This Week at TravelGolf.com: Feb. 9, 2005

Ron Garl, a well-respected golf course architect in Florida, sometimes leaves the flatlands in search of ideal golf terrain. In this month's exclusive architecture column for TravelGolf, Garl tells how he met brothers Ely and Norm Reisman, and how he came to design a course in Canada, in the wild, Muskoga region north of Toronto.

"The Muskoka region is a vast area of breathtaking scenery," Garl writes. "Centuries ago, retreating glaciers carved great slabs of granite from the earth leaving an incredibly unique landscape as a testament to nature's awesome power. These same glaciers left the landscape dappled with more than a thousand lakes of pristine water, and large sand deposits covered with soaring pines and maples."

For those of you interested in golf architecture -- and what golfer isn't? -- it's a fascinating, inside look at the architectural evolution of a great golf course. As always, your comments are welcome on any topic. Have a great week.

RV golf in the
desert is heating up

For more and more travelers, living in the lap of luxury means heading out on their home on wheels: their "Recreational Vehicle." In the case of the extended-stay traveler who can't afford a month at a glossy Valley of the Sun resort, it's the only way. As staff writer Brandon Tucker reports, Arizona makes an extra effort to cater to RV golfers.

Full story | Arizona golf courses

Vegas radio's Golf Guru
not afraid to call out the bogeys

Dennis Silvers, the self proclaimed yet never disputed Golf Guru of Las Vegas, is one of those characters who cannot imagine living anywhere else but Sin City. Vegas is in his blood and this mustached, microphone-jabbing radio host belongs in a zany Elmore Leonard novel set in America's most unique city.

Full story | Billy Joe Tolliver focuses on golf

Nothing taboo when carving
out a great Canadian course

In 1994, two brothers had a vision of creating a world-class golfing resort in the Muskoka region, just north of Toronto. They scoured the area looking for a site with the potential for laying out a course which would live up to their expectations. Less-experienced designers could be intimidated by the prospect of building a golf course on the rugged landscape of the Muskokas, but Ron Garl was thrilled by the possibility.

Full story | Embrace advancing technology