On the Tee

FRENCH LICK, Ind. - Not since the opening of Whistling Straits in Wisconsin has there been a more anticipated golf course opening in the Midwest and Hall of Fame architect Pete Dye is responsible for both. The new Pete Dye course at French Lick Resort will open to the public on April 24, 2009.

French Lick Resort, long one of America's premier resort destinations, is situated on rolling hills overlooking the Hoosier National Forest in southern Indiana. The historic resort is located in the small town of French Lick, where for over two centuries the Pluto Mineral Springs has attracted visitors. (It is also known as the hometown of basketball legend Larry Bird.) 

The backbone of the majority of public golf courses in the state of Ohio is the small family-owned business that is passed from generation to generation. Some courses even trace their beginnings to a modest family farm prior to being transformed into 18-hole arenas dedicated to pitching, putting and the like.

For Tom Holtzberry, owner of Colonial Golfer's Club, much of his adult life has been dedicated to the betterment of the golf course and making sure his facility fulfilled its obligation to grow the game of golf and bring the tiny community of Harrod together. Just shy of 40 years after his late father Bob purchased the land now occupied by Colonial, the Ohio Golf Course Owners Association has bestowed an honor upon the course that the two men dreamed of but weren't sure was possible. 

Approaching its 10 year anniversary, the Barnsley Gardens Resort Golf Course has again been recognized as one of the best golf facilities in the state of Georgia.

The General, as the resort course at Barnsley Gardens is known, was recently awarded "Course of the Year" by the Georgia Golf Course Owners Association. 

ESTERO, Fla. - PGA Tour player Stewart Cink, currently ranked No. 19 in the Official World Golf Rankings and tenth in 2008 on the PGA Tour money list, took in not just one, but two rounds of golf at Old Corkscrew Golf Club in early January.

In town with family for a youth hockey tournament being held at Germain Arena, Cink checked out Old Corkscrew between games. He played his first round with some of the hockey dads on Monday, December 29 and liked it so much he brought family back and played a second round on the 31st. 

It wouldn't be a stretch to surmise that Ohioans or "Buckeyes" have as much passion for the game of golf as they do for their scarlet and gray collegiate athletic teams. The names of gridiron greats Archie Griffin and Eddie George can be countered by linksmen such as Jack Nicklaus and John Cook. After all, what better way to dot the "i" in Script Ohio than with a golf ball?

A little more than a year ago, the Buckeye Golf Trail was created not only to promote and feature the state of Ohio as a premier golf destination full of affordable public courses, but to celebrate the vast history of the game within the Buckeye State.

SCOTTSDALE, Az. - Seven OB Sports-managed golf courses were honored by Golfweek magazine in several ranking categories including Best New, Best Casino, Top 100 Resort Courses and Top 100 Residential Courses. The David McLay Kidd-designed Tetherow Golf Club and the John Fought-designed Players Course at Indian Wells Golf Resort were honored as 2008 Best New Courses.

Four OB Sports-managed courses were ranked in the Top 100 Resort Courses for 2009 with We-Ko-Pa Golf Club's Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw-designed Saguaro Course at No. 16 and the Scott Miller-designed Cholla Course at We-Ko-Pa coming in at No. 38. Sandia Golf Club and the Ken Kavanaugh-designed Longbow Golf Club debuted in this prestigious Top 100 ranking at No. 79 and No. 89 respectively. 

The Chicago Park District Golf Courses will undergo $5.5 million worth of improvements under a new 15-year contract with Billy Casper Golf Management. The contract was approved by district board Wednesday, Dec. 10.

Currently, the Chicago Park District, which is the largest park district in the United States, includes six courses, two miniature golf courses, three driving ranges and three new learning centers. The renovation project will concentrate on better maintenance practices in addition to rebuilding some bunkers and tee boxes, with the overall aim of making these municipal facilities popular destinations for traveling golfers and city residents. The goal of Casper Golf is to increase use by up to ten percent. In 2007, there were 140.000 rounds of golf played on park district courses. 

Two Arizona golf courses are poised to make their mark on desert golf in the upcoming months; one will be revisited by old friends, while another will be experienced by the world's best players in its inaugural season. The courses will be a contrast in terms of access, but both will add an important element to the Arizona golf landscape.

Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, S.C., was literally completed by its architect Pete Dye minutes before the inaugural edition of today's Verizon Heritage began in 1969. Fortunately, the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain in Tucson won't be as pressed for time, but the new golf course will be thrown to the wolves shortly after it opens.

The Resort Club at Grande Dunes, a course that credits its success to its staff and culture as much as course design and conditioning, has been named the National Golf Course Owner's Association's 2009 Golf Course of the Year.

Grande Dunes bested its competition every step of the way, first claiming "Myrtle Beach Area Golf Course of the Year" in July, and then being named "South Carolina Golf Course of the Year" in September. 

LAS VEGAS – If you need further evidence that Las Vegas has become a player among golf vacation destinations, consider this latest ranking of golf courses from a renowned industry publication. In the 2009 Golf World Readers’ Choice Awards, five Las Vegas golf courses were listed among the top 50; that’s 10 percent.

With its signature island green, par-3, Bali Hai Golf Club is one of the five Las Vegas golf facilities to make the list. It’s also one of three courses owned and operated by Walters Golf to be included in the top 50. Royal Links Golf Club , another Walters Golf property, came in at No. 13, and Desert Pines Golf Club is ranked 50^th. TPC Las Vegas was listed at No. 27, while Bear’s Best Golf Club , a compilation of the best holes from Jack Nicklaus’ courses around the world, finished 47^th.