Rough Recovery

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

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!

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!

Which is Better at Kiawah Island, Homes or Villas?

There are a few main things to consider. First, how important to you is camaraderie on a golf vacation? When everyone stays under the same roof, this generally leads to maximum bonding and fun. Of course, this assumes that everyone gets along well and is easygoing.

If you have guys in your group (I'm assuming this is a buddies trip) who like having things "their own way," it might be best to divide them up into villas. Kiawah Island Resort has one- to four-bedroom villas available.

Second, with respect to Kiawah in particular, if you're looking for the ultimate in luxury and amenities, you may want to stay in a home. Kiawah Island Resort has four- to eight-bedroom homes available.

The "premier" homes all have pools; plus, bicycles and access to the fitness center are included. And while some of the villas are luxurious, too, I don't think they can quite match the overall luxury experience — and privacy — of the homes. If this isn't important to you, the villas might be the way to go. continued...

By: Craig Better of GolfVacatonInsider.com

The Crossings at Carlsbad (San Diego) Newest Gem

We have recently added The Crossings at Carlsbad for our San Diego clients by world renowned golf course architect Greg Nash. It's quite unique in that it's set on 400 acres, there's ample natural reserves throughout the course. Located in the upscale coastal community of Carlsbad, it's only 30 minutes from downtown San Diego, close to the Pacific Ocean and offers beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean on some holes. The views of rugged southern California canyons, protected natural habitats, wetlands and distant views make this a must play while in San Diego. The clubhouse is one of the most spectacular I've seen anywhere, and offers great dining after the round with views of the Pacific Ocean.

What Friends do on a Myrtle Beach Golf Vacation …..

Never been to Myrtle Beach? Well tune into the Golf Channel this January and you will see what goes on first hand. A film crew is currently on the south end of the Grand Strand shooting four of 12 episodes that will depict the exploits of a group on a somewhat typical golf trip.

The foursome is made up of former PGA Tour pro and ESPN commentator Charlie Rymer, singer/songwriter Josh Kelley, Hootie & the Blowfish guitarist and solo artist Mark Bryan, and Perry Swenson, a member of the women's Duramed Futures Tour, the developmental tour of the LPGA.

Each episode will air in prime time and include several holes of golf and of course their nightly activities.

"The idea is: Here is a day in the life in Myrtle Beach," said Mickey Holden, who was hired by the Golf Channel to produce the series. "There's always golf, but there's always stuff off the course. I know from my own travels, when I go play golf I want a whole experience. ... I want to listen to some music and have some fun. That's what this show is all about ... showcasing golf in Myrtle Beach in a new way. Instead of telling people, 'Hey man, you can have a lot of fun in Myrtle Beach,' we're going to show people having fun."

If you are looking for further insight into Myrtle Beach call one of our local sales representatives at 888.765.0809 or go to http://www.golfzoo.com/.

Golf Packages - What a Great Gift Idea!

'Tis The Season! Once again you are searching for the perfect gift for that special golfer on your list. Golf Zoo designs Gift Certificates for any amount to any destination that we offer, complete with pictures, for any occasion- Merry Christmas! Happy Birthday! Happy Anniversary! New this year - we have made buying your gift certificate for that special someone even easier - you can now buy your gift certificate online via Google Checkout, just click here to begin. Or you can still give Golf Zoo a call @ 800-929-7300, and let us design a great golf travel gift for you!

Happy Holidays!

Linda

New Indian Wells Course to Play in Palm Springs

I don't envy the staff at the Indian Wells Golf Resort right now. First, they have to help host the Skins Game this weekend, the nationally televised event being played on their Celebrity Course, and then they have to follow that up next week by unveiling the newest course to play on a Palm Springs golf vacation, their John Fought-designed Players Course. Talk about needing a breather.

Technically, Fought, who did the restoration work at Pine Needles prior to this year's U.S. Women's Open, redesigned the course, but the resort makes a point of pointing out that, "the mature tree cover and geographical location are about the only two things that the original East Course (opened in 1986) and the new Players Course have in common. By design, the Players Course is completely different than the original golf course." continued...

by Craig Better, GolfVacationInsider.com

Famous Golf Quotes - Part 1 of 2

Famous Golf Quotes ... so we're told.

Winston Churchill: "Golf is like chasing a quinine pill around a cow pasture."

Jack Benny: "Give me the fresh air, a beautiful partner, and a nice round of golf, and you can keep the fresh air and the round of golf."

Lee Trevino: "You can make a lot of money in this game. Just ask my ex-wives. Both of them are so rich that neither of their husbands work."

Unknown: "Golf is not a game, it's bondage. It was obviously devised by a man torn with guilt, eager to atone for his sins."

Babe Ruth: "It took me seventeen years to get 3,000 hits in baseball. I did it in one afternoon on the golf course."

Lee Trevino: "I'm not saying my golf game went bad, but if I grew tomatoes, they'd come up sliced."

Sam Snead: "These greens are so fast I have to hold my putter over the ball and hit it with the shadow."

Paul Harvey: "Golf is a game in which you yell "fore," shoot six, and write down five."

Tommy Bolt, about the tempers of modern players : "They throw their clubs backwards, and that's wrong. You should always throw a club ahead of you so that you don't have to walk any extra distance to get it."
Lee Trevino: "Columbus went around the world in 1492. That isn't a lot of strokes when you consider the course."
Tommy Bolt: "Putting allows the touchy golfer two to four opportunities to blow a gasket in the short space of two to forty feet."

New Restaurant - Metro West/Orlando, Florida

Blazing its way onto Orlando's restaurant scene, the new Dan Marino's Tavern on the Lake in Veranda Park achieves the ultimate upscale casual dining experience in a true neighborhood restaurant setting. Dan Marino's already has established itself as THE place where people are connecting - on the waterfront patio, in the stylish bar, in the elegant dining area.
At Dan Marino's, Chef Patrick Steele brings an imaginative approach to the menu that is remarkable in casual dining. His menu elevates traditional American dishes - steaks, pork chops, roast chicken, meat loaf - with innovative twists and the freshest ingredients to create the restaurant's hallmark American Contemporary Fare.
For wine enthusiasts, the wine list offers familiar favorites and exciting alternatives by the bottle and glass. Beer lovers have plenty of reasons to love Dan Marino's - nearly 100 beers in many styles, from ales and pilsners to stouts and porters, including several hand craft selections.
The stylish and welcoming bar area at Dan Marino's is a destination in itself. Friendly and attentive bartenders make every patron feel like a regular. And true to its namesake, Dan Marino's provides deluxe sports viewing with seven flat screen, high definition televisions spaced throughout the indoor and outdoor bar area.
With a menu that elevates traditional American cuisine and an inviting environment for lakefront dining, Dan Marino's had created a neighborhood tradition that is anything but traditional.
So when planning you next golf package to Orlando, visit us at http://www.golfzoo.com/ or call me at 888.333.6103 (glen@golfzoo.com). I will make sure to set up a round of golf near Dan Marino's, so you can enjoy 18 holes of golf - followed by a great meal.