It’s been about four years since we visited Grand Cypress Resort in Orlando, Florida. It is a 45 hole golf complex designed by none other than the golden bear himself, Jack Nicklaus. Three of the nine hole layouts are the North, South and East, the latter being the location that Tiger Woods was filming  a commercial for Nike, the last time we were at the resort. There is also an 18 hole layout appropriately titled The New Course, as it incorporates some of the same design characteristics as The Old Course at St. Andrews, so I guess you could say it is The New Old Course!. We are looking forward for a quick golf getaway weekend and this is a top notch to play, as it is listed in the top 500 resorts in the world. The Disney World resort is only a few short miles away and we fully intend to check it out and make the most of our time while in sunny Florida.

The photo provides an aerial view of the club house and the adjacent golf holes complementing the view. In a few short days we will be teeing off and enjoying 18, 27 or even 36 holes a day depending on weather and how well we are playing. We haven’t been to Disney World since October of 2008 and as noted previously we will visit at least one or two of the magical parks where Mickey and Minnie reside. I am presently stowing the golf clubs for the trip and I’ll be reporting all about all the good times and great golf experiences upon our return. Happy Golfing to All!

Another option is to get out your Wii and load up a golf game such as Tiger Woods Golf. I know it is not the same as playing on a real golf course but better than not playing at all. So grab your golf clubs and Wii controller and play golf no matter what the weather is doing outside. Happy Golfing to All!

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Welcome to The Wonderful World of Golf Fore Ever!

You tube: http://youtube.com/watch?v=DjYA6k0Gyy4

* Dailymotion: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/26201040

* Blip: http://blip.tv/file/4368830

* Metacafe: http://www.metacafe.com/w/5480962

This book provides invaluable information and guides the new golfer through every step of getting started and learning to play golf ,”The Right Way”. What I mean by the right way is, so many golfers venture onto the golf course without a clue as to the rules of golf or golf etiquette, an important and integral part of this incredible sport! Pick up a copy of “Golf Fore Ever” and all your questions will be answered. I have included step by step instruction for the new or beginning golfer and the book will provide all you need to know about how to start playing Golf;

-  From purchasing your golf clubs and necessaryancillary equipment, to options for learning  how to play,

- To how to hold the golf club and address the ball,

- To scheduling your first ever tee time,

- To playing your first golf round ever and what to expect,

- To Learning Proper Golf Etiquette, an inportant and integral part of golf,

and so much more like excellent travel and golf resort destinations and informing the new golfer about the collateral benefits of golf. It also includes a Glossary of Golf Terms and Definitions, a must for the new golfer. This book has it all! Get your copy of Golf Fore Ever today and start to play “The Right Way”  Happy Golfing To All!

Note: In order to purchase “Golf Fore Ever” click on one of the attached video locations and at the end of the video there will be a list of five sites where purchase is available.

One place where I never tire of visiting for vacation is Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, fondly known as the “Golf Capital of the World”. Since golf is a  priority to myself and my significant other we try to plan our trips around the best and most affordable golf venues, with the least amount of travel involved. We drove down on a Sunday morning and arrived about noon time, having left at 2:35am in order to avoid as much traffic as possible. We made good time going down, about 9 hours and fifty minutes but it took almost two additional hours to return home to Sayreville, NJ, due to road construction and heavy traffic on the NJ Turnpike heading for the shore and Six Flags Great Adventure Park.

The travelling aspect aside, we enjoyed another fantastic golf trip.  We did encounter some hot weather and the occasional thunderstorm, but that is typical of the southern regions at this time of the year. This summer season happens to be particularly hot throughout most of the country so we had to learn to adapt, which we did.  We played five terrific golf courses, Glen Dornoch on Monday, located near the border of the Carolinas and a beautiful course overlooking the intercoastal waterway, Heritage, another excellent golf venue, located on the south strand in Pawleys Island, Blackmoor, a Gary Player course and one of our favorites, Caledonia, the most beautiful and scenic course on the strand and our personal favorite, and last but certainly not least, The Thistle ( See photo), a course with a flavor of Scotland, located in the Calabash area of North Carolina. This was our first time playing The Thistle and it did not disappoint. The designers spared no expense with the construction of the club house and the adjacent grounds, as they utilized many of the architectural features used in the Scotland in the early to mid 1800′s. The Thistle is a 27 hole complex, the North, South and the West, which are the names for each of the nine hole layouts, one nicer and more challenging than the next.

After 27 holes there on Friday, we visited Market Commons, a new shopping center that opened a few years ago. It features some fine restaurants, such as Tommy Bahama’s, where we dined and thoroughly enjoyed the ambiance and fine cuisine, Travinia’s, another fine Italian restaurant, which is on our list for our next trip, and all of the finest shops, including a Grand 14 Movie Theater for those who prefer indoors or who may just want to get out of the heat for a few hours.

This trip was among our favorite vacation experiences and we will be back for sure as soon as possible. Unfortunately, tonight we have to pack up our golf clubs and other luggage to prepare for the long trip home. It is a great place for golf and vacationing in general and we will surely be returning to Myrtle Beach as often as possible . Happy Golfing to all!

The one upgrade that impressed me the most was the addition of a 19th hole situated at the rear of the club house just off the dining veranda. The hole is scheduled to be completed by the end of June. Anyone having lunch or enjoying a beer or other libation after the golf round can watch the golfers hit their golf balls onto the green or in the water as it is an Island Green for all intents and purposes. This is a fun innovation where all the bets made during the golf round will be doubled or lost, depending on who can handle the pressure better. Donald Trump has added another fine golf course to his portfolio and I look forward to playing there again soon. Happy Golfing to All!

The weather was beautiful, the sun shining each morning, temperatures in the seventies, a little windy but perfect conditions for golf.  On Saturday, which was our last day, we played Indian Wells, a nicely laid out course and convenient as it was located off Rt. 17 in close proximity to Myrtle Beach National Airport. It was a great trip and my friends and I are already planning next years golf getaway. Maybe Pinehurst or Hilton Head? Wherever we choose I have no doubt that it will be great golf and a good time for all. Happy Golfing to All!

The golf balls cost from $1 to $4 each as opposed to a body part which is irreplaceable. You may laugh or think I am being over cautious but there have been some real horror stories of Alligator attacks on golfers and even local residents on rare occasions in the south. So next time you are playing golf in a temperate climate, say southern Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia, Florida, etc. and hit a ball in or near the edge of a pond, lake or any other water feature, just take a drop and play another ball. It is much more prudent to lose a ball than taking a chance on injuring yourself.

The photo was taken by me at Caledonia Golf Course, my favorite golf course on the south strand of Myrtle Beach near Pawleys Island. I have seen dozens of alligators in my 20 years of visiting and golfing the southern areas on the east coast. It has been my experience that the gators will not bother you unless you encroach on their territory, like reaching in a pond to retrieve a golf ball. In order to play safe and prevent unnecessary injury DO NOT RETRIEVE YOUR GOLF BALLS unless they are clear of any possible encounter with one of our many scaled friends in the south. Happy Golfing to All!

I am looking forward to getting away for a few days as this winter has been tough on the golfers this off season with all the torrential rain, heavy snow and consistently inclement weather in general for the past three or four months. If you have not yet visited Myrtle Beach it is a golfers paradise and I would highly recommend a vacation there. It is not known as “The Golf Capital of the World” for nothing. I have been visiting the Grand Strand for the pasty twenty years or so and I hope to retire in this area one day. There are so many excellent golf courses, all located  in a radius of about 30 miles and one better than the other. I will fill you in on the trip upon my return. Happy Golfing to All!

The forecast for this coming weekend on Saturday is 66 degrees and sunny so it’s not hard to figure out what most golf fans will be doing, playing Golf!  I really can’t wait until the weekend arrives. I’ve only played one time since mid – November and I’m looking forward to the spring and  summer temperatures again. With any luck April will not be too rainy as my friends and I are heading to Myrtle Beach at the begiining of the month. I will have to shake the rust off, take out the golf training aids and prepare to play golf. Happy Golfing to All!