The Balsams Grand Resort, New Hampshire
A lot of golf courses lay claim to the name Donald Ross, but in few of these places do you feel Ross’ presence as strongly as at New Hampshire’s Panorama Golf Course, part of an elegant Dixville Notch resort called The Balsams. This palpable sense of Ross’ genius is probably due to three factors: He […]
The Royal Montreal Golf Club, Canada
Founded in 1873, Royal Montreal is the oldest golf club in North America, and many of its regulations are charmingly old fashioned in this 21st-century golf world. For example, golfers can wear shorts, but only in combination with high-top socks. Royal Montreal’s 80,000-square-foot clubhouse, tastefully festooned throughout with first-rate golf memorabilia and illustrations, oozes […]
Memorable Courses and Spectacular Pacific Vistas in Maui
When you come to Maui on your next golf vacation, go ahead and leave your golf clubs at home, but don’t forget your camera. Because while the golf on Hawaii’s second largest island is spectacular, the dramatic setting is even more so. While you can rent golf clubs, and even golf shoes, at almost all the […]
Mount Juliet Estate, Ireland
Measuring no larger than South Carolina in square miles, Ireland certainly seems like a compact golf destination. But its roads are ribbony and its top courses recede to the country’s perimeter like numbers on a clock face. For less-experienced visitors to the Emerald Isle, the question can be daunting: Where to start? For a […]
JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa
Dating to 1922 and boasting an impressive roster of homegrown winners Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan, Lee Trevino, Ben Crenshaw and Justin Leonard, the Valero Texas Open has a long, distinguished history. This year, the tournament will begin a new chapter when it moves to its new home, the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country […]
The European Club, Ireland
If playing a links is an experience to be cherished, what must it be like to actually develop, own and operate such a course? Pat Ruddy’s demeanor indicates it is a pleasant experience indeed. A bear of a man who always has a warm smile, a welcoming hand and a flash of wit, Ruddy […]
Set Sail on a Golf Cruise
When my wife, Ewa, and I were offered the chance to fill in as co-hosts aboard an 11-day Crystal Cruise golf-themed journey around the British Isles (good friend and PGA Tour TV essayist Jim Huber couldn’t make the trip and graciously suggested us), we jumped at the chance. It’s easy to see why. At […]
What To Do and Where To Play in Melbourne
Where to Stay Melbourne is a great and vibrant city, though not particularly a late-night party town. You will surely want to spend two to three days in the city, probably staying in one of the many new hotels near the Yarra River on the south edge of downtown, near the Victorian Arts Center. It’s […]
Ski, Bike, Raft and Play Golf at Keystone Resort
The 18th hole on the River Course at Keystone Resort & Conference Center is pure Wild West: Ice-capped peaks of the Rockies loom in the distance, their bases kissing the frigid waters of Lake Dillon. Barren, north-facing hillsides sit to the left, opposite pine-dotted, sage-covered slopes to the right. Directly below stretches a sweeping […]
Golf Travel: Naples, Florida
By Mick Elliott With sun-soaked beaches, a kaleidoscope of golf resorts, upscale shopping, culture, nature excursions and a wealth of history, all served in a laid-back setting, Naples is a treasure. This sparkling city on Florida’s southwest coast has been busy shaking off its one-time image as a retirement enclave and is moving up […]