The Gulf Coast's scenic beaches, golf courses still open for business despite BP oil spill

I can still see the vision clearly in my mind. The beautiful hotel on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico. The endless horizon over the water. The tee boxes connected to a green by a wooden bridge, all set against a colorful canvas of trees and wetland.

The setting of the Grand Hotel Marriott Resort and Spa in Point Clear, Ala. is picturesque to say the least. It’s been two months since I teed it up at the resort’s Lakewood Golf Club, just 30 minutes south of Mobile.

But I think about the property and the two Robert Trent Jones trail golf courses almost daily wondering when, or if, that dreaded BP oil spill will reach the coast. I’m like the millions of Americans wondering how one blunder could be so detrimental to those who call the Gulf Coast home. The fishermen. The hotel owners and operators. The golfers. The beach lovers. The wildlife.

The best way to continue to support the Gulf Coast during this tragedy would be to continue to spend your tourism dollars in the region. Don’t cancel a trip if you’re already booked. Don’t shun the region for future consideration, either.

Alabama Governor Bob Riley announced earlier this week that the coast is still oil free and the beaches are as beautiful as ever. He issued the statement in response to an e-mail that is circulating that claims the beaches are closed by order of the Governor. It is false.

Concerned tourists can visit a website monitoring up-to-date news on the incident.

The Gulf Coast, which stretches from Mississippi through Alabama to the panhandle of Florida, is a beautiful place. Let’s hope, by some miracle, it stays that way.

UPDATE: Several booms have been placed around the resort to protect its pristine setting. As of the first week of June no oil had been spotted on site.