Walking vs. Riding a golf cart on the golf course

When you arrive at the golf course on your golf trip, you unload your clubs and approach the clubhouse to pay your fees. But as you speak with the cashier, you are suddenly faced with a dilemma: Should you walk or rent a cart?

Whichever you choose, both could benefit and impede your game. Here's how:

Benefits of walking:

• An ultimate calorie burner.  According to Ron Kapriske of golfdigest.com, an estimated 1,442 calories are burned by walking the 18 holes. Whereas by riding a golf cart, only 809 calories are burned.
• Helps you prepare for your next shots. Think about it – by walking, you can study the course layout, including the contours of fairways and greens, more easily than golfers who ride. Therefore, you will be able to judge breaks in greens, as well as landing areas.
• Makes you appreciate the course more. When you put your feet on the ground and walk the hills, you get an appreciation for nature and the beauty of the golf course.
• Allows you to socialize with your buddies. By walking a course with a friend or loved one, you can converse with them frequently, as you stroll fairways, approach greens, and search for balls together. This one-on-one interaction offers you an entirely different social experience than you will have if you choose to ride in a cart.

Downside of walking:

• Take up much of your energy. Sometimes, when you haven't been playing or walking a lot prior to the start of the golf vacation season, walking the 18 holes can be an arduous feat.  The energy you have spent on walking can affect the consistency of your swings.

Benefits of riding a golf cart:

• Golf carts make games more accessible. For the elderly, the frail, the disabled and younger children, golf carts deserve a considerable credit for making the game more accessible. If you're physically unable to tote your own golf clubs (even with a pushcart) or to walk the course, then by all means, hop in the cart and enjoy the ride.
• Some people believe that golf carts make the game move faster. And certainly many golf course operators love them; some mandate the use of carts and charge extra for the privilege.

Downsides of riding a golf cart:

• Lessen your focus. After you made your shots, your focus for the next five minutes is on driving the cart and interacting with whomever you’re riding with instead of thinking about your game and your next shot.
• Riding can slow down the game. Whether you’re parking the cart in poor locations, riding back and forth searching for balls, or walking back and forth to the cart to change clubs, riding could take up much of your time and energy.

For many golfers, walking is highly beneficial. However, some golf courses don’t allow it. So, know before you go. If you think it’s allowed on the golf course, then, walk on your golf trip.

You, too, can play golf on the PGA Tour's Florida Swing

Ever wonder how you would stack up against the PGA Tour Pros on the courses they play? Well you can have that opportunity with the Florida Swing on the PGA Tour.

While many of the venues that host PGA Tour events are private, here's a tidbit that might surprise: Of the four courses on the Florida Swing, all four are open to the public.

Yep, that means you can play through the Bear Trap at PGA National, site of the Honda Classic, or test your skills on the new and improved TPC Blue Monster at Doral, where owner Donald Trump hopes to land a U.S. Open some day. If you stay at Bay Hill in Orlando you might even run into the tournament host, Arnold Palmer. Or check out the beautiful Copperhead Course at Innisbrook, one of the favorites among PGA Tour players.

They're not cheap to play, of course, but you can get on, whether by booking a tee time or at least staying at the resort. Here's a look:

The Honda Classic, PGA National

Where can you find five championship golf courses, all in PGA Tour-quality shape, all at the same place? The answer: PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens. The Champion Course, which has played host to the Ryder Cup, PGA Championship and the Senior PGA Championship, is the host course for the first stop on the Florida Swing, the Honda Classic.

The course is renowned for its famous Bear Trap, holes 15-17 that perilously make their way through a series of lakes and water hazards with no bailout in site. Catch on a calm day, and with a little skill, you have a chance to make it through unscathed. But even the best players in the world tremble through these holes when the wind's ablowin' and the tournament is on the line. All that said, this is a wonderful Jack Nicklaus-designed Florida golf course that's very memorable.

Best part is you'll like the other courses, too. They include the linksy Palmer Course, the traditionally designed (George and Tom) Fazio Course (formerly The Haig) and the Squire, which pays tribute to Gene Sarazan.

Also, the 379-room resort has undergone a $65 million renovation, which means updated rooms, a fabulous lobby bar and terrific restaurants. My favorite part, aside from the golf, is the 40,000-square-foot spa, which offers its outdoor mineral pools, dubbed the Waters of the World.

WGC-Cadillac, Doral Resort

My GolfAdvisor colleague Jason Deegan says the word "opulent" doesn't begin to describe the new Trump National Doral Miami, where they play the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship. Pretty much everything is new and spiffy.

The Donald bought the old worn-out resort when it was in bankruptcy in 2012 and vowed to make it U.S. Open worthy and then some. Basically, the 809-acre resort got more than a facelift; it's a complete makeover, including the famed Blue Monster Course, which is now more than 7,500 yards.

The pros will get their first look at the course -- which was extensively altered by architect Gil Hanse -- in competition this March. You can be sure that it will have its old bite and then some, including the 18th, one of the toughest finishing par 4s in the world. Tiger Woods has won there three times, by the way. The course, which used to have six holes with water hazards, now has 14.

Like PGA National, though, there are four other courses at Doral, including the McLean Signature Course, designed by resident teaching pro Jim McClean, and Greg Norman's Great White Course, which was redone in 2005. As part of the recent renovations, the resort also got a new lighted driving range and TaylorMade Performance Lab.

Valspar Championship, Innisbrook Resort

It might surprise many casual golfers to learn that the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort near Tampa is one of the favorites among PGA Tour players, especially those who live in Florida. Paul Azinger, who resides in nearby Bradenton, said it was "the best course we play on tour," and Stewart Cink said it's good enough to host a U.S. Open.

Designed by Larry and Roger Packard, the course opened in 1974 and has hosted numerous pro events, including the Valspar Championship every mid-March. Playing more than 7,300 yards, the par 71 doesn't have a Bear Trap but rather a Snake Pit, which is the finishing stretch on the Copperhead Course.

Again, the beauty of Innisbrook is that there's more golf at this resort.

The recently renovated Island Course plays more than 7,300 yards and has hosted both NCAA Championships and U.S. Open Qualifiers, while the North Course and South Course, although shorter, still have plenty of fangs.

Arnold Palmer Invitational, Bay Hill

If you're an Arnold Palmer fan, have ever drank an Arnold Palmer or just like to walk in the footsteps of a legend, you've got to figure out a way to play out at Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando.

Host of the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by Mastercard, the surest way to play the course is to stay at the intimate hotel there. The best part about this whole experience is that you might catch a glimpse of Mr. Palmer at the club. And not that I'm encouraging you to bother him at lunch or on the range, but he's always been fairly approachable.

The course, designed by Palmer and Dick Wilson in 1961, may not be one of the country's best, but it's well above average with several memorable holes. The sixth is one of the best par 5s anywhere, racing around a lake that dares long hitters to cut off as much as they can off the tee shot and approach, making it one of the greatest risk-reward holes in the world. And the finishing hole, with water to cover on the second shot, is pretty memorable as well. Just ask Tiger, who has secured several of his ridiculous eight wins there with long, clinching putts.

Mission Inn Resort & Club: More than meets the eye

Mission Inn Resort & Club is a hidden gem. Here is a description of the property and what it has to offer.

HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS, Fla. -- You sort of know what to expect with Mission Inn Resort & Club just north of Orlando. As Drew Toth, director of sales and marketing, says unapologetically, "This isn't the Ritz-Carlton," so you might expect a pretty blue-collar resort.

And that's true, to a point, until you realize that the clientele runs the gamut.

There's something about this place that appeals to everyone. Sure it's not the Ritz, the Omni and even the Hyatt -- there are plenty of those -- but you won't find anything quite like the Spanish Colonial-style Mission Inn Resort.

It has a golf course that dates back to 1917, a tennis academy, plenty of meeting space and some of the best wedding settings in the state. This is the old "sum of the parts exceeds the whole" scenario. What you see isn't all you get. And you can't underestimate the value of a personal touch.

This unique property has been owned for the past 50 years by the Buecher family, which is still active in the day-to-day operations. Maybe that's why you feel like you're part of that family when you're here. But beyond that, there's simply a pretty good product there -- has been for years -- even if it's not particularly glitzy.

Mission Inn's El Campeon golf course

For golfers, it starts with the older of the two golf courses. Mission Inn's El Campeon Course, designed by Chicago's George O'Neil in 1917 and enhanced in 1926 by Charles E. Clarke of Troon, Scotland, has as much character as you'll find in any Florida golf course. It's been the site of NCAA championships, state tournaments and local pro events for decades.

These are not cookie-cutter holes on a typical flat piece of Florida land. The finishing stretch includes a par 4 with an island green surrounded by sand, palm trees and water on the 16th, an adventurous, tough par 5 and a dogleg-right par 4 that plays over water off the tee.

The 6,800-yard par-72 course is one of the two or three hilliest in the state, with elevation changes up to 93 feet that come into play on several holes, not only from elevated tees, but also approaches that add a club or two going back up the hill. That may not sound like a lot to folks who play in other parts of the country, but in Florida, that's huge. And many of the greens have false fronts and quite a bit of slope.

"Every hole will give you something to think about," said a GolfAdvisor reviewer. "Playing this course was truly a gift. Cannot wait to return."

Another reviewer chimed in: "An absolute must for any golfer in Central Florida. It is the unique jewel of all the courses in Central Florida."

As for the other course at Mission Inn, Las Colinas, it's enjoyable, too, and certainly a test, but not nearly as memorable. This 1992 Gary Koch design is spread out and not walkable like El Campeon. Still, it complements the other course and gives resort guests two options.

The rest of the story at Mission Inn Resort

If you're staying at the resort on a weekend, you might want to ask for a room away from the lobby. The reason: wedding traffic. Mission Inn does a lot of it, and wedding guests like to celebrate. They're not always quiet when they roll in late at night. So just ask for a room a little farther out -- at least for the weekend -- unless you plan on crashing their party.

I bring this up because much of the same thing that attracts wedding parties -- setting and value -- appeals to golfers as well. The resort has a marina, a poolside bar, pool room, fitness center, nice spa and really good food. I was particularly impressed with the Saturday night prime rib and seafood buffet. Even if you're on a diet, you might enjoy the sushi, crab legs, fish and fresh vegetables. If you're not watching your weight, you can graze for a couple of hours. Be sure to top it off with a sundae and a bread pudding.

If you're like me and play tennis, too, you'll love the tennis facilities, which not only include hard courts, but also six har-tru claylike courts as well as the Cesar Villarroel Tennis Academy. Villarroel is a former Bolivian Davis Cup player who has been at the resort for 25 years, and he knows how to teach, not only in terms of strokes, but strategy as well.

There's also eco-touring, fishing, volleyball, skeet shooting and excursions into the nearby town of Mount Dora. And the resort's 30,000 square feet of meeting space not only attracts wedding parties, but also corporate retreats.

Here is the Golf Zoo hot deal for this great resort. Feel free to contact glen@golfzoo.com to plan your next trip.

http://www.golfzoo.com/-screen-scnSell_Special-_ispost-1-.htm

Orlando Top 10 golf courses by player ratings

Here are the top 10 rated courses in Orlando, rated by the players. You can contact glen@golfzoo.com to set up your Orlando golf package.

Top Rated Courses In Orlando Area

 Courses with the highest golfer ratings (minimum 10 reviews to qualify)

1. 
   

   Orange County National Golf Center & Lodge

   
   

   Winter Garden, Florida, USA

    (30)
2. 
   

   Waldorf Astoria Golf Club

   
   

   Orlando, Florida, USA

    (225)
3. 
   

   Mission Inn Resort & Club

   
   

   Howey in the Hills, Florida, USA

    (212)
4. 
   

   Bella Collina Golf Club

   
   

   Montverde, Florida, USA

    (174)
5. 
   

   Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Grande Lakes Orlando

   
   

   Orlando, Florida, USA

    (161)
6. 
   

   Red Tail Golf Club

   
   

   Sorrento, Florida, USA

    (263)
7. 
   

   Grand Cypress Resort

   
   

   Orlando, Florida, USA

    (205)
8. 
   

   Grand Cypress Resort

   
   

   Orlando, Florida, USA

    (192)
9. 
   

   Celebration Golf Club

   
   

   Celebration, Florida, USA

    (450)
10. 
    

    Falcon's Fire Golf Club

    
    

    Kissimmee, Florida, USA

     (339)

Getting Ready For Golf

Most golf vacation resorts offer some teaching lessons to their guests who are interested to play golf. In golf, a lot of factors that must be considered in order to create a good round to your fellow players; not just about strong swings. There are many benefits that you can get while playing golf. Because of that, more people have become willing to take on a new sport. By playing golf, people can stimulate their minds by calculating accurate distances, as well as trajectories. Not to mention the fact that the wind also affects the outcome.

Given these facts, you don't have to be a super computer to do the calculations. Fair estimates will work and applying the right amount of force during swings is the key. In order to deliver the best swing, golfers must know the basics which include the right position and body posture when hitting the ball. As long as the players have mastered the basics, then having golf vacations can be as enjoyable as watching your favorite football team score their winning shot. The only difference is that you're the one making the shot in golf.

Strategically placed sand bunkers test every player's shot making skills all throughout their golf trip. Golf requires players to analyze the course before diving in it. A golf course can have various and surprising elevation changes in which affect the rolling of the ball when it hits the grass. Aside from that, the type of grass being used in a course also affects friction (when the ball is rolling) thus making it difficult for players to arrive in the most accurate estimate. Putting these factors together, the sand bunkers, water hazards, elevation changes, and grass variation from greens, fairways, and roughs, makes golf an interesting sport that combines physical abilities to mental advancement in order to have a good round. This is a very good physical and mental stimulation which can regulate blood flow, burn calories, and tone muscles.

Imagine having all these challenges in one sport. Golf can render the adrenaline rush and the relaxing ambiance at the same time. Furthermore, several golf trips allow you to interact and have fun together with your family, friends, or co-workers that's why having to question why people love golf is a big understatement. For someone who may not have given golf a chance yet, go for it. You won't regret the decision to take a swing at trying something new!

Staying Healthy and Fit By Golfing

A golf trip with the family is truly a relaxing way to enjoy a vacation. Most of the time, people get a lot of stress from work and at home. One of the ways to cope up with stress is to have a quality time with family and loved ones. Stress is not something that can be easily avoided. However, anyone can manage coping up with stress especially if an individual has the right attitude to get involve with various activities. If stress is not managed well it can cause more problems, especially when it comes to an individual's health. A person can obtain a lot of health problems if he allows stress to ruin their healthy lifestyle.

In this generation, more people have become worried about gaining weight. While it is not too late, many people are encouraged to eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly. Too much work is not healthy, the body needs to rest and relax once in a while. There are plenty of healthy activities that you can do to relive any kind of stress. Taking a vacation is a great time to start doing these stress-relieving activities. One of these activities is learning how to play golf - or if you already know how to play, use it as a break from everything else you have going on. An individual can burn calories simply by playing golf. Walking, swinging and balancing are some of the requirements necessary to golf. Also, people who are committed in playing golf will usually join in a professional competition or make it their recreational activity every weekend or break.

Golf is a relaxing sport where people are surrounded with plush green golf courses. Golf courses are usually surrounded with beautiful scenery and a unique landscape. Aside from that, golf resorts are best known for having a peaceful and soothing environment. Golf vacations resorts are not only a place for people who desire to play golf since there are also other activities and entertainments depending on your chosen vacation package. Most golf resorts have swimming pools and beaches if their guests want a dip in the water after a day out on the green.

People who are interested to go on a vacation with their family can check out some hot deals from different travel guide and vacation destination sites. Apart from getting information online, other people can go directly to a vacation expert or a trusted friend to hear out if they have a perfect place for a golf trip to recommend.

Key To A Successful Golf Vacation

Having golf vacations allows an individual, a family, or merely a group of people to relax and take time off from their tiring jobs and day to day activities. By visiting several destinations, one can effectively release stress and improve health and wellness while at it. However, some novice visitors, guests, or golfers, find their vacations the other way around. Unsatisfied with meals, bad experiences on the course, bad customer service, super high rates and charges, and hundreds of other reasons can really ruin a supposed-to-be good vacation. Luckily, everyone can avoid this kind of experience with proper research and planning. The steps below show how you can really appreciate your golf trip for the rest of your life.

Careful planning ahead of time is the key to a successful vacation. Planning involves deep and thorough research in terms of various golf vacation destinations including their daily rates, weekly rates, or monthly rates, not to mention that the prices vary from season to season. Since distance is a hindrance (second to budget), it is quite easy to first pin point locations near you before taking your budget into account. The closer destination, the better. But don't let this concept cloud your decisions when it comes to finding places to stay and play. After picking out a handful of locations, you need to list their pros and cons. This may include rates, amenities, travel distance and cost, quality of service, as well as quality of courses. 

Make sure that the overall or the total cost of staying and playing in one resort is accounted for properly. After tallying the rates and the total cost to be spent while staying in a certain resort, consider the top 5 or 10 golf vacation resorts for further evaluation. Assessment in regards to customer service can be done by asking previous clients or by using the internet to find reviews from past clients who went to various resorts on your list. Do not just read one review per resort, as you need to read more than that to know if the reviews are reliable. Make sure you tally the positive and negative reviews, as well as their weight in your judgment. After doing this, discard the resorts with the most negative reviews and narrow down your choices to the top 5 resorts.

These resorts should offer competent golf vacation packages in order for you to save a little during your vacation. Listing all the amenities provided by each resort can help pin point which amenities and services matters to you the most. When you're down to your top three, select the resort with the most affordable rates and try it out for at least a day before booking your whole weekend. If you are not satisfied with the services, then you can transfer to another resort of your choice and enjoy your golf vacation.

Travel to Casa de Campo

Three 18-hole Pete Dye golf Resort courses, plus Golf Zoo can now provide access to the private La Romana Country Club for a total of 90 holes of world-class golf!

Whether you choose to travel in peak golf travel season (November-March), or off-peak season, golfers must plan to visit and play. Today, it is easier and much better value to travel to Casa de Campo due to the special Stay & Play Packages offered by Golf Zoo, plus more flights, from more North American and European cities than ever before.

Teeth of the Dog

Teeth of the Dog Hole #5

"El dente de perro", or Teeth of the Dog, opened in 1971 and has been ranked in the Top 50 of the World's Greatest Courses since.  Without proper heavy machinery to crack the ultra-hard and white seaside coral, tireless workers used sledgehammers, pickaxes and chisels to carve greens and tee boxes out of coral formations, resulting in 7 spectacular holes on the Caribbean Sea.  Four seaside holes on the front-nine, three on the back-nine, plus the best series of par-3 holes you can play anywhere - #5, #7, #13, and #16.  Hole #5 is one of the most photographed holes on the course...and the world! 

Teeth of the Dog is a course you could play every day and never get tired of playing it.  Every hole is very different, every hole has a different intimidation factor (thanks to Mr. Dye), but all players will enjoy the course.  No matter your round score, you will be delighted to have played this great course.

Dye Fore

This equally scenic Club features three nines that meander from high above the El Chavon River, across steep elevations down toward Casa de Campo Marina before returning to the Dye Fore Clubhouse at the edge of Altos de Chavon Village.  The views are simply spectacular and big is the word to describe Dye Fore.  The fairways are wide, the bunkers over-sized and the large greens have huge undulations for players to navigate.  Golfers of all levels will be challenged to play shots from different lies, with many significant elevation drops and rises.  After a round at Dye Fore, spend the afternoon, or evening in the Altos de Chavon Village dining and/or enjoying a cocktail at one of the local village sidewalk cafes or restaurants.  

Altos de Chavon at Casa de Campo

The Links

Located adjacent to Teeth of the Dog, The Links course winds through the interior of Casa de Campo where rolling hills, lakes and woodlands create plenty of challenges.  Both courses share the same Pro Shop and Practice Facility offering a perfect setting for 36-hole days.  Mr. Dye oversaw a course renovation in 2011/2012 - re-creating a beautifully landscaped, conditioned and little more challenging course. 

Golf Destination Wedding Plan for 2014

Couples who love the same sports have many opportunities to enjoy their leisure time together. Golf is one of the best choices because anyone can participate and enjoy it. Looking for some golf vacation destinations could be so considerable for couples who are planning for a memorable and fun wedding, who love golf at the same time.

There are a lot of ideas you may consider to achieve a very memorable wedding. You can take it to some beautiful golf resorts that have the advantage of being near a gorgeous coastline, or beautiful beaches that line the coast, or directly on a couple’s favorite fairway. You should consider a golf vacation destination that offers an award-winning golf experience for players that are of any level of expertise.

Below are some suggestions to achieve a fun golf-themed invitations and favors:

The couple may use a golf cart as their getaway vehicle and give the invited guests a golf-themed wedding favors. Bride and groom who plan a small, intimate destination wedding may regard a golf club as a give-away or a round of golf ball with a print of the couple’s name.

In fact, it is easy to integrate golf into an overall wedding theme. There are a lot of ways for awesome "save the date" cards and invitations. Start it off right with guests by sending green invitations. For the attire, it would always depend on the theme of the wedding. For this occasion, attire may be eccentric or delicate. The bride might want to wear a traditional white dress with a touch of some green accents in her dress and bouquet. For her soon-to-be husband, a matching green tie would be very fitting as well. Dresses in a vibrant shade of green for bridesmaids add some golf-themed touch to the event, while groomsmen may wear green vests and a little touch of green on their suits. Or the wedding party may be dressed with actual golf clothing, and if happened that the weather is sunny, they may wear golf visors and decorate the venue with golf clubs. To top it off, the flower girl can use a golf ball basket to hold her rose petals. And the ring bearer may be dressed something like a golf caddy.

A wedding at a golf club does not just allow the couples and their guests an experience of a golf vacation package but as well enjoy an amazing ceremony among the dazzling fairways of a golf course or any of the golf vacation destinations that a golf lover couple would want to go to. 

How to do Southwest Ireland RIGHT by Mike Leary!

Take ir from a guy who's been doing guided tours to Ireland for over 20 years.... here's Mike Leary's ideas on how to do Ireland right...

My favorite golf destination in Ireland by far is the Southwest.  A mixture of it all awaits you there!  Great accommodations, championship golf, authentic pubs, fantastic restaurants and shops but most of all the Irish people with their genuine knack for making you feel like you’ve come home.

Let’s take it piece by piece....

Accommodations: 

Personally I love the Malton Hotel in Killarney.  This beautiful property, formerly the Great Southern Hotel, is located in the heart of Killarney and is moderately priced.  The hotel has good size rooms, great food & beverage and one of the most important amenities, a fantastic pub for that after golf or late evening libation.  The atmosphere is pure Irish!  The hotel is conveniently located in the heart of Killarney and just across the street from the train station for effortless access to Dublin or other regions of the Emerald Isle.  In my opinion, the best value for accommodations in all of Ireland.  

Golf:

Killarney Golf & Fishing Club:  Whether you want to play the Killeen course (home of the Irish Open) or the Mahony’s Point course, Killarney golf & Fishing Club, located on the outskirts of the town is a great venue for a day of golf where staying close to home is a priority.

Ballybunion:  The Old Course at Ballybunion combines a mixture of beauty and difficulty that will have you telling tales of great shots or talking to yourself as to why you ever took up the game.  Regardless, a trip to the southwest is not complete without playing the Old Course.  Additionally the Ballybunion Cashen course provides a chance of revenge against Ballybunion.  While the Cashen course does not require the long ball, the smaller, elevated greens demands a great deal of accuracy.

Tralee:  This Arnold Palmer design is a tale of 2 nines.  The front nine has challenge holes with some beautiful views, too many golfers are lulled into a false sense of confidence with dreams of a beautifully filled out score card that will be displayed to everyone you know back home.  Well, the back nine will bring you to your knees and have you curse that the fact that you ever thought you could tame this monster.  The elevations, tight fairways and tricky greens will bring you to your knees. 

Waterville:  A true links course stays consistent in hole design throughout all 18 holes.  Many golfers leave Ireland stating that Waterville is the course they like preferred over all the rest.  Waterville was the site of the first transatlantic cable connection from the US to Europe.  Samples of the cable laid across the Atlantic are displayed in the clubhouse along with great photos of Tiger, Payne, Mark O’Meara and others as they used Waterville as a preparation site for many  Open Championships.

Old Head:  If you could find a stretch of coastal property to build a championship course that provided the best views in all of Europe, it would be Old Head.  Situated on a 3 mile long peninsula just south of Cork, this course will take you at least 1 hour longer to play than others simply because of the beauty of every hole.  It will be a toss up on your scorecard as to how many shots you hit vs. how many pictures you took.  When you finish a round at Old Head you will immediately want to inquire about a replay.   With that in mind, the course has created an overnight package, staying at the Lodge at Old Head with two rounds of golf included.  To top off this great golf venue, the marine village of Kinsale is close by and provides a fantastic afternoon or evening of shopping, dining and sightseeing. 

There are numerous sightseeing opportunities in the southwest including the Dingle Peninsula, the Ring of Kerry, the Blarney Castle along with many more.

A golf adventure to the southwest of Ireland is one that you will not forget and will want to repeat!

Click here for a great example of how to do Southwest Ireland right  This special includes 5 nights, 3 rounds with rental car, and is good now through September of 2014 for only $1399 per person! - feel free to call Mike Leary at 888.985.9165 for local advice, and a customized itinerary!

Sea Pines Resort - Play Where the Pros Play

Play where the Pros Play - Stay and play at the Sea Pines Resort, home of Harbour Town Golf Links, site of the RBC Heritage each year. Also play the other 2 onsite courses, Heron Point and the Ocean Course.

This Spring, stay 3 nights, and play 3 rounds on these great tracks, and we will also include a $100 voucher to be used onsite at the property. Contact Mike Alfano or Craig Gordon at 888.765.0745

The Florida Swing – PGA Tour-Tested Courses Everyone Can Play

The PGA Tour makes five trips to Florida every year, with four consecutive events in March and THE PLAYERS Championship in May. All are held at terrific courses, but unlike some others on the Tour’s schedule, all five courses are also open to the public.

On its annual golf barnstorm across the United States, the PGA Tour visits several iconic courses that practically reach out and tease fans through their televisions -- Augusta National, Muirfield Village, Colonial, East Lake.

They tease because unless you have serious connections, you and your buddies don’t have a prayer of playing the courses.

But every March, the Tour makes its Florida Swing, a four-week junket from South Florida to Central Florida that isn’t a tease at all. The courses that Tiger Woods and Co. have played and authored so many memorable moments on are all accessible to the masses.

Between the Florida Swing and one more return visit in May to the PGA Tour’s signature course, there are five tracks in all that should be on any golfer’s must-play list. The pros don’t visit any state more times than they visit Florida, and their playgrounds can be yours.

Here’s a look at all five.

PGA National Resort & Spa, Champion Course, Palm Beach Gardens (home of The Honda Classic, Feb. 28-March 3)

The PGA of America is based in Palm Beach Gardens, and its flagship resort features five courses and an acclaimed golf school, not to mention great restaurants and the spa. One could spend a week there without leaving the grounds.

Golf Digest recently named Palm Beach as one of the top destinations for a buddies’ golf trip, and among its recommended courses was PGA National’s Champion Course, home of The Honda Classic.

The course was originally designed by Tom and George Fazio for big tournaments (the 1983 Ryder Cup was played there) and got a facelift in 1990 from Jack Nicklaus. Holes 15-16-17, two par 3s and a par 4 weaving through water, are nicknamed The Bear Trap. The pros are happy to escape with three pars, and so should vacationing amateurs.

Doral Golf Resort & Spa, TPC Blue Monster, Miami (home of the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship, March 7-10)

Venerable Doral has hosted the PGA Tour for more than a half-century at the famed Blue Monster, whose name says it all.

The course is getting a facelift after this year’s Tour event, as developer Donald Trump bought the resort and has hired respected architect Gil Hanse to renovate the course. In some parts it will be more “Blue”, with bigger greens but also expanded water hazards.

“Doral can be the absolute best,” Trump told the Associated Press last year. “We are going to do this really right.”

Trump, for all his brash outspokenness, has an excellent track record in building great courses. Will be fun to see what becomes of the Blue Monster in 2014, for both the Cadillac Championship and the public.

Innisbrook Resort, Copperhead Course, Palm Harbor (home of the Tampa Bay Championship, March 14-17)

Among the hustle and bustle of north Pinellas County is an oasis in Innisbrook, a woodsy  resort with four championship courses including a gem in the Copperhead Course.

The Copperhead is a beast for the pros at 7,300 yards/par 71, but many have singled it out as their favorite Florida layout on Tour. There’s water, of course, but scoring is more incumbent on working the ball left and right and judging the various elevation changes that are rare for the area.

Innisbrook also features the Island course, which has hosted many pro events over the years and is strong enough to be a headliner. Except Copperhead is just down the street.

Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club, Orlando (home of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, March 21-24)

Bay Hill is in the heart of Orlando, just of I-4 and Sand Lake Road, having been built well before many of the attractions and vacation spots around it. The great Arnold Palmer first played the course in 1965 and then bought it in 1976, and ever since then it has been The King’s winter home.

Palmer’s fingerprints are all over the place, which is classy without being showy, respectful of the game without being suffocating. Gentlemen are asked to remove their hats before entering the clubhouse, like many finer clubs, but a starter’s loudspeaker welcomes guests to the first tee, like many municipal courses. The on-site Lodge is cozy, with Palmer photos and memorabilia spread throughout. (Visitors must stay in the Lodge to play Bay Hill.)

The course has been tweaked often and lengthened over the years by Palmer, assuring a good test for the pros. Amateurs should approach it like the owner – hitch up the pants and swing hard.

TPC Sawgrass, Players Stadium Course, Ponte Vedra Beach (home of THE PLAYERS Championship, May 9-12)

PGA Tour commissioner Deane Beman had a vision in the late 1970s to create a great golf course, not only for pros but for spectators. The “Stadium” concept was born, and golf fans have been treated to great theatre at TPC Sawgrass’ famous Players Stadium course ever since.

For the public, it’s on the short list of absolute must-plays in American golf. The par-3 island green 17th hole is the star attraction and the calling card – tell a friend that you played the Stadium course at TPC Sawgrass and they’ll first ask what you did on 17. Ideally, your ball(s) won’t be among the 120,000 fished from the lake annually.

Visitors will find that 17 is just one of the relentless tests on the Pete Dye layout. From the tips, the Stadium course plays to a USGA slope of 155 – the highest possible.

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