Top 10 Golf Fashion Don'ts

Golf fashion has evolved rapidly in the past few years.

I mean, just look at Rickie Fowler in his fluorescent outfits, John Daly in his Loudmouth pants and Hunter Mahan in his rapper style golf hats...

Let's face it, though, popular PGA Tour pros can get away with it.

Others can't.

Like these guys...

1. Wearing Your Shirt Out to Hide Your Gut--Nothing says, "Hey, I'm trying to camouflage my massive boiler/beer gut" like guy who wears his golf shirt over his belt.

2. Oversize Non-Golf Belt Buckle--Wearing a buckle sporting a skull or beer company logo might be more appropriate at Daytona Beach Bikefest. On the golf course, ya might want to tone it down a bit.

3. Cargo Shorts--If you're a college student, vacationer on a safari or ornithologist, you're welcome to wear cargo shorts. If you're on a golf course, not so much.

4. Golf Sandals--Can we just leave sandals to surfers. Just because you're in the bunkers all day, doesn't mean you have to sport this footwear.

5. Jeans--It's a great American fashion statement, but just not on the golf course. The fabric doesn't breathe well, there is no pocket room for golf balls, tees and markers and they make you look like a ranch hand with a golf club. Other than that, I guess they're ok, right?

6. Hawaiian Shirts--Please save these for luaus and backyard barbecues. They never looked good on Duffy Waldorf and they don't even look that great on Hawaii golf courses.

7. Visors--Please leave the visors to Brandt Snedeker, Phil Mickelson and Steve Spurrier.

8. Watches--Unless your "Phil the Thrill" scoring some big endorsement dollars for wearing one, you don't really need a watch to tell you how slow the group in front of you is moving.

9. Knickers--Should only be worn by those participating in a hickory stick tournament or by the goofy emcee at a charity golf tournament. Please leave the knickers (plus fours) in the closet.

10. Matching Hat and Shirt with Masters Logo--It's okay to wear a shirt or even hat separately, but when you wear both at the same time it screams: "Hey, I went to the Masters, you didn't, and you wish you could be me."

Casa de Campo Resort Review

Playing the drop dead gorgeous, ocean hugging Teeth of the Dog course...

Dining beach-front at a Le Cirque restaurant...

Dancing the salsa under the stars on an outdoor dance floor...

Sipping private cask rum and smoking a fine Dominican cigar...

Casa de Campo Resort in the Dominican Republic offers the the golf vacation good life in a variety of enticing ways.

Spread out over 7,000 acres on the country's southeast coast, Casa de Campo is a wonderland of magnificent beaches, world-class golf courses, superb restaurants and pampering amenities. The resort makes it super easy to travel the resort grounds on your own by providing each guest room and villa home a four-passenger touring cart ideal for aimless cruising and exploration.

If you're looking for a golf resort vacation that's exotic and unique, I highly suggest this impressive property. What other resort features a recreated 16th century Mediterranean village (Altos de Chavon) with cobblestone streets?

Sitting on a high plateau above the Chavon River, Altos de Chavon is a must visit while you're at Casa de Campo. The coral stone buildings lining the cobblestone streets house restaurants, artists' studios, art galleries and boutiques. If you're lucky, there will be a concert at the 5,000-seat Grecian-style amphitheater, which has hosted superstars like Frank Sinatra, Julio Iglesias, Sting and Andrea Bocelli.

Altos de Chavon

When it's time to tee up, the choices at Casa de Campo are exceptional.

The Teeth of the Dog

If you only play one course in the Caribbean, it should be the Teeth of the Dog, a Pete Dye masterpiece that rivals Pebble Beach Golf Links in setting and beauty.

Feel the ocean spray. Click here to view an amazing and inspiring video of the Teeth of the Dog.

With seven holes playing along the brilliantly colored Caribbean Sea, the Teeth of the Dog is one of the world's great seaside golf experiences. While most of the world's great oceanside courses play along high cliffs, the Teeth of the Dog is ocean level and you'll feel the spray of the waves on a couple of holes.

Teeth of the Dog

The four par threes (5, 7, 13 and 16)-- which is the best collection of short holes I've ever played on a single course--are geniusly designed, scenic and exciting. My favorite is the 176-yard par three No. 5 hole (I played it from the 137-yard blue tees), which requires a shot over a small cove and crashing waves with a wicked sea breeze.

A Breezy Day on the Teeth of the Dog

Another memorable experience was hitting driver into a fierce wind on the par three, 204-yard, No. 16 hole. I played it from the 181-yard blue tees and hit a low screamer that rolled up on the green. It reminded me of my times in Scotland when wind and a driving rainstorm suggested driver was the correct club selection on a par three hole.

Other Golf

While the Teeth of the Dog grabs most of the headlines, the other golf offerings at the resort are exceptional golf experiences as well.

The Dye Fore, a 27-hole layout near Altos de Chavon features three distinctly different nines (Chavon, Marina and Lagos).

The Original Dye Fore (Chavon and Marina), which opened in 2003, sits on top of a 300-foot high cliff offering stunning panoramas of Altos de Chavon and the Casa de Campo marina down below. By all means, don't forget to bring your camera when you play this course. With generous landing areas, it's a great driving course, however, the sometimes wildly undulating fairways result in a variety of different lies. Wind is always a factor on the Dye Fore and the greens, while expansive, require you to hit accurate approach shots to avoid long, arduous putts.

Dye Fore Golf Course

Lagos, the newest nine that debuted in 2011, is aptly named with five holes that wrap around three gigantic lakes. Flatter than the other two nines, Lagos has numerous well placed bunkers to frustrate golfers.

Sitting adjacent to the Teeth of the Dog is the Links Course. Weaving through the interior of the resort, the course seems inappropriately named since its personality is that of a traditional, palm and lakes dotted Caribbean layout. Lakes come into play on five holes and Dye placed numerous bunkers throughout the layout to ensure golfers must think before they hit.

Links Course at Casa de Campo

10 Little Things I Like About Casa de Campo

1. The 5 inch wide shower heads allow you to take a long leisurely shower after a day at the course or the beach.

2. The amazing fresh fruit smoothies at Lago Grille prepared by Digna, a smiling, long time, popular staff member.

3. The individual 4-seater golf cart guests are given during a stay so you can ride around and explore the resort at their leisure.

4. Atlantico, the private cask rum made from the fermented juice of sugarcane and sugarcane molasses  that's available throughout the resort.

5. The homemade Pistachio ice cream you can get as desert at any resort restaurant. There is no way anybody makes a better version than what I enjoyed at the resort.

6. The to-die-for Chilean Sea Bass at La Cana Restaurant overlooking the beautiful swimming pool and spa complex.

7. The Presidente beer on draft served in tall mugs at the 19th hole, which is a great compliment to the giant cheeseburgers there.

8. L'Occitane body lotion in the guest room bathrooms.

9. The amazing Ceasar Salad at the resort's Beach Club Le Cirque restaurant. It has super fresh lettuce and a fried egg encircled by Italian bread.

10. The polo fields where you can watch a polo match and immerse in the Dominican Republic good life.

Accommodations 

The resort has 185 patio and balcony Elite guest rooms and 50 three-to-five bedroom "villa homes".

Amenities include 42-inch flat screen televisions, marble vanities, iPod/iPhone docking stations and an espresso coffee machine.

Each villa home has a private pool, expansive terrace, a private butler, maid, gardener and personal chef, if desired.  

Elite Patio Hotel Room

Dining

There are twenty restaurants in and around Casa de Campo. The three main dining experiences are La Cana by Il Circo (Steak, seafood and fine wine) overlooking the pool and spa area, Lago Grill, a full-service restaurant with alfresco dining where most people enjoy a giant breakfast buffet each day and Beach Club by Le Cirque, an elegant beach front dining experience featuring Le Cirque trained chefs.

Other popular restaurants include La Piazzetta, a gourmet Italian dining experience at Altos de Chavon, La Casita at the marina, where seafood and tapas are the draw and the 19th Hole at the Golf Club. 

Beach Club by Le Cirque

Spa

It has seven therapy room with their own showers, changing areas and patio meditation  gardens. Many of the treatments use Caribbean ingredients. Some of the more intriguing offerings include a Dominican Coffee exfoliation, Fruity-Herbal Body Wrap and Choco Body Mask.

 

Activities

The menu of recreation activities feature something for everybody:
 

* Sunbathing and water activities at a choice of secluded beaches.

* Tennis at La Terraza Tennis Center with 13 Har-Tru Courts.

* Jim McLean Golf School

* Bicycle rentals

* Fitness Center with Cybex equipment, treadmills, stationery bikes, free weights and an area dedicated to improving golf performance.

* Shooting Center with more than 200 stations for sporting clays as well as three trap and skeet layouts.

* Equestrian Center with trial rides, jumping and dressage.

* Polo fields where you can watch matches during the November-May season.

* Water sports such as boating, fishing river sailing, ocean sailing, kayaking, snorkeling and Scuba.

* Supervised children's programs.
 
Getting There

From the U.S., American Airlines has several flights daily from Miami. JetBlue has non-stop service twice a week (Wednesday and Saturday) from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). From Europe, you can fly Condor from France and Blue Panorama and Air Italy from Italy.

Santo Domingo (SDQ) airport is a one-hour drive from Casa de Campo. It is served by American Airlines, American Eagle, United, Delta, Spirit, US Airways, and JetBlue as well as American Eagle via Puerto Rico.

Punta Cana (PUJ) airport is about a 45-minute drive from the resort and is served by American Airlines, United, Delta Airlines, JetBlue, US Airways, LAN Airways and West Jet.

If Want to Visit

To contact Casa de Campo call 1-800-877-3643 or (305) 856-5405

www.casadecampo.com.do

Twitter: @casadecampo
Facebook: Casa de Campo Resort

Top 10 Golf Cart Rules

If you think some people are lousy golfers, wait till you see them drive a golf cart.

When it comes to slow play, the golf cart, uh, I mean the clueless dolt behind the wheel, is one of the main contributors to this malady.

There's nothing worse than standing on tee box as you scan the fairway and see the twosome ahead of you driving aimlessly looking for a ball or chasing down a beer can that fell out of the cart.

Fact is, if you think lots of people don't know the rules of golf, rest assured, they have no idea about golf cart etiquette.

Here are 10 rules to follow:

1. Don't Sit in the Cart at the Tee Box--Sitting in your cart checking your cellphone for emails or putting on sunscreen while your playing partners are teeing off is rude and unsociable. You should be on the tee showing interest in others and keeping an eye out for wayward drives so you can find them quicker as a group.

2. Don't Drive Recklessly--Slamming on the brakes as you pull up to the next tee box, putting pedal to the metal on a downhill cart path and weaving down the fairway after a few too many brews can result in an injury to you or your passenger. Driving drunk in a golf cart is about as stupid as being blasted in your Beemer on the highway.

3. Don't Drive While Others Are Hitting--Be courteous and don't start driving with your rattling golf clubs during somebody's backswing. They may be a hacker and you might not respect their game, but that doesn't give you a license to be a jerk.  Be patient and let them hit before you hit the pedal.

4. Bring Clubs When In Doubt--There's nothing worse than people who leave the cart on the path, walk across the fairway, hit a crappy shot out of a bunker then realize they need another club. Especially near the green, you need to bring a couple of short irons if you have any doubt about which shot you want to execute.

5. Always Park in the Direction of the Green--Parking sideways on a fairway is especially costly if somebody on the tee happens to launch a long bomb in your direction. You're a sitting duck without protection if you're parked sideways.

6. Obey All Signs--If the sign says "Cart Path Only", guess what, that's what you need to do. It's all about respecting the golf course and the maintenance crew who are trying to keep it in top shape. Same goes for those cart direction signs near the green. Don't disregard them and cozy the cart up to the green. The instant you see them, head for the cart path. Also, when the pro at the club says, "90 degree rule today", don't drive erratically on the fairways and act like you never heard the request.

7. Use The Rake--Hey, you see that rake on the back of the cart. You need to use that to rake bunkers. It's not a decorative amenity. More important, don't forget the rake at the bunker because you'll probably need it again.

8. Be Courteous to Players on Other Holes--Be aware of golfers playing on nearby holes. For instance, don't zoom up to a green when a golfer on an adjacent tee box is hitting and you might disturb his concentration. Don't slam on the brakes while someone nearby on another hole is about to hit.

9. Don't Use Your Cellphone in the Cart--Be aware, the golf cart is not some soundproof room where you can blab endlessly to your wife or the poor slugs back at the office. Don't treat the cart like your "office" on the links where you can close a deal while everybody else is teeing off.

10. Don't Be A Slob--Leaving your golf cart full of empty beer cans, Snickers bar wrappers and cigar butts floating in your half-empty cup of soda just isn't cool. You don't have to leave it spotless, but show some class and respect to the people in the cart barn who have to clean up your mess.

Nona Blue: Latest News

Here's the latest update from the people at Nona Blue:

Nona Blue on Tap to Open


Click here for video preview of Nona Blue



By JOHN GREGORY
February 18, 2013

LAKE NONA, Florida – Lake Nona’s newest restaurant, Nona Blue, is set to launch its Modern Tavern concept on March 15, 2013.

The display kitchen is complemented with exposed brickwork and rich, dark mahogany, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. The indoor dining area offers a number of options, including a 40-seat bar, two captain’s tables, wrap-around booth seating throughout and a seating area with drawn curtains for private events. An outdoor patio features a fireplace, intimate bar and al fresco dining.

Light fare on Nona Blue’s menu will include deviled eggs with apple wood smoked bacon, lightly fried oysters and blue cheese kettle chips. Among the “Handwiches” Nona Blue will offer is a decadent twist on the BLT. Order the BLT Grilled Cheese and dive into a pile of lobster salad, apple wood smoked bacon, diced tomato and havarti cheese, served on generous slices of Texas Toast.

Steaks and fresh fish off the hardwood grill are joined by a cider-brined, double cut pork rib chop served with mashed potato and braised apple chutney. The Nona Blue Bar Chefs will be mixing up the freshest seasonal cocktails, along with pouring off plenty of the 49 different wines and 16 craft beers on tap.

According to Bill Bona and Joe Davi, principal owners, the hospitality driven philosophy of Nona Blue is to create a welcoming atmosphere while delivering superior service and the highest level of food quality at our price point. “When executed properly, great restaurants become more than simply a location to have dinner and drinks,” Bona said. “They become ingrained in the fabric of the community as a place to gather, meet and make friends, and truly become a local amenity.”

PGA TOUR member and Lake Nona resident Graeme McDowell is also a principal owner of the restaurant. In fact, McDowell inadvertently gave the concept its name after a victory at the 2012 Tavistock Cup, staged at Lake Nona. Clad in Team Nona’s iconic blue and celebrating another victory in the annual team competition for touring professionals, McDowell shouted, “Nona Blue!” to a gathering of supporters, which included his business partner, Bona.

“It gives me great pleasure to know that Nona Blue is poised to become a part of our community,” McDowell said. “I have a home here at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club, and we are all looking forward to Nona Blue being not just a social hub for our neighbors and everyone in the surrounding communities, but to also contribute to the academic and athletic programs of our schools and the schools and research centers of Medical City.”

Nona Blue is located in Lake Nona Village on Narcoossee Road, between the entrances to Lake Nona Golf & Country Club and Northlake Park. For reservations, and to be a part of the Nona Blue experience, call 407.313.0027.

Top 10 Seaside Courses You Should Play

 Brilliantly colored water. Crashing waves. Rugged cliffs...

Arguably, the most inspiring settings to play golf are alongside the ocean.

Here's my list of ten seaside layouts you absolutely must play. (I base my selections on the total golf experience, not rankings and reputation.)

Now, let's head to the beach: 

Pebble Beach Golf Links photo by Joan Dost

1. Pebble Beach Golf Links--There are many contenders and some pretenders, but Pebble Beach Golf Links on the Monterey Peninsula in California is the world's premier oceanside golf masterpiece. Dont' take my word for it, though. Here's what Jack Nicklaus once said: "If I had only one more round to play, I would choose to play at Pebble Beach. I've loved this course from the first time I saw it." Designed by Jack Neville, the course utilizes a peninsula that juts out into the Pacific Ocean providing a perfect setting for exciting and picturesque golf holes.

2. Kingsbarns--Set just outside St. Andrews, Scotland this innovative but classic design is truly one of the world's most outstanding seaside golf experiences. A testament to modern design techniques, American designer Kyle Phillips created the dunes and rolling land movement at Kingsbarns with earth scrapers and bulldozers in 2000.

3 . Teeth of the Dog--While many of the world's great seaside courses are situated on clifftops, the Teeth of the Dog at Casa de Campo Resort in the Dominican Republic, designed by Pete Dye, is so close to the ocean you can feel the mist from crashing waves on some holes as you putt on the green. It's catchy name comes from the par three, No. 16 hole, which is bordered by sharp coral formations that resemble the teeth of an angry dog.

Teeth of the Dog

4 . Doonbeg--Greg Norman took the "least disturbance" approach to this phenomenal piece of land he was given to design this course in Ireland. There are amazing views of the Atlantic Ocean from 16 holes on this layout. Step on the first tee and you can see across a horseshoe-shaped bay to the ninth green. Built in 2002, the Doonbeg looks like it has been there hundreds of years. The massive 100-foot high sand dunes and native grasses embellish this fantastic setting.

5 . Corales--Often referred to as "the Pebble Beach of the Caribbean", this spectacular Tom Fazio design at Puntacana Resort in the Dominican Repbublic has six oceanfront holes highlighted by rugged cliffs and coral reefs and framed by turquoise and blue waters. Fazio masterfully designed Corales so both nines would conclude with fantastic waterfront holes. The finale, the 18th hole, is a scenic and challenging beauty with a fairway that skirts around the Bay of Corales.

Corales

6 . Royal Porthcawl--Opened in 1895, this layout in the village of Porthcawl in Wales has 19th century character at every turn. You can see the sea from every hole and there are inspiring views south to Somerset and Exmoor, and northwest across Swansea Bay to the Gower Peninsula. The holes are designed facing every direction and you’ll never know when the wind will blow directly in your face. Though it’s a private club, the members at Royal Porthcawl are very friendly to visitors and you don’t feel like an intruder. Make sure you take time for a beer or single malt at the clubhouse bar, which sits 40 feet above the sea offering spectacular views.
 
7. Pacific Dunes at Bandon Dunes--Stretching along the stunningly beautiful stretch of Oregon coast, Pacific Dunes is a wonderland of rugged dunescape, grassy waste areas, ridges of gorse and ocean views. Holes four and five play along 100-foot-high-cliffs and No. 16, a par four has a green set on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Designed by Tom Doak, Pacific Dunes is the closest thing to a Scottish golf experience in the United States.

8 . Vale Do Lobo--One of the best ways for a golfer to experience the wonders of the Algarve in Portugal is to play the Royal Course at Vale Do Lobo. The stunning cliff-top carryover on the the par three, 215-yard (from the back tees) number 16 hole is a phenomenal experience. It's sister course, the Ocean Course, is an oceanside beauty as well. Its rolling fairways are framed by pine trees on the front nine and you slowly play your way down to the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. The back nine has some postcard beautiful ocean panoramas.

Royal Course at Vale do Lobo

9. Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Resort--Site of the 2012 PGA Championship, this Pete Dye designed masterpiece in South Carolina has more seaside holes than any other course in the Northern Hemisphere--10 along the Atlantic Ocean and 8 others parallel to those. A target course that will expose golfer's liabilities, the Ocean Course is beautiful and oh so challenging.

Ocean Course

10. Emerald Reef--While this Greg Norman designed golf course in the Bahamas lacks the pedigree, rankings and accolades of the other courses mentioned, I assure you, this is a spectacular oceanside golf experience. Drop dead gorgeous, Emerald Reef has six holes on a peninsula that are rimmed by some of the most beautiful turquoise green, deep blue and clear waters in the world.

Emerald Reef

Golf in England: The Northwest

Royal Lytham & St. Annes

I make it a habit not to write about places I haven't visited, but I'm going to make an exception on what is being marketed as England's Golf Coast.

At the recent PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando (late January) I met an engaging chap named Geoff Harris, whose job is to promote golf travel in this area of northwest England.

I informed Mr. Harris that I had traveled to southwest England and enjoyed it immensely. Courses like St. Enodoc, Royal North Devon and Saunton still dance in my mind as fabulous golf experiences.

Mr. Harris assured me that visiting the northwest part of the country would be equally rewarding.

Here are his main selling points:

• You can conveniently fly into Manchester.
• Seven of the world's Top 100 courses are located in close proximity
• The area has Three Open Championship courses (Royal Liverpool, Royal Birkdale and Royal Lytham & St. Annes)
• There are more than 160 golf courses to play in the northwest region. The England's Golf Coast area has 20 top notch courses.
• Many of the courses have hosted competitions like the Ryder Cup, PGA Championships, Women's Open, Curtis Cup and UK's major amateur events.
• Royal Liverpool, founded in 1869, is one of the oldest seaside courses in England.
• Popular areas for accommodations, include Liverpool, Southport, Wirral, Cumbria, Lancashire and Cheshire.

You can conveniently book packages online and the website, England's Golf Coast, is thorough and informative with lots of information on courses to play and accommodations.

Formby Golf Club

If you're looking for a new golf travel frontier, this area of the U.K. appears to be a less publicized gem worth examining.

The Golf Travel Guru T.V. Is Launched

You gotta see it to believe, right?

If a picture tells a thousand words, then a video tells much more.

The Golf Travel Guru has launched a new Youtube channel, The Golf Travel Guru T.V., where you can see phenomenal footage of great golf courses, resorts and other golf related entities.

I cordially invite you to check out my new channel where the fun has just begun.

If you missed the click two lines up, here's another to The Golf Travel Guru T.V. channel.