Putting out on 18 just after 6 p.m., at a time when the rest of the country’s been dark for a good hour, is one of the great, little pleasures of Arizona golf. Yes, Arizona’s figured out how to give you more sunshine too. By ignoring the stupid “Fall Back” end of Daylight Savings Times rules that everyone else (except for Hawaii and a few kooks in Indiana) followed this weekend, Arizona allows hackers to get in a good chunk more golf. And everyone else to see the sun when they can actually get out in it. You know, in the evenings ... full post »

Cascata, one of Las Vegas’ $500 per round courses that Michael Jordan, George Clooney and Co. like to play, is easing off on its access rules. But not its price tag. Cascata used to tout itself as a course only open to Caesars guests (and whatever big-name celebrity or gambler it comped). With the merging of Harrah’s with Caesars that changed to a host of Sin City properties. Recently, Cascata started allowing packagers like Las Vegas Golf Travel to sell it. Now, its website also lets golfers know there’s “limited availability” for other guests. Even of nonaffiliated hotels. Limited, as in, if ... full post »

Forget for a moment that Michelle Wie showed no sign of knowing anything about winning in her 30th career pro tournament. Forget even that Michelle Wie showed no sign of knowing anything about the rules in her 30th career pro tournament. The new issue to emerge from the Palm Desert is the ridiculous notion that Sports Illustrated reporter Michael Bamberger turned Wie in because he “wanted to make a name for himself.” Are you serious? Come on, Wie Warriors. No one gets a bigger kick out of you guys then me. I love the creative ways you come up with ... full post »

Michelle Wie’s “first” tournament as a pro is shaping up like all her other tournaments as a pro. She hit a few spectacular shots, particularly with her driver, at the Samsung World Championship. She hit a few clunker shots. She melted down the stretch. She said all the right things in the media room. And she is more than poised to extend her winless streak (the Wie specialty) to 0 for 30 in pro tournaments. And they’re touting this as something new? This would be like Sylvester Stallone claiming Rocky 6 as a standalone original. Wie is playing in her 30th pro ... full post »

Are there any sure bets in Cancun golf? The spring break paradise can be a golfer’s torment with good courses and duds all disguised under the same high-end greens fees. Reader Tommy wrote in “I’m a 8 handicap and really looking forward to this (Cancun) vacation. Any suggestions?” Any suggestions? Shockingly, I just might have an opinion or two. Playa Paraiso Golf Club, the new P.B. Dye linked with the Iberostar Resort Complex, is the best course I played in a week there. The latest Jack Nicklaus nine at Moon Palace, the Dunes Course is a visual, shotmaking treat. Play the Dunes nine ... full post »

If you’re golfing anywhere around Philadelphia or even the Wilmington, Delaware area (in which case you’d be better be staying in Philly for the civilization), a real cheesesteak is a most stop. And no, what you’ve had at the foodcourt at the mall in Indiana does not qualify. You need to head to Passyunk and get into line. Just make sure it’s the right one. For as much as the cheesesteak choice is debated in Philly, it’s no contest. Pat’s is your choice. And it’s not even that close. Don’t go across the street to Geno’s neon for an inconsistent imitator. Pat’s is as ... full post »

If you only read the San Francisco Bay area papers you’d think that Harding Park was collecting the kind of universal gushing reviews that Russell Crowe earned for A Beautiful Mind a few years back. I don’t want to say the Bay area dailies are giving a hometown pump-up job to the renovated muni hosting the American Express Championship, but word is Harding Park crusader Sandy Tatum is asking for a ghost writer’s fee. Yes, the pros have said a few nice things as they playfully wrestle for the $1.7 million first-place check in this still very offseason event. Tiger Woods ... full post »

What’s this? Is there romance in the golf blogging world air? Could we have a case of dating by blog? It sure looks that way. For Grouchy Golf Blog is heading toward TravelGolf.com’s own Jennifer Mario with a rose, a scented candle and a Marvin Gaye CD in hand. Grouchy looks a little nervous, but he thinks he has a shot. All thanks to the gooey, gushy message he posted on Super Mario’s latest blog. “Nice piece Jen M. As usual, a thoughtful, spot-on and well-written commentary,” Cupid, er Grouchy, writes. There’s cotton candy that’s not that sweet. Grouchy cannot jump up and ... full post »

So Michelle Wie decides to wear pink to her big “I’m no longer pretending to be an amateur” press conference. Doesn’t she know that pink is Paula Creamer’s color? That Creamer is the Pink Panther after all. Of course, Wie does. That’s why she came out in Nike pink. She realizes the player she has to live up to, even if she and her Wie Warriors will never admit it. Because this press conference was all Wie spin, all the time as usual. “I’m finally happy to say I’m a pro starting today,” Wie said at the affair. Yeah, like getting flown around the ... full post »

The $500 greens fee Tom Fazio right behind the new Wynn Las Vegas on the Strip is doing well enough. It’s not getting close to the kind of Shadow Creek and Cascata reviews that Steve Wynn no doubt assumed were his tycoon birthright. But it holds some buzz and there are some souls actually paying $500 to play (along with the host of high roller and decent medium roller comps that dominate the tee sheets). Still, there is plenty of talk in Las Vegas that this high-profile course could be here today, gone tomorrow. Many Vegas real estate watchers only expect Wynn ... full post »