Golf Vacations Magazine December 2017

OUR 16th YEAR!

THIS MONTH: My Turn • SweetStuff • ChipShots

GOLF VACATIONS DECEMBER 2017

CAPE BRETON ISLAND’S

AWARD-WINNING GOLF LINEUP

SCORE FOUR

AT INNISBROOK GOLF RESORT

www.golfvacationsmag.com Golf Vacations 2017 1 Plus: COSTA RICA’S RESERVA CONCHAL GOLF• December COURSE

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GOLF VACATIONS DECEMBER 2017

Innisbrook Golf Course, Palm Harbor, Florida

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Chip Shots

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Natural Wonders in Costa Rica

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Award Winning Cape Breton Island

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by Tim Cotroneo

The Central American country of Costa Rica has a unusual way of helping golfers get over first hole jitters. At the plush Westin Golf Resort and Spa, newcomers to the Reserva Conchal Golf Course are often greeted by the startling roar of howler monkeys perched in the treetops above the first tee.

by David R. Holland

Our golf cart is bouncing like a covered wagon heading over Donner Pass in the Old West migration. This isn’t California, however, it’s Nova Scotia’s Cape Breton Island in far eastern Canada and the road way is a rumpled fairway on one of Stanley Thompson’s classic golf courses -- Highlands Links, a grizzled, timeless masterpiece celebrating its 76th year.

Resort Report: Innisbrook Golf Course

by Tim Cotroneo

If variety is the spice of life, then Innisbrook Golf Resort in Palm Harbor, FL, will satisfy even the most particular golf appetite.

Covering 900 wooded acres on Florida’s west coast, Innisbrook is home to not one, not two, not three, but four tastefully diverse golf layouts.

Sweet Stuff by Terry Ross

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CONTRIBUTINGWRITERS Terry Ross has covered sports as both a print and radio journalist for more than 35 years, and also has served as a consultant to the golf industry in a variety of capacities. He has been a regular columnist for the Long Beach Business Journal and is based in Orange County, California.

Executive Editor Jeffrey Diaz

David R. Holland is an award-winning former sportswriter for The Dallas Morning News, football magazine publisher, and author of The Colorado Golf Bible. “Multiple careers” best describes this world traveler (visited 35 countries), who achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force reserve. Holland splits home time in Colorado and Texas. He has written for GolfWeek’s Superintendent News, Colorado AvidGolfer, Midwest Golfing Magazine, South Central Golf Magazine and Fairway to Green. He also worked for the Dallas Cowboys Weekly, UPI and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Follow Dave on Twitter @David_R_Holland.

Tim Cotroneo is a Mineapolis-based freelance writer specializing in Caribbean travel, business, and golf. Tim is a long-time contributor to Tee Times Press and he’s also the Travel Writer for American Business Magazine.

Associate Editor Terry Ross

Features Editor Larry Feldman

Senior Writers JD Latorre Andy Reistetter Fred Robledo

For Editorial:

call (760) 774-2655 e-mail: Info@GolfVacationsMag.com

JD Latorre is a freelance travel writer currently calling South Florida his home base. He has a knack for finding himself in some of the world’s most exotic locations, including Bangkok, Montego Bay, Bogata, Havana, Tenerife, St. Kitts, Cancun and Marseilles. His past lives included working for the Miami Herald, Chicago Daily Herald, Boston Globe, Daily News of Los Angles and Southern California Golf Newspaper.

Regional Advertising Los Angeles Terry Ross • 949-279-7801 terryr@GolfVacationsMag.com Atlanta Harold Chambliss • 770-239-7500 haroldc@GolfVacationsMag.com

Published by

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portsMedia publications

President Jeffrey Diaz

455 NE 5th Avenue, Suite D-151 Delray Beach, Florida 33483 (760) 774-2655

and

Destiny Media, LLC President/CEO James A. Diaz

Golf Vacations Magazine is published in digital format monthly and distributed online to over 1,000,000 golfer’s email inboxes each issue.

Entire contents of this publication is copyright 2017 SportsMedia Publications, all rights reserved and may not be reproduced in any manner, in whole or in part, without written permission from the publisher.

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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CHIPSHOTS San Domenico Golf - Play golf all year round, surrounded by the beautiful Apulian countryside Gently embraced by century-old olive trees and the crystal blue Adriatic sea, San Domenico Golf is the top-rated golf course that was strongly pursued by Sergio Melpignano, the visionary Apulian entrepreneur who is responsible for bringing high end golf to Puglia.

Located a few steps away from the ancient mycenaean village of Egnathia (V century b.C.) and near the small evocative fishing village of Savelletri, San Domenico Golf is a classic Mediterranean links course

deemed among the best in Italy. It was designed by architect Andy Haggar and built by London’s European Golf Design complying to the highest standards of the USGA specifications.

The 18-hole course is spread over 6,300 m and has a par of 72. It is made special by the distinctive scents and colours of the local Mediterranean Maquis: next to the low shrubs of thyme, rosemary, sage and mint you’ll find dozens of amazing century-old olive trees, their rare beauty epitomizing the uniqueness of this course.

And not only the blue horizon embellishes this place, with every hole, green and fairway providing a spectacular view onto

the sea, but wind also constantly blows, playing a significant role during gameplay.

The most remarkable holes are number 3, a beautiful and challenging par 3 that is over 200 meter long with an adverse wind often blowing; hole number 7, a magnificent par 4 overlooking an ancient olive grove; and hole number 16, a par 5, the longest (560 meters) and closest to the sea coast.

The grass used for the fairways is bermuda, while the roughs are made with festuca, insidious and apparently easy to manage, though actually quite difficult to deal with. As for the greens, the classic pencross variety was used, allowing for

San Domenico Golf

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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CHIPSHOTS very fast surfaces. The greens are wide and, even if they don’t feature deceptive slopes, they are far from easy to tackle.

Along with strategic bunkering, fairway shaping and clever green design, the San Domenico Golf course provides players with an unforgettable golfing experience and a superb panorama: this is Mediterranean golf at its finest.

Opened in 2003, San Domenico Golf has hosted a number of major national and international golf tournaments for pro golfers, such as the Italian Omnium and P.G.A. championships and the Grand Final of the European Challenge Tour, while a wealth of famous players and golf stars have played here, including Martin

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Kaymer, Alvaro Quiros and Rafa Cabrera Bello.

San Domenico Golf lies opposite Borgo Egnazia, a true symbol and ambassador of Apulian hospitality across the world, while Masseria Cimino, a charming 18th Century farmhouse blending tradition and contemporary design, serves as its guesthouse. Both properties are part of SD Hotels Group, which has been pursuing the innovative hospitality vision of the Melpignano family since 1996 when the enchanting Masseria San Domenico was opened. The Group also includes Masseria Le Carrube, nestled in the countryside of Ostuni and the Li Veli winery and bistro and San Domenico House hotel in London.

GOLFTEC Opens Palm Beach Gardens Center Location GOLFTEC – a world leader in golf lessons and top employer of PGA Professionals – announces the opening of a state-of-the-art golf instructional and club-fitting center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida The new center is more than 2,700 square feet and features four teaching/ practice bays staffed by highly-trained coaches. Overseeing the location is manager Chris Russell, who has taught more than 17,000 lessons at GOLFTEC since 2007. Area golfers are encouraged to come meet the staff and learn about the pioneering programs that have led to a 96 percent success rate among GOLFTEC students.

The center showcases GOLFTEC’s vibrant new in-center design scheme as well as its enhanced TECFIT® custom club-fitting program. The latter uses leading-edge technology and software that combines swing characteristics with ball flight data to help properly identify optimal golf equipment for each student.

“GOLFTEC’s unique combination of advanced technology and experienced coaches allows us to provide our students with the most comprehensive instructional experience on the market,” said Joe Assell, CEO and founder of GOLFTEC. “We look forward to helping Palm Beach Garden’s golfing community continue to improve their on-course performance.”

Over more than two decades GOLFTEC has posted unrivaled category growth, including a 98% increase in revenue since 2010. The largest driver of new business comes from referrals by current students who drop an average of seven strokes from their scorecard. GOLFTEC expects to teach nearly 1 million lessons in 2017. While the majority of lessons are taught indoors, coaches also accompany players for on-course/outdoor lessons to ensure they are comfortable in real world situations.

The renowned, global GOLFTEC coaching team is comprised of experienced professionals, most of whom are PGA professionals and have taught thousands of lessons. Each goes through a rigorous multi-week certification at GOLFTEC University including continued advanced training to master the analysis of golf swing mechanics, the technology utilized

by GOLFTEC and the most productive teaching techniques.

To learn more about GOLFTEC, visit www.golftec.com or call 877-446-5383.

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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CHIPSHOTS

Vacation Marbella Is Set To Become A Big Player In The Golf Market

Vacation Marbella, a well-established luxury accommodation rental company, is set to make its move into the golf market by unveiling a range of quality stay-and-play packages.

The Marbella region, dubbed “Golf Valley” has long been popular with visitors from the UK, but Vacation Marbella, which hosts more than 10,000 guests a year alone, is set to take golfing breaks to a new level thanks to its highend apartments and top-quality guest services.

The family-run business has grown steadily since being established in 2015 thanks to its existing tailor-made packages that cater for every need, such as organising green fees, visiting beauty treatments, car rentals, fishing charters, airport transfers and baby-sitting services.

Vacation Marbella – a new IAGTO member – has devised a new range of golf packages that includes playing the highly respected Los

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Naranjos Golf and Country Club.

And with an average of 320 sunny days a year and more than 30 golf courses in the Costa del Sol region and 15 alone in Marbella, the area is a paradise for golfers.

Borja Rodriguez, joint owner of Vacation Marbella, who is originally from the town, said: “Marbella may already be well known to UK visitors as a holiday destination with the glamorous reputation boasting places like Puerto Banus, but there is so much more to this beautiful area of Spain that people may not be so aware of.

“The Costa del Sol is also known as the Costa del Golf with some of the finest golf courses anywhere in the world that can be experienced in a wonderful climate with lots of sun.

“There are sandy beaches to enjoy, and while there is a fantastic nightlife to enjoy at a host of bustling modern bars, we can also very proud of the many charming and traditional picturesque villages dotted around this stunning area.

“But there is also so much to do and see in the Marbella region with fantastic restaurants serving delicious locally-sourced food, a host of activities to do such as fishing, boating, cycling or Go Karting. We believe we can offer families and golfers the perfect holiday, whether they want an active break or simply relax by the beach.”

Marbella is situated in the Andalucia region, which saw more than 530,000 people visit for golf tourism in 2016 – a staggering rise of 25 per cent over the last five years. And that figure is expected to grow further over the next 18 months.

Slaley Hall is Best Golf Resort in the North... That’s official Slaley Hall is the best golf resort in the north of England - and it’s official. That’s according to the inaugural Golf World ‘Top 100 Resorts in UK & Ireland’ ranking.

The four-start resort in Hexham, Northumberland - managed by Redefine|BDL Hotels (RBH) - was ranked 24 overall in the

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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CHIPSHOTS

England’s Slaley Hall top 100 list, in which it was competing with world-renowned five-star resorts on both sides of the Irish Sea. The magazine’s top 100 rankings for golf courses in both the UK&I and Europe, and its European resorts listing, are widely regarded as the benchmark in the industry and this latest venture has been awaited eagerly.

Andrew Cameron, golf operations manager for the hotel group - of which Slaley Hall is one of 10 four-star golf resorts - believes everybody at the resort should be rightly proud of the achievement.

He said: “This ranking was eagerly anticipated, as nothing of this magnitude had ever been attempted before.

There’s a lot more to a resort than just its golf course or its accommodation alone.

Everything has to come together - golf, food, hotel, relaxation - to make it somewhere a golfer wants to visit and stay for a couple of days.

“And for Slaley Hall to be listed as the

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highest-ranked golf resort in the north of England is a great achievement and one about which everybody at the resort can be justifiably delighted. What’s more, it was also a fabulous accomplishment for QHotels as a group, as we had all 10 of our UK golf resorts listed in the top 100. No other hotel group can match that level of performance.”

Managed by RBH, the UK’s leading independent hotel management company, Slaley Hall was also voted ‘Best Golf Hotel/ Resort in the North of England’ for the third successive year in the 2017 Today’s Golfer Travel Awards.

It is set in 1,000 acres of Northumberland moorland and forest. It is a magnificent fourstar hotel in an elegant Edwardian mansion, with two challenging championship courses - the Hunting and the Priestman - which have played host to no fewer than 18 European Tour and European Senior Tour events.

The 7,000-yard, par-72 Hunting, designed

by Dave Thomas, has lush sweeping fairways,

streams, lakes, towering trees and banks of rhododendrons - but, aesthetics aside, it will catch out the unwary. Well-placed bunkers and tricky greens make this USGA standard course a real challenge. The quality of Slaley Hall’s elder layout is illustrated by the fact the course is often dubbed ‘The Augusta of the North’.

The Priestman course was designed by Neil Coles and opened in 1999. Beautifully maintained, the course has matured magnificently. It sits on the west side of the estate, with panoramic views of the Tyne Valley and some daunting water features, and wind can be a factor on a course which hosts regularly European seniors’ events.

As the largest golf resort operator in the UK, the RBH portfolio offers championshipstandard courses in unique resort locations including Slaley Hall, Oulton Hall, Belton Woods, Mottram Hall, and Forest Pines Hotel & Golf Resort.

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N atural Wond in C osta R ica

Westin Golf Resort & Spa

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ders

By Tim Cotroneo

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Monkey Hanging

Arcadia Bluffs The Lodge Reserva Conchal

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T

he Central American country of Costa Rica has a unusual way of helping golfers get over first hole jitters. At the plush Westin Golf Resort and Spa, newcomers to the Reserva Conchal Golf Course are often greeted by the startling roar of howler monkeys perched in the treetops above the first tee. Whether this sound occurs before, during, or after a backswing, the resulting nervous laughter helps to distract any thoughts of hitting an errant shot.

Monkeys aren’t the only back-to-nature ambassadors greeting golfers at this Robert Trent Jones Jr-designed course. Iguanas, crocodiles, raccoon-like Coati-Mundi, and white throated Magpie all make spontaneous appearances during your 18 spectacular golf holes.

If you’re not star-struck by the wild kingdom aspect of Reserva Conchal’s 7,000-yards of jungle splendor, the sheer eco-radiance of your golf round will take your breath away.

If you’ve never contemplated the world’s environment prior to your Costa Rican vacation, the Westin Golf Resort and Spa will remind what a wonderful world it can be.

The Golf World’s Ultimate Win Win The air, the terrain, the greenery, the ocean, and the luxurious Westin Golf Resort and Spa are so environmentally pure they produce something called a Positive Carbon footprint. That means when you play at the Reserva Conchal, you’re actually experiencing a round of golf that creates a 25 percent oxygen surplus.

There is a surreal realness to your Reserva Conchal golf round. When teeing it up at Reserva Conchal you become one with ocean views, exotic glimpses into the jungle, and elevations worthy of a Costa Rican yodeling competition. What’s great is this could be the first time you’ve played 18 holes, and also made a positive contribution to our planet. Talk about a golf win-win.

A bonus to your Reserva Conchal experience is encountering a golf course team that is so giving they could make Mother Teresa blush. On one hole you’re offered a cold towel, on another a slice of fresh pineapple, and on the next a frosty Costa-Rican brewed Imperial beer. The Reserva Conchal team treats you with VIP status regardless of how your scorecard reads. The Westin Golf Resort and Spa sets the hospitality gold standard for combining sustainability with luxury.

Smile if You Like Costa Rican Golf The ringleader of the Reserva Conchal goodwill team is the course’s Director of Golf Carlos Soto. Spend five minutes with Rojas and you’ll discover that smiling and breathing is one and the same.

Soto is a virtual fountain of Costa Rican knowledge. This 10-year Reserva Conchal veteran is your “go to” resource for improving your golf game, finding the best place for sushi in the neighboring town of Tamarindo, or even insider secrets on bull riding during Costa Rica’s festival season.

Soto is also the main man for coordinating long distance tee times prior to your vacation, or adding an extra round during your stay at the Westin Golf Resort and Spa. The goal for Soto’s team is presenting a championship golf course that exudes the Costa Rica “Pure Vida” way of life.

Reserva Conchal Cardio Love Affair First time visitors will discover that Reserva Conchal is a glorious mix of Pacific Ocean shots, corner-bending doglegs, mind-testing approach shots, and picture perfect greens.

It’s also a marvelous chance to interact with wildlife that coexists throughout this Robert Trent Jones Jr. layout.

Following 18 holes of adventure played in 82-degree temps you’re handed another cold towel to refresh. As Soto and longtime employee Calis clean your clubs, they ask what you think about Costa Rican golf.

You can’t help but smile back at the beaming duo’s loaded question that has but one bucket list answer.

Just then you hear another Howler Monkey barking from the treetops. It’s at this point you realize that the Reserva Conchal golf experience has left a positive carbon impression on your heart. www.reservaconchal.com/golf-en.html www.westinplayaconchal.com .reservaconchal.com

Westin Golf Resort & Spa

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Cape Bret

Cabot Cliffs

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ton Island An Award Winning Golf Lineup

by David R. Holland www.golfvacationsmag.com

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O

ur golf cart is bouncing like a covered wagon heading over Donner Pass in the Old West migration.

This isn’t California, however, it’s Nova Scotia’s Cape Breton Island in far eastern Canada and the road way is a rumpled fairway on one of Stanley Thompson’s classic golf courses -- Highlands Links, a grizzled, timeless masterpiece celebrating its 76th year.

But two and a half hours to the south on the opposite sunset shore of the island are two other new bucket list courses -- Cabot Links (2011) and Cabot Cliffs (2015) -- and that threesome makes Cape Breton Island one of the globe’s hottest golf destinations.

For years when asked what my favorite Canadian golf courses were I would say Jasper Park and Banff Springs. Now I have a serious challenge to that standard response.

All three of these CBI golf courses are ranked on the world stage.

Highlands Links was No. 1 in Canada for years. And just recently Cabot Cliffs was named No. 1 in Canada with Cabot Links No. 2 by GOLF Magazine.

Let’s take a closer look: Highlands Links, Ingonish, Nova Scotia The bouncing ride at Highlands Links is courtesy of Thompson’s decision to cover a glacial rock field with top soil and seed instead of removing the boulders, and construction rock piles, which would have been quite a chore considering in those days the construction crew only had access to steam shovel four hours a day.

But despite the hanging lies, downhill slopes and crazy bounces you will experience all day, this “Mountains to Ocean” golf course, situated in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park, is stunningly beautiful, challenging, fun and a roller coaster once you are putting.

George Knudson, one of Canada’s best professionals (eight-time PGA Tour winner) called it the Cypress Point of his homeland for sheer beauty and “like driving up to heaven” every time he arrived on site.

“There’s not a better walk in golf,” Knudson said.

Smoky Mountain, the highest point in Nova Scotia, looms high above the course and several holes climb up toward Mount Franey. The No. 1 handicap hole is the famous, “Killerkrankie” (Gaelic for long, narrow pass) that’s a 570-yard, par 5 that requires you to negotiate a narrow chute of boreal forest of spruce, fir, white birch and maples.

Once you start heading back downhill the beautiful, but deadly 240yard, par-3 12th reveals the rock-strewn Clyburn River and once you reach the 15th tee the Atlantic Ocean is once again revealed with its seaside marshes.

“What Stanley Thompson accomplished at Highlands Links during the late 1930s is nothing short of genius,” said golf-course architect Jeff Mingay. “There is such a variety of holes there, the result is a brilliant routing that takes full advantage of the natural attributes of the property.”

My impression was it was an incredible collection of outstanding par threes. Another, however, on the same day might rave about the par fives.

Highland Links No. 15

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Highland Links

That discussion tells you this is a must-play.

Pine Canyon Clubhouse And another stunner: Highlands Links is a mere 6,592 yards long. That’s a dinosaur in today’s modern architecture.

Keltic Lodge As if your day couldn’t get any better your reward after putting the quick and deadly funnel of the 18th green is Keltic Lodge, where visitors have marveled at the view since opening on July 18, 1940 as the White Birch Inn, and your room was $6, including meals. It is a vintage throwback to the era of railroad hotels present in other National Parks.

Today’s hotel, with several options for rooms, cottages and suites, recently got a $5 million upgrade and includes breakfast buffet in The Purple Thistle Dining Room, spa, swimming pool, bar with live entertainment an opportunity to all kinds of outdoors activities. The evening lobster dinner comes with a unique “heads up” presentation.

Cabot Cliffs and Cabot Links, Inverness, Nova Scotia From almost every spot on this magnificent property the Gulf of St. Lawrence is within view and the golf-course scenery ranks among the best anywhere. For decades the coal miners who conducted business on Main Street in Inverness couldn’t have envisioned what could come from that spectacular view and wind-buffeted shoreline, but the town fathers finally saw it.

It was the perfect transition of the land and when Ben Cowan-Dewar and Mike Keiser hired Rod Whitman, a Canadian architect, to build Cabot Links, the golf ball was finally rolling. Four years later the evolution was enhanced with the opening of Cabot Cliffs, a Ben Crenshaw-Bill Coore design.

“If Rod hadn’t created such a popular course, there would never have been a Cabot Cliffs,” said Keiser, on opening day to a small group of media.

Keltic Lodge

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“I think of Cabot as Cabot. Cabot has its own identity. It’s not trying to be Cypress Point. It’s not trying to be Pebble Beach. It’s not trying to be anything else,” said Coore in a discussion on Cabot’s website.

“The beauty of it is a strong individual identity, character, that was created by those land forms and our long-standing friendship with Whitman, and his involvement in both Links and Cliffs makes this project even more special.”

What makes it even more distinctive is that both courses are walking only with caddies on duty. This should be experience at a slower pace to take in all the land has to offer.

Cabot Cliffs (6,764 yards) begins with a benign par 5 and builds with views and inland holes that cross deep gorges, sweeps through dunes and climbs into gnarly woodlands before coming back to the sea. Broad Cove River also makes an appearance.

involved with playing those holes,” Crenshaw said. “But holes appeal to us in different fashions, it’s how they fit together, their rhythm, that makes the course special. I must say too, that we would never start out with the idea of having six par 3s, six par 4s and six par 5s.”

Cabot Links (6,854 yards) started the whole frenzy with five holes that embrace the beach, takes in views of Cape Mabou, and includes a Pebble Beach No. 7 lookalike -- the 14th that plays 100 yards with the Gulf of St. Lawrence backdrop.

Cabot Links Lodge Designed by award-winning Nova Scotia architect, Susan Fitzgerald and celebrated interior designer, Alexandra Angle, the 72-room Cabot Links Lodge is inspired by its surroundings. There are also two-bedroom and four-bedroom Golf Villas. Particularly distinct is that every door is punctuated by a golf quote from tour greats or sports writing legends.

The crescendo comes at No. 16, a 176-yard par three skirting out on a jagged promontory, water seemingly everywhere. There’s only a single demand. Hit this protrusion in one or have a scramble from two deep, rough hewned bunkers setting below the green -- or worse -- reload.

Cabot Dining -- Panorama, Cabot Bar and Cabot Public House Breakfast, lunch and dinner -- upscale, refined or casual and rustic -- that’s the superb experience at Cabot. My favorite was the seafood chowder and oysters. But there’s a bounty of fresh local seafood and naturally farmed produce.

But the 17th (331 yards) is even more of an adventure as you only have a line up and over a huge rise of land before diving downward and right toward the beach. Hit the line and you may be on the green in one putting for eagle. Amazingly, my foursome all found the line and we had this green surrounded.

Explore Cape Breton Island Renowned for its spectacular landscapes and unspoiled coastal lands, Cape Breton Island is a gem. From hiking trails just outside Cabot Links Lodge to the famed, 186-mile long Cabot Trail, opportunities abound for explorers.

“People will naturally be drawn to the 16th, 17th and 18th holes because they are close to the end of the round, spectacular, and there is danger

Heralded as one of “The World’s 10 Best Islands to Visit” by National Geographic Traveler, more than one-fifth of Cape Breton is preserved

Cabot Links Lodge

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Cabot Cliffs 17th and 18th Fairways

as a national park, making it hiker’s paradise. Fishermen from all over North America are drawn to the Margaree River, home to some of the world’s best salmon fishing.

Keiser, who also developed Bandon Dunes, Sand Valley and Barnbougle Links, once said “one great golf course is a curiosity, but

it takes two to make a destination.”

How true, but now and forever when I think of Cape Breton Island I’ll add Highlands Links into that conjecture.

Do yourself a favor. Come here and play all three.

Cabot Links No. 16

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RESORTREPORT

Score Four at Innisbrook Golf Resort

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by TIM COTRONEO

PALM HARBOR, FLORIDA

I

f variety is the spice of life, then Innisbrook Golf Resort in Palm Harbor, FL, will satisfy even the most particular golf appetite. Covering 900 wooded acres on Florida’s west coast, Innisbrook is home to not one, not two, not three, but four tastefully diverse golf layouts.

Copperhead is Innisbrook’s most famous drawing card as the 7,200yard golf course that draws millions of fans on television each March as part of the PGA’s Valspar Championship. What’s great is that Innisbrook’s golf paradise doesn’t stop at the tour favorite Copperhead. The Innisbrook property also offers three equally pretty sister courses, with their Island Course, North Course, and South Course.

Golf, culinary, and relaxation diversions abound at this sunshine Mecca which has charmed vacationers, golfers, and convention attendees for over 40 years. Located 30 minutes northwest of Tampa International Airport, Innisbrook has grown into a destination favorite for even the nongolfer. In addition to its 620 lodge-style hotel rooms, Innisbrook amenities include three restaurants, a Loch Ness pool for the kids, 100,000-square feet of meeting space, and the luxurious Salamander Spa.

Once, Twice, Four Times a Golfer

Copperhead Course If you’ve secretly longed to play where the big boys and girls play, then the course dubbed “The Snake Pit” is your chance to live the dream.

Ernie Els called Copperhead “Florida’s best golf resort.” Curtis Strange placed Copperhead on an even higher pedestal when he said, “If I could only play one course for the rest of my life, it would be Copperhead.”

Copperhead will make you ponder each shot with its abundance of sand traps, scenic vistas, and one-of-a-kind opportunity to recreate the same shots you witnessed from the game’s greats during the Valspar Classic.

Island Course Innisbrook’s Island Course is an interesting change of pace from Copperhead. The word “island” is especially prevalent at the beginning of the front nine when Lake Innisbrook comes into play. The Island’s back nine features Pinellas County’s highest elevation as you take in the view from the 10th green. Your next shot on number 11 features a severe right to left slope, followed by a wall-to-wall water guarding your approach shot into the green. The back nine’s 16th tee box is home to your best photo opportunity as you step next to the towering Copperhead “Snake Pit” statue.

North Course Innisbrook is bursting its buttons with pride over the just completed renovation of the North Course. All 18 greens were replanted with TifEagle Bermuda grass, the same putting surfaces the professionals play in the Valspar Championship. During the five month renovation process, the North Course revitalization also included conditioning of the bunkers, overall manicuring, and green expansion throughout. This Larry Packard design features tight fairways and a historic feel.

South Course Innisbrook’s South Course is your chance to take a walk on the wild side. The South Course wild comes in the form of an eclectic mix of creatures such as people-friendly fox squirrels, herons, cranes, raccoons, osprey, and alligators.

The South Course steps up its wild side personality as it evolves into a links style course on holes 5 through 13. The wild attitude culminates at the end with a rare Par 3, 185-yard finish over the water on 18.

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Golf Vacations • December 2017 23

RESORTREPORT

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Go Home With an Improved Game Innisbrook Resort offers a wealth of golf packages for the vacationer and business meeting attendee.

One of their best options is a Four Day/Three Night Golf Instruction special at their award-winning Golf Institute.

Led by Instructor Dawn Mercer, Innisbrook’s Golf Institute is ranked as one of the Top 25 Golf Schools in America by Golf Magazine. What could be better than enjoying a Florida vacation and coming home a better golfer?

Salamander Spa’s Golfers Delight After pouring your heart and soul into four glorious golf rounds at Innisbrook Golf Resort, how does unwinding your muscles and rejuvenating your inner golfer sound? The 18,000-square foot Salamander Spa has something special designed just golfers.

In addition to their luxurious line of treatments, therapies, facials, manicures, and pedicures, the Salamander Spa offers a Golfers Muscle Melter Massage. This specially designed treatment relaxes muscle tension and mobilizes joints. This invigorating massage utilizes pressure and light stretching to improve range of motion, circulation, and flexibility.

Hunger Games You are bound to work up an appetite after golf and your relaxing spa session. So what’s a golfer to do when hunger calls? Packard’s is Innisbrook’s signature restaurant. Situated next to Copperhead Golf Course, Packard’s is named after the golf course designer who called the resort home, and is one of three bistros overseen by Executive Chef Thomas McKinneyStehr. Innisbrook’s personable chef will tailor a menu to suit your group’s needs.

McKinney-Stehr is a culinary risk taker and he’ll prepare as many delightful courses as your tummy and imagination handle. Innisbreak also has two other strategically placed restaurants to satisfy your breakfast, lunch, dinner, and Happy Hour needs.

Score Four for Fore If you’ve never experienced a Florida vacation getaway, why limit yourself to one course when Innisbrook Resort and Spa delivers four terrific options? You’ll find that playing 72 epic golf holes on 900 pristine acres is good for the soul. After experiencing Copperhead, Island, North, and South Golf courses, the chances are excellent that your new favorite number is fore. www.innisbrookgolfresort.com www.salamanderhotels.com

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SWEETSTUFF Antigua Spring Women’s Trends

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ne of the nation’s leading apparel brands of lifestyle and golf clothing--the Antigua Group, Inc--is setting trends for Spring 2018 with its women’s clothing collection that feature some bold new colors and fun styles.

“The Spring 2018 Antigua ladies golf collection is a unique play on several trends in the sportswear market,” said Ron McPherson, CEO of Antigua. “By constantly monitoring high-fashion trends, we determine which are relevant to golf and seem to have some longevity in the marketplace. The 2018 collection features three major trends.”

The first trend taking the fashion market by storm is the holographic effect. Textile prints, trims, accessories and even hair and nail color all utilize some form of a hologram. Some manifest as a true multi-color holographic effect, while others offer a subtler combination of light bright shades that give the appearance of a prism light spectrum.

Regardless of how it’s used, the hologram is a trip down memory lane--bringing flashbacks of the late 80’s and early 90’s fashion.

Thankfully the holographic effect of today’s world is slightly less plastic looking and more organic in feel. Instead of creating fabrics that appear holographic, designers have been using foil prints, screen prints and heat transfers. All are soft against the body and allude to the effect of a sunset, both simultaneously calming and visually stunning.

Another major trend is mixing deep vibrant colors with soft bright colors. Overall, color plays a key role in how a collection is merchandised for both buyers and end customers. This new collection includes two different color palettes, providing endless options. One color palette groups bold vibrant colors, including Boysenberry, Cherry, Poseidon, Spearmint and Sunflower.

The alternative palette features softer bright shades like Mandarin, Oceanside, Meringue, Iris and Rose. This color-on-color

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trend makes what was once a basic polo suddenly appear original and contemporary. Several styles in the collection mix colors from both palettes, in which each deep shade is mixed with a soft shade.

The soft color takes the bold color down a notch and makes it feel both modern and wearable.

The last trend is the use of patterns and prints. Never before have printed fabrics played such a key role in ladies’ golf. Previously prints were seen as over-the-top, but now it’s difficult to find a ladies’ golf line that doesn’t have multiple versions of an all-over print. The 2018 line includes a few printed styles that appeal to many tastes.

Some styles feature an all-over printed pattern, others just a small detail, such as a printed side inset. Prints have remained geometric in style, embodied by abstract artwork, and are overall symmetrical in feel.

Headquartered in Peoria, Arizona, The Antigua Group’s golf division holds license agreements with the PGA TOUR, LPGA and the PGA of America.

For more details on Antigua’s Spring 2018 Women’s Collection, visit www.antigua.com and shop.antigua.com

Nexbelt

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exbelt was one of the first companies to introduce the adjustable, one-size-fits-all belt concept several years ago with its ratchet buckle technology—and continues to gain in popularity among golfers. Now, with many improvements and new products—including logoed belt buckles—Nexbelt has taken on the moniker of “The Fastest Growing Belt in Golf” with new products and its own stable of PGA Tour players wearing the product.

The company offers over 150 different belt and buckle combinations for men and women, with many specialties in addition to golf—such as the Folds of Honor Series, Texas Series, Marine Series, Faith Series and more.

With a focus on golf, Nexbelt has assembled a team of staff

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SWEETSTUFF

by Terry Ross

professionals for 2017-2018 that includes PGA Tour Players Jim Furyk, Kevin Na, Marc Leishman, William McGirt, Jason Bohn, Jarrod Lyle, Greg Chalmers and LPGA Tour Player Katie Burnett.

Nexbelt developed its own unique ratcheting system providing the wearer with the best fit and feel known as PreciseFit, which allows for adjusting the belt in ¼ inch increments. It’s great for travelers because of the quick-release buckle that makes it easier through those security check points—and it comes in handy when you need to loosen the belt a little after one of those big holiday meals.

Just tap the quick-release lever and let the belt out. With one-size-fits-all—just cut the belt to the size you need and insert into the buckle for a custom fit.

Nexbelt continues to upgrade and refine its products to make them more reliable. They use premium leathers with a tan backing to the belts, and the patented sizing system has been redesigned to last longer and perform better.

Their version 3.0 is something that no buckle manufacturer in the world with an adjustable system has done--eliminated pins as mounting points and replaced them with stainless steel Hex-head screws.

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The many styles that Nexbelt has developed during its years in the market are designed to reflect a person’s wardrobe taste—be in on the golf course or at dinner in the club house. They even have a US Patent on a style that features a golf buckle that opens and has a ball marker behind the face.

Nexbelt creations are available at over 4,500 retail pro shops, golf outlets and specialty stores nationwide, and online at www.nexbelt.com.

Golf Pride Grip

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ith the New Year and a new season of golf just around the corner, many teaching and club fitting professionals recommend installing replacing worn grips with new ones for better feel and performance.

Golf Pride grips, which are used by more than 80 percent of touring professions on their clubs, has several newer models that deserve a look that are getting rave reviews and have gained quick success among professional players.

The MCC Plus4 ALIGN features breakthrough grip technology that helps players gain consistency in their hand position—one of the most crucial elements of a repeatable swing.

The new ALIGN Technology features a dedicated raised ridge that extends down the back of the grip for consistent hand placement allowing the golfer to feel alignment. The patented ALIGN Technology is featured in the MCC family in both the traditional MCC taper profile and MCC Plus4’s larger lower hand profile. It is the #1 hybrid grip on Tour combining cord and rubber for all-weather performance, and now has the dedicated raised ridge on

the back of the grip allowing for consistent hand placement and an enhanced ability to square the clubface at impact each time.

The ALIGN Technology also features a unique micro-diamond texture and 50 percent firmer material compared to the surrounding grip area to amplify its pronounced feel. The flex channel separates the ALIGN Technology ridge from the grip body to maximize elevation lift and lock the grip into fingers, while conforming to the rules of golf.

“A repeatable grip is critical for many of the world’s best players, as 1 out of every 3 PGA TOUR players currently use a grip with a reminder rib,” said Jonathan Neal, Global Marketing Manager for Golf Pride Grips. “However, they uniformly provided us feedback that they want it to be more pronounced. That insight led us to develop ALIGN Technology to assist the best players in the world and amateurs alike to feel alignment and to square the clubface.”

For those looking for a grip with a little softer feel, the Golf Pride CP2, which comes in the wrap and pro version, has an all new design with the Control Core™ Technology that can reduce club torque by 41 percent when compared to a club without the core, that adds considerable stability.

This grip offers better control without the feeling of slippage because of its tacky, soft feel utilizing the softest rubber compound that Golf Pride has ever used, and the reduced taper promotes a more even grip pressure and can help players to get their hands through the ball with a more fluid tempo.

For more information, visit www.golfpride.com.

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28 Golf Vacations • December 2017

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Golf Vacations • December 2017 29

30 Golf Vacations • December 2017

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