Golf Zoo's Blog

Torrey Pines Golf Course - North; One of the San Diego Golf Courses Most Loved by Locals

2008-06-17T15:50:00.000-04:00

After watching that gripping U.S. Open finale, I suspect many of you are planning, or at least longing for, a San Diego golf vacation and the opportunity to play the South layout Torrey Pines Golf Course.

Well, here's a little secret if you make it out there. While the trophy hunters, chest thumpers, and low handicappers prefer to do battle only on the South Course, one of the most beloved San Diego golf courses among locals is the North Course.

Why? Well, Torrey Pines Golf Course - North is a classic player's course rather than a championship test. It offers good sport, with a good chance to score well, and picturesque scenery. In fact, whereas parts of the South Course pass by hotels and a hospital, the North Course is more fully enveloped by nature. continued...

By: Craig Better of GolfVacationInsider.com

Secrets to Finding the Best Airline Seats for Your Next Golf Vacation

2008-06-13T10:00:00.003-04:00

In my previous tip, I shared my secrets for finding the best airline fares and flights for your next golf vacation. Today, I'm letting you in on one of my secrets for finding the best airline seats.

In fact, I am writing this while stretching out in seat 14F on a Continental Airlines Boeing 737-500. As far as coach flying goes, this is one of the best airline seats around. If you don't believe me, check out this 25-second video.

You see, there is no seat 13F (or 13A) on a Continental Airlines 737-500. So, by booking seat 14F (or 14A), you get a window seat that reclines fully and has enough leg room (and, in all likelihood, width) to keep a seven-foot NBA superstar fully outstretched.

You don't fly Continental? No problem. Here's how you can score the best airline seats for your next golf vacation, no matter what airline you use. continued...

By: David Baum of GolfVacationInsider.com

Secrets to Finding the Best Airline Fares for Your Next Golf Vacation

2008-06-11T11:00:00.002-04:00

Except for when commercial air travel first, ahem, got off the ground, it has never been a particularly pleasant experience. And, given the turmoil in the airline industry today, it has gone from bad to worse. Not only are delays at an all-time high, published fares are up and restrictions are commonplace, from surcharges for even one piece of checked baggage, to the return of the requisite Saturday night stay-over.

As you might expect, I travel quite frequently, and there are a few tricks of the trade that can help make your golf vacations a little better. Today, I am going to share with you one of my secrets for finding not only the best airline fares, but the best flights for your golf vacations.

I always start with the website Kayak.com. Unlike other sites, such as Orbitz or Expedia, that only show airlines that pay them commissions, Kayak shows flights (and fares) from every single airline — yes, even the discount carriers like Southwest and JetBlue. continued...

By: David Baum of GolfVacationInsider.com

Daufuskie Island Resort a Good Choice for Pet-Friendly Golf Vacations

2008-05-23T11:26:00.005-04:00

Family golf vacations are nothing new, but the trend of taking the whole family along, four-legged members included, seems to be on the rise. In 2002, the Travel Industry Association found that 14 percent of U.S. adults have traveled with a pet. In 2007, Tripadvisor pegged it at upwards of 50 percent.

Still, as you might imagine, taking pets (dogs especially) on golf vacations isn't easy. While there are plenty of stand-alone hotels and motels that allow them, finding a golf resort that accommodates pets is a lot harder. Even tougher is finding one that is truly "pet friendly." There are plenty of places that will allow pets, but they really just use it as an opportunity to gouge you with all sorts of extra fees.

Not so at Daufuskie Island Resort & Breathe Spa, a two-course property located on a very small and remote-feeling land mass off of Hilton Head Island, S.C. While it does impose a modest, $35 per night pet fee, during our recent visit, we felt like our dog was truly welcome. We even tested the staff by letting her run leashless around the property, including in the lobby, and nobody ever scolded her...or us. continued...

By: Craig Better of GolfVacationInsider.com

Myrtle Beach Restaurants: The Best 1-2 Combo on a Myrtle Beach Golf Vacation

2008-05-09T15:15:00.000-04:00

Whenever I take a Myrtle Beach golf vacation, I make sure to get down to Pawleys Island, which not only has some of my favorite courses along the Grand Strand (Caledonia, True Blue, the Heritage Club) but also some of my favorite Myrtle Beach restaurants.

The best one-two dining combination I've found is at Louis's at Pawleys (louisatpawleys.com) and the adjoining Fish Camp Bar, located on Highway 17 in the Hammock Shops specialty shopping/dining village.

Both feature the Lowcountry cooking of chef/owner Louis Osteen, one of the leaders of New Southern cuisine and named best chef in the Southeast in 2004 by the James Beard Foundation.

Osteen put himself on the map with restaurants in Charleston, but I'm glad he came back to Pawleys Island, where, in 1980, he began his efforts to popularize the indigenous food of the region. continued...

By: Craig Better of GolfVacationInsider.com

Orlando's Newest Golf Course - Sugarloaf Mountain

2008-05-07T11:18:00.003-04:00

Orlando has done it again! Another fantastic golf course has been added to the area - Sugarloaf Mountain. This is Bill Coore and Ben Creshaw's first design in Florida. It's located 25 miles from downtown Orlando, in Minneola, Florida.

This 7057 yd. private course is open for some resort play. The course is typified by large sandy areas and native grasses. The layout is challenging but very fair. The dramatic elevation changes up to 160 feet are not your typical Florida golf course. The design is very old school and the use of the terrain is fantastic!

This is definitely a solid contender for top - 100 Modern status. The course is arrayed in two returning nines - front nine is a huge clockwise loop, back nine forms a looser counter clockwise routing that actually folds back twice to the clubhouse. Lee Janzen, a two time US Open champ says "there is not a bad hole out there, I look forward to playing here again in the future".

Once this course fills up its membership, public play will cease to exist. When planning you next golf package to Orlando, please include this golf course in your choices - you won't be dissapointed! If you have interest in playing this golf course - please go to http://www.golfzoo or call 888.333.6103 to book you next tee time.

The Best Courses to Play on a Pinehurst Golf Resort Vacation

2008-05-02T10:01:00.000-04:00

With eight courses to choose from, deciding where to tee it up at Pinehurst Golf Resort can seem like a daunting task, but it's really quite simple. While most all of the Pinehurst golf courses are worthwhile (they don't call it "the American St. Andrews" for nothing), the even-numbered courses, taken as a group, are the best bets.

After No. 2, the Donald Ross masterpiece that hosted the U.S. Open in 1999 and 2005, our first choice would be No. 4, a Tom Fazio design whose every hole offers unique variety, beauty...and challenge. It's dotted with 180 sand traps, most of which are small pot bunkers clustered near fairway landing areas, at the bends of doglegs, and around the greens.

Nipping close at its heels is No. 8, a slightly more mounded and rolling Fazio design built in 1996 to celebrate Pinehurst's centennial anniversary. Its greens lack the severity of No. 2, yet their subtle crowns honor Ross' memory and roll fast and true. continued...

By: Craig Better of GolfVacationInsider.com

A Transition to Luxury

2008-05-01T16:47:00.009-04:00

I have stayed in hotels from Paris to Alaska and I find myself being very picky when it comes to accommodations. In the last year, the AmeriSuites Hotel has converted to the new and improved Hyatt Place Hotel. Using the word improved is a severe understatement. The hotels in Orlando and Tampa Airport are now a traveler's haven.
They have completely gutted the lobbies and remodeled them into a fun gathering place for their customers. One thing that has always made great sense to me is to have a bar and restaurant in the lobby of the hotel. It not only acts as a gathering place for fellow travelers, but also a melting pot for everyone. As you can see in the pictures, the Hyatt Place Tampa Airport has far exceeded that requirement.
If the rooms are your benchmark in a hotel, than they have exceeded that requirement as well. All the rooms are completely remodeled with very comfortable beds and large Plasma TVs and "I mean large." Unlike some hotels that claim a total remodel and have fallen short, Hyatt Place actually did it. If location is your benchmark, they have snatched the brass ring there also. Located just minutes from down town and just three minutes to the Airport, it is centrally located to everything. In addition, a Ruth Chris Steak House is in the front yard of the hotel and a huge mall is just down the street.When planning your next trip to Tampa, make sure you look into the new and very improved Hyatt Place.

Birmingham-to-the-Bay Stops on a Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail Vacation

2008-04-24T14:15:00.000-04:00

I'm starting my Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail vacation in Birmingham at Ross Bridge Resort, then heading south to Lakewood Golf Club on Mobile Bay. Is it worth the price to play both courses at Lakewood or should I go to nearby Magnolia Grove to play its Crossings and Falls courses?

Yes, we would recommend playing one of the courses at Magnolia Grove in lieu of playing both at Lakewood. Here's why:

First, you'll get a nice change of scenery and topography. Second, you're going to Alabama to play the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, right? Well, neither Robert Trent Jones nor any of his design associates did any of the work at Lakewood, as it wasn't originally part of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.

Yes, the original layout there, called the Old Course, was designed in 1947 by the great Perry Maxwell (who did Oklahoma's Southern Hills, site of three US Opens and Four PGA Championships), but rather than keeping the grand Old Course intact, Lakewood mixed and matched it with two additional nines, by Joe Lee in 1966 (to form the Dogwood Course) and Ron Garl in 1986 (to form the Azalea Course). continued...

By: Craig Better of GolfVacationInsider.com

The Benefits of North Myrtle Beach Golf Vacations

2008-03-25T13:30:00.001-04:00

If you're planning on taking a Myrtle Beach golf vacation this year, don't slight the northern reaches of America's most popular golf mecca. This area of the Grand Strand (just over the border in North Carolina) offers a variety of excellent Myrtle Beach golf courses.

Most Myrtle Beach regulars might play one or two courses in the north before moving on to the more publicized links in the center and south, but we think there is enough good golf here and enough good reasons to warrant multi-day North Myrtle Beach golf vacations.

First, golfers coming from cold weather climates can shorten their drive time considerably by taking North Myrtle Beach golf vacations — it's not uncommon for traffic on Route 17 (the main north/south artery along the coast) to slow to a crawl after crossing the border into South Carolina. continued...

By: Craig Better of GolfVacationInsider.com

GHIN Great for Calculating Golf Handicaps While on a Golf Vacation

2008-03-14T12:05:00.001-04:00

One of the greatest things about golf is that, thanks to the handicap system, players of widely differing skill levels can engage in competitive matches with one another. By allowing less accomplished players to subtract a certain amount of strokes from their score (thus eliminating the better player's advantage) a 26 handicap, for instance, can play against a five-handicap and have an equal chance of winning.

At your home course, it's pretty easy to determine how many strokes you are either giving to, or receiving from, your playing partners if everyone actively tracks their golf handicap. All you need to do is check the golf handicap printouts in the clubhouse or use the standard golf handicap formula (a quick-reference conversion chart usually hanging somewhere in the locker room makes this easier).

Everything changes, however, when you're on a golf vacation, because a person's golf handicap is based on the slope rating, or difficulty, of the course being played. So, more accurately, what's important is everyone's "course handicap," and the opportunity to pick up a stroke here or there isn't lost on anyone, especially during competitive buddy trips. In fact, the haggling over who gets how many strokes becomes a full contact sport that often starts at dinner the night before the group steps onto the opening tee. continued...

By: David Baum of GolfVacationInsider.com

The Crossings at Carlsbad - 'One of the Top 10 New Courses You Can Play'

2008-02-28T19:09:00.003-05:00

The Crossings At Carlsbad has just been named 'One of the top 10 courses you can play in the USA' by Golf Magazine and Golf.com. With the sparkling blue Pacific Ocean to the west and the Southern California Peninsular Mountain Ranges in the distance to the east, this state-of-the-art, 18-hole championship municipal golf course and event facility offers visitors magnificent views and a relaxing natural environment. Developed and owned by the City of Carlsbad, this public course is nestled among more than 1,000 acres of Carlsbad's coastal terrain and natural habitat. It's home to wetlands, sage brush and other plant, animal and bird life. On your next visit to beautiful San Diego, be sure to include it in your itinerary.

Florida Golf Limo Bus

2008-02-28T14:19:00.003-05:00

If you have a group of 8 - 16 guys coming into Orlando for a golf package, have I got a great value added service. Florida Golf Limo Bus is a state of the art vehicle for any group. This Limo will pick up your group at the airport and drop you off at you destination. It will also pick you up each day and take you to your chosen course and bring you back home after the round.

They will also set you up with beverages of your choice - you can even use them for a night out on the town. The company will also keep all the records - games played, scores, handicaps and courses you have played. You will have this put onto a disc for you to take home along with the pictures you have taken along the way with the cameras they provide.

The Limo Bus is equipped to handle up to 16 golfers, their golf bags and luggage. The Limo Bus is equipped with two flat screen TV's with Direct TV, XM Radio, Wireless Internet and Wet Bar. Monday - Thursday, they have a 3 hour minimum requirement. Friday - Sunday, they have a 4 hour minimum requirement.So, if you want to take you golf trip to Orlando up a notch - you owe it to yourself to check out Florida Golf Limo Bus. Please mention Golf Zoo when you call them. You can also contact Glen, at 888.333.6103 to set something up.

How to Deal with Cart-Path-Only Policies on Your Next Golf Vacation

2008-02-26T15:09:00.002-05:00

Many people think the worst three words in golf are, "You're still away." This past weekend, on my Scottsdale golf vacation, I was reminded of three words that are even worse, "Cart Path Only."

In town to evaluate recent changes to some of Scottsdale's best golf courses, I had to weather cart-path-only restrictions at Grayhawk Golf Club and during one of two rounds at Troon North Golf Club.

While cart-path-only golf is better than no golf at all, it's kinda like driving on the shoulder of the autobahn. Takes a lot of the fun out of it, ya know? Anyway, here are some tips for dealing with the situation if you're confronted with it:

If possible, ditch the cart altogether and walk. The cart path may be the only place you're allowed to drive the cart, but that doesn't necessarily mean you're forced to use one in the first place. Ideally, a golf course will also have pull carts or caddies available. If not, lighten up your golf bag and put it on your back. Unfortunately, walking isn't an option at many courses, particularly the sprawling ones designed to sell real estate. But I don't know which is worse, courses where walking isn't an option, or ones where it is, but they have the audacity to charge you the cart fee anyway. continued...

by David Baum of GolfVacationInsider.com

Introducing My Golf Zoo!

2008-02-21T13:31:00.000-05:00

Ever wanted to join your very own golf community? Now you can! Golf Zoo has created a social network targeted towards you - Golfers! There are a number of things that you can do - from creating your own member page, have your own blog, upload your golf pictures and videos, participate in forums and create your very own group that you and your golf buddies can all be a part of. It can also be a place where you can post your pictures and videos of your golf trip once you get back - and feel free to comment on other members' pages!

So what are you waiting for? Go to My.GolfZoo.com now and create your very own member page - it's fast and it's FREE!

Golf Zoo Survey Winner for January!

2008-02-08T11:11:00.000-05:00

As anyone who has traveled with us know, our clients receive a survey from us via email shortly after their trip with us asking how was the golf vacation, from booking the trip to the trip itself. The purpose of the survey is to help give us insight as to how we are doing as a company and to help improve upon future trips. For a few minutes of your time you get entered in our monthly drawing to win a $100 Travel Certificate that can be used on any golf vacation booked through Golf Zoo over the next 12 months to any of our many golf destinations. We will announce the winners at the beginning of each month here at our blog.

We would like to congratulate Keith S. for being chosen as the winner of our survey drawing for the month of January!

So be sure to fill out our survey when you receive it for a chance to win! Also, don't forget you can send us your pictures from your golf vacation and we will also put them up on our website as well! Even if you have traveled with us a long time ago, you can still send us your pictures for review!

Golf Bag Shipping Options for Your Next Golf Vacation

2008-02-06T15:56:00.000-05:00

Of all the questions we get about golf vacations, the one that we're hearing most frequently concerns golf bag shipping. With airport security requiring that golf travel cases be unlocked (or locked only with TSA-approved locks) and airlines imposing stricter baggage allowances and weight limits, it's really no surprise.

Here's the lowdown on golf bag shipping: if you don't need someone to help pack your clubs and delivery speed is not a major concern, the least expensive method for shipping golf clubs is by using one of the large package delivery companies: FedEx, UPS or DHL. This is what the specialized luggage and golf bag shipping companies ultimately use, anyway.

No special box is necessary — just pack your clubs in your golf travel case the way you would if you were taking them on the airplane and affix the shipping label that the carrier will provide. If possible, plan ahead as expedited delivery is much more expensive.

The least expensive service level is ground service. Unlike FedEx, UPS and DHL offer ground service pickups from residential and business addresses without requiring you to open a special account that hits you with weekly charges. (You can, however, use FedEx Ground without incurring any additional charges by dropping your bag off at a FedEx-Kinkos location.)

We called all three carriers (online shipping is also available) to find out what it would cost to ship a standard golf bag one way from New Jersey to California via ground service. A "standard" bag is usually defined as approximately 50"x12"x11" and weighing no more than 35-40 pounds. Each carrier said it would take about four business days, but FedEx and DHL were the least expensive, at around $35. UPS was about $10 more. continued...

by Craig Better, GolfVacationInsider.com

Experience Torrey Pines Golf Course like the Pros on Your San Diego Golf Vacation

2008-01-25T12:20:00.000-05:00

Want to play this week's PGA Tour venue exactly the way the world's best players will experience it on Sunday? If so, plan your next San Diego golf vacation so you're at Torrey Pines Golf Course on the Monday following its annual Buick Invitational.

Few people outside of San Diego know that, immediately after the conclusion of the tournament, Torrey Pines Golf Course holds a lottery for the next day's tee times. The lucky golfers selected not only get to play the South Course under championship conditions, they can play from the Championship tees and with Sunday pin placements. If there was ever a way to truly know the challenging set-ups that tour players contend with, this is it. continued

By Craig Better of GolfVacationInsider.com

Golf Zoo's New Website Design!

2008-01-21T16:44:00.000-05:00

We have officially launched our new website design on GolfZoo.com and have added site search! Please take it for a test drive and be sure to let us now what you think about it in the comments below.

We've given the site a fresh new look for 2008 while also adding site search, which will help you navigate the site that much easier - you can find the new search box at the top of every page at GolfZoo.com. We have also made it easier for you to join our email list to receive out Hot Deals directly to your inbox (we typically send our hot deals out once or twice a month so don't worry about getting bombarded with unwanted email - we also do NOT sell our lists - we respect your privacy!).

We certainly hope we have made your visit to Golf Zoo a more pleasant experience with our new menu and new pages, but as always, we welcome any feedback. Thanks for visiting and enjoy your stay!

Golf Zoo - San Diego Union Tribune Golf Package Prize

2008-01-20T19:05:00.000-05:00

Golf Zoo has provided a golf package to both its readers of the San Diego Union-Tribune and online visitors to offer a fabulous golf package, courtesy of Desert Willow Golf Resort and Miramonte Resort and Spa. The lucky winner will receive a 2 night, 2 room stay at the luxurious Miramonte Resort and Spa in Indian Wells, a gorgeous Mediterranean themed hotel and spa with superb dining and warm hospitality. Courtesy of Desert Willow Golf Resort in Palm Desert, the same lucky foursome will be playing three days of golf at Desert Willow, the '#1 Rated Public Access Course in all of Palm Springs' at their exceptional 36 hole facility feauring the Firecliff and Mountain View courses. Contestants may enter online at http://www.signonsandiego.com/ or at the San Diego Union-Tribune kiosk at the PGA TOUR's Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines this week.

Arizona Golf Events During the Month of January

2008-01-10T12:20:00.000-05:00

Some of the best golf is being played in Arizona during this time of the year. Here are some events that are taking place during the month of January. Enjoy these spectator events and the Arizona weather during these winter months.

January 15-17: Gateway Tour, Trilogy Golf Club Vistancia, Peoria.
January 21-23: Gateway Tour, Longbow Golf Club, Mesa
January 28-February 3: FBR Open, TPC Scottsdale
January 28-29: Ping Arizona Intercollegiate, Arizona National Golf Club, Tucson

Entries are being accepted for the FBR Open Charity Classic to be played February 4th at the TPC Scottsdale Stadium course. The cost is $5000 per foursome with all proceeds benefiting Desert Voices Oral Learning Center and the Foundation for Blind Children. To register, contact Chris Paty at 602.224.0598 or cpaty@desertvoices.phxcoxmail.com

The Most Dramatic Golf Course to Play in Mesquite, Nevada

2008-01-09T16:00:00.000-05:00

Have you ever seen Loyal H. Chapman’s famous paintings of ultra-extreme golf holes, ones where a tiny green dangles hundreds of feet in the air on the edge of vertical cliff wall or across an unfathomable chasm amid the crashing water of a massive waterfall?

Well, if you want to see the closest, real-life representation of Chapman's outlandish work, make a point of playing the Wolf Creek golf course on your next Las Vegas golf vacation. It's located in Mesquite, Nevada, about 90 minutes northeast of Las Vegas near the Arizona border, but you could easily mistake it for Mars...

By: Craig Better of GolfVacatonInsider.com

Rough Recovery

2008-01-02T13:06:00.000-05:00

Here are a few tips from Tim Rafferty, Head Golf Pro at Troon Country Club, Scottsdale, Arizona.

* When the ball lies deep in the rough, the biggest problem often is overcoming the amount of grass that gets between the ball and the clubface. The key to executing this shot is to minimize the amount of grass and make the allowances for its effect.

* A steeper angle of approach will reduce the tendency to catch the grass too early in the forward swing. A large amount of grass cushions the blow. It also reduces clubhead speed and takes backspin off the ball.

* Aiming the body left, opening the clubface and playing the ball a bit forward in the stance will help create the loft and steeper approach angle needed to escape the grass.
Finally, if there is a great deal of rough or other trouble to carry before reaching the target, it might be wise to just play out into the fairway and avoid possibly having to hit the ball out of the rough again.

Keep these tips in mind and hopefully your next trip to the rough will go a little smoother.

Famous Golf Quotes - Part 2 of 2

2007-12-20T10:37:00.000-05:00

More "Famous" Golf Quotes

Jimmy Demaret: "Golf and sex are about the only things you can enjoy without being good at."

Jack Lemmon: "If you think it's hard to meet new people, try picking up the wrong golf ball."

Lee Trevino: "If you're caught on a golf course during a storm and are afraid of lightning, hold up a 1-iron. Not even God can hit a 1-iron."

John Updike: "Golf appeals to the idiot in us and the child. Just how childlike golf players become is proven by their frequent inability to count past five."

"Silk Stockings" TV Show: "The people who gave us golf and called it a game are the same people who gave us bag pipes and called it music."

Gerald Ford: "I would like to deny all allegations by Bob Hope that during my last game of golf, I hit an eagle, a birdie, an elk and a moose."

P.G. Wodehouse: "The least thing upsets him on the links. He missed short putts because of the uproar of butterflies in the adjoining meadows."

Bob Hope: "If I'm on the course and lightning starts, I get inside fast. If God wants to play through, let him."

Ken Harrelson: "In baseball you hit your home run over the right-field fence, the left-field fence, the center-field fence. Nobody cares. In golf everything has got to be right over second base."

Chi Chi Rodriguez: "The first time I played the Masters, I was so nervous I drank a bottle of rum before I teed off I shot the happiest 83 of my life."

Chi Chi Rodriguez: "After all these years, it's still embarrassing for me to play on the American golf tour. Like the time I asked my caddie for a sand wedge and he came back ten minutes later with a ham on rye."

Tommy Bolt: toward the end of one of his infamous high-volume, temperamental, club-throwing rounds, asked his caddie for a club recommendation for a shot of about 155 yards. His caddie said: "I'd say either a 3-iron or a wedge, sir.""3-iron or a wedge?" asked Bolt. "What kind of stupid choice is that?""Those are the only two clubs you have left, sir." said the caddie.

Golf Zoo Welcomes Todd Massie!

2007-12-12T12:53:00.000-05:00

Golf Zoo is very pleased to announce the addition of Todd Massie to the Phoenix / Scottsdale Team. Todd joined Golf Zoo as the Golf Group Sales Manager for the Phoenix / Scottsdale market on October 1st. He will also be training over the next year in the other Southwest markets (Palm Springs, Las Vegas, Mesquite, and Tucson) in order for him to offer those destinations as well.

Golf Zoo has enjoyed a relationship with Todd for the past 5 years at lodging partner Resort Suites, and jumped at the chance to have him as part of the Golf Zoo team for their Phoenix / Scottsdale market. "With Todd's 15 years experience in the golf travel industry, corporate group know-how, and sterling reputation here in the Scottsdale market, he's a perfect fit for us, and we couldn't be happier to have him" stated Vice President Chris Parcell.

Todd can be reached at 888.867.6956 or tmassie@golfzoo.com

Welcome to the Golf Zoo Team Todd!