As we prepare for the most watched “Masters” of all time and the unofficial opening of the golf season I thought it worthy to reflect on some neat golf video. I looked through various funny golf videos…some with dubious quantities of humor attached but finally settled on a great collection of the very best shots. For me, each shot brought back recollections of different seasons, great players and special memories surrounding golf and the people who play the sport.
We all have our list of top ten this or that; golf shots are as subjective as the greatest courses or finest wines. Very possibly your favorite shot may not have made this list, but there are some great ones in here. Enjoy.
About the Author: Gordon Dalgleish is the Co-Founding Director of PerryGolf, the leading provider of international golf vacations. You can find him onGoogle+
A recent article in Businessweek caught my attention as the travel and hospitality industry recovers from a miserable trading environment. Many of the luxury resorts in the USA are at best struggling and overseas operators are not fairing much better.
I have long thought that Cuba, when she opens her doors to US visitors will be a very popular destination. I have never visited Cuba but I understand it is a very interesting island nation. For a golf perspective, there are many companies aligned to the golf industry who would dearly love to have access to Cuba; from developers who see resorts in Cuba and condos as the next gold rush, to golf course architects who would drool at the opportunity to build a seaside course unencumbered by the coastal development restrictions of the US and elsewhere; golf course construction companies who are desperately trying to replace the golf course construction boom in the US of the first half of the last decade; course operators like Troon Golf who would happily add to their portfolio….and finally the travel industry which is always looking for the next frontier….and eventually the golfer who is seeking a new golf experience in a hitherto forbidden land!
My understanding is that at the current time there is one golf course in Cuba that is operated by the Spanish Hotel group, Sol Melia. The facility dates back before the revolution…given the manner in which golf has been leveraged by the tourism industry throughout the globe, my sense is Cuba will have substantially more than one course at some point in the future.
I cannot speak to the polotical ramifications of the embargo, but confidently believe the golf industry is ready to begin the invasion.
About the Author: Gordon Dalgleish is the Co-Founding Director of PerryGolf, the leading provider of international golf vacations. You can find him onGoogle+
A recent weekend trip with some old friends to Seabrook Island, S.C., approximately 30 minutes south of Charleston was very illuminating. Seabrook Island sits alongside Kiawah Island at the end of a 12 mile long two lane road. I first visited Seabook Island in the early 1980’s and over the years it has had it’s share of financial challenges and I have long considered it the poor cousin to neighboring Kiawah Island.
Kiawah Island’s Ocean Course hosted the 1991 Ryder Cup alongside a number of other events. The five star Sanctuary (Hotel) opened a number of years ago. and enjoys critical acclaim. They have added the River & Cassique Courses (both private) on Kiawah along with a magnificent clubhouse. Kiawah is also home to a significant collection of uber beach homes. Interestingly, Kiawah has different owners for the resort and private land development elements. It results in some curious arrangements, for example, where a hotel guest must pass through a private (homeowners) security gate to reach the premier resort course (Ocean Course). I am aware of friends being either turned away at this security gate or given a tough time in passing!
On the flip side, Seabrook is far more low key. The golf courses (36 holes) are acceptable. Nothing off the charts either way, but enjoyable and well maintained. On the amenities side they are swimming against the current tide in the golf industry. They just opened a wonderful golf clubhouse and pool/beach complex. Their tennis clubhouse is under construction and the homeowners just opened a health/indoor – outdoor swimming facility/play areas/meeting rooms/library complex. The physical plant at Seabrook is very impressive by any measure. All of this has happened in the last 12 months! Additionally, approximately 5 years ago they managed to pass a change in their legal structure that mandated any new homeowners to become members of the Seabrook Island Club. This is a hugely significant arrangement that many facilities wish they had put in place on day one.
As for Kiawah, we played one of their resorts courses on Sunday and I was completely underwhelmed. The service was pleasant but grossly understaffed. They still charged full resort rates however. The course was clearly lacking in maintenance funds although the greens were in good shape, peripheral maintenance was apparently “deferred”.
Bottom line, I would gladly return to Seabrook and my impression of Kiawah Island was damaged. It is still a nice place, but no longer as untarnished as I previously viewed it. Brands are fickle and can easily be damaged without correct investment, conversely, they can be salvaged with some prudent oversight.
About the Author: Gordon Dalgleish is the Co-Founding Director of PerryGolf, the leading provider of international golf vacations. You can find him onGoogle+
Golf at Tortuga Bay in the Dominican Republic, a Leading Golf property
I was delighted that we were able to announce a new partnership with one of the most respected brands in the lodging industry, Leading Hotels of the World. Leading Hotels are currently embarked on a Leading Leisure initiative to grow their resort business as it historically has been more reliant on it’s city hotels aimed at the business traveler. LHW launched Leading Spa’s last year and the Leading Golf program is the next step for them. We have been helping them conceive, design and implement this plan for the last several months and have very exciting ideas as we move ahead in the coming months.
The properties within the LHW portfolio are impressive and recognizable. We have launched the Leading Golf program with a relatively small number of properties who met certain specific criteria. As the program grows we shall be adding new golf resorts in various locales around the world. The golf resorts range from the recognized stalwarts in Scotland to the new, highly decorated properties in Asia and the Caribbean.
I am particularly excited about the Signature Events which shall be unique, special events at some of their most desirable properties, including Gleneagles and the Old Course Hotel. Details shall be coming out soon.
About the Author: Gordon Dalgleish is the Co-Founding Director of PerryGolf, the leading provider of international golf vacations. You can find him onGoogle+
A few years ago I travelled for the first time to Nebraska to play Sand Hills. Designed by the team of Ben Crenshaw & Bill Coore I had extremely high expectations….and they were surpassed The story of Sand Hills is worth reading in the above link. Quite simply, the topography in that part of the USA is remarkable for building golf courses. The recent article in the Omaha newspaper similarly caught my eye as another fine venue is built, even during these challenging economic times. I am not for one moment suggesting that Nebraska replicates the overall experience of golf in Scotland, however, based on my time at Sand Hills, for 4 hours, if you focus solely on the golf course at hand and ignore the surroundings, you could be a thousands of miles away. This region of Nebraska where sand hills were formed is very similar to the sand hills of North Carolina (home to Pinehurst amongst others) and the sand belt in Melbourne, Australia (home to Royal Melbourne, Kingston Heath, etc). Possibly golfers are one of the few groups who find value in sand hills!
About the Author: Gordon Dalgleish is the Co-Founding Director of PerryGolf, the leading provider of international golf vacations. You can find him onGoogle+
