This Week at TravelGolf.com: June 19, 2008

Prince Edward Island will have golfers paying close attention to eastern Canada

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND – Why is it we don't pay enough attention to Canada?

Maybe it's because we don't have to deal with illegal Canadian immigration that much. When's the last time you heard about a horde of Canadians – real Canadians – in the U.S. illegally? The only time I see real Canadians is when I'm either in Canada or playing golf in Myrtle Beach.

Maybe it's the fact they don't start many wars up there. They certainly help us with some of ours, but they don't start many fights on their own.

Maybe they're just too darn nice. From the clerks in Wal-Mart, to gas station jockeys, to people you meet on the street, Canadians are just a nice bunch of people. Maybe they should start a little more trouble up there.

In any case, Canadians have been raving about Prince Edward Island as a golf destination for some time now, but we haven't really noticed. Oh yeah, you may know about Western Canada, like British Columbia and the Vancouver Island Golf Trail, but who among us has ventured to eastern Canada to golf?

After a recent trip there, as well as to spectacular Cape Breton, I'm here to tell you we need to start listening more closely to what Canadians have to say between their gulps of Molson.

Prince Edward Island is a serious gem, a green, lush island off the Nova Scotia mainland. They play on some very good golf courses up there. PEI, as it is referred to, reminded me of a combination of Sweden and Ireland. Green as Ireland, and clean as Sweden.

They built the Links at Crowbush Cove to kick-start a golf destination and it's worked well. A slew of golf courses followed, and now there are around 30 on the island, about 10 of which are good enough to support a one- or two-week golf vacation. Plus, you get to take a cool ferry.

Crowbush is a fine, seaside course, and Dundarave may be even better.

If you want mountains and more dramatic scenery, hightail it over to nearby Cape Breton and the truly spectacular Highlands Links, tucked up on the coast in a national park, and Bell Bay in lovely, charming Baddeck, overlooking a huge, inland sea.

This was as fine a golf trip as I've ever taken and not once did I worry about being shot, stabbed, short-changed or flipped off in traffic. I'm going to have to start listening more to what Canada says.

As always, TravelGolf.com welcomes your comments.

Chambers Bay golf course in Washington more than lives up to its U.S. Open-host hype

Chambers Bay golf course near Seattle is Al Pacino in "The Godfather," Mark Messier in his guarantee game, John F. Kennedy at the microphone. It's as good as good gets. Former Arizona Cardinals coach Dennis Green may be YouTube famous for his "you can't crown things prematurely" rant, but go ahead and crown Chambers Bay now. "It's golf theater at its finest," Chris Baldwin writes. "If you love golf, you play it to play courses like Chambers Bay."

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Barney Adams on his new book, Ocean Edge's new Nicklaus, and golf's rappers

In this week's podcast, host Dave Berner talks to Barney Adams of Adams Golf about his new book, "The Wow Factor." Michael Medeiros of the Ocean Edge resort on Cape Cod, talks about the resort's new Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course. And we hear from golf's first gangsta rappers, DJ Blade and MC Center Shaft.

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Following the path of the red dragon: Your perfect Wales golf trip itinerary

Wales is a tiny slice of the UK, about the size of Massachusetts, and after 2010, it will be the smallest country to ever host a Ryder Cup. Here is a sample, seven-day itinerary that will include the best golf, both on the links and amongst the heathlands, Wales has to offer, with some suggested accommodations to complete your tour ...

Also: Top UK golf vacation itineraries