Back to the Scene of the Crime!

Last week, I returned to The Pines Golf Course at Grandview Lodge in Brainerd, Minnesota. I dealt with an embarrassing incident the last time I played there. If you hadn't previously read this epoch tale, here it is again....

Last weekend in the North Woods of Minnesota, I played The Pines Golf Club at Grandview Lodge on Saturday and was so-so (to be kind). So Sunday, I spent 31/2 hours at the range and really got it going. I was hitting the target green from every distance from 50 yards to 220 yards. Wow, was I pumped!
So Monday, I returned to The Pines and started off alright but by the 16th fairway I was ready for a shrink. After a great drive, I cold-topped three fairway shots in a row (I was playing by myself and taking extra shots), I went to throw my 4-Iron up the fairway and couldn't even do that right... in 90 degree high humidity, the club stuck to my glove momentarily causing the throw to go 90 degrees to the right - directly into the tops of a stand of river birch in a marsh. A scramble had just ended so I was the only one on that nine except for a foursome that, by now, was at least 4 holes behind me. So into the marsh I waded. With muck up to my shoe tops, I searched the tree tops and scoured the ground without any success. Feeling absolutely stupid, after about 12 minutes I started thinking that it is about time I consider a new set of Mizunos! I was starting my way back to the fairway when I found it laying in knee-high prairie grass. 
Returning to my car, my luck changed - I had not lost my car keys!

Thanks to the blogger who sent me a hilarious clip on Club-Throwing after reading of my escapade. I think you'll get a good laugh out of it...

NEW CLUB-THROWING TECHNIQUE
Cheers,

Dick

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It's Spring! Let the lessons begin!

Springtime in Minnesota means scheduling a few "tune up" lessons.
As someone who has sent more than a couple PGA Teaching Pro's into retirement - or, at least, into counseling, I want to recommend a guy in Minnetonka who has actually been able to work with me and maintain his sanity.
He asked me not to publish his name (surprise, surprise!) so if you are looking for a a great "coach" email me. dick@golf-vacation.com.

Cheers,

Dick

To comment, please click the "comments" link below, type in your comments then, under “Choose an Identity”, select “Nickname" if you want to leave a name (your name or a ‘blog handle’) or just leave it blank. OR, you can select ‘Anonymous’. I would love to hear from you!

Golf in Cabo San Lucas - here we come!

After 4 years, I'm heading back to Cabo San Lucas. Here's a silver lining to the struggling world economy: Greens Fees in Cabo are lower!


On my last trip, we selected courses based on price - and the best price for the top tracks was around $225 at Cabo Real. The Cabo del Sol Ocean Course was going for a cool $350! For this trip, I pre-booked one of my favorites, Palmilla, for $148. That's a great bargain!


I'm looking forward to my 3rd trip to Cabo. As usual, my "Three Amigos" will probably take me to the cleaners - again! 


If you are thinking of golf in Cabo, and want some recommendations, please feel free to email my at dick@golf-vacation.com.


Cheers,

Dick
To comment, please click the "comments" link below, type in your comments then, under “Choose an Identity”, select “Nickname" if you want to leave a name (your name or a ‘blog handle’) or just leave it blank. OR, you can select ‘Anonymous’. I would love to hear from you!

Escape Minnesota for some Winter Golf!

Happy New Year, Minnesota Golfers!

Just thought I would rattle off a few odd notes as we Minnesotans (hopefully) have spring in our distant sights...

First off, to all you morons in Minnesota who were willing to play golf on Christmas Day just to be able to tell your great grandkids 20 years from now that you did it: Get a life... and get on a plane for some real winter golf. You know, green turf, warm sunshine, one layer of outer wear, and cold beer on an outdoor patio after your round! Here are some ideas for you.

Speaking of winter golf, we leave in a few weeks for Cabo San Lucas with a corporate meeting group. As it is one of the world's remarkable golf destinations, I'm hoping to "sneak away" for  couple afternoons. If you've never had the pleasure, the fabulous courses of Cabo give you Mountain and Ocean panoramas all in one view... you will be navigating over a mountain crevasse  on one shot and trying to keep your ball out of the ocean on the very next shot! Golf aside, Cabo is my agency's #1 sun destination this year - replacing Riviera Maya for that distinction. It is a great spot for guaranteed hot sun and scenery, whale watching and deep sea fishing. 

The current "non-winter" here in Minnesota has impacted our winter golf bookings - but not as much as I would have expected. The first Arctic Blast is predicted later this week... we know our phones will ring off the hook and our in-boxes will be very active. (Trying to understand why people don't know it's coming!!!!!) Grab your sticks and go!!!!

Anyway, Happy New Year! I hope it's a helluva lot better than last year for you!

Cheers,

Dick

A New Winter Idea for Minnesota Golfers!

When Minnesota golfers want to escape the ice and snow for a winter golf outing, where do they go? Florida? Arizona? Southern California? Of course the answer is yes.


But how about going out of the U.S. where you are guaranteed nice hot, sunny weather. Los Cabos is a perfect choice, but it is quite pricy. Caribbean golf sucks - except for one very overlooked destination.


Ask me where that is.


Cheers,


Dick

'tis the Season for the Leaf Rule!

Several years ago, comic actor Leslie Nielson did a golf video focused on two principals: 

1. If you suck at golf, you're in good company since over 95 percent of recreational golfers shoot in the high 90's or triple digits.
2. You need to make the Rules of Golf work FOR you. In other words, Cheat!

An example of the latter takes the Leaf Rule one step further... anytime you have a "lost" ball, declare it a "stolen" ball and take no penalty. Here's how it works... Eventually, your lost ball will be found by someone who will make no attempt to find it's rightful owner... making it a STOLEN ball. Thus, No Penalty!

As the "Minnesota Leaf Season" comes to an end, it's time to start thinking about winter golf escapes! My golf travel company - Gateway Golf Vacations - has a great November Special at the famed Doral in Miami. 

Also, we are already getting requests for winter golf at the Gold Canyon Golf Resort near Phoenix... many from returning clients we've sent there numerous times before. It's a terrific value! Here are the details.

Don't condemn your sticks to the basement quite yet!

Dick

Minnesota Wild & Golf

I'm going to be hosting a "Golf & Hockey" trip to Phoenix in March when the Minnesota Wild plays the Phoenix Coyotes. We'll stay in a first class golf resort, play 4 rounds of upscale golf and attend the Wild-Coyotes game.

Details are still being worked out... if you wish to receive details, let me know... dick@gatewayexpress.com

... or visit www.golf-vacation.com later his month.

Dick

Winter Golf Trips from Minnesota

It's hard to accept that summer in Minnesota flies by and ends way too soon. But, it would be a good idea to get your guys together now to start talking about winter golf trips.

Here are two of the best "deals" you'll ever find:

Doral's November Special - You can Stay & Play for a fraction of the normal rates... depending on how you look at it, you can pay for your room and play for free - or vice versa! And, this is good for Thanksgiving week too! See my earlier post on this super-special.

For winter, Gold Canyon, Arizona is our best product at Gateway Golf Vacations - by far. The accommodations at the Gold Canyon Golf Resort (pictured above) are charmingly rustic and their two championship courses are as good as Phoenix Area golf gets! Here's a previous post on Gold Canyon. And here are details of our package. (Same prices for 2012!)

Get started with kicking these ideas around with your buddies!

Cheers,

Dick

Winter golf in Spain

Well, the Minnesota courses are FINALLY lush and green - and dry! Egad, it's been a long few weeks since we THOUGHT our golf season was to begin.

I played my first round and can report that I picked up right where I left off - deposited my first drive of the season smack into the drink.

Hope your start was better!!!!!!

Cheers,

Dick

Take another look at the previous post regarding golf in Spain's Costa del Sol.

Golf in Spain's Costa del Sol

Make this stop! It's April 19th, the ground is brown and by tomorrow morning will be white again... snow is in tonight's forecast... good grief!

I'm going to be hosting a winter golf trip to southern Spain next March. The weather at the home of Seve Ballesteros, Sergio Garcia and Jose-Maria Olazabal is in the upper 60's that time of year - perfect golfing weather!

The details are still in the planning stage, but here is a "provisional" overview. If you want to be on the notification list when details are finalized, email me... (copy & paste) dick@golf-vacation.com

Cheers,

Dick

Minnesota Golf ???

It's April in Minnesota and snow still adorns the landscape. Damn! Last year I had 4 rounds in the bag by April Fools Day. Finally, it's melting fast but there is promise of more to come.

Brown ground is only about 1 week away, but green ground is at least 3 weeks off...

I'm heeding my own advice and heading for Arizona next week. Take a look at my remarks in the last post regarding a great deal at Gold Canyon. I'm headed there!!!!!!!!

(c'mon along!)

Cheers,

Dick

Minnesota Golf? Not Yet, Pal.

Do any of you snowbirds recall what green grass smells like?

This has been a helluva winter for sure! It's a tormenting time of year - feels like spring for a few days, then -oops- another snowfall. And it's back out to the driveway with the snow shovel. Even for those of us that had a chance to go south for some mid-February golf, that trip seems to be many months ago! Despite having daylight until 7:00 now, we are still about 4 weeks from playing at home. And the turf sucks for the first two weeks that the courses are open!

How about a spring trip to Arizona? In April, the prices go down and the weather is fabulous. You have sat through my rantings about how great a bargain the Gold Canyon Golf Resort is. (See my earlier post.) And, it is! But the bargain gets even better in April. Already a "deal" at about $650 for 3 nights/four rounds, you can get the same package for around $580 in April and May. Check out the details.


Cheers,

Dick

To comment, please click the "comments" link below, type in your comments then, under “Choose an Identity”, select “Nickname" if you want to leave a name (your name or a ‘blog handle’) or just leave it blank. OR, you can select ‘Anonymous’. I would love to hear from you!

The Devil's Triangle at Mahogany Run

St. Thomas USVI boasts just one golf course. But, with a track like Mahogany Run, you don't need more. Those of you who know me are aware that my golf prowess, on a scale of 10, is somewhere around 2. And that's being kind!!!!

So imagine me entering the Devil's Triangle, a three hole "gotcha"! If you're unfamiliar, anyone getting through holes 15, 16 and 17 without losing a ball receives a certificate in the clubhouse. Well, I took the pressure off myself right away when I pulled my drive on 15 into the beautiful Caribbean Sea! That was totally expected but what ensued was definitely not envisioned... I completed the 3-hole maze without losing another ball - in fact, without even taking a penalty the rest of the way. Maybe that's because the pressure was off!

I'm generally not a fan of Caribbean golf, but Mahogany Run is a greatly improved course over that of 5 or 6 years ago. Overpriced for sure, but that's just the way it is everywhere in the sub-tropics.

I'm happy to give you free advice if you're headed south for a spring golf escape!

Cheers,

Dick

Golf in Hawaii (part 2)

As we dive into 2011 (on a Minnesota day where the current temp is -3) I need to stay on the Hawaii topic one more time...

Sitting here watching the season's first PGA Tour event from Kapalua, Maui reminds me, once again, that grass is green and the ocean is a glorious blue!

In the past, I have wondered why they play on the North Coast of Maui - where the weather elements are oftentimes a bit harsh - rather than the relatively calm, dry Wailea area on the Southwest coast.

It finally hit me... the pro's play the harsher areas exactly because they ARE harder. It again points out that the game you and I play is not at all the same game as the tour players play.

Stay warm - and contact me if you just need to get out of the cold and snow for a few days!

Cheers,

Dick

Golf in Hawaii: Well Worth the Long Flight!

The phone calls and emails to my golf vacation company have been hot and heavy since the 19" snow storm we just dealt with in Minneapolis! (Like these wonderful people didn't know winter was coming!!!!)

What sounds better... Shoveling snow in Minnesota? Or, raking bunkers in Hawaii?

90% of our business is "power golf trips by guy groups" - and, in 15 years of doing this, we've never booked a stag group to Hawaii. BUT, of the 10% that is made up of couples and couples groups, almost half is "Destination Hawaii". A good share of these clients are from "Mixed Marriages" - an avid golfer with a non-golfing spouse. Believe me guys... she won't mind your 5 hour absence when she is enjoying the pool and a Spa Treatment!

(The picture here and the one on my previous post are both from the Wailea Golf Club on Maui.)

As I said in the last post, I have to be the crappiest golfer in the world to play as many world class courses as I have. And Wailea ranks as my absolute favorite golf experience. Check our Hawaii page and ask me for my insights and advice - whether or not you ever book a trip with us.

Cheers,

Dick