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TravelGolf.com: Cape Golf in Virginia Rocks
By Douglas
Carey, TravelGolf.com Editor
There's been plenty of buzz in Virginia lately about Arnold Palmer's newest creation, the
Bay Creek Golf Club, so we asked
senior writer Jeffrey A. Rendall to see if the course lives up to the hype. Rendall was in Cape Charles for the
ceremonial opening,
and he says the layout exceeds expectations. "You’d almost believe the planets must’ve aligned in order for Bay Creek
to turn out this way," says Rendall. Bay Creek may one day be known as the finest opening stretch of golf holes in the state (if it
isn't already), and our reviewer says to take special note of the signature third hole, which is destined
to land on the cover of many magazines over the years. And while you're enjoying Bay Creek, Rendall recommends staying
at the Portsmouth Renaissance Hotel, the newest and nicest hotel in the area. His feature on the hotel is included in the Bay Creek review.
GolfCarolina.com: Thriving in Anonymity
Senior writer Shane Sharp uncovers another hidden gem this week in Crameron, located just 16 miles west of Charlotte.
The Cramer Mountain Country Club features the work of designer Dan Maples, who said the property was unlike anything he had ever seen in the gentle,
rolling hills of the Piedmont. "In most central North Carolina towns, the church steeples and barbeque signs overshadow
the miniscule hills and dales," Sharp writes. "Not so at Cramer Mountain." A true mountain golf course,
three-hour rounds are the norm and greens hold their form here. But the club’s anonymity has its pros and cons. In order
to attract new members on this, the club’s 15th anniversary, Cramer Mountain is conducting one of the
largest membership drives in the short history of the facility. Sharp says prospective members will find a host of memorable
holes, including the 458-yard par 5 16th.
GolfCalifornia.com: Another Palmer Gem in Vallejo
One of the newest additions to the GolfCalifornia.com staff, Tim Booth, makes his debut with a review of the
Hiddenbrooke Golf Club in Vallejo, located
about 35 miles northeast of San Francisco. The Arnold Palmer layout features gorgeous greens and challenges for
every level of golfer. "It's Golf Digest five-star rating is well deserved," Booth says. "It's no wonder the LPGA came to
Hiddenbrooke for its Samsung World Championships." Also in GolfCalifornia.com this week, check out staff writer
Kelly A. Saul's review of the
Coyote Hills Golf Course in Fullerton. Come prepared for a unique and enjoyable round. As Saul writes,
"The par 70 course starts climbing the hillside after hole two and continues
changing elevations dramatically, so players never know what excitement lurks around the corner."
MichiganGolf.com: A Uniquely Challenging Delight
Fresh from his coverage of the ESPN Par 3 Shootout at Treetops,
senior writer Kiel Christianson offers a review this week of the
Tom Fazio Premier at Treetops Resort, a uniquely challenging gem in the north woods.
"Featuring numerous elevation changes and treacherous greens," Christianson writes, "the Premier places a premium on
accurate iron play and solid short-game skills." As you would expect at Treetops,
the conditions at the Fazio Premier are impeccable. The rates are fairly steep, but this is to be
expected at one of the hottest golf destinations in the world.
Rockies.com: A True Mountain Playground
In this week's travel spotlight, staff writer Andrew Penner heads to Canada for a look at the
Kicking Horse Mountain Resort
in Golden, British Columbia. The biggest mountain resort to be built in North America in the past 25 years,
Kicking Horse will eventually feature everything from hotels and spas to restaurants and shops.
"There will be an entire village with a unique alpine pulse," Penner says, "a pulse that only Canada’s East Kootenays could transmit."
For golfers, the Golden Golf Club is a rock-solid championship course with a laid back atmosphere.
Its 6,800 yards of tree-lined fairways are a joy to navigate, and the course is a top-ranked
golf destination in British Columbia.
From the 19th Hole: Quick Shots from Florida and More
In GolfCarolina.com, Shawn Nicholls offers a look at the
Duke University Golf Club,
ranked one of the best college venues in the country...Also in Carolina,
Jill Hammergren reviews the
Wil-Mar Golf Club (right), one of the best-kept secrets in Raleigh...In our company
spotlight, Shane Sharp offers an overview of
Paax Golf, an
Australian-based golf club manufacturer that believes that buying a new set of clubs shouldn’t
be rocket science...At GolfFlorida.com, Joe Bruno visits the
Misty Creek Country Club, a private country club available to the
public during Florida's off-season.
From the Rough: GolfCalifornia.com Spotlight
In case you missed last week's report, be sure to catch staff writer Jeffrey A. Weidel’s two new reviews from California, including a look at
the Plumas Pines
Golf Course, located in an isolated area along Highway 89 near Portola. Weidel
says accuracy is the key ingredient when playing Plumas Pines, which features beautiful
trees on every fairway. In Weidel's second review, he checks out the
Graeagle Meadows Golf
Course, which is situated about an hour away from Truckee. Compared to upscale
places like The Golf
Club at Whitehawk Ranch, Weidel says the
picturesque Graeagle Meadows layout offers the area's most relaxed round of golf.
BadGolfMonthly.com: Hall of Shame
The Hall of Shame honors bad golfers worldwide by presenting the worst
scores attained by hackers from all over the globe. View the entries to see if
there is actually a bigger hacker than you out there, or post your own worst
score! Tell everyone a little about your game too-- no excuses, just provide a
little context.
As always, if you disagree with our reviewers on a certain course or just want to sound off
about the latest from the PGA Tour, be sure to visit the
GolfBoards.com website,
a series of message boards where visitors can write about everything from the
Myrtle Beach golf scene to new equipment. There's also a free classifieds section
where golfers can advertise that old set of clubs they've been meaning to sell for
years. And if you haven't checked it out already, be sure
to visit the new TravelGolf.com Pro Shop,
a joint venture with The Golf Warehouse. With all of this at TravelGolf.com, there's no
need to go anywhere else on the Web.
Until next week….happy golfing!
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