries.

Founder/Editor of BestGolfResortsofTheWorld.com,  Karen Misuraca is a travel and golf writer from the California Wine Country. She follows the little white ball around the world and blogs about International Golf Travel at www.examiner.com. And, she mainains a blog on Sustainable Travel.

51st Bob Hope Classic in La Quinta brings out the TV and movie stars

Actor Kurt Russell hits from the 11th tee during the first round of the Bob Hope Classic PGA golf tournament at Silver Rock Resort in La Quinta, Calif., Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2010. (AP Photo/Matt York)

The stars are out for the 51st Bob Hope Classic in La Quinta, CA. Celebrity players in the 2010 event, playing this week through Sunday, include such luminaries as Chris O’Donnell, Kurt Russell, William Devane, Oliver Hudson of “Rules of Engagement,” Kevin Nealon of “Weeds”, Bo Jackson and musicians Kenny G and Alice Cooper.

The PGA TOUR competition is being played on four courses in the Palm Springs area city of La Quinta: the Palmer Course at PGA West, the Nicklaus Private Course at PGA West, SilverRock Resort and La Quinta Country Club.

Although Shane Bertsch is leading the pack by 2, on-and-off rain and wind should complicate the final rounds.

Baseball Hall of Famer Yogi Berra is the first-ever "Classic Ambassador". Also new this year is Hope Square just inside the tournament entrance at the Palmer Private Course, featuring daily live entertainment, a massive video wall broadcasting tournament play, a food court (includilng Bar B Q prepared by 10-time National Bar B Q Cook Off Champion Big Bob Gibson's Bar B Q from Alabama) and two bars, plus a preview of vintage autos that will participate in the Desert Classic Concours d’Elegance tnext month at La Quinta Resort & Spa.

During the past 50 years, the Bob Hope Classic has donated more than $47 million to nonprofits throughout the Palm Springs-Coachella Valley.

TV schedule for the Bob Hope Classic

Read more about golf in the Palm Springs-Coachella Valley area.

Founder/Editor of BestGolfResortsofTheWorld.com,  Karen Misuraca is a travel and golf writer from the California Wine Country. She follows the little white ball around the world and blogs about International Golf Travel at www.examiner.com.

Stanford University course open to Rosewood Sand Hill guests

Stanford University Golf Course is now available to guests at

the Rosewood Sand Hill hotel

The uber-luxe Rosewood Sand Hill hotel in California's Silicon Valley has arranged for hotel guests to play on the acclaimed Stanford University Golf Course, which has previously been open only to Stanford students, faculty, alumni and their guests. Designed in 1930 by  architects William Bell and George Thomas (who also collaborated on such notables as the Bel-Air, Riviera and Los Angeles country clubs), the Stanford course is in the oak studded foothills above the campus, and is consistently rated one of the finest traditional golf courses in the country.

The Stanford Golf Package includes:
• One night of accommodation at the Rosewood Sand Hill
• Two rounds of golf at Stanford Golf Course (cart included)
• $50 breakfast credit at Madera
• Sleeve of Rosewood golf balls
Rates start at $599 per room.

In grand, contemporary California Craftsman style, 123 rooms and suites at the hotel have private balconies or terraces with courtyards or Santa Cruz Mountains views. A zen-like haven on-site, Sense, a Rosewood Spa has 13 luxurious treatment rooms; complimentary private car service if offered within five miles of the hotel.

Founder/editor of BestGolfResortsofTheWorld.com,  Karen Misuraca is a travel and golf writer from the California Wine Country. She follows the little white ball around the world and blogs about International Golf Travel at www.examiner.com.

Black Horse and Bayonet stay-and-play packages in Monterey

Black Horse and Bayonet Golf Club, Monterey Peninsula (photo by Joann Dost)

Bayonet and Black Horse Golf Club is extending their stay-and-play packages with Inns by the Sea on the Monterey Peninsula, good through 2010.

in the charming village of Carmel-by-the-Sea, Inns by the Sea are comprised of 5 cottage-style hotels ranging from 13 to 35 rooms: 

Candle Light Inn
Carriage House Inn
Dolphin Inn
Svendsgaard's Inn
Wayside Inn

The golf packages start at $249 per night, per golfer, including accommodations, one round of golf daily with cart and range balls, and continental breakfast. This is an unbeatable deal for golf fans considering a trip to the 2010 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am (Feb. 8-14).

Bayonet and Black Horse underwent a $13 million renovation, re-opening in late 2008. Once the private enclave of the U.S. Army at Fort Ord, the two courses have been transformed into two of the most challenging tracks in California. With dazzling views of Monterey Bay, Black Horse Golf Course is now 7,024 yards long, with a 141 slope and 73.7 rating. Somewhat more difficult--141 slope, 74.8 rating--ranked 35th in the list of 50 Toughest Courses in the U.S., Bayonet Golf Course is 7,104 yards of narrow oak- and cypress-lined fairways, with steep bunkers and the fearsome 5-hole "Combat Corner" series of dramatic doglegs.

More about golf resorts in California.

Founder/editor of BestGolfResortsofTheWorld.com,  Karen Misuraca is a travel and golf writer from the California Wine Country. She follows the little white ball around the world and blogs about International Golf Travel at www.examiner.com.

CordeValle resort gets the 2011 PGA Cup

One of the premier luxury golf resorts in California, a favorite of Silicon Valley titans, CordeValle has been selected to host the 25th PGA Cup, an international showcase of PGA Professionals, September 16-18, 2011.

The Robert Trent Jones, Jr. course at CordeValle will be the first West Coast venue since 1977 to host a PGA Cup, which is a Ryder Cup-style competition between a 10-member team of PGA pros from the U.S. and a team from the Great Britain and Ireland. (This week, the 24th PGA Cup is being contested at The Carrick at The DeVere Deluxe Resort in Loch Lomond, Scotland.) The U.S. has never been defeated at home, owning a 15-5-3 overall record.

CordeValle, derived from the Spanish phrase––el corazon del valle, meaning "heart of the valley"––has hosted three U.S. Open Qualifying tournaments ('01, '05, '08) and two U.S. Amateur qualifiers ('03, '06). Meandering through vineyards and oak-studded, stream-washed valleys, canyons and meadows, the 7,169 yard track has received rave reviews, including:

• Travel + Leisure: Top 50 Resorts in the continental United States & Canada
• Condé Nast Traveler: Top 100 Golf Resorts Worldwide
• Golf Digest: Best State Golf Course
• Golfweek: America's Best Resort Golf Courses
• Golf Magazine: Top 100 Courses You Can Play

Between San Francisco and Monterey, in the eastern foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, CordeValle is a luxury-level Rosewood Resort with a new 4-star-rated spa, Sense, A Rosewood Spa. More about the spa here.

Founder/editor of BestGolfResortsofTheWorld.com,  Karen Misuraca is a travel and golf writer from the California Wine Country. She follows the little white ball around the world and blogs about International Golf Travel at www.examiner.com.

Arnie is 80 today, designed 300+ resort courses

 

Four Seasons Aviara, Carlsbad, CA

The Arnold Palmer Design Company has designed more than 300 courses around the world, from China to Spain, Costa Rica to the Dominican Republic and Ireland. Arnie and his architects have created some of the world's most famous private, semi-private and resort courses. You can search by country, or browse the alphabetical list. Here are just a few of his notable resort courses:

Palmer Lakeside Course at Barton Creek Resort in Austin, TX        

The South Course at The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, CO

Four Seasons Resort Aviara in San Diego County, CO

Four Seasons Resort Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica

The Old Course at Half Moon Bay Golf Links, Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay, CA  

Hyatt La Manga Club Resort, Costa Brava. Spain

Whistler Golf Club, Whistler, B.C., Canada

Palmer Course, Turtle Bay Resort, Oahu, HA

The Club Course, Sea Pines Plantation, Hilton Head, SC        

Palmer Course at PGA West, La Quinta Resort and Spa, La Quinta, CA

The Club Course at Sea Pines Plantation, Hilton Head, SC  

Palmer Ryder and Palmer Smurfit courses, Kildare Hotel and Golf Club(K Club), Straffen, Ireland, host of the 2006 Ryder Cup

Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill Club and Lodge, Orlando, Florida, host of the Arnold Palmer Invitational

Labor Day is Patriot Golf Day

Arnold Palmer and Major Dan Rooney support Patriot Golf Day.

More than 3,600 PGA-staffed golf courses and resorts around the country are participating in the third annual Patriot Golf Day, actually several days, Labor Day weekend, September 4-7, 2009.

Golfers nationwide are asked to add $1 or more to their greens fees to benefit the Folds of Honor Foundation, which provides educational scholarships for children and spouses of military service men and women killed or disabled while serving our nation.

Patriot Golf Day has raised more than $3 million dollars in the past two years. PGA Professional Dan Rooney, an F-16 fighter pilot in the Oklahoma Air National Guard, is the founder of the Folds of Honor Foundation. Major Rooney has served three tours in Iraq. He said, "We have lost more than 4,000 soldiers. America can come together in the spirit of golf and have a dramatic impact. We have an opportunity to make a difference for the families who have made the ultimate sacrifice."

Here are a few of the dozens of California courses and resorts where golfers can participate in Patriot Golf Day:

Links at Bodega Harbour on the Sonoma Coast

La Costa Resort and Spa in San Diego

Half Moon Bay Golf Links adjacent the Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay, near San Francisco.

Mount Shasta Resort in Northern California

On the Patriot Golf Day Web site, golfers can search for participating courses around the country.

Founder/editor of BestGolfResortsoftheWorld.com, Karen Misuraca writes about golf travel and resorts around the world in her examiner.com column.

Save on overnight and snorkel on Catalina Island

(Read about golf on Catalina Island)

26 miles across the sea from Long Beach, the Hotel Porftofino on Catalina Island in Southern California is offering a great deal with its new "Villa Venturer Package," through October (weekend rates are higher, and a 2-night minimum stay may be required).

From $161.50 per night, double occupancy, plus tax, the package includes:

• Accommodations at the oceanfront Hotel Villa Portofino
• Continental breakfast
• Welcome gift
• R/T boat transportation aboard the Catalina Express from Long Beach, San Pedro, or Dana Point (a $66 value)
• R/T taxi transfers between boat dock and hotel
• 1 ¼ hour snorkel trip with Catalina Ocean Rafting

For more info: Karen Misuraca is the author of the new book, Backroads of the California Coast.

New travel guide: Backroads of the California Coast

We've done it again! Photographer Gary Crabbe and I are announcing the release of our new book, Backroads of the California Coast, our fourth title for Voyageur Press. With fabulous color photos on nearly every page, driving itineraries, maps and lively descriptions of each section of the coast from the redwoods to San Diego. Focused on off-the-beaten-track routes and lesser-known attractions, the new guide is loaded with indispensable information and entertaining reading. You'll use it on your own getaways, and find it a great gift for visitors.

A few highlights of the 24 itineraries:

Cliffs & Coves of the Palos Verdes Peninsula
Elephants & Moonstones: San Simeon to Cayucos
Torrey Pines & the Univ. of San Diego
The Seven Sisters: Morro Bay & the Edna Valley
Along the Navarro: Anderson Valley
Arcata to Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park

Gary and I also worked together on these popular "coffee-table style" books from Voyageur Press:
    The California Coast
   
    Backroads of the California Wine Country
   
    Our San Francisco

New Glamour in the Desert

To commemorate a 30th anniversary and a whopping property-wide renovation, guests at the Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa in Rancho Mirage will receive a 30 percent discount on golf, spa and dining through 2009, for reservations booked by February 28 of this year (800-423-1195). Now managed by KSL (known for such other luxury golf properties as La Costa, Barton Creek and The Homestead),  Rancho Las Palmas has just emerged from a complete and fabulous 5-star make-over.
 

When Rancho Las Palmas opened in 1979, while Cary Grant and Roy Rogers looked on, Bob Hope christened the property by hitting a golf shot through a ribbon that burst into flames. To the tune of $35 million, today's 444 oversized hacienda-style rooms and suites and five dining venues have been completely transformed into urban chic luxury, and the 25 clay and hard-surface tennis courts and 27-holes of golf were updated. A new water play complex, Splashtopia, features two acres of fun, including water slides, a lazy river, jets and fountains, a cliffside Jacuzzi, expansive swimming pool, and a sandy beach. Kids head for the newly opened Kidtopia kids camp, while parents lounge by the adult pool and at Spa Las Palmas, one of the top spas in the desert. The new bluEmber restaurant and R Bar lounge complete the resort experience.

The Ted Robinson-designed golf courses are scattered with thousands of palms and plenty of water hazards. Irrigation has been improved and a general face-lift overall brings these 27 holes into the 21st century with pizzazz. The golf is semi-private, with a nice clubhouse and restaurant.

Rancho Las Palmas is located across the street from The River, a fabulous dining, shopping and entertainment center that includes such restaurants as P.F. Chang's and Fleming's Steakhouse, and a multi-screen movie theater.