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 This Week at TravelGolf.com: Feb. 14, 2006
Another week, another win for Tiger -
this one coming off the golf course
It's easy to turn columns and blogs and other missives into long rant sessions. People just have a fantastic tendency toward idiocy, so it's hard to help yourself from railing on about it.
Take U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney shooting his 78-year-old hunting partner after mistaking him for Dan Quayle on a hunting trip.
Wait, he mistook him for an actual quail??!!!!! Jeez, that's much more stupid. You'd expect more from the man who drew up plans for the U.S. to be an imperialistic juggernaut.
So while it's easy to get riled up, let us not forget the good. And right now, on this physical plane, there are few things better than Tiger Woods. First of all, he jumps out of bed and wins the first two tournaments he enters in 2006. But that's nothing compared to what he did next.
On Sunday, with former President Bill Clinton and California First Lady Maria Shriver at his side, Woods opened his $25-million learning center for children in California.
The 35,000-square-foot facility is located next to the H-G Dad Miller Golf Course in Anaheim where Woods played when he was in high school.
After-school programs will include math, science and technology and the facility has a three-acre, 18-hole putting course. The center was created to serve students in fourth through 12th grade who will be able to take classes not offered at other schools. Nearly 3,000 students are expected to attend classes at the center during its first year, with 85 percent of those students coming from families below the poverty level.
Woods donated $6 million of his own money to the project, and spearheaded efforts to gain more donations, as well as state and federal grants for the center.
"He has come home, and he is sharing what he has learned and all the great things that have happened to him," Shriver told the Orange County Register.
Woods' friend, former NFL player Vencie Glenn, told the Orange County Register that he is not surprised that Woods gave back to his community. "Tiger is a better human being than a golfer," Glenn said. "That's hard to believe, but it's true."
Bravo, Tiger. It's great to see someone playing so well, both on and off the course.
As always, TravelGolf.com welcomes your comments.
Golfers from all over the country flock to the Sunshine State in the winter and Florida attracts the biggest names in pro golf and in golf architecture year-round. Here then is TravelGolf.com's ranking of Florida's 10 best courses. The list includes some great public tracks such as Westin Innisbrook Resort's Copperhead course in Tarpon Springs (no. 4), Pablo Creek Golf Club in Jacksonville (no. 7) and the Stadium course at the TPC at Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra (no. 9).
Also: Try Punta Gorda to combine fishing and golf
If you were wondering if Palm Springs, Calif. had some places to party, we found the guy who always knows where the party is - former NBA star and current "professional partier" Dennis Rodman. The pierced and tattooed one found plenty of play in this famed resort town, and stayed at the Riviera just to stay in step with partiers of yesteryear like Frank Sinatra. Now find out some of the Worm's other party practices.
Also: BadGolfer goes Hollywood: The passion of Mel Gibson's swing coach
You'll know Wigwam Gold in Litchfield Park, Ariz. has had a restoration after you've played the 10th hole, which has enough bunkers to make original designer Robert Trent Jones Sr., proud. That's just part of what's been done on the Gold Course, which while not a show-stopper, is once again a solid choice in this golf-heavy region. It's all part of Wigwam looking revitalized and ready to keep its place as a top resort in the high-intensity West Valley area.
Also: TravelGolf.com ranks the 10 best courses in AZ
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As the Worm boogies: The
Wigwam Gold's
From Sawgrass to Copperhead,
