Sunday, February 27, 2011

Golf in Atlanta

Considered as New South’s vanguard, Atlanta is a city of charm and elegance with the balance of sleek modernism and southern traditions. Atlanta’s metropolitan area is among the country’s fastest growing areas and has been home to top businesses as well as the headquarters of some of the world’s large corporations and Fortune 500 companies. Aside from the high-rise and midrise developments of Atlanta’s skyline, the city is also flocked by both the local and foreign guests to experience one of the finest golf vacation destinations in the state. Some of the magnificent golf courses in Atlanta include the Whitewater Creek, the Traditions of Braselton, the Sun City Peachtree, the Summergrove, and the Planterra Ridge.

Whitewater Creek

The Whitewater Creek is among Atlanta’s finest layouts designed by the famous Arnold Palmer. This championship layout is set through the majestic waterways and rolling fairways with manicured greens configured with sand bunkers. Golfers on all handicap levels can put to test their skills on Palmer’s well designed holes and experience top-notch dining along in the resort’s well-appointed clubhouse.

Traditions of Braselton

Set in the quaint town of Braselton is the Traditions of Braselton; a championship caliber layout designed Mike Dasher. The course was a reminiscent of the traditional northeast links course that features the Bent grass putting surfaces, tees, and the Bermuda grass filled fairways and roughs. Aside from the exciting rounds of golf, guests can also take advantage of the PGA certified instruction for all skill levels of golfers.

Sun City Peachtree

The Sun City Peachtree is an 18-hole golf course that showcases generous fairways, large bent grass greens, as well as the beautiful vistas. Guests can also warm up at the expansive practice area that features 2 practice putting greens. The course architect, Gary Stephenson, has also worked with other top notch golf course designers on well known projects before coming up with his own rendition of an excellent golf layout.

Summergrove

Summergrove is an award-winning championship layout that features the challenging 18 holes that are nationally ranked by Golf Digest. The course’s vast area is set over the beautiful rolling hills with the splendor of the numerous dogwoods and hardwoods contained in preserved areas of the wetlands and wildlife habitats. Summergrove is also a member of the highly acclaimed Audubon International Signature where it maintains first-rate amenities as well as top notch tee times. What make this course stand out from among the other courses in Atlanta are the impeccably manicured bent grass greens and the Zoysia fairways.

Planterra Ridge

Well designed holes and best views combined is what the Planterra Ridge offers to its guests. This 18-hole facility was designed by Jeff Burton and Rocky Roquermore. Golfers from all parts of the globe come to Planterra to experience the layout’s demanding tee shots, undulating greens, and the tree-lined fairways. The course also features the grass and mat hitting areas, premium range balls, targets, a wide double-sided driving range, and the short game practice area. Along with the Flat Creek and Braelinn, the Planterra Ridge is another Peachtree City extension of its cluster courses.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Golf Etiquette: The Do’s and Don’ts in Golf

Golf is a sport that would require concentration. Not once, but in the entire round. That is why golf etiquette plays a vital role in every game. How golfers behave in the greens distinguishes the game of golf from any other forms of sports.

Here are some of the essential points that every golfer must bear in mind while playing on the greens:

• Always consider safety above anything else. Golf clubs and golf balls are quite hard and mishandling any of these can make the entire layout a danger prone area. Make sure that you are doing your swinging warm ups at the practice range and not towards another person.
• In using the golf carts, make sure that you are driving in a moderate speed. Eyes must be on the cart path. Adhere to the set of rules that the resort imposes regarding the directions of cart parking. These motorized carts are prone to damaging the greens and the teeing grounds so you should use your common sense.
• Maintain a good pace while at play. Do not let other golfers keep waiting for you. As much as possible, decide in advance which golf club to use for your next shot as well as determine your target point.
• Always wear the appropriate golf outfit when playing. Oftentimes, golf shoes are the ones that are strictly required.
• Refuse an invitation in a polite manner. Once in a while you may want to spend time learning the techniques and then suddenly somebody walks in to challenge you for a round of golf. Just say no nicely and mean it.
• Always arrive on time. Punctuality is part of the game’s discipline.
• Make cellular phone conversations as brief as possible as this can be a nuisance to other golfers.
• When other golfers do you a simple favor, thank them right away.

Resort and golf course regulations may vary from one place to another. When you play, hold on to that set of rules. Remember, reputation is built on character and not just on your golfing skills.

Wednesday, February 09, 2011

The Golden Horseshoe Golf Club

Golf at its finest is what the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club is all about. Set away from the encroaching real estate, golfers will find themselves captured by the resort’s convenient location as well as the scenic fairways designed by the famed father and son tandem, Robert Trent Jones Jr. and Rees Jones. You can choose either from the Green Course or the Gold Course in which both considered as a certified Audubon sanctuaries. These popular golf vacation destinations are also consistent recipients of high ratings from reputable golf publications.

The “Green Course” which was designed by the younger Jones features the 18-hole layout that offers a 7,120-yard par 72 play. This championship-caliber golf course was opened in 1991 and since then continued a legacy of excellent golfing. What makes this layout attractive is that it brings out the challenges of golf which perfectly blends with the impressive mix of natural terrain with a slope rating of 130 and course rating of 75.1. That is why the course was named as one of the “Top 10 Golf Courses in Virginia” and was given a 4 ½ star rating by Golf Digest Magazine.

The “Gold Course” on the other hand is a Robert Trent Jones Sr. masterpiece that was opened for play in 1963. This stunning championship golf layout features a 144 slope rating on Bermuda grass and a course rating of 73.8. Although it’s a bit short from the Green course with the 6,817 yards of play, this golf gem can surprise you with the various challenges as you move on along the course.

Monday, February 07, 2011

Colonial Heritage Golf Club

The Colonial Heritage Club is an artful craft of Arthur Hills that emulates Southern Virginia’s classic beauty perfectly set amid Williamsburg’s historical backdrop. This stunning golf vacation destination meanders through the acres of densely wooded grounds and offers the challenging 6,889-yard par 72 play for golfers of all handicap levels. The championship layout also features the five sets of tees with the strategically placed bunkers, carefully planned water features, and the undulating fairways that create the guest’s enjoyable golfing experience.

There is no need to worry if golfing is not your cup of tea. The resort has the vast natural terrain landscape where you can enjoy relaxing with nature at its finest. While some of the resort’s guests take the challenges of the inviting 18-hole Colonial Heritage Golf Club course, some would head to the magnificent Clubhouse where they can dine, chat, and enjoy live entertainment with the classic British-colonial ambiance. Hospitality is also unsurpassed. The resort staff also provides guests the superb assistance that is beyond expectations.

What makes this golf spot much more attractive is that guests can play and relax with the feeling of being at home. And although the championship golf course can be very inviting, you can still opt for solitude with nature away from the crowd and still have a great time. The next time you plan for an exciting golf escape with family and friends, think about the Colonial Heritage Golf Club. There are already plenty of golf vacation packages that will suit your budget and preferences as well as golf vacation specialists that will help you plan out that dream golf vacation of a lifetime.