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 This Week at TravelGolf.com: Feb. 21, 2006
The Donald calls to take on our (non)
ranking of Trump National L.A. course
The Donald reads TravelGolf.com. He doesn't always agree with it.
Donald Trump called West Coast Bureau Chief Chris Baldwin to discuss TravelGolf.com's recent ranking of the 10 best golf courses in Southern California. Specifically whether Trump National L.A. deserved to be on the list. "I was reading your story on golf in Southern California ..." Trump began after being patched through by his personal assistant.
In the story, Baldwin wrote: "These are all courses you can play whether Donald Trump returns your phone calls or not. (By the way, the Donald's new Trump National didn't make the cut). It's no doubt the start of great debate, liable to be as cozy warm as most of Southern California."
Right on cue, Trump took us up on the debate. "Everyone's pretty much loved it," he told Baldwin. "Everyone except for you, really."
The billionaire business tycoon/reality TV star then invited Baldwin to come out and experience the course for himself and make judgments off that. TravelGolf.coms Top 10 series are based on experiences of head professionals, travel industry insiders, architects, personal play and - most importantly - the feedback of regular golfers.
"It's not often you get a call saying Donald Trump would like to speak to you and he's suddenly on the line," Baldwin said. "Usually as reporters, we're chasing those kind of figures down, trying to get a call back. They're not seeking you out. But we encourage feedback from all our readers. Whether they're mega rich course owners or average everyday golfers.
"I took the Trump challenge and will let our readers know how it turns out," Baldwin continued. "Trump National L.A. will be getting an honest review like every course we visit. That's all Donald Trump asked for, a look. He was very friendly about the whole thing."
Look for Baldwin's verdict soon at TravelGolf.com. Trump can't fire him.
As always, TravelGolf.com welcomes your comments.
Nowhere else but Spring Training can Major League Baseball be enjoyed in small parks relatively unspoiled by commercialism. Nowhere but in Florida can spring baseball, beaches, theme parks and fishing be combined in a single vacation - with golf. Even if the national pastime isn't your passion, spring is the perfect time of year to check out some of Florida's best courses right down the street from numerous and busy baseball diamonds.
Also: From Sawgrass to Copperhead, here are Florida's top 10
Escena Golf Club is the new course on the block in Palm Springs, Calif. and has a style all its own. While many courses assault you with thir glamour, Escena is more like the girl who doesn't wear too much makeup -- because she doesn't have to. The mimimalistic design should be a boon to golfers who enjoy straight fairways and don't need 30 palm trees per hole to make them feel at home.
Also: Gentle Palm Springs golf? Hah! Try these wicked courses
Course architect Ron Garl did his part to make the Tradition Golf Club a vibrant member of the Myrtle Beach golf scene. With tough greens and a nicely playable layout, the course has won plaudits for being one of the top courses in the U.S. for women. Still, it has plenty to keep the men happy, as well, and only suffers when compared to the multitudes of other courses in the Grand Strand region.
Also: The perfect itinerary for a Myrtle Beach golf vacation
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New Escena Golf Club goes simple
Tradition G.C. suffers only from
Florida sunshine, spring baseball
