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Posts tagged ‘Golf’

Jan 31

Palm Springs – Golf

Don has made a lot of friends through his love of golf, which is how we find ourselves staying with Tom and Diane Caress in Palm Springs.

Don randomly met Tom on a golf course in Perth (Australia), in 1994.

Tom loves his golf, possibly more than Don.

I think Tom, has probably played more golf courses around the world than even Don has!

Diane an Tom, along with their daughter Kym and her son Lincoln (who are currently residing with them) welcome us warmly into their home.

Diane kindly hands over the washing machine and we make good use of it!

Tom gives us tickets to the PGA Humana Challenge at La Quinta Country Club and we head out and watch the Pros for the afternoon.

Having spent two nights with the Caress’, we move down the road for a week at the Marriott Desert Springs, for a week of ‘resortville living’.  That’s another timeshare week used up!

Don has bought me new golf clubs – in the hope that I will take my golf a bit more seriously.  

If he’s prepared to follow me down snow covered mountains on two planks in a few weeks, I guess I can chase a little white ball around the grass for a week.

Throughout the week I have three lessons including a playing lesson. The golf Pro is Johnny; he’s straight out of college, but I like the way he approaches the game and imparts his knowledge.

Don of course is like a pig in mud!  He is surrounded by golf courses.  Actually there are over 130 golf courses to choose from in the Palm Springs area.

The highlight of the week would be PGA West TPC Stadium course. No easy course and whilst I started off with a par, it went downhill from there.

Aside from playing three games with me (though the playing lesson probably doesn’t count), Don squeezes in another three.

My golf did improve – but I’m not planning on turning professional anytime soon.

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Oct 26

What goes on Tour stays on Tour

Whilst I’m living it up in New York, Don is off playing golf with the boys; Tyrone, Footey (Andrew) and Pete.

I’m led to believe it was golf, golf, golf interspersed with eat, drink, sleep, eat, drink sleep.

And that’s about all I got out of him!

If you avid golfers want to know more about where they went and what courses they played.  No doubt, Don will be delighted to give you a hole by hole description!

 

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Jun 23

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Thracian Cliffs

We thought we had indulged ourselves in Varna, but Thracian is another step up!  And so it should be, for the price we are paying!   The things we do to indulge Don’s passion for golf!  We have an apartment with spectacular views, and a bathroom with a bathtub (I don’t remember the last bathtub we had) and most exciting; a washing machine!  Who thought I would ever get excited over a washing machine.

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Our tee time is for 8:45am, as we want to play before the heat of the day kicks in.  However, when we turn-up to collect our golf clubs and cart, we are told the course is still too wet for carts.  You would need to be a mountain goat to play without one; the course is not designed for walking, even though some are braving it, I’m certainly not!  Without hesitation, Don rescheduled for 12 noon, when carts should be usable.

We return and are waiting for our cart and clubs.  We have read feedback on the resort in regards to poor service.  Until now, we had no complaints, but it takes impossibly long for them to organise the cart, which was made ready in the morning, to reappear.   Whilst waiting, Don is chatting to a group of English blokes who have been golf holidaying here for the week.  In conversation with them, he discovers that only 11 holes are open on the course.

We’ve spoken with the pro-shop twice today and at no time did they mention that the entire course is not playable.  They are also still charging full rate, the compensation being you can play twice.  Rarely, perhaps not ever, have I seen Don get mad, but he is mad!  Though he quickly realises that complaining is futile.  Whilst he would like them to understand that communicating the course condition earlier would have been appreciated, the language barrier suddenly widens.  Any understanding and conversing in english diminishes to “yes, no, sorry I don’t understand.”

The course is spectacular and challenging.  Forget looking for a golf ball if you don’t make a fairway.  We came prepared, having bought a box of 24 golf balls in the pro-shop.  We both go through a few.  A good game is a quick game and a cart makes for speedy golf. Only playing 11 holes, also helps.  We make it around in under 2 hours.

We are keen to play again, but would prefer to play as late as possible.   Clearly the starter thinks this is unusual. Don points out its still light until after 8pm, so he reluctantly agrees to let us play our second round at 6pm.   I think the only reason he is reluctant, is because he wants to go home.

We swap golf gear for bathers and head down to the resort beach to cool off in the black sea.  This is turning out to be my ideal game of play golf: 11 holes, couple of hours at the beach, 11 more holes.

The following morning Don got to play all 18 holes whilst I lazed by the pool.  For those who want more in-depth details and a hole by hole description, contact Don directly: don@callander.net.au

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May 7

A side step to Belek – for some more golf!

Side is recommended, for it is an old walled city with Roman and Byzantine ruins.

We thought we might stay in Side, but on checking out a couple of options we decided to head round the coast a bit more to Belek (Don was also keen to sample a couple of golf courses).

Belek is a purpose built town of golf resorts and you probably wouldn’t visit unless you wanted to play golf.  We check out a couple of places to stay.  Don does not even get past the first hotel, as the pool is green with neglect.

We pull into the Hotel Vera Verde. We always send Don in to negotiate, as the Turkish like dealing with the man and Don enjoys the challenge of getting a good deal.

This one is pretty good and alternatives are looking slim  They offer us a 2 Bedroom room, all inclusive, for 2 nights for €190 ($285).  You know you’re in a tourist resort when all the prices are quoted in Euro.

Let me explain all inclusive; that’s all meals and alcohol for the entire stay.  They slip wrist bands on us, we dump our gear in the room and head for the poolside bar to start getting our value for money!

Of course it’s a bit like being in a club med resort. You eat buffet food, the cocktails are overly sweet and the gin is a local turkish brand which made me appreciate the difference between good and bad gin!

But it had been a while since we had stayed anywhere reasonable. The pool and beach club were nice, but most importantly Don got two games of golf in, including the novelty of playing the back nine under lights.

Katrina and I went back into Side and explored the ruins during one of Don’s games.  Side at one time had been an important port, so the ruins are pretty impressive.

The old part of town is fully geared for tourists, but still has some charm about it, especially if you get there early enough to beat the first tourist buses.

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