Pacific Gales promises to be on par with Bandon

If you're a fan of Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, then here's something that might excite you: There's more world-class golf being planned for the southern coast of Oregon.

The new course is called Pacific Gales, which will be located on a portion of the privately-owned Knapp Ranch in Curry County, between Cape Blanco and the town of Port Orford, about 30 miles south of Bandon. If everything goes as planned, course construction for Pacific Gales is expected to begin next summer with a possible grand opening by 2016.

Many of the holes will be directly on the ocean with the ninth and 18th sharing a common cliff-side green. The holes will run north and south with a huge natural sand dune running the length of the property. There's rocky cliffs reminiscent of Pebble Beach, and corridors through twisted, wind-whipped pines and gorse-filled ravines that might evoke images of Pine Valley. It promises to bring every element of classic seaside golf into play, augmented by views unmatched anywhere else on the West Coast.

"I’ve been in the business for 30 years, and you know a great site when you're on it," said Jim Haley, managing partner of Elk River Property Development, LLC. "This is a great site. You don’t get them very often."

The connections to Bandon Dunes, which now has five courses, are more than geographic. Haley was the lead shaper for architect David Lay McKidd on the original Bandon Dunes links course that opened in 1999. Troy Russell, manager for the Pacific Gales project, grew up locally and was the first superintendent at Bandon Dunes. And Chicago-based architect Dave Esler, who is designing Pacific Gales, was actually one of the original finalists for Bandon Dunes.

"It’s a great opportunity, and frankly one that most architects would only dream of coming across once in a lifetime," Esler said.

Esler said he wanted the routing to take advantage of the spectacular scenery, whether you were playing golf or simply walking the course.

"On the first green at Pacific Gales, you’ll be staring at the edge of two worlds, looking into infinity. It’s drop-dead spectacular," he said. "The routing is intentionally choreographed, constructed as theater really. We set the hook early, move away from the edge, build the drama again with long views, intimate peeks and anticipation of what’s ahead - the spectacular finish. We’d be pretty fortunate to be able to do that with one of the nines, but after a good bit of work, we’ve found a routing that provides that drama on each of the nines."

Haley first saw the property back in the late 1990s when he was working at Bandon Dunes. Jeff Knapp, one of the owners of Knapp Ranch, had worked with Haley before and invited him over for a crab feed. That's when Haley first saw the 1,100-acre stretch of oceanfront property. Not long after, Haley and his business partner, Jay Kenyon, completed a lease agreement with the Knapp family to develop 330 acres along the ocean. They then brought on Russell as project manager.

"It’s more than just the oceanfront property. You’ve got these other unique attributes, the lighthouse, Cape Blanco, the Port Orford reef just offshore and a view of the Coast Range," Russell said said. "Plus, you’re looking down onto the Elk River, one of the most beautiful on the Wild Rivers Coast. It's a cut above, a remarkable piece of property."

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Shadow Creek 'definitely a bucket list course'

NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. – As the director of golf at the exclusive Shadow Creek Golf Club, Mark Brenneman has plenty of stories about the famous crowd who love the game – Jordan, Clinton, Bush, Clooney.

I heard a few of these tales during a recent visit to Shadow Creek, but I was asked not to share them. There aren’t many rules at this laid-back club, but the ‘What happens at Shadow Creek stays at Shadow Creek’ rule is a big one.

In a town filled with hype, glitz and glamour, Shadow Creek prefers to stay out of that limelight. Even after two decades, the club is still the place where casino high-rollers and other VIPs and celebrities come to escape.

“I never know who’s going to walk in that door,” Brenneman said.

The coolest part about Shadow Creek isn’t necessarily playing the golf course, although Tom Fazio did work a few miracles to build the $60 million playground. Just getting inside the gates – and seeing who might be eating lunch on the veranda behind the understated clubhouse – is its biggest allure. There are days when only a handful of people tee it up.

“We are not about volume. We try to get the right people out here,” Brenneman said. “ … We are about creating memories.”

Shadow Creek, which opened in 1989 as the vision of casino mogul Steve Wynn, has always been shrouded in mystery and mystique. It never had a Website until MGM Resorts International took over in 2000. Its current site, www.shadowcreek.com, only offers pictures of five holes.

MGM keeps its exclusive vibe alive by charging the highest green fee in the country at $500 and demanding each golfer stay at an MGM property, such as Aria Resort & Casino or Bellagio. Even a former U.S. President and a sitting Canadian Prime Minister have been turned away because they were staying at rival casino hotels. 

Buying $25 tickets to the Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational, a charity pro-am, remains the only economical way to see this Sin City Shangri-La. Next year’s tournament will be April 3-6.

Those lucky enough to splurge on the playing experience are picked up at their hotel by limousine. The 20-minute ride through hardscrabble suburbia couldn’t be more surreal. That Fazio and Wynn, who is legally blind, could create such a modern marvel from a nondescript palate of desert remains mind-boggling.

Fazio’s maze of bubbling brooks, cascading waterfalls and towering trees appears so natural, although every fairway curve is contrived. No detail, down to the shape and colors of the trees and shrubs framing each green, was left to chance. A refurbishment five years ago stretched Shadow Creek to 7,500 yards. Dustin Johnson set the course record of 66 just days after his debacle in a bunker at the 2010 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.

The beauty and serenity of the place, in many ways, justifies the cost.

“It was utopia, definitely a bucket list course,” said Kevin Kallister, a golfer from Peoria, Ill., who played the course a few days before me. “It was a great experience.”

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Also playing

National Golf Club of Louisiana is one of two standout munis around Lake Charles. 

There aren't enough golf courses in the Lake Charles area to call it a true "golf mecca," but there are a couple municipal courses worth a round if you want to expand your golf options beyond Contraband Bayou and Gray Plantation.

In Westlake, The National Golf Club of Louisiana is the area's newest course (until the Golden Nugget's course opens). The course is the centerpiece of a new 600-acre residential community (though few houses are visible from the course at this point). Challenge-wise, it holds its own with Contraband Bayou and Gray Plantation at more than 7,000 yards and interspersed with 14 water hazards (and could probably match the other courses's gator presence, too).

A more traditional layout can be found at Mallard Cove, located by the Chennault International Air Park, a former military base. The federal government gave the land to the city of Lake Charles to use for recreation, and it's become a local favorite but with enough interesting (albeit narrow) holes to make it a worthy option for the visitor. The large clubhouse -- rebuilt in 200, following Hurricane Rita's destruction -- certainly doesn't feel "muni."

A new course is also on the way. Just a chip shot away, a new casino property is being erected, the Golden Nugget, complete with a new 18-hole golf course designed by Todd Eckenrode (who has a casino course near San Diego at Barona Creek). The property is on schedule to open in mid-to-late 2014.

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Where to golf in Lake Charles

Tom Fazio's Contraband Bayou winds around L'Auberge Resort in Lake Charles. 

The golfing menu in Lake Charles begins at Contraband Bayou, the onsite championship course of L'Auberge, and was designed by Tom Fazio. Fazio is no stranger to high-end casino plays and its unique clientele of high-roller comps (including Shadow Creek in Las Vegas, Edgewood Tahoe in Lake Tahoe, Fallen Oak in Biloxi).

His layout here, which opened in 2004, has not only the gorgeous stylings of Fazio's signature bunkering, fairway contouring and greens, but in recent years, the golf operation has added other high-roller trimmings: new cart paths, touch-screen GPS and iced apples sitting in a barrel at the 10th tee box. Wooden bridges cross over small ponds littered throughout the property, and the course converted to Ultradwarf bermuda grass greens in 2010.

A worthy compliment to Contraband Bayou can be found downstream along the Calcasieu River at Gray Plantation. An upscale, semi-private facility, the course was in the Top 100 for, and is an original member of, the Audubon Golf Trail. Several holes play along the river, most notably the watery, short, par-3 sixth, whose tee and green is connected by a long, wooden bridge. With two drivable par 4s on the back nine, along with some reachable par 5s and short par 3s, the layout, while a stern 140 slope from the back tees, presents ample opportunities to catch a hot streak.

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Lake Charles, Louisiana an indulgent golf and gaming destination

LAKE CHARLES, La. -- Let's get one thing straight: I would never dissuade anyone from indulging in a beignet, or maybe two, first thing in the morning.

These sugary, powered, soft donuts -- which are a specialty down on the Bayou -- are simply too appetizing to walk by when you see a tray full of them. Rather, I would merely suggest it be a piece (or two) of a balanced, nutritious breakfast, including a banana or a piece of toast to help ensure the sugar spike doesn't hit you by the third hole.

It's pretty tough to not dive head first into the culinary scene when spending a long weekend in Lake Charles, in western Louisiana, which makes appetizing the adjective of the day when describing a trip down here. It seems the Cajun locals never caught something in the water they couldn't fit into a deep fryer. Should you catch something yourself out on the waters, such as a prized redfish, you can find a local seafood joint like the local institution Seafood Palace to bake it up for you.

The many water hazards around Lake Charles are staked with redfish. 

Lake Charles has become a convenient playground of fishing and gaming, in particular, for the nearby Houston market. The main stay-and-play option is the L'Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles, a 1,000-room casino and resort set along Contraband Bayou.

L'Auberge (which has a sister property in Baton Rouge) does far more than satisfy a basic gaming itch of residents whose state doesn't allow it. Guest rooms and common areas are stylish and modern, and Spa du Lac (set to be upgraded soon) oozes opulence. Outside, the outdoor pool area is a lush oasis with a lazy river, fire pits and adult's only pool. The summer months bring a nightly concert series to go with a common four-straight months of full occupancy.

For gaming, the casino floor, home to 1,600 slots and 70 table games, sits on a barge in the center of the hotel, but you'd never know you were on water as state laws mandate. It's a full-on, Vegas-style gaming experience including a live poker room, roulette and craps and an assortment of card games to go with complimentary drinks for players and a separate VIP lounge.

The signature restaurant at L'Auberge is Ember, which specializes in steaks (including a mighty "Tomohawk" cut, a 40 oz. ribeye for $99 that is cut table side and could probably be shared by a table of four). Or go more casual at Jack Daniel's Whiskey Grill, which turns into a lively bar late-night.

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Brooklyn's Marine Park Golf Course enjoying a resurgence

As a lifelong New York City resident, Rich McDonough takes great pride in the recent resurgence of the Big Apple’s public golf scene.

Donald Trump will open his Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point Park in 2015. Closer to his heart, the Marine Park Golf Course in Brooklyn continues its rebirth under Michael and Adam Giordano, the father-son ownership team that took over in 2009. The duo has launched a long-term master plan to enhance the original Robert Trent Jones Sr. design. A number of holes have already been altered, the clubhouse revamped and new practice facilities built.

McDonough, the club’s director of golf operations, calls Marine Park “the gem of New York City.” The 6,866-yard course will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2014.

"On the scale of 1 to 10 (grading the changes), it is a 10,” McDonough said. “I’ve played at Marine Park through the years. It was so dilapidated from the lack of maintenance and care. People were accepting that nothing was going to change. Slowly but surely, the golf course came alive."

Marine Park was originally designed by architect Robert Trent Jones Sr. 

With an improved emphasis on conditioning, Marine Park wants to become known as a tournament venue. In October, top area professionals and amateurs played in the inaugural Brooklyn Open Championship at Marine Park.

McDonough estimates roughly 30 percent of the renovation work by architect Stephen Kay is complete. Kay shaped berms and mounds on holes 1-5 and holes 11-14 to give the flat linksy layout better definition and character. The Manhattan skyline, including the Empire State Building and the Freedom Tower, frames the backdrop.

"These berms have given each hole their own private feel," McDonough said. "They change the entire feel. Even with the wind, it changes those patterns. It’s quite unique."

Reworking bunkers and the construction of new tees will continue. An indoor training studio equipped with a TrackMan launch monitor and simulator will open upstairs in the clubhouse in January.

Marine Park looking at innovative pace of play solutions

The Giordanos are analyzing every detail of course operations to improve the customer experience and increase rounds. They’re looking into a shuttle service to bring in golfers from Manhattan. McDonough indicated Marine Park might experiment with off-peak tee times next year that charge for "time played" instead of the traditional nine or 18-hole model. The course routing makes shorter loops possible.

Consulting with Three45Golf Association Inc. brought in ideas to speed up play. Clocks spaced out to three key locations on the course keep players aware of their pace. Additional employee training and new signage provide constant reminders about the issue.

"We are looking forward to people playing faster and still getting a great golf experience," McDonough said. "We have difficult greens. We will make sure pin positions will not bog down play. We are being very proactive."

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The 3rd hole at Sewailo Golf Club.

Sewailo is as much about the story it tries to tell as it is about the 7,400-yard championship layout. The Yaquis, who migrated from Mexico to Arizona more than 2,500 years ago, are said to have come from the "flower land," or Sewailo as it's known in their language. The course illustrates that history.

It starts off lush and green with lakes that evolve into streams. In the second phase of the course, the desert re-emerges, then later, the streams, lakes, and flowers return, just as they did for the tribe after its arrival here, culminating with waterfalls behind the 18th green.

To create the look, Landscapes Unlimited, which has worked with Begay on his previous projects, not only moved thousands of cubic yards of dirt to shape the course and dig out the lakes, but they transplanted more than 30,000 native shrubs and trees. Among the plants are wildflowers, including brittlebush, a desert shrub in the sunflower family. It blooms yellow in the early spring. In a year or two, as the native areas fill in, the course could very well be one of the most colorful in the region.

More on Tucson: Three new happenings to the area golf scene

As for the course, well, it's a pretty good test. Just announced on Wednesday, the Troon Golf-managed facility, which will soon include a clubhouse and learning center, will serve as the home course of the University of Arizona's men's and women's golf teams and it's not out of the realm of possibility that it lands a Champions or LPGA tour event in the near future.

From the tips, it's all you can handle, but with five sets of tees, the most forward of which lose the forced carries, it's very playable. Wide open, it is, of course, susceptible to the desert winds, and water on 10 holes certainly provide plenty of trouble.

There are also about 65 bunkers on the course, but because they are so large and deep, it seems more like 165. The 14 acres of lakes and one mile of creeks, besides helping to tell the Yaquis' story, are a key part of the strategy.

"There's a huge amount of fairway, but if you want to improve your chances of scoring, you have to take on the hazards," Begay said.

The greens are large, too, especially the first and the eighth, which combine for 23,900 square feet. Begay drew inspiration from his favorite course – the Old Course at St. Andrews – for that one. Hit it long, and you could be faced with a putt of 150 feet or more.

It's also wise to consult the GPS maps on the golf carts when playing this course for the first time. Landing areas beyond bunkers and short of water hazards aren't always evident off the tee, so driver on every par 4 and par 5 aren't recommended.

As for the memorable holes, there are plenty of them, but Begay's favorite are the par-3 third and par-5 10th.

The third is short, just 150 yards from the back tee, but there's a lake in front of and on both sides of the green, creating an intimidating look akin the 17th at the TPC Sawgrass. Add a little wind and it becomes even scarier.

The 10th is just downright nasty. While Begay and Butler provided generous fairways, some drivable par 4s and birdie opportunities on a couple of other par 5s, they took away most of the golfer's options on the 10th.

It starts with a tee shot that plays around water. The fairway gets more narrow and the water comes more into play the more right you hit it off the tee. But the farther left you hit it, where the fairway is generous, the more difficult the second shot, which much clear a water hazard and work around or over some fairly large fairway bunkers.

"I really love the 10th," Begay said. "There's nowhere to go. You have to hit a shot."

Which is why it's the No. 1 handicap hole.

Green fees, which include cart and the club's outstanding range and short-game area, are opening at $99 during the week and $125 on weekends. Better rates may be available online, and Troon Golf is offering a special three-course package call the Tucson Golf Swing (TucsonGolfSwing.com). The package also includes the mostly private Gallery Golf Club and La Paloma Resort at $299 (Jan. 1-April 14), $199 (April 16-June1) and $139 (June 2-Sept. 1).

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Begay's Sewailo Golf Club brings a new look to Tucson

TUCSON, Ariz. -- The new Sewailo Golf Club is a championship test with a unique point of view -- one that, perhaps, could only be understood by a Native American who grew up so poor on the west side of Albuquerque that he once bought a pair of women's golf shoes in a yard sale so he could play golf in the summers.

Co-designed by former PGA Tour player-turned Golf Channel commentator Notah Begay III with veteran architect Ty Butler, Sewailo Golf Club became the first new course to open in the Tucson area since The Golf Club at Dove Mountain five years ago. And while Dove Mountain's architect,Jack Nicklaus, might have a little more experience in almost every imaginable way when it comes to golf, Begay has something Nicklaus or the rest of the architects can never understand – perspective.

It's just one aspect that makes Sewailo, which opened on Thursday, so unique.

Begay, a three-sport star in high school, earned a golf scholarship to Stanford, where he not only earned his degree in economics, but was part of a group that went from unranked before he got there to NCAA champion in 1994. And, oh by the way, he also had a pretty famous roommate named Tiger Woods, whom Begay affectionately nicknamed "Urkel" because of the Coke-bottle glasses he wore in college when he didn't have his contacts in.

But Begay has never forgotten his roots or the heritage of his people. As a Native American – Begay is half Navajo and a quarter San Felipe and Isleta – he is passionate about helping his people. His foundation, NB3F, fights childhood obesity and diabetes in the Native American community while promoting fitness and wellness. And as a Native American, he certainly had a deep appreciation for what the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, which also owns accompanying Casino del Sol resort, has been through and wanted to accomplish. In fact, you might say Begay and his NB3 Consulting Company, served as the driving force behind the project. This is Begay's third course; the other two being Sequoyah National in Cherokee, N.C., and Firekeeper Golf Club in Topeka, Kansas.

Begay's vision is evident throughout.

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