Monday, January 23, 2012

The Wonderful World of Disney Golf

Disney World is not purely about glitters and fireworks. Well, for the most part it is. This is where everybody's favorite Disney characters come to life – or rather, larger-than-life. This complete and ideal vacation destination was made with the whole family in mind so that no one would be left out. Yes, no one, including golf loving dads.


Golfers, in general, would not at all feel left out here. Disneyworld has, as a matter of fact, a set of five championship golf courses all made to thrill, excite, and bring out every golfer's fantasy to reality. Four of these courses are Joe Lee designs, one is a Tom Fazio, and all of them are magnificent.


Disney's Lake Buena Vista
Exciting, fun and challenging, with a four-star rating from Golf Digest's Places to Play, the Lake Buena Vista Course is one unforgettable course. There is so much beauty in the natural pine and palmetto forests lining the edges of the course, as much as there is a storybook quality to the pastel-colored villas and little boats on sparkly ponds. It measures 6,819 yards from the longest tees, par 72.

Disney's Magnolia Golf Course

Dotted with more than a thousand magnolia trees, the Mag as it is lovingly called, is not only literally fragrant but enchanting as well. It features elevated tees and greens, rolling terrain and more than 90 bunkers. But the most memorable highlight of this course is not a “signature hole” but a “signature bunker” - a Mickey Mouse-shaped bunker guarding the 6th hole. It is close to 7,500 yards in length, par 72.


Disney's Osprey Ridge
The only course on the Disney facility that was not designed by Joe Lee, the Osprey Ridge course could not and should never be accounted as anything less. This course was made by an equally legendary architect, Tom Fazio. Not only is this challenging, with water on nine holes and forests of pines, palmettos and bay trees on the edges, it is also a certified Audubon International Sanctuary for its well-preserved wetlands. It measures 7,101 yards, par 72, and holds a four and a half star rating from Golf Digest.


Disney's Palm Golf Club
This has quite a reputation among the PGA Tour courses. For one, it is beautiful. Notably beautiful, that is, with tree-lined fairways, sparkling lakes, lots of Florida sand, and water playing on nine of its eighteen holes. That's the reason why this course is named among America's Top 75. That, and it's 18th hole, known to be one of the longest closing holes in the PGA Tour.









Contact our Golf Zoo Travel Specialist and book a vacation to 
 Golf Courses in Orlando, Florida Today!! 
Please Call: 800-929-7300!!

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Book A Golf Vacation In Palm Springs, California TODAY!

Without a doubt, Palm Springs, California is one of the most popular golf vacation destinations in the country. The almost year-round sunny weather – having only an average of 15 to 20 days of rain every year – makes it ideal for the sport thus has long been serving as the home of some of the best golf courses in the United States.


Apart from the idyllic weather, it is surrounded by some of the most stunning mountain views that make for the perfect backdrop. The dramatic desert setting also makes for some of the most interesting course terrains that mesh perfectly with golf layouts making the courses in Palm Springs both beautiful and challenging. Its being situated a mere 120 miles east of urban Los Angeles also makes it accessible for golfers who would want to stay close to Hollywood Country. Needless to say, Palm Springs is the go to place for epic golf vacations, with a whole array of signature courses to make the golfing experience extremely special.


A good number of the courses here bear the names of the industry's biggest and most renowned names as designers. Palm Springs is also the home of the famed PGA West courses: Stadium Course, Greg Norman Course, and the Jack Nicklaus Course.


PGA West – TPC Stadium Course
This course might just as well be called Home of the Tournaments, having served as the regular host of such momentous and most awaited golf competitions as The Skins game, the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf and the PGA Grand Slam of Golf. Its design is too unique, too interesting, and too intriguing that even champions find it challenging. Shouldn't be surprising, the course was designed by Pete Dye, with his signature bunkering that at times border on being outrageous. 9 holes of the course play directly over water hazards, all the more making it extra challenging. And rightfully so, the course has been hailed as among the Top 100 Greatest Courses in the US by Golf Magazine.


PGA West – Greg Norman Course
Lying 40 feet below sea level and surrounded by huge terra cotta mountains, the PGA West Greg Norman Course could only be best described as majestic. The multi-colored wildflowers and the grasses of different shades of green all stand in perfect contrast with the reddish-gold glow of the surrounding desert. The course is a palette of colors – it is a treat to the senses to golfers who need to tackle one challenging hole after another.


PGA West – Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course
Golfers playing this Jack Nicklaus signature should arm themselves with versatility as it is more important here than any shotmaking skills they have. Each hole requires a unique strategy that the existing mindset on the first hole would prove obsolete right at the second hole and soon thereafter. It is one course that has a lot of drama, beauty, and challenge combined, and it is not for the faint of heart. Nicklaus closes the rounds at the double green 9th and 18th holes with a water crossing shot that could make or break a golfer's heart; good or bad scorecard regardless, it is sure to make any visit to Palm Springs unforgettable.




Contact our Golf Zoo Travel Specialist and book a vacation to 
 Golf Courses in Palm Springs, California Today!! 
Please Call: 800-929-7300!!

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

A Weekend Trip to Gaylord's Golf Destinations


Gaylord, Michigan boasts of countless recreational opportunities; be it skiing, hiking, fly fishing, canoeing, snowmobiling, or golfing. Located in the heart of Northern Lower Peninsula Off Interstate-75, Gaylord offers its guests beautiful golf courses of rustic woods and lakes paradise where long, warm summer days continue into early evening that allows extended play.e. It has a whole range of top caliber golf courses for you to choose from – Masterpiece Golf Course, Signature Golf Course, and Traditional Golf course all at Treetops Resort.


Masterpiece Golf Course at Treetops Resort
Robert Trent Jones, Sr. was the architect of Masterpiece Golf Course at Treetops Resort which was opened in 1987. Jones , in his own words, claimed it as his crowning glory. The area is well known for skiing and golf. Rolling terrain and beautiful scenery are everywhere. Diagrams of every hole with helpful hints on how to play the hole are on the scoreboard. The course is located at the headwaters of the Pigeon River and takes great advantage of natural valleys, ravines, and broad plains. The signature 6th hole features a 120 vertical drop and a panoramic view of the Pigeon River Valley. It has 7,060 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 71. The course rating is 75.5 and it has a slope rating of 144 on Bent grass.


Signature Golf Course at Treetops Resort
Rick Smith, a renowned architect and golf instructor, set the bar high with Signature Golf Course at Treetops Resort - his first 18-hole design. The course blossoms into a high upland area and features smoothing greens and broad fairways. It features 6,653 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 70 with a course rating of 72.8 and a slope rating of 140 on Bent grass. Natural areas are spectacular on holes four and eleven.


Tradition Golf Course at Treetops Resort
Opened in1997, this Rick Smith-designed Tradition Golf Course at Treetops Resort measures 6467 yards from the longest tees and has a slope of rating of 122 and a 70.3 USGA rating. Tradition is Smith's walking course which pays reference to golf's origin. The 9-hole course features traditional wooden pins and pennant flags. The layout takes advantage of high ridges and hilltops, providing some sloping while still being walkable.


Gaylord, Michigan is home to 81 holes of championship golf. Gaylord's different courses by renowned architect designers Tom Fazio, Rick Smith, and Robert Trent Jones, Sr., offer some of the best collections of golf in the country. Dramatic views, contours, and rolling terrain provide a beautiful



Contact our Golf Zoo Travel Specialist and book a vacation to 
Gaylord, Michigan Today!! 
Please Call: 800-929-7300!!


Tuesday, January 10, 2012

The Fresh Golf Courses of Los Cabos, Mexico



Los Cabos, Mexico-- A Destination Golfers Dream Of!!!!


The golf courses of Los Cabos were designed by famous architects the likes of Dye, Nicklaus, and Jones, making them very interesting. Spending a golf getaway in this tropical paradise is a good way to relax yourself with its exceptional golf courses that include Campestre San Jose Golf Club, Cabo Del Sol – Ocean Course, and Palmilla Golf Club.


Campestre San Jose Golf Club
Campestre San Jose Golf Club offers the visitors with a wonderful golf experience. This club is surrounded by eighteen championship-styled golf holes that are designed by the famous Nicklaus. It is the fifth masterpiece of Jack Nicklaus in Los Cabos. The views of Sea of Cortez, canyons, and mountains can be witnessed that beauty to the place. Opened in June 2007, the course’s dramatic elevation changes, incredibly panoramic views, and the championship greens are the reasons why this is a must visit place.


Cabo Del Sol – Ocean Course
Hailed as the “The best piece of golf property in the world” by the course designer Jack Nicklaus, Cabo Del Sol – Ocean Course is considered by some golfers to be the most challenging in Los Cabos. The 16th, 17th, and 18th holes are showstoppers while the front-nine holes that run along or up to the ocean – five, six, and seven – are not too shabby either. Some, who are not convinced that the course is difficult to play, say that the place has a spectacular design and thrilling playing field. Golf Magazine recognized this course as “One of the Top 100 Courses In The World”. Pacific Golf Magazine also called it as “One of Nicklaus’ finest creations” and the “Mexican version of Pebble Beach”.


Palmilla Golf Club
Located in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico, Palmilla Golf Club features another signature Jack Nicklaus golf course. This course is divided into the Ocean Nine, Arroyo Nine, and Mountain Nine. The deep arroyos, towering cacti, and the extraordinary views of the Sea of Cortez offer epic beauty and challenge on the place. It has been rated as “One of the Top 100 courses in the World” by Great Golf Resorts of the World. An exciting game can be experienced here due to the five sets of tee boxes, four lakes, stunning fairways, and deep elevations.


Contact our Golf Zoo Travel Specialist and book a vacation to 
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico TODAY!! 
Please Call: 800-929-7300!!


Monday, January 09, 2012

Vist Warm Fort Lauderdale, FL For Some Amazing Golf


  Fort Lauderdale, Florida



Jacaranda Golf Club
The 36-holes of this magnanimous golf facility are complemented by the even more incredible practice facilities in the club. Its multiple sets of tees along with the golf instruction facility both make it perfect for everyone regardless of the skill – yes, including the newbies and aspirants. Both the East and West courses of the Jacaranda hold 4-stars apiece from Golf Digest, and each have hosted some of the most prestigious golf tournaments in the state. Both courses have been redesigned by Booby Weed. The variation of both courses on attitude and challenge are very apparent it feels as though they do not belong in the same place together, but both are undoubtedly and equally beautiful.


Palm Aire Country Club
Palm Aire Country Club is beyond huge. In a single golf club, four championship 18-hole courses can be found, complemented with only the best amenities any golfer could ever look for in a golf vacation package. And if that is not enough yet, two of the four courses are George & Tom Fazio creations. The other two aren't any less better. All four courses are just minutes from Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton areas and are known to be among the best golf vacation destination in the area.


Bonaventure Golf Club
Last but definitely not the least on this list is the Bonaventure. It is a 36-hole golf trip favorite that features the best of Southern Florida's topography and natural scenery. Nothing is easy in either courses – the East and the West – except to fall in love with it. Scoring low is a whole other story.East course measures 7,158 yards from the longest tees with a par of 72; the West course is shorter but definitely not less fun at 6,128 yards at a par of 70.



Contact a Golf Zoo Travel Specialist and book a vacation to 
Fort Lauderdale, Florida TODAY!! 
Please Call: 800-929-7300!!


Friday, January 06, 2012

Angel Park Golf Club- Las Vegas, Nevada

The Angel Park Golf Club has been dubbed the “world's most complete Las Vegas golf experience.”




The Angel Park Golf Club features two championship caliber courses bearing Arnold Palmer's signature as its designer. On top of that, it also has a short course and a practice greens that are nothing short of the quality that the other two big courses have.




Angel Park Golf Club – Mountain Course
The larger and longer Mountain Course measures 6,772 yards from the longest tees, for a par of 71. It takes golfers to a myriad of adventures in an 18-hole layout, as they play on natural desert terrain. This is complemented by an array of bunkers and water hazards that are authentic Palmer signatures.


Angel Park Golf Club – Palm Course
The Palm Course is shorter by a good 200 yards than the Mountain Course at more than 6,500 yards. But this is not tantamount to it being any less better. Or fun. Or challenging. The Palm Course has all the good features of the Mountain Course, but with a more interesting set of par threes. The par-3 holes of this course are tad longer than the Mountain Course, measuring 200 yards at most. It plays for a par of 70, with a good distance between tees.


Cloud 9
A most interesting addition to the superb courses in the Angel Park, the Cloud 9 is a collection of 12 par-three holes. This lighted short course's holes are a replica of the best par three holes in the world. Amongst its top replica holes are those of The Postage Stamp” from Scotland’s Royal Troon Golf Club, “Valley of Sin” from Georgia’s St. Andrews Country Club and the most famous “Island Green” from TPC Sawgrass in Florida. Golf Range Magazine has recently awarded this course as among the Top Short Courses in America.



Contact our Golf Zoo Travel Specialist and book a vacation to 
The Angel Park Golf Club in Las Vegas, Nevada Today!! 
Please Call: 800-929-7300!!

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Golf in Pebble Beach

Pebble Beach, Florida , to countless golfers, is the home of some of the finest golf courses America has ever known. With its beautiful coastline, year-round good weather, and interesting terrain, Pebble Beach stands as a perfect location for a sport that requires a great fusion of scenery and layout. The golf courses here are considered some of America's best, designed by the top golf course designers then and now.


An interesting array of golf course options awaits golfers on their golf vacation at Pebble Beach. It is a good combination of seven very different but equally beautiful courses - timeless classics, traditional layouts, heart-wrenching challenges, all meshed perfectly into the very beautiful Pebble Beach.


The seven courses of Pebble Beach are: Pebble Beach Golf Links; Del Monte Golf Club; Carmel Valley Ranch Golf Club; Bayonet Black Horse Golf Club; Pacific Grove Golf Links; The Links at Spanish Bay Golf Club; and Spyglass Hill Golf Club.


Pebble Beach Golf Links
The 92 year old Pebble Beach Golf Links has seen the best of the legends of past and present – and it has broken their hearts one too many times too. This is the course that bears the glory of Pebble Beach golfing, featuring the best of its attributes – ocean holes, overlooking views of the Pacific Ocean, and the cliff side shots that make for some of the most challenging layouts. This quality of its layout has been accorded its proper merits, including being named the Best Public Golf Course in America and the honor of hosting the PGA Tour Championships five times. It is also slated to host the Championships again in 2019 when the course celebrates its 100th anniversary.


Del Monte Golf Club
The Del Monte Golf Club is the oldest active golf course in the West Coast, having debuted in 1897. The years did not do so much to tarnish the centuries-old reputation of the course for delivering epic rounds of golf everytime. This is the original home of the California State Amateurs. Through the years, the course characterized by its tree lined fairways has not been tamed by any golfer, and there are no indications it is going to happen anytime soon.


Carmel Valley Golf Club
The foothills of Sta. Lucia Mountains have long been the site of countless rounds of epic golf and have stood witness to the most memorable golf vacations. The Pete Dye-designed Carmel Valley Golf Club is a par-70 layout that highlights the best of the sunny side of the Monterey Peninsula. It has long been a fascinating golf course, only made better by the recent multi-million dollar renovation which included total overhaul of the clubhouse. All the effort paid off though; readers of the Travel and Leisure Magazine voted it the 'Best US Golf Resort' in the World's Best Category.


Bayonet Black Horse Golf
The Bayonet Black Horse is composed of two very distinct golf courses but are at par with each other in beauty in scenery and layout. The 7,104 yard- Bayonet course was designed by the left handed Gen. Robert McClure in 1954. The General's being left handed is apparent on the course layout, especially on the 11th through 15th holes – and that is something that would both fascinate and challenge any golfer. The Black Horse course on the other hand is a recently renovated and expanded course, but the original design was created by General Edwin Carnes in 1964. The original and the renovated Black Horse course both feature what many golfers and critics consider the most breathtaking views of the nearby Monterey Bay. The course stretches to 7,024 yards and has four sets of tees to accommodate players of all skill levels.


Pacific Grove Golf Club
The Pacific Grove Golf Club debuted in 1932 and features Scottish links style of golf. What The best and most loved attributes of the Pacific Grove are the unmatched, teasing glimpses of the stunning Monterey Bay from its fairways. It is even made even more beautiful with a draping of majestic cypress and other trees that line the fairways. Its most recent development saw the birth of its award winning Golf Shop and Clubhouse.


The Links at Spanish Bay
This is old world Scotland in Spanish Bay, right in Pebble Bay. Robert Trent Jones Sr, Tom Watson, and Sandy Tatum conspired to create a golf course that brings the glory and origin of the sport, and the result is the Links at Spanish Bay. It is a Links style course to the core, making use of the wide beach and rugged coastline. And keeping it true to its Scottish roots, at sundown everyday, a bagpiper closes the course the way they do it the old Scots way.

Spyglass Hills Golf Club

This is a Pebble Beach golf course that is truly storybook quality. Legend has it that novelist Robert Louis Stevenson used to roam the area where the Spyglass currently stands for inspiration for his novel Treasure Island. So when Robert Trent Jones Sr took the area for course construction, he returned the favor to the renowned author by taking the name given to it in the book, and that's how the Spyglass Hills Golf Club came to be. First opened in 1966, the course features a sandy seaside opening five holes, and the remaining thirteen are nestled amidst pines, elevated greens, and tricky bunkers.



The past century proved to be the glorious age of Pebble Beach golfing. Its courses has provided the best golfing experience to guests. 


Contact our Golf Zoo Travel Specialist and book a vacation to Pebble Beach, Florida Today!! 
Please Call: 800-929-7300!!

Course Review: River Club in Pawleys Island, SC


I played this Tom Jackson designed track recently and had a great time. A few months ago they put in all new Champion Ultradwarf greens, which are smooth, firm, and fast. With water coming into play on 15 holes, it makes for a fun and challenging round.

The course offers 3 sets of tees and measures 6,677 yards from the tips (6,240 yards from the whites). Most of the fairways are wide open, which was fun. The par-3 14th features an island green and plays 186 yards. One of my other favorites (and their other signature hole) was the par-5 18th, which can be played safe as a dog-leg left or you can take your chances going over water on your first 2 shots to go for Eagle.

River Club also has a nice Clubhouse and a good spot to grab a cold beverage or two after your round. Unfortunately, they do not have a full driving range, but atleast offer an area where you can hit into nets. The practice green was in great shape and gave you a taste of what you would find throughout your round.


If you are interested in this course or package give me,
 Mike Alfano, a call at 888.276.9589

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Emerald Coast Golf Trail



Panhandle, Florida


In West Florida, the long stretch of coastline running along the Gulf of Mexico has been known as a family drive hotspot. The last 50 years has seen the Emerald Coast as a prime spot for recreation away from the hustles and bustles of urban Florida. As a matter of fact, this area  used to be nicknamed the “Playground Area of the Gulf Coast”. And the reasons are obvious. This place is most ideal for those long and quiet walks on the beach, dining on fresh seafood and exploring nature's bounty. Its picturesque greenish sparkling seas – where it got its name – are highlighted by the powdered-sugar sand, making it a most picturesque presentation.


The Emerald Coast Golf Trail is composed of four championship golf courses: Scenic Hills (Pensacola), Tiger Point (Gulf Breeze), Hidden Creek (Navarre), and Shalimar Pointe (Shalimar).


The Emerald Coast spans a hundred miles, going through four counties (Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, and Bay). This includes the areas famous for golfing: Pensacola Bay, Fort Walton, Panama Beach City, and Destin. Thus, also, the birth of the Emerald Coast Golf Trail.


Scenic Hills Golf Club
Pensacola's Scenic Hills could stand out one way or another, but it best stands out for its very rich history. It is proudly the only golf course in the entire Florida to have hosted the US Open (1969 US Women's Open). Out of Florida's many, many courses that have come and gone over the years, none of them has beaten this record by the Scenic Hills. Apart from that, it holds some very dramatic elevation changes unheard of in most other courses in the area, and a most stunning combination of man's creativity with nature's beauty. It measures 6,689 yards from the longest tees, par 71.


Tiger Point
The Tiger Point Golf Club in Gulf Breeze used to be a 36-hole facility that had been battered by a pair of hurricanes (Ivan and Dennis), destroying much of one of the courses' back nine. Now a 27-hole facility, the Tiger Point does not pose to be any less better. It features a Scottish links style East Course (18 holes) and a scenic West Course (9 holes). The nines here can be played in separate combinations creating a variety of games.

Hidden Creek Golf Club

A Ron Garl creation, the Hidden Creek Golf Club was ranked in Golf Digest's Top 201 Places to Play. This, even despite being flanked by two gigantic golf vacation hotspots (Pensacola and Ft Walton Beach). Slightly elevated, fast and true greens, this course features a fairly open layout with a lot of room for tees. It measures 6,805 yards from the longest tees, par 72.


Shalimar Pointe Country Club
The course is the result of the collaboration between renowned designers Joe Finger and Pete Dye. The Shalimar Pointe Country Club has been a frequented host of several US Open Qualifiers and a 3 ½ star rating from Golf Digest's Places to Play. The layout is relatively fair from all tees, just as much as it is challenging. Measures 6,765 yards from the longest tees, par 72. Golfers of all abilities will surely find something to love about this course – whether it's the well-placed bunkers, perfectly manicured greens, the excellent practice facilities, or the unmatched views of the Choctawhatchee Bay. Whatever it is, the Shalimar Pointe Country Club is a must-play; it is difficult enough not to!


Beautiful, clean, and teeming with fun things to do, the Emerald Coast is in fact and indeed a most suited “Playground”. And with the addition of the Emerald Coast Golf Trail, this is a golfer's playground, or more aptly, A HAVEN.


Contact our Golf Zoo Travel Specialist and book a vacation to The Emerald Coast Golf Trail TODAY !! Please Call: 800-929-7300!!

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Florida's Nature Coast Golf Trail

Florida is a prime vacation destination for golfer enthusiast all through out the year. There are multiple different golf courses throughout Florida.  However, The Nature Coast Golf Trail is by far one of the most enjoyable courses in Florida. The Nature Coast Golf Trail is made up of three courses, the World Woods Golf Club; Plantation Inn and Golf Resort; and the Hernando Oaks Golf Club.


World Woods Golf Club
The World Woods Golf Club has a pair of championship courses, the Pine Barrens and the Rolling Oaks bearing the name of Tom Fazio as its designer. The Pine Barrens Course measuring a whooping 7,250 yards from the longest tees, par-71, and is ranked among the world's Top 100 Courses. It also holds a 5-star rating from Golf Digest's Places to Play, and is often compared to New Jersey's Pine Valley – a frequent topnotcher in the US Top 100 List. Its sibling course, the Rolling Oaks, on the hand, is reminiscent of the Augusta National with its Oaks, obviously, azalea bushes and rolling greens. It measures 7,275 yards from the longest tees.


Plantation Inn and Golf Resort
This golf course has been standing for the last half a century and it becomes like fine wine – it gets better as it gets older. The Mark Mahanah design is a superb 27-hole design that bears a traditional Florida golf design – it has its own brand of challenges, risks, and rewards that make it interesting. Water is a big factor, being present on 21 holes.

Hernando Oaks Golf Club

This is a painting of Olde Florida come to life. This Scott Pate design measurs a good 6,905 yards from the longest tees, par 72. It is a spectacle of huge oaks draped in Spanish moss and tree-lined fairways, and all the best visual treats expected of Olde Florida.



Contact our Golf Zoo Travel Specialist to book a vacation to one of the three courses at The Nature Coast Golf Trail!! 
Please Call: 800-929-7300!!