A Long Weekend of Gulf Golf

This time of year, I make it a habit to try to play golf on both Saturday and Sunday mornings—late spring/summer mornings are ideal for golf, plus it’s just good practice. So when Memorial Day comes along, I have to take advantage of the three-day weekend. If you’re like me and you’re in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach, you have some decisions to make.

With nine signature golf courses to choose from, you won’t be hurting for great golf. But unless you’re planning to play three courses each day to cover all nine (a tempting thought—maybe one day!), you’re going to have to make some choices.

If you have one or two favorite courses, the choice is easy—spend the weekend on your favorites and enjoy the extra time spent there. Or maybe spend one or two days on the favorite and pick a different one (maybe one you’ve never played) for the last day.

You could also choose according to the course designer—play an Arnold Palmer one day, a Jerry Pate for the next, and then an Earl Stone the last day.

And if you still feel like you’re missing out by not playing all the courses, go ahead and book that full-length golf vacation—give yourself plenty of time to hit the courses you couldn’t get to this weekend! Visit the Gulf Shores Golf Association website for a customized quote on a golf vacation package.

Keeping Cool on the Golf Course

Well, the hot weather seems to have officially rolled around again, which means keeping cool on the golf course will involve more than just deep breaths and restraint from throwing the golf club. Personally, I prefer the weather-related heat to the steam I feel when I can’t seem to avoid the dreaded golf shank. And thankfully, my favorite Gulf Shores golf courses have some excellent—and sometimes creative—ways for golfers to cool down on a hot day.

An old time favorite cool-down method of mine is a nice cold drink at the club bar after a solid round of 18 holes. Some of the clubs have really nice restaurants that are perfect for lunch or dinner with the golf buddies.

But often halfway through a round you’re already in need of a cool-down—how about trying a chilled apple? Peninsula Golf and Racquet Club and Rock Creek offer these at certain tees along their courses. It’s cold, refreshing, and a nice pick-me-up. They also deliver ice-cold towels to golfers.

And going a step further with the ice-cold towels is Cotton Creek at Craft Farms with their mango-scented ice-cold towels. It doesn’t get much cooler than that.

And, of course, you can return to your condo or hotel for a cooling dip in the pool. Be sure to visit the Gulf Shores Golf Association website for information on golf packages and accommodations.

May Golf Tournaments and Fundraising

Seems like the theme for May golf is “May I help?” Golfers in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach will get three opportunities in the first couple of weeks in May to both participate in a golf competition and help raise money for good causes.

The first is this Sunday, May 1st, at the Peninsula Golf and Racquet Club. The 18 Holes for Ecuador Golf Tournament and Fundraiser is intended to help a group of student missionaries traveling to Ecuador in June. Their goal is to raise $23,000 to help build a daycare that will provide safety, medical and dental care, and food for children of working parents; the money will also help with travel, housing, and food for the missionaries.

Next is the 12th Annual Benefit Golf Outing for Habitat for Humanity at Craft Farms Cotton Creek on May 6th. Besides contributing to the building of safe and affordable housing for low-income families, you’ll have the fun of competing for prizes for low gross, low net, closest to the pin, and longest drive.

Then on May 13th and 14th is the First Annual Alabama Gulf Coast Christian Academy Golf Tournament at Cypress Bend. On Friday, May 13th is dinner with Nancy Lopez at the Magnolia Court Restaurant. In addition to the tournament, which benefits the Alabama Gulf Coast Christian Academy, golfers also get a continental breakfast, hitting exhibition, golf clinic, and box lunches.

Get that feel-good feeling of being charitable while doing something you enjoy! More information about these tournaments is available on the Gulf Shores Golf Association website.

The Weather is Only One Reason to Golf Along the Gulf

I can think of many, many reasons why taking a golf vacation in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach is an excellent idea, but there are two main reasons why this spring is a must.

First, the weather is phenomenal: warm, comfortable golf conditions, and the Gulf breeze just makes it heavenly. If you want to avoid the afternoon sun on the golf course, mornings are comfortably cool but nowhere near cold.

Second, if you book a group golf trip with a Gulf Shores Golf Association accommodations partner and play between now and May 8th, you can enter the latest GSGA sweepstakes. One winner will be randomly selected on May 19th and will receive an Apple iPad 32GB Wi-Fi, an LG 42 LCD HDTV and a Sony PS3 320GB Movie Bundle with Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2011. To enter, simply fill out a registration card at one of the golf courses you play during your golf getaway. More information is available on the Gulf Shores Golf Association website. Check it out, and book that golf vacation!

Deciding Where to Stay

The changing weather has really inspired me to play more golf. And with this inspiration comes the realization that I need another golf getaway, even if it’s just a quick weekend. So in the midst of planning the big summer golf vacation, I’m also adding in a quick spring trip to the Alabama Gulf Coast.

Luckily, the area is accommodating for various types of vacations—from short and sweet quick trips to lengthy, luxurious getaways. Several “chain” hotels are available and are ideal for shorter stays and trips where your main interest is playing golf and enjoying the beach and other attractions. Condominiums are a good choice for group golf trips—multiple-bedroom condos with a variety of amenities make excellent lodging choices for a group of golf buddies. Or maybe the privacy of a rental beach house would suit your needs better—an ideal setup for family reunions.

I’m thinking that a hotel room for two or three nights in April is exactly what I need to satisfy this spring golf itch. Then I’ll be living it up in a Gulf-front condo this summer. Time to book the golf package!

Golf Tournament for Education

It’s a happy coincidence that the first day of April falls on a Friday. April just might be my most favorite month of the year, and I’m using this as a reason to take the day off and celebrate the start of both the weekend and the month of April. The question is what to do with the day.

If you’re in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach on April 1st, you might want to spend the day lending a hand to education—or rather, swinging a golf club for education. The Golf Tournament for Education is taking place at the Peninsula Golf & Racquet Club on April 1st. For $125 per person ($500 per team), tournament participants get lunch, complimentary beverage cart, two mulligans, a t-shirt, and of course a round of golf on one of the nicest golf courses along Alabama’s Gulf Coast. An awards ceremony with door prizes will follow the tournament.

All net proceeds benefit the Alabama Gulf Coast Area Education Foundation, so you don’t have to feel bad about skipping out on work for a day—it’s for a good cause!

The Usefulness of the Internet

Years ago, before any of us had ever heard of the internet, I remember one of my school teachers saying how one day we would be able to do pretty much everything on a computer: go shopping, do research, communicate with other people. I also remember thinking how futuristic it all sounded—and feeling apprehensive at the thought of our lives being so reliant on a computer.

Yet here I sit today, my life on the internet. As uneasy as I may have felt at one time about an online existence, it’s hard to feel too bad about it when I’ve just booked a Gulf Shores golf vacation package with just a few strokes of the keyboard.

The Gulf Shores Golf Association’s website just makes it so easy. First, the site offers an interactive planner that lets you click through to find information on golf courses, lodging, dining, and maps. If you’re interested in a golf package, the website has a sample package rates page—a list of several accommodations and their golf package rates—as well as a page where you can get a customized quote on a golf vacation package based on your specific needs. If you’ve already booked your vacation and are just looking for a place to play golf, you can click on the golf-only tee times link on the homepage, which allows you to search for available tee times according to golf course, day, time of day, and number of golfers.

Now, with the help of my computer, I get to enjoy several rounds of golf on the Gulf—out in the real world.