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Danny's Travel Blog - New for 2011
December Blog
It’s time to start planning your 2012 golf vacation and we’re here to help! We have some incredible packages that are on sale now and will fit any budget. Here are some of our suggested destinations to think about:
Canada:
Kamloops Golf Vacations, BC; if you haven’t tried your luck at Tobiano, this is your year. This is one of the top golf courses in the country and a mandatory addition to your bucket list.
Columbia Valley, BC: several great courses to play including Eagle Ranch, Copper Point and the famous Greywolf at Panorama. Also include the two Fairmont courses and the two Radium Resort courses.
Golf Kelowna / Vernon, BC: this is an area that’s sprinkled with fabulous golf. From Tower Ranch, Black Mountain and Harvest in Kelowna to the 36-holes of championship golf at Predator Ridge in Vernon, you can’t beat it. Add in a wine tour or 3 to complete your stay.
Golf in Kananaskis, AB: Located just off the Trans-Canada Highway, an hour west of Calgary this area in a hidden gem. Robert Trent Jones Sr. Designed 36 great golf holes at Kananaskis Country GC with mountain views like no other, plenty of wildlife, tree-lined fairways, fast greens and great rates.
Mont Tremblant, PQ: Only an hour north of Montreal, this region is one of the top ski destinations in the world but is also a great golf choice too. Play Le Diable, Le Geant and La Bete on your next package and you’ve played 3 of the top courses in eastern Canada. There is plenty of nightlife too including the new casino.
Prince Edward Island Golf Packages: great golf, great hospitality and great food and culture. You need a week.
U.S.
Golf trips to Bend, Oregon: Sunriver Resort is home to 3 very good golf courses including Crosswater which hosted the PGA Senior Tour for several years. This place is great for families or ladies getaways.
Tacoma, Washington golf trips: now it’s your turn to play Chambers Bay which will play host to the U.S. Open in 2015. This course will blow you away. Also add the Home Course and Hawk’s Prairie to your weekend away.
Napa, CA: The Silverado Resort is a wonderful choice for golfers and wine lovers. Located 90 minutes from San Francisco, you’ll enjoy the quiet accommodations, spa and 36-holes of Johnny Miller designed golf on-site. Of, then there is the vast array of California wines to sample too!
Golf Mesquite, NV: only 70 minutes from Las Vegas, the golf here will knock your socks off. Play the regions two new courses; Conestoga and the Chase at Coyote Springs designed by Jack Nicklaus. Take the morning and make the trek to Sand Hollow GC just over the border in Utah. The back-9 on this course is more than incredible.
The Big Island, HI: Two wonderful Hawaiin Golf Resorts just north of Kona will delight all golfers. Try Mauna Kea Resort or the Hapuna Beach Resort both managed by Prince Resorts. Their 2 golf courses are true Hawaii with ocean views and impeccable conditions.
Around the World:
Algarve, Portugal golf vacations: Don’t let this destination fool you. It’s easy to get to, offers great pricing and wonderful golf options. In fact, when you toss in the local culture, accommodation options and
hundreds of dining offers, the golf choices will take a back seat. But do plan a round at San Lorenzo
and all new Monte Rei GC.
Golf China: Yep, you read it right. I said several years ago that this destination will become a serious player in the golf destination world. To start, The Mission Hills Resort located an hour from Hong Kong is a golfers paradise. With 12 golf courses on-site (not to mention the other courses at their sister property on Hainan) from designers like Faldo, Norman, Nicklaus, Dye, Duval, Ozaki, Olazabal and others you’ll need more than a week.
Golf in Mazatlan, MX: When you think of a golf trip to Mexico, you naturally lead toward Los Cabos or Puerto Valllarta, but Mazatlan – also on the Pacific coast – is the hottest golf choice in the country right now. You can’t beat the El Cid all-inclusive packages featuring unlimited golf on their-27 hole championship course, all transfers, incredible food and beverage options and more. Also toss in a tequila tour and deep-sea fishing jaunt to complete your trip. Wow!
This is not all we do! Ask us and we can help you out! We’re on Facebook! Be sure to add us to your faves: facebook.com/golftrip and watch for exclusive deals for our Facebook friends...
Travel agents, we PAY COMMISSION! If you need some help with golf requests, questions or simple information from a client or corporate group then drop me a line. I’ve worked with travel agents for 18 years and I’d love to help. Danny@bcgolfguide.com
Mid-November Blog
Where did the time go? I was looking forward to more one fall round in cool, crisp air and now it’s late November and the courses are closed. Oh well, I suffered through enough 3-putts for the year and spring is not far off. Christmas is coming quickly and if you’re still looking for a golf gift for that special someone, then this year give the gift of travel! Ask us about travel gift certificates that can be redeemed for any of our packages. We’ll even customize your gift certificate and send it to you long before Christmas morning.
Just because the courses up here are closed, they are wide open in the warmer destinations. If you’re going to need a winter golf ‘fix’, then let us know how we can help. We offer great deals to places like Arizona, California, Hawaii, Mexico, Florida, Nevada and more. If you need a package for 3 nights or 30 nights, give us a call and we’ll offer some great suggestions for places to stay and play.
It’s always great to mention some new suppliers who have come on board like The Crystal Lodge in Whistler. This wonderful hotel is located right in the heart of the pedestrian village and offers great dining and multi-bedroom units for those weekend group getaways. You’re only steps from nightlife, shopping and more. We’re also proud to welcome the Fairmont Empress in Victoria to our roster of great places to stay. This incredible hotel is located adjacent to the Inner-Harbour and features modern guest rooms and their famous afternoon tea. Speaking of fabulous Fairmont Resorts, we’ll also be offering 2 classic Alberta options next year too: Fairmont Banff Springs and Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. Both are perfect locations for an incredible Alberta Rockies golf adventure with world-class Stanley Thompson-designed courses at both properties. This should be your year to play golf in Alberta.
Congratulations to Team USA at the recent Presidents’ Cup matches in Melbourne. The International team dug themselves a big hole on Thursday and Friday and couldn’t catch up to the solid US team. I really enjoy listening to David Feherty add some colour to the broadcasts. He adds some genuine humour and a true human element to the game which is what we’re all supposed to do when we play isn’t it? I hope the next set of team captains have as much ’down to Earth’ attitudes as Greg Norman and Fred Couples. These guys let the players play.
Travel agents, we offer commissions! We also offer product training too and simple tips on how to make selling golf easy. Its’ fun and another way to network with your corporate clients. Don’t be afraid to offer another niche travel road to your agency.
I was sent an interesting article about how golf can extend your life. I’ll make sure that my wife reads this one.... Golf prolongs life!
Golf can be a good investment for the health, according to a new study from the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institute. The death rate for golfers is 40 per cent lower than for other people of the same sex, age and socioeconomic status, which correspond to a 5 year increase in life expectancy. Golfers with a low handicap are the safest.
It is a well-known fact that exercise is good for the health, but the expected health gains of particular activities are still largely unknown. A team of researchers from Karolinska Institute has now presented a study of the health effects of golf ? a low-intensity form of exercise in which over 600,000 Swedes engage.
The study, which is published in Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, is based on data from 300,000 Swedish golfers and shows that golf has beneficial health effects. The death rate amongst golfers is 40 per cent lower than the rest of the population, which equates to an increased life expectancy of five years.
Professor Anders Ahlbom, who has led the study with Bahman Farahmand is not surprised at the result, as he believes that there are several aspects of the game that are proved to be good for the health.
"A round of golf means being outside for four or five hours, walking at a fast pace for six to seven kilometres, something which is known to be good for the health," he says. "People play golf into old age, and there are also positive social and psychological aspects to the game that can be of help."
The study does not rule out that other factors than the actual playing, such as a generally healthy lifestyle, are also behind the lower death rate observed amongst golfers. However, the researchers believe it is likely that the playing of the game in itself has a significant impact on health.
Golf players have a lower death rate regardless of sex, age and social group. The effect is greater for golfers from blue-collar professions than for those from white-collar professions. The lowest rates are found in the group of players with the lowest handicap (i.e. the best golfers).
"Maintaining a low handicap involves playing a lot, so this supports the idea that it is largely the game itself that is good for the health," says Professor Ahlbom.
November Blog
Congratulations go to David Hearn (from Brantford, Ontario) for earning full exemption status on the PGA TOUR in 2012 after finishing a respectful 104th (over $800,000) on the year end money standings. His final event of the 2011 season saw him finish tied for 20th at the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Classic in Orlando.
Adam Hadwin has moved one step closer to securing his PGA Tour card for 2012 without swinging a club. Landmark Sport Group says the Abbotsford, B.C. golfer has been granted direct entry into the final stage of PGA Q-School as a result of earning enough money this year on the Tour to put him inside the top 150. As a non-Tour member, Hadwin earned $440,752 in five tournaments, which included a tie for fourth at the RBC Canadian Open. That total put him the equivalent of 145th on the PGA money list, however, it did not equal the total amount of money won by the player who finished 150th on last year's list. That was required for Hadwin to earn special temporary status and a bye into the final stage of Q-school. A 70th place finish at the McGladrey Classic last month not only denied him a chance to go to the final Fall Series event at Disney, where he could have made a run at a Tour card for 2012. It also meant he would have to go to the second stage of PGA Q-School with nothing guaranteed beyond that.
We’re excited with the re-launch of www.golftheworldvacations.com and the buzz that it’s created in the golf travel world. Many new travel partners have come on board with fantastic golf package offerings such as:
Innisbrook, A Salamander Golf & Spa Resort in Tampa. Featuring 72 holes of Championship golf (including the famous Copperhead Course) this facility is a popular choice for Canadian golfers.
Sawgrass Marriott Resort & Spa in Ponte Vedra (Jacksonville) giving you the chance to play THE PLAYERS Stadium Course and the wonderful 17th hole island green yourself.
Mont Tremblant Resort located 90 minutes north of Montreal, this fabulous golf destination (one of my favourites in Canada) is home to great golf like Le Geant, Le Diable, La Bete and Le Maitre as well as several accommodation options from 4 star hotels to multi-bedroom condos and villas.
Bonotel Hotels giving us Las Vegas Strip hotel choices to include with your next Vegas golf package. We can also include show tickets, helicopter tours and more.
Casa De Campo in the DR. This world-class golf resort is home to 3 wonderful golf designs including The Teeth of the Dog and Dye Fore. You need to experience the golf villas at least once in your travels too.
Homewood Suites by Hilton in La Quinta/Palm Springs. This hotel offers a perfect location for local Palm Springs golf as well as free hot breakfast each morning, large rooms and grocery service too.
Thanks to Kimberly Hartley and her staff at Travel Solutions by Design for their Myrtle Beach Bash the other night at the CN Tower in Toronto. It was a fun evening as we talked about our great Myrtle Beach line-up for 2012 and some golf specials that should not be missed. We met over 70 travel agents too who are very keen on selling golf....and we are too!
Here are some key 2012 golf dates to keep in mind: We’ll see you there!
Seattle, Washington: Feb 10-12
Toronto: March 2-4 - tentative
Vancouver: March 3-4
Edmonton: March 10-11
Calgary: March 31-April 1
October Blog
Even though many of our Canadian golf courses are closing for winter, we’re gearing up for a busy winter golf season to our warm destinations. Some great specials are already up and running with many more to be loaded in the coming days. I’d also like to welcome some of our new golf suppliers too:
Prince Hotels and Resorts Hawaii: With 3 great resorts to choose from including the Mauna Kea and Hapuna Beach Resorts on the Big Island (and their 36 holes of championship golf) and the Prince Waikiki Resort located in the heart of downtown Honolulu and steps from the beach, dining and plenty of nightlife. Their 27-hole championship golf course is a short 30 minute free shuttle ride from the resort.
Kapalua Villas, An Outrigger Resort, Maui: 1, 2 and 3 bedroom villas and home rentals located on the NW shore of Maui only minutes from Lahaina and Kaanapali Beach. The Plantation Course is a must play and hosts the PGA TOUR each January. Experience the spa, hiking trails, zip lines or some serious quiet time.
Innisbrook, A Salamander Golf & Spa Resort, Tampa. This popular resort features 4 championship golf courses including the famous Copperhead Course which plays host to the PGA TOUR each year. Enjoy the modern rooms (2 bedroom units too) as well as a great golf academy, spa and perfect location only minutes from Tampa International Airport.
Wildcat Trail Golf Courses, Tucson. A group of 5 championship golf courses in the Tucson area featuring incredible deals (up to 30% off normal rack rates), great vistas, warm hospitality and more. Play Canoa Hills, Forty Niner or San Ignacio or two wonderful designs like Arizona National and Vistoso GC. These are perfect additions to your next Tucson golf around package.
Keep in mind for next summer to block off time for a weekend jaunt to Mont Tremblant in Quebec. We’re excited to partner with Mont Tremblant Resorts (located 90 minutes north of Montreal) and their wonderful accommodation options from deluxe hotels to multi-bedroom condos. Their 2 championship golf courses Le Geant and Le Diable are 2 of Canada’s finest and offer challenges for all skill levels.
Ross just returned from Mazatlan (someone had to go) visiting our friends and golfing with El Cid Resorts. From all accounts he loved it! From great golf at the El Cid (27 holes), Marina Mazatlan and Estrella Del Mar Course, to the all-inclusive meal and beverage plan, local tours, great hospitality and unique oceanside destination it’s definitely the deal of the season. Stay 7 nights in an oceanview room, savour all meals and drinks, airport and golf course transfers and play 6 rounds of golf with cart and all taxes for $1370.00CAD per person, double occupancy and how could you go wrong? WestJet offers direct flights from Calgary too making your next all-inclusive winter golf package even easier.
Even though golf shows are months away, we’re already making plans for participation in several including Seattle, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Toronto.
I’m in Toronto later this month for a Myrtle Beach night. This true golf destination is home to over 90 golf courses within a 60-mile radius of Myrtle Beach. We’ll have golf specials and hotel information for our many travel agent friends. By the way, my favourite Myrtle Beach golf course is Grande Dunes. I love the back-9. Add it to your package for sure as well as Tidewater, Myrtle Beach National Kings Course, The Barefoot courses (4 of them) and over 70 others.
September Blog
Where did the summer go? I wanted to make strides in becoming a better putter this summer. Well, that’s not going to happen. Come to think of it, I’ve been saying that for several summers now.
We only have to wait a few short weeks until the President’s Cup in Australia. Team USA will take on Team Australia. Well, it’ll seem that way since many of the International team will be from the host country including Adam Scott, Jason Day, Robert Allenby and Geoff Ogilvy with John Senden and Aaron Baddeley close in the standings. It’ll make for a noisy but fun tournament.
It’ll be great to have 2 LPGA events in Canada next year. The new Manulife Financial LPGA Classic will be held in late June at the Grey Silo GC in Waterloo, Ontario. I’ve had the pleasure of playing Grey Silo and although not very long it’ll be a true test with it’s tight fairways, thick rough and fast, rolling greens. The players with hot short games will do very well. Then the CN Women’s Open will be played in August at the Vancouver GC and will certainly have a great field like it does every year.
We’re gearing up for very busy fall and winter and have received some great specials to warm places:
Wigwam Golf Resort & Spa – Phoenix: unlimited golf (3 courses on-site), reduced nightly room rates
El Cid Resorts – Mazatlan: unlimited golf, all-inclusive plan, oceanview room upgrade and optional deep-sea fishing trips or tequila factory tours.
Omni Amelia Island Resort – Jacksonville: unlimited golf upgrade, free breakfast
Doral Golf Resort & Spa: A Marriott Resort – Miami: comp afternoon replay green fees, reduced room rates
Questro Golf – Los Cabos Golf: incredible fall rates, well below normal rack pricing on their 3 courses
Also ask us about fall specials to Palm Springs, Myrtle Beach and Hawaii too!
Don’t forget when planning your fall golf trip to be sure to ask about any overseeding that might be taking place. October and November are prime dates for overseeding especially in destinations like Nevada, Arizona and parts of California.
We also have spring/summer packages in for Ireland and Scotland Golf Trips too including changes to the Old Course Ballot system. We also do Spain and Portugal too so plan your next great European golf outing with us and let us do the work for you. We’re also proud to now be a partner with Auto Europe, which allows us to include rental vehicles of any size into your European golf package.
Congratulations to our friend Josh Smith with Arnold Palmer Golf Management which looks after many great courses including Terra Lago GC and Tahquitz Creek GC in Palm Springs who will be moving to Orlando to become regional sales manager of the Walt Disney Golf Courses. Arnold Palmer Golf Management signed a multi-year deal earlier this year to manage the Disney courses.
Ross is making plans to attend the 2011 International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO) Annual Convention in Turkey in November. Over 200 buyers and 400 golf resort and golf course suppliers from Europe will be on hand discussing the billion dollar international golf tourism market while making new partners and business relationships. I plan to attend the South-East Asia IAGTO event next April in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia as we open up that part of the world to great golf package ideas.
Did you know?
Tiger Woods was 6 when he carded his first hole in one? Keith Long did it a short time ago at the age of 5 on a regulation par-3 in Mississippi. The oldest player to record an ace is Elsie McLean at the age of 102.
July 27th, 2011
Great finish for Adam Hadwin at the RBC Canadian Open in Vancouver. He’s one of the ‘new breed’ of Canadian golfers making a splash on the big stage. He joins an exciting list of other young guns like Matt Hill of Bright’s Grove, Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, Chris Baryla of Vernon, David Hearn of Brantford, Dustin Risdon, Matt McQuillan, Cam Burke and others. The Canadian team for Olympic golf in 2016 will be fun. Canadian Mid-Am champ Dave Bunker is a high school gym teacher when he’s not on the course. With his last name, what other sport could he play?
And congrats to Sean O’Hair who is this year’s RBC Canadian Open champion. He’s had a tough year with several missed cuts and has recently parted ways with his caddie Brennan Little who is also Mike Weir’s former caddie.
We’re gearing up for a busy fall and winter travel season with fabulous specials all over the place! Check out our specials section at bcgolfguide.com for more details, but here are some package samples:
Wigwam Golf Resort & Spa – Phoenix: from $165.00 per person, per night!
Includes: nightly accommodation, unlimited golf, cart, range use, taxes
Silverado Resort & Spa – Napa: from $160.00 per person, per night!
Includes: nightly accommodation, 1 round of golf, cart, taxes and resort fee
Westin Mission Hills Resort & Spa – Rancho Mirage/Palm Springs: from $210.00 per person, per night
Includes: nightly accommodation, 1 round of golf, cart, range use, taxes
We have many others too! Ask us about Mesquite, San Diego, Jacksonville, Myrtle Beach and Orlando. We do overseas as well to Portugal, Ireland and Scotland too!
Travel agents, we offer commissions! We also offer product training too and simple tips on how to make selling golf easy. Its fun and another way to network with your corporate clients. Don’t be afraid to offer another niche travel road to your agency.
Did you know....
80% of all golfers will never achieve a handicap of less than 18?
Golf was banned in Scotland from 1457 to 1502 to ensure that citizens wouldn’t waste time when preparing for an English invasion.
Phil Mickelson, who plays left-handed, is actually right-handed? He learned to play golf by mirroring his father’s golf swing, and he has used left-handed clubs ever since.
There are so many charity tournaments going on this summer but one that needs mentioning is the annual cancer tourney at Carstairs GC in Alberta. With the help of the Calgary Stampeder Alumni and
very generous members and friends, the total raised (although not final) will once again be close to $25,000 for cancer research. Cindy Toye and Dale Tomlinson from the course put on a great day and BC Golf Guide donated a couple of Kelowna getaways that helped the bottom line. We’re happy to be involved and congratulations.
June 6th, 2011
I’m sorry to see that many of the familiar faces of professional golf will not be in the field for the upcoming U.S. Open. Tiger, Weir, Singh, Ames and many others will be watching rather than playing.
Speaking of upcoming tournaments, BC Golf Guide has 2011 President’s Cup Tournament packages available. Experience Melbourne, Australia in November with an exciting 7 night package starting at $3259.00CAD per person, based on double occupancy. This includes 7 nights hotel accommodation, return economy air from Vancouver, local transportation to the tournament site at Royal Melbourne GC and daily admission tickets to the practice rounds and the 4-day tournament. Drop me an email at danny@bcgolfguide.com for more information.
What a trip to California last month! Ross and I truly enjoyed our time at Monterey attending the North American Conference for International Association of Golf Tour Operators. Thanks to Carlton, Peter and the gang for a wonderful, albeit, short trip. We look forward to growing our partnership with IAGTO in the years to come. We’re also excited to welcome some new hotel and golf course suppliers to our roster of preferred destinations. Watch for new specials and great deals to such places as:
Westin Mission Hills Resort & Spa – Palm Springs, CA
Doral Resort & Spa; A Marriott Resort – Miami, FL
Prince Resorts – Hawaii
Silverado Resort – Napa, CA
Turtle Bay Resort – Hawaii
Omni ChampionsGate Resort – Orlando, FL
Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort – Amelia Island, FL
Millenium Resort – Scottsdale, AZ
Station Casinos – Las Vegas, NV
Vacation Homes – Orlando, FL
Innisbrook Resort – Tampa, FL
Handlery Hotels – San Diego and San Francisco, CA
Pebble Beach Resorts – Monterey, CA
St. George/Washington, UT
Westin Kierland Resort & Spa – Scottsdale, AZ
Pinehurst Resort – Pinehurst, NC
We’re also planning to add these destinations as well: San Francisco, Sonoma, Southern Mississippi, Reno, Washington State and overseas to Thailand, Ireland, Scotland, Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Mexico, China and others. It’ll be a busy year! We’ll also be adding a rental car company or two with fabulous rates to include with our packages saving you time searching for the best deals. We want to be your one-stop shop for great golf packages.
We have incredible mid-week rates to play Canada’s # 1 public golf course; Tobiano in Kamloops. Call us and book today. This course is a must-play and one that should be on your bucket list.
May 11th, 2011
Like many of us, I also was saddened with the passing of Seve last week. He was the face of European golf when I was a kid and I spent many Sunday afternoons watching him create fits among the American golfers in tournaments with his stellar iron play and creative shot making abilities. He was colourful, fearless yet friendly and quite simply, a classy guy. To me he was the Ryder Cup both as a player and captain. I still feel that the greatest twosome in Ryder Cup history was Seve and fellow Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal. Incredible. He will be missed.
Fathers’ Day is coming up! What better way than to give Dad the gift of golf! We can help you with gift certificates for rounds of golf, weekend getaways with the boys and much more. Let us know how we can help. We’re dads too and can give you some great suggestions!
We’re gearing up for a busy summer with incredible packages to all parts of BC, Alberta and even Prince Edward Island! We can also help with golf getaways to our neighbours to the immediate south like Washington State and Oregon. Experience a weekend away to these great destinations to play golf, shop and taste some wine. Incredible!
Watch for some exclusive US fall golf specials coming soon to Palm Springs, Arizona and more. Don’t forget when you’re planning your fall trip to these regions to check with us for overseeding dates. This course maintenance program gets underway about mid-September and runs until early November. The golf courses don’t do it at the same time but course selection and quality may be altered at times. We’re always confirming dates with courses to make sure that your trip will not be affected.
We’re also excited to have acquired the assets of Golf The World Vacations. This company has been a leader in international golf travel for many years and we’re proud to continue that legacy featuring more exotic golf vacations to places like Vietnam, China, Thailand, Turkey and more. We’re on Facebook! Be sure to add us to your faves: www.facebook.com/golftrip and watch for exclusive deals for our Facebook friends...
Travel agents, we PAY COMMISSION! If you need some help with golf requests, questions or simple information from a client or corporate group then drop me a line. I’ve worked with travel agents for 18 years and I’d love to help. danny@bcgolfguide.com
April 12th, 2011
I always feel that The Masters (and congrats to Charl) is the true beginning of the Canadian golf season although in some parts, it’s already well underway. Many courses in the Okanagan (Kelowna and Kamloops) are now open as well as several in the Columbia Valley, Shuswap and west Kooteneys plan to open in the next few days. Watching the television coverage of the tournament with the lush greens and blooming azaleas certainly gives one the itch to swing a club. Speaking of Augusta National GC, did you know that it’s a very private course but even the members have limited access to tee times? It’s really open for the members to play about 20 weeks a year.
Thank you for the many ‘hellos’ during our recent golf show tour. It is always fun to talk with folks about their past golf trips or the ones they dream of doing someday. Thanks to John Tipping and his crew in Vancouver and also to Phil Berube from the PGA of Alberta for their two shows in Alberta. All three shows were well attended and we look forward to returning to them all next year or as John Wayne once said; ‘Lord willin’ and the river don’t rise......’
Ross and I are off to Monterey next month for the North American Conference of the International Association of Golf Tour Operators or IAGTO for short. Ross will be meeting with golf tour operators from places like China, Australia, Brazil, Japan, Europe and the U.S. who are looking to bring golfers to British Columbia. I’ll be meeting with many U.S. and international delegates about attractive golf packages to their various locations. We look forward to building new relationships with golf operators from around the World and seeing the famous Monterey / Carmel / Pebble Beach region of California.
We’re starting to get fall golf package requests for the southern U.S. Keep in mind that several States have overseeding dates at this time. Golf courses in Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and parts of California will begin overseeding around the middle of September. It can take anywhere from 4-6 weeks for the course to come back to its natural quality. The golf courses don’t all do this maintenance program at the same time, but from mid-September to mid-November golf course selection may be reduced in some areas. We’ll keep you up to speed with your package requests on what courses will be closed at this time. Speaking of the U.S. we have great specials for this summer to places like Salishan Resort and Sunriver Resort in Oregon. These are two fabulous destinations for the guys, couples or families too. We also have an exciting package to the Tacoma area of Washington State. You can do a 2-night package staying at the Mirano Hotel in Tacoma (nice spot!), daily breakfast and 3 rounds of golf including a round at the famous Chambers Bay GC (home to the 2015 U.S. Open), cart, range use and more for around $629.00CAD per person, based on double occupancy. Give us a call!
We’re on Facebook! Be sure to add us to your faves: www.facebook.com/golftrip Watch for exclusive deals for our Facebook friends...
Travel agents, we PAY COMMISSION! If you need some help with golf requests, questions or simple information from a client or corporate group then drop me a line. I’ve worked with travel agents for 18 years and can help you sell golf.
March 23rd, 2011
Ross and I have had a great deal of fun at this winters golf shows in both Edmonton and Vancouver. We’ve certainly enjoyed the company of our preferred suppliers at the shows too like Lisa Wright from JC Resorts (Rancho Bernardo Inn and Temecula Creek Inn) in San Diego and Greg and Lisa from Travel Oregon.
Speaking of Oregon, there were tons of questions for us about various packages to this fine West Coast State. From Portland golf around suggestions including playing options for Pumpkin Ridge and The Reserve to Bend/Sunriver packages featuring Crosswater GC, The Resort at the Mountain (at the base of Mount Hood), Salishan Resort (on the west coast) and of course, Bandon Dunes. We’re excited to be a preferred partner with our friends from Oregon and look forward to opening up more areas for golf in the State.
We also had great chats with Jamie at Chambers Bay Golf Course (home to the 2015 US Open) in Tacoma, Washington about coming on board with us, Big Island information from Jay at Royal Kona Resort and Dawn from Kaanapali GC on Maui and many others who will soon have packages featured with us.
One of the highlights from the Vancouver Golf Show was a wonderful Saturday night dinner for about 125 BC golf industry people hosted by Kris Jonasson and the BCGA. Great food, great stories and some familiar faces in the crowd including former PGA TOUR member Richard Zokol, Bob Weeks from SCORE Golf Magazine, TV and more and golf course architect Doug Carrick who accepted the award for 2010 Best New Golf Course from SCOREGolf for his exceptional work with the Ridge Course at Predator Ridge in Vernon. Also special thanks to Chris Wallace from Big Sky GC just north of Whistler for his many east coast stories during the dinner at our table.
Many great things are happening with BC golf courses too with some of the courses looking for a mid-April opening. We have exceptional rates with most of the courses in BC and can customize any package for you and your buddies.
We’re on Facebook! Be sure to add us to your faves: www.facebook.com/golftrip Watch for exclusive deals for our Facebook friends...
We’re also proud and excited to announce BC Golf Guide has entered into a management agreement with Golf The World Vacations. GTWV has been a solid domestic and international golf tour operator for many years through the hard work of Colin Yorath and Frank Cumming. Sadly, Colin passed away in June 2010 and we’ve stepped in to help Frank continue this well known brand and their exciting line-up of familiar and exotic golf destinations.
Travel agents, we PAY COMMISSION! If you need some help with golf requests, questions or simple information from a client or corporate group then drop me a line. I’ve worked with travel agents for 18 years and I know your side of the fence! danny@bcgolfguide.com
March 1st, 2011
It’s been a long, cold winter in Western Canada, but thankfully the first of March gets us closer to spring tee times. The month also brings 3 wonderful golf shows that Ross and I will be attending:
March 12 – 13 in Edmonton at the Northlands Agri-Com
March 19 – 20 in Vancouver at the Convention Centre. We’ll be there with Lisa from JC Resorts in San Diego along with Greg, Lisa and Christine from Travel Oregon. We’ll also be adjacent to the Golf Show Travel Area where we can discuss your next golf vacation, view destination videos and just relax.
March 26 – 27 in Calgary at the Stampede Grounds.
We’ll have exclusive package specials to great resorts and destinations at all of these shows and our 2011 BC Golf Guide too. Be sure to drop by and say hello.
Ross then heads to Northern Ireland around the first of April for a short travel conference presented by many Irish golf suppliers in conjunction with our friends at IAGTO. In May we both travel to San Francisco for another golf travel conference to secure exclusive partnerships in the US and overseas. We’re also proud to welcome some new preferred suppliers to our growing list of great places to stay and play:
Marriott Desert Springs Vacation Villas I & II in Palm Springs. Located adjacent to great golf, these 1 and 2 bedroom fully-furnished condos have everything you need to make your next Palm Springs golf vacation perfect.
Meridian Resort Condos in Scottsdale. Wonderful, modern 1, 2 and 3 bedroom villas in the heart of Scottsdale. Close to dining, shops and of course, great golf.
We’re on Facebook! Be sure to add us to your faves: www.facebook.com/golftrip Watch for exclusive deals for our Facebook friends...
We’re also proud and excited to announce BC Golf Guide has entered into a management agreement with Golf The World Vacations. GTWV has been a solid domestic and international golf tour operator for many years through the hard work of Colin Yorath and Frank Cumming. Sadly, Colin passed away in June 2010 and we’ve stepped in to help Frank continue this well known brand and their exciting line-up of familiar and exotic golf destinations.
Travel agents, we PAY COMMISSION! If you need some help with golf requests, questions or simple information from a client or corporate group then drop me a line. I’ve worked with travel agents for 18 years and I know your side of the fence! danny@bcgolfguide.com
February 19th, 2011
February 8th, 2011
A big hello to some new preferred partners with BC Golf Guide:
Indian Wells Resort Hotel in Palm Springs: Originally opened by Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz in the 1950’s and now a classic golf resort with access to 54 holes of championship golf and more in the La Quinta area.
Desert Willow Golf Resort: 36 holes of wonderful golf in Palm Springs. The Firecliff and Mountain Courses are a treat to play and a great addition to your next Palm Springs golf package.
Hello to Bruce Main and Gary Giroux that make Langara Golf Course their home course in Vancouver. The men’s club is looking for new members for their upcoming season which includes 60 minutes of blocked tee times on weekend mornings ahead of the general public, weekly games, fun tournaments, prizes, inter club competitions, handicapping and more. Contact the boys a www.langaragolfclub.org
The boss, Ross is off to Ireland in early April for a golf travel conference. He’ll be meeting with local Ireland suppliers (courses and hotels) to develop exclusive offers to our BC Golf Guide clients. I know, but someone has to go! Then we are both off to California in May for the annual North American IAGTO Conference. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to meet with golf tour operators from around the world on bringing golfers to British Columbia.
The Vancouver Golf and Travel Show is coming up the weekend of March 19-20 at the Vancouver Convention Centre. We will be there with our friends from Travel Oregon and JC Resorts in San Diego. Be sure to drop by and pick up some incredible golf package deals and show specials. We’ll also be in Edmonton and Calgary for their golf shows in March. The Seattle Golf Show is on this weekend, Feb 11-13th, more info maybe found at www.seattlegolfshow.com
Starting next month we’re be launching a new feature: Destination and specials of the month. This inclusion will showcase a great golf destination with golf and après golf information along with sample golf packages.
If you are a travel agent and would like some help on selling golf, then let us know. We would love to work with you. Drop me a line anytime. I’d love to hear from you. danny@bcgolfguide.com
January 26th, 2011
Golf is back on television! The PGA TOUR kicked off their 2011 campaign at Kapalua, Maui, moved over to Oahu the following weekend and are now back on the mainland touring California. The CHAMPIONS TOUR also began the season in Hawaii and will now move to Florida for a couple of weeks. The LPGA TOUR gets underway later in February in South East Asia. They also have a stop in Brazil later in the year.
It was great to welcome some new partners to the BC Golf Guide preferred supplier family this past week:
Amanda Stuart and Barry McLeod from Golf PEI. This is a wonderful destination for great golf, incredible food and authentic east coast culture. We are happy to have them on board.
Hemeteria Andrade and Motivatours out of Lisbon. She’s a lovely lady and knows EVERYONE associated with golf in Portugal and Spain. She offers incredible deals, dining options and those little ‘off the main road’ attractions to enhance your next Portugal or Spain golf package.
Kristi Prieto and Michael Tebbetts from Indian Wells Golf Resort in Palm Springs. This is a great spot to stay ‘n play with 54 holes of championship golf, modern rooms, and affordable accommodation packages that include breakfast. Located only a few minutes from the Palm Springs International Airport and very close to shops, dining options and nightly entertainment. Many more to come! We very excited to have these friends on board.
We’re gearing up for our annual golf show run. First up is the popular Seattle Show next month and then Edmonton, Vancouver and Calgary in March. We look forward to busy weekends, lots of golf-talk and answering your questions about your next, great golf vacation. We’ll have exclusive golf show specials and will be featuring exciting resorts and destinations with our partners like JC Resorts from San Diego, Bend and Portland Oregon with Travel Oregon, Golf PEI and others.
Be sure to see us and our partners at the following golf shows this spring for great getaway ideas in Canada and many other places:
Seattle, Washington: February 11-13th -
Edmonton, Alberta: March 12 and 13/11 Northlands Agricom (Hall B)
Vancouver, BC: March 19 and 20/11 Vancouver Convention Centre
Calgary, Alberta: March 26 and 27/11 BMO Roundup Centre (Hall D)
We’ll also have our 2011 BC Golf Guide available for you. This guide is full of golf course information, offers, suggested places to play and stay and much more for anywhere in the Province of British Columbia. It’s a must-have.
We’re also very excited to offer Las Vegas tee times! If you have your Vegas weekend booked and need help with golf course suggestions and times, then let us know. With over 60 golf courses to offer for all skill levels and budgets, we’ll find one for you and we’ll save you money!
Drop me a line anytime danny@bcgolfguide.com
January 4th, 2011 - Happy New Year!
Welcome to 2011! I’d like to welcome our newest preferred travel partners;
Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort in Phoenix, AZ; This fabulous resort is only a short drive from the airport and features 36 holes of championship golf on-site along with a full-service spa, an array of dining options, casino and beautiful rooms.
Sawgrass Marriott Resort in Jacksonville, FL; It should be on your golf bucket list to play the TPC Stadium course located here with its famed island green, 17th hole. It’s a great spot for a corporate retreat or a serious golf getaway.
Kingston Plantation in Myrtle Beach, SC; A lovely oceanfront complex featuring a full-service Hilton and Embassy Suites Hotel along with 1, 2 and 3 bedroom oceanfront condos and villas. With over 75 golf courses within an hours’ drive of Myrtle Beach, there’s a reason this area is called the ‘Mecca of Golf’.
We’re also proud to be offering great European golf packages too. Ask us about our exclusive deals to Portugal, Scotland, Ireland and more.
Speaking of Scotland, our good friend Iain Marr from Old Course Hotel in St. Andrews sent us the latest tips on securing a tee time on the Old Course with their application/ballot program:
1. Apply for multiple dates
2. Don’t apply for weekends (course closed on Sundays and no applications taken for Saturday)
3. Read http://www.standrews.org.uk/Playing-golf-in-St-Andrews/Busy-Dates-2011.aspx to check for busy dates to avoid
4. Make sure you include your home club and handicap (24 or lower)
5. Ballots are allocated on a first come, first serve basis.
We can help you with this process and your Scotland package. Be sure to include some other great courses like Lundin Links, Carnoustie, Kingsbarns, Crail, North Berwick, Gullane #1 and even the New Course.
If you’re looking to include UNLIMITED GOLF on your next trip then ask us about our specials to Wigwam Resort and Spa in Phoenix with 3 courses to play, Rancho Bernardo Inn or Temecula Creek Inn in San Diego or La Quinta Golf Resort in Palm Springs. All of these resorts offer unlimited golf on a variety of courses both on-site and close by. We’ll be happy to book your first tee time of the day with same day replay tee times booked locally and subject to availability.
We’re excited to expand our Oregon golf product to now include the Portland area. With great courses like The Reserve (former home to the PGA Champions Tour) and Pumpkin Ridge (Home to the LPGA Safeway Classic) and others, it’s a great spot for that weekend getaway. With Air Canada direct flights from Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto, it’s no wonder why Portland is quickly becoming an affordable and exciting place to take your clubs.
The PGA TOUR is back at full swing this month, so here is my prediction for the year: Player of the Year and FEDEX Cup Winner: Ian Poulter
December 16th, 2010 - Debut Entry
Hello! We’re so excited to be launching our US and International ‘outbound’ golf vacation program to compliment our great ‘inbound’ BC and Alberta golf packages. We welcome our preferred suppliers like:
All of these terrific spots have provided us with aggressive rates to save you money. Don’t think this is all we do! With our other partners around the world we can provide a suggested golf package for your next dream destination including Europe, eastern Canada, eastern US or the Pacific Rim region. Let us help you plan that next, great golf experience so all you have to do is concentrate on those short putts!
The top 9 ‘must-play-no-excuses-can’t-pass-up’ holes for 2011: (in no particular order)
#12 – Par 5 Crosswater GC, Sunriver, OR A tiresome 649 yarder with trees, bunkers, wind, water and double-bogey written all over it.
#5 – Par 3 Dinosaur Mountain GC, Gold Canyon, AZ A downhill 226 yards from elevated tee to green. Great views and is harder than it looks.
#2 – Par 4 Pacific Dunes GC, Bandon, OR Incredible hole. Your caddie says to favour the left side, but that’s where all the trouble is. If the winds are up off the ocean, just head to the next tee.
#4 – Par 4 Silvertip GC, Canmore, AB Trouble left, water right, but could be the prettiest hole on the course.
#6 – Par 3 Greywolf GC, Panorama, BC All carry over a large, yawning canyon that’s home to 100’s of golf balls including one of mine.
#13 – Par 4 Sand Hollow, St. George, UT It’s not that long but take your time to soak in the views and the cliff bordering the entire left side of the hole. One of several neat holes on the back nine.
#18 – Par 5 Rancho Bernardo GC, Rancho Bernardo, CA A tricky dogleg that with a long drive will leave you a long iron to an uphill, small tiered green surrounded by bunkers and water.
#10 – Par 4 Eagle Ranch GC, Invermere, BC Let the air out of your driver here but try and stay a little left on the split fairway. The second shot is long and slightly uphill to a rolling green guarded by traps.
#7 – Par 4 TPC Stadium GC at PGA WEST, Palm Springs, CA Be prepared to hand out some mulligans here for the wayward tee shots. Great hole design rewarding straight hitters and good putters.
Hidden Gem place to stay:
Eagle Ranch Chalets at Eagle Ranch Golf Course in Invermere, BC. The four, million-dollar plus homes are incredible and include all of the toys from pool tables, poker tables, several TV’s, four bedrooms, huge kitchen and living areas, decks and much more and are only 4 minutes from the first tee at Eagle Ranch GC. The boys may never go home. Part of Stone Creek Resorts who also offer fantastic accommodations at their Silvertip GC location in Canmore, AB. We can book both!
Hidden Gem place to play:
Sand Hollow GC in St. George, Utah. Only 50 minutes from Mesquite, this new design is a must-play. The final 9 holes will take your breath away. You can’t think about birdies here at all. We can book it for you!
Did you know:
 The 2011 RBC Canadian Open will be played July 21-24 at Shaughnessy G&CC in Vancouver with a purse of $5,200,000USD and The Canadian Women’s Open will be played August 22-28 at Hillsdale G&CC in Mirabel, PQ with Michelle Wie the defending champion. Questions for Danny? email him at Danny@Bcgolfguide.com
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