Just ask Matt Kuchar, defending champion of the Barclay’s tournament, who was married in 2003 at one of the most romantic golf, tennis and hunting resorts – Cabin Bluff. “ We really enjoyed having the wedding there. The whole wedding party stayed on the property and the place is quiet, laid back with lots of activities. It was perfect for my wife Sybi and I” says Kuchar.

“We were all there for four to five days and we got married on the tennis courts, which were decorated beautifully.  I went quail hunting on my wedding day; it was the first time I had ever been. I was really amazed by the pointer dogs and how they are so well trained.” 

Cabin Bluff, once the private hunting, fishing, golf retreat owned and developed by Detroit automobile millionaire Howard Coffin, who also developed Sapelo and Sea Island, is now open to the public. It was used as a hunting preserve by Coffin’s Cloister and Sapelo guests, until he went broke in the 1930s and was forced to sell it to the Brunswick Pulp and Paper Company in order to hold onto Sea Island.

It is an easy 30 minute drive from Jacksonville airport to Cabin Bluff nestled in the Georgia woods on the border with Florida. We were picked up at the airport by Bob, a very warm and friendly gentleman wearing a hunting camouflage shirt and jeans. The southern accent and laid back demeanor were a welcome treat and a reprise from New York City life.

The property is stunning and you sense that from the moment you arrive. The drive from the street to the actual property is two miles. The property sits on the Cumberland River and you are surrounded by stunning Cypress trees.  General Schwarzkopf’s daughter was also married on the site and you can easily see how this would be an idyllic setting. 

Hunting season is November to March. Cabin Bluff is perhaps best known for their pointer dogs. They are well trained and impressive to watch even if you do not hunt.

Fishing could not be easier as the boats are at the end of the pier on the property and the entire operation is easy and enjoyable. One of the fishing spots is a 15 minute boat ride straight out east to the shores of Cumberland Island.   This island was the hot spot for the Carnegies and other wealthy families in the 1920’s and 1930’s. It has since become a national park and was brought into the spotlight in 1996 as the secret location where JFK Jr. married Caroline Bassett in a tiny church on the island. 

The golf course designed by legendary Tour professional Davis Love III is a unique and ingenious layout. The eighteen hole course is designed around six thoughtfully constructed greens, each designed to be played three different ways.  It is a six hole track that you play three times. The course is a brilliant idea with three different tee boxes for each hole and every green has three pin flags. Given people’s time restraints and families wanting to play together this layout offers the option to play 6, 12 or 18 holes comfortably. Matt Kuchar also enjoyed playing with family and friends during his wedding days. “It is a great idea and I am surprised there are not more courses with that design.” Davis, who lives on a nearby property, was also in attendance for Matt’s wedding.  What’s not to LOVE about Cabin Bluff. www.cabinbluff.com

Most Americans will agree they are thrilled the NFL is back on track and by the end of the season one talented and successful team will win the Superbowl and be able to say “I’m going to Disney”. The real question is who will be left standing this Sunday saying “I’m going to Bermuda” 

The final spot in the foursome for the PGA Grand Slam of Golf, October 17-19, at the Port Royal Golf Course in Bermuda, will go to the winner of the 93^rd PGA Championship. Three guys, Darren, Rory and Charl, have already packed their long knee socks, shorts and blazers. The question remains who will be the fourth?

 My bet would be on another one of Chubby Chandler’s guys, (Ernie Els, Louis Oosthuizer or Lee Westwood) since he seems to have the Midas touch these days. An additional incentive for Els’s would be since he won last year’s Grand Slam, he could reuse his long socks and Bermuda shorts should he win the PGA Championship.

 The PGA Grand Slam has a $1.35 million purse with the winner receiving $600,000, second $300,000, third $250,000 and the fourth $200,000. With only four players in the field I like the odds and it reminds me of youth sports today – everyone walks away a winner. While this event has been around since 1979 in various formats; it has grown to a 36 hole annual showdown that matches golf’s best against each other and the breathtaking Port Royal Golf Course.

I decided to do a little due diligence for the guys. A pre-tournament walk through so to speak. Well known for their pink beaches and pink shorts Bermuda is much more than what is exported. A very easy flight from the east coast this island paradise seduces you with varying shades of blue ocean water, pink sand beaches, amazing golf and extremely friendly locals.

 This extraordinary island is 22 miles long and 3 miles wide and boasts nine golf courses, the highest concentration per square mile in the world. Two stellar courses I had the opportunity to play were Mid Ocean where the PGA Grand Slam was held in 2007 and Port Royal.

 Mid Ocean Golf Club was designed by Charles Blair MacDonald to fit into the natural terrain. It was originally a par-71 layout, over 600 acres of rolling countryside, 6,519 yards from the back tees. MacDonald won the first US Amateur Golf Championship in 1895 and later designed the National Golf Course in the USA.  In recent years it was ranked 45th by Golf Digest for courses outside the USA. It was revised in 1953 by Robert Trent Jones. US Presidents Dwight Eisenhower,  John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, George H. W. Bush and Jimmy Carter have played here, as well as the Duke of Windsor in 1940, British Prime Ministers Sir Winston Churchill, Harold MacMillan and Edward Heath. Golf professionals Robert Jones, Sam Sneed and many other celebrities also have golfed here including Babe Ruth, who was normally as good with a club as he was with a bat. Playing the 433-yard fifth hole, he once knocked eleven straight balls into Mangrove Lake before finally driving one over the hazard.

Port Royal opened in 1970 as a Robert Trent Jones-designed 18 hole, 6,561 yards par 71 public course. The course re-opened in January 2009 after a $15.9 million renovation, increasing the course yardage by 281 yards to 6,842 yards. More rounds are played here than on any other Bermuda course. The signature hole is the 176-yard, par 3 – 16^th hole. The small green which is perched on the edge of the coastal cliffs has become notorious. Drive too far left and the ball ends up in the ocean. It was here I received a full dose of Bermudian hospitality with a lesson as to the best way to play the 16^th hole by Kim Swan, former European Touring Pro and now an elected Member of Parliament. When we arrived at the 16^th hole I asked Kim if he was going to take off his blazer jacket. His response was one of the most interesting golf tips I have heard in a while. Kim learned to play from his uncle who used to have Kim practice in a blazer as it prevented him from over swinging and helped with his alignment.

 Swan was a wonderful guide and now a friend that shared a wealth of information about the history of the island, golf and cricket, the latter a Bermudian passion.

Never one to miss an opportunity to savor the local flavor, the well-known cocktails on the island that are a must try include the “Rum Swizzle” and the “Dark and Stormy”. The Rum Swizzle consists of 8 oz Gosling’s Black Seal rum, 6 dashes Angostura bitters, juice of 2 lemons, crushed ice, 5 oz pineapple juice,5 oz orange juice, 2 oz grenadine syrup. The Dark and Stormy consists of Gosling’s dark rum and ginger beer over ice.

While Disney is fabulous and it would be great to have a Superbowl ring I still prefer a Green jacket and a trip to Bermuda.  Charl Schwartzel, pack the green jacket as you will need a blazer and Darren, 16 breaks right to left.

There’s no doubt that golf has its fanatics that will go to great lengths and spare no expense to partake in the game they love. Extremes go both ways and range from crazy to luxury.

 Crazy is playing in extreme conditions or going to excessive extents to play golf. Living in NYC can be tough for the avid golfer as seen when a group of friends wanted to play Bethpage. At 6:30 a.m. I took a cab from the Upper East Side to Penn Station with clubs in tow. I met Greg and Dave there and we took a train to Bethpage, where we then got a cab to the golf course. 

As we walked out of the pro shop Greg handed me two hand-warmer packets and said to keep them in my pockets as they would help. These hand-warmers are the ones used when skiing. This was the only other time I’d seen these things and I looked at them in disbelief. After playing nine holes in what felt like sub-arctic temperatures and very windy conditions (I was wearing three cashmere sweaters and a windbreaker) someone finally said “Hey let’s stop this is not so fun.” I can see where the thrill of being one of the few crazy enough to golf in these conditions can be exciting, but at some point it just becomes crazy. 

The same two guys played 17 out of 18 holes in the rain at Richter Park in Danbury, Conn., a week earlier. Apparently, on the back nine they were the only ones on the course. Greg said, “We kept playing because it was not raining hard enough that you couldn’t play, however it was raining hard enough that no one else was playing.”

Another semi-crazy extreme is Pub Golf, a golf version of a pub crawl and its popularity has grown considerably in a number of American cities. A “commissioner” maps out a nine-hole course – consisting of nine different bars in close proximity. People go in foursomes and each team has a scorecard. Each bar has special drinks. Usually the higher the alcohol content the lower your score. So while a beer might be par, a tequila shot could get you a birdie or eagle. The most entertaining is perhaps the seamless execution of the event, given the assistance of the dedicated “marshals” and the outrageous golf outfits.

Unlike the crazy extremes that I am inclined to try on occasion, luxury extremes I never get tired of experiencing. I consider the Dominican Republic to be one of the most beautiful golf locations in the world. Casa de Campo is always a favorite among national leaders, Hollywood types, business moguls and traveling golfers. You never tire of the scenic views and raw nature found at every twist and turn of the three distinct Pete Dye-designed courses here.

 “Playing golf at Casa de Campo is like playing on three different planets,” said Gilles Gagnon, the resort’s director of golf for the past 23 years. “Each course, Teeth of the Dog, The Links and Dye Fore, are entirely different, breathtakingly beautiful – and each singularly, redefines the word challenge.”

On a recent trip to the DR I had the opportunity to add a twist to my golf experience by horseback riding along the Dye Fore course and enjoying the luxury accommodations at “Los Altos.” This lush complex has over 100 residences strategically situated on the 18^th hole of Dye Fore. Here you are surrounded by views of the course, the Chavon River and Altos de Chavon – a recreation of a 16^th Century Mediterranean village conceived from the imagination of Roberto Copa, a former Paramount Studios set designer, and Charles Bluhdorn.

 The Casa de Campo experience is really one where you may have to stop and pinch yourself because you get the feeling of being at heaven on earth. Whether you are playing golf or riding horseback you realize how lucky you are to experience this beautiful location.

 Los Altos at Casa de Campo is a world-class destination offering five-star amenities and so much more. For more information visit, visit www.LosAltosCasaDeCampo.com, or contact Alexia Bermello at abermello@bapdevelopment.com.

Walking around Congressional during the US Open felt more like attending a Justin Bieber concert and while most of those in the golf industry may find Justin Bieber a bit young for your musical taste you should have heard of this 17 year old Canadian pop/R&B singing sensation. Know equally for his hair style as his music he has inspired young boys to follow in his ways.  Just as the age old debate goes on “Which came first the chicken or the egg?” I wonder “Which came first Justin Bieber or Ricky Fowler?” Ricky Fowler is doing for golf what Justin is doing for music. Inspiring young people to the point that they want to emulate their idols. It was great to see the large number of young golfers dressed in brightly colored Puma outfits following Fowler on the course.  When asked why the attraction to Fowler, Nick and Joe, both 16, said they like Fowler for his great golf and his outfits. “He relates to us better”. When asked if like Arnie’s Army there is a name for Fowler’s followers they said they were still working on that one.  They did manage to trademark a name for his signature hair “Fowler Flow”. While some of the golfers brought their best fashion Rory McIlroy brought his best game. Fowler unfortunately missed the cut at the US Open but another young hopefully won the trophy and the hearts of Americans.  Twenty two year old McIlroy conducted himself with grace and maturity way beyond his years. After his meltdown on that back nine at Augusta during the Masters he picked himself up and moved forward, learned the lessons he needed to learn and came back to win. This young man kept his composure under the extreme microscope and measure of the media. He has proven himself to be wise beyond his years and a refreshing breath of youth, talent and humility in an age of overindulged athletes that not only over market and under deliver but do not know how to lose gracefully.

 Saturday and Sunday I had the pleasure to enjoy the US Open from Miami while staying at the stunning condo-hotel property, The Blue Hyatt Residences. The 15 buildings are on 17 acres of land that runs along the 12th and 13th holes of the Blue Monster golf course at the Doral. The property is directly behind the Jim McLean teaching facility. So should your swing need a tune up or you just want to lower your handicap the Jim McLean center is a three minute walk from The Blue, not to mention Jim is an owner at The Blue as well. “I have really enjoyed living there it is a great advantage and joy to be on five golf courses and so close to an international airport” said McLean.

Sunday while watching the final round and enjoying a John Daly cocktail at the restaurant I met four more of Fowlers followers; Francisco, 14 years old (4 handicap) Jesus, 16 years old (2 handicap), Jorge, 15 years old (0 handicap) and Shears, 16 years old, (10 handicap). Not only did these young guns have style they were backing it up with some serious golf. They liked Fowler for his “Swag and style” and Rory for his swing. 

The residences at The Blue are the ultimate facility for golf lovers and those who enjoy the best of resort living. The residences include a Sports & Spa membership to the “Club at Doral” which entitles you to discounted golf rates, spa services, food and beverage and access to the private club house at the Doral. This is a great place to live full time or if you want to escape the cold for a few months as ownership here offers a multitude of options. Residences range from studios starting at 155,000. to three bedroom units at 470,000. For more information on The Blue contact: Adriana Trujillo- Tel: 239 825 4832, info@l3investments.com

Working in the sports industry I am fortunate that I’ve met many great athletes. Over the years I’ve overheard people’s reactions after meeting famous sportspeople. Some are surprised to learn their hero is kind, funny and down-to-earth or, unfortunately, perhaps just the opposite. 

In 2004 while attending a PGA Tour event at Doral in Miami, I was asked by a friend who works for Jim McLean if I wanted his ticket to a Miami Heat game that night. There was a group going and he couldn’t attend. I love sports and was delighted to accept. As it turned out, the group included an American teaching pro, a colleague from Spain and Seve Ballesteros.

At the time I had been working in the golf industry for a few years but concentrated on the business side and was by no means a historian of the game. I knew who Seve was, especially since I had worked and lived in Latin America and Spain. He was a great player with a fantastic record, but since he was no longer playing you didn’t see him much anymore.  

As we sat at the Heat game there was an instant comfort among us. We laughed and joked and it seemed as if we’d known each other for years. I’m fluent in Spanish and enjoy an understanding of Spanish culture. We talked about everything except golf: favorite movies, politics, regions of Spain, my experiences as an American in Spain and his experiences as a Spaniard in America. Had someone been listening it might have sounded like we were exchange students.

 A few days later we met again at the Gary Player Invitational, held at the Floridian in Palm Beach, Fla. I was covering it for my column and Seve would be giving a clinic. He told me he was in great pain and it was difficult to play golf anymore due to a back injury. The next few days I assisted him in finding and visiting doctors in an attempt to find who would provide the best care in the U.S.

During those days we went from somber visits with doctors to having dinners with groups of people and smoking cigars. He was wildly entertaining and captivated everyone with his stories and the passionate way he told them. 

We got together soon after at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill. Seve, still unable to play, was frustrated but continued to get healthier through physical training. My birthday fell during the week at Bay Hill, and Seve, Juan Carlos and I celebrated by going out to dinner. 

While walking from the car to the restaurant we discussed Flamenco music and dancing. Seve said he knew how to Flamenco, but I believed he was pulling my leg to some degree. What he did not know is that I had taken a number of years of Flamenco in Spain and America. So when I challenged him to a dance-off in the parking lot – he accepted. We mock-danced in the parking lot and had a tremendous laugh. 

It was this intense zest for life that made the rest of us like moths on his flame. Elton John perhaps sang it best: “Your candle burned out long before your legend ever did.” 

There is a poem that states people come into your life for a Reason, A Season or a Lifetime often to teach us life lessons. When Seve returned to Spain we kept in touch via phone calls. I saw him a few years later at the Masters and he was the same except his eyes were a bit dimmer. It had seemed as if life was challenging him on many levels. 

After he passed away I watched footage of Seve playing golf; his spirit come through, yet again. I must have watched two straight hours of You Tube footage, including his daring shot from the parking lot to the 16th green in the 1979 British Open, which he won. The announcers at the time said, “The golfing gods really are with the smiling Spaniard today.”

At Seve’s funeral this was the eulogy given by Ivan Ballesteros, his cousin and manager:     “As a sportsman he continued to change a sport that at the time was only accessible to wealthy people. He showed the world that a boy from a village in the north of Spain could revolutionize golf in five continents. Without a resourceful start his talent, determination, his fighting spirit and personality told how he was a child who realized his dreams. He was the best and he won the hearts of the people.” 

Seve himself said, “You have to respect every hole and every shot, otherwise the golf course will bite you.” There is deep irony that for a man who lived life to the fullest his time on Earth was too short. 

Upon presenting Seve with the lifetime achievement award in 2009, fellow Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal said this of his good friend: “I met you when I was 15; since then we have been through a lot. You belong to a group of golf professionals that changed the image of the game of golf all around the world. Your achievements speak for themselves, five majors and over 70 tournament wins. It is not just those achievements that make you special, more so it is the way you did it. You did it with a lot of imagination, lots of skills but, most important, you did it with all your heart. I know that because I have had the privilege to be close to you in some of those occasions. You were the first one to play the game of golf with such desire and passion and by doing so you made a lot of us believe that it was possible to achieve those goals.” 

When Seve was asked who had the greatest influence on his life, he listed Jack Nicklaus for teaching him how to understand golf courses, and Nelson Mandela for the life he lived and, the most important lesson of all, that if you don’t forgive you will never be free.  

Known for being wild and free, Seve played his heart out – there was no other way for him. To me, he was someone who taught those around him to enjoy life, laugh, live passionately and reach high. As I reflect on those few weeks in 2004, I was fortunate to meet a remarkable man who happened to be a great athlete. 

Seve was a sportsman, a public figure, father, husband, brother and friend to many, and he came into our lives for a reason, a season, a lifetime.

The Masters is so much more than what is seen on TV and while it has been said many times and in many different ways you really cannot fully appreciate the magic of the Masters until you attend it. Nothing else does it justice and perhaps Jim Nantz says it best “A tradition unlike any other”. Apart from the perfectly manicured pristine grass on the fairways and putting greens, landscaping that rivals even the most stunning Japanese botanical garden and the best golfers in the world contending for the honor of wearing the Green Jacket there is a lot more outside the ropes.

 Some of the things that you won’t see on TV are: A Masters snack unlike any other- the famous pimento cheese sandwiches sold at the concession stands for $1.50 to this northerner it tastes like cheese whiz in white bread but others love it and the Azalea cocktails (1 Part Lemon Juice, 1 Part Lime Juice, 1 Part Pineapple Juice, 3 Parts Gin and 1 Part Grenadine) sold in the clubhouse area “under the tree” if you are fortunate enough to get in that area. There are an army of helpers in yellow jumpsuits, similar to the ones the caddies wear, on course solely to keep it tidy. Another detail not shown on TV is the lines for the men’s bathrooms, given this predominantly male skewed event; they are outrageously long – much worse than the lines for Space Mountain at Disney during the height of season. No trip is complete without a few souvenirs from the merchandise tent. It may set you back a few bucks but this brand is more elusive than Gucci or a Birkin bag. So what prompted one patron to pimp the Pepto Bismol pink Masters look? Perhaps he’s a spokesperson for Susan G. Komen, too many Azalea’s or afraid his friends would lose him in the crowd. 

Outside the gates of Augusta National on the streets surrounding the course a number of homes are converted into hospitality units complete with anything from outrageous buffets, cocktails, cigars, putting contests and chair massages. Basically if Bubba Watson was on the driving range and did a quarter turn to the right and hit a driver his ball would land on the roof of a hospitality house.

Once off the course some fan favorite hot spots include a visit to the Waffle House for grits, TBonz – the unofficial official 19^th hole or Surrey Tavern for the sounds of live R & B and rock bands that play nightly. During the week of Masters the golf universe converges in Augusta, the Golf Writers Association of America holds their annual awards dinner where the prom king and queen are crowned, otherwise known as Player of the Year. This year Graeme McDowell, Yani Tseng and Bernhard Langer received the award. As well the PGA of America, equipment manufacturers and other organizations host their own forms of hospitality ranging from deep fried turkey home cooked dinners to tented back yard extravaganzas.     

The private jets lined up at the Augusta airport resembled a Mercedes dealership and it is not uncommon to see all types of celebrity figures in town enjoying golf.  Andy Rodick caddied for friend Zack Johnson in the par 3 on Wednesday then walked the course with buddies the next day to spectate. Lynn Swann and Taylor Hicks attended the fabulous party NetJets hosted for high flyers where everyone participated in a Q & A with Butch Harmon, Ian Poulter, Dustin Johnson, Graeme McDowell and Jim Nantz. For almost any golfer there is jubilance and ecstasy that surrounds the Masters as if golf the very sport itself was on steroids. 

It is Disney for adults you walk through the gates and it is pure fantasy. Here the world is perfect. The back nine on Sunday can best be equated to the Wizard of Oz during the final part of the yellow brick road before they get to the ever elusive Emerald City. “Here Dorothy meets some memorable friends and foes in her journey to meet the Wizard of Oz who everyone says can help her return home and possibly grant her new friends their goals of a brain, heart and courage.” Perhaps Tiger is Dorothy wanting to return home and we can pretty much figure out who the Tin Man, Scarecrow and Lion would be.

 Going to the Masters is like going back in time as you can still get a sandwich and beer for $3.50 and given there are absolutely no cell phones you actually have to rely on interpersonal skills. No contact with the outer world of stock quotes, wars, economic downturn, deals to be made, mortgages and kids. Just a place where the fist pump rules and the sound of crowds roaring across the emerald green expanse signals a little birdie has landed.

It got me thinking that this reminds me of a high school prom and, at least for most Americans, it is an analogy they can relate to and have experienced. The rest of the world has had the benefit of experiencing prom through Hollywood. While it is still early in the school year there is a great deal of build-up for the prom, after all you have to choose a date and that’s no simple task.

The school hosts a tropical-themed mixer to kick off the year. You know the one, where the gym is converted into a paradise with ersatz palm trees, plastic leis and fruity punch as the Beach Boys – or perhaps Justin Bieber these days – is playing over loudspeakers. Young high-school kids stand around nervously trying to get the courage to speak to each another. As a guy you know that even if you are on the golf team you still need skills “like nunchuku skills, bow hunting skills, computer hacking skills… Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills”: Sony Open Hawaii

Then you hear about a party in the basement of a friend’s house while their parents are out of town. Maybe some alcoholic drinks will be served to kids below the legal age. Perhaps the guy hosting the party is on the wrestling team (known as the “Thunderbirds”), and we all know about wrestling parties. There is no list of invitees; everyone shows up. This is all-out fun and craziness, the kind of party everyone will talk about through the year. People are playing beer pong and betting on who will get it in their cups first, who is the better player and who will puke first or be eliminated. This is not for the weak of heart or those who can’t take jesting as the jeers are fierce and feelings not spared. All while taking place in front of everyone you know at school and others you’ve never seen before: Waste Management Phoenix Open – 16th hole.

This last party was a real ice-breaker, so the walls of the respective groups are less fortified and now the cool people and the jocks are mixing with the smart kids, the band and class clown and everyone is having a good time. You are romanticizing high school days and are somewhere between a “Cinderella Story” and “Sixteen Candles” when an international student named Long Duk Dong taps you on the shoulder and asks you if you would like to try sake. You start mingling and perhaps engage in a brief conversation about philosophy or music. A band person mentions “a flute with no holes is not a flute and a doughnut with no hole is a Danish.” While you ponder this it gets you thinking about college and what you might want to “be”: a doctor, lawyer, fire-watcher, Wall Street suit or underachiever? AT & T Pebble Beach. The amusing thing is you realize the class clown is not only funny but talented! He and a quiet guy that you never really noticed end up stealing the show.

Next thing you know it’s Spring Break and everyone is taking off for some luxurious warm beach getaway. Things are looking good as you head to Mexico for some sun and enjoy the time off in a relaxed environment. You and your friends rent a Mazda and cruise around Playa del Carmen for the week, play a little golf and even enjoy a Corona or two; after all you are legal in Mexico. Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya-Cancun

Around this time the school has an international exchange program where students from other countries spend time at your school. Through this experience both parties are enlightened to cultural difference and languages in hopes that everyone will expand their horizons: World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship

Maybe the cliquey people have their own private party, the one for all the in-crowd. They have fun toys like the ultra-cool Sport Nautique 226, used for wakeboarding and wake-surfing like the one Stuart Appleby will use for a year for winning closest to the pin. Each group dresses in the same color so they can spot friends when they see them. This is a more upscale version of what teenage girls do when they go to the mall or how families wear matching shirts when they go to Disneyland in hopes of not losing each other. No expense is spared for the food, drink and merriment. The shrimp, stone crabs and champagne are flowing: Tavistock Cup

Then there’s the most popular guy in the school; you know the one. Really good-looking, a jock, smart and nice to everyone; he seems to have it all. The one who’s going to be prom king has a party and this is the party invite everyone wants, but not everybody gets: Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard. Things have changed a bit since I went to my prom, so apparently not only does he have a cool party but has a credit card to buy whatever he wants. The host even has a private bartender who serves a drink named after him.

Down this road there is a fork in the road. For one, there’s no prom queen. But that’s okay because I wouldn’t want guys trying to pledge my sorority anyway and, hey, no one has ever heard of Boy Scout cookies. As well, green has never been a popular color on the prom gown circuit. So as spring arrives this year, our boutonniere and wrist corsages are made of azaleas and we wait in anticipation to see if we get invited to the prom (get a badge) and, most importantly, who will be crowned this year’s prom king.

In high school, I went to a prom with a guy from an all-boys private school in Buffalo and, perhaps, he and his friends waited too long to book a limo or just had a family member that worked for Mary Kay, but the chariot that picked us up was a Pepto-Bismol-pink limo. Even to this day, every time I hear Springsteen’s “Pink Cadillac” it puts a smile on my face. Oh, another difference between a prom and the Masters: instead of taking a limo the jocks and cool guys fly private on a Marquis Jet. “In the end you see us as you want to see us: in the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions each one of us is a brain, and an athlete, and a basket case, a princess, a criminal “and a ….prom King.

She Sells Sea Shells by the Sea Shore…. While I may not have asked for a Christmas gift I am asking now for you to get involved and support the Ocean the best way you can. Almost everyone has contact, fond memories and love for the OCEAN. Summers by the beach, sailing, boating, diving, beach vacations, oysters, lobsta’, shrimp, toes in the sand, Moby Dick, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, The Little Mermaid, Jaws, and Nemo to name a few.   

Here are three ways to get involved:   

(Mike Hirshfield, Elisa Gaudet & Xavier Past)

1-      Auction Participation- If you know of or have access to an auction item or an experience that can be auctioned off at “Christies Green Auction” taking place at Christies in NYC. http://www.abidtosavetheearth.org . If you click on “View Silent Auction” you have an idea of the packages auctioned off last year (Golf with Bill Clinton, A week in Bali, Spend the Day with Hugh Jackman or Jude Law, exclusive golf outings etc.) Please contact me if you have an auction item or access to something that would make a great item or experience.

 2-      Donate – before the end of the month. Double your gift!! Donate by August 31 and your gift will be matched. Click below and make a contribution to the Ocean and to help support the Oceana Latitude.

Click on the link:  https://oceana.democracyinaction.org/o/209/donate_page/2010expedition?utm_source=gaudet&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=fundraising

 3- Participate - Get involved by going to www.Oceana.org and support Oceana by signing up and learning more about what interests you. From protecting marine wildlife like sharks from fining, sea turtles and bluefin tuna to stopping ocean pollution, deep water drilling and other issues that affect the ocean.

 I visited the Latitude in early August just two days before they left for a two-month research expedition in the Gulf of Mexico to assess the long-term impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.  The expedition is taking place aboard the Oceana Latitude, a 170-foot vessel capable of sailing in both shallow and deep waters, and adapted to serve as a diving platform.

The expedition team, led by Oceana’s Chief Scientist Mike Hirshfield and Oceana’s vice president for Europe, Xavier Pastor, will also include research by Dr. Jeff Short, Oceana’s Pacific science director and one of the world’s leading experts on Exxon Valdez and the effects of oil spills. The crew also includes scientists, divers and underwater photographers from our U.S., Chile and Spain offices, as well as academic scientists. 

My last On the Lip Do Mermaids GOLF column (www.onthelip.com) focused on golf and the ocean and a special place in Curacao. There are so many special ocean golf locations and truly spectacular places like Pebble Beach- CA, Mayakoba – Mexico and Casa de Campo- Dominican Republic.  I urge all my friends to get involved and pass this message along to others.

Please contact me with any suggestions and opportunities you may have for Christies Green Auction or ways to get involved.  PLEASE FORWARD THIS ON

 Love Elisa

CONTACT: Elisa@execgolfintl.com  or Phone 646 678 5747

That would be funkeon (campeon – champion) or funkador (ganador – winner).

The above question is well worth asking as Fred Funk is the champion of the inaugural Mayakoba Golf Classic. This event – the first-ever official PGA Tour stop in Mexico – was held at the stunning Mayakoba Resort just south of Cancun, on the Rivera Maya. It will continue here for the next six years.

The best way to describe the property is that it’s a “Venice of the Caribbean.” Visionary developers OHL, along with golf course designer Greg Norman, created this golf wonderland. Breathtaking views of the ocean are enjoyed on Nos. 7 and 15, while at many other junctures the experience is like playing golf alongside Venetian canals filled with turquoise water.

Mayakoba is situated just south of Cancun on Mexico’s prized Caribbean coast – the Riviera Maya. The golf course, El Camaleon, is managed by Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. The layout offers players an ever-changing environment that moves gracefully from mangroves to the sea. Created to harmonize with the unspoiled tropical forest, Mayakoba is connected with a series of lagoons and canals. Guests navigate these waterways using “lanchas” (covered boats), as well as a network of walking trails.

Because of the course’s name, the champion’s trophy is a chameleon. Funk had this to say about his win: “It just feels good to win the tournament. Just to be able to compete with the young guys on the regular Tour, it shows that the old guy has still got something. It’s a very satisfying win for me.” Funk became only the second player – the first was Craig Stadler – to be victorious on the PGA Tour after winning on the Champions Tour.

The 7,039-yard layout is unusual. It involves three distinct landscapes – mangrove jungles, limestone canals and oceanfront stretches of sand. On the first hole you find a cenote, a massive underground cavern, in the center of the fairway. This proved a challenge for even the world’s best golfers.

When asked to rank the course and how it matches up with other Tour stops, Funk said: “Condition-wise, it’s a 9 or a 10. It’s really, really good. Golf design-wise, considering how much wind can blow down here, it’s an 8 or a 9. It’s really good. It’s the kind of golf course that rewards good play. If you play well, you can score well on it. Anything under par today is a really good round, I thought, and that’s the sign of a really tough golf course, a really good golf course. It rewards good shots and penalizes bad shots, and that’s all you can ask.”

This must be what the funkador asked for – as he wins with that style and grace that are signatures of a true champion and a great man. Funk is one of those people where you can say this victory could not have happened to a nicer guy. A wonderful family man, committed to his community and giving back, and well one heck of a golfer.

The PGA Tour says, “Theses guys are good.” But you know some of them are GREAT.

A question I am sure many have pondered as they venture out into the deep blue: Lurking in the mind of every late-night swimmer, scuba diver or golfer as he looks over the edge of an ocean hole searching for a lost golf ball is not… are there sharks? Rather do Mermaids golf?  Like the Loch Ness monster, myths of underwater sirens golfing has filled the ship journals of many sailors and perhaps drunken golfers at the 19^th holes in such renowned ocean golf courses as Kiawah Island in South Carolina, Old Head in Ireland, Turnberry in Scotland, Casa De Campo in the Dominican Republic and probably the most well known ocean golf course Pebble Beach in California. The sea and golf also meet in one spectacular location, Curacao.

 Photo- Jelle Kolet

GOLF

You can now add to the list of ocean golf paradise courses the Old Quarry Golf Course at the Santa Barbara Plantation in Curacao, Netherlands Antilles    

If you’re looking for a phenomenal sea and golf getaway this Curacao location is as good as it gets. The newly opened par 72 layout designed by Pete Dye is named “Old Quarry” after the historic marble quarries that offer the second best views from the golf course after the strikingly blue nearby water.  The mine still functions once a week and the topography surrounding the course can best be described as Arizona-meets-Cape Town-South Africa-meets-the-Caribbean. The Santa Barbara Plantation property and the golf course are located in the middle of this rocky marble landscape with contrasting blue Caribbean waters running alongside the entire coastline. www.santabarbaraplantation.com.

Measuring 7,200 yards from the tips, the course offers a visually stunning experience for any level golfer and the natural surroundings makes it difficult to concentrate on the game. Their are eight stunning ocean– and bay- side holes. Featured are vistas of the Caribbean Sea and the picturesque bay known as Spanish Water, named centuries ago after the Spanish sailors who came ashore looking for treasures and freshwater.  

Adding to the charm are trees estimated to be 200 to 300 years old. In order to create a least disturbance effect, Dye used paspalum grass on the fairways and tees and the native grass for the outer rough. The resort irrigates the course with recycled water mixed with salt water. Throughout the project and at the Hyatt there is a strong theme of respect for the environment and protection of nature and its resources. 

 “The ambiance is what makes it special,” says Dye. “First you see the Caribbean, then the bay and the boats, then that big mountain. This land is incredible—the contours, the views, the ruins, the setting. Here the topography has enough movement; you don’t have to create it.”

The course is part of Santa Barbara Plantation, a 1,500-acre, resort-style community just 25 minutes from Curaçao’s capital city of Willemstad and 40 minutes from the airport. The development also has the Hyatt Regency Curaçao Resort & Spa and 120-slip Seru Boca Marina on Spanish Water, capable of accommodating vessels up to 80 feet in length. In addition, Santa Barbara Plantation features a stunning beach that is sectioned off by  a  floatingdock to make it safe and easy to snorkel right off the beach. 

 There is no way to give enough accolades to the Hyatt Regency Curaçao Resort & Spa. It is always difficult when you travel to islands especially from big cities where we are accustomed to great food and great service. The Hyatt staff was sent from “staff heaven” and flawless in every department. From the moment you arrive to every area you frequent, including golf, spa, restaurants and the pool-side lunch spot, SWIM, that will deliver delicious fish tacos right to your lounge chair on the beach. www.curacao.hyatt.com

Another golf course on the island, Blue Bay Golf & Beach Resort, is worth the drive just to play hole number five. This was how the course was presented by Joel, an avid island golfer.  On the last day before our flight back a few of us did just that and ventured out to play hole five and managed to squeeze in No. 16, 17 & 18 whish also have stunning ocean views.  Blue Bay has more of a relaxed island feel than your typical resort course and No. five, the 180 yard par three cliff hole over the crashing waves, did not disappoint.  http://golf.bluebay-curacao.com

DIVING

 Scuba Diving Magazine’s 2010 Readers Choice Awads gave Curacao high marks in a number of categories, including second place for Top Shore Diving and Top Beginner Diving and Third Place for Top Marine Life, Top Visibility, Top Health of Marine Environment, Top Macro Life and Top Overall Diving. 

The diving facility Ocean Encounters (www.oceanencounters.com) is operated by Christian Ambrosi and his family. They took over the business in 2003 after many years visiting the island. Curacao boasts one of the best dive sites in the world and it did not disappoint. The dives are very well run by knowledgeable, friendly people of different nationalities who truly enjoy diving and love the ocean. The equipment and boats are great and well maintained. They went above and beyond to ensure everyone, both snorkelers and divers, had a pleasant experience and assisted greatly in locating and photographing the golfing mermaid.

Ocean Encounters is a PADI 5* IDC Resort and National Geographic Dive operator. Their fleet includes eight boats and six different locations around the island, taking underwater explorers to the best diving and snorkeling sites. 

Calm conditions, good visibility, healthy reefs, great macro life, unlimited shore diving and over 100 dive sites make Curacao a diver’s dream. Because Curacao – part of the “ABC” islands of the Netherlands Antilles (Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao) – is surrounded by a fringing reef created by geological events long ago, dozens of dive sites are within feet of the shoreline. Some of the standout shore dive sites include Playa Lagun, Playa Kalki (Alice in Wonderland) and Cas Abao. If you enjoy the boat-diving experience, there are a myriad of sites within a quick boat ride of nearby resorts. Two of the better known can’t-miss dives include Mushroom Forest and the Superior Producer wreck.

 It is here with all the great splendor of aquatic life that we realize how fragile and important the ocean is and the importance of protecting this natural resource. Christian and his group have a “zero contact” policy: no touching and no contact of sea life. Oceana (www.oceana.org), the largest international organization focused solely on ocean conservation, is dedicated to protecting the world’s oceans and working tirelessly on strategic, directed campaigns that will help return our oceans to former levels of abundance.

Golfing Mermaids were spotted near the Tugboat dive site. A tugboat wrecked 25 years ago just a few yards offshore and rests at 17 feet in a protected bay that has become a famous site for divers as well as snorkelers. The site offers lots of diving choices – wall, wreck and deep. Located on the protected southeast side of Caracasbay, the Tugboat site is accessible only by boat. A steep wall is located a mere three-minute swim from the wreck, which drops about 100 feet. Overgrown with tube sponges, coral, and a variety of colourful reef fish, including majestic blue parrot fish and yellow tail snappers, the abandoned tugboat makes this an ideal location for a mermaid’s version of miniature golf.  No doubt the mermaids obtain most of their golf balls in the water just off Old Quarry Golf Course hole Nos. 1 and 2.