I have long thought that the ultimate travel experience is an around the world vacation…select your favorite and most desired destinations and over an extended period of time visit each of them as you circumnavigate the globe. A recent article reminded me of the sheer luxury of such a trip. While the article did not mention it, an RTW ticket is one of the bargains of luxury air travel if you fly in Business or First Class as the fares charged bare little resemblance to round trip fares. As an example you can secure an RTW Business Class ticket on Star Alliance for approximately $10,000 with multiple stops. First Class is $15,000.

British Airways Club World - Bob McCoy's preferred mode of travel

As I was pondering the idea I was reminded of a friend, Bob McCoy who achieved, in many golfers eyes, the ultimate RTW golf trip. He played the Top 100 Golf Courses as selected by GOLF Magazine during 100 consecutive days. Yes, you read correctly. Some other points to consider if any reader wishes to match this journey;

• The journey must start on day 1 from your home…no head start!
• All air travel via commercially scheduled flights…leave the private jet in the hanger!
• All courses must be walked (caddie permitted)…but no carts!

Bob has kindly agreed to let me serialize his experience from the planning to the trip and I shall post over the weeks and months ahead. So here is Bob’s unedited story; (please note this is the first of eleven parts to this posting. You may view the condensed trip schedule with detail here.) You may want to subscribe to our blog to ensure you do not miss any of the installments.

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100-in-100

Why?

How did the idea of playing the top 100 courses in the world in 100 consecutive days get started?  In November 1988, while on a trip around the world to complete playing the Top 100, I began to wonder what to do for an encore. After completion of the Top 100 the obvious sense of accomplishment was mixed with a sense of disappointment that there were no more worlds to conquer. The fun of planning and executing the various trips was like a drug; once a high had been reached something more powerful had to be tried to hit an even higher high. Furthermore, I had a group of friends around the world that I wanted to visit again.

During the November 1988 trip, while being interviewed for an article in a Japanese golf magazine, I was asked what I was going to do after completing the Top 100. I casually said I was going to play them in 100 consecutive days. Subsequently I established a relationship with the famous golf writer Herbert Warren Wind. This very articulate and thoughtful man was kind enough to write in February 1994:

“…For all your entertaining accounts of the clubs and courses you visit each year, I find myself musing: This guy is not only a fountain of golf knowledge, he is one of the great travelers of all time. Planes may be cancelled, his precise meetings with old and new friends may need adjustment, and the courses he has arranged to play may be in terrible shape because of freakish weather, but this guy can adjust to any and all conditions. He is one of the great travelers of all time, like the hero of Jules Verne’s Around The World in Eighty Days.”

Valderamma in Spain, venue for 1997 Ryder Cup Matches

The other major influence was the evolution of the idea of writing a book. In 1987 I began to publish a brief newsletter called “The Odyssey,” which was sent to my friends as a way to keep them informed of my golf travels. Before 1987 the normal routine was to play a course with one, two, or three interesting members; have some refreshments afterward; quickly travel on to the next course; and then write thank you letters at the conclusion of the trip. However, because many of these people expressed a genuine interest in my travels I thought a brief yearly review might be of some interest.

The first “O” was a simple, crude, and totally candid four-page effort sent to about 100 friends. A much longer version was mailed out at the end of 1988, and a curious thing began to happen. I began to receive letters from strangers thanking me for creating the annual travelogue and saying they had received a photocopy from so and so. Well, I did not know the author of the letter and did not even know so and so.

This phenomenon was both pleasing and a source of concern. Obviously I was flattered that I was creating a document worthy of a written response from total strangers. On the other hand, I was concerned that I had lost control of the distribution. Because I did not want to offend in any way any of the kind people who had afforded me the opportunity to play their courses, I felt I had to be circumspect in what I said. Thus, the totally candid direction of future “O’s” was curtailed, with negative comments kept to a minimum.

The unsolicited letters keep rolling in and their content, plus encouragement from old friends, leads me to believe that I can make a contribution to golf  by writing a book. The book will discuss all the World Top 100 courses, why they deserve to be on the list, and the noteworthy features of each course.

Thus, the reason for the 1997 trip was to create a challenge and to do something no one else has accomplished. However, it also developed into an in-depth field trip to gather information and impressions about each course. I asked the contact at each course to provide someone who was knowledgeable about the architectural evolution of the course. Many responded positively; a few could have cared less.

Creating The Itinerary

In May 1996 I purchased three large magnetic boards on which was written each of the 100 days. Also purchased were 100 magnets with a clip at the end to hold a piece of paper containing each course name. Thus it was easy to move the names around.

The most logical time to start the trip was late April. My business is seasonal, with the heavy work over by late April. Thus I was in the enviable position of being able to tell my clients that the office would be closed for 100 days without upsetting them. In fact, one company sent a gift of balls, gloves, and a hat.

Other considerations were Seminole’s closing for the summer on Mother’s Day (usually the second Sunday in May) and Augusta’s closing in mid-May. Because both hemispheres had to be visited, it was best to find the most temperate winter climate and that certainly was the southern hemisphere (palm trees in Sydney, Australia and Durban, South Africa).

No time for sightseeing on the trip!

At that point the question was the order of play. It was desirable to do as many as possible of the U.S. courses during their optimum weather season. This meant the southern part first and the northern part last. I also wanted to drive my own car as much as possible to avoid short-haul airplane flights and rental-car expense, including drop-off charges. As you can see, the schedule started with the southeastern part of the U.S. (including the Dominican Republic), followed by the rest of the southern and western parts of the country (including Mexico). San Francisco was a good overseas jumping off point to Japan, New Zealand,Australia,  and South Africa.

Then it was on to the British Isles and Ireland, followed by Portugal, Spain, and France, and finally back in the U.S. to do the northern part of the country as well as Canada. Doing this part of the U.S. in July had the added benefit of missing the complications created by the many three- and four-day member-guest tournaments, which traditionally are held in June.

The next stage in creating the itinerary was to consult with Gordon Dalgleish (1992*) of PerryGolf (travel agent based in Atlanta, GA specializing in golf trips to Scotland and Ireland). Many hours were spent on the phone with Gordon consulting his travel-agency computer to locate airline flights that would link all the courses. With his help a viable program based on a British Airways round-the-world special business class fare was created. The cost of this ticket was $10,800. (The actual international ticket had so many pages with so many countries that the agent in Wellington New Zealand asked me where I was not going.) The domestic flights cost an additional $3,500. I was able to keep the airline cost down by using my own car for three major U.S sections of the trip.

In creating the schedule I programmed buffer days in anticipation of possible delays due to bad weather, late flights, or even missed flights. If these buffer days turned out not to be needed then there was also alternative flights picked out to get me to the next destination one day early. Obviously to play 100 courses in 100 days and travel around the world meant that two courses would have to be played in one day on several occasions. Geographically, there were plenty of possible opportunities. In the end 16 doubleheaders became part of the program.

Having already been to each course at least once, I knew how to get there and move on to the next course in the speediest manner possible. For instance, I knew the fastest way from San Lorenzo (near Faro, Portugal) to Valderrama (at Sotogrande, Spain) was to rent a car in Faro, drive five hours to Sotogrande, and finally leave the car at the Malaga airport, paying a substantial drop-off charge.

By late July 1996 the ideal schedule from my standpoint was developed.

The next stage was to determine how well my ideal schedule would fit with the 1997 schedule of the 100 courses involved. A personalized letter was written to my contact at each club. In most cases this was a friend of many years; in a few cases the letter went directly to the club. This was Plan A. Also enclosed were a standardized form and a reply envelope. Everyone was asked to check the 1996 club schedule and try to guess if the 1997 schedule might produce a significant conflict. An early starting time was also requested (preferably the first one of the day).

Over the next two months 92 specific and positive responses were received. For the eight no or too vague responses, Plan B was activated. That meant calling on friends who might know someone at the problem club or writing the club direct.

When moving my base of operation from New Jersey to Florida in late October I debated whether to bring the three bulky magnetic boards because the schedule seemed to be in good shape. Bringing the boards South proved to be a very wise decision.

In February 1997 reconfirming letters were sent to all concerned. At that point the schedule looked firm. However, as you will read, the deck had to be reshuffled twice more before lift-off day, and further revisions had to be made as the trip progressed. It was obvious at the outset of the project that flexibility was the magic word in planning and executing the trip. At this point the single most valuable piece of equipment was the fax.

I am a firm believer in spending as much time as possible on the planning stage of a trip. I have learned the hard way that no matter how much you try to anticipate every eventuality there will always be some unexpected hurdle or hurdles. The goal is to keep the unexpected to the absolute minimum. The final itinerary for the trip was a single-spaced seven-page document containing 150 names of individuals along with 250 phone and fax numbers. PerryGolf, used as the contact point, was extremely helpful in coping with the changes that came up during the trip.

Course Access

Helicopter travel also not permitted on this trip!

As most of you know, just getting on some of the Top 100 courses is almost impossible, to say nothing about trying for a specific day and a specific hour. Having friends all over the world made my trip a possibility. Unless otherwise noted in the blow-by-blow account of the trip, all the course played are private. On 45 courses you must play with a member. On another 30 private courses you can play at certain times without a member (mostly in the U.K. and Australia) but need a proper introduction, such as being a member of a private club. On modern-day real-estate related courses you have to play with a member. There also are eight resort courses and three public-access courses. Finally, there is one course (Shadow Creek) that falls into the “other” category (basically you must be a high roller or friend of  the owner) (subsequently available for $1,000 greens fee).

Possible Publicity

In the early stages of planning the trip I envisioned all sorts of possible related activities. To defray the expense of the trip I thought of corporate sponsorship such as Titleist/Foot Joy/Cobra Golf (clubs, balls, gloves, shoes, socks, and bag), AT&T (demonstration of worldwide communication capability, including nightly updates on the Internet), and an airline such as British Air.  Other possibilities were a fund-raising program for the Multiple Sclerosis Society (with donors paying so much per mile traveled) or a contest to guess the actual itinerary.

All these ideas quickly evaporated because of the need to respect the privacy of all the clubs involved. A few of them wanted absolutely no publicity. Sports Illustrated contacted me in February expressing a desire to run a three-page article (including a map) to be published in April. Golf magazine also thought about running articles during each month of the trip. I had to ask both to hold off until the trip was concluded. Thus the trip was conducted in an inconspicuous fashion. The privacy issue also meant the trip could not be mentioned in the 1996 “O.”

Going on one airline exclusively made no sense; the optimum flight had to be chosen in all instances because of the need for speed. I had to take the most direct flight possible and not be tied down to a hub-city connection just to stay on one airline.

Traveling Companion

I have learned over the years that traveling alone on an extended trip is the only way to go because problems rise exponentially with the addition of each person. However, because the book was such an integral part of the trip I asked someone to join me. I wanted this person to act as another set of eyes and help write up the key aspects of the course played that day as we traveled to the next site. I thought I had such a person (63-year-old gentleman from overseas), and he did accompany me on the early part of the trip. Unfortunately, the pace was too fast and my friend retired from the fray after the first 20 courses.

Actually my first choice for a traveling companion had been Dan Turner (1992) who had been doing yeomen service as a researcher for the book. Dan is the head of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at the University of Alabama. In December 1996 Dan’s new boss decided he was indispensable at work and thus was not free to spend 100 consecutive days away from the campus. Dan did join my traveling companion and me on the first few days of the trip. Then he joined me on the Monterey Peninsula, in Ireland and Scotland, and during the concluding 10 days. During these periods we accomplished a great deal of work, and it is a shame that Dan was not along for the entire trip.

Wardrobe

A few years ago I decided to simplify my life by traveling only with white golf shirts. This eliminates all agonizing color-coordination decisions while packing and on the morning of each golf day. With the need to do my own laundry without having conquered the iron, I have discovered all-cotton golf shirts do not come out of the dryer wrinkle-free. To supplement my current supply of white golf shirts for the trip I purchased a dozen Pickering 60% cotton/40% polyester white shirts. Following the trip my closet now contains a lifetime supply of white golf shirts.

I also purchased four drip-dry dress shirts, as well as two pairs of blue long pants and two pairs of blue short pants made of a new type of microfiber that was light in weight, washable, permanent-press, and wrinkle-free.

I also packed two pairs of middle weight blue golf slacks; one pair of blue corduroy slacks; one pair of gray dress slacks; one blue blazer; four ties; two blue cashmere sweaters; one gray Gortex-lined sweater; a 14-day supply of socks and underwear; and normal toiletry items supplemented by vitamins, Kaopectate, and Lomotal.

Of course, no trip complete without visit to St. Andrews

Luggage

How do you pack to circumnavigate the globe starting in Atlanta, Georgia, and ending in New Jersey 55 days later and encountering both spring, summer, and moderate early-winter weather? It meant one heavy central piece of luggage on rollers. How heavy would this suitcase become? At check-in an attendant attached an extra tag that said “HEAVY-Bend your knees”; the weight was listed at 28 kg (61.7 lb.).

Gordon produced a reasonably light and sturdy golf travel bag, also with rollers. Because the bag was not tall enough for my standard long putter one with a collapsible shaft had to be purchased. The putter head was ugly, but the collapsible shaft made it worthwhile.

My carry-on bag was bulky and heavy. To record as many thoughts as possible during the trip I purchased a Toshiba laptop computer that operated on all electrical systems. Because the battery is only good for 90 minutes of usage per full charge and there were going to be some ten-hour flights, two extra batteries and a battery charger kit were needed. This whole system added considerable weight to the carry-on bag, but it was necessary.

A portable printer was purchased, but it and the related supplies such as paper proved to be too bulky and too heavy. Also purchased (from Radio Shack) were two packages of international  adapters, one for electrical outlets and the other for telephone outlets.

The fourth piece of luggage was a lightweight hanging bag for a sport coat and slacks to avoid wrinkling these items by packing them tightly in the big suitcase. I also purchased a small two-pocket zippered travel purse to hold my passport, travelers’ checks, airplane tickets, regular wallet, some bank checks, and a minicalculator. This purse was never out of my sight and went into the golf bag while on the course.

Because it immediately became apparent that the carry-on bag was really heavy I bought a set of detachable wheels to roll the bag on and off airplanes and down long airport corridors. However, it quickly became clear that it was impossible for one person to roll more than two pieces of bulky luggage at the same time. Thus, the detachable wheels were abandoned, and I put the carry-on bag back on my shoulder. Actually, moving the four pieces simulanteously was not a big problem except in Japan.

One or more cameras would have been desirable additions. However, not only were weight and space considerations in the decision note to include them, but so were the lack of  freedom to take pictures at appropriate times. The priorities were to play golf and write down observations. I have found that doing these two tasks makes it impossible to take pictures too while maintaining a reasonable pace of play. The choice is to take notes or to snap pictures, and I opt for note taking. In this regard 30 pocket-sized spiral notepads were purchased. One question was which spiral location was best — on the side or on top. Extensive field testing indicated that the clear choice was spirals at the top for ease of taking out and replacing in the right-hand back pants pocket.

Physical Conditioning Program

I am not a physical fitness freak, but I did not want to have the trip fail because some part of my body fell to pieces. That meant a fairly serious exercise program had to be performed on a 58-year-old body. Actually I have been on a semi-regular exercise program for the past few years, so I just became more dedicated to following it at least three times a week starting in the summer of 1996. The program consists of extensive stretching, 10 to 15 minutes on a stair climber, 10 to 15 minutes on a stationary bike, and 20 to 25 minutes on a treadmill whose elevation can be adjusted. I also spent the winter season carrying my bag in order to increase my stamina. Clearly the program worked because no body part failed, even for one day. I certainly would not characterize myself as an “iron man,” but for at least 100 days of my life I can modestly put myself in that category.

McCoy Power Reports (MPR)

Most of my friends think I am fully retired, but in fact I run a successful business, McCoy Power Reports (MPR). I publish nine formal reports a year, plus some interim reports, on worldwide market shares for electric power generating equipment and services. It is a $100 billion-a-year industry, and my paying customer base includes such companies as GE, Siemens (Germany),  ABB (Switzerland), GEC Alsthom (France and England), and Mitsubishi (Japan).

In early April the following notice was sent to all my customers:

“Please be advised that I will be out of the country from late April through early August. Therefore, the MPR office will be closed at the end of the day on Friday April 25 and will not reopen until Thursday August 7. There will be no way that I can respond to any requests during that time period. Thus, if you have any special requests please contact me by April 25.” Not only were there no complaints, but no one canceled. In fact, during the three weeks after reopening, three new companies signed up for the full subscription service. Maybe I should go away for 100 days every year.

Luck

Despite a full year of planning and preparation, I was going to need a lot of luck for the trip to be successful. Before blast-off I received a card and good luck charm from my older daughter Elizabeth. The card said “Enclosed is a good luck rock for your journey! May your goals and dreams be accomplished. May this green rock, illustrating different geological ages, bring you luck and happiness while you travel. The rock is from Alaska and Canada – the Tatshenshini River. It traveled a long way to bring you luck. Don’t forget to put it in your golf bag.”

I did as instructed, but then forgot about the rock. Fortunately I cleaned out the golf bag in Atlanta just before embarking upon 53 days of flying. It was then that I discovered the rock and realized why the trip had been going so well so far. For the rest of the trip, every time I thought about how lucky I was that everything was going so well I also thought of the rock. And these thoughts occurred daily. On the eighteen hundredth green at Merion I took out the lucky rock and had my younger daughter Jane take a picture of me kissing it.

Miscellaneous

There were several day-to-day items to cover before lift-off. To cover the normal monthly bills, organizations such as the electric and phone companies had to be sent enough funds to cover at least four months’ worth of charges. The June installment to the Internal Revenue Service was prepaid, and the credit-card company received a substantial advance payment to avoid not exceeding my credit limit and thus being refused credit in Adelaide, Australia.

Ground Rules

As the first person to attempt playing the Top 100 in a given number of days, I have the discretion to determine the ground rules for anyone who wants to play them in fewer than 100 days. These ground rules are:

1. 1.     Start from your official residence on day one.
2. 2.     Fly commercially.
3. 3.     Walk all 1,800 holes.

TO BE CONTINUED

One of the features of the unique software platform that PerryGolf employs to create, manage and deliver customized trips is to constantly monitor dates when golf courses will be closed. On many occassions these are dates that are unique events and cannot be reasonably anticipated based on history.

Our system simply does not permit us to generate a proposal for a client when one of the scheduled golf courses is in conflict with a “close out” date. This is one of the many benefits you receive from PerryGolf as compared to less entrenched travel providers.

To this end, be aware that the 2013 Ladies British Open shall be played on the Old Course, St. Andrews, July 29 – August 5 with resultant course closure. Additionally as it is a non Ryder Cup year, we reasonably anticipate that the Dunhill Cup shall move to the last week of September in 2013 resulting in a three week closure of the Old Course…when combined with R & A Autumn Meeting. Plan accordingly!

A recent trip to Scotland took me for an overnight visit to St. Andrews. The weather was cold but clear blue skies were the order of the day. St. Andrews is a stunning, attractive destination for golfers and non golfers alike…even in cold weather!

As I departed St. Andrews I stopped at Kingarrock and met David Anderson. David is a fascinating and engaging personality who has a passion for Kingarrock. As many have realized a picture is worth a thousand words and on that basis, I suggest you enjoy this You Tube video . More details on Kingarrock can be found here.

Kingarrock would be a wonderful place for golfers to visit and enjoy the facilities. Allow two hours from arrival until departure to fully appreciate the experience. This may not be for everyone but if you enjoy some of the history of the game in a casual atmosphere, I would encourage you to find the time during your stay in St. Andrews.

Iconic lighthouse on Ailsa Course

One of the challenges in selling travel has long been the ability to properly and fully communicate the myriad of options available during your vacation. While many golfers know the courses they wish to include, it is often helpful to spend a few moments reviewing the courses on video so that you are completely comfortable with your selection.

To aid in this process, we shall be adding many short videos of the most famous, and some not so famous links courses of Scotland over the coming months. Each one provides a great sense of the respective experience. The first video in our collection is the Ailsa Course at Turnberry…one of the most iconic settings in golf.

The videos are short in length as they are not intended to be course tours, but rather highlight the principal features and notoriety of the courses and permit each golfer to better educate themselves on the options and as a result, provide the very best possible travel experience to meet their wishes.

I hope you enjoy.

I was having coffee this week with an old friend who mentioned he had  stayed this past summer at the refurbished Greenbrier  in West Virginia. I asked him how it was and he lit up. He described the renovation and the superior service level he enjoyed during his stay…but the one story he took the time to recount was at departure. All luggage was loaded into their car and the bellman said, please wait one brief moment and then ran inside. He reappeared quickly with two cold bottles of water for the trip home. The point of my story is that for literally a few pennies and an engaged bellman, a guest who probably just spent a significant sum for 3 or 4 nights left with a great service experience to tell his friends. Another fine example of that special service experience can be read here.  It all seems simple enough, but is it really?

I have blogged before about how your service experience and therefore opinion is the cumulative effect of many small touches; it can be the smile at check-in, the conversation with the bellman on the way to your room, the rapport with the cocktail waitress, the pool attendant who appears with a dry towel when you most need it, the housekeeper who places your child’s teddy bear carefully & strategically on the bed at turn down service….the list is endless but each touch make an incremental difference.

I am forever amazed at how many companies in the service business simply cannot incorporate this concept into their business model. In recent times, it seems like more are engaged in corporate speak, saying the right thing and forever thanking their best customers but when it comes to meaningful action it falls flat. Believe me when I tell you we appreciate your business, but please, please do not ask me to meaningfully show it!

Another camp who do not get the service concept are the ones who build and focus all of their energy and resources on building the best and grandest. The attention to detail is remarkable on the construction…but then it all stops.  It is similar to the airline business with massive capital investment but the final experience, despite the greatest hardware on the plane or the latest premium seats and entertainment systems or lounge complexes is the simple smile of a flight attendant. Engaged personnel who genuinely care for their customers is sadly an endangered species.

I recall years ago the General Manager at a Four Seasons Hotel explaining he would only hire happy people, “…we can always train them for the needed skill. On the other hand, it is far harder to train well skilled, grumpy people to be happy.”

As consumers we can easily set ourselves up to be disappointed. You go to a hotel or restaurant or holiday destination with high expectations, only to be disappointing.  One service provider who has historically managed to over deliver is Southwest Airlines. Call it the “Southwest Syndrome” but they are regarded in the minds of many consumers as a low cost airline. Minimal service. No advance seating, etc, etc. As a result you purchase a ticket with fairly low expectations and more often than not they meet or surpass you goal of an on time flight in modest comfort with luggage delivered to the baggage carousel. Compare that experience to legacy airlines in the U.S. (Delta, United, American, etc) with whom consumers have historically placed a higher service expectation…this expectation is often missed albeit they may possibly deliver a similar travel experience to Southwest. But from the travelers perspective Southwest is a better airline than a legacy carrier because they matched or surpassed expectations…lets ignore the fact we used different standards!

A recent family trip of mine to Atlanta reminded me of the importance of realisitic expecations. For various reasons, including a lot of thought to consider alternatives, I opted for the Atlanta Hilton Hotel. Other than the location, which my young son enjoyed, and some very engaged hotel staff, I was disappointed on various levels by their service delivery at the hotel…mostly due to expectation of the brand.

Lesson learnt is to try to match up your expectations with some level of reality. Generally a 3 star hotel is going to deliver a 3 star service much as you may prefer differently.  The Greenbrier example above took a 5 star hotel and with that extra effort improved on that. Enjoy the times of the extra effort for sadly it is more the exception than the rule.

At PerryGolf we take great pride in the service we deliver and I very much hope that we surpass your expectations…as always, if there is anything I can do to assist, please do no hestiate to contact me directly.

Gordon Dalgleish

I received in today’s mail a summary from Tom Doak’s office of their design and potential design jobs  in 2012.

Selfishly from an international travel perspective the future is bright;

Melbourne, Australia – Reconstruction work on East Course at Royal Melbourne

Rio de Janiero, Brazil – Bidding on 2016 Olympic golf venue…thankfully that will not be a political decision!

Hainan Island, China – New golf course on an island in the midst of a river, with a second course starting in late spring/early summer

Mangawhai, New Zealand – As if Cape Kidnappers was not sufficient, an American funded project approximately 100 miles north of Auckland. This will only add to New Zealand as a great golf destination.

St. Emillion, France – In the heart of Bordeaux, finishing a current project.

Aldea del Fresno, Madrid, Spain – An 18 hole co-design with Mike Clayton at the El Rincon winery – starting in July.

….and finally in the USA

Mullen, Nebraska – completion of second 18 holes at Dismal River

Medinah, Chicago, IL – the day after the Ryder Cup concludes a renovation commences on Medinah #1 to accommodate tournament facilities

Polk County, Florida – this is the resort I am told will be VERY IMPRESSIVE. The Blue Course opens in October, alongside the Coore/Crenshaw Red Course at the Streamsong Resort.

Tom is one of the premier golf course architects and rightfully very proud of his work. There is little new construction in the US, if you want to work, you need to pack your bags and passport!

Air travel remains a key element in our business, whether we issue tickets for travelers or they arrange themselves. Regular travelers are very familiar with many of the changes which have occurred domestically in recent years; more regional jets (read smaller), busier flights, more invasive security, etc. All this has changed at a time that international air travel has also gone through many changes.

When I travel internationally I usually take a little more time than I would on short domestic flights to consider my options and decide on best alternative, given the various elements to consider.

Items that I consider when travelling internationally include;

1. May I use a low level Business or First Class award for travel on my preferred dates with good routing. If the answer is yes, then no more work required! High level awards are a great way to burn miles if your goal is to empty your account! Low level awards are great value.

British Airways Club World Cabin - not all Business Class is so luxurious

2. Is there an airline either I like, or I would like to try that flies the route I intend to use. Not all air travel experiences in premium cabins are created equally…far from it. Flat seats/beds as opposed to angled, old seats with dated entertainment options is a consideration. Historically surly flight crews or dirty planes are also good reasons for overlooking.

3. Lounge access may seem like a small issue, but some airlines deliver a far superior lounge experience than others. Access to an Arrivals Lounge with shower facilities is key if your plan is to keeping moving after reaching your final airport. For example, when connecting in London, ideally you have sufficient time to take a shower so that upon arrival in Scotland, you can begin your day without delay.

4. Access and availability to book preferred seats is even more important if you cannot secure a Business or First Class seat. Exit row seats work well or the various upgraded economy products more airlines are offering. Generally this entails several additional inches of legroom and complimentary drinks. It may also come with added baggage allowance. British Airways have done a fine job of differentiating this product whereas Delta and United have not created a separate cabin, just more legroom and recline. I have discovered that the new Delta Economy Comfort product is pretty decent if you are careful with seat selection…couple that with a decent high level Delta frequent flyer status (for lounge and security lane access) and you have an acceptable solution at reasonable price. I have become reliant on www.SeatGuru.com for seating advise. While not as important, the right seat can make a difference in First or Business Class but is key behind the curtain….never let a computer decide your seat for you!

5.Far from the defining issue of airline selection, but worthy of considering if your goal is the least expensive fare…what type of luggage allowance do you get, if any…and what re luggage charges.

6. I have noticed that airlines serve up flight options in a variety of ways and it is remarkably easy to book the wrong connection, or at least not the best connection. Conversely, be careful not to select connections which have little chance of success, e.g. 75 minutes to clear immigration, customs and change terminals via train in Newark is not a great call. If you miss your connection, and the next flight is full….then your fun begins. Be realistic in deciding on connections and not always push for the tightest, for invariably you will get burned.

7. Important to never dismiss the upgrade possibilities. Some airlines sell upgrades at reasonable costs on the day of departure or at the check-in counter. Fair to say, every airline is different and that should always be considered a bonus if it occurs.

8. Finally, if you are travelling with a friend or friends and have the option of travelling on the same schedule, ask if any of them have premium status with an airline’s frequent flyer program. If you are ticketed on the same reservation together, you enjoy the same perks, such as seat assignments, lounge access, baggage, etc that your friend is entitled to.

As always, the Air Department at PerryGolf is delighted to offer assistance with your travel needs as we strive to stay abreast of ever changing developments and options for air travel.

It was not that long ago that golf, during the height of the recession was held up by many as a bad force in the world. Politicians in their inimitable style distanced themselves from the sport while the media portrayed it as a rich man’s sport with little redeeming social value.

With this recent background, we should not forget the many fundraisers which are based around golf events and that provide wonderful vehicles for a multitude of charities. Over the years I have been fortunate to participate in a number of these around the USA and my experience this week in Charleston, S.C. was memorable on various levels.

The event was a fundraiser for the Childrens Hospital of Charleston hosted at Bulls Bay Golf Club,  which is located to the north of Charleston. The owner of Bulls Bay, Mr. Joe Rice was a gracious and generous host as he opened the doors to his Club to this event. The event followed the fairly predictable format of golf, drinks, dinner, auction,etc….but with a twist. Immediately after dinner the mother of a young man spoke without notes for 40 minutes about her son’s experience at the hospital, since being diagnosed with leukemia on July 5, 2010. Her presentation was riveting, from the heart, but concise and with all of her emotions shared as to what her son and family endured during a long and painful process. Thankfully her son is now back in University and returning to the life of an active 19 year old. I will long recall her vivid recounting of their experiences with Children’s Hospital.

The live auction was next on the agenda with various unique items for sale and was well supported by the audience.

Immediately following the auction Edwin McCain sang 4 or 5 songs before being joined on stage by Darius Rucker. Both of the artists were appearing for the 150 or so people in the room at no charge…they were doing it as one of the many ways they support worthwhile causes. McCain was terrific. He was funny, some great stories between songs about LG and his BBQ and also family insights…all with a wonderful sense of humor. To cap the night off they auctioned a night of their songs….they would come to your venue to play for you and your friends…..Rucker & McCain…importantly all proceeds to a worthwhile cause. The bidding reached $40,000 quickly and equally quickly McCain said that if both bidders would agree to $50,000 they would perform twice! Agreed and as simple as that, another $100,000 had been raised for the Children’s Hospital. McCain and Rucker are two gentlemen who know how to use their celebrity & talent in a very positive way.

Golf is a terrific catalyst which gets together wonderful people who are generous with both their time and resources. Sadly the media often misses many of the smaller stories like this.

Freedom

Having just completed a delightful three day Lowcountry Golf Cruise I thought I would take a few moments and share various observations from the experience. 

The Inn at Palmetto Bluff near Hilton Head Island is a special place. It is understated, casual, comfortable with a myriad of amenities, including an excellent Nicklaus designed golf course. In many ways it feels like a more intimate Cloister Hotel (Sea Island) experience. The May River Golf Course which sits alongside the Inn is a delight to play. Unquestionably better than a resort course as it meanders through old growth tress and alongside tidal marshes. The facility also provides an excellent caddie program in conjunction with Caddiemaster, which for me is always a strong indication of a pending superior golf experience. 

The town of Beaufort, S.C. which was the filming location for much of the movie Forrest Gump is a delightful, Lowcountry coastal river town. With a unique location which provides deep water access and mooring it has a charm and ambiance that is a delight to encounter. It is a ideal stop on a journey such as we made for it has appeal to both golfers and non golfers alike. 

It is somewhat unusual to take six people as we had on this trip,  from various aspects of the golf industry and in any given geographic region play two courses which none of the group have ever played…but that is what we did with May River and Chechessee Creek. I have heard much about this Coore/Crenshaw design over the years and was delighted to finally play it. It is a terrific walking course, challenging for all levels of golfer…one of these courses you could play every day and not get bored. It would not beat you up unduly and one that to which I would gladly return. The clubhouse, while similar to May River, in a very traditional Lowcountry style, is slightly more low key…but all very comfortable. 

One of the very interesting aspects of Chechessee Creek was their relationship with the Outpost Club  which is a recently formed Golf Society in keeping with the traditions of those in the British Isles. They are taking the concept one step farther however by building the Outpost Lodge at Chechessee Creek, adjacent to the clubhouse. The lodge has 12 en suite bedrooms and is available for both Outpost members and Chechessee Creek members to book for overnight accommodations. 

My interest is peeked from a business sense and how these two concepts will co-exist in harmony. These are challenging times in the golf industry and for private clubs in particular. Chechessee Creek for whatever reason had not gained the membership levels required as we entered the recent choppy economic waters and this relationship with the Outpost Club is certainly thinking outside the box. Both entities are attractive and appealing to different golfers in their own right. Both can deliver value and experience for people with differing needs…the challenge as I see it is how the respective memberships and staff’s work together and communicate, understanding and respecting the needs of each other, while recognizing that together they are much more viable than separately. I applaud their innovation and wish them well. 

The glue that holds this travel experience together is Freedom. She is a delight to sail on board. For a group of 4 couples, she is ideal with plenty of public space to relax and enjoy the vistas surrounding you. The crew were outstanding. The food creatively prepared and designed with the individual preferences of the passengers in mind. 

In closing, a wonderful experience that can be customized to fit the needs of the group. More images may be viewed here. Details of our Lowcountry Golf program may be viewed at our website.

While we do not offer domestic golf trips, a recent business meeting at the Pelican Hill Resort in Newport Beach was a very positive experience. The two Tom Fazio designed courses are almost 20 years old but the accommodation component only opened in 2008 and is spectacular.

I had previously attended a meeting at the resort and stayed overnight in it’s sister property but was impressed at that time with the physical plant. On this occasion I stayed at Pelican Hill for three nights and played both the North & South Courses.

The resort offers hotel rooms which they categorize as “Bungalows” and a Villa product which have 2 – 4 bedrooms in each unit. The Bungalows are spacious at over 800 square feet and provide a very well designed and thoughtful hotel experience. I did not see the interior of the Villas but understand they are also extremely well conceived.

The hotel is spread out and as a result their transportation system is extremely efficient and works very well. I never waited longer than a few minutes for a transfer within the resort and never heard a negative comment on this topic from any of the 30+ people within my group who were also at the resort.

The golf courses surpassed my fairly modest expectations. I thought they would be more contrived in design to fit into the land that Fazio had to work with, but I was pleasantly surprised. Both courses offered great vistas of the Pacific and Newport Beach. The courses were fairly typical Fazio and in good condition. On balance I probably preferred the North Course as it was more open but would not lose sleep over having to play either one again. The golf operation was good with engaged and pleasant forecaddies with each group (this is a Caddiemaster facility and did not disappoint).

Room service was also a well oiled machine with prompt and efficient delivery and clean up. Given the size and layout of the rooms room service was a good option.

I attended two group dining functions during my stay and both were well executed with good food, attentive staff and creative dining choices.

My wife used the spa as something of a professional spa-er and enjoyed both treatments although she commented that their use of the “quiet room” for dining was slightly incongruous but otherwise they delivered an enjoyable  spa experience.

The swimming pool is apparently the largest circular swimming pool in the world. Additionally it is salt water fresh and universally 3 1/2 feet deep. It was good by any measure and impressive.

My only negative was the dining room at the pool. On every occasion (total of four) the orders were mishandled, service was very slow and my sense was they were overstaffed with friendly, well dressed folks standing around. It was very out of context with the rest of the resort experience. If I were to return to Pelican Hill I would probably give this food outlet one chance to evidence improvement as the pattern was evident to me and others in the group.

In closing I have not done justice to the superior facilities that have been built at the resort. The service is very good with the one exception as noted. It is located only a few miles from  John Wayne Orange County Airport which provides excellent scheduled air access. All in all, Pelican Hill is resort worth visiting if you are looking for something in the Los Angeles area.