GolfArizona.com: Beauty in the Sonoran Desert

Visitors to the SunRidge Canyon Golf Club in Fountain Hills invariably comment on the breathtaking layout. It's too beautiful to ignore. But GolfArizona.com staff writer Michael Hegarty says the praise is often misdirected: "Not to take away from Keith Foster's astonishing design, but the championship course that winds down and back up the foothills of the McDowell Mountains is expertly placed like the missing piece to a beautiful golf course puzzle that evolved over millions of years in the Sonoran Desert." Needless to say, Hegarty left impressed, claiming the course can compete with any course in the area (and far beyond) for its stunning panoramic views and pure measurement of your mental game and shot-making skills. The course was rated No. 42 in Golf Magazine's "Top 100 Course You Can Play in the United States," and it clearly deserved its high rating.

OldDominionGolf.com: Looks Are Often Deceiving

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Ever show up at a course for the first time and think you'll just master the layout because of the short yardage? Then you know how senior writer Jeffrey A. Rendall felt last week when he appeared at the Ospreys Golf Club at Belmont Bay in Woodbridge, Virginia. Set alongside the banks of the Occoquan river, this tricky little target golf course can fool first-time visitors with its measurements (only 5,567 yards from the back tees). As Rendall writes, "Despite its short yardage, the layout will test all the golf skills you bring with you (including driving distance), and you'll need to leave every club in the bag for the trip around the links-and use them effectively, too." In fact, Rendall says Ospreys just might be the toughest course in Northern Virginia. Come prepared for tight fairways, fast greens and creative bunkering, and enjoy the challenge.

GolfOhio.com: A Tight Cinematic Ride

Much like our featured OldDominionGolf.com course this week, the Oakhaven Golf Club in Ohio features a tight and tricky layout that's just 6,638 yards from the blues. Located in the town of Delaware, Oakhaven has a small-course look that can be very inviting. But don't come unprepared for a challenging round. There are out-of-bounds stakes on 10 holes, and the back nine is jammed so tightly into the woods that you're in danger of being drilled by a wayward approach shot while you tee off at several of the holes. There's even a wire-mesh fence to keep drives from the 15th tee from plunking unsuspecting golfers on the 17th tee. Senior writer Carl W. Grody says the adventures will make it a memorable round: "When you walk off the final green, you'll feel the same exhilarating relief that you feel when you leave the theater after 90 minutes of cinematic screaming and bleeding…You'll feel great that you played Oakhaven and lived to tell about it."

GolfFlorida.com: Victorian Charm in Clearwater

In this week's main resort feature, staff writer Jay Mankus travels to Clearwater for a two-part look at the Belleview Biltmore Resort & Spa, which many call one of West Florida's most picturesque landmarks. Recent additions like the state of the art Belleair Amphitheater have led corporations to consider Belleview Biltmore as a retreat destination, and many wedding are held at the resort's Sunset Cottage, which features a breathtaking view of the sun setting over Clearwater Beach. During your stay at the resort, be sure to include a round at the Belleview Biltmore Golf Club, a local favorite of Tampa residents since 1927. At 6,695 yards from the championship tees, this par 72 remains a challenging layout. Featuring wide fairways, the course allows for the occasional mistake while still providing plenty of surprises.

From the Rough

	Redlands Mesa

In case you missed last week's report, be sure to catch senior writer David R. Holland's preview of this year's new courses in Colorado, which promises to be an intriguing collection. The new Colorado golf courses opening this spring and summer will have green fee prices ranging from the $225 neighborhood at Cordillera's Summit Course, designed by Jack Nicklaus, to around $24 and up for The Golf Club at Green Valley Ranch. Some say The Golf Club at Green Valley Ranch could be the most anticipated course in Denver history, especially since it's been in the works for nearly 12 years. Holland offers a capsule look at Colorado's new golf course openings for 2001, including Saddleback Golf Club in Firestone, and Redlands Mesa Golf Club near Grand Junction. Watch for individual course reviews throughout the summer.

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 TravelGolf.com forum, 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.