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The allure of Pebble Beach, likethe waves that crash upon
itsshores, is steady, strong and relent-less. For nine decades,
golfers havebeen drawn to the breathtaking vistas of Carmel Bay,
what famedauthor Robert Louis Stevensononce labeled “the most
felicitousmeeting of land and sea in creation.”
And while the acclaimed creation ofJack Neville and Douglas S.
Grant atPebble Beach remains America’s crownjewel of golf, a
higher-priced version ofSt. Andrews, if you will, there are
morethan enough additional choices in andaround Carmel and
Monterey, Calif., tomake it a superb destination, even ifthe choice
is made to never step foot on17-Mile Drive.
The newest gems on theMonterey Peninsula are
Bayonet and Black Horse,courses built in 1954 and1964,
respectively, on thegrounds of the Fort OrdMilitary Base. In the
late
1990s, as part of the DefenseRealignment Closure in which
manymilitary facilities were downsized orturned over to private
enterprise, thecourses were purchased by the town ofSeaside, and in
2005 the property wasleased to the Seaside ResortDevelopment
Corporation.
The company poured some $13 mil-lion into an extensive
renovation thatwas completed late in 2008. Golf coursearchitect
Gene Bates kept much of therouting intact at both courses, but
hiswork in removing trees and clearing outdense undergrowth
resulted in the cre-ation of spectacular new views ofMonterey Bay.
The old Bayonet Coursehad the reputation of being the tough-est
course on the Peninsula, thanks tolow-hanging trees along both
sides ofholes that made pitching back into thefairway often the
only play followingwayward tee shots, and while Bayonetstill offers
plenty of narrow driving cor-ridors, Bates removed the
forebodingsense of claustrophobia and allowednew ground to be
bathed in sunlight.
Following the No. 1 handicap hole,the par-5 eighth that
customarily playsjust short of 600 yards, Bates createdwhat might
become known as one ofthe state’s toughest approach shots.From the
middle tees, the dogleg-rightninth plays to about 445 yards with
asecond shot to a green sitting some 50feet above fairway level. It
unquestion-ably is the highlight of the round forany double-digit
handicapper whoreaches this green in two.
Black Horse allows for more roomoff the tee, but its green
complexesmight be more difficult. There areplaces where a player
can use a putterfrom a collection area just off the green,or a
wedge—or both when the first deci-sion backfires and the ball
comesrolling back to your feet.
What is immediately noticed on theBlack Horse is the unique
design of thebunkers. They have small peninsulasand inlets, created
by hand and main-tained the same way. In conjunctionwith a property
that offers so manysweeping vistas, the bunkers are
visuallystunning as well.
The new management acknowledgesthe courses that have become
famousthrough their use in the rotation of thearea’s PGA Tour
event—Pebble Beach,Spyglass and Poppy Hills—form a strongdrawing
card for visitors from around theworld. The aim is to fit in
underneath thattop tier, and prices have been set
DESTINATION
Golf Getaways | The mecca of American golfP
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MontereyAs one of the world’s pre-eminent golf destinations,
Pebble Beach maintains a special place in American golf loreBy Rich
Skyzinski
The bunkers at Black Horse were created byhand and are
maintained the same way.
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accordingly. For what it costs to playPebble Beach, a player can
get three orfour rounds on Bayonet or Black Horse.
“There are people who come to thearea to play the Pebble Beach
Resortcourses and that is with good reason,”says Dick Fitzgerald,
project director forSeaside Resort Development. “We wantBayonet and
Black Horse to serve as thatnext level of more moderately
pricedplaces to play. The wholesale enhance-ments to Bayonet and
Black Horse arestaggering and golfers will discover twochallenging,
strategic and well-condi-tioned layouts that will rapidly emergeas
must-play courses on the MontereyPeninsula.”
Over at Pebble Beach—inside the “forest,” as the locals say—are
four well-known courses all open to the public: Pebble Beach,
Spyglass Hill, theLinks at Spanish Bay, and Poppy Hills,created by
the Northern California GolfAssociation in 1986 as the country’s
firstcourse built by a state or regional golfassociation. [Note:
Because of the popu-larity of these courses, starting timesoften
are reserved weeks or months inadvance. Therefore, visitors are
advised
to handle starting times in con-junction with their
travelarrangements, i.e., well inadvance.]
There is no argument thateach of these offers a memo-rable golf
experience. The firstfive holes at Spyglass windthrough seaside
dunes and arenothing short of magnificent;Spanish Bay was created
withfirm turf and fescue grasses,designed to replicate a
trueScottish links; Poppy Hills is afine test of golf and the
mostaffordable of the lot; andPebble Beach speaks for itself.Not
only are the views fromPebble Beach known to golfersaround the
world, but historyhas been made there as well.Two of golf’s
greatest shots
were struck at its famed par-3 17th inU.S. Opens played there: a
1-iron byJack Nicklaus that hit the flagstick inthe final round of
his win in 1972, andTom Watson’s 71st-hole pitch-in fromthe deep
rough in 1982.
Since much of Carmel and Montereyis high-end, without question
the bestvalue a golfer can find on the peninsulais at Pacific Grove
Golf Links. For lessthan $50, this unpretentious municipalcourse,
located on perhaps the area’spremium piece of property, is not to
bemissed. First-time players often don’tbelieve this is a municipal
course, andits heritage belies that, too; one ninewas designed by
H. Chandler Egan, atwo-time U.S. Amateur champion andone of the
game’s top amateurs at theturn of the 20th century, and the
secondnine was created by Neville, a co-designerof Pebble Beach.
Bunkers are few andthe greens are small, a joyful trip back to the
time when golf was a simplergame.
Before Spanish Bay and the coursesat Bandon Dunes in Oregon,
PacificGrove might have been the closestthing to an actual links in
the U.S. Still,with its spectacular water views, thismight be the
course that makes youreturn to Monterey.
NOVEMBER 2009 C H I C A G O DISTR ICT GOLFER | 17
Views of Monterey Bay are frequentfrom Bayonet and Black
Horse.
From O’Hare, United has non-stop flights to Monterey,Palm
Springs and Spokane;American offers non-stop service to Monterey
and PalmSprings; Spirit flies non-stop toMyrtle Beach.
From Midway, Southwest fliesnon-stop to Spokane.
Virtually all airlines charge forchecked baggage, but many
air-lines waive these fees for certainmembership levels of their
fre-quent flyer program. Check withyour airline to see if you
qualify.
Do not overpack. Even for air-lines that waive baggage fees
fortheir frequent flyers, most willcharge for overweight baggage.
The maximum weightfor golf clubs at AmericanAirlines is 70 pounds,
but it is 50pounds for many others. The feefor oversize baggage can
be$100 or more.
When traveling outside the 50states, have a valid passport,even
if it is not required.
Before you leave, check thelong-range weather forecast atyour
destination so you are ableto pack appropriately.
Items to consider packing inyour golf bag: extra socks;
sunscreen; bug spray; a rain suit;an umbrella; Band-Aids.
— Amy Parker
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DESTINATION
Golf Getaways | A love for the outdoors
For the golfer whose outdoorinterests include hunting
andfishing, it takes a bit of planningand traveling in order to
getsufficiently away from the hubbubof big-city life. It’s not as
easy astossing the gear in the car andmaking a 30-minute drive.
Though there are good spots for theoutdoorsman within Illinois
and eachof the neighboring states, primeterritory is far from where
we callhome. In an expansive part of theWestern United States,
defined roughlyas an area west of Minnesota and northof Iowa, the
upper portion of theContinental Divide is remote butspectacular.
The most difficult questionto answer is: How do I get there?
When it comes time for golf,Circling Raven Golf Club, located
onthe Coeur d’Alene Indian Reservation,about 25 miles south of the
city ofCoeur d’Alene, Idaho, is not to bemissed. This is a terrific
golf experiencewith players being presented with anunending variety
of shots uninterruptedby any signs of city life. Golf
coursedesigner Gene Bates was given afabulous piece of property and
crafted18 holes acclaimed by virtually everymajor golf publication.
Golfers on theincoming nine sense that they have thegolf course to
themselves because nohole can be seen from another.
In the picturesque city of Coeurd’Alene, the hub of activity
takes placeat the lakeside resort of the same name.Its golf
offering is what a resort course
is supposed to be: well maintained andfun. Though on the
shortish side—fromthe middle (tan) markers there are twopar 3s less
than 125 yards and threepar 4s less than 300—there is noshortage of
pretty views. The par-3 14thfeatures a floating green, moved via
aset of underwater cables so the holecan play to various
distances.
Perhaps the best course in the areais Indian Canyon Golf Course,
whichsits almost adjacent to the SpokaneAirport. It’s a good idea
to toss acamera in the bag because players arecertain to pull it
out a couple of times around this tour through hillsides covered in
80- to 100-foot-tallponderosa pines. The course is run by Spokane’s
Park and RecreationDepartment and is one of the best valuesyou’ll
find anywhere. Be forewarned:Players who like to walk and carry
theirclubs are in for a good workout.
Further to the southeast, Sun ValleyResort, in Idaho’s Sawtooth
Mountains,stakes its claim as the first American skiresort. Back in
the 1930s, AverellHarriman, chairman of the Union PacificRailroad,
was looking to create a great American resort fashioned after some
of the grand alpine resorts ofEurope. He enlisted the services of
Count
Felix Schaffgotsch to find the perfectlocation for his resort,
to be reached bytrain, of course. The Count was about
to end his searchwhen he heard aboutthe old mining townof
Ketchum, Idaho.Upon reaching theKetchum Valley,Count Felix
wasoverwhelmed by thearea and wired his employer, saying:“This
combines moredelightful featuresthan any place I have ever seen
inSwitzerland, Austriaor the U.S. for a winterresort.”
The green at Coeur d’Alene’s 14th hole(right) is in a new
location daily, butthere’s less water to deal with atCircling
Raven’s par-5 17th (below).
UpperRockiesWith tranquil lakes and an abundance of wildlife,
Idaho offers a true outdoors experienceBy Rich Skyzinski and Wayne
Mills
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The Count’s enthusiasm spread toHarriman, who rushed to join
him, andwithin days purchased 4,300 acres ofwhat was soon to become
Sun Valley.After a frantic seven-monthconstruction schedule, Sun
ValleyResort opened for the winter in 1936.
The resort was an instant success.Local wildlife was seen
sharing themountain with European nobility andHollywood royalty.
Clark Gable, ErrolFlynn, Claudette Colbert, Bing Crosbyand Gary
Cooper were all regulars inthe lodge, while world
champions,including Don and Gretchen Fraser,Gracie Carter Lindley
and AndyHennig used the mountain forOlympic training. Ernest
Hemingwayfirst visited in 1939 and returned many
times, writing “For Whom the BellTolls” in room 206 of The
Lodge.Eventually Hemingway would move toKetchum, where he died in
1961 and isburied there.
Sun Valley has been benevolentlyowned since 1977 by Earl
Holdings,who also owns Sinclair Oil.
Although originally envisioned as awinter resort, Sun Valley
hasblossomed into a wonderful, warm-weather destination as well.
Golf hasbecome the centerpiece of the summerin Sun Valley and the
centerpiece of the golf is a sumptuous new 58,000-square-foot
clubhouse that wasgiven an unlimited budget and thenexceeded
it.
The golf course offerings are verygood and getting better. The
18-hole
Trail Creek Course, ahighly regarded 1970sRobert Trent Jones,
Jr.,design, plays mostly inthe valley along andacross the
rushingwaters of Trail Creek.
The real stunner is the newly opened first nine holes of the
magnificent WhiteClouds Course. Designedby former Jones
associateDon Knotts, WhiteClouds winds its way upsome 400 feet onto
thehillside and providesstunning views of theBald Mountain
skislopes and the townsand valleys below. Thereare few vistas in
golf thatcan match those fromWhite Clouds. The backnine will play
backdown to the valley floorand along Trail Creek aswell. When
WhiteClouds is complete, itpromises to be one ofthe best golf
courses inthe West.
When the golf clubshave been put away inexchange for rod
andreel, it won’t take long to
realize this state is an outdoorsman’sparadise.
Want proof? Idaho lakes and rivershave produced records for
rainbowtrout (37 pounds), northern pike (38pounds, 9 ounces) and
chinooksalmon (42 pounds).
Idaho offers some 21.6 millionsquare miles of wilderness,
whichcontains some of the country’s besthunting opportunities.
Approximatelytwo-thirds is public land and a newstate Fish and Game
program, AccessYes!, is providing additional land everyyear.
The season opens in October forNorth Idaho’s deer, elk and
moose.Bear season runs from late summerthrough October, then again
in thespring.
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DESTINATION
Golf Getaways | Fun in the sun
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P lanning a golf getaway to theCaribbean isn’t as easy as it
mightsound.
For starters, some islands offer onlya few courses and the
quality often is sus-pect. Doing your homework and doingit
thoroughly is required in order toplan a reasonable itinerary.
Additionally, it hardly is convenientor inexpensive to hopscotch
one’s wayaround the Caribbean in order to playsome of the best
courses. It mightsound like fun to play in the Bahamasone day and
Puerto Rico the next, but alittle research shows that to be
imprac-tical; it’s the equivalent of flying fromChicago to Salt
Lake City.
One more consideration to keep inmind: Although a getaway
fromChicago might sound idyllic when theleaves start to fall and
there’s notice-ably less daylight, hurricane seasonofficially lasts
through November.Gentle island breezes are one thing;gale-force
winds and needing a weatherradio are another.
DOMINICAN REPUBLICThere’s all the golf anyone would
want on one island.Cap Cana is an exquisite resort with
six golf courses planned. Jack Nicklausis scheduled to design
three of them,and his first creation there, PuntaEspada, is
considered a must-play site.Eight holes were routed along the
Cap Cana in the DominicanRepublic is home to aChampions Tour
event.
With the proper planning, golf in the islands is a hands-down
winner
By Rich Skyzinski
The Caribbean
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NOVEMBER 2009 C H I C A G O DISTR ICT GOLFER | 21
The 16th at Brown Deer Golf Club
shoreline and magnificent water viewsare provided from virtually
every step onthe property. Punta Espada was the firstcourse in the
Dominican Republic to beselected for a PGA Tour-sanctioned
event;the Champions Tour is in the midst of athree-year agreement
to play the CapCana Championship there.
Casa de Campo generally is regardedas the premier golf
destination in theCaribbean. Pete Dye’s acclaimed Teeth ofthe Dog
can play as long as 7,471 yards,and with seven holes playing along
aseries of rocky coves, it is a brilliant andmemorable golf
experience. The par-415th is one of the world’s best oceanholes.
Two other courses here, Dye Foreand the Links, feature dramatic
elevationchanges and, in places, are more reminis-cent of inland
layouts more commonlyfound in the British Isles. Parts of DyeFore
sit some 300 feet above the ChavonRiver and offer postcard
panoramas ofboth the turquoise Caribbean and thesurrounding
mountains.
Nick Faldo was provided a stunningpiece of property at Roco Ki
with whichto work. At the Faldo Legacy Course,there are holes
routed through a lush jungle, others that help to frame fourlakes,
and several that command unfor-gettable shots on cliffs pounded by
thecrashing waves. The 18th, with two shotsover ocean inlets, might
be one of thebest finishing holes in the Caribbean.
JAMAICAHalf Moon Resort packs a good one-
two punch: The golf course is includedon the 2009 ranking of
best courses inthe Caribbean and Mexico by Golfweek,and Caribbean
World magazine namedthe resort the best in the Caribbean.Robert
Trent Jones, Sr., designed thecourse and it recently was renovated
byRoger Rulewich. Golfers of any skill levelwill enjoy the
course—tees start at 5,100yards and go up to 7,110—that was thesite
of a PGA European Senior Tour eventin 2003 and ’04.
Located just minutes from the Ritz-Carlton Golf & Spa
Resort, the WhiteWitch is an attractive mix of holes routedover
mountainous terrain, through thickand lush forests, and dramatic
waterfront
terrain. It helps to be agood putter here becausethe greens
generally are fastand designer Robert vonHagge built some
severeundulation into many ofthem.
The course associatedwith the Breezes atRunaway Bay offers a
moremoderately priced 18holes. Expect to find goodconditions
regardless of theseason. Caddies are a bighelp, particularly with
thegreens, and unlike many new courses cre-ated along jagged cliffs
and unforgivingparts of the waterfront, golfers seldomlose a ball
here. The course, which offerssome very long par 4s and
challengingpar 3s, is only minutes from the resort,and another plus
is that green fees areincluded in the cost of the resort.
PUERTO RICOThe Dorado Beach Resort has four
courses from which to choose, but thestandouts are the East and
West, andeither represents a can’t-lose proposition.There are
additional similarities: Both
were opened in the 1960s, both weredesigned by Robert Trent
Jones, Sr., andwithin the last decade both underwentchanges that
resulted in noticeableupgrades. The par-5 fourth on the East isone
of the world’s best holes. It is a double dogleg and there are two
waterhazards that golfers must negotiate. Butdepending on
conditions, an accom-plished player can try to carry one orboth,
thereby cutting up to 100 yards offthe length of the hole. There
are dozensof ways to play the hole, providing golferswith an
unlimited number of strategicoptions.
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From the DominicanRepublic: Cap Cana(above) and Casa deCampo
(right).
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DESTINATION
Golf Getaways | Perfect spot for a road trip
S election is not a problem in theMyrtle Beach golf
market.Rather, too many options and toolittle time is the dilemma
mostgolfers face.
The Grand Strand, an 80-milestretch of coastline from
Georgetown,S.C., to Southport, N.C., hit a peakwith 120 courses in
2001. That totalhas come down to just over 100, withall but six
open to the public, after arash of closures from 2005-07 in favorof
redevelopment.
Courses vary from inexpensive layouts frequented mostly by
locals to layouts ranked among the best in thenation with green
fees that reach $200,and there is variety and quality in thenorth,
south and central Strand.
The Dunes Club is the second-oldestcourse on the Strand and the
onecourse that actually abuts the AtlanticOcean. The clubhouse sits
along thedunes backing the beach, and theocean is behind the green
on the par-3ninth hole. The Robert Trent Jones layout opened in
1948 and featuresslightly elevated greens that put anemphasis on
approach shots. The firstfour holes on the back nine make
outstanding use of the terrain, andthere are few holes in golf as
entertain-ing as the 13th: a U-shaped par-5 witha daunting second
shot over water. The
Stretching up and down theSouth Carolina coastline,the golf
options along theGrand Strand are endless. By Alan Bondin
Top: The Dunes Club winds its wayaround, alongside the Atlantic
Ocean;Right: The Founders Club highlightsnatural areas.
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Dunes Club is perhaps the course mostsuited for tournament play
in the area,having been the site of an LPGA major,the PGA Tour
Q-School final and the season-ending Champions TourChampionship
from 1994-1999. It issemi-private but can be accessed by visitors
through more than 50 affiliatedhotels and golf package
providers.
Tidewater Plantation and Golf is oneof the most stunning courses
on theEast Coast. Several holes run along theIntracoastal Waterway
or surroundingtidal salt marshes in the Cherry Groveinlet. The Ken
Tomlinson design, witha layout assist from Rees Jones, has apair of
dramatic par 3s that back up toeach other along a marsh, and par
5sthat are reachable but not without risk,including two that curl
around themarsh.
True Blue Plantation is one of themore treacherous and dramatic
courseson the Strand. It was one of two courses in Pawleys Island
designed byinnovative architect Mike Strantzbefore he died of
cancer, along with ahighly acclaimed sister course,Caledonia Golf
& Fish Club. Thecourse has dramatic bunkeringand requires
precise shotmak-ing, and has an unusual five par3s and five par 5s,
includingthree that are at least 599 yards.
Leopard’s Chase Golf Club inSunset Beach, N.C., is one of
thelatest creations of local architectTim Cate, who has designed
anumber of courses on the southcoast of North Carolina. It’s
anattractive layout made difficultby a multitude of bunkers
andfast, undulating bentgrass greens.It features ornamental
grassesthroughout, with bouldersembedded with seashells liningthe
walls of many water hazards,and a waterfall near the 18thgreen.
The Founders Club ofPawleys Island was designed byThomas Walker
on the site of theSea Gull Golf Club. Players whoare not hitting
out of sand aredriving on it as every hole is
surrounded by vast waste bunkers. Cartpaths are needed only
around tees andgreens, and each hole has five tee boxesthat often
are islands amid naturalareas. Many fairways were shaped toinclude
changes in elevation, whilemounding and pot bunkers add to
difficulty.
The Barefoot Resort Dye Club is thetoughest of the four high-end
coursesthat opened simultaneously in 1999,and might be the most
difficult courseon the Strand. It is plenty long, and, intypical
Pete Dye fashion, is visually imposing off the tee with
wastebunkers on nearly every hole, count-less pot bunkers, water
hazards, wetlands and mounding throughoutthe layout. High native
grasses lurk onthe periphery of holes and many fairways are
elevated with troublebelow on both sides.
Alan Bondin covers golf for the MyrtleBeach Sun.
No. 8 on the South course atThistle Golf Club
NOVEMBER 2009 C H I C A G O DISTR ICT GOLFER | 23
DON’T BE FOOLED. Golf courses in theMyrtle Beach area compete
with eachother for rounds from vacationinggolfers.
But the willingness to cooperate inthe midst of the competition
is whathas allowed the Grand Strand tobecome a golf mecca.
The marketing cooperative, MyrtleBeach Golf Holiday, is what
binds thelayouts.
It includes 78 of the area’s nearly 100public courses, as well
as about 90accommodations providers and golfpackage providers that
combine roundsand beds for visiting players.
Golf Holiday’s budget to promote andmarket the area reached
approximately$8 million in 2008, primarily throughmember
contributions and somematching state funds.
Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday got itsstart in 1963 when a handful of
courseand hotel operators formed GolfHoliday. It merged with
anothermarketing company and became MyrtleBeach Golf Holiday in
1967.
One of its founders, Cecil Brandon,
served as the volunteer executivedirector of the cooperative for
threedecades.
In addition to marketing andpromoting the area, Golf
Holidaystages several events including the26-year PGA Tour
Superstore WorldAmateur Handicap Championship,which was sponsored
by DuPont for19 years and has attracted at least3,000 golfers every
year since 1991.
Golf Holiday sponsored andconvinced Golf Channelprogramming
executives to film andair 12 episodes of the 2008 show“Road Trip:
Myrtle Beach,” a reality-type program that followed theadventures
of a golfing foursomecomposed of former PGA Tourmember Charlie
Rymer, musiciansJosh Kelley and Mark Bryan, andfemale touring
professional PerrySwenson.
Competition and cooperationbetween courses in Myrtle
Beachcontinue to keep it among the world’smost competitive golf
markets.
— Alan Bondin
A COASTAL GOLF MECCA AWAITS
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DESTINATION
Golf Getaways | Winter paradise
D ino. Ike. Arnie. Bob. FrancisAlbert. All used to flock to
theSouthern California desert fromacross the country in search
ofperfect conditions, whether theybe for golf or martinis on
theveranda.
It’s true, some of the quaintness isgone from Palm Springs. The
tradeoffis, golf abounds in this oasis, especiallyduring the peak
tourist season fromJanuary through April. The courses,style, and
class the 1950s elite enjoyedare still available to the modern
traveler. Visitors simply have to knowwhat they’re looking for
and where tofind it in the modern, grown-up andgrown-in Coachella
Valley.
La Quinta Resort has five golfcourses available to guests,
includingthe iconic PGA West Stadium Courseand the Nicklaus
Tournament Course,both of which serve as venues for thefinal stage
of PGA Tour qualifying. TheStadium Course, generally consideredto
be Pete Dye’s pièce de rèsistance,has been softened over the years.
Butthe insidious landforms, unevenfairways and some of the
world’sdeepest bunkers still ensure thesternest test of golf. The
Nicklaus is afine example of the Golden Bear’sdesign principles
employed in a desertlandscape. Instead of carrying abarranca or
pond, the fairways and
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Palm SpringsA winter oasis, PalmSprings offers
favorableconditions across desertterrain
By Matt McKay
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greens are sandwiched betweentraditional sand bunkers and
thetraditional look of the ancient desert.
The La Quinta Mountain Course, run-ning along and through the
Santa RosaMountains, is just right for players wholike a rugged,
natural terrain. The DunesCourse offers two of the desert’s
mostmemorable holes: the 191-yard, par-3 sixth—jokingly called the
easiest par5 in the valley—and the 433-yard, par-4 17th, a dogleg
left around a largepond. Resort guests also have access tothe PGA
West Greg Norman Course.It’s likely the most playable course inthe
rota, with fewer forced carries andhardpan desert beyond the
turf.
Built for and recently added to theBob Hope Classic rotation on
the PGA Tour, SilverRock in La Quinta isworth pointing out because
of itsbeauty, challenge, significance to thetour, and its proximity
to other golfresorts hidden within La Quinta, PalmDesert and Rancho
Mirage. The golfcourse is set at the base of the SantaRosa and
Coral Mountains, andwanders through several outcroppingsand
exposures. There are plans for afuture second course, hotel,
andclubhouse.
The JW Marriott Desert Springs inPalm Desert speaks to the days
in the1980s when Palm Springs became the Coachella Valley as
othermunicipalities became involved inlarger destination
developments. Thereare two 18-hole Ted Robinson-designedgolf
courses. The Palm course, whichsits more on the front of the
property, isthe more popular course, featuringpicturesque holes and
dramaticwaterscapes. The Valley Course’sdominant feature is
landforms that, forthe most part, have been positioned tohelp the
resort player have a great timein a timely manner.
Built in 2007, the casino tower inIndio, owned and operated by
theCabazon Band of Mission Indians, isaccompanied by the Clive
Clark-designed Eagle Falls Golf Course inFantasy Springs, Calif. A
traditional, wall-to-wall turf course set in the desert,
Clark’s wide fairways are offset by well-positioned, punitive
bunkers andnative grasses lining the playing areas.Recovery shots
and big benders mustavoid this grass or be prepared to sufferthe
consequences. The par-5 18thfeatures a grand waterfall feeding a
pondthat protects the left side of the fairwayand green.
Owned and operated by the AguaCaliente band of Cahuilla Indians,
theSouth Course at Indian Canyons Resortwas renovated in 2004 by
CaseyO’Callaghan and features awe-inspiringviews of the San Jacinto
Mountains. The North Course, formerly CanyonCountry Club, now is
part of the resort. A
traditional 1950s course, the William Bell layout wanders
through the mid-century modern houses of SouthPalm Springs.
Indian Wells Resort, the former homeof the Skins Game, offers
two courses, theCelebrity and Players courses, with fourhotel
properties on the resort grounds(Hyatt Grand Champions,
RenaissanceEsmeralda, Miramonte, and IndianWells). The Celebrity
Course wasredesigned in 2006 by Clark and isfamous for its
garden-like setting. ThePlayers Course, updated by John Foughtjust
three years ago, utilizes wide fairwaysto take players out into the
desert beforereturning to the shadows of the resortbuildings.
Matt McKay is a freelance writer based inPalm Springs,
Calif.
Left: The PGA West Greg Normancourse; Above: The 10th hole
atSilverRock Resort.
NOVEMBER 2009 C H I C A G O DISTR ICT GOLFER | 25
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aul Hindsley knew he wanteda place in Palm Springs, Calif.,where
he and his familycould, for several weeks
during the winter, escape the bone-chilling Chicago air.
Drawn by warm weather, stunningscenery and first-class golf
amenities,Hindsley looked at several propertiesin the area. Owning
a home outright,however, felt like too large acommitment. And time
shares had anegative stigma to the 49-year-oldinvestment
banker.
Then a friend suggested fractional
living, which allows co-owners to ownluxury homes at a fraction
of a soleownership cost. Unlike time shares,fractional interests
are secured by adeed to a specific home; the interestcan be
mortgaged, sold or willed justlike any other real estate purchase.
It is a growing industry in populardestinations such as mountain
orbeach resorts, and Southern Californiahas proved to be a popular
choice toChicagoans.
After familiarizing himself with thefractional concept,
including the ongoing investment plans, the reserva-tion system,
access to golf and sale sce-narios, Hindsley purchased a
one-ninthinterest in a freestanding villa at theResidence Club at
PGA West in LaQuinta.
“Traveling great distances to warmweather locations from Chicago
makes ithard to own a property and dedicate the
time and resources to make it a truehome,” says Hindsley. “The
fractionaloption is a great step, particularly if youbelieve you
will be able to get away in thewinter/spring three-five weeks a
year.”
Dean Poulos, owner of Homer’s IceCream in Wilmette, also opted
for frac-tional living at PGA West as a respitefrom the Windy
City’s brutal winters. Hecompared the residence club’s amenitiesto
a four-star hotel and relishes the flexi-bility of use and lack of
cleaning andmaintenance responsibilities. Also, theweather and
access to golf are huge pluses for Poulos and his wife, Sandy.
“The Palm Springs area,” he says, “hasincredible weather with no
humidity,beautiful scenery and amazing golf
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The trend of fractional living is gaining popularity as
Chicagoans look for extended winter golf getaways
26 | C H I C A G O DISTR ICT GOLFER WWW.CDGA.ORG
ChicagoAverage daily low in January: 18°F
By Chelan David
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courses.” And, naturally, there’s the luxuryof being able to
play those courses inJanuary or February—in shorts.
According to Ted Lennon, presidentof Lowe Destination
DevelopmentDesert Operations, fractional living hasgained momentum
in golf communitiesduring the last couple of years. With
res-idential real estate off in most placesaround the country, it
has proved to beattractive since it requires less capital.
Says Lennon, “It is affordable luxuryand offers the flexibility
that secondhomeowners seek.”
At Stone Eagle, a 700-acre private golfcommunity in Palm Desert,
anotherPalm Springs suburb, the fractional own-ership program
consists of three fullyfurnished homes. Prices start in the
high$200,000s for two-bedroom residencesand go up to the high
$400,000s forfour-bedroom residences. Conciergeservices at the
resort include pre-arrivalgroceries and reserved starting times
atthe Tom Doak-designed golf course.Owners can select three
scheduledweeks in-season and any other time ofthe year subject to
availability.
Reservation policies for fractionalowners vary from property to
property,but many, such as the Residence Club,have a rotating
selection priority. “Webelieve the fairest way to allocate time
isthe use of a rotating priority system,which moves owners to the
front of theline,” explained Marc Bailes, owner ofthe Residence
Club’s corporate legalentity. “Once there, that owner willthen drop
to the end and work back tothe beginning.”
During mid-summer, Hindsley sendsin his request for the specific
time periodshe would like to stay at the villa and, byAugust, knows
which weeks will bedesignated as his. Last year, his first fullyear
at the Residence Club, he had noproblem making reservations for
theweeks he wanted.
“We don’t expect that to happen everyyear, but we believe the
combination of the reservation system and nine members per villa
will enable us toreceive at least two of our priority weekseach
year,” he said.
The three-bedroom villas at theResidence Club consist of 3,300
square
feet and are fully furnished. While it’s acomfortable fit for
Hindsley, his wife andtheir four children, he also enjoys
thepreferential pricing and starting times atfive available golf
courses. Some of thecourses are challenging; others are suitable
for his 11-year-old son and hiswife, who only play
occasionally.
So far he is happy with his purchase.“Our plan is to maintain
this fractionalownership until we expect to be able tospend
materially more time, or materiallyless time, in a winter
home.”
For most buyers, fractional owner-ship represents a lifestyle
choice ratherthan an investment opportunity.However, in the midst
of a flagging economy, with the traditional real estatemarket
struggling mightily, parkingmoney in a fractional interest can
poten-tially lead to dividends down the road.
Bailes says that fractional ownershipworks best in areas in
which sole ownership of homes is expensive, suchas La Quinta,
Calif., Aspen and Vail,Colo., Park City, Utah, and New York
City. In many of these areas, the priceof fractional interests
has increased.
Joining the Residence Club was alifestyle choice for Hindsley
and his wife.
“In the financial sense, we view theResidence as a neutral
investment,meaning we did not join the club withthe expectation
that the value couldincrease or decrease materially,” hesaid.
“Importantly, the high quality ofthe villas and the attraction of
the LaQuinta area made us comfortable thatthese assets would
continue to be indemand over time, and thus the invest-ment would
not materially decline invalue over time.”
Chelan David is a freelance writer based inSeattle.
NOVEMBER 2009 C H I C A G O DISTR ICT GOLFER | 27
The Stadium Course at PGA West is one ofthe courses
ResidenceClub members can play.
Palm Springs, Calif.Average daily high in January: 70°F
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