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GOLF RESORT NEWS |
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Island Retreat Near Cork
A few minutes from Cork on a wooded country estate and wildlife park on an island in Cork Harbor, Starwood Hotels has opened the 133-room Sheraton Fota Island Golf Resort and Spa. The Deerpark course has hosted two Irish Opens and the Irish Senior Open, while the 7,121-yard Belvelly and the 7,362-yard Barryscourt incorporate a new nine-hole layout. Lakes and breezes off the harbor frequently come into play on the beautiful parkland courses. Ireland's newest golf academy here includes 10 covered bays, indoor/outdoor putting greens and the latest high-tech equipment. Old stone farm buildings comprise the charming clubhouse. Hotel rooms and suites are ultra-contemporary; and new country lodges are available to rent or to purchase. The Island spa has 18 treatment rooms, hydrotherapy and thermal suites and an indoor lap pool. On the island is the historic Fota House with its famous gardens, while nearby are the galleries, museums, theatres and restaurants of Cork. Visit the Blarney stone! http://www.fotaisland.ie
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Norman on Anguilla
Along a mile of pure-white beach on Anguilla in the British West Indies, Greg Norman laid 7,100-yard Tenemos Golf Course amid sea and dunes. The first tee dazzles with views of St. Maarten and the Caribbean, at the edge of Merrywing Salt Pond, which comes influences play on 13 holes. Picturesque is a 20,000 square-foot double green on the dunes of an adjacent white-sand beach, which is shared by the 2nd and 10th holes. Scheduled for completion in winter 2008 are Greek-style estate homes, villas and a St. Regis Resort hotel and spa. Commanding the Caribbean's second highest greens fee, Norman's Troon-managed track is the first golf course on the 6 mile by 3 mile island, which is rimmed with 33 of the most stunning beaches in the world. Private aircraft land within a few minutes of the golf course, and a marina is in the works. http://www.temenosanguilla.com
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Dye at a Ranch Resort
In the sunny foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountains a few minutes from the Monterey Peninsula, Carmel Valley Ranch has restored and upgraded its Pete Dye course, the clubhouse and the restaurant. Greens were enlarged, bunkers were added and reformed, and tees, fairways and greens have been reseeded with T-1 Bentgrass; four holes were lengthened. A new cart fleet with GPS zips along repaved cart paths. The course has been renamed as the Premier Club, and is now semi-private. One of the Luxury Resorts and Hotels collection, the entire resort is undergoing a $60 million transformation into a luxury condominium hotel, complete with a 12-court, Peter Burwash tennis complex, two outdoor swimming pools, and over 400 acres of wooded trails for hiking and biking. Condo suites will have kitchenettes, state-of-the-art electronics, wood-burning fireplaces and wraparound decks. And, a Golden Door Spa will open in early 2008. http://www.carmelvalleyranch.com
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The Boulders Spends Millions
A newly expanded driving range, upgraded bunkers on all 36 holes, teak outdoor furnishings, new party venues, and fancy new golf carts for the two Jay Morrish championship courses are among the new additions at the 5-star Boulders Resort and Golden Door Spa in Scottsdale. Travel + Leisure says The Boulders is the #1 golf resort in the Southwest. A $30 million renovation has begun on the 160 casitas; half of the 1,300-acre resort will be closed at one time. The new Ladies First golf program, limited to four women per session, includes 3 days of instruction, social activities and conditioning classes at the Golden Door Spa. 7 restaurants, multi-bedroom villas, 8 tennis courts, several swimming pools, and the glamour spa are among the amenities, in one of the most dramatic desert settings on the planet. http://www.theboulders.com
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Secret Weapon
TaylorMade's revolutionary new Motion Analysis Technology System (MATT) is now available only at Reynolds Plantation near Atlanta, Grand Cypress in Orlando, PGA of America in Florida and at Aviara Golf Academy at the Four Seasons Aviara near San Diego. Golfers are outfitted with a spaceman's suit and a special club, both of which have infrared markers. Nine cameras feed 3-dimensional information to a computer for club fitting and learning, a player profile, and nuances of the swing such as speed, launch angle and spin rate. After the "Ultimate Fitting Experience" with the MATT system, a new set of custom clubs and personalized bag are delivered within a few days; at Aviara, within 48 hours. http://www.taylormadegolf.com
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Golfers at Sea
Silverseas Silver Links program combines luxury cruises with golf, offering 15 itineraries in Europe, the Caribbean and Mexico aboard the Silver Shadow and the Silver Whisper. The on-board golf pro conducts lessons, contests and clinics, and makes arrangements for passengers to play some of forty-five courses in twenty-five countries and islands. From the Fairmont Pierre Marques Golf Club in Acapulco to the White Witch at Montego Bay, Teeth of the Dog in the Dominican Republic and Le Fregate in Marseille, the cruising and the golfing is easy. A 9-day September cruise stops for golf at Marbella, Cadiz, Casablanca, Funchal and the Canary Islands. Norwegian Cruise Line's newly renovated and renamed Pride of Aloha offers golfers the chance to play at Poipu Bay, Princeville, Wailea and other courses in Hawaii. http://www.ncl.com, http://www.silversea.com
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