New Golf Products and Destinations


October 19, 2004. For Golfers Who Have Everything and Been Everywhere

Products

Burton Golf Bags, (800) 633-4630, www.burtongolf.com
Established in 1907 by T.C. Burton, Burton crafts one of the widest varieties of golf bags on the market. Offerings include stand, cart, and TOUR-staff bags, as well as travel covers, custom bags and bag accessories. Burton bags are golfer-friendly, universally fashionable and designed for optimal functionality and minimal weight for walkers and cart riders. All bags are hand-stitched and constructed of durable materials, available in classic and contemporary styles, and offered in a wide range of colors and custom options. Of utmost importance to all golfers, Burton bags are the only in the industry to carry a lifetime warranty.

The Fort Walton, Fla.-based company’s brand leadership is known throughout the world, evidenced by Burton’s presence as the team bag for the Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup, Solheim Cup and Walker Cup. Most bags carried by Tour professionals are made by Burton.

ECCO Golf Shoes, (800) 886-3226, www.eccousa.com
ECCO’s recently introduced Spring/Summer 2005 collection furthers the company’s evolution as maker of the most comfortable, technologically-advanced and fashionable golf shoes. In all, the collection offers 10 models in 27 color combinations for men and eight models in 29 color combinations for women with prices ranging from $120 to $400.

A division of the worldwide footwear giant long-renowned for its street and casual shoes that are found in better department stores, ECCO is the fastest-growing name in the high-end men's and women's golf shoe markets. ECCO is endorsed by PGA Tour star Aaron Baddeley, Thomas Bjorn and LPGA Hall of Famer Juli Inkster.

Graphite Design International Golf-Club Shafts, (888) 707-6132, www.gdintl.com
Graphite Design's popular, high-performance, graphite and multi-material golf club shafts are widely used on the PGA TOUR and have been in the golf clubs of more than Tour winners worldwide in 2004, including the Masters and PGA Championship victors. GDI shafts achieve optimal distance and accuracy for players of all skill levels. In addition to TOUR professionals – who commonly refer to GDI's YS, Purple Ice and PM models as 'The Ultimate Driving Shafts' – everyday golfers using GDI shafts experience game improvement in the form of superior accuracy, distance, balance, control, trajectory and impact feedback. In 2005, GDI will launch its highly-anticipated, revolutionary Tour AD shaft line.

Lija by Linda Hipp, (604) 270-6060, www.lijastyle.com
The latest offering from Vancouver, Canada-based designer Linda Hipp, Lija (pronounced lee-zha) is golf’s most fashion-forward, upscale women’s apparel line. For the past seven years, Hipp has designed uniquely universal wear made for all aspects of an active woman’s lifestyle, especially golf. Using the highest quality materials, Lija allows creative, independent women to look feminine and feel comfortable on- and off-course. The fastest growing brand in women’s golf, Lija’s 2005 Collection features 160 fun, attractive and trend-setting pieces found in more than 750 discerning retailers in North America, including Marshall Fields and Nordstrom.

Proderma Sun and Skin Care Products for Golfers, (800) 447-3035, www.prodermaproducts.com
Proderma uniquely offers a breakthrough therapeutic product line of sunscreen, facestick, bugscreen, windscreen and lip balm formulated specifically for golfers. Non-greasy (no club slippage), odorless and bug repelling, the suncreens have been awarded the Skin Cancer Foundation's Seal of Recommendation for safety and effectiveness. Proderma’s new Prism sunscreen recently tested as the longest lasting, golf-specific sunscreen on the market. All Proderma products boast the finest preventative, restorative and therapeutic properties for your skin. With nearly $1 billion spent on skin-cancer surgery annually, Proderma makes a great gift for the golfers you love and saves lives.

SofTrak Putting Greens, (877) MY-GREEN (694-7336), www.unitedturf.com
A high-performance, low-maintenance synthetic putting green brand offered exclusively by Wichita, Kansas-based United Turf Industries, SofTrak greens hold shots from as far out as 125 yards and are virtually maintenance free. Owners of SofTrak greens include PGA (Fred Couples, Steve Flesch), Champions (Bruce Lietzke) and LPGA (Donna Andrews) Tour players, among others. Forbes FYI recently stated that SofTrak 'comes astonishingly close in texture to real grass.' There are more than 55 SofTrak dealers nationwide who are certified to design and construct SofTrak greens for residences and businesses. Costs between $5,000 and $75,000, depending on green size and shape. New this year is VersaCourt, from UTI. Now golfers and homeowners can have a virtual backyard entertainment center given VersaCourt’s high-performance athletic surface and flooring system. Now the family can practice putting and chipping, hop over to the VersaCourt for a game of basketball or soccer, ! then finish things off with a dip in the swimming pool.

Destinations

Camp Creek Golf Club, Panama City Beach, FL (850) 231-7600, www.campcreekflorida.com ; www.watercolorinn.com
A true gem of Florida’s Great Northwest, this Tom Fazio-designed masterpiece features a unique “dunescape” appearance, contoured fairways, large landing areas and spectacular vistas. Ranked among the top 10 public courses in Florida by Golfweek magazine (February 2004), Camp Creek is conveniently located just off Scenic Highway 30-A west of Panama City Beach. After golf, the delightful and internationally acclaimed WaterColor Inn is the perfect reward for golfers seeking the ultimate in chic comfort. Amenities at WaterColor, a member of the elite Small Luxury Hotels of the World, include Camp Creek, a brand new spa, beach club and the heralded Fish Out Of Water restaurant.

Circling Raven Golf Club and Coeur d'Alene Casino & Resort Hotel, Worley, ID (800)523-2464, www.cdacasino.com
Easily accessible yet just far enough from civilization Circling Raven opened in August 2003 and was quickly named to GOLF Magazine’s prestigious list of the “Top 10 New Courses You Can Play.” A member of the brand-new Idaho Golf Trail and owned by the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, this 7,189-yard Gene Bates-designed layout takes full advantage of its stunning setting, where pine-draped mountains, forested meadows and protected wetlands surround and the occasional elk or moose may ask to play through. The adjacent Coeur d'Alene Casino & Resort Hotel offer top-notch entertainment, dining, casino gaming, 202 rooms, events center, restaurant, off-track betting and conference/convention facilities.

Coyote Creek Golf Club, Morgan Hill, CA (408) 463-1400, www.coyotecreekgolf.com This 36-hole gem, featuring two Jack Nicklaus Signature golf courses just south of San Jose, CA, hosted the Champions Tour’s Siebel Classic. Coyote Creek’s Tournament and Valley courses are extremely popular among Silicon Valley and San Francisco golfers for their picturesque mountain views and countryside terrain, variety of holes and mix of friendliness and challenge to all handicappers. In a region of $400,000 initiation fees, the semi-private Coyote Creek offers economic reality.

Gulf Shores (AL) Golf Association (888) 815-1902, www.golfgulfshores.com
With 10 superb public courses and a host of other attractions – from deep-sea charter boat fishing to 32 miles of sugar white sand beaches and mouth-watering seafood – Gulf Shores has rapidly become one of the best new golf destinations in the U.S. Kiva Dunes Golf and Beach Resort has the crown jewel of golf courses (designed by U.S. Open winner Jerry Pate) with first-class accommodations at Kiva Lodge.

Nakoma Resort and Spa, Graeagle, CA (800) 446-5368, www.nakomaresort.com Located in the High Sierras of Northern California near Reno, this golf-and-spa resort residential property features the luxury villas of Gold Mountain, a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World. Designed by Taliesin Architects, the extension of legendary Frank Lloyd Wright's architecture practice founded in 1898, the Villas of Gold Mountain cost $575 to $900 a night to stay and feature off-the-charts amenities and serenity. Rental and fractional ownership privileges can also be purchased at The Villas. Wright's brilliant organic architecture is evident everywhere at Gold Mountain, including the Nakoma clubhouse, a 24,000 original Wright design built authentically some 70-plus years after Wright conceptualized it. Also included is the Dragon Golf Course, a fire-breathing Robin Nelson design considered one of the most visually stunning and challenging layouts in the American West.

Saddle Creek Resort, Copperopolis, CA (800) 611-7722, www.SaddleCreek.com
One of the state’s top-10 courses (Golfweek, March 2004), Saddle Creek is he centerpiece of a 900-acre gated community in California’s “Gold Rush” foothills 2 ½ hours from San Francisco. The Carter Moorish design features more than 100 white-sand bunkers, bordering scrub oak trees, serene streams and a dramatic landscape. Amenities include superb cuisine, distinctive homes, course-side bungalows, fishing, swimming, snowmobiling, tennis, bocce ball, nearby historical sites and boutique shopping. Saddle Creek is also constructing of a full-fledged town and spa on the property to serve residents and guests.

SouthWood Golf Club, Tallahassee, FL (850) 942-4653, www.joetowns.com/southwood
Located at the heart of Tallahassee’s SouthWood Community, this Fred Couples/Gene Bates design has quickly become one of the nation’s most heralded new courses. Gracefully capturing the charm of the Old South, SouthWood was the only club in Florida to be ranked as one of “America’s Best New Courses” by Golf Magazine (2003), and it also was named a “Best New Upscale Public Golf Course” by Golf Digest (2003). Meandering through low country, high country, secluded woods and open land, the layout is dotted by ancient, Spanish Moss-draped oak trees and provides an unforgettable golf experience for players of all skill levels.

State of Louisiana Audubon Golf Trail (866) 248-4652, www.audubongolftrail.com
The trail features Louisiana at its finest with great golf, exquisite seafood and its inimitable Cajun culture. Nine courses dot the environmentally-sensitive trail. They include the TPC of Louisiana (near New Orleans), Carter Plantation (David Toms' design near Baton Rogue), Hal Sutton's Olde Oaks (Shreveport) and the critically-acclaimed Gray Plantation (Lake Charles).

State of Mississippi Magnolia Golf Trail (866) 801-8551, www.magnoliagolftrail.com , www.golfmississippi.org
If golf and gaming is your cup of tea, Mississippi is hard to beat. From Biloxi on the Gulf Coast to Tunica in Northern Mississippi near Memphis – the third-largest casino destination in the U.S. after Las Vegas and Atlantic City – courses on the value-laden Magnolia Golf Trail provide high-quality fun during the day while sparkling new resort casinos cover the night life. In addition to the trail, there are a smorgasbord of outstanding courses by name designers including Dancing Rabbit (Tom Fazio-Jerry Pate), ranked the No. 34 best public course in the U.S. by GOLF Magazine (September 2004), Shell Landing (Davis Love III), Old Waverly (Bob Cupp-Jerry Pate) and Grand Bear (Jack Nicklaus).

The Golden Bear Club at Keene’s Pointe, Orlando, FL (407) 876-8879, www.thegoldenbearclub.com
A private golf and social club within the popular master-planned residential community of Keene’s Pointe in exclusive Windermere – the club is highlighted by a Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course. Skip Kendall, David Peoples and Brian Gay are among the more than half dozen PGA Tour players who live and practice at The Golden Bear Club’s majestic 7,173 yard, par-72 layout. In addition to golf, Keene’s Pointe boasts swimming and tennis facilities, as well as an exquisite 24,000-square-foot clubhouse with indoor/outdoor dining, banquet facilities and corporate meeting rooms.

Instruction

Ben Sutton Golf School, Tampa, FL (800) 225-6923, www.golfschool.com Always dreamed of getting serious about your game and getting seriously better? Winter blues setting in and sunny Tampa calling? Ben Sutton Golf Schools is your chance, thanks to the fun-yet-thorough instruction that has proven effective for tens of thousands of golfers the past 35 years. Productive days spent honing golf skills are followed with discretionary evening activity options that include dinner cruises on Tampa Bay, beach BBQs or sampling the thriving nightlife of the area. Recognized as the longest-running and only true destination golf school in America, golfers from around the world – including heads of states, royalty, dignitaries, professional athletes, Tour players, movie, music and TV stars, politicians, corporate executives and entrepreneurs – have learned under the school’s real conditions. Male and female students of all ages and abilities “learn golf where they play golf” at the school’s own 50-acre, nine-hole, configure-as-you-like-it golf course set up for optimal learning. Support instruction areas include a Short Game Center and 12,000-square-foot putting and chipping green. Three-, five- and seven-day trips offered year-round.