SAVE $1,140
Ka'anapali Golf Courses
Maui, Hawaii

The renovated Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa is offering a deal true to its name: The five-night Sunsational Golf package includes unlimited same-day golf for four at the Ka'anapali Golf Courses' two tracks, accommodations, Nike rental clubs and daily breakfast for two. Offer subject to availability and blackout dates. March rates begin at $652 per night based on double occupancy. Ask for rate code GOLFPKG5.
866-716-8109, sheraton-maui.com

SAVE $375
Pristine Bay Resort
Roatan, Honduras

"Paradise" doesn't have to mean Hawaii. The Golf in Paradise special at this Honduran property features four rounds on the Pete and Perry Dye–designed Black Pearl (with 14 holes offering ocean views) and Dye-signature island-green par 3, four nights accommodations in a villa with private pool, and daily breakfast. March rates start at $775 per person, plus tax and based on double occupancy.
713-489-2554, pristinebayresort.com

SAVE $250
JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa
San Antonio, Texas

The Unlimited Golf package for one or two players includes a resort room and unlimited golf on the PGA Tour's TPC San Antonio, the site of the Valero Texas Open in April, plus cart and range balls. March rates start at $495 per night based on double occupancy.
210-276-2500, jwsanantonio.com

(Photo: Ken May)

Hammock Beach Resort (Ocean)
Palm Coast, Florida
7,201 yards, par 72
Green fee: $159-$189
386-447-4611
hammockbeach.com

Worthwhile, accessible golf on the ocean in Florida? Not as easy to find as you'd think. The best option is the Hammock Beach Resort, where you will see, feel and hear the Atlantic, especially on each nine's closing hole.

Located in Northeast Florida, about an hour from both Jacksonville and Orlando, the Ocean course at Hammock Beach ranks No. 78 on Golf Magazine's Top 100 You Can Play.

The Jack Nicklaus design hosted a Champions Tour event in 2007 and '08, and the seniors loved it, both for the friendly layout and the short walk from the nearby hotel, which features three restaurants and an ultra-luxe cigar bar.

Wind can place a high premium on accurate driving, while sharply sloping greens demand deft chipping skills. A pair of oceanside greens—the 185-yard 8th and 174-yard 17th—highlight a fine quartet of par 3s.

(Photo: Hammock Beach Resort)

If you want to ask Travelin' Joe a question, e-mail him at askjoe@golf.com.

Hey Joe,
A friend and I are planning a trip to the Orlando area in late February, and we’re considering the Orange County Golf Resort. We’re looking for a moderately priced deal for three to four days of golf. Should we consider a local hotel and play individual courses or go with a package deal at one of the resorts?
Sam Coppola
Via email

I’ll leave the Disney-flavored puns out of this answer—much as it pains me—because if you’re considering Orange County National, you’re likely a no-nonsense golfer who wants straightforward info.

Orlando boasts so many terrific golf properties that it’s hard to choose just one. Bay Hill has its Arnie aura, Disney has its PGA Tour pedigree, the Waldorf-Astoria has tranquility, Reunion has variety, and the Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes has those greens—well, you get the point.

However, if you’re into golf—and value—book a package at Orange County National Golf Center and Lodge. Its unwieldy name manages to say it all. Its two championship courses, Crooked Cat and Panther Lake, both have served as PGA Tour Qualifying School tests and comprise two of the best bargains in the area.

If you book an Orange County National package, you’ll have access to both courses, plus free golf (cart fee extra) at Tooth, their nine-hole executive course, pre-round range balls, locker, club storage, bag tag, and discounted extra rounds. (February rates from $302 per person, based on double occupancy and a two-night minimum; 407-656-2626, ocngolf.com.)

Toss in one of the three best public-access practice ranges and short-game areas in the country and superior instruction, and you’ve got a winner. If there’s a drawback to OCN, is that it’s a tad remote, away from Orlando’s plethora of attractions and restaurants. Still, to some, that’s a plus.

Dear Joe,
I read your suggestions about places to play in Tucson. Can you recommend any condo-type accommodations similar to what I find in the Myrtle Beach area? We’re looking for a one-stop place where the group has a roof over their heads and a bunch of tee times.
Ken Gardiner
Philadelphia, PA

If Phoenix/Scottsdale were your destination, Zona Resort Suites (888-222-1059, zonascottsdale.com) would be exactly what you’re looking for. Tucson’s a different animal. It offers neither the quantity nor variety of prices available in the Valley of the Sun, and it cannot touch Myrtle Beach for maximum options—but then, no destination can.

I’ve got two solid outfits to recommend in the Old Pueblo, as Tucson is often called. First is Sonoran Suites (888-786-7848, sonoransuites.com). Though based in Phoenix, they have covered Tucson since 1997 and operate in every desert destination. February packages start at $129 per person per night, but they offer an array of options that include 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom units as well as choices ranging from value courses such as Del Lago, El Conquistador and Canoa Hills, to ultra-premiums like Ventana Canyon, Omni Tucson Nation and La Paloma.

My other pick in Tucson is the Golf Villas at Oro Valley (888-904-9158, thegolfvillas.com). This is pure, perfect desert, in one of Tucson’s most desirable locales, right around the corner from top tracks such as Arizona National, Vistoso and Ventana Canyon. You’re surrounded by excellent restaurants, nightlife and the towering mountains and cactus-covered slopes that brought you to the desert in the first place. February rates for two-bedroom villas start at $239.

Riviera Country Club: the Best Hole and the Worst Hole
When the PGA Tour pros renew their love affair with Riviera Country Club this week in suburban Los Angeles, they will encounter the design skills of George Thomas, a golden age architect who deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Donald Ross, Alister MacKenzie and A.W. Tillinghast. As proof of Thomas’s magical skills, check out Riviera’s 10th hole. For years, I considered Augusta National’s par-5 13th to be the ultimate risk/reward hole that the pros see every year, but these days, that honor goes to the 315-yard, slight dogleg-to-the-right 10th at “the Riv.”

Any self-respecting pro can drive the green, but the penalties for missing are so severe, thanks to the ingenious positioning of both bunkers and putting surface, that 5s and 6s are much more common than 2s.

Jack Nicklaus has stated that the 10th presents more options than any other short hole in the world. Few have the discipline to approach the green from the proper angle, which calls for a lay-up drive to the far left side of the fairway—especially when the hole location is back-right on this shallow, diagonal green corseted by bunkers. When the pin is on the left, unprotected by a fronting bunker, the temptation is to go straight at it—even if you fall short. However, that open portion of the green slopes away to the back, making a straight-on approach that much exquisitely tougher. No matter where you approach from, the shot is an extreme test of nerve. That’s what makes it a superior short hole. There’s no water to set the pulse racing or chasm to carry, just the knowledge that you’ve got to hit two perfect shots on such a tiny hole.

The worst hole at Riviera? Some might argue that the second is suspect because it’s a par 5 converted to a par 4, with a green complex much more receptive to a short approach than a long one. Others point to the shot values lacking at the par-5 first. With its exhilarating hill-top tee box, the short par 5 really plays like a par 4. For one great player, however, the dubious distinction belongs to the 236-yard, par-3 fourth. That player is not Ben Hogan, who labeled it “the greatest par 3 in America.” No, the dissenter is another supreme shotmaker, Lee Trevino, who stated in 1985, “One famous (course) with a flaw is Riviera. You could go to Communist China and say ‘Riviera Country Club’ and some guy would say ‘It’s in Los Angeles, California.’ It’s known worldwide, but Riviera is a 17-hole golf course.

“The clinker is No. 4, the par 3. A monkey’s as good as a man playing it. It slopes away from you. It plays against the prevailing wind because the play is toward Santa Monica and the ocean, and the hole plays about 240 yards against the wind. Hell, you have to hit a driver on it. They should plow that damn hole up and start building a legitimate par 3.”

No small wonder that the Merry Mex never won at Riviera, or even finished runner-up.

(Photo: Orange County National)

The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Resort
Kiawah Island, S.C.
7,356 yards, par 72
Green fees: $208-$350
800-576-1570
kiawahresort.com

Service
What is it you require? An impeccable practice range? Five-star assistance at the bag drop? A helpful, laconic caddie who knows every wrinkle in every green? At this, the highest of high-end resort courses, your every need is attended to with detail.

Pace of Play
Tee times are spread out (10-minute intervals), but the layout is too challenging to whip through at full-throttle. On our visit, no golfers blocked our progress, and we finished in four hours. It may take you more time; don't expect it to take any less.

Quality
If you've played other marquee Pete Dye tracks (such as TPC Sawgrass) some shot requirements will ring familiar (the man enjoys his watery, late-round par 3s). Kiawah is set apart by its coastal setting, with the Atlantic lurking and the wetland grasses waving around you.

Value
They ask a healthy price, but you get what you pay for: a pedigree layout in spit-shined shape, in a setting that's the essence of Southern elegance. Bonus points: You get to brave the watery par-3 17th, which made Calc's knees buckle in the pressure-packed climax of the 1991 Ryder Cup.

Verdict
You need not be an unrepentant trophy hunter to want to add this prey—which will challenge the best at this year's PGA Championship—to your list of kills. No matter your skill level, if you love a tough test and have a sense of golf history, the Ocean Course is a must-play.

(Photo: Kiawah Island Resort)

If you want to ask Travelin' Joe a question, e-mail him at askjoe@golf.com.

Dear Joe, Where are the best deals in Miami for the month of February? We are all decent golfers, so we would like to play some nice courses. Thanks!
John C.
Babylon, N.Y.

As most of you know, I’m partial to the offerings at Doral, pictured, (305-592-2000, doralresort.com) and Turnberry Isle (305-932-6200, turnberryislemiami.com), but I acknowledge that both are pretty pricey. That said, both properties qualify in the “you get what you pay for” department. There is a wide variety of second-tier courses and lodging options in and around Miami, but they’re all over the map where it comes to packages that jump out.

Perhaps the best place to start is with an outfit called GOLFPAC Travel (888-848-8941, golfpactravel.com), which has been providing package information on Florida properties (and elsewhere) for 35 years. In Miami, they have Doral and Turnberry deals available, as well as Don Shula’s and Hotel Indigo Miami Lakes, two bargain properties that will fit many budgets.

A final option I recommend is The Biltmore (877-311-6903, biltmorehotel.com) in Coral Gables. Awash with classy, Old World elegance, it’s not necessarily prime real estate for buddies trips, but for couples and families, it’s perfect, thanks to its vintage, playable Donald Ross course (restored/renovated by Brian Silva in 2007), its fabled swimming pool and its terrific restaurants.

Still, if you and your pals wind up here, the resort’s Hole-in-One package goes above and beyond, not only offering unlimited golf, range balls and discounted instruction, but also tee time access to Doral and at Crandon Park, the scenic Key Biscayne muni (and former Champions Tour venue) that plays along the water amid vistas of Miami’s high-rises.

Hey, Joe, I’m planning on going to Atlanta soon, so is there any way I can play at Augusta National. Thanks very much.
Ryan O.
Via email

No.

Take it From Joe
Spyglass Hill: America’s Most Underrated Course
The PGA Tour’s AT&T Pebble Beach event takes place this week, renewing everybody’s love affair with one of earth’s most visually compelling championship tests, Pebble Beach. Nothing wrong with Pebble—but those blimp aerials, and Saturday’s celebrity showcase, inevitably overshadow one of the tournament’s co-hosts, Spyglass Hill, which is a shame, because America deserves to see more of Spyglass.

A few years back, I asked the question, “How can a course that invariably gets ranked in the U.S. Top 50 be labeled underrated?” Simple. It’s rarely seen on television and it’s stuck next to Pebble—and next to Cypress Point, for that matter. Critics harp on the schizophrenic nature of the layout and natter on that once you leave the sixth tee, you’re done with the ocean. That may be true—but this is still one great golf course.

Spyglass’ virtues start with one of the scariest opening tee shots in golf. Fog-enshrouded and library quiet, the silence on the first tee is disturbed only by golf balls echoing off the enormous pines that pinch the fairway. Next on this 595-yard, par-5 that veers sharply to the left is a jaw-dropping ocean view from the fairway crest. A short, straight drive won’t work, as the timber will block your second. Even a healthy drive down the middle will leave you an awkward downhill, sidehill lie.

Holes 2 through 5 romp through massive dunes and would be standouts anywhere. Six through 18 are thickly forested and mostly play uphill, making it a grind to walk and tough to score on, but the par 3s are gorgeous and two of the par4s are among the most challenging in golf, the reverse cambered 8th that slopes to the right but doglegs left and the brutal 16th, where merely hitting the green in two is an achievement.

Sure, Spyglass yielded 62s to Phil Mickelson in 2005 and Luke Donald in 2006, but for most of us, it’s just a beautiful brute—and it was flat-out nasty when it opened, back in 1966. It made its PGA Tour debut in the 1967 Bing Crosby Pro-Am, when the host himself crooned an offer to Jack Nicklaus: “I’ll bet you five you can’t shoot under par from the back tees in your first round at Spyglass.” It was unclear whether Bing meant $5.00 or $5,000, but Nicklaus notched a 2-under-par 70 in his practice round and Bing forked over $500 to charity. The Golden Bear stumbled to a 74 when it counted, yet still won the event by five.

In 2012, as always, the AT&T winner will have to conquer Pebble Beach’s closing stretch along the Pacific, but he’ll also have to survive Spyglass before that to capture the crystal.

(Photo: Doral Golf Resort)

Travelin’ Joe Passov may have played 1,300 courses around the world, but he’s a bit confused about his geography. Or he needs to listen to more Sinatra and Springsteen between rounds. In Joe’s article “New York versus New England: Who wins the Super Bowl of Golf,” he mistakenly refers to one of the Super Bowl participants as the “New York” Giants. Wrong. They are the New Jersey Giants. At least to Garden State natives like myself.

That change should have been official when the Giants started playing games at the Meadowlands in 1976. Even the team offices are located in beautiful East Rutherford, and I’d bet most if not all the Giants live in the Garden State. New York can keep the Jets (even though they also call New Jersey home), but the Giants are ours. As for the golf argument against New England (had to use a whole region, huh?), here’s how this New Jersey native would play it:

Historic Tournament Course: Ever hear of Baltusrol in Springfield, N.J.? I thought so. After all, it has only hosted seven U.S. Opens, two U.S. Women’s Opens, a PGA Championship and four U.S. Amateurs. It will also host the 2016 PGA.

More? No problem.

How about Ridgewood Country Club (1935 Ryder Cup, 1974 U.S. Amateur, 1990 U.S. Senior Open, 2008 and 2010 Barclays) or even Plainfield Country Club (1978 U.S. Amateur, 1987 U.S. Women’s Open, 2011 Barclays)? And then there’s a little course called Pine Valley …

Marquee Public Access Course: Atlantic City Country Club. It dates back to 1897, the term “birdie” was first used there, and the layout was restored by Tom Doak in 1999. Plus it’s on the real Jersey Shore, with no connection to the inane television show.

Best Major Championship Winner: The Garden State only has one: Vic Ghezzi, a Rumson native and winner of the 1941 PGA Championship at Colorado’s Cherry Hills Country Club, where Chezzi defeated Byron Nelson in 38 holes. Ghezzi, an 11-time winner on the PGA Tour, died at age 65 in 1976, just a few months before the Giants started playing at their new stadium. The one in New Jersey.

C’mon, Travelin’ Joe, show a little respect for the Garden State. But stick with that prediction you made: New Jersey by a touchdown this Sunday.

(Photo: Larry Lambrecht)

Hi Joe,
We’re heading to Naples, Fla., this winter with four golfers. Can you recommend some good quality courses in the Naples area that won’t break the bank?
Jeff Gilman
Lancaster, N.H.

Between Naples and Cabo, I get asked this question a lot. My response is the same as when someone asks me to help them move furniture: It’s possible, but highly improbable.

Naples and Florida’s southwest coast simply don’t ooze bargains. The inexpensive courses are mostly mediocre, the public-access trophy courses are only for people with expense accounts, and the rest in the region have locked gates.

Still, there’s hope.

Start with Old Corkscrew ($100-$169; 239-949-4700, oldcorkscrew.com) in Estero, a half-hour north of Naples. This strong Jack Nicklaus creation offers challenge, variety and superb conditioning. Yes, the rack rate is formidable, but if you can wait until 1:40 p.m. to play, it’s $100, and better still there are a variety of discount services that will help lower the cost.

The region’s best deal is River Hall Country Club ($75-$85; 239-313-4653, hamptongolfclubs.com), in Alva, a 2007 Davis Love III design that rolls out a 7,200-yard layout that emphasizes strategy. Intriguing bunkering and a set of huge, quick greens add to the fun.

A final value is Eastwood Golf Course ($45-$60; 239-321-7487, cityftmyers.com/eastwood) in Ft. Myers. This 1968 Devlin/von Hagge design is a muni that doesn’t sound like much on paper, tipping out at just 6,772 yards, but a kennel full of doglegs, 87 bunkers and water on 11 holes make this a true test of course management.

Hey Joe,
I’m heading down to Riviera Maya for a week getaway with my wife. Any suggestions on decent and affordable courses in that area? I’ve been to Cancun many times but never to Mexico’s Riviera Maya.
Tom Watchko
Philadelphia

OK, make that Cabo, Naples—and the Riviera Maya—as terrific golf destinations that are seldom mentioned in the same sentence with “affordability.”

Nearly every course in the region commands $150-$275 price tags for non-twilight times. I still say that the El Camaleon at Mayakoba Resort ($133-$283; 011-52-984-206-3088, fairmont.com/mayakoba) is worth the extra pesos, thanks to a truly distinctive Greg Norman design that features two par 3s that melt into the beach edging the Caribbean Sea, plus other holes criss-crossed by limestone canals and a unique par-5 opener that sports a cenote (underwater cave) smack in the middle of the fairway.

Wallet watchers and/or those pressed for time should drive a little further south for Riviera Maya’s nine-hole par-3 course ($65; 011-52-984-875-5048,rivieramaya-golfclub.com), a Robert Trent Jones II effort that pairs with a championship 27-holer (18 currently open) on site. Lagoons, jungle-like surrounds and a variety of hole lengths are highlights.

Three underrated holes at the TPC Scottsdale
The wild 16th hole at the TPC Scottsdale’s aptly named Stadium course is one of the most famous par 3s—but it’s not even the best par 3 on the back nine. While the island-green par-5 15th, amphitheater par-3 16th and drivable par-4 17th deservedly grab all the glory, here are my picks for three wonderful, but overlooked, back-nine holes that Waste Management Phoenix Open competitors will face this week.

11th hole, 469 yards, par 4
I’ve got to admit that I’m an ever-increasing fan of holes that terrorize with water, though without demanding a forced carry. A huge lake lines the left side of the fairway and the length of the hole mandates driver off the tee.

However, follow through too aggressively on the drive or approach and you’ll hook into the drink. Mid-handicappers will tend to bail right, but that’s where trees and desert scrub await. Billy Mayfair claims that the approach is “probably a 6- to 8-iron into a really thin, very well-guarded green.” It’s usually a 3-wood for me and bogey isn’t a bad score.

12th hole, 195 yards, par 3
The same situation we encountered at 11 is back at 12: Water lurks in frightening fashion, yet you don’t have to carry it. Instead, the lake horseshoes around the back and both sides of the green. Thus, if you could hit a putter hard enough, you could run it right onto the long, narrow green. Push or pull your full shot by a whisker, however—or hit it too boldly—and it will find the proverbial watery grave.

Sure, it’s not as dramatic as a forced carry, but it’s absolutely inspired work by Weiskopf-Morrish, where the hack can make par or bogey via old-fashioned accuracy, but the Tour pro faces a true gut-check if he wants to get it close to a back pin.

18th hole, 438 yards, par 4
Length is no longer the factor it was when the pros first encountered it in 1987, but an extension to the lake on the left and an expansion to the bunkers on the right make this a challenging tee shot on a crucial hole.

Defending champion Mark Wilson says, “No matter where the pin is, however, the green is a smaller target than it appears, because any approach that lands on the left third of the green will fall away from the hole. It’s a great finishing hole where you can make a birdie or a bogey.”

Indeed, with the massive crowds lining the hillside to the right, a lake left, and handsome mountain vistas in sight, this is one of the more underappreciated closers on Tour.

(Editor's note: Shortly after this article was published, Golf Magazine's Tom Mackin filed a story in defense of the New Jersey Giants and golf in the Garden State.)

To help sort out the X’s and O’s when the New York Football Giants meet the Patriots of New England, turn to Peter King and the other experts at SI.com. As to the golf battle between New York and New England, here’s how we see it.

1. Historic Tournament Golf Course

New England: The Country Club

New York: Winged Foot

If this category included multiple courses, New York would dominate, thanks to the one-two wallop of Winged Foot and Shinnecock Hills. Winged Foot West has hosted five U.S. Opens and a rainbow-tinged PGA Championship, while Shinny was the venue for four more Opens, including the second ever played, in 1896. Toss in more than a dozen other major championship sites, including Oak Hill (East), Bethpage (Black) and the architecturally significant National Golf Links, home to the first Walker Cup in 1922, and you have a formidable lineup. Nevertheless, for sheer history, the Country Club in Brookline, Mass., stands alone. Amateur Francis Ouimet’s shocking playoff upset of top British professionals Harry Vardon and Ted Ray to win the 1913 U.S. Open put golf on the map in the United States. The 1963 U.S. Open witnessed the highest total score in modern history, when three players finished 72 holes at 293. Julius Boros beat Arnold Palmer and Jacky Cupit in the playoff. Rees Jones ignited the classic restoration craze with his inspired reworking of The Country Club ahead of the 1988 U.S. Open, when Curtis Strange clipped Nick Faldo in yet another playoff. And there are few more unforgettable shots than Justin Leonard’s 45-foot 17th hole bomb that sealed the 1999 Ryder Cup for the U.S.

Edge: New England

U.S. players celebrate on the Country Club's 17th green at the 1999 Ryder Cup. (Bob Martin/SI)

2. Quarterback Golf Prowess

New England: Tom Brady

New York: Eli Manning

Manning has lowered his handicap to seven, thanks in part to pitting his skills against two superior Met Area tracks, Garden City Golf Club on Long Island, the links-like host to the 1902 U.S. Open and New Jersey’s Liberty National, the PGA Tour’s Barclay’s venue in 2009. Brady’s game hovers between an eight and a 10, but he’s put his swing on display on bigger stages than Manning, including multiple appearances in the AT&T National Pebble Beach Pro-Am and on the HBO series Entourage in 2009.

Edge: Even

Tom Brady hits off the tenth tee at Spyglass Hill in the 2010 Pebble Beach Pro-Am. (AP Photo)

3. Marquee Public-Access Golf Course

New England: Taconic

New York: Bethpage (Black)

Taconic is a lovely college course. Bethpage Black is a bar exam. Abutting the postcard-perfect campus of Williams College in Williamstown, Mass., Taconic blends heart-of-the-Berkshires charm with superb shot-making challenges to earn a No. 41 ranking on Golf Magazine’s Top 100 Courses You Can Play. Trivia buffs: 16-year-old Jack Nicklaus aced the par-3 14th hole in a practice round at the 1956 U.S. Junior Amateur. Bethpage Black’s architectural pedigree is in some dispute, but most agree that this walking-only brute is the final masterwork of A.W. Tillinghast. What a lasting impression. Ranked No. 6 in our Top 100 Courses You Can Play, the Black bullies players even before they tee off with a sign at the first tee stating: “Warning—The Black Course is an extremely difficult course which we recommend only for highly skilled golfers.” Among the most highly skilled were Tiger Woods and Lucas Glover, who captured the 2002 and 2009 U.S. Opens here, respectively. Trivia buffs: Johnny Miller’s Father’s Day present in 2002? Son Andy aced the par-3 third in the final round of the U.S. Open.

Edge: New York

The 17th hole at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, N.Y. (Bethpage State Park)

4. Best Major Championship Winner

New England: Francis Ouimet

New York: Gene Sarazen

Ouimet’s astonishing 1913 U.S. Open victory over Vardon and Ray was a game-changer. That and his two wins in the U.S. Amateur (1914 and 1931) when it was considered a major gives the Brookline, Mass., native the nod over Connecticut-born Julius Boros, whose smooth swing netted him two U.S. Opens, a PGA Championship and 18 PGA Tour wins. However, neither man can touch Gene Sarazen of Harrison, N.Y., who narrowly slips by Rochester’s Walter Hagen for top man in the Empire State. Sarazen nips Hagen via his victories in all four modern majors, plus two of history’s most memorable hole-outs, the first when he doubled-eagled the 15th at Augusta National on way to winning the 1935 Masters, the second when he aced Troon’s “Postage Stamp” par-3 eighth in the 1973 British Open at age 71.

Edge: New York

Gene Sarazen in 1935. (Central Press/Getty Images)

And the Winner Is…

New York wins the golf competition by a touchdown.

This story originally appeared in the Golf Magazine Front9 App. To download the weekly app, visit the Apple iTunes store.

Dear Joe,
Headed to Savannah for a business trip and am looking to stay and play for a couple of additional days in early February. Any favorites for me to keep in mind?
Drew C.
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

I’ll draw it up for you, Drew. It’s worth the extra cash to spring for the Unlimited Golf Package at the Westin Savannah Harbor (912-201-2000, westinsavannah.com). For $319, you can stay one night and play all the golf you want at the resort’s Club at Savannah Harbor ($55-$95; 912-201-2240, theclubatsavannahharbor.com), a 1999 Bob Cupp/Sam Snead design superbly managed by Troon Golf.

You also can play the course a la carte, where beguiling green contouring and strategically deployed wetlands will make you think from start to finish. Though a pretty flat track, it’s spiced with several memorable holes, such as the 447-yard, par-4 sixth, which captivates the senior set during the Champions Tour’s annual Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf, due partly to its away-sloping green at the edge of the marsh and its jaw-dropping Talmadge Bridge backdrop. The skinny, drive-and-pitch par-4 14th, properly named Alligator Alley, is another keeper.

While I may be fond of the course, I’m absolutely smitten with the hotel. Take a Savannah River-view room, feast on the she-crab soup and grouper in the Aqua Star restaurant, relax in the aptly named Heavenly Spa and catch the free river ferry into town—you can thank me later, as Larry King used to say.

The 23-year-old Southbridge ($30-$50; 912-651-5455, southbridgegolfclub.com), a wooded, watery Rees Jones design, is the region’s best bargain, but I’m also partial to Crosswinds ($23.50-$51.50; 912-966-0674, crosswindsgolfclub.com) for its playability and its accessible location five minutes from the Savannah Airport.

Hi Joe,
We will be in Scottsdale in January. I am looking for some help with course selection. For a few days of the week, both my wife and I will play together, and we are looking for some nice but affordable places to play. My wife is still fairly new in golf: Target golf is not the most desirable play for her. The last few days of the week, I would like to play some of the best courses in the region. I will be playing as a single on Friday and Saturday. What would you say are the most memorable ones to try out?
Jan Jaap Bijlsma
Vancouver, B.C., Canada

Though I’m not a certified marriage counselor, I’ll advise on a course of courses that will keep you both happy. On the west side of town, you and the missus shouldn’t miss Sun City South ($35; 623-876-3015, sunaz.com), which I once called the best value in the entire Valley of the Sun—and a year later, I’ll stand by my opinion. This is “normal” golf—wall-to-wall grass, trees, a few lakes—plus some terrific strategic options, thanks to an inspired 2010 redesign from architect Tripp Davis and his associate, Gary Brawley, all for a price that will bring you back early and often.

On the east side of town, try the Indian Bend course at the Camelback Inn, a JW Marriott Resort & Spa ($59 Twilight-$99 in January), a handsome, traditional parkland layout graced with tall palms and mountain vistas. Individually memorable holes are lacking, but a stellar pro shop, service, location and playability for newer golfers are pluses.

For thrills like few others in the southwest, check out the Boulders ($60-$220; 480-488-9028, theboulders.com), which delivers golf among gigantic, ancient rocks for you and her. You get a sturdy test and she gets a new set of forward tees—at a reduced price—which form part of a 9-hole “course within a course” with hole lengths between 100 and 200 yards.

For golf on your own, I’ll toss out the usual suspects: We-Ko-Pa’s Saguaro course ($75-$205; 480-836-9000, wekopa.com) tops my list if you had one course to play, thanks to its rolling, yet walkable Coore-Crenshaw design that’s free from homes. If you love famous footsteps, TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium course ($75-$299; 480-585-4334, tpc.com/Scottsdale) is a must-do, with 25 years of Phoenix Open lore soaking its fairways.

Troon North ($175-$325; 480-585-5300, troonnorthgolf.com) offers the finest combination of challenge and aesthetics in the Valley, whether you play the Monument or the Pinnacle, and Grayhawk ($100-$230; 480-502-1800, grayhawkgolf.com) dishes out the best vibe—golf, food, service, ambiance, with both its courses, Talon and Raptor, having been PGA Tour venues.

(Photo: Troon North)

If you want to ask Travelin' Joe a question, e-mail him at askjoe@golf.com.

Canadian Greetings, Joe,
We’re heading to Kauai in February for 12 days. I’ve noticed some resorts and courses offer 3-4 round packages. What do you recommend we do as we’re planning on playing six rounds. What’s the best value and what are MUST-plays?
Jay Janower
Canada

What’s hot on Kauai are vastly improved conditions at a fistful of A-List courses. Start with Princeville on the north shore, which reopened its underrated Makai ($145-$220; 808-826-1912, makaigolf.com) course in January 2010 as an 18-hole layout comprised of the old Lake and Ocean nines, with the Woods nine now a separate entity. If you can hold out until March 1 (or perhaps as early as February 8), you’ll witness the island’s best course, The Prince at Princeville, reopen following a thorough course renovation, together with makeovers for the practice range and clubhouse.

Roughly 12 months ago, Poipu Bay ($145-$240; 808-742-8711, poipubaygolf.com) reopened with new paspalum putting surfaces that have made for quicker, more consistent speeds. Of course, the old greens never bothered Phil Mickelson, who shot 59 there in the 2004 Grand Slam of Golf, or Tiger Woods, who won the event seven times. For me, it was always the stiff breezes at Poipu, not the grainy greens that drove up my score, but no question—the difference is striking.

Finally, Kauai Lagoons ($105-$195; 808-241-6000, kauailagoonsgolf.com) reopened its stellar ocean holes—including one brand new one—in May 2011 after a four-year hiatus. After playing there in September, I can tell you it was worth the wait. New white silica sand and TifEagle greens provided heightened aesthetics and playability, but it’s those fabulous four cliff-top stunners that play over and alongside the Pacific that will really impress.

Not so hot are traditional package deals on Kauai, or elsewhere on the islands. That’s not to say you can’t find good deals, but formal golf resort packages aren’t really part of the program, mostly (I’m guessing) because the powers-that-be don’t have to compete to get you there—you’ve already made the decision to go, so there’s more of a “captive audience” aspect to golf in the islands.

Regardless of where you’re staying, all of Kauai’s courses are easily accessible and there are plenty of savings to be had. Even if you’re going from south to north, or vice versa, much of it is a very attractive drive.

If this is a once-in-a-lifetime trip, make the journey to play Princeville’s Makai, even if the Prince has yet to reopen. If you plan to return, perhaps wait until the Prince is back in play. It’s that good.

For best bargains, don’t miss Kiahuna ($72-$103; 808-742-9595, kiahunagolf.com), with its laid-back ambiance and superb greens. Wailua ($48-$60; 808-241-6666, kauai.gov/golf), the island’s muni, is even cheaper and has a couple of jaw-dropping ocean holes, but it’s much more crowded and offers iffier conditions. I’m a fan of Puakea ($59-$135; 808-245-8756, puakeagolf.com) as well, not far from the airport, where parts of the movie “Jurassic Park” were filmed. Each nine is saddled with a few dullards, but each nine also has some of the most beautiful, memorable golf holes you could ask for.

Every one of these courses offers a “deal.” Some are for multiple-play rounds during a week, or to play a second round at a reduced rate—along with the usual deep discounts for resort guests where relevant. If you’re going this route, I do like Kauai Lagoons’ deal of $495 for the week, which includes unlimited golf, engraved bag tag, club storage and even a lesson. The most consistent value is simply to play almost all of these courses in the afternoon, when prices drop by as much as 50 percent. My advice is to check the individual web sites for the deal that appeals to you most.

Bottom line: Among the public-access courses, I rate The Prince Course at the St. Regis Princeville as tops, closely followed by Kauai Lagoons, Makai and Poipu Bay. Yet, every course on Kauai is priced accordingly, so the value is relative. There’s certainly good, inexpensive golf here, but for the most part, on Kauai, you get what you pay for.

Hi Joe,
Our foursome is looking at Florida this year and was wondering which golf destination you would recommend based on price and golf quality. We are comparing the Innisbrook Resort in Tampa and the PGA Golf Resort in Port St. Lucie. We know the golf is great at Innisbrook but is very expensive. Your thoughts?
Craig Emuss
Toronto, Canada

Do you have any barber training? You’re just about splitting hairs here. Innisbrook is on a bit of a roll, with new ownership from the Salamander Group putting money into all facets of the resort. The vast, roomy lodges have always been more of a “guy” thing, as has the golf, especially the two signature tracks, Copperhead and Island, which demand many forced carries over sand and water to elevated greens. The surprisingly hilly Copperhead hosts the PGA Tour, and par seldom takes a beating, while Island played host to the 1990 Men’s NCAA Championship, where Arizona State’s Phil Mickelson took the individual title.

The other two courses, the North and the South are solid, but not necessarily memorable. I will say that the once-spartan accommodations have nicer accents these days and the restaurants and common areas have noticeable upgrades. I had an excellent filet, Oscar-style, at Packard’s Steakhouse on my last visit. The resort hardly rocks at night, but Tampa definitely has more off-course options than Port St. Lucie as well, if that’s important.

Hard partying isn’t something I associate with the lower-priced PGA Golf Resort, either, but the golf facilities are outstanding, especially for the price. There’s wonderful variety on the three courses, two by Tom Fazio and one by Pete Dye, and the practice ground is one of the finest I’ve experienced. I was smitten with the nine different practice bunkers that offered varied styles and even different sand, a treat for the golfer who travels.

Innisbrook has a little more cachet in its PGA Tour pedigree, more privacy by limiting outside play and more upscale facilities. PGA Golf Resort offers a ton of good things for the money, and its third-ranked course is far better than Innisbrook’s counterpart. Sorry, partner, you’ll have to flip a coin on this one.

Take It From Joe: Wrangling a Waialae Tee Time
This week’s PGA Tour venue, Waialae Country Club in Honolulu sports, an architecture pedigree that few other sites can match: It’s a Seth Raynor original. Raynor is hardly a household name to casual golf fans, but to design buffs, he’s pure gold. Few ever get to walk up and pay a green fee on a Raynor spread, because his finest creations are locked behind some of the sturdiest gates in golf.

A protégé of pioneer American architect C.B. Macdonald, Raynor crafted such low-key, Top 100 private gems as Fishers Island, Chicago Golf Club, Shoreacres, Camargo and Yeamans Hall. Waialae, which Raynor laid out just before he died in 1926, is not one of his shining stars, though to be fair, much of the magic has eroded over time, with the nines flipped and the design, bunkers and greens altered. It’s still got classic bones, however, and you can’t beat Honolulu’s climate.

Waialae is ostensibly private, but if you find yourself on Oahu and want to walk in the famous footsteps that have trod its fairways, including such past champions Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Hale Irwin and Ernie Els, book a stay at the Royal Hawaiian (808-923-7311, royal-hawaiian.com), part of the Luxury Collection, situated five miles from the course in Waikiki. Registered guests can inquire one week in advance, with play available Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and the occasional Friday. So this isn’t Pebble Beach—or even Kapalua. But a Seth Raynor course, 80 degrees, tropical breezes and PGA Tour history? Sign me up.

(Photo: Princeville Resort)