Golf Blog

Caribbean Golf Vacation with the PGA Tour

Need an idea for a Golf Vacation?  The PGA Tour is venturing into new territory this season.  During the week of March 20 to 23, the Tour will make a stop in Puerto Rico.  From a travelers standpoint, it's the best decision they've made in a long time.

The Coco Beach Golf & Country Club in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico will play host to the Puerto Rico Open.  A compilation of the club's four distinct nine-hole layouts, designed by Tom Kite, will be used as the Open course.  The Coco Beach courses are obviously challenging enough for the best players in the world, but they also display the beauty of the Caribbean host nation. 

Near the Coco Beach club is the Gran Meliá Puerto Rico Resort.  Accomodations at the resort are luxurious as any in the Caribbean.  Suites are available from $665 per night and up and each has numerous amenities. 

The Gran Meliá resort is perfect for a family Caribbean vacation.  An amazing spa and wellness center, kids club, lagoon-style pool, lighted tennic courts, dance classes, casino, golf and tons of other activities. 

The PGA Tour stops at some great locations, but this Golf Vacation Idea may top the list. 

Traveling to England for the Open Championship

The Open Championship, or the British Open, as it's called in the United States, returns to Royal Birkdale this July.  If you're planning to make the trip, or simply "planning to plan," now is the time.

Royal Birkdale is located in Southport, England, just north of Liverpool.  Being near such an urban center as Liverpool should provide traveler with a number of choices for lodging, even at this relatively late date.

As of today's date, there are at least a couple of hotels with rooms remaining for the Open Championship week, according to AboutBritain.com:

• Holiday Inn, Haydock - Located between Liverpool and Manchester, certainly within commuting distance to the Open.  Rooms start at £135 per person.
• Britannia Adelphi - Located in Liverpool.  This hotel was first built to accomodate passengers of the Titanic.  Rooms start at £64 per person.

Both hotels were given 4-star ratings by AboutBritain.com.

As for attractions, virtually everything in Britain is within a relatively short rail trip.  In Northwest England, there are six castles, 15 gardens, two amusement parks, 54 museums, and lots of beautiful countryside, just to name a few things. 

Time is of the essence if you want to see the Open Championship and stay nearby.

Alan L. Hammond is a freelance golf and travel writer.  He can be reached via this blog, at ashwriting@insightbb.com or through Suite101.com.

Kiawah Island Golf Resort

Most every avid golfer remembers the 1991 Ryder Cup Matches, since called the "War by the Shore." The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Resort will forever be famous for that battle, which went down to the last putt on the last hole of the last match on the last day. When Bernhard Langer's six-footer for par slid just by the right lip, the most gut-wrenching Ryder Cup in history came to a dramatic and emotional end with the United States posting a one-point victory.

The Ocean Course has since hosted multiple World Cup and Warburg Cup events.  It is, quite simply, one of the golf courses you must play.  The 7,296 yard, par 71 Ocean Course stretches nearly three miles along the Atlantic Ocean at the extreme eastern end of Kiawah Island.  On a layout that is reminiscent of the great seaside links of England and Scotland, yardage can vary as much as the wind that constantly sweeps across the links.  But don't forget, there are four other great courses at the resort.

The fame of the Ocean Course could give the impression that golf is all Kiawah has to offer. Conde Nast Traveler readers have voted this South Carolina resort among the "Top 20" Islands in The World for resort activities.  In fact, even with the fantastic golf, it's the children that may have the most fun on a "golf vacation" to Kiawah.

There’s Kamp Kiawah – a supervised, fun-filled activity program for ages 3 to 11. Established two decades ago, Kamp Kiawah keeps children enthralled with its Pirate Escapades, Nature Adventure Days, Tye Dye Days, Sand Sculpting, Hula Contests and Relay Races and more. It also allows parents some time to participate in island adventures of their own.

Kiawah Island Golf Resort has created a Teen Program specifically for the most discriminating of youths. On the list of seasonal activities are Teen Survivor, Late Night Movies, Photo Scavenger Hunts, Basketball and Volleyball Tournaments, Dance Contests and more.

Swimming, canoeing, kayaking, bicycling, cookouts, oyster roasts, sing-a-longs, and nature walks are just a few of the other extraordinary activities that are afforded to guests of Kiawah Island Golf Resort.

A fantastic spa and AAA Five-Diamond hotel top-off the resort's unbeatable offerings.  The memories of family vacation to Kiawah Island Resort will be treasured by every member of the family.

Alan L. Hammond is a freelance golf and travel writer.  Contact him at Suite101.com or at his blog, Suite Golf Travel.

Nova Scotia Spring Golf Vacation Package

If you’re starting to plan a Nova Scotia golf vacation this year, the spring special at Osprey Shores Golf Resort on the Eastern Shore might entice you to move up your trip planning to take advantage of the great getaway package rates they are offering in May and June.

For spring, Osprey Shores Resort is offering an extra 10 percent of the first night’s accommodation when golfers book any golf getaway package.  Book a two night golf package and golfers receive 20 percent off their second night of accommodation.  All golf packages include a hearty continental breakfast daily in the Clubhouse.
As a member of the Authentic Seacoast™ Family of Properties in the charming seacoast village
of Guysborough, Osprey Shores’ golf packages include a range of dining options in the village including the Rare Bird Pub & Eatery and DesBarres Manor Inn.   The Rare Bird is a true East Coast brew pub serving up sea inspired pub fare, craft ales brewed on-site and live music.   DesBarres Manor is the sophisticated sibling offering gourmet dining.  A fresh daily seasonal menu features contemporary Canadian cuisine with an East Coast flair.

Only 30 minutes from renowned Cape Breton Island, Osprey Shores Golf Resort is one of those off the beaten track courses that delight golfers with its ocean views from every fairway.  Located on a peninsula at the head of the Atlantic Coast’s largest bay, Chedabucto Bay, Osprey Shores has a unique Maritime charm that gets people back into the fun of golf.  With a wide range of recreational activities including hiking, cycling, an outdoor pool, volleyball, horseshoes, badminton, boat launch and private cove and a bonfire pit, Osprey Shores has all the ingredients for a relaxing Nova Scotia golf vacation this spring.