By: Marcia Abramson
On my last visit to Arizona I saw Sam Snead tee-off and just missed former Vice President Quayle, both of whom were playing in a senior competition at the beautiful Wigwam Resort and Golf Course. There are a plethora of inviting golf courses including the Boulders, the Camelback, Sun Ridge Canyon and the Pointe Golf Club.
The West Coast has California's outstanding Pebble Beach championship golf courses guaranteeing year-round play. The scenic settings at Pebble Beach are awesome and have been described as "the greatest meeting of land, sea and sky." It is also regarded as the site of one of the best golf courses in the world.
Palm Springs just two hours east of Los Angeles has retirement communities where golf reigns supreme with more than 80 golf courses in what was once just hot desert sand. I was surprised to see golf carts with automobile license plates on the streets of the towns of Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage and Indian Wells. As a matter of fact, the two-car garage has been expanded to house the golf carts in the residential parts of these towns. No question that golf is a way of life in parts of California.
Also golf has arrived in the fantasy world of Las Vegas, Nev. In addition to year-round sunshine, mild temperatures, the glitz and glamour of the casinos, the building of first-rate golf courses has added another dimension to the "city that never sleeps." It is fast becoming one of the country's important golfing destinations.
South Carolina became the locale of the first golf course in America in 1786. Scottish immigrants brought their game to the colorful city of Charleston. The city has 35 courses designed by such greats of golf as Tom Fazio, Rees Jones, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Pete Dye. The designs utilized Scottish tradition of true links style on coastal terrain to tight wooded low-country layouts. This is also true of world famous Hilton Head, "The Golf Island" with 30 championship fairways.
Having heard so much about St. Andrews, I made certain to visit this historic area before leaving Scotland. I found the Royal and Ancient Clubhouse at St. Andrews to be a memorable experience. St. Andrews Old Course is recognized the world over as the home of golf.
The Old Course is recognized as an "out and back" course. On a wind-free day, I found the play to be easy. However, I was told with just a little wind it is another story and a very difficult play.
The St. Andrews New Course is rated the best of the other courses here. But Kingsbarns Golf Club is Scotland's newest don't-miss course. It is a traditional Scottish links golf course on 1.5 miles of historic dramatic seacoast near edged trees and greens at St. Andrews Bay Devlin Course. The golfers told me that playing this fairway is an unforgettable experience for every level player. You don't have to be a golfer to enjoy the terrain, a walking tour of the grounds will be a wonderful experience.
The European continent is still the ideal destination for golfers with some of the most exquisite fairway vistas. I counted dozens of golf courses as I traveled from the South to the North of Ireland. Extraordinary landscapes are to be found on the grounds of Malahide Castle, Druid's Glen, Waterford, Cork, Galway, Donegal, Adore and Old Head Golf Links.
Traveling through England, Portugal and Spain, I also found many links for aficionados of the game. In fact, there is the SGH Golf Inc. organization that arranges Worldwide Custom Golf Vacations. You can contact your local travel agent for further information or SGH Golf at 1-800-284-8884.
Copyright by Marcia AbramsonE-mail: mascribe@aol.com
