This Week at TravelGolf.com: Dec. 4, 2008

If he's just going to lose 'em, why give golf balls? Lessons are a better idea

'Tis almost the season, which for most people, means wrapping up a dozen golf balls or a logo shirt, tossing it under the tree and hoping the golf enthusiast in your family doesn't ask for a return receipt.

Hey, what golfer wouldn't like those two gifts? But as the giver, why not make a statement and put a bow on something that will keep on giving?

Say, a trip to a golf academy?

Okay, maybe buying somebody lessons is a lot like getting them a diet cookbook. It's not what, though, it's where you go to pick up those swing tips that could last a lifetime.

Indeed, how about a Christmas present to see The King? Yes, we're talking Elvis in Las Vegas, which always makes for a fun sidelight to Sin City. This time, though, the spotlight would be on a package of golf lessons at VIP Golf Academy or GolfTEC.

And what would a trip to play golf in Vegas be without some sort of comp deal? VIP Golf Academy has this holiday special: Purchase a VIP gift certificate before Dec. 10 and receive a Club Glove golf bag worth $349.

Or there's always a trip to Orlando to see the golf world's King. Arnold Palmer's Golf Academy, based at Bay Hill Club & Lodge, was recently named one of the Top 25 best by Golf magazine. Being in Orlando also would put you in the same neighborhood as two other Top 25 schools, the Grand Cypress Academy and David Leadbetter Golf Academy at Champions Gate. On the other side of Interstate 4 across from Champions Gate, you'll find the Annika Academy at Ginn Reunion Resort.

Golf magazine's list also includes the Phil Ritson-Mel Sole Golf School, a perennial member of just about any ranking, located at Pawley's Plantation in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Ditto for the Pinehurst Golf Academy in North Carolina.

Some of the more comprehensive lesson programs can be found at the PGA Learning Center in Port St. Lucie, Fla. and the PGA Tour Golf Academy, based at the World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Fla.

These are the gifts that keep on giving in the form of fairways found, greens hit and birdies made by the bushel.

As always, TravelGolf.com welcomes your comments.

Sonoma County: The antidote to Pebble Beach and Napa's stuffy golf superiority

Surrounded by some of the most pretentious destinations in the country - from Pebble Beach to Napa Valley and its litany of stiff-upper-lipped wine experts - Sonoma County, California is like a beacon of hope in a region where the electronic beep of cash registers stands out as the only real golf holy grail.

Also: Plan your California golf trip

During ACC title game weekend, at least the quality of golf in Tampa is clear

After a long season, Boston College and Virginia Tech finally prevailed to play in the ACC Championship Game. Let's just say it will be much easier deciding where to play golf in the Tampa Bay area than it's been trying to figure out this season's ACC champion. Indeed, you've got more options than most of the teams have in their playbooks, including the famed Copperhead at Innisbrook.

Also: Tampa's top golf courses

Column: Women who golf are using a sand wedge to break the glass ceiling

With women making up 60 percent of today's work force, it is no surprise that more and more ladies are finding time to learn how to play golf. They are realizing what CEOs like Jack Welch, Bill Gates, Donald Trump and Charles Schwab have known all along, Katharine Dyson writes.

Podcast: Pam Swensen of the EWGA