Our caddies bowed to us, and we realized they were not like the gravel-voiced, slouch-capped lads who lugged our bags in Scotland and Ireland. We were in Vietnam, a country riding a wave of newfound prosperity and embracing the golf addiction that is sweeping Asia. Female caddies were de rigueur. Nguyen and Ha were swaddled […]
Archives for January 2015
Canada’s Prince Edward Island
Curiosity has brought me more satisfaction than trouble, so I usually indulge it. When Lorie Kane rose to prominence on the LPGA Tour, I wondered how a young woman from a small island in northeastern Canada came to be so good? Could it be the courses she played at home?Determined to find out, a friend […]
Virginia’s Primland Resort
For nearly three decades the 12,000-acre Primland Resort near Meadows of Dan, Virginia, has been devoted to hunting, fishing, sporting clays and horseback/all terrain-vehicle riding on more than 90 miles of wilderness trails. While those sports are still major activities, the opening of The Highland Course in 2006 heralded a new direction for the resort. […]
North Island, New Zealand
When it’s Spring here in the States, it’s Fall in New Zealand—a great time for a golf vacation because the heat of summer is over and the comfort level is just right. It’s a good time for visiting wineries, too, because the fall harvest will be in full swing through May and the winemakers will […]
Golf in the Valley of the Sun
According to the Robb Report, Phoenix-Scottsdale, Arizona, is “America’s Best Place to Live for Golf.” It’s not bad for a visit, either. In fact, I don’t think there’s any better place for a fall or winter golf vacation than the Valley of the Sun. I’ve had the pleasure of visiting Phoenix-Scottsdale in November for two […]
Ireland’s Parkland Gems
At the mention of Irish golf, thoughts usually turn to the country’s spectacular links courses along the western coast. Truth is, there are some equally spectacular parkland courses inland, including the K Club in County Kildare, site of the Ryder Cup September 22-24, 2006. An island slightly smaller than the state of Indiana, Ireland has […]
Homestead for the Holidays
Harness bells jingled merrily as a pair of sturdy black horses drew our carriage deeper into the Allegheny foothills above the Homestead Resort, enveloping us in the aroma of spruce and pine. After a long climb, we stopped on a rise overlooking the hotel. Steam rose from the horses’ warm backs as they rested, snorting […]
Golf in France: a Sampler
“You know, golf originated in France, not Scotland.” When 19th hole golf talk lags, I like to drop this verbal bomb, knowing it’s akin to saying that cowboys originated in Japan rather than the American West. In truth, it’s quite possible that golf (and a number of other stick-and-ball sports) evolved from croquet, a game […]
The Provo Golf Club, Turks & Caicos Islands
Providenciales (“Provo”) in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) is one of the most overlooked golf destinations in the Caribbean, despite the fact that it has been home to a topnotch course since 1992.Prior to the 90s, the TCI were a well kept secret known only to divers and beach-loving purists who cared more for […]
Swimming With Humpback Whales
“The principal gift whales offer humanity is that they are the only animals that can impress us enough to persuade us to change our minds about the importance of the wild world.” – Roger Payne, Among Whales When I saw a flash of white on my left, my heart jumped into overdrive. I was […]
