golf vacations magazine october 2010
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Golf Vacations Magazine October 2010TRANSCRIPT
GOLF VACATIONSGOLF VACATIONSOur8thYear!
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www.golfvacationsmag.com6 GOL F VA C AT IO N S • OC TOB E R 2010
Golf A Special Treat On Riviera Mayaby Fred Robledo
There are currently six golf courses on the Riviera Maya and morein the planning stages. I played three of them and visited two others.
Casual, Caribbean, Curaçaoby David R. Holland
Curaçao is located about 35 miles off the northern coast of Venezuelaand is the largest of the ABC islands that includes Aruba and Bonaire.
Celtic Manor Hosts 2010 Ryder Cupby JD Latorre
As the world descends on Wales for the 2010 Ryder Cup, visitorsdiscover a country steeped in rich culture and fascinating history.
Hollywood Says Hello To Las Vegasby Terry Ross
Planet Hollywood sports a hip vibe and a celebrity feel that reverber-ates through its modern architecture and Hollywood theme.
A Waterfall Of Golf At Cascata Golf Clubby Terry Ross
Even though Las Vegas offers more than a few entertainment diver-sions, a day of golf at Cascata is unlike any you’ll find on green grass.
c o v e r s t o r i e s
on the cover: Old Quarry Golf Course, Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles
30 SideTrip by Terry Ross
Golf Hall Of Fame At Las Vegas National Golf Club
32 Sweet Stuff by Terry Ross
Try The Kettle Worx Workout
33 DestinationsYour Link To Great Resort Golf Locales
d e p a r t m e n t s
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GOL F VA C AT IO N S • OC TOB E R 2010 7www.golfvacationsmag.com
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JD Latorre is a freelance travel writer currently calling South Florida his home base. Hehas a knack for finding himself in some of the world’s most exotic locations, includingBangkok, Montego Bay, Bogata, Havana, Cabo San Lucas, St. Kitts, Cancun andMarseilles. His past lives included working for the Miami Herald, Chicago Daily Herald,Boston Globe, Daily News of Los Angeles and Southern California Golf Newspaper.
Terry Ross has covered sports as both a print and radio journalist for more than 35years, and also has served as a consultant to the golf industry in a variety of capac-ities. He has been a regular columnist for the Long Beach Business Journal and isbased in Orange County, California.
Fred Robledo has been covering professional golf for more than 30 years. He wrotefor the Los Angeles Herald Examiner and the Los Angeles Times before moving into pub-lic relations where he promoted professional tour events for Brener Zwikel & Associates.He is now semi-retired, traveling the country and reviewing golf destinations for GolfVacations Magazine.
David R. Holland is a former sportswriter for The Dallas Morning News, a football maga-zine publisher and author of The Colorado Golf Bible. Multiple careers best describes thisworld traveler, who achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force reserve, servingduring the Vietnam and Desert Storm eras. A former sportswriter for The Dallas MorningNews, you can follow Dave’s travels on www.twitter.com/David_R_Holland.
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www.golfvacationsmag.com10 GOL F VA C AT IO N S • OC TOB E R 2010
What could the creative minds of such golf coursearchitects as Robert Trent Jones, Jack Nicklaus,P.B. Dye and Greg Norman come up with if pre-
sented with pristine land along a beautiful coast line in a trop-ical area?
Such a coast line exists along a 125--mile stretch on theYucatan Peninsula in the State of Quintana Roo, Mexico.From the air you can see where the turquoise blue waters ofthe Caribbean Sea splash into the white sandy beaches allthe way from Puerto Morelos, which is just south of theCancun International Airport, to the small fishing villagethat is Punta Allen.
The white sand is all that separates the water from thegreen jungles of the Riviera Maya.
It was in that jungle foliage and along the jagged coast linethat Jones, Nicklaus, Dye and Norman created outstandinggolf courses that are offer stunning vistas and enough sets oftees to make the game challenging for all classes of players.
Golf hasn’t always been an option on the Riviera Maya. Asrecently as 30 years ago, the only reason to venture south ofCancun would be to visit the ruins of Tulum or Playa DelCarmen and the only thing one would see on the route wouldbe a few fishing villages and maybe some thatched huts alongsome of the beaches.
Not anymore.The Riviera Maya, with its cultural richness and beautiful
surroundings, is now one of the fastest growing resort areas inthe world with many all-inclusive hotels and ocean front bun-galows dotting the landscape.
There’s one other thing that is getting attention – the golfcourses. There are currently six golf courses on the Riviera
Maya and more in the planning stages. I played three of themand visited two others during a recent journey to the area.
To plan for a trip like this, one has to find the right resort.The choices are endless. You can find secluded beach hotelsor stay in a trendy ocean front hotel where you will minglewith guests from all over the world.
I stayed at the Iberostar Playa Paraiso, a five-star hotelwhich is one of five Iberostar resorts located on the sameproperty. Part of the lure was because the Iberostar PlayaParaiso Golf Club was part of the complex. The other part ofthe lure was it was an All-Inclusive resort which means theonly time you reach into your wallet is to offer a tip, and eventhat is optional.
Big tipper than I am, I became one of the favorite guestsof the friendly staff and all were asking me to ask for themwhenever I needed anything.
I got to know one of the bartenders (Carlos) so well thatwhenever I returned from a round of golf, as soon as he spot-
ted me crossing the massive lobby on my way through the bar,he would have my favorite beverage prepared and handed tome as I passed his station on my way to my suite.
Life is good at an Iberostar resort.Before my first round of golf, the club pro, Greg Bond,
gave me the best advice about playing all of the courses on theRiviera Maya. “Fairways and fairways,” he repeated over andover. “You keep remembering those two things and you willbe rewarded.”
What he was trying to emphasize was tightness of the fair-ways the penalty you will pay for missing them because youdon’t want to wander into the jungle looking for lost balls.Keeping the balls in the fairways takes on more difficulty
Golf is a Special Treaton the Riviera Maya
By Fred Robledo
Tulum
‘I got to know one of the bartenders so well that whenever I returned from a round of golf he would have my favorite beverage prepared as I passed his station on my way to my suite.
Life is good at an Iberostar resort.”
Bahia Principe
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WHERE TO STAYIberostar Paraiso Maya HotelCarretera Cheturnal-Puerto Juarez, km.309 30977710 Playa Paraiso Quintana – Roo MexicoPhone: (011) 52-984-077-2849Web site: www.iberostar.com Email: [email protected]
Five-Star all-inclusive hotel. There are two huge statues thatpreside over the entrance to the impressive reception areawhich features furniture carved in wood, brass, bronze orlimestone. From a giant harp whose strings are decoratedwith seashells to the huge brass vases and a lobby bar that isan exact replica of the Chichen Itza Pyramid, this hotel is anauthentic masterpiece, filled with objects that wouldn’t beout of place in a museum. This hotel also features outstand-ing nightly entertainment, sports facilities, six restaurants tosatisfy all culinary palates, five bars and an ice cream bar.Guests may choose from one of 349 Junior Suites, all with aterrace and full range of facilities including cable television,coffee making machines, mini-bar, hair dryer and safe.The hotel’s all-inclusive service also includes swimming atany of the many pools, sports such as aerobics, shooting,archery, basketball, cycling, beach volleyball, billiards, bocce,catamarans, football, gymnastics, kayaking, aqua gym, thescuba clinic, snorkeling, table tennis, tennis and windsurfing.
WHERE TO PLAYIberostar Playa Paraiso Golf ClubPar 72, rating 67.4 to 72.4, slope 120 to 136Yardage: from 4,680 yards to 6,683 yardsPhone: (011) 52-984-877-2800Web site: www.iberostar.comEmail: [email protected]
Bahia Principe Riviera Maya Golf ClubPar 72, rating 68.7 to 75.0, slope 120 to 137Yardage: from 5,259 yards to 7,272 yardsPhone: (011) 52-984-875-5048Web site: www.rivieramaya-golfclub.com
El Camaleon MayakobaPar 72, rating 69.0 to 73.8, slope 119 to 137Yardage: from 5,078 yards to 7,044 yards
Phone: (011) 52-984-206-3088Web site: www.mayakobagolf.com
El Manglar Vidanta Golf Riviera Maya2,923 yards, par 54Phone: (800-506-8171)Web Site: www.vidantagolf.com
Playacar Spa and Golf CoursePar 72, rating 72.8 to 76.1, slope 134 to 148Yardage: from 5,698 yards to 7,144 yardsPhone: (011) 52-984-873-4990Tee times: [email protected] site: www.palaceresorts.com
THINGS TO DOTulum Archeological SiteThis is the most beautiful archeological site on the RivieraMaya. Tulum, which means Fortified City in Maya, is theonly walled city along the coast, built in a way to defend itselfagainst attacks. Most of the buildings were built between1200 and 1450 AD.
Playa Del CarmenThis is a port where cruise ships stop to give its passengers ataste of the Riviera Maya. The city has experienced a devel-opment boom recently and the population, once made up ofpeople from the surrounding area, has quickly turned into amelting pot of immigrants from all over the world.
La Quinta Avenida (Fifth Avenue)This is where Europe meets Mexico over several squareblocks featuring handicraft shops, jewelry stores, exclusiveboutiques, bars and restaurants. In the evening, the night-clubs come alive raising the spirit and energy of the peopleto create a unique party atmosphere.
Festivals, EventsThere are things to do throughout the year throughout theRiviera Maya. In February there is the Mayakoba GolfClassic and a carnival at Playa Del Carmen. The ExpoTequila, which features tequila producers from all overMexico, is in July Other events during the year include filmfestivals, a sea turtle festival and the Playa Del Carmenfishing tournament.
Iberostar
because of the wind, and even reading the wind is toughbecause the trees are so short on the peninsula. Once a ballgets above the tree line, it’s at the mercy of the wind.
With all of the information rattling around in my brain,the first course I played was the Dye-designed Iberostar PlayaParaiso.
If you know anything about the Dye family of golf coursearchitects, you know to expect anything. P.T. Dye did not dis-appoint. How about trees in the middle of bunkers? Orcenotes (deep sink holes) in the middle of fairways? There isalways a fair amount of water on a Dye course and this onealso has narrow fairways carved from a Mayan jungle, deepbunkers, rock riverbeds, and vertical movements of land tocreate side hill, downhill and uphill lies.
“The first few holes are relatively easy,” Bond said, “butthe course gets your attention beginning at the seventh hole.”
The stretch of holes, from 7 through 11, are what Dyeliked to refer to as his Amen Corner. I would have called itTapped Out Corner because it can make you feel like tappingout.
The 547-yard 7th hole plays directly into the wind. Onceyou traverse the bunker-strewn, heavily contoured fairway,you must deal with a three-tiered green that isn’t very deep,but is about 80 yards wide. Land on the wrong side of thisgreen and you will be proud to three-putt it.
The 8th hole is a 463-yard par-4 that is uphill. You can’tmiss the green left, right or long or you will wind up in thejungle. Come up short and you will be hitting from a cenote.
The 9th hole is one of the most scenic with a view of thepyramid from the Iberostar Paraiso Maya resort. Although it isa relatively short (364 yards) par-4, the wind plays trick withyour shot to the green.
The 10th hole is the one with a tree standing along in themiddle of a waste bunker in the middle of the fairway. The
tree really doesn’t come into play as your tee shot should easi-ly carry the waste bunker, but still, it makes one want to hiteither left or right of the tree.
The 11th hole is a 405-yard par-4 with a sharp left dogleg.You have to carry a leg to cut the dogleg or risk going into oneof several bunkers if you play right of the water. This is a tar-get hole and you better not miss your target.
Despite the Dyeabolical trappings, the course is fun toplay if you play it from the correct set of tees. The course isall-inclusive which means you pay one price which coversgreens fees, driving range, a shared cart, food and beverage.
The next stop on my three-day excursion was the Jones-designed Gran Bahia Principie Riviera Maya Golf Club.
This is the newest course on the Riviera Maya havingopened just under a year ago. There are two golf courses onthe property, a full-length 18-hole, par-72 course and a 9-holepar-36 layout.
Jones took a piece of land that was 717 acres of tropicalrain forest and used 223 acres to route his courses.
Because the course is so close to the Caribbean Sea, itgets pretty windy so you always have to be careful with yourclub selection, particularly on the par-3 holes.
I played the 18-hole course which was one of the mostbeautiful courses I have ever played. Jones had to cut throughan ancient limestone quarry to create fairways for some of theholes. Others flowed naturally through the contours of theMayan jungle that was thick with mangroves and gum trees.
This was my favorite stop on this trip. The course had amore traditional look than the others because of the way Jonesused the natural terrain of the land and the holes that weresurrounded by a wide variety of plant species and animals.
Jones is a genius as using natural rock formations andcenotes in routing the course. The fairways were wide enoughto be fair, yet bordered by natural hazards to be challenging.
Bahia Principe
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There is no need to trick up anything on this course. Thecourse can stretch to as long as 7,272 yards for top players toas little as 5,259 yards from the forward tees. I played it fromthe white tees at 6,006 yards which was plenty for me.
The Riviera Maya is also an all-inclusive course where theprice to play golf covers food and beverage as well.
The third course on the trip was Norman’s El CamaleonMayakoba, home of the PGA Tour’s Mayakoba Classic.
This course, one of Norman’s favorites, bends throughthree distinctive landscapes – mangrove jungles, limestonecanals and the coast line of the Caribbean Sea.
Located on the luxury resort the Fairmont Mayakoba, res-idents can actually step out of their rooms and get into a boatthat will take them through one of the channels directly tothe first tee. Once on the tee, the course demands your atten-
tion immediately because right in the middle of the fairway(in the landing area) is a massive cenote and leads into anunderground cavern. If you hit your ball long enough, youmight have to rake the ball out of the cavern and take anunplayable!
Using a dark green tone of Paspalum grass, Normanguards his wide fairways with white sand dunes, mangroves,cenotes and lagoons.
Two of the great holes on the course are par-3s that playdirectly toward the blue hued waters of the Caribbean Sea.The 8th hole measured only 110 yards into the teeth of astrong wind and when my playing companions all came upmore than 20 yards short, I went from a 9-iron (my 110-yardclub) to a 6-iron (my 150-yard club), hit it well and barelyreached the front edge of the green.
Mayakoba
Mayakoba
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When I got to the 15th, a 144-yard hole into the samewind, I went with a 5-wood (175 yards for me) and knocked itover the green. So much for knowing how to play the wind.
Although the fairways leave ample room to drive the ball,you have to be careful with your distance because troublelurks in many areas if you hit too long (into lagoons) or intocenotes if you are too short.
The greens are massive and heavily contoured whichbrings precise irons into play. It’s a PGA Tour course so it’snot meant to be easy, but it has enough tees to make it funand challenging for all levels of players.
A course I didn’t play, but got to see was El Manglar GolfCourse, an 18-hole, par-54 designed by Nicklaus.
As far as par-3 courses go, this one is right up there along-side the par-3 course at Augusta National. This course is amasterpiece which includes several holes that are replicasother famous par-3 holes around the world.
Augusta National’s 12th hole is replicated in detail includ-ing a bridge at the 7th hole much like the Ben Hogan Bridgethat crosses the pond in front of the green. Rivera’s 6th holewhich features a bunker in the middle of the green shows upas the 17th hole.
But it’s not just the replications of holes that makesthe course special. It’s holes like the 276th 13th and theclosing 195-yard 18th to an island green that make thiscourse a “must play” course for every golfer who visits the
Riviera Maya.All of the course I played are truly spectacular and it’s easy
to understand why more and more courses are being plannedfor the Riviera Maya. The area has stunning beauty, grandioseresorts and the weather is gorgeous.
CasuallyCaribbeanCuraçao
By David R. HollandCourtesy of WorldGolf.com
Old Quarry Golf Course
CasuallyCaribbeanCuraçao
ibbeanCuraçao
Old Quarry Golf Course
ibbeanCuraçao
CURAÇAO, Netherlands Antilles – Mount Tafelberglooms over Pete Dye’s Old Quarry Golf Course likePresident Hugo Chávez rules Venezuela and eccen-trically imagines he owns this Caribbean island. Hedoesn’t own it — the Dutch do.
Curaçao, home to Santa Barbara Plantation, a 1,500-acre gatedcommunity, with two marinas, a brand-new Hyatt Regency andgolf course, is located about 35 miles off the northern coast ofVenezuela and is the largest of the ABC islands that includesAruba and Bonaire.
Remember the pretext to William Shakespeare's 1610-11 play,The Tempest -- “What would you do if you were stranded on adesert island?” Well, Curaçao, certainly fits the description. Butyou can play golf here.
“With rainfall at only 20 inches a year and evaporation at 92inches per year, water conservation and accurate delivery of irriga-tion was key,” said Jim Bolinger, golf manager and headed theconstruction. “Another was the need to blend it into surroundingsthat are desert like with various forms of cactus, and combine itwith the influence of the Caribbean. Where else in the world canyou find cactus growing just adjacent to salt water? It is a strikingcontrast.”
The “quarry” is that craggy expanse of limestone, MountTafelberg, a center point of the development, and where on yourjourney around the 6,970-yard par-72 golf course, you might evensee explosions – they are still mining marble.
The building of The Old Quarry Golf CourseSo you are going to build a championship golf course more
than a thousand miles from the USA and there are no skilledworkers. What do you do?
“When Pete Dye built Teeth of the Dog (DominicanRepublic) back in 1969 they had similar challenges with the work-ers not knowing about golf,” Bolinger recalled. “It was a steady joband the workers learned as we progressed – they learned from twoexperienced shapers and slowly gained experience. It was thesame here in Curaçao. I know the workers have a great sense ofpride in how they participated and learned.
“Two additional technicians from Mexico came and spent ayear installing the irrigation system and trained two locals on howto fix any problems after the system was operating.”
So once the irrigation system was operational Bolinger andcrew had a pick of three water sources: effluent water from an on-site water treatment plant, fresh and salt water, and reverse osmo-sis water that was purchased. All of these sources were mixed toproduce irrigation water for the wall to wall Paspalum.
Old Quarry Golf Course: the routingThe holes are as close to natural as possible, Bolinger said,
with minimal shaping just to make it playable and not to destroyimportant surrounding vegetation.
“People tell me they enjoy the challenge and diversity of thecourse,” Bolinger said. “During your round you will experienceocean holes, bay side holes, marsh views of a rookery, mountain
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and valley view holes. The par 3s are all a test in itself sometimesappearing to be more difficult than they really are. And the veryconstant trade winds blow and gust around the mountain thatframes most of the course.”
Most likely you won’t get wet during your round, but thewind is constant, especially on the two opening holes along theocean – a par 4 and 5 where the wind pushes your ball towardthe Caribbean.
Mount Tafelberg is in view on the tee shot at No. 4, a 380-yard, par 4, and then more fun begins. The par 5s are reachable intwo and there is a marina par 3 before climbing to the base of themountain for more rugged scenery.
Eight months out of the year you can bank on temperatures inthe 90s, “but people should come to Curaçao not only to golf butenjoy scuba in crystal water, fishing, sailing, tennis or just venturingout into the various beaches throughout the island,” Bolinger said.
Santa Barbara Plantation’s amenitiesIf you are going to make the effort to fly almost all the way to
South America, most Americans have picked Aruba in the past, butCuraçao is a worthy opponent. The golf course is fun and challeng-ing, but there’s much more to do. The Dutch love tennis and willprobably gravitate to golf as another recreational opportunity.
The Hyatt Regency Curaçao offers ocean views from its sea-side rooms, and is a full-service Dutch Caribbean resort with 350
rooms, situated on 27 acres of pristine property between theCaribbean Sea and the Spanish Waters Bay.
The resort features three restaurants, with indigenous menucreations that focus on the freshest seafood and farm-to-tableingredients. Recreation includes three pools, four clay, lighted ten-nis courts, the 4,500-square foot Atabei Spa, a full service salon,24-hour Hyatt StayFit™ fitness center, and the golf course withcomplete practice facilities. The resort is the centerpiece of the
exclusive Santa Barbara Plantation. For more information, visitsantabarbarplantation.com.
Curaçao’s adventures“Choose your own adventure” describes life on Curaçao,
where The Dutch first occupied the island in 1634 and have con-trolled it since 1815. Its ruggedly beautiful landscape providesplenty of fun diversions. Aside from golf go hiking, biking, andtake ATV tours. Scuba divers can pick from 60 locations. Relax onbeaches both intimate and secluded. Unlike those on otherCaribbean islands, Curaçao’s beaches allow you to work on yourtan, not on hunting for an available spot.
Explore Curaçao’s capital city, Willemstad – a lively port ofhigh-end retailers, restaurants, colonial architecture with lots ofcolor, nightlife spots and be treated to a diverse cuisine thatincludes foods from all over the world.
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Brand New Hyatt Regency Curaçao Golf Resort, Spa andMarina Opens Three Restaurants; Introduces Farm-to-TableProgram and Launches Community Outreach Initiatives
WILLEMSTAD, Curaçao – Whether serving indigenous faresuch as grilled ostrich or presenting dishes on hand-carved table-ware created by locals, the Hyatt Regency Curaçao Golf Resort,Spa and Marina is making sure to provide guests with an unfor-gettable dining experience. Theresort’s award-winning culinaryteam has rolled out three uniquerestaurant concepts, partnered withlocal farmers and reached out tocommunity organizations to makethis 350-room resort a uniqueCaribbean foodie destination.
In order to boost Curaçao’sagriculture industry, the resort isleveraging relationships with localfarmers and, on some level, introducing indigenous ingredientsthat guests may not have the chance to otherwise experience. Inorder to provide menus with fresh, local items, Hyatt RegencyCuraçao has partnered with Finca de Sol, a local organic farm,to develop its farm-to-table program and will soon cultivate anonsite farm to grow produce that will be incorporated into themenus at all three restaurants. “The goal of this program is touse low impact techniques, preserve biodiversity and keep farm-ing healthy for generations to come,” said Food and BeverageDirector Maurice Fahey.
The resort also practices social responsibility by partneringwith local foundations to help mentally and physically disabledCuraçaoans put their creative skills to use. The resort’s threerestaurants, SHOR, MEDI and SWIM, feature ceramic bowlsand wooden plates that have been carved and shaped by thosein the program along with Braille menus created by studentsfrom a local blind school. One especially unique food presenta-tion is the “Y” shaped Pinchos Grill. Carved from local Calabashwood, the Pinchos Grill is dressed with skewers of chicken,beef, shrimp and vegetables and artistically positioned into thesand providing a memorable dining experience for guests loung-ing on the beach.
“Our three distinct restaurants operate independently andwe make sure to keep dishes authentic to the genre of eachvenue,” said Executive Chef Pivar. “SWIM, MEDI and SHORall feature simple yet versatile menu selections that will satisfyany palate – one of our most popular indigenous dishes atSHOR is the stuffed ostrich tenderloin with spinach, tomato andgoat cheese.”
Sun bathers can dive into Pan-Latino fare at SWIM, theresort’s trendy pool bar and grill. Favorites include grilled mahimahi fish tacos in soft corn tortillas with fresh pico de gallo andflavored with cilantro-lime mayo, or the Chorizo Chicken QuesoFundido served with crispy tortilla chips. For poolside refresh-ments, SWIM offers a variety of signature cocktails including“The New Mambo” with dark rum, triple sec, mango and straw-berry puree with fresh lime.
To satisfy Mediterranean food cravings, MEDI restaurantoffers a tapas-style menu with dishes that include whitefish carpac-cio, hummus and baba ghanoush and lollipop chicken legs.Romantic and elegant in design, MEDI features an expansive out-
door space overlooking the waterwith an exhibition kitchen andwood fired oven as a dramatic cen-terpiece. The restaurant features animpressive wine list with spiritsfrom around the globe includingreds such as Finca Flichman, anArgentinian Malbec with a drymedium taste, or Louis JadotGrand Cru, a rare Chambertin Closde Beze from France. Notable
whites include Domaine de Pré Semelé, Sancerre, a crisp whiteproduced in the Loire Valley of France, or Finca La Linda, a freshand lively unoaked Chardonnay from Mendoza, Argentina withfresh aromas of peach, pear and passion fruit.
SHOR, located oceanfront on the resort’s Pete Dye champi-onship golf course, features American cuisine presented in acontemporary style. Classic dishes include prime aged rib eyeand blue crab cakes, but diners can also sample indigenous cui-sine such as grilled ostrich and wild tuna and snapper.
For more information or for reservations, please visitwww.Curaçao.hyatt.com or call 800.55.HYATT
FROM AVOCADO QUESADILLAS TO GRILLED OSTRICHHYATT REGENCY CURAÇAO’S CULINARY TEAM’S UNIQUE DINING CONCEPTS
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While it’s a fallacy that coal can be turned into glittering dia-monds, it’s nonetheless true that shining stars can blossomfrom the fertile soil surrounding former Welsh coal country.
Case in point, the five glowing stars awarded to Celtic Manor Resort(www.celtic-manor.com) – a luxury destination lauded as the best inthe UK and situated less than two hours from London. With pamperedservice from the wonderfully attentive staff, sterling amenities fit forroyalty and world-class golf to boot, Celtic Manor sparkles as brilliantlyas the Hope Diamond.
In October 2010, even more stars – those of exceptional golfingvariety – will shine at acclaimed Celtic Manor as the opulent retreatwill host the best in the game for the Ryder Cup. In the lovely Walesautumn, the U.S. and Europe will clash in the world’s ultimate teamtournament. The drama will unfold over 7,493 yards of spectaculartension that is The Twenty Ten Course – the first in history designedsolely to host the Ryder Cup.
The Twenty Ten evolves in three acts. The opening features beguil-ing holes with a links-like ambiance as fairways weave to and fro with
bumps and hollows, and level lies as rare as tap-in eagles. Framing thewell-manicured fairways are gnarly industrial strength rough andgreenside swales to gobble up shots lacking accuracy or authority.
The second act – the middle of the stout eighteen with holes origi-nally laid out by Robert Trent Jones, Jr. – is a study in water manage-ment as insidious lakes stand sentinel, threatening the golfer withpenalty strokes at every turn. Thankfully, the bucolic setting of thepanoramic parkland serves to soothe the mind and nerves.
The final act is a dramatic clash of cymbals as holes 14-18 bare thesharp teeth of Ross McMurray’s course redesign. Two holes willdemonstrate classic Ryder Cup match play dilemmas. The 413-yard14th tests golfers’ mettle: Take on a long carry with a drive down theright hand side of the fairway for a better look at the putting surface?Or choose the safer route and face a sinister lake cutting in off the leftwith their second?
Crucial Ryder Cup matches might well turn at the driveable par-415th, where the aggressive play off the tee requires clearing mature
Celtic Manor – The 2010 Ryder Cup Host is Ready to Shine
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Wales – Land ofWonderful Tales
As the world descends on Wales for the spectacle of the 2010Ryder Cup, visitors will discover a country steeped in rich cultureand fascinating history. With over 600 medieval ruins throughoutthis lush land, Wales has more castles per square mile than any-where else in the world. Most notable are the castles built duringthe reign of warrior King Edward I (1272-1307) with magnificentwalled cities in Beaumaris, Caernarfon, Conwy and Harlech. Eachis well preserved and comprise a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
With their mellifluous lilt, Wales is also known as “The Landof Song” as its people are renowned for their affinity for music.Whether you hear the eerily beautiful traditional hymn singingcalled Cymanfa Ganu, Welsh folk songs triumphing tales of unre-quited love or ancient kingdoms or simply a jovial sing-along inone of Cardiff’s welcoming 350 pubs, you won’t travel far inWales without hearing a song. Best advice in a pub when songbreaks out (as it surely will!), is to grab a pint and join right in.
The Welsh have the gift of gab. With a long tradition of story-telling extolling the deeds of King Arthur, Merlin the Magicianand tragic battles between dragons, it’s little wonder that Waleshas given the world an inordinate number of famous writers andpoets. Dylan Thomas, Roald Dahl, Dick Francis, Martin Amis,George Eliot and Ken Follett (to name but a few), all have rootsthere. Hay-on-Wye – a lively river town on the English border isoften described as “the town of books” and hosts a literary festivaleach June that attracts over 80,000 bibliophiles.
To truly discover Wales, all one needs to do is simply ventureoutside. In addition to the bucolic farmland (the home of over 11million sheep!), Wales possesses some of the world’s most won-derous seascapes with 750 miles of coastline – much of it jaw-dropping. The glorious Gower Peninsula on the north side of theBristol Channel in southwest Wales was the first area in theUnited Kingdom to be designated an “Area of OutstandingBeauty” in 1956. As the country is only 170 miles from north tosouth and 60 miles east to west, you’re never far from soaringmountains or idyllic sea. Wales is choc-a-bloc with hikers, walk-ers, cyclists and surfers.
Wales has more than enough delights for every traveler. Sure,you’ll come for the world-class golf, but also discover a land ofenchantment, wonder and awe. Then, in that long Welsh tradi-tion, you’ll too have wonderful tales to tell.
Ryder Cup Host is Ready to Shine trees. Eagles are a possibility for the brave of heart. LikeAugusta National, The Twenty Ten is risk/reward golf with dan-ger and heartbreak facing off against possible glory. It’s the per-fect Ryder Cup venue.
As The Twenty Ten was designed solely with the Ryder Cupin mind, spectators will have excellent vantage points to watchthe action unfold. Three large viewing platforms were con-structed for hospitality above the 16th, 17th and 18th holes.Galleries are also able to gather on the huge natural moundsand hillsides to view not only the drama of the closing holes,but also the earlier action as it plays across the course below.The Resort has invested $26 million to develop the new course,clubhouse (which opened in autumn 2007) and surroundinginfrastructure like a pristine Ryder Cup practice ground for theelite of the game (and visitors) to hone their skills.
In addition to The Twenty Ten, Celtic Manor’s 1,400-plusacres of scenic beauty boasts two other championship courses.The Roman Road, designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr., opened
by JD Latorre
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in 1995 as the resort’s first course. Overlooking the Severn Estuarywith marvelous views across to Somerset and Devon, Roman Roadtakes its moniker from the ancient East to West highway ofRoman Britain crossing its fairways on the way to the nearbyRoman fortress town of Caerleon.
Not to be missed is The Montgomerie, a spectacular par-69challenge with dramatic tee shots over broad valleys and breath-taking downhill approaches. Course designer and 2010 EuropeanRyder Cup Captain Colin Montgomerie has drawn on his Scottishroots to develop an “inland links” golf experience with deep andpenal pot bunkers lurking throughout. The Montgomerie offersstunning vistas of the Usk Valley and the Severn Estuary.
Belying its current grandeur, Celtic Manor possesses a hum-ble, but noble pedigree. On trips home to South Wales fromCanada, Sir Terry Matthews --– the Ottawa, Canada-based entre-preneur and first billionaire from Wales – kept noticing a dilapi-dated old mansion for sale on a parcel of land resplendent withlovely rolling vistas and wooded hills. Proving that life is indeed acircle, the old manse was the very building where he was bornduring its former life as a maternity hospital. For a modest invest-ment, Sir Terry bought the land and Celtic Manor’s journey to thepinnacle of UK destination resorts was launched.
Though the golf alone merits a visit to Celtic Manor, thedestination Sir Terry created is heralded as the one of thefinest in the world. Visitors will discover two lavish hotels – the
majestic, 330-room Resort Hotel and historic, 70-room ManorHouse. Also on the grounds are five savory restaurants, twotranquil spas and state-of-the-art health clubs, a golf academyand miles of hiking trails. A convention center, exhibition hall,array of well-appointed suites, meeting rooms and large ball-rooms are also available to host groups up to 1,500 for confer-ences, weddings and other special events. Celtic Manor is aspecial spot on the globe.
In 2010, the resort is ready to sparkle for the entire world toadmire. Well, perhaps it is true that glittering diamonds do riseout of coal country. Celtic Manor in the lush Wales countryside isas brilliant as they come.
For more information, email Reservations at [email protected]; call 866.789.5779 (U.S.) / 877.354.2003 (Canada) andask for Golf Sales Manager Sean Clancy; or visit www.celtic-manor.com.
Getting There: Celtic Manor is 45 minutes from BristolInternational Airport (BRS) and Cardiff International Airport(CWL). Daily, non-stop flights are available from Newark, NewJersey (EWR) to Bristol on Continental. Daily, one-stop flights areavailable from New York to Cardiff on KLM via Amsterdam; andfrom New York, Chicago, Boston and Orlando on Aer Lingus viaDublin. London Heathrow Airport (LHR) is a two-hour shuttledrive, with rail service from Paddington Station (London) toNewport, Wales also available.
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PENDERYN RELEASES CELTICMANOR LIMITED EDITION WHISKY(NEWPORT, Wales) -- Penderyn, the award-winning
Welsh whisky distiller, released a special edition whisky tocelebrate The Celtic Manor Resort, the venue for the 2010Ryder Cup, one of the world's biggest sporting events.
The Penderyn Celtic Manor 2010 whisky is strictly lim-ited to 200 bottles and was commissioned by The CelticManor Resort to commemorate what is a very historic yearfor not only the Resort, but also for Wales.
The whisky is a unique Welsh single malt matured in asingle Oloroso Sherry cask. The single cask used for thisexpression was selected by Penderyn's head distiller, GillianMacdonald, and is bottled at 50% ABV. Each bottle is pre-sented in a hand-made tulip wood box, crafted in SouthWales by the fine furniture maker Giancarlo Bianchi.
Tasting Notes"A rich whisky from an Oloroso sherry cask drenched
with sherry from years in a bodega. Fresh and clean to thepalate and brimming with sultana raisins and creamy toffee.Hints of oak from the Spanish oak cask. Long finish with theaftertaste of creamy fudge tablet."
The expression is priced at £150 per bottle includingVAT. Bottles of the whisky will be available to purchasefrom the Celtic Manor's online shop, the retail outlets atCeltic Manor and from the Penderyn website and Distillery.
Stephen Davies, managing director of Penderyn com-mented, "This specially selected single malt is an example ofPenderyn at its very best and we are delighted to be able tocelebrate this important year with the Celtic Manor Resort."
Gareth Rees Jones, Marketing Director at Celtic Manorsaid, "This is a very exciting and important year for CelticManor and we wanted to mark the occasion by producingsomething special that our members and guests could enjoy.We are delighted to be working with Penderyn, anotherquality Welsh brand that is at the forefront of promotingWales around the world, to offer this limited editionwhisky."
This release comes as Penderyn prepares to celebrate 10years of distilling at its unique distillery in the BreconBeacons National Park.
About PenderynPenderyn is the award winning single malt whisky,
launched in 2004 to revive the Welsh whisky distillation tra-dition after an absence of more than 100 years. Producedon the southern reaches of the Brecon Beacons, only twobarrels of the single malt whisky are produced per day.
Since its launch, Penderyn has become one of the mostrecognised brands to emanate from Wales and is now soldextensively throughout the UK and worldwide. It hasgained the highest praise of the whisky industry and wonnumerous international awards, including honours at theprestigious International Wine and Spirit Competitions.
It is available throughout the UK in Tesco, Sainsbury's,Threshers, Victoria Wine, Harrods, Berry Brothers, leadingindependent wine spirit merchants, whisky websites and on-line at www.welsh-whisky.co.uk
10 Facts About Wales1. Wales is one of four countries of the United Kingdom along withEngland, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
2. Wales is bordered by England to the east, the Bristol Channel to thesouth, St George's Channel in the west, and the Irish Sea to the north.
3. The unit of currency is the British Pound Sterling (GBP).
4. Wales is renowned for its great writers including poet DylanThomas, author Roald Dahl, and mystery writer Dick Francis.
5. Cardiff is the capital and largest city with a population of 325,000.
6. The official animal is the dragon.
7. English is the day to day language for most people although theWelsh language still flourishes.
8. Tourism is a key employer and industry in Wales.
9. St. David is the Patron Saint of Wales
10. Famous actors Richard Burton, Catherine Zeta-Jones, TimothyDalton, and Anthony Hopkins were all born in Wales.
26 GOL F VA C AT IO N S • OC TOB E R 2010 www.golfvacationsmag.com
Las Vegas is known as a city ofthemed hotels. It has it all—theEiffel Tower of Paris, the Pirateships in Treasure Island, the
pyramid of the Luxor, the canals of theVenetian, the skyscrapers of New York—and the list goes on.
But it is doubtful that any of them liveup to their name as well as the PlanetHollywood Resort & Casino. With a hipvibe and a celebrity feel that reverberatesthrough its modern architecture andHollywood theme, it features a three-acrecasino floor adorned with 33 plasmascreens, two jumbo screens and a VIP sec-tion. It is the first Las Vegas resort to offertable games dealt by young ladies in “chiclingerie” and the Pleasure Pit section ofthe table games features go-go dancersentertaining as you gamble.
While the current day PlanetHollywood certainly lives up to its celebri-ty billing, the history of the hotel and casi-no over almost 50-years certainly lendsitself to the Hollywood name. Openedoriginally in 1963 as the Tally-Ho, the orig-inal hotel at this site reopened in 1966 asthe Aladdin in 1966 and less than a yearlater hosted the wedding of Elvis andPriscilla Presley. Through the next threedecades the Aladdin was host to some ofthe top names in show business and enter-tainment as guests and entertainers alikebefore closing in 1997.
The original Aladdin was imploded in1998, rebuilt and opened as the new Aladdinin 2000. Even in its destruction the oldbuilding gained fame as footage of theimplosion was used in the movie The Cooler.In 2003 the Aladdin was sold and became aPlanet Hollywood resort with a makeover.Harrah’s officially became the owner earlierthis year and has revitalized the propertyagain, strengthening the Hollywood connec-tion and giving it a fresh makeover.
Planet Hollywood features rooms thatmeet its Hollywood theme. The resort has52 floors (with the final two being VIP)and each room is dedicated to a certainmovie such as Backdraft. Rooms featureactual props and memorabilia from thefilm. The rooms range from standard toluxurious "Panorama" suites with a view ofthe whole Las Vegas Strip.
The swimming pool in this resort is canbe accessed through the sixth floor. The areaoverlooks the Strip with a view of the northand south. It features two pools and two hotspa one of each in both the South and North
Strip. The one in the North Strip sectionfeatures VIP cabanas for renting. Inbetween is a bar/grill/snack-bar with a patchof grass lined with pool chairs for guests tosit and eat. On Fridays and Saturdays, DJ'sspin popular music from noon to 4:00 p.m.
Adjoining the resort in what used to beknown as "The Desert Passage” mall is thenew, Hollywood-themed "Miracle Mile
Shops,” an endless circle that will keepeven the most ardent shoppers busy with170 shops and 15 restaurants.
In the resort, the 7,500-seat Theatrefor the Performing Arts hosts annualextravaganzas including the Miss AmericaPageant; it’s also a regular Las Vegas stopfor some of the biggest names in musicand live performance.
HOLLYWOOD SAYS HELLO TO VEGASHOLLYWOOD SAYS HELLO TO VEGAS
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More than a dozen movies or televi-sion shows have used Planet Hollywoodfor locations, including Transporter 3,which held its world premier at the resortin 2008, and the hotel was prominentlyfeatured in the movie What Happens inVegas. The movie The Expendables pre-miered at Planet Hollywood in August andwas announced by a chopper on the casino
floor. Only in Las Vegas.Because the resort is now part of the
Harrah’s family, two of the finer golf cours-es in the area are now available for guestsat Planet Hollywood. Cascata is one of the“must-play” courses while in town and anexperience that most golfers will look backon for a long time, while Rio Seco isamong the top-rated tracks in Las Vegas
and will not disappoint. For more information on Planet
Hollywood and Harrah’s Stay and Playpackages, contact: Todd [email protected] (702) 777-2402;or go to www.planethollywood.com. Forinformation on Cascata visit www.har-rahs.com/golf/cascata-golf/; or for RioSeco go to: www.riosecco.net
SAYS HELLO TO VEGAS SAYS HELLO TO VEGASby Terry Ross
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Even though a Las Vegas golf vacation offers more thana few entertainment diversions—most of them awayfrom the links in fact—a day of golf at Cascata (the
Italian word for waterfall) is unlike very many you will find ongreen grass.
Owned and managed by Harrah’s Entertainment, a teetime here is usually packaged with stays at their hotel proper-ties such at Planet Hollywood, Cesar’s Palace, the Rio, Paris,Harrah’s Las Vegas and the Flamingo and others, a round ofgolf at this exclusive club is very much an experience ratherthan just another 18-holes of golf.
From the time you drive into the gate-guarded facility locat-ed less than 30 minutes from the Las Vegas strip along Interstate93, have your car valet parked and settle in at your personalizedlocker in the clubhouse with a flat screen television just above it,you quickly understand that this is a special place.
The Tuscan-style, 37,000-square-foot clubhouse offers anOld World ambiance of understated luxury with attentive staffmembers who oblige your every need. The dining room fea-tures an appetizing menu in a comfortable atmosphere. An
excellent collection of rare and fine tobaccos is stocked in thecigar lounge’s custom-designed humidor. The golf shop carriesan array of equipment, stylish apparel, accessories and compli-mentary fruit, pastries and bottled water.
A 418-foot waterfall flows softly from the steep mountain-side behind the clubhouse, tumbling over mammoth boulders,cascading into a river that roars through the clubhouse, even-tually culminating in a tranquil stream. It’s no wonder SportsIllustrated called Cascata "golf’s hidden treasure."
The staging area below the clubhouse even has a luxurylocker room feel as you walk downstairs to find your clubs onyour power cart and your caddie waiting in an air conditionedroom as you ready for your round. Automatic double doorslead the way out to the pristine practice tee while your caddiemakes sure you have your favorite food and beverage on-cartfor the upcoming round.
The caddies at Cascata are tour-quality—and some ofthem even make it to the PGA TOUR. For example, BillLunde, who won the Turning Stone Resort Championship inAugust, was a caddie at Cascata last year.
A Waterfall of Golf at CascataLuxury, Scenic Beauty and Tour Caliber Caddies!
By Terry Ross
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Opened in 2000, Cascata wasdesigned by Reese Jones and sportswide, generous fairways that windthrough the hills, including the 3,600-foot peak at Red Mountain with sometremendous views of the valley below.Driver is a good play on just about everyPar 4 or 5, and this is a very fair test ofgolf on one of the best-groomed cours-es you will find-- but it can be challeng-ing in spots, especially with the manyuphill and downhill lies. The caddiesare probably worth several strokes forthe first-time player because their localknowledge, especially on greens thatrun 11 or 12 on the stimp meter.
The variety of the holes at Cascataand their scenic beauty is much of thereason that the course has been namedthe No. 1 facility in the country byZagat and annually makes the Top 100Golf Course rankings by most of themajor publications.
One of the most picturesque holesis the downhill Par 3 seventh thatenjoys one of the dramatic waterfalls asa backdrop. An accurate tee shot is amust, with water short and left and acanyon wall and bunker on the right.Anything left above the hole is likely tobe extremely fast. Par is a good score onthis short hole.
Another interesting challenge is the14th hole, a dogleg right Par 4 wherewater is always in play. A driver downthe right side leaves a short approachshot, but anything missed to the rightwill end up wet. The percentage play isa fairway wood or long iron to the mid-dle of the fairway, leaving a mid-ironshot into this wide green protected bywater, bunkers and the desert.
The finishing 18th hole features arisk-reward option with the opportuni-ty for a birdie finish on the Par 5, butplayers must successfully navigate thewater hazard running the length of thehole as well as across the desert.Depending on the winds, it can bereached in two with a long-carryingdrive over the large rock formation onthe left that avoids the creek and thedesert. The safe play is a modest drivewith a three-wood left of the sand trapand a middle iron second shot,depending on where your tee shot endsup. The fairway slopes toward the
water, so the second shot must beplayed well left. The undulating greenwill leave players with a challengingfinish to their round.
Celebrities and tour pros - Cascata
has played host to many of them - andit is an experience where you under-stand why.
For more information visit:www.harrahs.com/golf/cascata-golf/
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A golf destination with a vibrant history always has a differentfeel to it, and as most golfers will tell you, Las Vegas is definitelyone of those vacation spots that roll out the red carpet for thosethat enjoy playing the links and the tables.
In the Western United States, Las Vegas is one of those desti-nations where golf has ingrained itself in the fabric of the commu-nity over time, and with more than 60 golf courses, a rich history ofprofessional and amateur events, home of one of the top collegiategolf programs in the nation in addition to being the address to someof the top players, instructors and movers and shakers in the sport.
Butch Harmon—Tiger Woods’ long-time instructor early in hiscareer and one of the top names in golf instruction—has his GolfSchool in Las Vegas, and the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitalfor Children Open, an official PGA Tour event this month as partof the Fall Series, are just two of the modern-day reasons that thegolf community in this city has banned together to establish theLas Vegas Golf Hall of Fame.
Opened in 2009 at the historic Las Vegas National Golf Club,a golf course that has hosted events on the PGA Tour and LPGATour, the HOF exhibit features a museum-quality display designed
GOLF HALL OF FAMELas Vegas National Golf Club
SIDETRIP
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by Las Vegas’ Cypress Architecture with input from current LasVegas Golf Hall of Fame committee members and other golf com-munity leaders. The exhibit is the first all-encompassing tribute tothe long history and tradition of Las Vegas golf ever created and isopen, free of charge, to the public during Las Vegas National GolfClub’s regular hours of operation.
The exhibit area features an extensive Las Vegas golf timelinethat brings to life such important golf dates and events as the PGATour’s inaugural Tournament of Champions that was played at LasVegas’ Desert Inn Golf Club in 1953; the 1983 Panasonic LasVegas Pro-Celebrity Classic, the PGA Tour’s first-ever tournamentwith a million-dollar prize purse; professional victories at LasVegas golf events by Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Woods, MickeyWright, Annika Sorenstam, Greg Norman and Karrie Webb; andthe 1998 UNLV NCAA Men’s GolfChampionship.
Other highlights include an area with photosand bios of Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame mem-bers including PGA Tour players TommyArmour III, Chris Riley and Robert Gamez, for-mer Champions Tour Player of the Year JimColbert, standout amateur player and currentSouthern Nevada Golf Association PresidentBrady Exber and community leader and ama-teur player Helen Cannon.
Also, the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame Wallof Champions features photos and informationfrom the more than 80 PGA Tour, LPGA Tourand Champions Tour events that have been played in the Las Vegasarea. A special tribute to local amateur champions, junior golf andarea professionals is also included. Plus, Tiger Woods’ first PGATour victory at the 1996 Las Vegas Golf Invitational is commemo-rated. Vintage Las Vegas golf memorabilia is also placed throughoutthe new exhibit.
“It is a thrill for the committee to now have the new homeexhibit that lives up to the excellence of the Las Vegas golfers who
are members of this prestigious hall of fame, and to honor thetremendous history of golf in the Las Vegas area,” says BrianHurlburt, President of the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame committee.“Las Vegas National Golf Club is a great choice as the home of theLas Vegas Golf Hall of Fame exhibit because of the deep history ofthe course, combined with the convenient location that is minutesfrom the Las Vegas Strip and in the heart of the Las Vegas Valley.”
The Hall of Fame was formerly known as the Southern NevadaGolf Hall of Fame, but committee members voted to change thename to best capture the essence and passion of the Las Vegas golfcommunity.
An additional aspect of the mission is to promote Las Vegas asa great golf destination. A 16-person committee made up of LasVegas golf professionals, media, amateur association leaders and
Hall of Fame members oversees the votingprocess. The annual induction ceremony takesplace during the week of the PGA Tour’s JustinTimberlake Shriners Hospitals for ChildrenOpen.
The Class of 2010 will be inducted during aceremony that coincides with the JustinTimberlake Shriners Hospitals for ChildrenOpen, on October 19 at the state-of-the-artPearl Theatre at the Palms Hotel. The 2010inductees will include Charlie Baron,Tournament Director of the Las Vegas PGATour stop for 22 years; Joe Kelly, PGA ofAmerica Golf Professional who has opened and
run more than a dozen Las Vegas courses; and the Tournament ofChampions will be honored at the event. A who’s who of the golfcommunity will be on hand to celebrate and recognize the achieve-ments of the new inductees.
If you want to see how one of the best golf destinations in thewest got there, it is worthwhile to visit the Las Vegas Golf Hall ofFame while in town.
For more information, visit: www.LasVegasGolfHOF.com.
By TerryRoss Las Vegas, NV
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As golfers look for that elusive elixirto improve their game—be it thenewest driver or putter to hit the
market—many recreational players arelooking into the mirror and working toimprove their physical conditioning andstrength in order to achieve a better game.
Golf fitness is one of those areas thathas increased in awareness and popularityover the last decade plus, driven in largepart by the role that the improved fitnesslevel on the professional tours has played inthose players ability to hit it longer, shootlower scores and competes at an increasing-ly high level for longer periods of time.
For recreational players, the ability toplay better and play more, avoid injury andfeel better at the end of a day on the courseis being driven by an increased awareness ofthe need to not only practice on the drivingrange, but to spend time in the gym as well.
Given the time constraints of today’sfast-pace world, the ability to achieve thenecessary cardiovascular and strengtheningworkout in as little time as possible is ofparamount importance as never before.
Now, a simple centuries- old trainingdevice combined with some 21st centurytechniques are coming together to formone of the best golf workouts available—and you can see some dramatic results in aslittle as 20 minutes, three times a week. It isa complete golf workout program as itbuilds stability and the strength to movefunctionally in more than one dimension asis the case with machines.
Kettle Worx™, is a Minnesota-basedcompany that is making some serious inroads into the fitness arena and has built an
excellent program around the cannon-ball-shaped iron weight with a handle attachedcalled a kettlebell that has been used inmany gyms and by personal trainers overthe past few years with increasing populari-ty. The kettlebell was first developed byRussian strongmen in the early 1700’s as away to build strength, balance, flexibility
and endurance. If this sounds familiar, thatis what most golf-specific training programsare out to achieve today.
These days, many kettlebell themed fit-ness classes are popping up across thecountry to promote all body workouts thatare one of the most efficient and effectiveworkouts available. Professional athletessuch as Chris Johnson of the TennesseeTitans and cyclist Lance Armstrong are nowusing kettlebell workouts
“It’s great because it brings cardio andstrength training together in one quickexercise,” said Michael Shade, kettlebellinstructor at Sports Club/LA in Miami.“Instead of lifting weights for half an hourand doing the treadmill for another halfhour, you can get everything done with ket-tlebells in 20 minutes.”
The Kettle Worx program accomplishesthis in spades. With as little as one weightand several of their DVD training pro-grams, you pretty much have a complete,versatile workout regimen that can be per-formed in front of your TV or computer inyour own home.
These expertly produced videos byJimmy Clark at Kettle Worx are about as
close as you can get to having a class taughtby a world-class instructor at your disposal.They are filmed at an easy one-on-one paceeven for beginners, but more advanced exer-cisers will find these workouts challenging asthe six-week program ramps it up each weekas you improve your level of fitness.
These DVD’s feature Toronto-basedfitness trainer Ryan Shanahan, a formerhockey player, who has established a repu-tation as one of the top trainers for celebri-ties who want to get in shape quickly andefficiently. His enthusiasm for the work-outs and the results is evident, but he is justas adept at explaining the details of each ofthe 200 exercises and 36 individual work-outs in the 12 hours available in the KettleWorx DVD catalogue.
Even though much of the emphasis inthe program is about weight loss and losinginches—the exercises in the three basicDVD’s—Cardio, Resistance and Core--aresome of the best methods for buildinggreater strength in those muscles groupsthat are key to the golf game. Another out-standing feature is the 64-page e-bookhealthy eating guide that is included on theintroduction DVD that features some out-standing nutritional information, recipes,meal plans, suggestions and work sheets togo along with the 42-day, six week bodytransformation program.
In addition to the basic three DVD’s,Kettle Worx also offers some excellent 10-minute mini-workouts that accent certainmuscle groups such as arms and shoulders,legs and thighs and chest and back. The ket-tlebells themselves can be ordered in fourdifferent weights—5, 10, 15 and 20-pounds.
For more information:www.KettleWorx.com
by Terry Ross
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GOL F VA C AT IO N S • OC TOB E R 2010 33www.golfvacationsmag.com
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