Feels Like Spring…Why Not Plan a Spring Golf Getaway?

Maybe we’re in for it later this winter…but it just hasn’t been terribly cold lately. I was outside shorts and a t-shirt the other day and was perfectly comfortable.

I know we’re supposed to be getting ready for the holidays, but all this spring-like weather is making me think of spring-like activities—like golf, of course, and my yearly spring golf vacation in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach.

No, it’s not too early to plan a spring golf package, not with this inspiring weather—and the recent naming of Kiva Dunes as a Best Resort Course by Golfweek Magazine. If you missed this, basically, Golfweek has said that it will include the Gulf Shores golf course in its 2013 Best Resort Courses list. (And let’s not forget the courses’s previous honors, like being named Alabama’s #1 public golf course, again by Golfweek, this past spring.)

This is no shock to me. Gulf-front golf course, Jerry Pate design, beautiful landscaping—really, it’s a no-brainer. It’s also a no-brainer that Kiva Dunes will be on my list of must-play golf courses when I do plan my spring golf vacation. And the best part is this is just one of nine signature golf courses, so I have plenty of Gulf Coast golf courses to choose from.

Again, it’s not too early for a little spring preparation—just visit the Gulf Shores Golf Association website and start planning.

Golf Courses in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach—Which Is the Best?

So Kiva Dunes was ranked number 3 according to GOLF Magazine’s state-by-state public access courses in America. I have to disagree with them—it’s number 1 in my book. A beach-front layout on the Gulf Coast, the beauty and challenge presented by the course…it’s just hard to beat that!

But here’s what I love about golf in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach: nine signature golf courses to choose from, each with its own special qualities. Like the mango-scented, ice-cold towels offered by Cotton Creek at Craft Farms, and the chilled apples at Peninsula Golf & Racquet Club—both are really nice features when playing golf on a hot summer day! And the marshland hazards at Rock Creek Golf Club in Fairhope offer a unique scenic quality that I just love.

Plus, Kiva Dunes isn’t the only Gulf Shores & Orange Beach golf course to win accolades and high ratings. Cotton Creek and Cypress Bend at Craft Farms, Peninsula Golf & Racquet Club, and Rock Creek Golf Club have each received a four and a half star rating by Golf Digest. And most of the courses were designed by golf greats like Earl Stone, Arnold Palmer, and Jerry Pate.

I’ve played all of these courses, and looking back at all of them, I’m actually not sure which I would rank as number 1. Think I better book a Gulf Shores golf vacation so I can re-assess.

Win Entry to the SEC BeachFest Alumni Golf Scramble

Ordinarily I despise August—summer’s winding down, but it’s not quite time for fall yet—but this year I have a golf reason to look forward to August: the SEC BeachFest Alumni Golf Scramble.

Even without the golf scramble, the SEC BeachFest weekend (scheduled for August 23rd to 26th) promises to be a fun time. A kickoff to the SEC football season, the weekend will include current and legendary SEC coaches, live music, sports clinics, and games, to name just a few things.

And then there’s the golf scramble, which will be played at several Gulf Shores Golf Association golf courses—including a championship round at Kiva Dunes. That alone is worth signing up for! For $400 ($1600 per foursome) you get two rounds of golf, a buffet breakfast and lunch, a gift bag, and a chance to play for the championship round.

Or you could play for free—if you win the free foursome entry being given away by the GSGA. The free entry includes everything included in the entry fee. The winner will be chosen after the event, so be sure to register for the scramble and register for a chance to win on the Golf Gulf Shores Facebook page.

My entry is in, and I’m feeling lucky…see you on the golf course!

Want a Good Reason to Play Kiva Dunes—or Any Other GSGA Golf Course?

I remember the first time I played golf at Kiva Dunes in Gulf Shores. My first impression was how beautiful the place was—a Gulf-side golf course winding its way through sand dunes, lakes, and other scenic views. Playing it was amazing (even though I lost half a dozen balls that day).

With this memory in mind, it’s easy to see why it was recently rated the number one Alabama public golf course by Golfweek Magazine—and why Golf Digest ranked it as one of the 75 best golf resorts in North American in 2009, and one of the top 100 courses in 2003….Bravo, Kiva Dunes. Not that I needed it, but this validates my playing this GSGA golf course every time I visit Gulf Shores & Orange Beach!

But of course it’s not the only worthy golf course in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach. There’s a reason why the area is my top pick for a golf vacation: nine signature golf courses (I guess that’s really nine reasons), each with its own appealing set of qualities. Combine this with white-sand beaches, a variety of accommodations, excellent dining options, and an active events schedule and there’s really no reason to look elsewhere.

Don’t Just Dream of a Golf Vacation—Plan One!

I admit, I was dreaming of a white Christmas last week—it’s the one time of year that I actually long for cold weather—but now I’m back to dreaming of sunshine and warmth. And if I were to head down to Gulf Shores & Orange Beach right now, my dream may actually come true. They’re looking at some warm weather the next couple of days, with highs around 70 degrees.

That is simply perfect golf weather, and tempting enough that I’m thinking of calling in sick to work and squeezing in a quick trip to the Gulf. The weather certainly is one enticing reason to visit Gulf Shores & Orange Beach this winter, but it’s not the only reason.

For instance, several Gulf Shores Golf Association golf courses are offering winter rates—there are some excellent deals on golf packages to be found at places like Craft Farms and Gulf Shores Golf Club. And golfers looking to improve their skills might want to attend one of the winter golf clinics being offered at Kiva Dunes every Tuesday and Thursday through January and February. It could be a good way to brush up on those golf skills before spring.

It’s easy enough to plan a golf getaway—just visit the Gulf Shores Golf Association website to start putting together that winter golf vacation.

Burn Off that Turkey Dinner with Golf

I always mislead myself after Thanksgiving—now that the big meal is over (and the leftovers are eaten) I can get back to a sensible diet and start shedding some holiday pounds. Right?

Not exactly. Now come the home-baked cookies brought in to work by coworkers, and my Mom’s fudge, and the various Christmas treats that catch my eye every time I enter the grocery store. The holiday calorie fest is anything but over.

My solution: play more golf. True, golf isn’t exactly an aerobic activity, especially with the convenience of golf carts. But it’s activity. And it’s outside, which can motivate you to do more activity outside. And there are ways to make it a little more aerobic—I know a lady who would bring her non-golfer husband along and have him drive the cart while she walked to each ball.

If you’re playing golf in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach, it’s all the better. Nine signature golf courses provide an abundance of appealing options for golf. Play from the championship tees and you’ll get a course length longer than 7,000 yards at several courses, such as Cotton Creek, Kiva Dunes, Peninsula Golf & Racquet Club, and TimberCreek—that’s a good bit of walking using the above-mentioned method! Plus, the weather this time of year is comfortably mild and perfect for golf—and for staving off that extra holiday weight gain.

Playing Golf from Gulf Shores to South Africa

Kiva Dunes is one of those amazing golf courses that just makes you feel like you’re on top of the world—or at least that’s how I feel whenever I play there. The gorgeous Gulf-side layout and the challenge of the course always make me feel like I’m some big pro golfer playing a big-deal tournament—hey, I can dream, right?

Dream though I may, this fantasy may come true to some extent if I play in the World Golf Championship in Gulf Shores next Saturday, August 6th. The tournament itself meets one aspect of my dream, as it will take place at Kiva Dunes. And besides getting to compete against other golfers from across the country—possibly from around the world—the winner gets to advance to the World Golfers Championship/USA Finals in San Antonio in September. Then the winner in San Antonio will get to travel to South Africa for the World Finals in November to represent “Team USA.”

The tournament is open to amateur golfers with handicaps ranging low to high (there are five handicap flights). The cost is $95 per player—a worthwhile fee for a shot at playing golf in South Africa, in my opinion! More information is available on the Gulf Shores Golf Association website.

Water Hazards: Love Them or Hate Them?

I have a love-hate relationship with water hazards. I love them for the beauty and challenge they add to a golf course, but I hate the effect they have on my game. Because when I play a hole with a water hazard, my ball just seems drawn to it every time.

Ultimately, though, I love water hazards. It’s a great feeling when, on a good golf day, my ball actually sails past those waters and onto the green. If it’s a bad day—well, I make a stop at the clubhouse to buy a package of balls on my way out. But at least I’ve tried, and that’s the important thing—practice makes perfect, right?

And of all the places I could practice, the various courses in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach have some excellent options, especially when it comes to water hazards. Somehow, just being near the Gulf—the ultimate body of water—makes those hazards that much more appealing. I particularly enjoy courses like Kiva Dunes and Lost Key Golf Club, where the Gulf is just off in the distance. The beauty of these courses, water hazards and all, makes the distinction between a good day and a bad day irrelevant.

Check out some of the water hazards yourself—visit the Gulf Shores Golf Association website to view pictures of all nine signature golf courses in the area.

Championship Tees

The year is coming to an end and yet another is beginning. This always gets me thinking about starting fresh, changing for the better, goals and accomplishments, etc. This can (and does) apply to many aspects of my day-to-day life, but being golf-obsessed as I am, I’m once again putting much emphasis on golf goals for the New Year.

I was looking at the course lengths of some of my favorite golf courses in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. Kiva Dunes appears to be the longest, with 7,092 yards from the gold tees. Timber Creek, Peninsula Golf & Racquet, and Cotton Creek at Craft Farms are also over 7,000 yards from the championship tees.

I know I’ve never played this distance before. I did manage to work my way to the blue tees a couple times this year—the next step up would be the championship/gold/black tees (depending on where you play). So that’s my goal for 2011: play a 7,000-plus-yard course from the big tee boxes. (And maybe next year I’ll add “with a good score” to that goal.)

Here’s to golf in 2011!